General RS Women's Broadcast - Saturday, September 28th, 2013

It was a beautiful autumn evening in the Salt Lake Valley, as sisters gathered together in the Conference Center and in surrounding Stake Centers for the General Relief Society Meeting. The South Jordan Utah River Stake was fortunate to be invited to attend the meeting downtown at the conference center this year. There were lots of warm memories made by those sisters who had tickets to attend downtown, and lots of warm memories made by those who came to watch the broadcast at the Stake Center. We weren't sure how many sisters to expect at the Stake Center because many sisters were going to the conference center downtown, but shortly after 5:30 the sisters started streaming in and the chapel was filled almost, but not quite, to overflowing. 

There is an unmistakable feeling of joy when Relief Society sisters meet together.  When we meet as a Stake, we feel that sweet sisterhood as we give and receive embraces from sisters we haven't seen for awhile, and sit shoulder to shoulder together. This year we heard our inspired General Relief Society presidency and our prophet give us counsel on covenants, teaching children about how acts of service and kindness are a way of keeping our baptismal covenants, and receiving and acting on personal revelation. 

Three generations attending together...
(Each age is beautiful, don't you think?)

Mothers, daughters, & granddaughters...

Brother Mike Wilson, his sweet wife & daughter.
We SO appreciate Brother Wilson! (our High Council representative to the RS)
His unselfish service, and that of all our Priesthood brethren add so much to Relief Society.

Sweet Shari Gibbons (at right) & her friend Marcie.
Shari enthusiastically used her creative touch to
put together this beautiful Fall table decor.
Thank you!

We appreciate the Priesthood and all their help -
(L to R - Anne Petersen, David Bennett, Jennie Bennett, Barbara Sweat, Dennis Sweat, Mike Wilson)
These good men make our callings a joy.

As a presidency, we hope you were able to enjoy
the proceedings of this wonderful meeting.
If you missed it, you can still enjoy it by logging on HERE.

After the broadcast we enjoyed delicious bread and butter (made all the sweeter since President Monson told a story about a loaf of homemade bread!) and veggie trays and dip. The tables were beautifully decorated with fall colors by Sister Shari Gibbons of the River 9th ward.  Everyone enjoyed a great evening, where we were fed spiritually, and had a nice get-together following the conference. Relief Society is the vehicle of so much service and happiness.

Mending Day - Wonderful Opportunity to Serve the SLC South Missionaries

On August, 28, 2013 - the sisters of the South Jordan Utah River Stake were given an opportunity to provide seamstresses to mend clothing and provide sewing services for the missionaries of the Utah Salt Lake City South Mission. 

It is always exciting and challenging to do something you have never done before! What a sweet experience it was for the six sisters who participated. We arrived in the morning, set up sewing machines in a classroom at the Stake Center, inventoried the basket of zippers, patches and buttons provided by the mission home and waited. Soon the Elders and Sisters started arriving for their conference and before we knew it we were in business. And business was brisk! 

There were requests to shorten suit pants, take in seams, sew on buttons, mend seams, and try our best to repair rips and tears on thread-bare fabrics. It was a joy to see and feel this clothing that was worn away by diligent, young servants of the Lord. I believe each of us thought about their mothers, and our efforts were in their behalf. Many of the sisters who participated have sons and daughters currently serving throughout the world and it was a powerful way to connect with them from home.


So much work was accomplished, especially with suits and pants that in the beginning seemed impossible to fix. Zippers were put in by sisters who had
never done work like that, and they looked like they had been done by professional tailors. The opportunity to serve these missionaries was relatively small, but appreciated and enjoyed by each of the sisters that day. In a thank you letter we received from the mission secretary the next week, we learned that the one pair of pants that we thought could ONLY be discarded (but were still fixed the best we could) are now being worn by the grateful missionary.

It was a great morning, and we look forward to being able to do it again some time!