2022 WARD HISTORY

In March 2020, our country drastically changed. Healthcare and safety decisions were made in the United States and worldwide. The COVID-19 Virus became more invasive to the world. The mortality rate had increased hourly. Many hospitals across the country became overcrowded due to the many causes of the illness. Promises for a future vaccine were made. A lockdown was enforced. This caused citizens to reassess their health, working conditions, and day-to-day living. Food and daily living supplies became challenging to obtain. Changes and adjustments had to be made. Our church services were curtailed, by toward the end of 2022 we were finally allowed to again attend church in person, without masks and without sitting 6 feet apart from each other. This was an answer to many, many prayers. Additionally, the Washington, D.C. Temple at long last was rededicated and opened to those church members with the appropriate approval. So, another long-awaited blessing occurred following many months of prayer by members of our stake and other stakes. So, 2022 began with no church and no temple but ended with the church being opened as usual and our temple being opened as well. It has been a great year for the Saints of the Rock Hill Ward and the Stafford, Virginia stake. 

RELIEF SOCIETY

The 2022 objectives for the Rockhill Relief Society organization were:
-To provide opportunities for spiritual growth for each sister in which she could draw closer to Her Savior and deepen her personal relationship with Him.
-To help each sister understand her divine worth as a daughter of our Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother, and to feel seen and heard by the other sisters in the ward.
-To build new or deepen relationships among our sisters thru service to each other and by learning to minister to one another’s needs in the Savior’s way.
- To reach outside our circle and draw in members not of our faith by splitting with our sister missionaries, sharing our testimonies often, and inviting our friends to “come and see, come and help, and come and stay.” 

This year we were reminded that when we set a worthy goal, the Lord always makes a way clear for us to accomplish it. Our year began with one such event. We were hit by a 14” snow blizzard that knocked out the power for much of the ward. Many families went an entire week without proper utility service. To make matters worse, the COVID-19 virus ran another course thru our area and a few sisters got sick. 

Our sisters rose to the occasion and checked in on their ministering sisters and friends. Relief society first counselor, Sister B, opened her home to any who needed showers and a warm bed. Those who stayed at the B’s later expressed gratitude and how their testimonies had been strengthened from gospel discussions that lasted well into the night. At our home we had no electricity and were without water, as our well pump had no power. I relied heavily on Sister B as a point of contact during the storm. Daily I would charge my phone in the car so I could call and get updates. 

Another sister went and picked up her single ministering sister and brought her and a 7-year-old daughter home for a week. Not only were they out of electricity but were also suffering from the COVID-19 virus. She lovingly took care of their needs, putting her own health concerns aside. 

When life normalized once again, we had a Sunday discussion about what we had learned from this experience. We vowed to fill in the gaps in our emergency preparations, especially alternate power sources and solar phone chargers. At the end of our midweek activity, we created an accountability group for those who wanted help accomplishing this and other new year’s goals. We opted to have our January activity virtually to discuss a podcast on why our souls crave connection. The event was well attended, and several stayed on long after the closing prayer just to continue the joy of connecting with each other. 

Changes to our lifestyle due to COVID-19 have become our “new normal.” However, ministering interviews with our sisters have revealed that there is a continued feeling of isolation. Even though attendance at meetings has increased, there remains an emotional distance between the sisters. This greatly concerns us. As a presidency, we have prayed to find solutions. We felt strongly that we needed to have monthly midweek activities in the evening and a monthly gathering for lunch. 

There were sisters who lamented not being able to join the lunch group due to their employment schedules. One morning in February, the schools closed believing we were to get snow. When it didn’t materialize, our lunch group was able to include teachers who were home for the day. One such attendee enjoyed the interaction so much that she said she was going to take vacation hours so as not to miss future lunches. 

Although our relief society has mostly been meeting in person this year, we continued to offer a virtual attendance option. This was primarily intended for those with weakened immune systems, an aversion to receiving the COVID vaccine, or those who needed to quarantine after testing positive. And as president, when I needed to be out of town, I was still able to be a part of our gathering. On those Sundays, I called upon another sister to set up the computer and I was able to make her cohost so that our virtual link address could remain the same. 

During our February evening activity, we learned about stating seeds in a milk jug during the winter months. The milk jug acts as a mini greenhouse; the shoots grown can then be transplanted in a garden during the regular growing season. We had a great turn out, including a few less active sisters and members from our local Spanish branch. A year later we still have sisters using this growing method. 

March was a very busy month with several opportunities for our sisters to gather and celebrate the birthday of relief society. Our stake held a relief society Saturday conference that we encouraged our sisters to attend. Talks centered around the temple experience and the need to ascend to the mountain of the Lord. The theme for our ward relief society mid-week activity was Faith in Our Footsteps. We laminated footprints with photos of the Washington DC temple and gave them to the sisters to use as bookmarks. We decorated with all things shoes and had each attendee bring a favorite shoe that describes her personality. There was enough time for each sister to share the significance of her choice. We learned a lot about each other and found that there was someone else in the group like us. A less active sister helped with the decorations and she handmade a gigantic shoe and compact mirror. Find attached photos from this event. That night we also gathered shoes, clothes, and toys to deliver to a local shelter. 

March was also the month of RootsTech and several sisters reported on what they learned about genealogy. This aligned with several sister’s new year’s goals of family research and personal history keeping. The timing of this was apropos as the DC temple will soon be rededicated and we will be able to do the work for our ancestors nearby once again. Since this event is now free and we have access to the information long term, more of our sisters can utilize this valuable resource. 

Since March was so busy, we decided not to have an activity in April. Our May activity was the highlight of the year. On the day that our stake was assigned to attend the DC temple open house, we invited families to join our relief society and carpooled together to the temple. After enjoying the temple tour, we gathered at a local park for lunch to discuss the experience. We had paid to reserve a pavilion and our ministering secretary, Sister A, painstakingly made and decorated sugar cookies in the shape of the temple to share with everyone. Our first counselor, Sister B, made laminated temple keychains which were handed out the following Sunday. 

June found several of our sisters participating in the youth pioneer trek. We decided to go ahead and have a small activity for those not involved. A few sisters gathered at our second counselor’s home to share their favorite books and authors. 

Our ward was assigned to staff the monthly stake Bishop’s storehouse delivery in July. Many relief society sisters volunteered to help unload the truck and arrange the foodstuffs on tables in the gym. Then they “shopped” to fill food orders for those in need and wheel the items out to the parking lot and into patron’s cars. Many hands make for quick results. It was surprising how much work was accomplished in a few short hours. We left with a greater appreciation for our bounteous blessings and felt honored to participate in such a righteous cause. We discussed this experience and many other faith and friendship building opportunities when we later gathered in a sister’s backyard to make s’mores around a campfire. 

It has been such a blessing to have sister missionaries serving in our ward. We have been able to take meals to them, but due to mission rules regarding Covid precautions, we have not been able to have them in our homes for dinner. Around the time that this changed, we lost our sisters and now have elder missionaries. We were, however, able to participate in discussions with them as they taught. We also have a few young women who are currently serving from our ward. We have included them in our ministering routes, assigning a sister to correspond with them. 

The son of our first counselor, Sister B, returned home from his mission during the summer. They invited the ward over to their house to welcome him home. This provided the perfect, non-threatening opportunity to invite nonmember friends, part member families, and less actives. It was a beautiful day to spend outside visiting. One sister attended who hadn’t been to church in years. During our bi-weekly presidency meetings, we discussed this sister and others and added them to the temple prayer rolls. 

In August we eagerly participated in the glorious rededication of the Washington DC temple, some attending more than one session. Sister Sharon Anderson, second counselor, sang in all sessions from her place inside the temple. Her smile was catching; we are thrilled and excited for our upcoming plans to attend together and serve in the Lord’s holy house. 

August also found us in Sister A’s home for a thorough preparedness activity. Several sisters taught and shared food storage tips, important document gathering and preservation, how to pack a 72-hour preparedness backpack and how to live a resilient lifestyle. Some of this information has been included on our ward website. It will also be the basis for much of what I plan to do with my new calling as ward preparedness specialist. 

This year our ministering secretary continued to design and edit a monthly relief society newsletter. It contains missionary, ministering and family history messages from the presidency, birthdays, and other important dates to remember. She also highlighted a woman from the scriptures each month. Sister L, our activities coordinator, created lovely flyers and invitations to our midweek activities. These are included in the newsletter which is emailed to the sisters and a copy is placed in our attendance binders that are circulated on Sundays. It is also posted on our relief society Facebook page and the Rockhill ward website. 

With Sunday worship only being two hours, we felt the need to minimize time spent on announcements. Thus, our secretary, Sister W, delivers a binder to both the Young Women and the Primary organizations so that the women serving there are kept up to date on relief society activities. This made quarterly attendance reports easier to complete. However, there has still been some technological confusion concerning specific email providers and some sisters either not receiving or not taking the time to read the newsletters or the copies in the binders. As a result, some have complained that they were unaware of the monthly activities. Periodically we have attempted to solve this issue with advertisements and decorations on a table in the hallway in front of the relief society room. We have also placed phone calls or texted several sisters to remind them of upcoming activities. 

For part of the year, Sister J was called to send out personal messages in birthday cards to each sister. When she moved out of the state, the secretary and the president split this duty, some sent via snail mail and others via email. 

Looking back over the past eight months, we can see that many of the goals we set at the beginning of 2022 have been accomplished. We are assured that the work will continue to move forward under the direction of a new presidency. It is hard to be released from this calling; we have each felt the mantle and the added measure of the Spirit directing this work. Although there is never a time when growth is complete, we are pleased with the progress we see - in our ward, our families, our ministering companionships and in our individual lives. It is a humbling experience to be called to serve and it was an honor to be the Lord’s hands in the Rockhill part of His vineyard for a time. The good news of His gospel burns in our hearts and keeps us ever growing. 

As a new Presidency coming in near the end of the year, I was impressed and inspired to make minimal changes at that time. Sister L began preparing birthday cards for our sisters each month and we all sign them and she puts them in the mail. We post the Relief Society Newsletter each month to the Rockhill Ward RS Facebook Page, in addition to making it available in the binders provided to Primary and Young Women. We post to the same Facebook page the Thursday prior to Relief Society Sunday the link to the General Conference talk that we will be discussing that Sunday. This has helped with instituting the home based, Church supported curriculum and the sisters come prepared to discuss the topics and the spirit of the message for that Sunday. 

Our September Activity was a book swap. This activity was very well attended and each sister had an opportunity to share what her favorite book is and why. There was lively discussion and much enjoyment and it was a great bonding experience for the sister’s in attendance. We each had an opportunity to borrow books from each other as well there were many books donated to anyone that wished to take them that evening. 

For the month of October, as a Presidency we discussed and decided that our first Relief Sunday following General Conference, we would have an open forum discussion with the sisters about their favorites from General Conference. Favorite speaker, talk, song, any special feelings or inspiration they received and would like to share with us. From that we had a good feel for the talks that would be well received as Sunday Discussion Topics. Based on feedback from the sisters in the Ward, we did not hold an activity in October so everyone could fully support the Primary in the annual chili cook-off and trunk or treat. It was a great evening for everyone. 

In November the Relief Society sponsored a food drive for our local food bank, SERVE. We placed autumn themed decorated boxes outside the Relief Society and Primary Rooms for donations as well as a box outside the Bishop’s office under the coatrack. This was supported very well and we ended up donating over 400 lbs. of food and personal toiletry items (see photos). Our activity in November was a Friendsgiving Dinner, sponsored by the Presidency. This activity was held in the home of Sister P. It was a night to sit and visit with our friends and to just catch up. A small craft was offered to those who chose to participate. So many of the sisters have since told us how much they truly appreciated a night to just be sisters and share in Friendsgiving. 

December was a wonderful month for the Relief Society. We worked with our Bishop to provide Christmas to members of our Ward who would not otherwise have had a Christmas. The Ward Christmas party felt like an old-fashioned family gathering around the table and then singing songs around the piano. Of course, a visit from Santa Claus was well received by all the children. Our traditional December Relief Society activity is a cookie exchange held at Sister F's (at her request and everyone else’s delight). We asked each sister to bring an ornament for a white elephant gift exchange. There were Nauvoo ornaments, sentimental, fun and traditional ornaments to be ‘fought’ over. 

It was a whirlwind of activity and a most humbling experience to be called to serve as the Relief Society President of the Rock Hill Ward. I am so grateful for this opportunity to get to know each sister and to love and to serve them and with them. We are so blessed and grateful to have the Washington DC Temple open and operating again. As a Presidency, we attend one session together each month. As we go into the new year, we are eagerly anticipating the dedication of the Richmond, Virginia Temple.

PRIMARY

We have enjoyed a full year of regular meetings in person. The children love to come to Primary. They make it to the Primary Room before any leaders get there every Sunday. Our Singing Time Leader for most of 2022, was Sister P. Sister D was called near the end of 2022. The Activities for Boys and Girls have included crafts, games, dinner for Mothers, a carnival, kayaking, kickball, stacking wood for Sister L, and other service projects and other engaging and purposeful activities. Our Ward Pioneer activity was a great success. The Ward Halloween Trunk or Treat and Chili Cookoff was also well attended. We sang the following songs in our annual Sacrament Meeting Primary Presentation: Scripture Power, The Holy Ghost, I Love to See the Temple, I Will Be Valiant, Did Jesus Really Live Again, Give Said the Little Stream, Follow the Prophet, and I Wonder When He Comes Again. 

TEMPLE AND FAMILY HISTORY

The focus of the Ward Temple & Family History plan was the dedication of the Washington, D. C. Temple. Prior to the rededication on August 14, 2022, the committee encouraged the ward to invite a friend to the open house, serve as a volunteer during the open house and take a family name to the temple once the temple was rededicated. Each youth class/quorum conducted at least one temple or family history focused activity each quarter. Examples include inviting a ward family history consultant to teach the class/quorum how to effectively use the tools on FamilySearch and find ancestors' names to take to the temple.

The Ward Temple & Family History committee met most months to hear reports from each class and review the Ward Temple & Family history plan. The ward held a temple preparation class for four young adults and a second temple preparation class for two couples. At least one couple did get sealed in the temple during 2022. The youth organized at least three temple baptism trips to the Raleigh, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC temples with the youth taking their own family names or doing family names for other ward members. The youth also attended the Washington, D. C. Temple open house as a group for one youth activity.