My Dear Sisters,

As we enter the month of December, I am reminded of all the wonderful things that have happened over the last year. I am also reminded of the sad times that have come because several of our dear sisters have left this life and moved on to the next, leaving us to feel their loss. It is hard to be happy, sometimes, when loss is so near.

Christmas is a special time of the year, not only for the celebrations, parties, decorations, and gift giving and receiving, but also for the deep thoughts we can have of the birth of the Savior, and of the impact this has on our lives. Sometimes we are so caught up in the celebrations that we fail to take time to sit and ponder the great gift that was given that night so long ago.

I have loved serving with you for this last year and look forward to 2010 with great anticipation. It is my hope that each of us will take some time, if only a few minutes each day, to ponder and contemplate on the true meaning of Christmas and what it means to each of us. Through this meditation we can feel the Spirit in our lives and it will help us to know those that are in need of our service at this time of the year. Through the quiet whispering of the Spirit, we can better fill our callings as Relief Society sisters and as women in the church, in the nation, and in the world.

I love each of you and hope your holidays are beyond wonderful.

Love,
Pat Romney
Stake Relief Society President

To our Dear Sisters,

October was a wonderful month full of special experiences. We were able to listen to the General Authorities as they spoke words of love and encouragement. All of the sessions were wonderful and who will ever forget the words of Jeffrey R. Holland, as he shared his testimony with us. We are blessed to be able to hear the words as they are spoken. It wasn't too many years past that we were not able to hear conference, except for maybe an hour or two. Now we have many options available to us to participate in this glorious experience.

Then there was the retreat. For all of you who were there, we loved sharing with you. The class on journal writing was great. Are you still writing? The exercise of letting go of things we don't need in our lives and keeping the things that are good for us was, hopefully, one that touched everyone. The campfire, the delicious food, the s'mores (did Sister Romney ever figure out how to roast a marshmallow without getting it all over her hands), the karaoke, the games, and just being together was a special time to remember. Of course, having Elder Osguthorpe speak to us before breakfast was the best. How blessed we were to share in this experience. For those of you who were not able to join us, please know we missed you and hope that you can be with us next year.

Now, we will move through the month of November, remembering the myriads of blessings that are ours, and learning to love each other more than ever before. Reach out to those around you. Let them be a part of your life and you be part of theirs. We love you and pray every blessing you stand in need of, will be given you. If we can serve you, let us know.

Love,
Stake Relief Society Presidency