This week I focused on Sisterhood: Oh, How We Need Each Other a sermon given by Bonnie L. Oscarson at the 2014 April General Woman's Conference. All quotes below are from this sermon unless otherwise noted. Serendipitously, my mother sent me an interesting email along the same lines today.
"Though in many ways we are different and unique, we also acknowledge that we are all daughters of the same Heavenly Father, which makes us sisters. We are unified in building the kingdom of God and in the covenants which we have made, no matter what our circumstances. This combined (worldwide through the internet and satellite) assembly is, without a doubt, the most glorious sisterhood upon the face of the earth! To be sisters implies that there is an unbreakable bond between us. Sisters take care of each other, watch out for each other, comfort each other, and are there for each other through thick and thin. The Lord has said, “I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are not mine.” The adversary would have us be critical or judgmental of one another. He wants us to concentrate on our differences and compare ourselves to one another."
"We as women can be particularly hard on ourselves. When we compare ourselves to one another, we will always feel inadequate or resentful of others. Sister Patricia T. Holland once said, “The point is, we simply cannot call ourselves Christian and continue to judge one another—or ourselves—so harshly," One Thing Needful: Becoming Women of Greater Faith in Christ, Ensign, Oct. 1987, 29. She goes on to say that there is nothing that is worth us losing our compassion and sisterhood over. We just need to relax and rejoice in our divine differences. We need to realize that we all desire to serve in the kingdom, using our unique talents and gifts in our own ways. Then we can enjoy our sisterhood and our associations and begin to serve. The fact of the matter is, we really and truly need each other. Women naturally seek friendship, support, and companionship. We have so much to learn from one another, and we often let self-imposed barriers keep us from enjoying associations which could be among the greatest blessings in our lives."
Sister Oscarson told a story of a five-year-old little girl that went to church alone each week. Questioned about her motivation, the little girl said she knew her Primary teachers loved her. This is how I want my Primary children to feel. I want people to feel that I love and accept them without judgement. My grandma is like this. After reading the book In His Steps as a nine-year-old, grandma adopted the motto: What would Jesus do? Before responding she stops and asks herself this question. This year in my primary class each week, we spend about five minutes presenting situations the children might encounter where they must make choices about honesty, obedience, kindness, and so forth. In this game, the children now know the question they should ask themselves: what would Jesus want me to do? The children consider and give possibilities. After they give their ideas, we discuss other solutions to each dilemma. At first I wasn't sure how this exercise would go, but the children love it.
My purpose is to help these children which in turn helps their mothers, my sisters. Dealing with children is my forte, while relating to adults isn't.
