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Show Sister Kimball: XtSSS. By GERRY t Camilla Eyring Kimball likes her calling as a visiting teacher simply because she likes to visit and because she loves those with whom she visits. When I was a little girl, neighbors used to come to our home for visits, Some would stay all day she said. working on a quilt or some other project. It w as a way to get to know-eacother better. I miss that opportunity now. I think we don't visit in homes often enough these days. Thats why I particularly enjoy the opportunity to go visiting teaching. Sister Kimball, for more than 50 years, has scheduled her visiting teaching appointments around the busy schedule of her husband, President Spencer W. Kimball. She feels a trip with President Kimball to Europe, South America, Asia or across the continent doesnt relieve her of her responsibilities as a visiting teacher. I feel that visiting teaching is one of the most important and worthwhile activities of the Church, she said. I think of it as an umbrella that shelieis the whole membership of the Church worldwide. Ive had many opportunities to talk with Relief Society sisters in many lands. Ive seen them going together ; y Continued from page : into the homes of ward members, taking spiritual message and then visiting w ith the women to check the spirit of the home to see if there is any need. She observed that in many areas there are some great physical need.', that the visiting teachers can help meet. In most areas she visited she saw no real physical needs but she said there is almost always some emotional or spiritual need. Sometimes a woman just needs to open her heart to another woman, Sister Kimball said. If we think of this activity being worldwide, wherever the Church is organized, it ,makes us one family. It makes the sisterhood of the women of the Church very real. As 1 look back at the more than 50 years of visiting teaching Ive done, I consider it one of the choicest experiences of my Church activity. I feel it very sincerely. One of the rewards of this experience, she said, is the opportunity to develop close friendships with her Sister visiting teaching companions Kimballs current companion is Sister a Erma Frandscn. I think that learning to relate to each other and learning to appreciate each other and gaining a close under is part of what life is all about, Sister Kimball said. She said it is a regrettable thing when some women dont actively participate in Relief Society. "Im sure that any woman, if exposed to the program, would find it a very satisfying activity. 1 think theres satisfaction in a college degree but I don't think a degree is always a badge of an educated person. The Relief Society can help a woman continue her education.' Sistei Kimball, who also taught the spiritual living lesson for 15 years in her ward, said she feels the Relief Society can help a woman fulfill her purpose lor being on earth perhaps better than any other organization. It gives a w oman an opportunity for self expression. In addition to learning, she has an opportunity to give. I cant think of a need that one could have that couldn't be met in Relief Society or where some kind of help couldn't be provided. Sister Kimball said that in her case, teaching is a pari of the learning process. In my opinion, thats what were here for," she said. We cant be saved in ignorance, particularly in ignorance of the gospel and our responsibilities. The Relief Society em standing phasizes our responsibilities to our family and to ourselves. of the w hole think that is the how to be a good wife, a good thing 1 and a mother, a good mother good grandmother. Also, every woman needs to learn how to be a comfm table companion for and herself. Its an this idea of being phase educated. A womans needs as a young person cover a certain area. As we grow older, our needs change a lot. ever-changin- ever-growin- g Sister Kimball said that one w:ay to be a better visaing teacher is to be a We should love our better person. she said. "If neighbors as ourselves, dont have a feeling of then w'ere not going to be able to be kind to our neighbors if w e love her only as much as we love ourselves and were disgusted with ourselves all the time. self-wort- w-- Its important for us to learn this. a difference between being egotistical and in being modestly content with the progress were making. We need to realize that were not doing as much or as well as we could sometimes, but it should he our idea every day to do a little better than the last day. Theres Pres. Kimball Hails Faith of the Pioneers j : AVANT Church News Staff Writer children under 3 could not happen without hard work and cooperation. President Kimball said, President George A. Smith gave leadership and the people followed. They knew they needed to work together to build, to dig canals, to extend laterals and waterways and roads. When President Smith said there was no public work, then each man went to work for himself and the low, flat places began to blossom as the rose." President Kimball spoke in detail of the makeup of the company that pioneered Parowan. The company consisted of 120 men, all in the prime of youth and vigor; 30 women over 14 years of age and 18 14 years. It was a group of picked artisans men and women trained in all the arts and skills of the days in the factories and shops of Europe. President Kimball pointed out that, at the time the pioneers headed for Parowan, the southernmost community was Provo. From there to Parowan is less than 200 miles and, as President Kimball noted, To travel from Provo River to Parowan, they had spent Dec. 34 days. What 1(5, 1850, to Jan. 19, 1851 distance! What hardships! lie said. On Sunday, Jan. 19, 1851, the camp assembled in religious meeting and decided to build a meetinghouse and settle in a compact fort and to make a road up the canyon. He noted that President Smith advised the brethren not to give anything to the Indians, hut to let them understand that the things they might want had a value. He also advised them not to run races, box or shoot with the Indians. said The president also advised, President Kimball, that the dogs be better taken care of, as they had been quite an annoyance to the company. President Kimball then spoke of life in tiie new community. Immediately they established normal life. he said. Pioneer plays were produced and the Parowan Dramatic Association was organized. The first plays were put on with quilts and blankets for want of curtains and scenery." He noted that, within a month, four wards were organized, homes were being erected and a blacksmith shop was added. I say. hail to the pioneers." said President Kimball. At the elementary school program, President Kimball told the children, I have seen children from all parts of the world, but I have never seen any more beautiful than you here this morning. ; We should be very grateful to have (men born in this, one of the choicest spots on earth. We should he determined to grow up to he good men and good ? i . , President Kimball links arms to lead the "Grand March," a traditional pioneer dance, during celebration in Parowan. i 4 CHURCH WEEK women." President Kimball also encouraged the young students to work hard to be good students, to learn to write and spell and read well We want you to grow up to he great men and women, to stay well physically and, above all. stay well spiritually." Included in the day's music was a number composed by Gary Jensen of Parowan especially for the visit of President Kimball. The song. "He That Has Ears to Hear." was sung by the President and Sister Spencer W. Kimball join in Pledge of Allegiance. ' combined choirs of the Parowan wards and the Parowan High School. Also joining in the day of comment- and also Utah oration for Parowan statehood and the nations Bicentennial was Sister Camilla Kimball, President Kimballs wife, and Elder and Sister Gordon B Hinckley. President and Sister Kimball led the Grand March," a traditional pioneer dance, during the afternoon as high a series of school students pioneer dances. Harold Mitchell Brother and were hosts to the Kimballs in Parowan Brother Mitchell was a counselor to President Kimhall when he was a stake president in the Mt. Graham Stake in southern Arizona j ; - ; j r FND'NG JANUARY 17, 1976 .n mm |