"Ponder the path of thy feet" (Prov. 4:26), Elaine L. Jack, Relief Society general president, admonished Sept. 25.
The concluding speaker during the General Relief Society Meeting, Pres. Jack explained: "To be a woman of covenant is a sacred and holy responsibility. It is uniquely ours. It is not by chance that we are on the Lord's errand at this time. It is by choice that we came to this earth to follow the path of the Savior."As women of covenant," she continued, "we seek exaltation and the peace that attends eternal life in the kingdom of heaven."
"Sisters," Pres. Jack counseled, "the time is past when we can merely believe. We must be passionate in our beliefs. Women hunger for things of the Spirit.
"Today, we see all around us the adversary at work - and he is succeeding. He has twisted truths to his purposes and throngs have followed. Either we are holding fast to the iron rod, or, perhaps, unconsciously, we are letting go by just a few fingers, and are slowly slipping away. `Not me,' you might say, but none of us is exempt."
Pres. Jack remarked that all around the Church are wonderful women who exert great influence. She then discussed four areas where they can make a difference:
"We are women with spiritual strength. We have within us the Spirit of the Lord to guide us on the path of righteousness. Daily, we choose between temptation and sanctification. We seek spiritual moments as we read the scriptures. We pray and carry that prayer in our hearts."
Pres. Jack encouraged Relief Society sisters to "show charity for each other. Show understanding, not judgment. Kindness not blame. Joy not envy. Love as the Lord loves."
"We are women with a sense of purpose. How, in this complex world, do we walk in the name of the Lord, our God, when questions of home, family, marriage, work, children, age and death play so much a part of our day-to-day experiences?
"Sisters, turn to the Lord. He cares so deeply for our happiness and our well-being. Talk with him earnestly and often, and your answers will come."
"We are women of commitment. I witnessed commitment when I visited with a sister in her home in the Philippines. She had nothing by the standards of the world. Her family of eight children lived clustered in a two-room nipa hut that stood on stilts. After climbing the ladder to the door, I was taken immediately to a corner where on a small table sat a portable sewing machine. This was not a new model. . . . It was a machine older than my mother's! But, she was not showing off a possession; she was sharing her commitment. For two years, she had sewn for others on that simple machine to earn the money to take her family to the temple so that they would be sealed together."
"We are women who know the blessings of the priesthood. We know what it is to place our faith, our prayers, our confidence and our esteem in those whom God has appointed to lead. The Lord has told us that, "Whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants it is the same." (D&C 1:38.)
"I want you to know that I, as the general president of the Relief Society, embrace the blessings that come from serving under the direction of leaders who hold the priesthood. We must stand united as a people for the Lord to call us one."
