My Role Was to Lead Them to Him

By Jill B. Johnson

I was called as the Relief Society president of my student ward during the most emotionally and spiritually challenging time of my life. I had just been hired to take over a class of hardened, streetwise teenagers with special needs at the local high school. I struggled to maintain even a portion of the Spirit in an environment that might best be described as hostile. Beyond that, my family was in the middle of a crisis, and the pain and anguish created a hard knot deep in my stomach.

Arriving home after a meeting with the former Relief Society president, I dropped to my knees and sobbed. I felt overwhelmed, and I couldn’t understand how Heavenly Father expected me to care for so many sisters when I didn’t have it together myself. I pleaded with Heavenly Father for strength, specifically asking for inspiration to help the sisters of our Relief Society overcome their trials and challenges. I longed to do something for them. I ached to take away their pain, build their testimonies, and fix all their complaints.

As I ended my prayer, my eyes opened to see the picture of the Savior on my bedside table. Immediately, a peace came to my heart as I realized that He was the One who could provide for those struggling sisters. He was the One who could heal their wounds, take their bitterness away, and give them peace.

From that moment on, my goal wasn’t to fix the problems of the sisters but to do everything I could to help them come to know Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ so that They could help them. In all our lessons, activities, and meetings, my supportive counselors and I worked hard to think of what the Savior would do. The Spirit guided us in many ways.

Months later I was surprised to realize that the knot in my stomach had disappeared. Losing myself in the service of those sisters helped melt away the pain and disappointment of family tragedy and begin the journey of healing.

I am grateful that Heavenly Father called me to serve even when I did not feel capable. Even more, I am grateful to have learned an important lesson about our Savior. He is the One who could meet the needs of the sisters in that Relief Society and who can meet the needs that all of us have. He invites everyone:

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matthew 11:28–29).