Helping the Homeless

Happy Birthday to Relief Society!

The womens organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 

is 169 years old this month.  Each March, the women of the church

celebrate the formation of this benevolent society in 1842 and it's 

influence in their lives today.  

 The purposes of Relief Society are:

* To increase faith and righteousness

* To strengthen home and families

* To seek out and help those in need

Relief Society has blessed my life in many ways.

I have attended more classes and meetings than I can count over

 the years and  have learned everything from parenting skills, how to cook

 and clean a house, personal discipleship, how to balance a budget, 

make bread, garden, teach children, speak in public,  teach a class on

 any number of subjects, change a tire, be a better wife, sew, 

quilt, and the list goes on.  So much of who I am today has come

 from being with wonderful women who have taught and mentored me.

And all this happens in Relief Society.  There have also been many

opportunities to serve each other and reach out to those in the community

who are in need.   Last night, for our birthday celebration, we gathered

together to make sleeping bags for the homeless. 

"She worketh willingly with her hands."

Proverbs 31:13

" She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea she

reacheth her hands to the needy."   

Proverbs 31:20

The sleeping bags are made from pieces of fabric that have been

stitched together in random patterns. The fabric doesn't match

and the bags are even called "ugly" bags because of the

assortment of fabric in each bag.  This is intentional.  If the bags

were too nice, they would be sold by the homeless instead of used

to keep warm.  We donate these bags to the homeless shelters

and they are given to people who have to be turned away from the 

shelter for some reason. We were told there is a real need for

these bags in the Asheville area.

After the fabric is stitched together in 7 1/2 feet squares, the inside

of the quilt can be made with any number of things.  You can

even take old shirts with buttons and sleeves cut off.  That green

fabric is an old t shirt.    It's a neat way to repurpose old clothes or blankets.

When all three layers are put together, then you tie the quilt.

This is the fun part - when everyone gathers around the table and works

together.  It's like an old fashioned quilting bee.  I can see why the

pioneer women loved these.  While the fingers work, the conversation flows.

And it's amazing how quickly you can tie a quilt when you have a group

of women working together.

This is how they look when they are finished.

I was surprised how warm they are.

Old neckties are sewn on the end and used to tie the

sleeping bag together and as handles.

This is the finished result.   

This sweet lady is our Relief Society

President.  I love and appreciate her for all 

she does to serve the women in the church.

Her love for the Lord is contagious.  Just look at that smile!

*Goal #44 - Give 50 hours of service