03 October 2011

To all the girls I've loved this year

Last time I posted I shared a shortlist of some things I'd like to write about—one was loving Relief Society. I've been serving in three different presidencies of this unique women's society in our ward (aka church congregation) over the past year—first as a counselor, and then as president since the first week of January. I'm already on my second set of counselors and secretaries; a big shakeup in our geographic boundaries took place in the spring and necessitated rebuilding the organization from scratch. I've loved all three groups of leaders. I'm excited that in this new configuration we're finally hitting our stride. It's a joy working with such intelligent, funny, compassionate, energetic, kind, faithful, imaginative, motivated, inspired, and no-nonsense young women. So far, I've been the sole Resident Ancient, but that doesn't bother me in the least. I've never been hung up on age differences, in either direction. These women are my sisters and friends, and it's a privilege to work together to serve the nearly 200 women (and many families) we have responsibility for.

The way we get things done looks something like this:


I bet these pioneering gals could do a pretty righteous hand jive themselves:

From the University of Utah archives—Relief Society, 1916.
Tomorrow I go out for Indian food with the first presidency I worked with last year. Last week, I had happy contacts with both the counselors who endured me as a fledgling president: one just birthed a gorgeous baby on the bathroom floor of her home (unintentionally, though she is Superwoman), far far away in my old home state, and the other called me the same day to tell me I'd "won" a home pedicure at her house. (She said it wasn't a rigged contest, but when everyone wins, isn't that rigged?) In two days I have my weekly meeting with my newest counselors and secretary, so we can do that hand jive thing that we do. 

It's hard work and takes lots of coordination and even more practice. I'm in good company. I am blessed, and lucky.

2 comments:

Brett Bowen said...

Hi Cuz.

Very interesting video you posted. The gal in the middle is Moira Smiley who used to have a girls vocal group called Vida. The very first ever date I took Marsha on was to a Vida concert at the Egyptian theatre in Ogden. About a year and a half ago I was in NYC playing with my fiddler friend Kailin Yong at a music showcase and we shared a stage with a girl vocal group called Voco, and who should be the front (wo)man of that group but Moira Smiley. After the show I told her about how she and her previous group were such a large part of the success of my first date with the woman who would become my wife. She was thrilled to hear about the 'small world' connection. And then, lo and behold, here she is again on a vid pasted into your blog. Definitely a small world.

The lesson learned from all this is that this Moira Smiley chick is now definitively proven to be a stalker out to get me!!! ;-)

Anonymous said...

Love this, Georgia. And I just love you too. I often talk to my Mom about how great you are- seriously:) And I'm so glad to be part of this great work with you too.