Memoir Monday - Called to Do a Work

Rescue a story about an event or action you felt called to do. This story will be a valuable addition to your legacy stories collection.

I would say that one of the greatest things that I have been called to do happened back in the summer of 1976.  I was in Rexburg Idaho with a friend and the Teton Dam broke.  We were both 16 years old and wanted to help.  We were able to sandbag along the river in Idaho Falls to try and keep the flooding to a minimum.  We were also called upon to help clean up the basements of those in the Rexburg area.  We helped in bucket brigades that hauled mud and muck out of basements.  It was smelly, hot work.  We were transported by bus every morning to somewhere new.  We would help people clean out their basements and houses.  The floods had done so much damage. 

As I traveled around, I saw dead animals on top of roofs, along with couches and even TV sets.  I saw bloating, dead pigs and cows along the road.  It took all summer to even begin to get things cleaned up.  I would help bring up two year supplies of food from the muddy recesses of basements, only to have the State and Government tell the people that all of it was bad.  I watched families cry over pictures that were completely ruined.  So many things were lost and could not be replaced.  

I loved helping.  I didn't mind the mud or the smell.  It felt so good to be making a difference in the lives of those people.  I watched the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, put all the homeless up in the dorms of the college.  They fed us in the cafeteria and they even trucked clothes through Deseret Industries.   I was amazed at the organization and the ability to keep everyone safe.  

Only a few people lost their lives.  They were either right under the dam when it burst, or they refused to leave their homes.  It was such an amazing experience to be a part of.  To see an entire community come together, work together, help each other, and start to pull themselves out of an awful situation.  

It was a summer of hard work.  It was even harder to watch those who lost everything.  Most of the homes ended up being torn down and rebuilt.  There was agony, strength and miracles to behold.  The church building only had a little damage in the chapel.  We tore the carpet out and took out the pews.  The damage was repaired.  But right across the street, the flood waters washed the houses right off their foundations.  

I will never forget the summer of my 17th year.  I saw more in that one place than I have ever seen in my life.  I saw love and grief and sorry and great joy.  I met a Prophet of God in the hallway of the Manwaring Center.  I even got to talk with him and felt like I stood in the presence of the Lord's anointed.  The experience touched my heart in ways that were never the same.  I grew so much with those opportunities.  

Now it is your turn.  What can you write for your Memoir Monday.  Come back and link up your own story.  

Don't Waste It Whining

Life is too beautiful

to waste it whining.

Sometimes, life can throw us a few curve balls that really test us to our limits.  Perhaps it is your children, or a friend or a speeding ticket.  Maybe it is someone who gossips about you or puts you down.  Maybe it is even someone in your church or your school.  It can even be that three mile hike that turned out to be more like 6 miles and felt like 20!

My point is that we all have problems.  We all have adversities in out lives.  We all have reasons to whine.  It is not that we have reasons, it is simply what we are going to do about it.  I am not a fan of whining.  I have found that it makes me more unhappy and the journey seems so much longer than I thought it would be.  

My sweet daughter was with me on our "forever" hike that we all felt was never going to end.  She helped me over the rocks and through the rough spots.  She smiled and laughed and sang and just about when I was going to give up she said, "look mom, isn't that tree great?  It even has a seat.  I love the way it twists.  Can you take my picture?"  

So, here is her picture on a tree that twists in the middle of a miserable hike.  Don't you just love her smile?  She remember how much I love to take pictures on interesting things.  She knew how much I really do love nature.  She reminded me of all that with a smile and a seat upon a tree.

I have always said to my children, "If you are going to do it anyway, do it with class."  I love that line.  We know when we have to do hard things.  We even know that we might not like them.  But we really don't have to whine about them or complain or do our best to make sure every one else has just as bad of a time.  Sometimes, the best way to handle a situation is with a little class and a smile, or maybe just pointing out are really cool tree.

Life really is beautiful and no misfortune is so bad that whining about won't make it worse!

We should honor the Savior’s declaration to “be of good cheer.   (Indeed, it seems to me we may be more guilty of breaking that commandment than almost any other!) Speak hopefully. Speak encouragingly, including about yourself. Try not to complain and moan incessantly. As someone once said, “Even in the golden age of civilization someone undoubtedly grumbled that everything looked too yellow.”  Jeffrey R. Holland, The Tongue of Angels.

Five Minute Friday - Encouragement

Today is one of my favorite days of the week.  It is Friday.  Five Minute Friday to be exact.  So, I hope you all decide to join us for our weekly writing spree over at Lisa Jo's place.  You simply write for five minutes about the prompt.  Then you go back to Lisa Jo's and post your link.  I can't wait to see what you write!

“Night never had the last word. 

The dawn is always invincible.”

-Hugh B. Brown-

The prompt this week is.....

Encouragement

Go

Dawn is ALWAYS invincible.  It will come.  Sometimes, when we think the night will never end, the sun just starts to peak over the horizon.  Dawn comes sometimes softly, sometimes slowly, sometimes in a flash of colorful light, but it does come. 
It can be so hard to be encouraged when life is handing you lemons.  It can be so hard to pick yourself up and brush yourself off and just keep going on.  But you don't get anywhere if you aren't moving.  My heart has known some hard times.  My eyes have seen things I would rather forget.  Life has not always been good to me, but I have found that when I focus on the positive, things change. 
I have discovered that the best way to help myself is to encourage someone else.  I have found my testimony in bearing the burdens of another.  I have seen God in the faces of those whose hearts are aching and in the writings of their hearts.  I have become who I am, not only by being given encouragement from those around me, but by giving it to others who need it most. 
Often, when I am trying to help someone else, I find the answers I have been seeking. 
Darkness fades into the dawn.  The light does come, often when we least expect it. 

STOP

Now it is your turn to join in for Five Minute Friday.  Don't forget to go over to Lisa Jo's and share your own experience.  I hope to see you there!

Sabbath Day Scribblings - A New Heart

"We have the hands to lift others from complacency and inactivity. We have the hearts to serve faithfully in our priesthood callings and thereby inspire others to walk on higher ground and to avoid the swamps of sin which threaten to engulf so many. The worth of souls is indeed great in the sight of God. Ours is the precious privilege, armed with this knowledge, to make a difference in the lives of others. The words found in Ezekiel could well pertain to all of us who follow the Savior in this sacred work:

" 'A new heart . . . will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you. . . .

" 'And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

" 'And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God' (Ezekiel 36:26–28).

"How might we merit this promise? What will qualify us to receive this blessing? Is there a guide to follow?

"May I suggest three imperatives for our consideration. They apply to the deacon as well as to the high priest. They are within our reach. A kind Heavenly Father will help us in our quest.

"First, learn what we should learn.

"Second, do what we should do.

"And third, be what we should be."

Thomas S. Monson, "To Learn, to Do, to Be," Ensign, Nov. 2008, 61

Talents

Talents 
by Patricia A. Pitterle

My book room is filled with books.
Many are old and well worn,
Friends that I have enjoyed throughout my childhood.
Testifying of hands which pick them up
To be read again, and again.

Some are more recently read
And their pages have been creased
Only once or twice.
Still others,
Are used simply as points of interest

And there are yet a few
Whose covers still creak when they are opened
For they, haven't been used at all.
Their lessons and enjoyments
Are still hidden from my view.

People are like my book room.
The books within represent the talents within themselves.
Some are old and well worn
Testifying of much use that has brought joy
into the lives of others.

Some are more recently developed
And have only been used
A few times.
We have not yet discovered the confidence
In our own abilities to use them.

Others are used simply as points of interest,
Few and far between, their depths are still, as yet, unexplored.
Still others have never been used at all.
The benefits and knowledge contained within
Are still hidden from our view.

Each of us is like a book room.
With talents developed
Used, unexplored, And hidden.
It is up to each of us to discover
Those gifts within.

I wrote this many years ago.  I was learning that there was much more to me than I ever thought possible.  Sometimes, it is easy to look at others, see their many talents, and wish that we were just like them.  But Heavenly Father is much wiser than that.  He has given each of us the talents we need to return to Him.  Instead of focusing our attention on the things we don't have, perhaps we should turn our hearts toward discovering what we have been given and finding ways to use it to help others in our lives.  So, take a good look at yourself and discover the talents that He has given you!  What really makes you shine?

Another Blizzard!

I have decided that there is just something about me and weather.  Somehow, where ever I am, it follows.  We left last Friday evening for a road trip to Missouri.  It was supposed to be a twenty one hour trip.  We had decided to drive all night and than see what we needed to do.  Somehow, we ended up getting stuck in an oncoming blizzard in New Mexico.
We dropped down to Highway 60.  It was a two hour detour, but since the Interstate 40 was completely closed, we thought it would be worth it to push on.  Instead, we ended up in a serious blizzard trying to get across the country.  We were able to make it through the state and into Texas, still fighting the storm and white-knuckling the steering wheel.  Neither of us got any sleep!  We were too afraid to close our eyes.  We kept each other awake all through the night and the day and the next night.  We were so tired!
We went 41 hours with no sleep.  A twenty-one hour drive took us about twenty seven hours.  The weather was terrible, we were in blizzard conditions for most of the trip.  John did not like driving in it and neither did I, but we both were afraid to stop because we might be stuck in it even longer.  We saw so many cars that spun out on the road, and even a jack-knifed big rig truck.  We also saw a car go right off of an embankment.  We were going the opposite way on the freeway.  John got off the freeway and we went on some back roads to try and get near the car and see if anyone was injured.  We were able to find them and give directions to EMS to get them help.  It was totally scary.  Thank goodness, the car hit several bales of hay instead of trees and everyone was OK.  I was so grateful for that.  The girls informed me, after I got back from hiking through the rain and brush, that they had said a prayer for the safety of those in the car.  They are really good girls!
I am so impressed when they think of things like that during an emergency.  My head kicks into my training mode and I forget about the spiritual things.  I was focused on the physical needs that are the result of an accident.  What a great lesson for me, that even though the girls were afraid, they still turned to their Heavenly Father first.  I think that I needed that lesson.  I need to turn to Him first of all and not wait until everything is said and done.
Elder M. Russell Ballard spoke at a Stake Conference.  He compared us to the pioneers and said:

"We all face rocky ridges, with the wind in our face and winter coming on too soon," he said. "Sometimes it seems as though there is no end to the dust that stings our eyes and clouds our vision. Sharp edges of despair and discouragement jut out of the terrain to slow our passage. … Today, we are all pioneers in a world where technological advances come faster than we can assimilate them, and in a world that seems to be spiraling out of control into an abyss of wickedness.
"If we are to survive and keep our families safe, we must remain anchored to the word of God as taught by the scriptures and modern-day prophets and apostles. We cannot afford to be caught up in the deceit of worldly logic."
I am so thankful that during the rocky ridges of my life, my children remind me to remain anchored in the Word of God.  They remind me what it means to have a pure, simple faith.  They remind me of what our Lord and Savior meant when he said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not, for such is the kingdom of heaven."  May we each be just a little closer to heaven today in the face of our own difficulties and trials.  May we remain anchored to the word of God as we seek to understand His teachings and follow Him.   

She loves her sister

Miracle, when she was first starting school, took everything very seriously.  She worked very hard to please people and to learn as much as she could about every thing that was taught.  One of the programs they have in school is the DARE program (drug abuse resistance education).  The kids learn skills to avoid involvement in drugs, gangs and violence.  In the lessons, they go over saying no to tobacco as well as other drugs.  They teach the kids to say no and they also teach what drugs can do to you.  
Miracle was going to school, and participating in the DARE program, and they came to the lesson on cigarettes.  Now, I have taught all my children to avoid cigarettes, alcohol and drugs.  They all know right from wrong, however, they do not all make the same decisions in their lives as I do.  Miracle has an older sister who was having difficulties and needed to come live back at home. 
Miracle was in her sister's room, when she saw her sister was dumping everything out of her purse.  Miracle saw a pack of cigarettes fall out of the purse and she started crying.  Her sister said, "Miracle, what is wrong with you?"  Miracle, with all the passion in her five your old soul, replied, "You are not supposed to smoke!  You are going to die!" 
Then I got the lecture from her older sister, "Mom, what are you teaching these girls!"  Well, I got everyone calmed down, the feelings soothed and the tears wiped away, but I have to admit I was very proud of my Miracle.  A couple of days later, Miracle came home with a Dare ribbon and a poster about not smoking.  She quietly put them both in her sister's room, right on top of the dresser where they couldn't be missed.  She included, along with the ribbon, a letter about how much she loved her and how she didn't want her to die from cigarettes.

I did not hear a word about it from Miracle, but her sister actually thought it was cute that Miracle loved her so much and she knew that Miracle only did it because of that love.  Sometimes, the innocence of children can accomplish much more than the timidity of adults.   Miracle never again saw her sister smoke, or found her cigarettes.
Her teacher saw me in parent-teacher conference a week or so later, and asked me about the ribbon and the poster.  Miracle had come into class the next day and asked to talk to the DARE officer.  She started crying and told the officer about her sister who was going to die.  Then she asked if she could have to poster and the ribbon to give her.  The officer gave it to her even though that wasn't what they are for.  How could he have possibly told her no?  He told me that he had never had a child so diligent in her pursuit of teaching her sister.  He thought she was wonderful and a great inspiration to the rest of us!
I have learned from my sweet young daughter, that sometimes it is better to testify of what you know to be right (even if they yell a little) than to sit back and hope that someday, they get it. 

And by the way, she really does love her sisters! 

What a difference a wish can make

I have been talking a lot about making a difference lately.  It is very important to me and something that I really strive to do.  I am a volunteer EMT for the community that I live in and I mostly run at night when most of the sane world is sleeping.  It is a very fulfilling opportunity to serve.  I have seen more than I ever imagined, but have also been able to help people in the most difficult situations.  I wanted to share with you a true story.  Not one of mine, but one that is dear to my heart.  As you read it, I hope that you find one way that you can make a difference in someone's life today.


The Littlest Firefighter

The 26-year-old mother stared down at her son who was dying of terminal leukemia. Although her heart was filled with sadness, she also had a strong feeling of determination. Like any parent she wanted her son to grow up and fulfill all his dreams. Now that was no longer possible. The leukemia would see to that.
But she still wanted her son's dreams to come true. She took her son's hand and asked, "Bopsy, did you ever think about what you wanted to be once you grew up? Did you ever dream and wish what you would do with your life?"
"Mommy, I always wanted to be a fireman when I grew up." Mom smiled back and said, "Let's see if we can make your wish come true."
Later that day she went to her local fire department in Phoenix, Arizona, where she met Fireman Bob, who had a heart as big as Phoenix. She explained her son's final wish and asked if it might be possible to give her six-year-old son a ride around the block on a fire engine.
Fireman Bob said, "Look, we can do better than that. If you'll have your son ready at seven o'clock Wednesday morning, we'll make him an honorary fireman for the whole day. He can come down to the fire station, eat with us, go out on all the fire calls, the whole nine yards!
"And if you'll give us his sizes, we'll get a real fire uniform for him, with a real fire hat -- not a toy one -- with the emblem of the Phoenix Fire Department on it, a yellow slicker like we wear and rubber boots. They're all manufactured right here in Phoenix, so we can get them fast."
Three days later Fireman Bob picked up Bopsy, dressed him in his fire uniform and escorted him from his hospital bed to the waiting hook and ladder truck. Bopsy got to sit on the back of the truck and help steer it back to the fire station. He was in heaven.
There were three fire calls in Phoenix that day and Bopsy got to go out on all three calls. He rode in the different fire engines, the paramedic's van, and even the fire chief's car. He was also videotaped for the local news program.

Having his dream come true, with all the love and attention that was lavished upon him, so deeply touched Bopsy that he lived three months longer than any doctor thought possible.
One night in the hospital months later, all of Bopsy's vital signs began to drop dramatically and the head nurse, who believed in the hospice concept that no one should die alone, began to call the family members to the hospital.
Then she remembered the day Bopsy had spent as a fireman, so she called the Fire Chief and asked if it would be possible to send a fireman in uniform to the hospital to be with Bopsy as he made his transition. The chief replied, "We can do better than that. We'll be there in five minutes. Will you please do me a favor? When you hear the sirens screaming and see the lights flashing, will you announce over the PA system that there is not a fire? It's just the fire department coming to see one of its finest members one more time. And will you open the window to his room?
About five minutes later a hook and ladder truck arrived at the hospital, extended its ladder up to Bopsy's third floor open window and five firefighters climbed up the ladder into Bopsy's room. With his mother's permission, they hugged him and held him and told him how much they loved him.
With his dying breath, Bopsy looked up at the fire chief and said, "Chief, am I really a fireman now?" "Yes, Bopsy, you are a fireman now," the chief said. With those words, Bopsy smiled and closed his eyes one last time. He passed away later that evening.

For more on the background of this amazing true story:
www.wish.org/about/the_first_wish/the_first_make_a_wish_child - Make-A-Wish website on Bopsy
www.ci.phoenix.az.us... - Bopsy's story and photos in the Phoenix Fire Department's newsletter



This is a true story of the Make a Wish Foundation.  Imagine, out of the sorrow of one family came answers to the dreams and prayers of many.  To me, this is truly Christ-like.  This group of men showed us what it means to love unconditionally.
So, what are you doing today to make someone else's life just a little bit brighter than it was?  It does not have to be lifesaving.  It does not even have to take a lot of time or money.  It can be as simple as a loaf of fresh bread, or a plate of cookies, a shoveled walk or a small thoughtful gift.  The only rule is that it needs to come from your heart.  Have fun!

Window washing at the Decker's

The human contribution is the essential ingredient. It is only in the giving of oneself to others that we truly live. --Ethel Percy Andrus

 Many years ago, when I was a single mom with six small children, I really wanted to teach them the value of service.  We had a lot of people who did amazing things for us, but I wanted them to learn how wonderful it was to do service for others.  So, I asked around the ward.  Finally, one elderly couple called and asked if we would come and clean all the windows in their house.  I was thrilled!  This was my opportunity to teach.  However, the kids were not so thrilled.  They felt like they had enough work to do in their own home and why would I be volunteering them anyway!  Needless to say, I made them go and do it.  So, I had several grumpy kids going to clean windows.  We had to pull over to the side of the road and have a "discussion" on my favorite saying, "If you are going to do it anyway, do it with class!".  They were obviously going to do it anyway, so they needed to adjust their attitudes.  They did and we went over to the Deckers small home.  My children got right to work.  Brother Decker gave them buckets and squigees to do the outside.  Sister Decker gave the girls paper towells and buckets for the insides.  They had a great time.  The best part was that Sister Decker made them dessert for when they finished. 
During the time we were there, Sister Decker talked about how bad they felt needed to ask for the help for such a simple thing.  She talked about how hard it was to not be able to do everything themselves and to need the help.  She talked about how wonderful it was to have six willing children come to their home and work so hard.  She taught them that service isn't something we necessarily want, it is something we need.  Can you imagine what a blessing that was for my children?  They remember it to this day.  Sister Decker made them feel like they were amazing.  And so, they rose to the occasion and became amazing. 
For months after than, Brother and Sister Decker would bring oranges, grapefruit and lemons over to the house.  Sometimes, they would ask the children for little favors of service that were always more than repaid in simple acts of kindness.  They taught my children the value of serving others. 
My children served the Deckers in our ward for several years.  Until they grew up and left home.  But the lesson of service remains in their minds, even now.

President Monson has said, "The Savior taught His disciples, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.”
I believe the Savior is telling us that unless we lose ourselves in service to others, there is little purpose to our own lives. Those who live only for themselves eventually shrivel up and figuratively lose their lives, while those who lose themselves in service to others grow and flourish—and in effect save their lives".

I have wept in the night
For the shortness of sight
That to somebody’s need made me blind;
But I never have yet
Felt a tinge of regret
For being a little too kind.

I am only one; but still am one. I cannot do everything, but I still can do something. I will not refuse to do the something I can do. --Helen Keller

May we each strive to do something today to touch the life of another.

Have I done any good

President Monson speaks.  I love these short and sweet messages.  This one seems to have special meaning to me at this time.  My heart has been continually drawn to those who are struggling and who are enduring difficult times.  I know so many who are out of work and who can no longer provide for their families.  This is a wonderful message to each of us.  That we CAN reach out and make a difference.  We are surrounded by many who need our help, our attention, and our love.  May we never be so involved with living that we can not take the time to help another. 
I am going to engrave on my heart the quote that says: 

"We may find we have immersed ourselves in the thick of thin things."

Matthew 25:40
"And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
May our hands and hearts continually be drawn to help the least of these.  

True Love

"True love is not so much a matter of romance as it is a matter of anxious concern for the well-being of one's companion."
— Gordon B. Hinckley (Stand a Little Taller: Counsel and Inspiration for Each Day of the Year)

I love breakfast. I like it for lunch, and even, sometimes, for dinner. Every now and then, I still make it after work. My children are sometimes shocked at my need to have pancakes or eggs for a meal. However, it has been a long standing tradition in our family and one of the things I need when I have had a really bad day. There is just something comforting about breakfast!

I remember one time, shortly after John and I were married, when I made breakfast for dinner after an especially long, hard day at work. On that evening many years ago, I placed a plate of eggs, bacon, and extremely burned toast in front of my husband. I remember feeling slightly rebellious, and at the same time, cringing inside while I waited to see if he would say something about it. Yet, all he did was reach for his toast, smile at me, and ask me how my day had been. I don't remember what I told him that night, I don't remember what we discussed at the table, or even what happened that was so overwhelming at work, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that toast and smiling at me as he ate every bite!

When we finally got up from the table, I apologized to my sweet new husband for burning the toast. I'll never forget how looked at me and what he said. With a soft voice and love in his eyes, he simply stated: "Honey, I love burnt toast."

Later that night, as we were laying in bed, I asked him if he really liked his toast burned. He laughed and wrapped me in his arms and said, "a little burnt toast never hurt anyone!"

You know, life is full of imperfect things, and imperfect people. I'm not the best housekeeper or cook. I tend to be way too busy helping others and not busy enough helping those who matter most. I seem to manage to forget things that I need to remember (like the toast in the toaster!). But, what I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each other's faults and choosing to celebrate each other's differences is one of the most important keys to creating a wonderful, loving and lasting relationship.
When we truly learn what it means to love someone else as our Savior does, than we are on the path to becoming what our Heavenly Father wants and needs us to be.
The New Testament tells us in John 13:34,35
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

My sweet husband continues to teach me of the importance of this great message. The more we love, the more like Him we will become, and the more like Him we become, the more we love each other and forgive each other.

So many things in life are like this little bit of burnt toast. It might seem to matter now, but in the eternal scheme of things, it really is pretty minor. Lets not trade the things that matter most for the things we might want right now. I am sure that each one of us would love to have perfection in those around us, or even in ourselves.
It would have been so easy for John to have made an issue about my mistake. It would have been so easy to condemn me for my fault. He chose the higher road and it has made and continues to make all the difference in our relationship.
Today, John will still eat burnt toast, or the heels of the bread without complaint and always manages to love me anyway. He has helped me to know what it means to be loved and accepted in spite of the occasional piece of burnt toast.

"Imagine how our own families, let alone the world, would change if we vowed to keep faith with one another, strengthen one another, look for and accentuate the virtues in one another, and speak graciously concerning one another. Imagine the cumulative effect if we treated each other with respect and acceptance, if we willingly provided support. Such interactions practiced on a small scale would surely have a rippling effect throughout our homes and communities and, eventually, society at large."
— Gordon B. Hinckley (Standing for Something: 10 Neglected Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts and Homes)

Believe me if....

When I was a youth, I had the unique experience of being in Rexburg Idaho during the summer of 1976.  I was there during the time when the earth dam burst.  I was staying with a friend from school who lived there and we were in Rexburg when the Teton dam gave way and caused a flood of water accross the state of Idaho. 

The water flooded most of Rexburg and the surrounding communities.  There was so much devastation and sorrow.  Carmen and I were able to join hundreds of others packing sand bags along the Idaho Falls river until the flood waters had started to receed.  We were able to keep the waters from flooding the temple in Idaho Falls as well as keeping the waters out of most of the homes that were situated along that river, but we couldn't do anything for Rexburg. 
Soon after the flood receeded, we went to work , along with hundreds of others.  We passed buckets from one to another and "mucked out" the basements of homes.  We watched people lose nearly everything.  All their possessions, their pictures, the momentos and keepsakes.  It was so hard to watch mothers cry over the photo albums where every picture was in ruins!  However, I also watched people who did not even know each other, volunteer to help.  Busloads of people came from all over the country to pitch in and help clean up the ruins. 

We all stayed at Ricks College up on the hill.  It was the only place clean and not-touched by the floods.  The college fed and housed the people of the city.  We would walk into town and volunteer to go where ever we were needed most.  I will never forget what it was like to see dead animals along all the roads, upside down televisions on the roofs, couches on the highway. 
It was so overwhelming!  At 16, I had the privilage of having my life changed by learning to help others in much worse circumstances than myself. 
The principle of helping one in need is well expressed in the touching love story of Thomas Moore, a famous nineteenth century Irish poet, who, when he returned from a business trip found his wife had locked herself in her upstairs bedroom and had asked to see no one. Moore learned the terrible truth that his beautiful wife had contracted smallpox and her milky complexion was now pocked and scarred.
She had looked at herself in the mirror and demanded that the shutters be drawn, and that she never see her husband again. Thomas Moore did not listen. He went upstairs to the darkened room and started to light the lamp. His wife pleaded with him to let her remain in darkness alone. She felt it best not to subject her husband to seeing his loved one with her beauty marred. She asked him to go.

Moore did go. He went downstairs and spent the rest of the night in prayerful writing. He had never written a song before, but that night he wrote not only words but also composed music. As daylight broke, Moore returned to his wife’s darkened room. “Are you awake?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said, “but you must not see me. Please don’t press me, Thomas.”

“I’ll sing to you then,” he said. Thomas Moore sang to his wife the song that still lives today.

Believe me, if all those endearing young charms
Which I gaze on so fondly today,
Were to change by tomorrow and fleet in my arms,
Like fairy gifts fading away,
Thou wouldst still be adored as this moment thou art

Moore heard a movement in the corner of the darkened room where his wife lay in loneliness. He continued:

Let thy loveliness fade as it will,
And around the dear ruin each wish of my heart
Would entwine itself verdantly still.
Irish Melodies, “Believe Me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms,” st. I; cited in Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations, p. 542.


The song ended. As his voice faded, Moore heard his bride arise. She crossed the room to the window, reached up and slowly withdrew the shutters, opened the curtain, and let in the morning light.

My prayer for you today is that you may remember that your purpose in life is to live it so that another's burdens may be lifted.  That you will always help to bring the light into the darkness in the lives of those around us.  And may you find what is inside of a person is the part that matters most of all.

Are you listening?

We had the most amazing young women stake meeting last night!  My daughter is 13 now, and a beehive in the young women's program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  We had a new beginnings meeting at the stake center for the girls and their parents.  Miracle and I went after Choir practice.   The meeting progressed as usual.  There were a couple of really beautiful solo's and there were several girls that each talked about personal progress and the values and the program.  Everything was going along fine, (i.e. normal meeting) until President Whipple stood to talk.  He is a counselor in the Stake Presidency.  He started to talk about something and then changed his talk.  He talked about the Stake young women's president.  It was a story that touched my heart.  So I wanted to share it with you.  I hope it gives you the same feeling of love and peace that it gave to me.  Heavenly Father really is speaking to you.  It is just a question of if you are listening.
In the ward that this sister lives in, the bishop has been very ill.  He has the advanced stages of kidney failure and could have died at anytime for the past year or so.  To make it even worse, he has one of the rarer types of blood and so there are not many matches for him to get a transplant.  He has been on the transplant list for awhile and was physically getting much worse.  So, the ward had a special fast for him.  As this young women's president participated in the fast, she was given a very strong impression that she was supposed to be the donor.
She fasted and prayed some more, she still felt the same way and no other donor had been found.  She was given the assurance that if she was willing, she would be a perfect match for her bishop.  The spirit bore witness to her that it was not his time to leave the earth yet and he still had more to do, but he needed her in order to be able to complete his mission.
She went and had the preliminary testing and was found to be a match.  The process to give a kidney to someone who is not a relative is quite long.  It took several months, and she said that the spirit of the devil worked on her the entire time to try and encourage her to change her mind.  But whenever she prayed, she was given the same assurance that it was the right thing to do.
Finally, four weeks ago, she went into surgery and gave her kidney to the Bishop of her ward.  He is doing so much better physically at this time.  She was at the meeting for all the young women and their parents.  After President Whipple spoke, she got up and bore her testimony of the love of our Father in Heaven and of the divine answer to prayer that she was privilaged to be a part of.  She talked about how, if you let Him, He will answer your prayers.  He does listen.  He is there.
I saw her speak, I heard her testimony, but I felt even more than that.  I saw an amazing woman who had the faith required to do her Heavenly Father's will.  I saw a daughter of God who saw a need, heard the answer to many prayers and was willing to walk the hard road and follow that inspiration and see it through.  Sometimes, Heavenly Father asks us to do hard things, but He is there for us if we will only trust Him.  So, where is your faith today?  If He asked you to do something hard, would you be ready and willing to do it? 

Ether 12:4, 6, 10-16

• 4 Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.
  
  
• 6 And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.

• 10 Behold it was by faith that they of old were called after the holy order of God.
• 11 Wherefore, by faith was the law of Moses given. But in the gift of his Son hath God prepared a more excellent way; and it is by faith that it hath been fulfilled.
• 12 For if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them; wherefore, he showed not himself until after their faith.
• 13 Behold, it was the faith of Alma and Amulek that caused the prison to tumble to the earth.
• 14 Behold, it was the faith of Nephi and Lehi that wrought the change upon the Lamanites, that they were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost.
• 15 Behold, it was the faith of Ammon and his brethren which wrought so great a miracle among the Lamanites.
• 16 Yea, and even all they who wrought miracles wrought them by faith, even those who were before Christ and also those who were after.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Could you possibly be the miracle that someone else is waiting for?  Only you will ever know.  Hear Him, trust Him, Love Him and serve Him.  May we stand strong and tall in the faith of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and may we not be moved by the stormy seas that beacon around us. And most of all, may we all be like this wonderful Young Women's President.  This is my prayer tonight.

They came because they loved me

We all have times in our lives when we feel alone or lonely.  We all have times of difficulty and trial.  We all hurt and are afraid.  It can be hard to remember that our Heavenly Father often works through us to heal the pain of another.  Do you follow the promptings that you feel?  Do you pick up the phone when you are impressed to call?  Do you visit the lonely, the needy or the sick?  Sometimes, it can be so hard to get what we think of as "the little things" done in our lives.  It can be hard to understand why we need to "be there" when there are so many other places we need to be. 
I sing in the community choir and we went to a care center to sing Christmas carols.  It was on a Sunday evening in December, and that is always a really busy time for me.  I really wanted to not go.  I had to stretch my schedule and attend the Piano Recital than drive forty minutes to Snowflake to sing.  Miracle came with me.  We barely made it in time for the concert.  We sang for the elderly.  They were so appreciative of our time and efforts!  Afterward, Miracle and I went around the entire room, talking with each individual.  They were so warm and grateful.  It was an inconvenient thing to do, but it was so worth the little labor and time that I had invested in it.  
You were chosen for this day and in this time because of your unique talents and gifts.  We live in a busy, fast-paced world.  There is so much noise going on around us that it becomes easy to ignore the good that needs to be done.  You can make a difference right in your own little corner of the world.  You can change someone else's life for the better just be being there when you are needed.  I want to bear testimony to you of how important those little, everyday things can be.   Of how much you have to offer, when you truly offer yourself. 

Here are a couple of my favorite quotes on this subject.  

One really powerful statement from an inactive sister who was visited monthly "without fail"  was this:  "They didn't come because they would get blessings or heavenly points...They came because they loved me." 

 “We must cherish one another, watch over one another, comfort one another and gain instruction that we may all sit down in heaven together.” - Lucy Mack Smith

So, what are you doing for your fellow sisters or brothers?  What are you doing for your neighbors or your friends.  I want you to know that you don't have to do everything.  Maybe, try to add just one thing today that is for someone else.   Take one moment to make a difference.  Remember, it really is the little things that mean the most to those around us. 
I can't tell you how much it meant to call my home teacher and have him come help clean out the flood in my garage.  I can't tell you how much it means when my visiting teachers come by, even for a moment.  (I know that I can be the world's hardest woman to visit!)  I can't tell you how much it means when my children come to visit me and stay at my house (even though they are allergic to the cat!).  It really is not about doing big things for people.  It is mostly about the simple act of being available and listening to the promptings of the spirit in your life.  You can do it!  I know you can.

Whenever I'm disappointed with my spot in my life, I stop and think about little Jamie Scott. Jamie was trying out for a part in a school play. His mother told me that he'd set his heart on being in it, though she feared he would not be chosen. On the day the parts were awarded, I went with her to collect him after school. Jamie rushed up to her, eyes shining with pride and excitement. "Guess what Mum," he shouted, and then said those words that will remain a lesson to me: "I've been chosen to clap and cheer!"

May we each enjoy the times when we are chosen to clap and cheer!  

Christ has no hands but ours

The story is told that during World War II, a church building in Strasbourg, France was destroyed by bombings. After the bombing had ceased, the members of the church looked over the damage. In spite of the severe damage they were pleased that a statue of Christ with outstretched hands was still standing. It had been sculpted centuries before by a great artist.
The people discovered, however, that both hands of Christ had been sheered off  by a falling beam. Later, a sculptor in the town offered to replace the broken hands as a gift to the church. The church leaders met to consider the offer and, after giving it considerable thought, decided not to accept. They felt the statue without hands would be a great message to everyone that the work of Jesus Christ is often done through His
people. If there are sick, lonely, or hungry people around us, we are the hands the Savior will use to answer those needs.
Several years ago I read this story and loved it.  But, being me, I felt that I had to research it and this is some of the information that I found.
There are actually several versions of this same story circulating about: one about a church in England bombed during World War II, another about a cathedral in Germany, a third about a village in France and a forth about a village in Africa.
Further research claims that the story actually originated at a Catholic Church in San Diego, California.
The statue did exist outside the church, but the hands were broken off by vandals around 1980, not by bombing. Instead of repairing the hands, the church decided to put up a plaque at the base that states, "I have no hands but yours." This is a reference to a poem by St. Teresa of Avila that begins:
"Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours." The statue is still there, outside that church, without hands. You can find still find photographs of the statue on the Web.
I don't know the true story of the Statue of Christ without hands, but I love the symbolism in it.  I love the fact that the story is told to remind us that it is not enough to pray for Heavenly Father to help someone else.  Sometimes we need to answer the prayers ourselves.

I love the quote from President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, a second counselor in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints:  "Disciples of Christ throughout all ages of the world have been distinguished by their compassion....  In the end, the number of prayers we say may contribute to our happiness, but the number of prayers we answer may be of even greater importance.  Let us open our eyes and see the heavy hearts, notice the loneliness and despair, let us feel the silent prayers of others around us, and let us be an instrument in the hands of the Lord to answer those prayers".  ("Happiness, Your Heritage", Ensign, Nov. 2008. 120)
See something around you that Christ needs to take care of today?
He has no hands . . . but ours!

What does Christmas mean?

I wonder, what does Christmas mean,
With its stars and shiny balls?
Is Christmas more than Christmas trees
And toys and games and dolls?
Of this I’m sure: There’s something more,
For I’ve heard many say
That in a strange and far-off land,
A child was born this day.
And Christmas is to celebrate
His coming from above.
He showed us how we all should live
And told us we should love.

As I read the account of the Savior's birth, the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson seemed to acquire a new depth of meaning: “Rings and jewels are not gifts, but apologies for gifts. The only gift is a portion of thyself.”
The true Christmas spirit is never found in having things. It is about giving a part of yourself.  Taking the time out of your busy schedule to find the perfect gift.  Perhaps this is why giftcards seem to me to be 'cheating' in buying a gift.  I want to give the thing that shows the receiver how much they mean to me.  I want to find the thing that will be more lasting in impact.

An unknown author wrote:

I am the Christmas Spirit.
I enter the home of poverty, causing pale-faced children to open their eyes wide in pleased wonder.
I cause the miser’s clutched hand to relax and thus paint a bright spot on his soul.
I cause the aged to renew their youth and to laugh in the glad old way.
I keep romance alive in the heart of childhood and brighten sleep with dreams woven of magic.
I cause eager feet to climb dark stairways with filled baskets, leaving behind them hearts amazed at the goodness of the world.
I cause the prodigal to pause a moment on his wild, wasteful way, and send to anxious love some little token that releases glad tears—tears which wash away the hard lines of sorrow.
I enter dark prison cells, reminding scarred manhood of what might have been, and pointing forward to good days yet to come.
I come softly into the still, white home of pain; and lips that are too weak to speak just tremble in silent, eloquent gratitude.
In a thousand ways I cause the weary world to look up into the face of God, and for a little moment forget the things that are small and wretched.
I am the Christmas Spirit.

As I read these words, I am reminded that there is no Christmas spirit without our help.  The spirit of Christmas is the Love of God.  As we seek to share with others this love, than can our hearts be turned toward Him.  This is the Christ spirit. The Christmas season seems to prompt within us the yearning to both seek the Savior and to be a little more like Him. 
This search for Jesus is not new.  In the Book of Mormon times, Moroni emphasized the importance of this search: “And now I, Moroni, bid farewell. … I would commend you to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written.” (Ether 12: 38, 41).  In the Old Testament times, Isaiah declared: “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign;  Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14).   And again, “For unto us a child is born, Unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder:  and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6).
 Then came that most Holy of all nights when the angel of the Lord came upon shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock, and said, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke2:11)
Did these shepherds, stop and worry about their sheep, or their possessions, or what their neighbors would think about them?  Did they procrastinate their search for the child of God?  The scriptures tell us that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go even unto Bethlehem. … And they came with haste.” (Luke 2:15,16)
What are you worried about this season?  Are you coming "with haste" to the manger to worship Him?  Or are you busy with other things?  Are you emmulating the "Christ Spirit"?  Or are you more concerned with the world and what it thinks?


President Thomas S Monson has said, "Born in a stable, cradled in a manger, He came forth from heaven to live on earth as mortal man and to establish the kingdom of God. During His earthly ministry, He taught men the higher law. His glorious gospel reshaped the thinking of the world. He blessed the sick. He caused the lame to walk, the blind to see, the deaf to hear. He even raised the dead to life. To us He has said, “Come, follow me.”
As we seek to follow Christ, we shall have the Christmas spirit.  Not just one day, but everyday.  We have His spirit as we learn to forget ourselves and turn out hearts and our minds to others.  
These times in which we live can be so difficult for us.  Yet there is no shortage of opportunities to forget ourselves and think of others.  There are so many out there who need our help and our hands.  There is so much good to do! 

Santa is alive and well

Today, I thought that I would write for a moment about Santa Clause.  I have always felt that it was important not to lie to my children, but I have also felt the need for dreams and hope.  When I was a young girl, my friends told me there was no Santa Clause.  I was heart-broken. 
I remembered hearing the sleigh bells from Santa's sleigh ring throughout the town when I just a small child.  My friends could not convince me that there was not a Santa Clause for a couple of years after that.  They made fun of me, they called me names, they cited supposed "proof" that he did not exist, but I was not to be swayed.  I just knew that he had to be real. 
Finally, one of the children that I played with, went to my sister and told her that there was no Santa.  She went hope crying and I got in trouble for spoiling Christmas.  It was not my fault, but I paid the price for it anyway.  It was years later when I had my first child and I knew that I wanted her to have the chance to believe in magic and dreams.  How do you resolve your strong desires with what you also know is right?  Finally, I decided that I would tell my children that Santa is the spirit of Christmas and he lives in the hearts of all men.  If they wanted to believe the Spirit of Christmas wore a red suit and said, "Ho, ho, ho".  That was fine with me. 
We also used to "play santa" where we would do something special for someone else and take it to their home and ring the bell or knock on the door and run.  The kids loved that game.  I was always a nervous wreck that we would be caught.  One Christmas, we parked the car all the way at the end of the block to take goodies to one of the many families that we knew.  The boys ran to the door and just as they rang the bell the door opened.  They ran so fast!  We were all sure we had been caught, but we made it.  Playing Santa, or doing the twelve days of Christmas for a family were always so much fun!  I found this story today and it brought back so many memories that I wanted to share it with you.  I hope it brings back many memories for you also.

SANTA IS ALIVE AND WELL
I remember my first Christmas party with Grandma. I was just a kid. I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her on the day my big sister dropped the bomb: "There is no Santa Claus," she jeered. "Even dummies know that!"
My grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me. I knew Grandma always told the truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easier when swallowed with one of her world-famous cinnamon buns.
Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I told her everything. She was ready for me. "No Santa Claus!" she snorted. "Ridiculous! Don't believe it. That rumor has been going around for years, and it makes me mad, plain mad. Now, put on your coat, and let's go."
"Go? Go where, Grandma?" I asked. I hadn't even finished my second cinnamon bun. "Where" turned out to be Kerby's General Store, the one store in town that had a little bit of just about everything.
As we walked through its doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars. That was a bundle in those days.
"Take this money," she said, "and buy something for someone who needs it. I'll wait for you in the car." Then she turned and walked out of Kerby's.
I was only eight years old. I'd often gone shopping with my mother, but never had I shopped for anything all by myself. The store seemed big and crowded, full of people scrambling to finish their Christmas shopping.
For a few moments I just stood there, confused, clutching that ten-dollar bill , wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for. I thought of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my neighbors, the kids at school, the people who went to my church. I was just about though, when I suddenly thought of Bobbie Decker. He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair, and he sat right behind me in Mrs. Pollock's second grade class.
Bobbie Decker didn't have a coat. I knew that because he never went out for recess during the winter. His mother always wrote a note, telling the teacher that he had a cough, but all we kids knew that Bobbie Decker didn't have a cough, and he didn't have a coat. I fingered the ten-dollar bill with growing excitement. I would buy Bobbie Decker a coat. I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked real warm, and he would like that. "Is this a Christmas present for someone?" the lady behind the counter asked kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down.
"Yes," I replied shyly. "It's ... for Bobbie." The nice lady smiled at me. I didn't get any change, but she put the coat in a bag and wished me a Merry Christmas. That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat in Christmas paper and ribbons, and write, "To Bobbie, From Santa Claus" on it -- Grandma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy. Then she drove me over to Bobbie Decker's house, explaining as we went that I was now and forever officially one of Santa's helpers.
Grandma parked down the street from Bobbie's house, and she and I crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk Then Grandma gave me a nudge. "All right, Santa Claus," she whispered, "get going."
I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the present down on his step, pounded his doorbell and flew back to the safety of the bushes and Grandma. Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open. Finally it did, and there stood Bobbie.
Forty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent shivering, beside my grandma, in Bobbie Decker's bushes. That night, I realized that those awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what Grandma said they were: ridiculous. Santa was alive and well, and we were on his team.
Author Unknown

May you never forget the joy of Christmas and may you always strive to be on "Santa's Team".   Christmas is not about Santa, but it is about becoming like him.  The true meaning in Christmas can be found in each one of us as we strive to love our fellow men and become true diciples of Jesus Christ.  That is the message of Santa.  Anonomus gifts to others with no thought as to what we might receive in turn.  We become more Christlike as we truly learn to give.  He is the reason that we have Christmas.