Dear Sisters,
We loved being together at our Leadership meeting last Thursday. We know you are each so faithful in your calling. It's a unique opportunity to learn leadership skills, organization skills, socialization, psychology :), nurturing, and many other skills the Lord would like us to learn to be prepared for His Kingdom. Even though all these skills are taught when you are so busy raising your own families, you think you can't do another thing. I know you are blessed to carry the burdens of others as well as your own, and have them feel lighter as you serve with love.
HOW DO YOU CONNECT?
As we reviewed each of the areas of Relief Society, the BIG picture came to us that all are tools to help us connect with each other, and strengthen our testimonies so we can each have a personal connection with the Savior and Heavenly Father.
When we make this connection, we can then be in a position to feel the influence of the Savior to be his hands to help those for whom we have a stewardship. We realize you are responsible for so many areas of the ward activity and members, Presidents, don't forget to delegate...even beyond your counselors to include other sisters who could be blessed by serving. Counselors, don't hesitate to take assignments that can lift the burden off your President. She gets way more concerns than just those included in your presidency meetings. The synergism of you working together is the way the Lord has established Councils and you will be happier and more successful as you serve.
We love you and care about you.
Sis. Samantha Kirby
*We will soon be sending out the list of each ward RS Presidency members name, e-mail and phone # to help you to CONNECT to one another!
Leadership Training Notes - Best ideas!!
Communication suggestions
K3 has a blog that is sent out each week, included in it is an overview of the previous Sunday lesson. They have also found that the YSA respond best to a text.
K2 visits primary meetings to invite all sisters to R.S. activities
K4 communicates with primary/YW secretaries, they also go into primary to make a personal announcement. They met with the primary/YW presidency to make sure everyone was on the same page and committed to RS.
BC has a private Facebook group that’s been very successful. This includes info. about meals needed, upcoming activities, etc.
K1 sends a weekly e-mail that includes all R.S. announcements as well as a “warm fuzzy” e-mail where sisters can advertise things they need or are wanting to give. For example: someone needed a crib, someone else wanted to find a home for their dog, another sister had a job opportunity she wanted to share. For the older sisters in the ward who do not have e-mail, they pass out a flier as well as use the bulletin board for advertising. When a new sister moves into the ward they visit her as a presidency & gives her a list of who holds which callings in the ward.
NC feels that if their activity is important enough the sisters will come, they strive to make sure that their additional activities are worthwhile enough to pull their sisters out of their home and make sure that there is always an opportunity for their sisters to feel the spirit.
Westlake makes welcome packets for new sisters and visits them when they move in.
Sealy ward struggles with the distance and looks forward to getting some communication ideas.
Activity ideas
NC “RS Around the World”. Dinner was served and 5 women talked about the unique experiences they had in RS while living out of the country.
K4 had a progressive dinner at the church. The great thing about it was that as they changed rooms the sisters had the opportunity to sit by someone new and get to know them better.
K1 had an Ensign challenge (contact Jill Prince for more information).
Visiting Teaching
QUESTION- What’s the best way to encourage sisters who are not doing their visiting teaching?
SUGGESTIONS-
Go with her.
Make her a visiting teaching supervisor.
Give her a sister who needs special attention, help her to see that this sister is in need of love and may be having a difficult time.
Encourage her to do her best: text, call or lunch may be less overwhelming for them.
Count the caring (ask Sister Tuck for more details).
Visiting teaching bucks (ask Sister Whiteside for more details)
10 minute visits are ok.
Be aware of your sisters needs. Ask “what kind of visiting teacher do you need or do you want me to be?”.
Help your sisters to gain a testimony of visiting teaching. Hold more visiting teaching conferences.
Be patient, sometimes you just need to wait until that sister is ready.
Testify of visiting teaching at every opportunity.
Ask her “do you think your sister felt visited this month?”.
Kneel in prayer and specifically ask which sister is in need.
YSA
QUESTION: Why are the YSA a challenge?
ANSWERS: Inactive, busy, they are in a transition phase, they do not see their peers active and going to church together, they do not feel like they fit in, pornography addictions are on the rise, they are struggling with their testimonies.
SUGGESTION: Step into their shoes and understand what they are exposed to, think about how lonely they must feel and how hard it is to not feel like you fit in. Ask Heavenly Father where they are -- FIND THEM -- RESCUE! YSA need to know that Heavenly Father is aware of them. Whenever possible, testify to them that God loves them. Who will lead this church if we do not rescue them?
Single Adults (Brother Hansen)
Stats-
SA in stake: 400 - 200 women & 200 men - Only 100 are active
There are a lot of opportunities to rescue. They all have home teachers and 80% of those active have callings. The stake is forming a SA committee, President Sosa will preside. The single adults should have connections in their ward and the stake will supplement with occasional activities during the year (the stake is hosting an activity on Memorial Day at Mary Jo Peckham park). The stake needs data from the wards so that they can best know how to help and would like one RS counselor to be assigned as a liaison for the single adults and one to be assigned to the young single adults.
Don't forget your positive experiences (keep clicking)!
