Her Price is Far Above Rubies

Last night was a bit crazy for me. I had three church meetings to attend. At 6:00, Elisa and I went to New Beginnings. We were invited since Elisa will be turning 12 this year. Then at 7:00 I had to help with the Faith in God boys’ activity. As a primary presidency (I’m the secretary), we were in charge of the getting to know you game night, but the new leaders were supposed to be there. Then at 7:30 I was supposed to slip out to attend the parent meeting with Elisa for the Achievement Day girls—all with Sabrina tagging along since Alex had young men last night.

The Faith in God leaders (we don’t have cub scouts in our ward yet unfortunately) had a sick daughter so they couldn’t be there after all. So I lead two games and the primary prez lead another. Then right before they were going to have pizza and snacks I slipped out just in time for the END of Elisa’s parent meeting where she was. All except one of her friends are in young women now and that one friend wasn’t there so she was lonely in there. She can’t wait to join her friends in young women. It has been a few years since I’ve been in young women, obviously. But I still have my medallions. I was excited to learn about the new medallions, which I didn’t even know they had, at New Beginnings. One of the leaders was introducing them and said that the girls were asking why the new medallion has an ugly ruby in it. (Ugly is relative, of course.) The leader didn’t know so she went to the distribution center and asked them. The ruby symbolizes the new value of virtue, as used in Proverbs 31:10

Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
As soon as I heard that, I fell in love with that medallion. It really symbolizes so much. It is not easy in this world for our youth (or any of us) to continue to hold those values dear and make their actions consistent with what they learn and know is right. That medallion is a small symbol of the reward they will get in heaven for all their hard work which has helped those young women become who they are at the end of the program.

(This will seem off topic, but it’s not…trust me.) I have heard before that a new bishop was sitting in front of his ward during his first Sacrament meeting. He looked around at all the families and thought, “There isn’t a single family here who has a big problem.” And he was relieved. Just a couple of months later, that same bishop was sitting up on the stand and looking around at his ward thought, “There isn’t a single family in this ward who DOESN’T have a big problem.”

Being a bishop’s wife, I don’t hear the worries, anguish, troubles, or sins of the people who go to Robin for help or guidance. I only know that he is gone at church or in members’ homes visiting with them. But he has sometimes come home and hugged me a bit tighter than usual. He has occasionally said, “Thank you for being such a virtuous woman.” Or other very similar comments. I can only imagine that there are sadly people who he has talked to who have been affected either by their own or someone else’s lack of virtue. Virtue is seen by the world as silly or even stupid. Our children and youth are pounded on every side with these messages if they are not very careful where they are, what they’re doing and where they look (and even too often when they are careful).

I’m so grateful for the young women’s program that Elisa will be entering this year and for the leaders who put so much time, love and energy into the girls. I was so glad to be able to go to New Beginnings last night. It was a busy ending to the day, but it kept me pondering.