The Relief Society Birthday Party

This month was the 175th anniversary of the organization of the Relief Society.  I love being a member of this organization.  We are women committed to providing relief.  I love that word.  It is what every person at some point in their life needs, relief from pain, relief from illness, relief from stress, relief from burdens, etc..  Some of what we do is provide physical relief, perhaps in the form of service projects or making and delivering meals. The relief that I have been most aware of as of late is the relief that comes from Jesus Christ, the only one who can lift the burden of sin and cleanse your spirit.  Our organization strives to bring that relief to the world through bringing people to Jesus Christ and encouraging them to make and keep covenants.  We visit members and lift them with a lesson in their homes and teach them, we have classes each Sunday, we live our lives as an example of faith, we are friendly to those around us and show love to even those who don't like us, we pray for guidance, we help our neighbors, we attend the temple and we repent.  We try to be like Jesus in the way we think, speak, and act.  There is power in covenants that cannot be imitated by any worldly force, and there is peace found when we are clean from sin and have the Holy Ghost as our companion.  Relief.  Peace.  Hope.  It's the opposite message you'll find all around you nowadays, so it's nice to remember that turmoil isn't the only thing going on in the world.  Happiness, joy, strength in the Lord are very real messages and are alive in the world around us too!  Now that's something to celebrate!  Let the party begin! This is Melanie.  She is the 2nd counselor in our presidency and she oversees the weekday relief society meetings.  She has a committee and they plan, prepare, and provide plenty of parties with pizzazz!   The theme for this birthday party was Hawaii!

As you walk into the gym, you're greeted by either me or my mom with a lei and a hug welcoming you in.  You could fill out a colorful card with what relief society means to you and place it in the bucket.

 Melanie and her crew set up and decorated the gym with fun banners, hanging leis and lanterns, and colorful tablecloths.

Mom getting ready to hand out leis

Just a view of one of the walls.  Makes you feel like you're in paradise, right?  

 The centerpieces were made up of sand, shells, colorful pebbles, and flowers.

They even hung some cute fringe over the doorways for us to walk through.

April!  Yes, my sister came into town just in time to celebrate with us!  She and her family needed a vacay, and I'm so glad they chose to come this way!

 Here are some of the wonderful women who attended the evening with us.

 The dinner was Hawaiian Haystacks with a side of fruit, and delicious candybar cakes for dessert.

We played games after dinner.  We played "Never Have I Ever" (where everyone sits in a circle and the person in the middle declares something they have never done and everyone seated who has done the said thing has to switch chairs.  The last one standing is the next person to delcare, "Never have I ever...").  Then, we had our dessert and then we had a chance to dance it off by having my mom teach the hula.  Those who stayed for the lesson were not disappointed.  She did a phenomenal job teaching everyone "pearly shells," a hula she learned as a child.  Everyone was laughing and having a good time.

Mom and her hula class!  (minus April, she was off having a pregnancy puking moment.)