Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Letter for the Concerned Women of Treeplanting

Concerned Women of Treeplanting.
The Concerned Women of Treeplanting asked me to write a few words for their big celebration on the 29th of their "launching" of their association for another year. This is the beginning of their 2nd year. I am not able to attend their celebration because our area supervisor, John Buah, will be here from Accra, Ghana, the 26th to the 31st. We have welfare training on the 29th. The following is what I submitted:

 My dear Sisters of Treeplanting. It is with joy in my heart that I call you Sisters for we are all children of God and you are my sisters. My name is Sister Carley and my husband and I are humanitarian Missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Our home is in the United States of America and we are both retired. My husband worked for 40 years in the telecommunications business and I worked for 26 years with the mentally handicapped. After we retired, we decided to raise goats for food. We love to breed the nannies and to birth the babies. We have 3 children and 9 grandchildren. Our job as missionaries in Sierra Leone is to help communities become stronger through basic needs such as water, sanitation, education and medical. At the moment we are beginning two projects in Treeplanting. We are installing a hand-dug bore hole and are working on a springbox in what is referred to as "Down the Hole". We are investigating doing two more well projects in Treeplanting as well.

 About 2 months ago Mrs. Blake, Mrs. Turay, and Mrs. Conteh visited me and shared with me the constitution and desires of the Concerned Women of Treeplanting. I studied their constitution and asked if I could attend one of the meetings that are held at 5:30 every Sunday evening. It was very comforting to be part of that meeting. In my Church we have a world-wide women's organization called Relief Society. Our goal is very much like yours; to bring relief and comfort to the poor and needy. The President of our Church, Thomas S. Monson, has often reminded us that we are "surrounded by those in need of our attention, our encouragement, our support, our comfort, our kindness - be they family members, friends, acquaintances, or strangers." He said "we are God's hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children. He is dependent upon each of us."

 All of us can incorporate some service into our daily living. We live in a contentious world. We give service when we don’t criticize, when we refuse to gossip, when we don’t judge, when we smile, when we say thank you, and when we are patient and kind. Other kinds of service take time, intentional planning, and extra energy. But they are worth our every effort. What must we do? We must counsel together, use all resources available, seek the inspiration of God, ask for His confirmation, and then roll up our sleeves and go to work.

 There is a hunger among many women in the world to be valued and to find purpose for their energies. We have a lot to offer those around us and being able to be associated with a women's group can be very fulfilling. Not only for helping those who are in need but to help with our own feelings of self-worth. There is so much satisfaction and feelings of joy associated with truly helping someone in need. The added benefit of belonging to a group of women who are all focused on the same goal is the friendship that is developed between each other. Women NEED women. Every woman needs a female friend. Someone she can talk to and share her most private thoughts and feelings. Someone she can trust, laugh with, cry with, and just be herself with knowing she is accepted for being just the way she is. That is what being part of a women's organization can do for you; to serve God by helping others, create new friendships, and enrich your own life by using and developing your own talents and skills while you are blessing the lives of other. I have come to know that it is through love of God and neighbor that gives meaning to life.

I am so honored to have been asked to share a few of my thoughts this afternoon. I am sorry I cannot be here to look into your beautiful faces.

My dear Sisters, may God Bless each of you with His choicest blessings.

Love, Sister Carley

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