mormon feminist Archives - Women in The Church of Jesus Christ

First Person: As Sisters In Zion

Women Seeking Christ — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 09:02:53 +0000

Editor’s Note: Recently, we heard from our general Relief Society leaders in the Church’s annual general Relief Society meeting. Much of the focus of the 2009 broadcast was on the importance of Relief Society as an organization to help build faith, strengthen families, and provide service. If you are curious about why Relief Society is important to LDS women, take a look at Sister Silvia H. Allred’s talk entitled “Every Women Needs Relief Society.”

This post by Becky is a moving example of the way being a member of Relief Society can bless the life of any woman. We appreciate Becky’s willingness to share her story here at Mormon Women.

As Sisters in Zion

~by Becky

I belong to the Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It was founded in 1842 by a prophet of God and serves two main purposes: to provide relief to the needy and bring people to Christ.

It is an organization of women. The largest in the world.

There is a hymn – a theme song – for members of the Relief Society entitled “As Sisters in Zion.” It speaks of the power and roles of women. How we are to be ministering angels. How we are here to work. How we are here to love each other.

I was always annoyed by the song.

It always seemed so cheesy to me. It is a gentle, suave song. Soft. And I preferred rousing numbers that get my blood going and made me want to march around and shout, “Hallejua!” Like “Ye Elders of Israel.” I thought that was a much cooler hymn.

My view of “As Sisters in Zion” changed when I moved to Brazil.

We arrived in São Paulo in October of 2004. I remember well my first Sunday. I didn’t speak a word of Portuguese. I had a brand new baby in my arms and held My Man’s hand tightly. All of my adventurism and courage failed me at the steps of our church building. My sweet husband kissed me at the door to the Relief Society room and wished me good luck.

He left me.

I walked hesitantly into the room. Head down, feet shuffling, I hurried to grab a seat in the back. The VERY back.

I had timed it just right — I took my seat just as the Relief Society president began the meeting. Sweet. No time for introductions.

She said some things in some language to some people. Everyone was smiling, finishing up friendly conversations and opening books I couldn’t read.

I began to cry.

I missed my family. My friends. My language. I knew that there was absolutely no way I could do this. Truly, what WAS I thinking?

As I sat pondering my stupidity and feeling extremely sorry for myself, the pianist began playing the first strains to a familiar tune.

“As Sisters in Zion.”

I couldn’t understand the words, but my heart did. It swelled in size and warmth and sent chills down my spine. It didn’t matter that I couldn’t speak the language or didn’t have a friend for thousands of miles. I had SISTERS here. I have SISTERS everywhere.

Fast forward four years.

My Relief Society president asked me to speak during our Super Special Relief Society Presentation in sacrament meeting. We all wore blue blouses and chique gold scarves. We sang a song. We had some talks. And then it was my turn to speak.

I bore my testimony about this inspired organization of women. How we can have family no matter where we go. How we truly are sisters in Zion. And how the Spirit speaks all languages.

And then I began to sing our hymn — in English.

I broke down after the first line.

Tears streaming down my face, I kept one hand on my mouth, trying to control myself. I stood at the pulpit in the sacrament meeting room. All eyes on me. My face was glowing red and the piano continued through the music written by Janice Kapp Perry.

And one by one, my sisters joined me.

Soon the entire congregation was singing softly the words written over a hundred years ago. And I wept. I stood before my sweet sisters, sharing in their spirit and celebrating their strength.

As sisters in Zion, we’ll all work together
The blessings of God on our labors we’ll seek
We’ll build up the kingdom with earnest endeavor
We’ll comfort the weary and strengthen the weak

The errand of angels was given to women
And this is a gift that, as sisters, we claim
To do whatsoever is gentle and human
To cheer and to bless in humanity’s name

How vast is our purpose, how broad is our mission
If we but fulfill it in spirit and deed
Oh, naught but the Spirit’s divinest tuition
Can give us the wisdom to truly succeed.

Amen and amen.

Women rock.

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To listen to “As Sisters In Zion” in Portuguese please click here.

To listen to “As Sisters in Zion” in English please click here.

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How has Relief Society blessed your life? Please share your thoughts below, or we invite you to submit your experiences at gmail, username mormonwoman.

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For more Sharing Our Voices content, including First Person essays, see here.

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Bring Arnold Frieberg’s Art to a City Near You!

Women Seeking Christ — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 22:39:46 +0000

Arnold Frieberg is a prolific artist known around the world for his talent. He is probably best known for his painting “The Prayer at Valley Forge.” He has done commissioned work for British royalty, received an Academy Award nomination

Born December 21, 1913, in Winnetka, Illinois, Arnold Friberg is recognized as one of the greatest master painters of modern times. Perhaps his best-known work is the 1975 American masterpiece “The Prayer at Valley Forge” — depicting George Washington praying while the Continental Army winters at Valley Forge.

He also did the pre-visualization paintings for the Cecil B. DeMille film The Ten Commandments , for which he received an Academy Award nomination.

Currently, the exhibit is in Bountiful, Utah. If you are interested in getting the exhibit in your area, you can go here to vote (see the ‘vote’ tab at the top of the page).

For more information about this traveling art exhibit, see here or here.

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Women of the Old Testament (Art)

Women Seeking Christ — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 21:39:42 +0000

For some beautiful pieces exploring stories of women in the Old Testament, see this article.

Do you know of other existing art to which we can link? Do you have art of your own you would like to share, or know someone who does? Please email us at ‘mormonwoman’ AT ‘gmail’ DOT ‘com’

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Mormons and Mormon Content on YouTube

Women Seeking Christ — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 04:30:29 +0000

See this story in the Church Newsroom site about members of the Church sharing their voices on YouTube.

Do you know of good content about the Church on YouTube? Have you uploaded a video you would like to share? We can include uplifting videos, including conversion stories (in various languages!), creative slideshows, and other ways of sharing your voice through YouTube in our new MormonWomen account at YouTube and/or link to it in our library. See what we have tagged so far in our favorites section already here.

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First Person: My Grandma Inspires Me

Women Seeking Christ — Mon, 26 May 2008 23:21:11 +0000

In the United States, today is Memorial Day, a day honoring those who have died in war, and also a day when we often pause to reflect on the lives of loved ones who have gone before. Following are some reflections by Mary about her grandmother.

My grandmother on my mother’s side has always been a great inspiration to me. She was 75 when I was born and lived another 18 years, so I had a chance to know her and spend some time with her, although we had moved halfway across the state when I was five.

Grandma came to northwestern Oklahoma in a covered wagon from Kansas. She and her husband (who died before I was born) lived in a dugout for some time before they could build a house. They were farmers and raised wheat and cattle.

Life was filled with hard work for Grandma. She cooked and baked on a wood stove for many years. She raised a garden for vegetables, which she canned for the winter. She sewed clothes and household items. She had all the usual housework and childcare (she had 5 children), but also helped some with the farming. Mom used to tell me about how Grandma and Grandpa were always feeding neighbors who were having a hard time – not that they had much either. People knew that if they were out of food, they could go to Grandma’s and Grandpa’s at suppertime and would be warmly welcomed and fed. Grandpa would entertain them with conversation while Grandma slipped into the kitchen and made more biscuits and noodles to fill out what they had to eat and everyone had a grand time.

Although not a Mormon, Grandma was a hard worker, a good Christian, a good wife and mother, and a good neighbor. When we went to visit her, she always prepared wonderful meals and had our favorite sugar cookies baking when we arrived. Her custard pie was out of this world. She greeted us with smiles and hugs and I never saw her being angry or upset. She was always bustling around doing something, and happily talking to whoever was around while she did it.

I can’t imagine having to work so hard – we have so many modern conveniences these days. We do, however, have work that we need to do–housework, church work, service, work outside the home, and so on. When I think of Grandma and other pioneer women and how they managed to do all those things without all the ease we have today, it inspires me to try to be more like them – more disciplined and yet cheerful, happy and content with what I have. I appreciate history – family and church – that tells me about these wonderful, hard-working women. They are good examples to me and inspire me to be a better person.

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Articles, Talks, and Other Resources on Temples

Women Seeking Christ — Sat, 24 May 2008 12:52:19 +0000

Temples are holy, sacred houses of the Lord where we receive sacred ordinances and learn more about the Savior and His gospel. While the public is welcome in our chapels for various activities and for Sunday worship, access to completed and dedicated temples is limited to members of the Church who have met certain standards of belief and behavior. We understand that this limitation perhaps creates a sense of curiosity for others not of our faith. There is much information that might be helpful in understanding more about the purpose of temples and their importance in our worship.

Find answers to some frequently asked questions here.

If you are interested in knowing more about the purpose of temples, you can go here and here for some articles and talks about temple worship and the purpose of temples. Find articles and talks about the endowment here. You can read more about the temple garment here.

You can browse content about temples on our site here, and read some people’s thoughts and feelings (or share your own!) about the temple here.

You can see a map of completed and dedicated temples around the world here.

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Virtual Sharing Stations and Handouts from the 2008 BYU Women’s Conference

Women Seeking Christ — Wed, 21 May 2008 23:36:48 +0000

The most recent sharing stations have been posted! Click here to access them. (See also individual links below.)

For past years’ sharing stations, you can go here.

Also find handouts from some of the talks here. Topics covered include pornography, homemaking, children with disabilities, addiction and recovery, fire preparedness, living with chronic illness, faith, family reunions, fire preparedness.

(If you attended the conference and haven’t filled out an online survey, we discovered one at this link as well!)

p.s. If you are looking for talk transcripts or rebroadcasts, they are not currently available. They would usually be accessible via byutv online for a month (rebroadcasts were held last week and byu.tv has a player that usually includes archives), but the Move Media player is having difficulty. We called on that yesterday (we are anxious to listen, too!) and they are working on it. If you are interested in talks from the Conference from Sheri Dew, Sister Julie B. Beck, Sister Cheryl Lant, the Batemans, and, of course, our dear prophet President Monson (as well as others), keep checking the Move Media player’s archive. We’ll let you know, too, if and when we find out it becomes available.

2008 Virtual Sharing Stations

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Sharing Our Voices Topics

Women Seeking Christ — Mon, 05 May 2008 19:15:05 +0000

See what other people have shared on our site (or share your voice!) by clicking on any of the topics below. Content includes First Person essays, Our Thoughts comments, Quotes that Inspire Us, and other creative expressions (music, art, photography, etc.)

“How the gospel impacts and influences my life”

Agency

Education and Learning

Living with the Spirit

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Words to the Song “Who We Are”

Women Seeking Christ — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 21:34:57 +0000

We’ve heard that some people haven’t been able to open our theme song by Tammy Simister Robinsons, “Who We Are.” For those people and for anyone else who is interested in the beautiful words, we have included them below, reprinted with permission from Sister Robinson.

We are beloved daughters of God;
Born of His Spirit, blessed in His love.
Serving the Lord with purpose and strength;
Women of vision, virtue and faith.

Chorus:
This is who we are:
Sister in Zion.
This is who we are:
Seekers of light.
This is who we are:
Women of Christ,
Daughters of God.
This is who we are.

Women of wisdom,
Teachers of truth,
Keepers of covenants,
Guardians of good,
Partners in promise
Woven as one;
Seeking eternal treasures beyond.

(Chorus)

Bringing nobility to motherhood,
Finding joy in womanhood,
Unified through sisterhood.
Steady and right,
Holding the rod,
Rising in light,
Standing with God!

This is who we are:
Sisters in Zion.
We are
Seekers of light.
This is who we are:
Women of Jesus, our Savior,
Daughters of God.
This is who we are.
Women of vision, and virtue and faith.
This is who we are!

From the album “In Thy Hands” by Tammy Simister Robinson
Copyright 2004, Sounds of Zion
Used by permission

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