RS Newsletter: 5/12/22

 

Form up, ladies. Zion is waiting for us... 

     from comefollowmedaily - 

“In the wild, when a mama elephant is giving birth, all the other female elephants in the herd back around her in formation. They close ranks so that the delivering mama can not be seen in the middle.

[...] They send a clear signal to predators that if they want to attack their friend while she is vulnerable, they’ll have to get through 40 tons of female aggression. When the baby elephant is delivered, the sister elephants do two things: they kick dirt or sand over the newborn to protect its fragile skin from the sun, and then they all start trumpeting, a female celebration of new life and sisterhood.

[...] This is what we do, girls. When our sisters are vulnerable, when they are giving birth to new life, new ideas, new ministries, when they are under attack, when they need their people to surround them so they can create, deliver, heal, recover...we get into formation. We close ranks and literally have each other’s backs.

[...] And when delivery comes, when new life makes its entrance, when healing finally begins, when the night has passed and our sister is ready to rise back up, we sound our trumpets because we saw it through together. We celebrate! We cheer! [...] We give thanks.”

What a beautiful example of what Zion could look like. One heart. One mind. No poor among them. (Moses 7:18).

Observing, lifting, protecting, cheering.

This scripture isn’t some future advice for a future time.

Jeffrey R. Holland said to “build Zion where you are.”

Because “the work of Zion commences in the heart of each person.” Brigham Young.

It starts with your heart.

It starts with mine.

Form up, ladies. Zion is waiting for us.

Shelter for the stranger...

And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?  And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 

And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

Matthew 25: 38-40

Many of us remember Stefanie Grassley, who grew up in our ward. She's moved way beyond the borders of our little community and is making the world a better place ...   

"I just don't have the ability to look away, like I can't see someone struggling... When I put the information out on the website, Shelter for Ukrainians, then I was so nervous like, how am I going to pull this off?" Grassley remembered.

She said her first family arrived on March 14 and they've had up to 50 Ukrainian refugees staying there at one time.

You can enjoy the full story of Stefanie's "sheltering strangers" here: https://www.fox13now.com/news/positively-utah/byu-alum-opens-doors-to-italian-castle-for-ukrainian-refugees.

A little garden therapy...

Our ward has been invited to have 10 volunteers work in the gardens at the Provo City Center Temple on May 26 from 8-11 AM. Neither green thumb nor garden tools are required. If you are interested in spending a little quality time in the sunshine and flowers, please visit the sign-up sheet here.

What we’re reading

This week our Come Follow Me reading is Numbers 11-14; 20-24: “Rebel Not Ye against the Lord, Neither Fear.” 

Happy Birthday to you

• ·        Amanda Darling, May 1
• ·        Kami Hall, May 4
• ·        Lori Bertelsen, May 6
• ·        Amber McKelvey, May 10 
• ·        Stacy Duncan, May 12
• ·        Virginia Jensen, May 15 
• ·        Kelsey Sumsion, May 18
• ·        Clea Headman, May 18 
• ·        DeEtte Chivers, May 26
• ·        Adrienne Safsten, May 28 
• ·        Pauline Hartvigsen, May 31              
• ·        Megan Johnson, June 2 
• ·        Karen Hooper, June 6 

We appreciate the goodness and love you bring--

     --your RS presidency