"We...are engaged in the work of Salvation"- Julie B. Beck

The newly organized Societe de Secours, (Relief Society) in the Branche de Bujumbura held their very first R. S. Activity last Saturday, 13 March 2011.  I was invited to be a part of this activity!
I was honored to share with these 15 sisters that were able to attend, words from Sister Julie B. Beck.  She said,"(In Relief Society) We don't plan anything; we don't do ANYTHING that is outside of the Lord's work of salvation."
These women in this branche are amazing!  They are very tender-hearted and deal with much opposition in their lives.  They love their Savior, Jesus Christ, and are trying to learn His ways in His restored church on the earth and also newly restored in their country of Burundi!



They are as beautiful inside as they are on the outside. They are truly daughters of our Heavenly Father.

                                                                  

As we gathered in the main room of the chapel, we first had our spiritual message. We continued with Sister Beck's words, "We know there are some essential things that must be taken care of if we are going to achieve eternal life." she said.  "To get the spirit and know what this is, we're going to have to read the scriptures, and pray every day, and make plans to go to the temple, fast and do the things the prophets have told us to do. We have to have the help of the Holy Ghost to take care of what is most essential."  The sisters had many questions about the temple.  This is a new concept for them.  Their nearest temples are many hundreds of miles away, and yet, this is still important for them, too!



After the spiritual message, we taught how to make "Gateau de Banane" (Banana Bread).  This is a fairly new commodity here.  So the sisters are hoping to be able to make this in their homes and sell it to make enough extra money for their family members to be able to afford to come to the Sacrament Meetings together on Sunday. There are many families who can only send one or two family members to church, then send others the next Sunday.



We then moved out onto the back porch of the chapel to bake the bread the conventional African way.  I have never cooked with charbon (like charcoal), so I was very interested to see how they bake without an oven.



The front brazier is burning charbon.  The back one has the banana bread mix bowl on top..  You can see the charbon on top of the lid as well as underneath.  It is much like american Dutch Oven cooking without an actual Dutch Oven so there is a science to getting the bread all the way cooked in the middle with the right amount of charbon for the right amount of time.

While the bread was cooking, wonderful Sister Malabi taught about "organize yourselves.....establish a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of knowledge, a house of glory, a house of order and a house of God." (D&C 109:8) She emphasized that each sister should begin to store preparedness foods as wisely as possible and also save some money for unexpected times.

The counsel from the First Presidency states," We realize that some of you may not have financial resources or space for such storage. We encourage you to store as much as circumstances allow."

"Relief Society...is established by the Lord to bless His daughters. The Lord knows who you are...  He will strengthen and magnify you."           Julie B. Beck