How I Lead as Relief Society President | Interviews with Mary Alice Hatch and Søs Gram

Summary: In this podcast, Kurt interviews Mary Alice Hatch, who is serving as the Relief Society President in her California ward, and Søs Gram, who is serving as a Stake Relief Society President in Germany.<br> Sister Mary Alice Hatch<br> Mary Alice Hatch lives in San Clemente, California. She is originally from Potomac, Maryland, a mother of two, has previously served as a Young Women's president, twice in Relief Society presidencies and in a stake Relief Society presidency, and also serves as a temple worker. She co-hosts the What Now Podcast, addressing cultural stigmas surrounding topics in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in an effort to create more understanding, hope and healing.<br> 9:00 Her son’s mission story and how that experience led to starting a podcast<br> 16:25 Where the podcast has gone from there<br> 22:00 Leaning on the Lord as a Relief Society President: confirmation and motivation that this was the right thing and the Lord would sustain her, and felt she needed to be even more thoughtful when choosing her counselors<br> Principles:<br> <br> <br> * 26:40 Delegation and empowerment: Allows her counselors to do what they want and need to do for meetings and other tasks without her direction or input; ask questions instead of commanding change when something seems questionable<br> * 30:30 Maintaining composure: Others will mirror how you are behaving, so if there’s a crisis it’s important not to panic (and to have a sense of humor)<br> * 33:30 Staying humble and going to the Lord: makes you more receptive and in tune with the Spirit<br> <br> 36:20 Mix of different people in her ward, including military wives. Created walking groups of women on the military base and weekly at the beach, a monthly birthday social, a cooking class, and a writing group.<br> 42:15 Ministering interviews: split up between her and her counselors, meet with the same people every quarter, and make sure they connect<br> Sister Søs Gram<br> Søs Gram was born and raised in Denmark, and moved to Frankfurt, Germany, for her husband's job with the translation department of the Church about 20 years ago. She is a language teacher, teaching English and Danish, and has previously served as a ward Relief Society President.<br> 48:10 Attended an international ward for many years, and are now in a German branch in Frankfurt. There are 14 stakes and 3 missions in Germany. Her farthest unit is about 90 minutes away by car.<br> 50:15 Frankfurt temple reopening soon and Elder Uchtdorf will be there for the rededication<br> 51:25 Her call as a stake Relief Society President came as a surprise following many years in music callings<br> Principles:<br> <br> <br> * 54:20 Counseling with stake president as well as counselors: maintains an open conversation with the stake president, participation in community activity, sitting on the stand at stake conference, working as a team with her counselors and the high council<br> * 1:00:10 Delegation: ask others to return and report, and to do things their own way<br> * 1:01:40 Enabling: Give others opportunities to do things that may be difficult, but will stretch them<br> <br> 1:02:15 Ministering is a real challenge with the travel involved. One ward had an all-day ministering interview plan, another uses WhatsApp.<br> 1:07:00 Ministering interviews involved some ministering to the sisters in the interview, taking notes to refer to next time<br> 1:08:45 Presidency meetings work better for them to meet in person, and they use WhatsApp for daily communication<br> 1:11:30 Arranging temple trips for the sisters in the stake while the Frankfurt temple has been closed<br> Links<br> What Now Podcast on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-now/id1474476293" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">iTunes</a> and <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2zY4GanR2iYfVgRyabNvbI" target="_blank..."></a>