Part 2/ The Challenge

   In part 1, I wrote about being called as part of the three woman leadership team for Relief Society. A few days before that call came, I received the following in response to the column I wrote on New Years Day.

"Sophie, I'm glad you realized that you can't change a culture.   As accepting, peaceful, and about doing no harm as your ideals are, it's just too big a project for one person - an exercise in futility.   

Of course, now that you no longer have a job so big you don't know where to start, you can roll up your sleeves and get to work INFLUENCING that culture.  Your column is a good place to continue.  You left us (your readers) with a sense of futility and helplessness.  This is so unlike you.

Will you leave that stand? Or will you work past your own emotional moment to continue inspiring us as you so often do?   

My challenge to you is only this:  clearly define the change you would like to see in the world, find examples of these ideals being lived, and report them to us.  Give us inspiration and the knowledge that we can actually make a positive change in our homes, neighborhoods, and communities.  

When you share the positive, you multiply its effects by all your readers.  And when your readers are inspired, there is now an order of magnitude of difference as they, in turn, pass on smiles, hope, and a feeling of acceptance through their actions.  (Even better, challenge your readers to reply to your blogs with the stories of how they were inspired and what actions they took.  Hint, hint readers.  Writers cannot continue indefinitely working without being inspired in return.)  

Will this have an immediate, world-wide, and dramatic impact as could, say, a United Nations peace conference?  No.  (Of course, we've seen how well all of those have turned out.)  But it will make at least a few peoples' days brighter.  A few people who will be sharing smiles and taking actions that pass along happiness. Actions which will radiate a low level positivity that spreads outward, influencing others without them even noticing.   It is smaller, yes, and will take longer to impact the whole culture, country, world.  I bet however, the effects will be longer lasting. 

Do not lose hope, dear Sophie.  Isn't it mostly about attitude?  We can influence attitude. . . can't we?"  -Dana (Yes, Dana is a real person.)

   I have been challenged. Not only challenged, but given an opportunity to have influence over a small group of women in a small church in a small part of the state. What am I going to do with this?

   For starters, I want our Relief Society to be more inclusive. I have many times felt like an outsider in RS. I remember many times sitting in RS classes feeling like this wasn't really my group. I was too old, childless, an adult convert, not in a traditional nuclear family, a professional and an outside the box thinker. 

   As much as I can, I want to change this. Washington National Cathedral calls itself a house of prayer for all people. I want something similar for our RS. I want it to be a place where the women of the church can gather to learn, to teach and to support each other. I don't want any woman to feel that she has no place and no value in RS. I want the women of RS to be able to come as they are and to feel safe and maybe even have a little fun. I don't want anyone to feel unwelcome the way I felt unwelcome.

   Now, I am well aware that I can't make anyone feel anything, but I can be warm and welcoming. I can be the person that sees all the women in the group in all their wonderful variety. I can tell the women in the group that I am glad to see them, because I am. I can ask how they are doing and mean it. I can compliment a woman's outfit accessories or singing voice.  

   I also want us to as a group do goods things for others. That is what we, as Christians, have been called to do. Sharon, who is in charge of activities, has several service projects in mind. Service projects that are fun to do. Service projects that will get us working together as a group. Project that will help us to be light in the world and the leaven in the loaf as we are taught to be. 

   I've known Dana for many years. She is one of the most perceptive people I know. She's also right. Now is not the time to look around and at the darkness and just accept it. Now is the time to look around at the darkness and light a candle. Does this mean that my candle will eventually overcome the darkness? No. But I do not have to accept the darkness and I can provide a small space of light. Maybe others will come along with their own candles or not. It's irrelevant. I will still do my best to make a small space of light and peace. Challenge accepted.