Bear One Another's Burdens

Recently, we had an activity for the women at our church that was centered on sisterhood and love. We discussed how we can love and support one another better as sisters in the gospel. One woman brought up the idea that church is like a doctor's office. We all come there with problems, concerns, and trials that affect our spirits. We all have doubts, questions, insecurities, and weaknesses that, in effect, make us spiritually sick at times. She talked about how easy and logical it is for us to seek help, advice, and guidance when we are facing an illness or health problem. If you were to find out that you had diabetes, for example, you might very well look online or talk to someone else with diabetes in order to learn how they have managed it, what works for them, and what to expect from the condition. She then asked, "Why don't we seek that kind of help for our spiritual sicknesses?" In other words, why don't we confide in others more and seek their support and love? Why do we so often try to carry the load on our own, when we have friends and family who are so willing to share it? Just like there is no shame in asking a doctor for help when you're sick, there is no problem with asking someone else for help with an emotional or spiritual need. As people, many of us have a natural instinct to help and serve others. She talked about how we can help others to fulfill that desire by allowing them into our lives. Knowing that it takes courage and risk, she decided to be the first to do so. She shared with us that she had just recently found out she had cancer and would be getting surgery soon. Her boldness and willingness to share that burden was so touching, and helped me to better understand how we as people really can bear the burdens of those around us. All it takes is slowing down for a moment to notice the needs of others, sincerely caring to know how they are doing when we ask, and being lovingly bold in offering to serve and help them. God most often uses other people in order to answer our prayers and show us that He loves us.

Love Your Neighbor

For the past 2 months, we have been trying and trying to get to know one of our neighbors. We would see her in passing often, but never had the chance to get to know her. For some reason, we really felt like we needed to reach out to her and bring her some cookies. We went over several times, never getting an answer at the door. Finally, one day we saw her sitting in her car when we came home from getting some groceries. Although it felt a bit awkward, we decided to go back outside and talk to her. We told her how we felt like we needed to get to know her better and asked if we could come by in a few days and bring her some cookies. She said, "Of course!" and we set up a time to come over. We weren't sure what she thought of it, but were excited to get to know her. We went over...and she didn't answer the door. A little disheartened, we decided to just leave a note. As we were writing, she drove right up and was so apologetic! Apparently she had been looking forward to it all day, but was running late from work. She welcomed us in and we just sat and got to know one another. I was surprised at how quickly the conversation turned to topics of faith, prayer, and struggles she is having with her faith. We were able to share with her our beliefs and testimonies of God's love and how He is willing and ready to hear and answer our prayers. She told us how it was weird that she felt so comfortable with us and sharing personal experiences, but that she was so grateful we came over to talk with her. I just had this great feeling of love and concern for someone who I had barely known 10 minutes before. This experience showed me how important it is to reach out to those around us and love our neighbors as God does, even if it is out of the way and a bit uncomfortable at first. You never know when someone is in need spiritually or otherwise and how much a little bit of love and concern can really make someone's day better.

"And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him." (Moroni 7:45-47).

Watch this neat video! It talks more about how kindness and love help our society thrive. :) https://www.lds.org/pages/mormon-messages#the-civility-experiment

Sisters and Mothers

There are two wonderful women who are members of the local ward (congregation) here that exemplify to me the power of sisterhood and motherhood. They are both older, single women who live next door to each other. They spend almost every single day together, whether it be accompanying one another to doctor's appointments, grocery shopping, or going to church. They love and care for one another, and of course, give each other a hard time every once in a while. These women show to me the strong bond that can develop as we selflessly serve others and strive to support one another in our daily challenges. That love and care of a sister is so closely related to that of a mother as well. Women are blessed to have an almost innate sense of nurturing, care giving, service, and sacrifice. These two women would give up anything to help the other and to make sure that they are taken care of. I know many amazing mothers who are that same way as well! As Mother's Day approaches, I just want to express my deep gratitude for mothers, motherhood, and my own mother. I know that not all women will experience maternity in this life, but it is amazing to me that every single one has the power and ability to be a mother. Motherhood is an attitude of nurturing, teaching, serving, and loving those around you. I am grateful for the women in the world who sacrifice of themselves in order to lift others and help them become better. I know my own mom has sacrificed so much of her own desires and time in order to make sure that I was not only taken care of, but that I had every opportunity available to me to be successful and happy. I know that Jesus Christ has this same kind of love for everyone too. He made the ultimate sacrifice.Through Him, we are not only saved from sin, sorrow, and pain -- we are enabled to experience happiness, growth, and prosperity. Mothers exemplify to me the love of God as they work hard to fulfill their highest, and holiest calling of motherhood.

Check out this fantastic site in tribute to motherhood: http://motherhood.mormon.org//

Love One Another

Yesterday, we had an experience that taught me a lot about true Christlike love and what it means to love your neighbor. We were out trying to visit a woman from the congregation that we haven't seen for a while, but she wasn't home. On the way back to the car, we passed by a kind old woman who was sitting out enjoying some sun. I had a strong feeling that we needed to go talk with her and see how she was doing. There were no apparent reasons to, but we decided to follow the feeling and maybe brighten her day. She welcomed us warmly and we began to get to know one another. She invited us to come inside and have some water. Her kindness and eagerness to serve were so refreshing! We met her daughter and son-in-law that she is living with as well. Though we were complete strangers all of a sudden in their home, they were so friendly and inviting! We discussed our faith and compared our beliefs. We shared with them our testimonies of the Book of Mormon and how it has helped us to increase our faith and develop a closer relationship with God. They were very firm in their own beliefs, but so respectful and appreciative of our faith. We had a great discussion with them and felt the Spirit strongly. We were all able to learn from one another, appreciate the common ground that we share, and leave with friendship and peace. It helped me to realize even more how much stronger the world could be if we focused on our similarities and tolerated our differences with understanding and appreciation. It is fine to differ in opinion with others -- in fact it is impossible not to face it at some point in life. What truly matters is how that disagreement is handled. In 1 John 4:11-12 it says, "Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another...If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us." As we love others enough to accept our differences, we learn more about the love of God for His children and find true peace.

Our Divine Heritage

This past weekend, we had the amazing opportunity of attending the Saints Unified Voices Choir Fireside directed by Gladys Knight. It was an evening full of uplifting, fun, and inspiring Christian gospel music and testimony. Gladys Knight and her husband, William McDowell, both joined the church as adults and told their stories of how they came to learn about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the truth of the Book of Mormon. I loved the message they shared about how we are all children of God and that He loves each one of us equally and individually. The main message of the fireside was that we all are brothers and sisters and that we need to unite one with another. There is so much hatred, division, and persecution in the world. But, the gospel of Jesus Christ is not one of criticism or discrimination. The gospel of Jesus Christ is all about love, service, and helping those around us to fulfill their potential as a child of God. I loved how Gladys spoke about the value of our differences and how we can learn from one another as we embrace those unique qualities. We may not all agree, but we all have the opportunity to learn from one another if we are willing and open. I know that the world would be a much better place if we would all stop and remember our true identity, as children of our Heavenly Father. If we could truly recognize the potential that everyone around us has, would we judge so harshly? Would we be unkind or unforgiving? If we really knew what the person next to us was going through emotionally, physically, and spiritually, would we treat them any differently? It is my hope and prayer that as we recognize this divine heritage of ours, it will change the very people that we are becoming.

Here's a great video about this topic too!
http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=1101413030001

Families are Forever

This past week, we stopped by to visit a woman from church who we hadn't seen in a while. She welcomed us in and immediately gave us the story of what has been going on in her life the past few weeks. She told us about her elderly father and all the health problems he has been experiencing. He has been in and out of the hospital, suffering from multiple very severe illnesses that cannot currently be treated without causing other health issues. Basically, she told us, it is not looking good and he is likely to pass on soon. As she talked, I felt her sadness, her despair, and her pain. But, I also felt a quiet and subtle strength. Though she cried and mourned, I could tell that she had hope for her father. She knew that he would be alright, and that knowledge came because of her faith in her Heavenly Father and her Savior, Jesus Christ. She powerfully testified of her knowledge that her father would be happy and that he would be reunited with his wife, siblings, parents, and other family members soon. This experience illustrates to me the eternal principle that our families can be united and bonded together forever because of Jesus Christ. Because of His gospel and teachings, we can not only be forgiven, but we can be perfected. We can prepare to live in the presence of our Heavenly Father, and we can help our friends and family to get there too. There is a scripture in Alma 34:32 on page 295 of the Book of Mormon that reads: "For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors." To me, this means that our purpose here on Earth is to do all that we can to be ready to return to God. Jesus Christ came to the Earth to make it possible for us to return to the Father, and as we follow His teachings and commandments, we can be made worthy to live in God's presence. I am so grateful to know that my family can be together forever. I love my family and I don't know what I would do without them in my life. I testify that God intended our families to be together not just until death, but for all of eternity. To learn more about how, read here: http://www.mormon.org/values/family

Love Breaks Down Barriers

Yesterday, we had an amazing experience that testifies to me of the power of love and the Spirit. We were out talking to some people at an apartment complex, and teaching them more about the Book of Mormon. After talking with them, we asked them if they knew of anyone who might be going through a loss and would need some uplift. They immediately referred us to a friend who had lost a child recently. We went to knock on her door and told her that her friend from across the street told us she might be in need of some help. She was very stand-offish and skeptical of us, unsure of why these two random young women would just show up at her door offering to help her. She even asked, "There's gotta be a catch -- what is it?" We simply responded that there wasn't one, but that we knew she was in need of help and that we wanted to do all that we could to provide some. She reluctantly let us in and we talked to her about how much we knew that God was aware of her and loved her. We shared a scripture from the Book of Mormon: "And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me" (Moroni 7:33 on page 523). We told her about how faith in Jesus Christ will give us the power to overcome any challenges we face, whether it be loss, addiction, loneliness -- anything. We asked if we could come back sometime to tell her how and to talk with her. She agreed! As we departed, we asked if we could pray for her. She told us that she normally doesn't just let people pray for her, but that she would let us. After a simple yet concerned and loving prayer, we looked up to see that she was crying and had been touched by the Spirit of God. This woman, who has been holding on to the loss of her child for two years and feeling as though God had abandoned her, was able to feel His presence again through a simple act of love. She gave us the biggest hugs and told us she loved us. I know that love truly does have the power to break down any barriers. I saw it yesterday as a situation went from an awkward "Who are you??" to a powerful and hopeful "I love you". Charity is the pure love of Christ, and as we show that love to others in our day to day lives, their hearts and their lives will be changed.