by Sister Gretchen Pavkov, Stake RS First Counselor
In the recent General Women’s Conference, Sister Bonnie H. Cordon of the Primary General Presidency asked the question, “How do I keep centered and lean not unto my own understanding?” She went on to give us three foundational ways to increase our knowledge of and trust in the Savior. First was “feasting on the words of Christ.” Second was to come to know the Lord through prayer. Her third suggestion to help us increase our knowledge of and trust in the Lord was to be of service to others.
Our recent 2017 Stake Relief Society Conference focused on being of service to the refugees who have and were to come to the Akron area. Each Ward contributed items which were to be used in the making of hygiene and cleaning kits that were assembled during the conference. Behind the scenes many sisters throughout the Stake were crocheting “pot scrubbers” to later be added to the cleaning kits. One such sister was Debbie Hercsek. Debbie found out about this service project through her Visiting Teacher who knew she crocheted. She agreed to help and was provided with some scrubby yarn. Debbie would often crochet these pot scrubbers at the hospital while she waited for her husband during his chemo treatments. The more she made, the more she felt she was accomplishing something and she became excited. It started to snowball, making the pot scrubbers was “fuel for the fire” and Debbie started purchasing her own scrubby yarn and making more scrubbers. When the time came to turn in the pot scrubbers Debbie had completed 150!!!! When asked why, Debbie stated that she found the experience “uplifting” and “healing.”
The sister spoken of in Sister Cordon’s talk stated “Service saved my life … when I thought about myself, my situation, my suffering and pain, the world became very dark and depressing. When my focus turned to others, there was light, hope, strength, courage, and joy. I know that this is possible because of the sustaining, healing, and enabling power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.” Service to others can and does help us to not only know the Savior, but to be more like Him.
Akron Ohio Stake News 