Special MTC Relief Society

Every Sunday (except Fast Sunday) Relief Society is held in the large auditorium/gym for all of the sister missionaries at the MTC.  Relief Society format is a little different there -  after Music and the Spoken Word is finished, the sister all stand and sing together As Sisters in Zion.  Then Relief Society begins with an opening exercise and announcements followed by a young sister sharing her conversion story - then we enjoy a musical number presented by sister missionaries and finally we have a guest speaker.  These speakers are often Relief Society, Young Women and Primary general presidency and board members from SLC.  When have also had the opportunity to hear Sheri Dew and other great speakers.  This past Sunday our speaker was Janice Kapp Perry. 

We stood and sang her song: As Sisters in Zion. Two thousand plus sister missionaries singing together is powerful!  The Relief Society meeting began and we sang A Child's Prayer - dividing into two groups to sing both parts. Two sisters were invited to share their conversion stories that morning and then sister Perry spoke to us.  She is humble, unassuming and a very down to earth lady that has been blessed with a talent to write beautiful melodies that we all enjoy.  Her songs teach the gospel simply and clearly and their messages teach us truth.  As she spoke, she shared experiences and what she had learned as she and her husband served a mission together in Chile.  She told us how some of her songs came to be written.  We then sang together a medley of  some of those songs.  Finally as she finished her remarks she told us that she was preparing a new CD of music for sister missionaries and that she had written some new verses to As Sisters in Zion.  Her new version  is called: The Sisters of Zion and speaks about the sister missionaries invited by the prophet to serve and their response to the invitation and the great work that they will do to build the kingdom in these latter days.  Then, the congregation of sisters 2000 strong stood and sang these new verses - this was the first time they had been presented and sung.  There were not many dry eyes as we joined together in singing this special missionary song.  It was truly a very spiritual experience!  I count this time serving at the MTC as a wonderful privilege and blessing in my life.  It is inspiring to rub shoulders with the young missionaries and feel their excitement and commitment to serve the Lord.