Sisters of RS

On Thursday we had our Relief Society Birthday Dinner to celebrate 171 years of Relief Society.  It was such a wonderful evening.  I actually delegated more than I normally do and tried to simplify, which made for a much more enjoyable evening.  Our theme was by President Spencer W. Kimball, "Women who have a deep appreciation of the past will be more concerned with shaping a righteous future."  
Each thing we ate was in honor of different women.  I have come to realize that our callings and what we do in them is so much more for our benefit, as I learned so much about each of these sisters from the past.  I talked a little about the history of the RS at the beginning, all of which I took from the book Daughters Of My Kingdom, which I highly recommend.
Menu:
Whole Wheat Rolls in honor of Emmeline B. Wells, but really the wheat story.  I have a live talk by Sister Dew that I've listened to over and over again, that my RS president in CLT let me borrow just before I moved.  I love it.  In the talk she talks about the women of the RS, led by Emmeline B. Wells who were asked to store wheat for many years.  Emmeline B. Wells at the age of 82 entered into what she considered the most important work of her long public career, the general presidency of the Relief Society.  She was the last Relief Society president whose Latter-day Saint experience included Nauvoo and a personal acquaintance with the Prophet Jospeh Smith.  But her service to the Relief Society had begun earlier in 1876 when Brigham Young gave her a charge of a grain-saving program for the Church, a daunting task which she performed through Relief Society channels.  The capstone to the program came during WW1, when the Relief Society, under Emmeline’s presidency, sold more than 200,000 bushels of wheat to the United States government.  After the war, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson and his wife personally visited Emmeline to express appreciation for turning over the stored grain to the nation during its hour of need.
Russian Soup Borscht:  Which was in honor of a sister in our ward who joined the church in Russia and talked about her experience in RS.  
Emily's Blackberry Chicken Salad in honor of Emily Woodmansee.  I had asked a sister to talk about her and I loved how she personalized it.  I know she is busy and hesitated to ask her, but she said it was exactly what she needed during the busy week she was having when she realized all that Emily had done and experienced in her busy life.  
Emily Woodmansee was a woman of faith, since a young age when she first heard the gospel.  She pushed a handcart as a pioneer with the Willie Handcart Company.  Emily had a blessing before leaving England to join the saints in America, which promised that her writing would comfort thousands of hearts.  And so it has as her poetry of “As sisters in Zion” was put to music in the 1980’s and placed in our current day hymnal. There is a book that was recently written about her which I bought and really enjoyed
Berry pies honor Rebecca Bean who made the BEST berry pies (according to James E Talmage)!  Rebecca and her husband Willard were called to serve a mission in Palmyra, New York in the early 1900’s.  They lived in the Smith family home for over 20 years and helped to ease the tension and bad feelings towards the Mormons.  Rebecca was always willing to offer a meal and a bed to the missionaries and served faithfully throughout her life.  She was the first Relief Society President in Palmyra, which comprised a total of 5 sisters in the beginning years.
At the end 6 sisters sang a beautiful version of As Sisters in Zion.  We had 50 women in attendance that night and so many let me know how much they enjoyed the evening.