Stake Leadership Meeting

Our stake leadership meeting theme for 2014 was “Seek to Minister”.  Our quote on our invitations was “May the Labor of our hands be a Symbol of our Love.”  I opened the meeting by giving a short message on the Labor of our hands.  I began my talk by expressing my love for the presidencies in our stake and reminded them that they were needed, valued and loved.  I then talked about Mary and Martha of the New Testament and that we are all Mary and Martha trying to “choose that good part”.  We love the Lord and want to show that love through service.  Service is shown through acts of patience, compassion and understanding for one another.  As true disciples we offer our willing hearts and our helping hands.  I talked about my mother’s hands and how beautiful and strong they were.  I remember mother, as poor as we were, crocheting afghans, sewing pillowcases and quilts for Deseret Industries, when she easily could have been a recipient of some of the items that the Deseret Industries had to offer.  I told them that I remembered mother would set aside $20.00 from her social security check each month so she could send $5.00 each to the first four charities that sent her a letter that month.  Those two scenarios spoke volumes to me about the essence of service and love.

I told them that our actions will tell where our hearts are.  Some people have to talk with their hands to communicate.  Our thoughts and our actions are communicated through our hands.  Do we communicate with a soft touch or no touch at all?  Do we ask the next question or just “How are you? and let it be.

All of us can use our hands to serve and love one another.  When we take the hand of a sister we are serving, there is something magical that can happen.  It’s like a quiet heart to heart talk. 

I ended with a four line poem that I had written in my book of notes but had failed to write who stated it. 

“We are conv’ nant daughters with a gift to give.

We will teach the gospel by the way we live.

With each word and action, we will testify.

We believe, and we serve Jesus Christ.”

After the meeting we served sugar cookies in the shape of a hand with a heart in the palm.  We also gave each sister a rose.  It was a beautiful evening and we had a great attendance.  I always pray that our meetings will give the sisters something to lift and encourage them in their callings.