The first post about Sister Beck's visit

I just got back from the new BYUI conference center where I heard General R.S. President, Julie Beck, speak. It was so uplifting. Definitely a repeating passage of the song of redeeming love. Actually, her prepared speech was quite short, only a few minutes. Then she had people come to a microphone on the floor, front and center, and asked questions that she answered by the Spirit. She obviously had prepared well to be a mouthpiece.
The first question was asked by a young girl--how could she get a testimony of Relief Society. Her mother had been trying to help her but it wasn't working. As part of her answer Sister Beck talked about Mary and Martha. She said that as a church we've been really hard on Martha. Later, Martha bears one of the most powerful testimonies of the Savior in scripture. After the Savior called his apostles and seventies, he visited Mary and Martha. Sister Beck pointed out that Martha had invited the Savior into her home which is something we all should do. She was serving the Savior which was good. Essentially when he spoke to Martha, he was inviting both Mary and Martha to be a part of his work and ministry, that they could fill a role that was more than the traditional woman's role at that time. Sister Beck said that the Priesthood and Relief Society are the divine pair. They are the two halves of the Lord's plan. The priesthood holders shouldn't delegate their half to Relief Society. Relief Society shouldn't delegate their half to the Priesthood.

Sister Beck named the three purposes of R.S. The first is to increase our personal faith and righteousness. Second, strengthen home and family. Third, seek out and help those in need. She said if you have the opportunity to go to Relief Society, soak it up. It will help us acquire the strength to lift the rising generation. We live in a difficult time, a refining time, a time when Heavenly Father needs our help. The everlasting gospel will be proclaimed by the weak and simple. I know that describes me. If we will seek the Spirit with humility and faithfulness, we will be blessed with wisdom and power. We will know by direction of the Spirit how to fulfill the three purposed of Relief Society.

If Sister Beck had quit here, it would have been a great talk. There is a lot more which I will soon post.