Thoughts by Maurine Harrison regarding her years as Relief Society President from 1966 - 1971
I was sustained as Relief Society President on May 1, 1966 at church in the Osmond Ward. Audry Hunsaker Lainhart, 1st Counselor and RaKell Erickson Titensor as Secretary. Ruth Gomm Swenson was sustained as 2nd Counselor about two weeks later. Other counselors serving were Delsa Lancaster Erickson and Eva Tippets Mills. Audrey stayed with me the entire time. Other Secretaries were Alene Shumway Ashment, LuAnn Allred Enderle, and Judy Wolfley Shumway.
We were trying to save enough money to buy a carpet and draperies for the Relief Society room and as many opportunities came, we were able to make quite an amount beyond our needs to run the organization with, so on November 2, 1967, we drew $500.00 out of our checking account and put it in a savings account. January 3, 1969 we added $400.00 more so that when we drew out $200.00 to pay for the carpet, padding and installation we had a balance of $747.95. When we turned our monies over to the ward when we went on the budget, we had accumulated $97.26 interest. We transferred $847.26 to the Ward savings account on September 15, 1971.
We bought for the Relief Society since May 1, 1966: A deep fat fryer, carpet for Relief Society room, also curtains and draperies for R.S. room, set of crib quilting frames, (had all other frames planed), 2 sets of quilting stands (cost of material $15.15 and Leslie Harrison made the stands without charge), History of Relief Society for Library, 7 dozen song books (5 for the ward and 2 (red) for Relief Society).
At our first Stake Welfare Meeting the visiting Authorities asked us to sell 2 or 3 wool blankets each year made by Deseret Industries. We made it a little project and gave blankets for wedding gifts. By purchasing 12 at a time, we were given one free, so we gave $1.00 off on each blanket sold them to ward members.
There were very few people on Welfare during the years we were in the presidency. Starting September 1970, we felt we were greatly blessed when the new Seminary teacher, Brother Marvin Loar and his wife Janice, and their five sons moved into our ward. Sister Loar is a polio victim and crippled in both arms and legs. The women of the Relief Society have responded to our call and at least one woman has gone into the Loar home each day to help with the work. We also arranged with the YWMIA for two girls to go every Saturday to work for service hours. Also every Sunday morning, the two Lainhart girls went and helped get the boys ready for Church. This has been a challenge and a blessing to the Relief Society women.
Many changes took place while we were in the presidency: The Relief Society Magazine was discontinued, the Annual Dues were discontinued, the year's lessons were put in a book for only 50 cents, every woman in the Church was made a member of the Relief Society. (Prior to this, all women desiring to be a member were voted in--once a member always a member.) The Relief Society was put on the Ward budget. I felt that this was one of the most important things done by the R.S. Now we no longer had to put in so many hours trying to be self-supporting, but could have more time for compassionate service, learning and teaching each other about sewing, cooking etc. and not having to worry about finances.
We carried on some things started by previous Presidencies: Husbands as guests at Anniversary parties; we gave all missionaries $10.00 on their birthdays and the Relief Society Magazine subscription for Christmas; visited widows on their birthday; gave a gift, gave a plant, flowers, book, etc. to sisters bereaved; gave a Relief Society Magazine subscription to mothers of new babies; gave all Visiting Teachers a vacation in June and the officers and class leaders did the teaching using as companions women in the ward who didn't have a Relief Society position. Talent Day, started by Sister Lucile Shumway when she was Literature Leader, was carried out each year. This was usually held as our closing social in May. Most women brought their favorite talent to display--some wrote poems, stories, songs, music. Some showed their handiwork of sewing, knitting, embroidery work, etc., some made cookies, cakes, etc.
The Bishopric asked the aid of the Relief Society to help collect clothing, etc. for the Deseret Industries and I had felt for some time that when these drives were made that there were many things being sent away that people in the ward needed--so with the consent of my counselors, the Bishop, and Stake President, we held a clothing exchange each time and charged 5 or 10 cents for each article. This has been a great blessing to our ward people.
Our Mother and Daughter's parties were held in July, usually a mother and her daughter(s) were asked to plan this occasion. Stake officers were special guests.
For over three years after we were sustained there were no deaths in the ward. However, the family of Mrs. Ritta Peavler requested the funeral be held in Osmond, so the Relief Society assisted. Through the years four other funerals were held here for former ward members. They were for Lulu Reese, Axel Lindberg, Charles Olson, and Erica Bassett, the infant daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Weldon Bassett. Charles O'Keefe was the first ward member to pass away in December 1969. Others were Perry Mills and Jimmy Hensley in January 1970. Clarence Erickson November 1970, Camilla Bassett April 1971, and Julian Dennis, newborn baby of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Dennis. Also, my father, Maurice Tippets passed away January 23, 1971, while living at my home. The people of the ward have always been more willing at these times than at any other to do whatever is needed. Food has been taken to the homes and also on the day of the funeral, lunch is served at the Church if the family so desires it.
The sisters saved their Betty Crocker coupons and with them we bought several large serving spoons, four dippers, and some knives for the kitchen.
The Singing Mothers were active and were asked to sing in funerals and Stake Conference.
Our annual Bazaars were very well attended. The women would sew in work meetings and at home to prepare many articles. When the Relief Society went on the budget, we held our final bazaar. Besides clothing, pillowcases, sets of dish towels, quilts, blankets, and all manner of hand-made articles, we had many baked goods, candy, popcorn, etc, for sale and also supper for the families.
Many times I was inspired to do different things which, when carried out, were successful. Several women volunteered for available positions when I mentioned that we needed help, much to the amazement of even the Stake R.S. officers who were present at one time when I made such a plea, and after the meeting, 3 of the 4 positions were volunteered for. Our organization was truly blessed with the cooperation of our class leaders and others we called on for various things.
Ronnie Olson, Missionary to the Southwest Indian Mission, wrote to his mother that although each missionary had his own white clothes to do baptisms in, that it was almost impossible for the people being baptized to find white clothes. So I bought heavy flannel material and we made three coverall type suits in different sizes for large, medium, and small and sent them. They were sewed by Jeannette Stump, Patti Marshall, and Maurine Harrison. Later, Ronnie wrote again about confections for the Indians for Christmas. So in December, we prepared and sent 15 number ten-sized cans and several other boxes of homemade candy, cookies, gum, popcorn, candy bars, lollypops, and other such things to Elder Olson to distribute to the Indians on Christmas Eve. Later he reported that 13 families were made happy by this generosity. He said some of the older Indians knew only one English word - Santa Claus.
In the spring of 1971, we as a presidency visited every home in the ward distributing a booklet on food storage and a message from the Bishopric urging people to store food and other necessities for their families.
For about two years, we held second session meetings on Monday evenings before Work Day. These were discontinued when the Church designated Monday as Home Evening throughout the Church.
I've always felt that I couldn't ask anyone to do things that I wouldn't do myself first. I think the sisters appreciated this. Sometimes I was over-enthusiastic about some things and felt as Alma in the Book of Mormon when he said, "Oh, that I were an angel" and could get others to see the necessity of carrying out the Lord's plan as I saw it. I liked to make cakes and casseroles and other foods and take them into the homes where there was illness or other trouble. I visited every home when I found about an illness, offering to do washing, ironing, sewing, quilting, housecleaning, or anything I could.
We were released as a presidency on September 16, 1971.