We have had two powerful and exciting lessons this year. Sister Welsh presented our theme for the year last week on Jan 3rd: :" The Power of One". Consider for a moment, all the little things you do during a day, your one morning prayer, your one phone call to your friend, your one smile to a stranger, or maybe the one thing you need to do is something you keep putting off. Our decisions shape our lives. Our decisions shape the lives of others. We are the Lord's servants and it is our job to serve and lift his children. Consider this story from the talk by Sister Jo Ann Abeglan, "The Power of One: Selfless Service".
" Mavis sat in her comfortable rocking chair as she listened to the evening news. Toward the end of the news she heard the reporter mention that in South America many newborns were being sent home wrapped in newspaper.
“Wrapped in newspaper?” said Mavis out loud. “That’s terrible!”
So Mavis went to her sewing room and went to work. Over the next few weeks she made more than 200 quilts and receiving blankets. As she finished each blanket, she gave it an affectionate hug before placing it in one of the boxes to be taken to the Church’s Humanitarian Services Center.
There’s something you should know about Mavis: she was 91 years old and legally blind. But Mavis was an amazing individual. She said, “There is something I can do,” and she wanted to exert herself to make a difference to the newborns around the world."
There is something each of us can do. Everyday. Everyday we have an opportunity to help someone. What holds us back? When we do serve the effects are limitless. Our service and love is powerful.
Elder H. Burke Peterson stated: "In the day-to-day process of living, with all of its trials, challenges, and discouragements, we often underestimate our own God-given attributes and abilities which make it possible for each of us to pattern his or her life after that of the Savior and, in fact, do some of the things he did as he lived here among men. We may never personally experience the miracle of raising the dead, or be one to turn water into wine. We may not be one of thousands who may be fed from a few loaves and fishes, or be a part of the miraculous experience of walking on a stormy sea. But, for each one of us, there are a number of Christlike patterns of living we can be a part of in our mortal sojourn." [H. Burke Peterson, “Selflessness: A Pattern for Happiness,” Ensign, May 1985, 66]
So what is it to be a selfless person? As Elder Peterson described:
A selfless person is one who is more concerned about the happiness and well-being of another than about his or her own convenience or comfort, one who is willing to serve another when it is neither sought for nor appreciated, or one who is willing to serve even those whom he or she dislikes. A selfless person displays a willingness to sacrifice, a willingness to [put aside] personal wants, and needs, and feelings. [Peterson, “Selflessness,” 66]
As we go forward this year, let us remember we each have a wonderful opportunity to be a mighty one person in the service of the Lord.
Today, Sunday January 10th Sister Walter gave a fabulous talk from our new lesson manual Teachings of Presidents of the Church: President Hunter lesson 1, Jesus Christ, our Only Way to Hope and Joy. We learned a lot about the life of President Hunter. Many people remember him as the Prophet who served for only 9 months time, but today we learned that his life and church service spanned decades, and his influence was great. Did you know his father was inactive and didn't allow he and his sister to be baptized until after President Hunter was 12? Did you know he was instrumental in the legal proceedings that brought about the Jerusalem Center? Did you know he was an accomplished musician? Did you know that during his time as Stake President of the Pasadena Stake he helped organize the first early morning seminary program? To learn more about his life, Life and Service of President Hunter.
Today's discussion was very profound and powerful. The talk is not to be missed! We had a wonderful discussion about the love of Christ and his ability to lift us each as individuals and the power that it then has to bless others.
"We must know Christ better than we know him; we must remember him more often than we
remember him; we must serve him more valiantly than we serve him."
In order to partake in the love of Christ, we must know him. We need to study his life and teachings. As we ponder and reflect on his life, it will inspire us to become more like him. Whatever it is we are doing in our lives we need more of the Savior. Know, remember and serve him. Jesus Christ is our only source of lasting joy. We each have and will experience pain and suffering. Christ knows our pain. He has suffered our pains and sorrows. He is there to comfort us. He wants to comfort us. In order for us to fully partake in those blessings we need to be meek and contrite.
"Contrition is costly—it costs us our pride and our insensitivity, but it especially costs us our sins. For, as King Lamoni’s father knew twenty centuries ago, this is the price of true hope. “O God,” he cried, “wilt thou make thyself known unto me, and I will give away all my sins to know thee … that I may be raised from the dead, and be saved at the last day.” (Alma 22:18.) When we, too, are willing to give away all our sins to know him and follow him, we, too, will be filled with the joy of eternal life."
If the Lord is with us, who can be against us? We are not immune to challenges. We are not immune to trials. Sometimes the relief and understand of why we are dealing with the hardship doesn't come right away. But the Lord is still with us. The storms of life are always at our door, but the savior is ready to get us through the darkness.
"To those anxieties I think the Father of us all would say,“Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?”And of course that has to be faith for the whole journey, the entire experience, the fulness of our life,not simply around the bits and pieces and tempestuous moments. …
Jesus said, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John16:33.)10
It is empowering to know that the Savior is always there, waiting to help us.
"My message to you today is to “fear not, little flock.” It is to encourage you to rejoice in the great blessings of life. It is to invite you to feel the great thrill of gospel living and our Father in Heaven’s love. Life is wonderful,even in the hard times, and there is happiness, joy, and peace at stops all along the way, and endless portions of them at the end of the road."
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