Band of Sisters

When I think of women who have exemplified the principles of Relief Society in my life the most, I don't think of just one woman, but a very special group of women who banded together to help me during a very difficult time in my life. I think of the women in my ward at BYU in the fall of 1998. I was in my first semester of graduate school when, during mid-terms, my youngest brother got sick and died suddenly. After I returned from home and being with my family for a week or so, I was faced with the huge challenge of getting myself together and finishing the last month of the semester and taking finals. One of the Relief Society's representatives asked what the Relief Society could do for me and I felt prompted to ask them to bring me dinners for the rest of the semester because the hour I was spending each day  that I was cooking for myself was precious time that I needed for my studies. And those wonderful sisters did! The Compassionate Service Committee did a wonderful job organizing them and I think they only missed one, maybe two, evenings in that whole month, despite their own busy schedules. I was well nourished not only through the great food they brought me, but through their kindness, understanding, compassion, smiles, and hugs when I needed them very, very badly. That has been a long time ago now, and I don't remember many of their names at this point, but I will always remember the blessing they were to me.

From Mary Frances Colebank