Look To The “Son”
/Last weekend I attended a meeting with other women in my church. I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Within our church, there is an organization specifically for women known as “Relief Society.” This organization of women was organized on March 17, 1842 for the purpose of serving others and rendering aid to those in need no matter their religious affiliation. Many of the early pioneer women were suffragists. Through their efforts, the women in the state of Utah fought for the right to vote. Utah and Wyoming were the first state to allow women this right. In the late 1800’s, Relief Society sisters were sending women to medical schools in the eastern United States as well as donating money toward their tuition. These female students were some of the first women in the country to graduate as medical doctors. They returned to Utah to train additional women as nurses and midwives. Also in those early years, the women were asked to organize the sisters in gathering, growing and collecting wheat which was known as “The Wheat Project.” The purpose was to care for the poor and needy. It was used to feed survivors of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, World War I and World War II, in addition to continuing to care for the poor and needy.
Photo Credit: https://www.deseret.com/2014/3/13/20537258/10-accomplishments-of-the-relief-society/
The purpose of Relief Society remains the same today. To lift up the weary and care for the poor and needy. In our meeting on Saturday, we enjoyed counsel and direction from our local church leaders both women and men, finishing with a service project to assemble welcome kits for the women’s shelter here in Kaysville, Utah. The women who live in this shelter often come from abusive circumstances, and this shelter welcomes them and their children with a safe place to land. They receive opportunities for education while their children are taken care of at the center, with the purpose to assist these women to get back on their feet again and be able to support their children as single mothers.
The theme of this meeting was to “Look to the ‘Son.’” Our Relief Society Presidency had been planning this meeting for months. In preparation, they planted 500 sunflower seeds with the help of a wonderful man who had the land and means to grow them all summer. It must have been a magnificent sight to see that field of sunflowers grow from tiny seeds to the large flowers they became over the summer!
The church was filled with baskets of large sunflowers. The symbolism behind the chosen sunflower is that young sunflowers follow the sun through a process called heliotropism, which uses their internal circadian clock to turn their heads from east to west during the day and back east at night to maximize the sun’s exposure for photosynthesis. This daily movement slows and stops as the plant matures, and the mature flowers then permanently face east to attract warm pollinators like bees. Helen Keller once said, “Keep your face to the sunshine, and you cannot see the shadow.
It’s what sunflowers do.” The parallel to this process and the theme for our meeting was to reinforce what we try to do each day, and that is to look to the “Son” of God and follow Him. In addition to the spiritual instruction and service project, we enjoyed a lovely luncheon complete with beautiful homemade sugar cookies in the shape of sunflowers and frosted to perfection. We were invited to take a sunflower home with us as a reminder to “Look to the ‘Son.’” I took two extra for friends who were unable to make it to the meeting.
I took them home, trimmed the stems, and placed them in empty bottles I had saved. I can’t give a gift without adding ribbon which gave it the finished touch. I delivered the flowers in addition to a sunflower sugar cookie to each lady and shared with them the things we learned and accomplished at the meeting.
As I left their homes Saturday afternoon, I had no idea what the next 24 hours would bring. Late Saturday night, we received word that our beloved Prophet and President, Russell M. Nelson, had passed away at the age of 101 just days after his birthday. He was the oldest living prophet out of the previous 16 men who lead the church before him. Time Magazine recently published this article written by President Nelson himself. I want to share it with you here as it is wise counsel for these times of painful loss and unrest.
Photo Credit (Picture #1): https://www.ksl.com/article/51372431/church-president-russell-m-nelson-celebrates-101st-birthday
Photo Credit (Picture #2): https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders/2025/09/28/president-russell-m-nelson-dies-surgical-career-china/
“Russell M. Nelson: We All Deserve Dignity and Respect”
“Living to 101 is a privilege I never anticipated. I grew up during the Great Depression as the world emerged from the First World War. Over a century, I have witnessed extraordinary breakthroughs in medicine and communication – from the telegram to Instagram – and I have seen wars and peace. The world has changed dramatically. Yet what I have learned is that some truths do not change. These enduring truths are what anchor us in turbulent times.
As a heart surgeon for four decades and an Apostle in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for four more I have spent my life studying both the physical and the spiritual heart. Early in my career, during the pioneering days of open-heart surgery, conventional wisdom held that the heart should never be touched, or it would stop. That belief proved false. In the research lab, my colleagues and I discovered that, when treated according to natural laws, the heart could be stopped, repaired, and revived. By carefully balancing sodium and potassium in the blood, we could pause the heart long enough to mend it – and then see it spring back to life when that balance was restored. I still remember a professor asking me years later, “But what if it doesn’t work?” My answer was simple: It always works. This is one example – despite longstanding beliefs – of an irrefutable truth.
Later, as a faith leader, I came to understand that the human spirit flourishes when nourished by divine truth as well. On the occasion of my 101st birthday, I wish to share two such truths – lessons that I believe contribute to lasting happiness and peace.
Frist: Each of us has inherent worth and dignity. I believe we are all children of a loving Heavenly Father. But no matter your religion or spirituality, recognizing the underlying truth beneath this belief that we all deserve dignity is liberating – it brings emotional, mental, and spiritual equilibrium – and the more you embrace it, the more your anxiety and fear about the future will decrease.
Life can be terrifying, and I have watched many – especially young people – struggle with anxiety about whether they belong or have value. But a heart that knows it is loved and remains focused on its purpose beats with steadiness, confidence, and hope no matter what is happening – or not happening – in life.
Second: Love your neighbor and treat them with compassion and respect. A century of experience has taught me this with certainty: anger never persuades, hostility never heals, and contention never leads to lasting solutions. Too much of today’s public discourse, especially online, fosters enmity instead of empathy.
Imagine how different our world could be if more of us were peacemakers – building bridges of understanding rather than walls of prejudice – especially with those who may see the world differently than we do. I have seen bitter divisions soften when neighbors chose to listen to one another with respect rather than suspicion. Even small acts – like reaching out across lines of faith, culture, or politics – can open doors to healing. There is power in affording others the human dignity that all of God’s children deserve.
This work begins at home. At a time when loneliness and isolation are rising around the world, families – though never perfect – remain one of life’s strongest sources of stability and meaning. My own experience has taught me that fidelity, forgiveness, and faithfulness within families yield deep, enduring peace. Strong families help us extend kindness outward, reinforcing communities and societies as well.
After more than a century of life and decades of studying both the human body and the human soul, I have found this to be true: we are happiest when we remember our divine worth and extend that recognition to others – beginning with our own families.
My faith teaches me that over two millennia ago, Jesus Christ preached these same laws of happiness: to love God and to love our neighbor. After 101 years, I can say that these are not abstract theological ideas – they are practical wisdom. They are what have sustained me through loss and triumph, uncertainty, peace, war, and healing. If we embrace these eternal truths – honoring our own worth, treating others with dignity, and nurturing our families – our lives, and our world, will be steadier and more joyful.
That is my birthday wish for all of us.”
The next morning as I got ready for church, we received more news that a gunman had crashed his truck through the doors of one of our church buildings in Michigan, began shooting those inside, and lighting the sacred edifice on fire. I won’t go into more detail, however, it is a miracle that with hundreds of people in the building at the time, more were not injured or lose their lives. This is because of the heroes that quickly jumped in, stopping the shooter. Life has been full of hate and tragedy in the past weeks. My heart and prayers go out to the families of those who have lost their lives or been injured, in addition to the innocent families of the perpetrators who have committed these hate crimes. It is my hope and prayer that we can head the words of our recently departed prophet, Russell M. Nelson, “Anger never persuades. Hostility builds no one. Contention never leads to inspired solutions. … The Savior’s message is clear: His true disciples build, lift, encourage, persuade, and inspire … True disciples of Jesus Christ are peacemakers. … God has invited all to come unto Him, black and white, bond and free, male and female. There is room for everyone. … I urge you to choose to be a peacemaker, now and always.”
My wish for you this week is to look to the “Son,” just as the sunflower does as it grows. If you’re feeling sad or filled with anxiety, find your local church and go. Open your Bible and read the words of God. If you don’t have a church, or even if you do, I invite you to tune in this coming weekend to watch or listen to our church’s General Conference held twice a year from the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Many members and friends of other faiths come together as one to feel the Spirit and worship the Lord. We are Christians who believe and worship Jesus Christ. No matter what religion we belong to, let’s all make the world a better place as peacemakers to overcome evil.
Love Ya, Les 😊
General Conference consists of five unique 2-hour sessions over two days. All conference sessions will be streamed live on www.ChurchofJesusChrist.org in 80 languages. You can also watch and listen on the General Conference YouTube channel in 14 languages. (These times are Mountain Daylight Time)
Saturday, October 4
Morning session: 10 a.m. to noon
Afternoon Session: 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Evening Session: 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, October 5
Morning session: 10 a.m. to noon
Afternoon Session: 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.