Women in the Scriptures Challenge: SISTER JULIE B. BECK

BLESSINGS OF THE HANDMAID

Sister Julie B. Beck

"If the sisters who have made covenants with God know what they are supposed to do, that they are in for the long haul, and that they are in with all their faith, then this world will be okay and we will be all right. The theme of the conference is, “Say unto this people: Choose ye this day, to serve the Lord God who made you. Behold my Spirit is upon you, wherefore all thy words will I justify; and the mountains shall flee before you, and the rivers shall turn from their course; and thou shall abide in me, and I in you; therefore walk with me.” What a beautiful theme. BYU Women’s Conference April 2010Julie B. Beck Relief Society General President

I have been reading and pondering over this awesome "Talk", given by Sister Julie Beck, Relief Society General President. I started reading this last year, and I was so blessed by it. I wanted to share this with my Relief Society Sisters, so I made copies and gave it to them. This talk is filled with so many blessings; I endeavored to "teach" on it in Relief Society and also the President and the Second Counselor. It's that big. For myself, I feel that each time I read it; I have to break it down to its most component parts and read it one section at a time.

• "If the sisters who have made covenants with God know what they are supposed to do, that they are in for the long haul, and that they are in with all their faith, then this world will be okay and we will be all right

I have pondered over this statement for a long time. Sister Beck challenges the sisters in this statement to go back and review their covenants. What are they? Baptismal Covenants, Sacrament covenants; Marriage and Sealing Covenants, those we make in the Temple. I have been reviewing my Baptismal Covenants and the Covenants of the Sacrament.

Mosiah 18:9-10
9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life— (the long haul)

10 Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?

Jeremiah 31: 33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Hebrews 10: 16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them

The next challenge in that very statement is this:

"If the sisters ………… know what they are supposed to do, that they are in for the long haul"

Again I thought, what am I suppose to be doing? I entered into the Covenant of Baptism to become part of a people. "This People" to be exact. The desire of my heart had been established before the foundation of the world, to be a part of "This people". But now the Lord requires that we do that which is needful or that which we are supposed to do. 
In Luke 10; the discourse between Martha,Mary and Jesus, the question was called: "Whom do ye say that I am.? The answer to this question carries with it the potential for eternal life. The answer is straightforward but the responsibility for the answer is our Mission. 

Luke 10:40-42
40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things,
42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Mary, had chosen to literally and spiritually sit at the feet of the Savior and have the Lord prepare her heat to receive blessings and instructions.Mary had a new calling as a Handmaid of the Lord. Who is the handmaid of the Lord? We are, the elect ladies.The estate or position of Handmaid has many blessings added to it and many opportunities for personal and spiritual growth.
The Lord reveled His plan to Emma Smith in D&C 25

Doctrine & Covenants 25:1-2;5;7-8;10;13-16
1 Hearken unto the voice of the Lord your God, while I speak unto you, Emma Smith, my daughter; for verily I say unto you, all those who receive my gospel are sons and daughters in my kingdom.
 2 A revelation I give unto you concerning my will; and if thou art faithful and walk in the paths of virtue before me, I will preserve thy life, and thou shalt receive a inheritance in Zion.
5 And the office of thy calling shall be for comfort unto my servant Joseph Smith, Jun, thy husband, in his afflictions with consoling words, in the spirit of meekness 
7 And thou shalt be ordained under his hand to expound the scriptures, and to exhort the church, according as it shall be given thee by my spirit
8 For he shall lay his hands upon thee, and thou shalt receive the Holy Ghost, and thy time shall be given to writing and to learning much.  
10 And verily I say unto thee that thou shalt lay aside the things of this world and seek for the things of a better. 

13Wherefore lift up thy heart and rejoice and cleave unto the covenants which thou has made. 

14Continue in the spirit of meekness, and beware of pride. Let thy soul delight in thy husband, and the glory which shall come upon him.

15Keep my commandments continually, and a crown of righteousness thou shalt receive. And except thou do this, where I am you cannot come.

16And verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my voice unto all. Amen

MISSON POSSIBLE
Sister Beck's talk is a feast, its like Thanks giving Dinner with multiple desserts. I urge you to read it in its enterity.
She has a suggestions for us that will help us to better define who we are in the House of Israel, What it means to follow the Savior and What is that Spirit he gives to us.    

"I have a little exercise for those of you who want something specific to do in your scripture study. Get a new little copy of the Book of Mormon. In the front of it, open to a blank page and write three questions: Who am I? What are my responsibilities in the house of Israel? How do I fulfill my responsibilities? As you read and study, you will find some blank pages in the back. You can add Post-it notes if you like. Start writing your answers in the back as you read and you will have a journey of discovery about who you are. It doesn’t matter how long this study takes. Take one month, take ten years, and discover who you are. When you finish studying those questions in the Book of Mormon, study them in the Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price, and the Old Testament. The Lord knows who you are. He knows what your responsibilities are and how you can fulfill them. Power and strength will come to you as you understand who you are in the Lord’s kingdom." BYU Women’s Conference April 2010 Julie B. Beck Relief Society General