Last night's enrichment dinner was delicious, beautiful, entertaining, inspiring ... it really had all the elements. But as those who've planned activities before will tell you, it NEVER comes together the way you had originally planned.
As the event drew nearer and nearer the list of changes and cancellations kept growing and growing. Driven to the point of panic and desperation, our sweet RS Enrichment counselor spent the night on her knees pleading with the Lord to know what to do ... how to make it work ... what would He have it be?
The next morning, I woke up ... flooded with ideas for our activity. I Spent a few quiet minutes at the computer thinking to myself that it would be fun to come up with an extra verse to "As Sisters in Zion" for the closing song of the activity. Humming the tune in my head I quickly cranked out a new verse specific to the needs of our Williamston Ward Relief Society. "That was a little too easy," I thought ... and before I even realized it I had turned out verses 2, 3, and 4! I was too excited to keep them to myself and called our Enrichment counselor to ask if she thought we could fit it in to the program. I didn't fully understand at the time when she told me quite humbly that the Lord had answered her prayers ... through me.
After realizing the night she had spent, it became clear to me why I'd been able to write those verses so quickly ... I had been inspired by the Lord to do it. It seems silly that I didn't recognize it at first, but my mind had been opened to those words and they came together without hesitation. Pretty awesome.
As for the evening's activity ... it came off beautifully. The decorations were divine, dinner was delicious, our "secrets revealed" game was rousing and side-splitting, the piano solo slowed us back down and invited the Spirit in, and the Enrichment Counselor's closing remarks were inspiring. She shared the RS presidency's theme for the year "Build a Better You." She ended by reading the new verses I had written we all followed along. We sang them together for our closing hymn. I was very touched.
We'd decided afterward that all the changes and modifications that had taken place were the Lord's way of tweaking the evening into what it needed to be. I loved being a part of it all and was glad the Lord let me be an answer to somebody's prayer.
The additional verses to "As Sisters in Zion":
As Williamston women, we're working together
to strengthen our sisters through service and love.
Compassion and friendship are keys to our union.
God's blessings will pour out from heaven above.
A visiting teacher who follows the Spirit
can bless those she visits when she is in tune.
So pray for your sisters, sincerely and often
and watch as the friendships you've planted will bloom.
We'll care for each other, for this is our duty.
The Lord has sent each of us here with this work.
The Williamston sisters can ALL make a difference;
yes, this is a duty that we must not shirk.
Our Heavenly Father knows we are all busy
our families, our callings ... there's so much to do.
But if we are faithful in loving each other
the Lord will uplift and send blessings to you.
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I'm sharing this with you to use if you'd like. Try substituting in your own ward's name for mine. For example, "As Sugar 3rd women, we're working together ..." or "The Linder Ward sisters can ALL make a difference ..." etc. Would be fun to sing as the "practice hymn in RS or as a RS combined choir for Sacrament Meeting.
.JPG)
