Many of you are finding the Relief Society Declaration, for the first time, on this site.  This Declaration was given to us by Sis. Mary Ellen Smoot, in 1999, during her Presidency.   It is a wonderful document stating all that we are about.   It is a good resource to use when looking for worthy activities.  But Sis. Julie Beck’s Presidency has a slightly different emphasis.

Many of us wonder what the theme to Relief Society is.  What direction are we meant to go in?  What are we meant to accomplish at this time?  Is the Declaration the theme we should be pursuing?  The answer lies in Personal Revelation.  This is one of the most important aspects of our religion that sets us apart from all others.

Relief Society is already in place.  We know what the purpose of our organization is:  Charity.  We know what is expected of us:  The Three-fold Mission of the Church (Preach, Proclaim, Redeem).  We know the program:  to simplify and make more meaningful.

Sis. Beck’s Presidency is teaching us to perform these through Personal Revelation.  What do our ward sisters need/want?  What are our circumstances?  How often do we need to meet?  How do we support our sisters and their families?  She has given us no answers, but expects us to receive the answers from God, who knows best. 

Her simplified program allows us to think outside the box and fulfill our particular needs.  No longer will there be a set of rigid instructions on how to fulfill our quotas.  No longer will the expectation be high amongst us all.  Flexibility is the order of the day.

Those living in Utah may have more access and more opportunities around them, so the expectation is appropriately high.  (We cannot afford to be casual, just because there is less direction from headquarters.)

Those living across the United States, and many other parts of the world, have good access and a wide range of opportunity to perform well in their areas.

Those living in countries with limited access, limited opportunity, and limited means are not to compare themselves with anyone but their own abilities.  The Lord is with you and he will direct your good works through the inspiration you can receive with a simple faithful prayer. 

The freedom this allows each one of us is bound only by our laziness, bullheadedness, and debilitating tradition.  The Lord will inspire us to soar, to push the envelope our name implies, to stretch our sisterly powers and abilities to their limits.  The Lord is waiting on us.  As a world-wide sisterhood, let us get on our knees and find out what the Lord wants us to do, then let us fly.