Welcome to the family

Photo by my sister, Carlye

Good Christmas. The highlight--my baby brother got engaged to a great girl! Congrats Cody and Rachel.

Merry Christmas

Christmas Card photo 2009

I've been busy focusing on the subjects in the photo above. But, I wanted to pause to say, "I know that Jesus is our Saviour, and that through him we find peace and happiness. Merry Christmas to you all."

Thank you my sisters

Here's the thing about being the RS Pres--it a thankless, mostly unrewarding calling. It's not like Primary where you feel like you accomplished something on that autumn Sunday when the kids present their yearly sacrament meeting program. And not like Young Women where you feel super proud when your darling teenagers receive their Young Womanhood Recognition. Or even like Sunday School, which is also mostly thankless and unrewarding, but at least you get to pass your unruly class(which you have somehow learned to love) on to a new teacher each year.

Nope. The Relief Society president deals with problems and concerns and issues and emergencies. And that's just about it. There is the occasional ray of sunshine when a sister has progressed and become worthy to attend the temple--and believe me, I love those small moments. But overall, it's a lot of hard work.

So imagine my surprise when yesterday I received not one, but two emails from sisters in the ward thanking me for all that I do. Neither of these sisters are women who I serve with, nor who I socialize with on a regular basis. But each of them took the time to write a note saying that they realize how hard the work is and that they appreciate my efforts.

And that is exactly what I needed yesterday.