R.S. Therapy

Going to a non-singles ward once in a while is theraphy I recommend for everyone! We are in such a strange time warp in singles wards, (and I mean that in the best possible way), and I forget that there is life beyond, until I get a healthy dose of a "real" Relief Society.

I have a love-hate relationship with my homeward Relief Society. I won't go without protection, because all of the well-meaning older ladies look at your left hand, ask you if you are dating anyone, and some are secretly looking you up and down and analysing what could possibly be keeping you single. In my case, I am sure they are looking at my hips! (Dad says it is all in my head, and it probably is!) However, what I love about my home ward Relief Society is the people. It never fails that I am brought to tears and touched by the spirit when I go. I look across the ladies in the Relief Society, that have known me from the day I was born, and known my parents for years before that, some who even knew my dad as a child, and I see great women of faith. I see my neighbor who's husband had an affair and they stayed married, now have a great marriage and all of their children went on missions and married in the temple. I see the woman who's husband died years ago, and finally she has found a wonderful second husband to marry, and they have served a mission together. I see women who have had abuse, sickness and death in their lives, as well, as beauitful, faithful children, and many many more blessings. Women who have been in and out of activity in the church, and women who are new converts.
Many of the girls I grew up with live in the ward still, and they have husbands, imported from BYU, and a few children crawling around their feet and screaming. In short, I see women lumpy and bumpy, all shapes and sizes, all ages, and types of beauty, who have so much faith. They are living the gospel, and testifying of it through their lives. And somehow when I visit, I realize I have a place in it, the "older" single girl in the ward, who for some reason keeps visiting every Christmas without a husband or kids!
But I realize my place among the sisters of the gospel, my place in God's plan, and it strengthens and renews my faith. And I realize, that in singles wards, where everyone in so concerned about looking cute, and finding husbands, that the church is still true, but at times, we are missing something. Sometimes, (and I should only speak for myself) we lose the bigger picture of the gospel, the bigger picture of the plan, and the bigger picture of our worth as daughters of God.