General Relief Society

I remember when I was young I couldn't wait to be a member of Relief Society. I wanted to be a card caring member. A card carrier you say. Well, when I was young my mom had a card saying she was a member of the Relief Society. I just knew it was a special club. The cards identified them as women who were caring and loving and willing to bear one another’s burdens.
At club meetings the women brought their children and they got to go into a special room where there were other women who brought activities and snacks. Other kids your age were there. Happy smiling faces (most of the time) and laughing.
In the big room (the cultural hall) were the women with the cards. They busily sat up quilting frames and other activities. There were always plenty of chairs for all who wanted to come. These card carrying women with their smiles on their faces would ask how each other were. What could they do to help? And, spoke of the babies being born to another card carrying woman.
The kitchen always smelled of wonderful, delicious foods that were being prepared to feed these card carrying women when their work and laughing was done. Their children would bring a sack lunch but those women were given feast for their hard work. Not only the hard work in the cultural hall but their diligence in being worthy card carrying members. I couldn't wait to eat in that circle of women. To be worthy of a card.
This evening I was privileged to be able to attend General Relief Society in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, UT. Do you know it seats over 21,000 people? It is so big a 747 fits inside. As luck would have it I was able to attend that meeting with my mother. Relief Society is the largest Women organization in the world. It is comprised of women of our faith. General Relief Society is when ALL the women are able to watch via satellite or internet, watch on TV or listen on the radio the proceeding from the Conference Center in Salt Lake City. The president of the Relief Society as well as her counselors speaks to us. They give us counsel and direction. Our Prophet and President of our church, Thomas S. Monson, as well as his counselors were there.
I may not remember all the words that were spoken but I will never forget the feelings of love and compassion I felt there with all the women who were there for the same reason I was. To hear the words that our Father in Heaven wants us to hear regarding US! The women that spoke were amazing. And Pres Eyring spoke also. What a giant of a man he is. As the meeting concluded only the women there were privy to this next action. Pres. Monson arose. We waved at the congregation section by section. Each section waved in return. It looked like the wave at a football stadium. One section waving then the next, then the next continuing on throughout the Conference Center and around through the choir seats. It was awesome.