Making Burdens Into Blessings

By CHERYL JENSEN

The Progress

A community clothing give away was held on Saturday in the parking lot of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Arrowhead Lane.

The event, billed as “Burdens to Blessings,” offered people an opportunity to do some fall cleaning and gather lightly clothing and other items that were no longer needed. They could then bring these “burdens” to the event early on Saturday morning. Once all these “burdens” had been gathered, the event was then opened to members of the public to come and take whatever they thought they could use. In this way, the burden for some would become a blessing for others.

A large crowd gathered to sort through the donated clothing, shoes, books and housewares which were spread on dozens of tables. Bags were passed out by the ladies of the Relief Society, the Church women’s organization.

Mesquite Stake Relief Society President Janarah Hollingshead said, “I am so pleased that we had so much donated this year. This is our 2nd year to have this ‘Burdens to Blessings’ giveaway for the whole community.”

Janarah and her counselors, Whitney Jensen, and Shantelle Felshaw and Karyn Sonnenberg, organized the event.

Janarah expressed gratitude to the men who came to set up the tables at 6 am and then came around again at noon to pack the items that were left behind at the end of the day. Everything left over was picked donated to the Safe Nest organization.