President Hunter said,
This Christmas,
[1] mend a quarrel.
[2] Seek out a forgotten friend.
[3]Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust.
[4] Write a letter.
[5] Give a soft answer.
[6] Encourage youth.
[7] Manifest your loyalty in word and deed.
[8] Keep a promise.
[9] Forgo a grudge.
[10] Forgive an enemy.
[11] Apologize.
[12] Try to understand.
[13] Examine your demands on others.
[14] Think first of someone else.
[15] Be kind.
[16] Be gentle.
[17] Laugh a little more.
[18] Express your gratitude.
[19] Welcome a stranger.
[20] Gladden the heart of a child.
[21] Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth.
[22]Speak your love and then speak it again.
Austria
Showing posts with label service. Show all posts
Showing posts with label service. Show all posts
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Radio Choir of the Year Contest
A recent conversation regarding "signs following believers". and my belief that they are usually a result of faith exercised, reminded me of a “Sunday” experience I had while I was a member of the White Rosettes Chorus.
We/they compete in the Radio 3 choir of the year contest. This contest is a national UK contest and has 4 rounds. Sometimes one of the rounds would be on a Sunday and I would stay home and not go. One year during my service as Chair/president of the chorus an important round was to be held in Manchester on a Sunday. I did not sign up to go. But that year because of some dropouts and sickness and people who had to work. The lead section, (the section of sopranos that mostly sing the leading melody line. Not the bass, baritone, or tenor sections ) didn’t have many people going. Our musical director requested that I make an exception and please go and support the chorus. I belabored the decision mightily. I would miss church, because of the early time we had to depart, I would be gone the entire day, and return very late. There was a good chance if more leads did not commit to going we would lose the round because the chorus would be out of balance. I would be skipping out on my official duties as Chair of the chorus, therefore not serving the chorus in the way I had promised. I finally agreed to go and sing with the group of people I love.
When we arrived we were greeted by famous radio and TV personalities, there was a lively excitement in the chorus. On the way to our rehearsal/dressing room people I knew told me to make sure and buy a program. I had brought meals with me and was not planning on buying anything on the Sabbath.
Chorus members who had arrived by car asked me if I had seen the program with excitement in their eyes.
Finally in curiosity, I asked to see a program. There in full color was a large photo of me on the page about our category. (We were competing in the Adult category, as opposed to the children, or high school chorus category.) And just of me, no other member of our chorus was featured in the program. When I looked at the photo I felt the confirming spirit tell me that my decision to support my chorus on a Sunday was acceptable.
I saw it as a sign from God to one of his believers. The professional photographers covering the contest take hundreds of photos…and the odds of a photo taken of me from another round on another year being selected to be put in that year’s program was phenomenal.
I have the photo in a frame above my sewing machine along with the photo that was taken that night when we won the round and I, as chair of the chorus, and Sally, the musical director stood on stage and received the certificate award on behalf of the chorus. It was an exciting day and I rejoiced that I was part of it.
We/they compete in the Radio 3 choir of the year contest. This contest is a national UK contest and has 4 rounds. Sometimes one of the rounds would be on a Sunday and I would stay home and not go. One year during my service as Chair/president of the chorus an important round was to be held in Manchester on a Sunday. I did not sign up to go. But that year because of some dropouts and sickness and people who had to work. The lead section, (the section of sopranos that mostly sing the leading melody line. Not the bass, baritone, or tenor sections ) didn’t have many people going. Our musical director requested that I make an exception and please go and support the chorus. I belabored the decision mightily. I would miss church, because of the early time we had to depart, I would be gone the entire day, and return very late. There was a good chance if more leads did not commit to going we would lose the round because the chorus would be out of balance. I would be skipping out on my official duties as Chair of the chorus, therefore not serving the chorus in the way I had promised. I finally agreed to go and sing with the group of people I love.
When we arrived we were greeted by famous radio and TV personalities, there was a lively excitement in the chorus. On the way to our rehearsal/dressing room people I knew told me to make sure and buy a program. I had brought meals with me and was not planning on buying anything on the Sabbath.
Chorus members who had arrived by car asked me if I had seen the program with excitement in their eyes.
Finally in curiosity, I asked to see a program. There in full color was a large photo of me on the page about our category. (We were competing in the Adult category, as opposed to the children, or high school chorus category.) And just of me, no other member of our chorus was featured in the program. When I looked at the photo I felt the confirming spirit tell me that my decision to support my chorus on a Sunday was acceptable.
I saw it as a sign from God to one of his believers. The professional photographers covering the contest take hundreds of photos…and the odds of a photo taken of me from another round on another year being selected to be put in that year’s program was phenomenal.
I have the photo in a frame above my sewing machine along with the photo that was taken that night when we won the round and I, as chair of the chorus, and Sally, the musical director stood on stage and received the certificate award on behalf of the chorus. It was an exciting day and I rejoiced that I was part of it.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
my husband's talk that he gave in church Sunday, 22 November 2009
The Pioneer Spirit of Jennette Evans
(Imagine for me what the responses would be if Brigham Young is speaking in our day instead of the century he lived.)
Bringham Young-Good people! Gather round! I have an announcement for all the faithful within sound of my voice. We can no longer remain in Nauvoo lest our enemies destroy us all. The time has come to load our wagons, gather our families and strike out across the wilderness for the Promised Land…
- Brother Brigham? Brother Brigham? Could you, like, get to the point? I don’t want to rush you or anything, but my show’s coming on in ten minutes…
BY-um, yes … the Promised Land! We must find the place which God has prepared, where none shall come to hurt or make afraid. There shall the Saints find rest.
- You’re not saying we have to move or anything, are you?
- If I have to change schools now, I’ll just die.
- Are we gonna have to go all the way across the river? Can’t we just commute?
BY-We must take our meager substance and go far across the wilderness, where we can build the city of Zion! We shall…
- Hold the phone, hold the PHONE! You mean, like, WORK?
- With our HANDS?!
- Great. Do you have any idea how much I spent on this manicure?
BY… We shall move with haste! Take only that which is essential for the journey …
- Do I hafta ride with my parents?
- Brother Brigham? Does the promised land have broadband? ‘Cause I don’t see how you can call it the “Promised Land” if they don’t have broadband.
BY-We must be prepared to be long on the way, through the snows of winter and the heat of summer…
- I don’t go ANYwhere without air conditioning.
- AND a CD player in the wagon.
- Are you gonna provide GameBoys? How about some new cartridges? I’m tired of the old ones.
BY-We will tread the wilderness sod and the mountain snows…
- And ruin my Nikes, that’s what we’ll do!
- Hey, I don’t wanna be gross or anything, but are there, like, restrooms on the plains?
- Am I gonna get stuck in the dweeb wagon?
BY-We must move with haste! Make ready!
- I’m not crossing no plains in last year’s waon. Can we wait for the new ones to come out?
- Can we go after the prom?
- How early do we have to get up? I’m a night person. It’s biological.
- When are our breaks?
- How much do we get?
- When do we get paid?
BY-Let us go forward! We must… we must… Oh, forget it.
------------------
Does it ever seem to you, as it sometimes does to me, that the American pastime has shifted in recent years from baseball to whining? How often have you heard these, and not just from youth?
- It’s too hard
- I don’t have time.
- I can’t do it.
- I just don’t want to.
- It’s not convenient.
- I’ve done my share, now I’ve earned a break.
- You owe it to me.
Never have we lived more comfortably, with more recreation, more entertainment, or higher quality of life. Yet never has a nation more wallowed in self-pity. Here we sit, living a life of luxury our ancestors couldn’t even dream of, and we complain that it isn’t better. Why?
The Church is in a period of accelerating growth. Did you know that we are the seventh-largest denomination in the United States right now (1993)? There are more Mormons in America than there are Presbyterians, twice as many Latter-day Saints as Episcopalians. And we’re gaining. If present rates continue, we will soon be adding one million members every year.
Now, where will the leadership come from to minister to all those people? Brothers and sisters, it will come from you, here, in this room, and many others like you. But you can’t do it if you aren’t prepared!
I foresee an interesting future, occupied largely by carping couch potatoes flicking through 5,000 channels and playing through their 6,000 video games and complaining that they’re bored. Then there will be those who pick up the spoils, so to speak, those who are strong and prepared to lead, who will literally have the world at their feet. But they won’t do it without effort, without sacrifice, without inconvenience, without shutting off the TV and the stereo and making something of themselves. They won’t do it without learning some self-discipline.
Is that a word you hate? You certainly hear it often enough! “Learn some self-discipline!” Well, I won’t shout it at you like that. But I will tell you, as a friend who has been down the road just a bend or two ahead of you, that aside from the Holy Ghost, self-discipline will be your greatest friend in this life. There are those within the sound of my voice who, if they cultivate it and become masters over their own selves, will literally rise up to change and bless the world.
Contrast today’s attitudes with those of a girl named Jennette.
The fashions and poses of 19th-century portraits often seem unflattering to us today. But the surviving pictures of Jennette Evans are a striking exception. With her flashing dark eyes, high cheekbones and delicate features, she seems more princess than pioneer. It is easy to imagine her gracing the courts of kings, jewelled gown sweeping about her as she dances and curtseys. But sadly - or perhaps fortunately for us - Jennette’s life was far from the fairy tale you or I might have wished for her.
At six, she left home forever. With her parents, who had been baptized shortly after she was born, she set out from her cozy little Welsh village to join the Saints in far-off America. Their trip across the ocean was hardly a Princess Cruise. It lasted months. In those days before refrigeration, the cuisine on board left much to be desired. All drinking water for the journey had to be brought in wooden barrels. By the fourth or fifth week at sea, the water would be covered by a thin coat of green scum, which one would have to push bak with a dipper in order to get a drink. Even then, it was a good idea to to look too closely at what you were drinking, for much of it wriggled. The threat of disease in such crowded conditions was ever-present. Many families saw children and other loved ones buried at sea, left behind without marker or memorial.
But Jennette and her parents made it through that arduous trip, and through the even harder trek across the plains to Deseret, where they settled in Ogden. Such was the childhood of lovely little Jennette Evans.
You or I might have wished for Jennette carefree teenage years filled with girlfriends, gossip, dances and flirting. But life on the frontier was a notorious thief of youth. At the tender age of sixteen, Jennette married and soon started a family. Her honeymoon retreat was a log cabin in a remote mountain valley, and her honeymoon was spent spring plowing and planting. She would go through the wrenching, helpless pain of watching a child die, and then go through it again. She herself would leave this life at the age of 54, too young even in those days. But through it all, she raised up four sons and four daughters, and she touched the world in a way that affects every one of us here today.
Mission calls were handled differently in those days. Missionaries were usually called as mature men, already with families and home responsibilities. Furthermore, the calls came without warning. And at the destination there were no mission presidents, no elders waiting to convey the new greenie to his waiting apartment and companion. Missionaries travelled alone, without purse or scrip, fending for themselves in remote areas far from Saints and loved ones. Worst of all, the missionary never knew if he would be away from home for two years… or three… or five… or more. He served until he was released.
So perhaps you can understand why Jennette’s husband received his mission call with dismay. He had a farm to tend to, children who depended on him, and a wife who was again with child. His friends told him, “You simply cannot do it.” His neighbors said, “The Lord would understand.” One evening, as he gazed out at the fields waiting to be plowed, the animals needing to be tended, the barns and other buildings in need of seemingly constant repair, he shook his head. Turning to his wife, he said, “Of course it is impossible for me to go.”
Jennette simply said, “Show me your call.” He handed her the letter. She sat down and read it through once, then again. She lifted her noble, intelligent eyes and waited for her husband to meet her gaze. Then, with both gentleness and power that could not be ignored, she said, “Of course you must accept. You need not worry about me. David and I will manage nicely.” David was her oldest son. He was eight years old.
On 19 April 1881 Jennette stood in the morning chill and waved farewell to her husband as he departed for distant Scotland. Ten days later, she gave birth to a little girl.
The following years were not easy. There were sorrows and illnesses, trials and troubles, and always work, work, work. Through it all, Jennette never complained. Her son later said of her, “I cannot think of a womanly virtue that my mother did not possess. … She was beautiful and dignified. Though high-spirited, she was even-tempered and self-possessed. Her dark brown eyes immediately expressed any rising emotion which, however, she always held under perfect control.”
She insisted on accepting a disproportionate share of the farm work so that her boys might remain in school. With the help of local priesthood quorums, the grain was planted and the family managed to harvest a good crop.
Then disaster struck. Prices fell so low that they could not sell their grain without losses they could not afford. Jennette and her little family faced almost certain ruin.
But Jennette was made of tougher stuff than that. With financial sense that would do a Wall Street banker proud, she announced to her surprised family that they would not sell the grain, but store it away. That meant borrowing just to stay alive through the winter, with no guarantee they could ever pay the money back. But, bolstered by their mother’s faith and confidence, they did just that. The next spring, they were able to sell the grain at a handsome profit and the farm was saved.
The years passed, and one day Jennette’s husband received his long-awaited release. Quickly he sent word that he would be coming. Then began the seemingly endless journey across the Atlantic, and then across the American continent itself.
As the miles clicked by, he was surprised to find himself apprehensive. Jennette’s letters had been cheerful and reassuring. But how had she been, really? What if all the farm work had broken her health, or worse, her spirit? What state would he find his home and farm in? Would his children recognize him? Would they remember him? What if they resented his absence? What of the child he hadn’t seen? She would be walking and talking by now. What if he frightened her? What if she didn’t want him in the house? What if, what if, what if.
At last, at long last, the train wheezed into the Ogden station. Soon there were greetings and loving arms and kisses all around, and Jennette’s lovely, confident, flashing brown eyes smiling into his… and he knew that he was truly home.
With her arm in his, Jennette showed her husband around the farm. He couldn’t believe his eyes. Everything was in order! The buildings looked firmer and fresher than he had ever known them. The rich acres of grain and alfalfa waved in the wind. Why, Jennette had even built an addition onto the house!
That evening, the children gathered at their father’s knee and asked about his mission. Had he witnessed any miracles, one bright-eyed child wanted to know. He smiled softly, put his arm around his wife, his dear wife, and said, “Your mother is the greatest miracle that one could ever find.”
Jennette Evans McKay’s influence was not lost on her son. As he grew, he watched her and admired. Years later he would credit her love and influence with turning him from temptation, and with stirring in him a desire that all homes could be as loving, as ordered, as celestial as his own. For little David grew up to become the prophet David O. McKay, the author of our Family Home Evening program today and widely recognized, even outside the Church, as a great strengthener of families.
(Imagine for me what the responses would be if Brigham Young is speaking in our day instead of the century he lived.)
Bringham Young-Good people! Gather round! I have an announcement for all the faithful within sound of my voice. We can no longer remain in Nauvoo lest our enemies destroy us all. The time has come to load our wagons, gather our families and strike out across the wilderness for the Promised Land…
- Brother Brigham? Brother Brigham? Could you, like, get to the point? I don’t want to rush you or anything, but my show’s coming on in ten minutes…
BY-um, yes … the Promised Land! We must find the place which God has prepared, where none shall come to hurt or make afraid. There shall the Saints find rest.
- You’re not saying we have to move or anything, are you?
- If I have to change schools now, I’ll just die.
- Are we gonna have to go all the way across the river? Can’t we just commute?
BY-We must take our meager substance and go far across the wilderness, where we can build the city of Zion! We shall…
- Hold the phone, hold the PHONE! You mean, like, WORK?
- With our HANDS?!
- Great. Do you have any idea how much I spent on this manicure?
BY… We shall move with haste! Take only that which is essential for the journey …
- Do I hafta ride with my parents?
- Brother Brigham? Does the promised land have broadband? ‘Cause I don’t see how you can call it the “Promised Land” if they don’t have broadband.
BY-We must be prepared to be long on the way, through the snows of winter and the heat of summer…
- I don’t go ANYwhere without air conditioning.
- AND a CD player in the wagon.
- Are you gonna provide GameBoys? How about some new cartridges? I’m tired of the old ones.
BY-We will tread the wilderness sod and the mountain snows…
- And ruin my Nikes, that’s what we’ll do!
- Hey, I don’t wanna be gross or anything, but are there, like, restrooms on the plains?
- Am I gonna get stuck in the dweeb wagon?
BY-We must move with haste! Make ready!
- I’m not crossing no plains in last year’s waon. Can we wait for the new ones to come out?
- Can we go after the prom?
- How early do we have to get up? I’m a night person. It’s biological.
- When are our breaks?
- How much do we get?
- When do we get paid?
BY-Let us go forward! We must… we must… Oh, forget it.
------------------
Does it ever seem to you, as it sometimes does to me, that the American pastime has shifted in recent years from baseball to whining? How often have you heard these, and not just from youth?
- It’s too hard
- I don’t have time.
- I can’t do it.
- I just don’t want to.
- It’s not convenient.
- I’ve done my share, now I’ve earned a break.
- You owe it to me.
Never have we lived more comfortably, with more recreation, more entertainment, or higher quality of life. Yet never has a nation more wallowed in self-pity. Here we sit, living a life of luxury our ancestors couldn’t even dream of, and we complain that it isn’t better. Why?
The Church is in a period of accelerating growth. Did you know that we are the seventh-largest denomination in the United States right now (1993)? There are more Mormons in America than there are Presbyterians, twice as many Latter-day Saints as Episcopalians. And we’re gaining. If present rates continue, we will soon be adding one million members every year.
Now, where will the leadership come from to minister to all those people? Brothers and sisters, it will come from you, here, in this room, and many others like you. But you can’t do it if you aren’t prepared!
I foresee an interesting future, occupied largely by carping couch potatoes flicking through 5,000 channels and playing through their 6,000 video games and complaining that they’re bored. Then there will be those who pick up the spoils, so to speak, those who are strong and prepared to lead, who will literally have the world at their feet. But they won’t do it without effort, without sacrifice, without inconvenience, without shutting off the TV and the stereo and making something of themselves. They won’t do it without learning some self-discipline.
Is that a word you hate? You certainly hear it often enough! “Learn some self-discipline!” Well, I won’t shout it at you like that. But I will tell you, as a friend who has been down the road just a bend or two ahead of you, that aside from the Holy Ghost, self-discipline will be your greatest friend in this life. There are those within the sound of my voice who, if they cultivate it and become masters over their own selves, will literally rise up to change and bless the world.
Contrast today’s attitudes with those of a girl named Jennette.
The fashions and poses of 19th-century portraits often seem unflattering to us today. But the surviving pictures of Jennette Evans are a striking exception. With her flashing dark eyes, high cheekbones and delicate features, she seems more princess than pioneer. It is easy to imagine her gracing the courts of kings, jewelled gown sweeping about her as she dances and curtseys. But sadly - or perhaps fortunately for us - Jennette’s life was far from the fairy tale you or I might have wished for her.
At six, she left home forever. With her parents, who had been baptized shortly after she was born, she set out from her cozy little Welsh village to join the Saints in far-off America. Their trip across the ocean was hardly a Princess Cruise. It lasted months. In those days before refrigeration, the cuisine on board left much to be desired. All drinking water for the journey had to be brought in wooden barrels. By the fourth or fifth week at sea, the water would be covered by a thin coat of green scum, which one would have to push bak with a dipper in order to get a drink. Even then, it was a good idea to to look too closely at what you were drinking, for much of it wriggled. The threat of disease in such crowded conditions was ever-present. Many families saw children and other loved ones buried at sea, left behind without marker or memorial.
But Jennette and her parents made it through that arduous trip, and through the even harder trek across the plains to Deseret, where they settled in Ogden. Such was the childhood of lovely little Jennette Evans.
You or I might have wished for Jennette carefree teenage years filled with girlfriends, gossip, dances and flirting. But life on the frontier was a notorious thief of youth. At the tender age of sixteen, Jennette married and soon started a family. Her honeymoon retreat was a log cabin in a remote mountain valley, and her honeymoon was spent spring plowing and planting. She would go through the wrenching, helpless pain of watching a child die, and then go through it again. She herself would leave this life at the age of 54, too young even in those days. But through it all, she raised up four sons and four daughters, and she touched the world in a way that affects every one of us here today.
Mission calls were handled differently in those days. Missionaries were usually called as mature men, already with families and home responsibilities. Furthermore, the calls came without warning. And at the destination there were no mission presidents, no elders waiting to convey the new greenie to his waiting apartment and companion. Missionaries travelled alone, without purse or scrip, fending for themselves in remote areas far from Saints and loved ones. Worst of all, the missionary never knew if he would be away from home for two years… or three… or five… or more. He served until he was released.
So perhaps you can understand why Jennette’s husband received his mission call with dismay. He had a farm to tend to, children who depended on him, and a wife who was again with child. His friends told him, “You simply cannot do it.” His neighbors said, “The Lord would understand.” One evening, as he gazed out at the fields waiting to be plowed, the animals needing to be tended, the barns and other buildings in need of seemingly constant repair, he shook his head. Turning to his wife, he said, “Of course it is impossible for me to go.”
Jennette simply said, “Show me your call.” He handed her the letter. She sat down and read it through once, then again. She lifted her noble, intelligent eyes and waited for her husband to meet her gaze. Then, with both gentleness and power that could not be ignored, she said, “Of course you must accept. You need not worry about me. David and I will manage nicely.” David was her oldest son. He was eight years old.
On 19 April 1881 Jennette stood in the morning chill and waved farewell to her husband as he departed for distant Scotland. Ten days later, she gave birth to a little girl.
The following years were not easy. There were sorrows and illnesses, trials and troubles, and always work, work, work. Through it all, Jennette never complained. Her son later said of her, “I cannot think of a womanly virtue that my mother did not possess. … She was beautiful and dignified. Though high-spirited, she was even-tempered and self-possessed. Her dark brown eyes immediately expressed any rising emotion which, however, she always held under perfect control.”
She insisted on accepting a disproportionate share of the farm work so that her boys might remain in school. With the help of local priesthood quorums, the grain was planted and the family managed to harvest a good crop.
Then disaster struck. Prices fell so low that they could not sell their grain without losses they could not afford. Jennette and her little family faced almost certain ruin.
But Jennette was made of tougher stuff than that. With financial sense that would do a Wall Street banker proud, she announced to her surprised family that they would not sell the grain, but store it away. That meant borrowing just to stay alive through the winter, with no guarantee they could ever pay the money back. But, bolstered by their mother’s faith and confidence, they did just that. The next spring, they were able to sell the grain at a handsome profit and the farm was saved.
The years passed, and one day Jennette’s husband received his long-awaited release. Quickly he sent word that he would be coming. Then began the seemingly endless journey across the Atlantic, and then across the American continent itself.
As the miles clicked by, he was surprised to find himself apprehensive. Jennette’s letters had been cheerful and reassuring. But how had she been, really? What if all the farm work had broken her health, or worse, her spirit? What state would he find his home and farm in? Would his children recognize him? Would they remember him? What if they resented his absence? What of the child he hadn’t seen? She would be walking and talking by now. What if he frightened her? What if she didn’t want him in the house? What if, what if, what if.
At last, at long last, the train wheezed into the Ogden station. Soon there were greetings and loving arms and kisses all around, and Jennette’s lovely, confident, flashing brown eyes smiling into his… and he knew that he was truly home.
With her arm in his, Jennette showed her husband around the farm. He couldn’t believe his eyes. Everything was in order! The buildings looked firmer and fresher than he had ever known them. The rich acres of grain and alfalfa waved in the wind. Why, Jennette had even built an addition onto the house!
That evening, the children gathered at their father’s knee and asked about his mission. Had he witnessed any miracles, one bright-eyed child wanted to know. He smiled softly, put his arm around his wife, his dear wife, and said, “Your mother is the greatest miracle that one could ever find.”
Jennette Evans McKay’s influence was not lost on her son. As he grew, he watched her and admired. Years later he would credit her love and influence with turning him from temptation, and with stirring in him a desire that all homes could be as loving, as ordered, as celestial as his own. For little David grew up to become the prophet David O. McKay, the author of our Family Home Evening program today and widely recognized, even outside the Church, as a great strengthener of families.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Have you ever been so scared you thought you might die of fright?
Or experienced any of the following symptoms of a Phobia?
(From=http://www.medicinenet.com/panic_disorder/article.htm#1whatare)
-“Racing or pounding heartbeat; chest pains; headache and feeling like there is a tight band around your head; sore eyes; dizziness; light headedness; nausea; difficulty breathing; a need to escape; stomach upset; a sense of feeling smothered; tingling or numbness in the hands; dreamlike sensations or perceptual distortions; terror: a sense that something unimaginably horrible is about to occur and one is powerless to prevent it;…. Usually combined with sensation called Panic Attack which typically lasts for several minutes, is one of the most distressing conditions that a person can experience, and its symptoms can closely mimic those of a heart attack. These attacks are a serious health problem in the U.S. At least 1.7% of adult Americans, or about 3 million people, will have panic attacks at some time in their lives, with the peak age at which people have their first panic attack (onset) being 15 to 19 years. Another fact about panic is that this symptom is strikingly different from other types of anxiety; panic attacks are so very sudden and often unexpected, appear to be unprovoked, and are often disabling.”
I have! I became aware of the cluster of symptoms in high school whenever I was asked to bring a food item to something, or was asked to cook for anyone other than my immediate family. I didn’t realize it at the time but I had the phobia of “fear of cooking for people.”
For example, when I was 16 I volunteered to host a group dinner date. From the time I volunteered to a few days after the event I had the above list of symptoms. Though I thought it would be fun to have 8 couples come to my home and have a fun dinner before going to the high school’s girl choice dance it made me sick. And I know my date did not have much fun with me. It was our one and only date.
Thankfully I did not experience the Phobia symptoms when I worked in Food Services. And I knew I wanted to marry my husband when I realized I was never uncomfortable cooking for him. The blessed relief of being able to cook for someone I was dating caused me to shower him with food gifts. And invite him over for meals frequently.
I found being a member of a socializing church, where the requests to take a meal to another family and to contribute to group dinners a frequent challenge and really stressful.
I had dreams of the woman I wanted to become. A fabulous hostess that cooked up feasts and created a loving welcoming atmosphere for her guests.
In 1987 I began more earnestly praying about my phobia. I wanted to get rid of it. I wished to no longer be a sick and miserable hostess.
I formulated a plan: I would invite someone over to eat in my kitchen once a month. The meal could be as simple as heated Campbell’s soup. Then I would have the guest sign my tablecloth, which would be a record of my completed goal. And I would pray fervently for the Lord to grant me courage. And I would display the table cloth where I could see it every day to remember I was going to conquer my phobia or die trying.
Soon after I wrote down my plan we received a phone call from a friend. “Could he come stay with us over the Christmas break.” My heart went into supersonic speed and I wanted to say no!!!! But he had let us live with him when we were homeless. And had been so nice and wonderful, that of course we said yes, and I became sick and very prayerful. I was sure his visit would certainly kill me. (I got through the week because thankfully he ate most of his meals while he was out sightseeing.)
His was the first signature on our table cloth. And three years later after much discomfort I realized I was “not dead yet” AND the phobia was completely gone, and I had signatures for every month of those three years.
It was after I was cured that I finally realized where the phobia had come from. It was “emotional transference” from traumatic childhood experiences.
Last year I retired my table cloth. And began a new one. I am thankful that My Lord inspired me with do-able goals to overcome a debilitating phobia. And I rejoice in the calmness and peace I feel each time we have guests over for dinner.
(From=http://www.medicinenet.com/panic_disorder/article.htm#1whatare)
-“Racing or pounding heartbeat; chest pains; headache and feeling like there is a tight band around your head; sore eyes; dizziness; light headedness; nausea; difficulty breathing; a need to escape; stomach upset; a sense of feeling smothered; tingling or numbness in the hands; dreamlike sensations or perceptual distortions; terror: a sense that something unimaginably horrible is about to occur and one is powerless to prevent it;…. Usually combined with sensation called Panic Attack which typically lasts for several minutes, is one of the most distressing conditions that a person can experience, and its symptoms can closely mimic those of a heart attack. These attacks are a serious health problem in the U.S. At least 1.7% of adult Americans, or about 3 million people, will have panic attacks at some time in their lives, with the peak age at which people have their first panic attack (onset) being 15 to 19 years. Another fact about panic is that this symptom is strikingly different from other types of anxiety; panic attacks are so very sudden and often unexpected, appear to be unprovoked, and are often disabling.”
I have! I became aware of the cluster of symptoms in high school whenever I was asked to bring a food item to something, or was asked to cook for anyone other than my immediate family. I didn’t realize it at the time but I had the phobia of “fear of cooking for people.”
For example, when I was 16 I volunteered to host a group dinner date. From the time I volunteered to a few days after the event I had the above list of symptoms. Though I thought it would be fun to have 8 couples come to my home and have a fun dinner before going to the high school’s girl choice dance it made me sick. And I know my date did not have much fun with me. It was our one and only date.
Thankfully I did not experience the Phobia symptoms when I worked in Food Services. And I knew I wanted to marry my husband when I realized I was never uncomfortable cooking for him. The blessed relief of being able to cook for someone I was dating caused me to shower him with food gifts. And invite him over for meals frequently.
I found being a member of a socializing church, where the requests to take a meal to another family and to contribute to group dinners a frequent challenge and really stressful.
I had dreams of the woman I wanted to become. A fabulous hostess that cooked up feasts and created a loving welcoming atmosphere for her guests.
In 1987 I began more earnestly praying about my phobia. I wanted to get rid of it. I wished to no longer be a sick and miserable hostess.
I formulated a plan: I would invite someone over to eat in my kitchen once a month. The meal could be as simple as heated Campbell’s soup. Then I would have the guest sign my tablecloth, which would be a record of my completed goal. And I would pray fervently for the Lord to grant me courage. And I would display the table cloth where I could see it every day to remember I was going to conquer my phobia or die trying.
Soon after I wrote down my plan we received a phone call from a friend. “Could he come stay with us over the Christmas break.” My heart went into supersonic speed and I wanted to say no!!!! But he had let us live with him when we were homeless. And had been so nice and wonderful, that of course we said yes, and I became sick and very prayerful. I was sure his visit would certainly kill me. (I got through the week because thankfully he ate most of his meals while he was out sightseeing.)
His was the first signature on our table cloth. And three years later after much discomfort I realized I was “not dead yet” AND the phobia was completely gone, and I had signatures for every month of those three years.
It was after I was cured that I finally realized where the phobia had come from. It was “emotional transference” from traumatic childhood experiences.
Last year I retired my table cloth. And began a new one. I am thankful that My Lord inspired me with do-able goals to overcome a debilitating phobia. And I rejoice in the calmness and peace I feel each time we have guests over for dinner.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
An Open Heart
I road home from Chorus in a Sokol marshuka, a small yellow van that holds 12 passengers. Once all 12 were seated we headed homeward. At our first stop a middle aged woman stepped on. She stood against the door trying to get her wallet out of her purse while maintaining her balance. (the driver had begun driving as soon as the door was closed.)The older woman sitting near her spoke softly to her in Russian.
Then she straightened out her coat, lifted her bags up against her chest and the new passenger placed her purse on her lap. Now that her hands were free she could zip open her purse, get out her wallet and find the 25 rubles she needed for her ride. After the wallet was returned to her purse, she lifted the purse off of her new friend's lap. Each woman turned away from the other to go back to being strangers. What a marvelous way to serve someone. I was deeply touched and reminded of my goal to have a more loving heart and look for ways to be of service.
Then she straightened out her coat, lifted her bags up against her chest and the new passenger placed her purse on her lap. Now that her hands were free she could zip open her purse, get out her wallet and find the 25 rubles she needed for her ride. After the wallet was returned to her purse, she lifted the purse off of her new friend's lap. Each woman turned away from the other to go back to being strangers. What a marvelous way to serve someone. I was deeply touched and reminded of my goal to have a more loving heart and look for ways to be of service.
Friday, October 16, 2009
What does a Co-chair of a Recycling Committee do?
Co-Chair of Recycling Committee Green Team
Communications Director Duties
- Take minutes at the Green team meetings- distribute minutes for review before next meeting.
- Take minutes for all Recycling committee meetings- distribute minutes for review before next meeting.
- Contact Green Team members who act as activities representative and interview them or get them to write an “after action” report to establish protocols for future years.
- Keep an updated Recycling Committee telephone/contact list.
- Be the Green Team representative on the AAS Food committee and attend their monthly meetings, take notes and report back to Green Team
- Meet and communicate with Head of Transportation and Zhenya regarding Recycling protocol
- Arrange for new recycling bins and plastic bags to be purchased and distributed as needed.
- Communicate (sharing protocols and expectations) with Honeywell and their successors.
- Communicate with Finance Director (e.g. purchase of bins, liners, signage; relationship with Honeywell)
- Communicate with Facilities manager regarding recycling storage as required.
- Communicate with Green Guys for the "Recycle Here" signs to be hung throughout the school.
- Ask Zhenya the time of pickup and delivery for Friday.
- Type up bi-lingual labels for Recycling Bins, email to Tatania, after they are printed and laminated distribute
- Supervise Thursday’s sort as needed
- Actively recruit new members to Recycling Committee- participate in their training.
Recycling At AAS
The first 3 photos were taken at the paper recycling warehouse where the recycled paper is taken each Friday from our school.There is a Recycling Room in our school where the recycling is stored until transport on Fridays. The stacks of bags are filled with plastic drink bottles & tin cans. One of the unpleasant tasks we need volunteers for is the Thursday "sort out". The company that takes our bottles and cans will not accept them if they have any liquid in them. So while we are still in the process of educating all students, a team must check every bag and empty them of all garbage and empty all bottles and cans that have been discarded without being emptied. This Thursday scouts Devan & Niels did the sort out with help and supervision from Kath and Me. It took us 1 1/2 hours. And we unfortunately filled 2 large bags with trash taken from the bags. Some of it was moldy food from the cafeteria that really reeked...gross! There was also used kleenex, napkins, Mcdonald's food containers. Some of it was plastic items that the company does not yet accept like take away containers, yogart containers, hangers, cake boxes. I am looking forward to the day when the sort out takes a matter of minutes because everyone at AAS disposes of their recyclables correctly.
Elizabeth Ricks wonderful address
Discover, Develop and Honor Your Gifts
Elizabeth Ricks
______________________________________________________________________
This address was given Thursday, May 1, 2008, at the BYU Women’s Conference
© 2008 by Brigham Young University Women’s Conference. All rights reserved
For further information write:
BYU Women’s Conference
352 Harman Continuing Education Building
Provo, Utah 84602
801-422-7692
E-mail: womens_conference@byu.edu
Home page: http://womensconference.byu.edu
______________________________________________________________________
Between 1914 and 1916, Ernest Shackleton led the Endurance Expedition, attempting to cross
the Antarctic continent on foot. Although he failed to achieve his goal, he demonstrated
remarkable leadership. The ship Endurance became trapped in the frozen sea and was finally
crushed nine months later.
Trekking across ice and then rowing in lifeboats, Shackleton led his men to refuge on remote,
ice-covered Elephant Island. He left his men there while he sailed across 800 miles of open
ocean to get help. After 14 days at sea, he reached an island where he crossed brutal,
mountainous terrain and marshaled a ship. Four attempts later, Shackleton rescued his men.
Astonishingly, all 28 survived their ordeal after spending 22 months in the Antarctic.
Despite Shackleton’s notable leadership and tenacity, he unfortunately may not have recognized
many of his own gifts. He explained in a letter to his wife why he was an explorer. “I’m not
much good at anything else,”i he wrote. Perhaps too many of us are like Shackleton in that we
define our gifts by default.
Let’s not focus on what gifts we might not have, but let’s consider the gifts we do have. Think, “I
am a good neighbor, and I have the gift of empathy.” Think, “I am a preschool teacher, and I
have been blessed with the gift of singing silly songs.” Think, “I am a mother, and I have the gift
of nurturing.”
I would like to urge you to do three things:
• First, discover your gift;
• Second, develop your gift;
• and third, honor your gift.
First let’s talk about discovering our gifts. Do you know what gifts you have been blessed with?
If you’re thinking you don’t have a gift, reconsider. Let’s turn to the scriptures. Section 46 of the
Doctrine and Covenants is a wonderful dissertation on gifts. In verse 11, we read, “For all have
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not every gift given unto them; for there are many gifts, and to every man [and every woman] is
given a gift by the Spirit of God.”
You have a gift; your challenge might be to discover it. One way to discover a gift is to actively
seek it. In this same section, we read, “Ye are commanded in all things to ask of God, who giveth
liberally . . . seek ye earnestly the best gifts, always remembering for what they are given.”ii
Elder Dallin H. Oaks has stated that we should desire and zealously seek spiritual gifts. He
reminds us that, “the receipt of spiritual gifts is predicated upon faith, obedience, and personal
righteousness.”iii
The Lord told Oliver Cowdery that if he desired it, he would be granted the gift to translate, even
as Joseph translated.iv
In the Book of Mormon, Nephi sought the gift of vision, and he was granted the glorious vision
of the Tree of Life.
President Heber J. Grant desired the gift of penmanship, and through perseverance, he received
and achieved that gift.v
Another way to discover your personal gifts is to study and ponder your patriarchal blessing. The
counsel given in your blessing can provide you with insight and inspiration.
My husband Lyndon’s patriarch grandfather gave him his patriarchal blessing when he was only
13 years old. In the following year, as Lyndon and his parents pondered the blessing, they
realized that the gifts enumerated in it weren’t consistent with Lyndon’s becoming a fourthgeneration
farmer. With his parents’ help, Lyndon sought ways to develop the gifts his inspired
blessing promised. Consequently, we don’t live on a farm today. We aren’t even very good at
growing zucchini, but Lyndon has successfully developed his non-agricultural gifts that were
identified in the blessing.
A most satisfying way to discover your gift is through personal revelation.
May I share with you the process that I went through to discover a spiritual gift:
Several years ago our bishopric was reorganized. There was a feeling of excitement during
sacrament meeting as we contemplated new calls we might serve in. I had served most of my life
in music callings and hoped that, for a change and for my own personal growth, I’d be called to
be a teacher. The next week, new presidencies in all of the auxiliaries were sustained. The week
after that, name after name was read as we sustained teachers, compassionate service leaders,
music directors, and so forth. I was beginning to feel sad because I hadn’t received a new calling.
My patriarchal blessing said that I was to fulfill “responsibilities in the activities of the Church,
especially among [the women] and among the younger generation,” but the Relief Society,
Young Women and Primary were fully staffed.
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Nearly a month passed. I knew that the Lord loved me, but I felt hurt that I wasn’t being
entrusted with a calling. My sadness took me to my knees. I told my Father in Heaven that I had
a desire to serve and asked Him to quell my uneasy heart. Most of all, I asked Him to help me
feel of my own individual worth in His kingdom.
After my prayer I began my scripture study. That day I was at the end of the Book of Mormon,
and one of the passages in Moroni 10 was about spiritual gifts. I read the list of gifts, hoping to
receive the assurance of the Holy Spirit that one of them was mine.
Starting in verse nine, I read about teaching the word of wisdom and then the word of
knowledge. I hoped for the familiar feeling of the Spirit’s witness, but it didn’t come, so I read
on.
“Exceedingly great faith.” Not my gift.
“Healing,” “mighty miracles,” “prophesy.” Nope. Nope. Nope.
“The beholding of angels and ministering spirits.” That would have been exciting, but it wasn’t
my gift either.
As I finished verse 15—“And again, to another, all kinds of tongues”—I felt anxious, because
the list was coming to an end. I knew what the last gift was, and because I didn’t have the gift of
tongues, I knew that I wouldn’t have the gift of the interpretation of tongues. But not wanting to
be a quitter, I finished the list:, “And again, to another, the interpretation of languages and of
divers kinds of tongues.”
As soon as I read the words “the interpretation of languages,” my heart swelled. I experienced
that wonderful, tender feeling that I knew was the Holy Ghost. Puzzled, I spoke aloud, “the
interpretation of languages? Is that my gift?” Unmistakable warmth coursed through my veins.
I knelt down beside the couch and asked Heavenly Father to increase my understanding. In my
mind I heard the words, “You have the gift of the interpretation of languages, and the language
that you interpret is English.”
It sounds crazy to have a gift of interpreting your native language, doesn’t it? In the week that
followed throught the experience of discovering my gift of interpreting English, I realized that I
had loved and interpreted the English language for as long as I could remember. I loved rhyming,
writing, reading, and reciting. When I started college, I shocked my piano teacher by declaring
an English major rather than a music major. I enjoyed the classes that led to my degree in
English. I still love placing apostrophes, finding symbolism, and looking for patterns and insights
in stories.
As you might guess, the next week, a member of the bishopric came and called me to be a
Sunday School teacher, a calling that I held for over six years and absolutely loved.
4
As I embarked on the calling, I wasn’t sure that I had the gift of teaching—even though I wanted
it—but I knew I had the gift of the interpretation of English. Knowing that I had the ability to
understand the original language of the latter-day scriptures, I set out to help my ward members
appreciate these holy words in a way consistent with my gift. They may not have learned much
about history or geography, but they certainly learned the intricacies and importance of words
such as “remember,” “tent,” and “restoration.”
Of course the gifts outlined in Moroni 10 are not the only gifts. The Spirit can grant any gift that
would fill a particular need, and so no exhaustive list is possible.vi As you discover your own
gift, consider the vast range them.
For example, did you know that enthusiasm is a gift? Elder L. Tom Perry once expressed, “I
think that the greatest talent that the Lord has blessed me with is enthusiasm.”vii
Elder Marvin J. Ashton delineated other gifts.viii Here are just a few from his list. See if you can
claim any for yourself:
• The gifts of asking, of listening, of being able to weep;
• The gifts of avoiding contention, of being agreeable, of avoiding vain repetition;
• The gifts of not passing judgment, of looking to God for guidance, of being able to
ponder.
Consider some more gifts. Do you have:
• The gift of being on time?
• The gift of writing thank-you notes?
• The gift of getting out of your comfort zone?
• The gift of being a conscientious visiting teacher?
• The gift of complimenting?
Let’s talk about the gift of complimenting for a minute. I’m sure that all of us love it when those
around us have this gift.
When I was growing up, part of each Family Home Evening was devoted to compliments. We
went around the living room and complimented family members who’d done something
significant that week. I might hear something like, “I’d like to compliment Barbara on being
positive; she completed the fourth-year hike without a single word of complaint,” or, “I’d like to
compliment David on being so diligent in both mowing and trimming the lawn without being
asked.”
This is a tradition that we’ve carried on in our home and that my married children also carry on
today. It’s our favorite time of the week. Some weeks we might not get a lesson, but we always
have compliments. How uplifting to receive sincere and thoughtful praise each Monday night
from those closest to us. Even better than that, as family members think through the week, they
appreciate the gifts of others. The blessing of our compliment time during Family Home Evening
5
is twofold: receiving compliments helps family members discover their gifts, and giving
compliments helps us all develop our gift of complimenting.
Now that we’ve talked about our first area—discovering gifts—let’s move to the second area,
developing gifts. Once you know that you have a particular gift, you are under divine mandate to
develop it.
I love the parable of the talents. Let’s review it using the New Testament Stories.
“A man gave his servants some talents. A talent is a piece of money. The man gave one servant
five talents . . . another servant two talents and a [third] servant one talent. Then the man went to
another land. The servant with five talents worked hard . . . and made five more talents. The
servant with two talents worked hard . . . and made two more talents. But the servant with one
talent was not like the other servants. He hid his talent. He buried it in the ground [because] he
was afraid he would lose it. The man came home. He asked the servants what they had done with
their talents.”
The first and second servants brought their talents—ten and four, respectively—to the man. The
man was happy. He said to each of them, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou has
been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of
the lord.”ix
“The third servant came to the man. He had only one talent. The man was not happy with the
servant. He called the servant ‘wicked and slothful’.x He took the talent and gave it to the servant
with ten talents and sent the lazy servant away.”
In this parable, “talent” refers to a piece of money, but how poignant the parable becomes when
we understand that it also refers to our aptitudes and gifts. In fact, the modern meaning of
“talent” is derived from this parable.xi I don’t know if you think that’s exciting or not, but
knowing how we get the word “talent” makes my interpretation-of-English gift tingle.
We should develop our gifts by sharing them. President Monson has admonished us with these
words: “Share your talents, for that which we willingly share, we keep. But that which we
selfishly keep, we lose.”xii
Let’s look for some practical application to President Monson’s words.
It isn’t enough to develop your painting skills and then keep your paintings in your closet so that
they can delight only you; you must display your paintings so that others can share in their
beauty.
It isn’t enough to study the scriptures and gain spiritual insights; you must communicate your
newfound knowledge with others perhaps in church meetings, around the dinner table, or in
letters to loved ones.
6
It isn’t enough to make delicious meals for your family; you must bless your children by
teaching them and others how to cook.
It isn’t enough to know that you have a mighty testimony; you must share that testimony to lift
others.
Developing and sharing your gift takes vigilance. A few months ago, a group of exceptional
graduate students applied for positions on the senior editorial board of a prestigious publication.
Because all of the candidates had excellent grades, the application asked them to identify unique
traits—gifts—that set them apart and qualified them for the editorial board. Among the
applicants were students with photographic memories, students with celebrated publishing
experience, and students with advanced scholarship and academic proficiency.
One application stood out. The candidate wrote, “I am approachable. I rarely take offense, I do
not hold grudges, I never raise my voice, I dislike gossip, and I can keep conversations in
confidence.”
Are you surprised to know that he got the position?
Now that he has it, that young man must be watchful to continue to develop these gifts. Having
recognized and stated that he never raises his voice, he must control his feelings even when the
editorial schedule gets stressful. He knows that he can keep conversations in confidence, and he
will develop his gift by teaching others to do the same.
Let’s move to our third area—honoring your gift. Once you have discovered your gift and are
working to develop it, how do you honor your gift? Let me illustrate honoring your gift with a
question and then a story.
Have you ever gotten out of bed Christmas morning, bubbling with excitement, only to return to
that same bed with a feeling of disappointment? I have. Let me tell you about my pogo-stick
Christmas.
One year as a young girl, I wanted a pogo stick for Christmas. I asked for a pogo stick for
Christmas, and I got a pogo stick for Christmas. It was beautiful, with long, colorful streamers
descending from the handlebars. At first it magically sparkled, propped up in the family room
next to my stocking. Yet also in the room were thrilling gifts for other family members—a
Lasting Curls Hairsetter with Beautifying Mist, Head 360 skis, the Carpenters’ Close to You
album. As others oohed and aahed over their Christmas gifts, somehow, my pogo stick didn’t
seem quite so enchanting.
Looking back, I hope that my parents thought my lack of enthusiasm was because of a driveway
full of snow. I hope they didn’t know that I was dissatisfied. As the youngest child, I didn’t feel
that my gift was quite as spectacular as the big-kids’. I professed excitement about the pogo stick
and halfheartedly displayed it in a corner of my room for a few days before carrying it out and
leaving it in the garage.
7
I didn’t honor my gift of a pogo stick on that Christmas, nor did I honor the givers, my parents.
Several months passed before I tried it out and discovered how fun it was to pogo up and down
the driveway. My parents had given me a wonderful gift, but during the winter season, I failed to
appreciate it because I found it lacking when weighed against other gifts.
When we fail to honor the gifts that our Heavenly Father has given us, we also fail to honor Him.
“For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift?
Behold, he rejoices not in that which is given unto him, neither rejoices in him who is the giver
of the gift.”xiii
You may feel that your gift of compassion pales in comparison to your neighbor’s gift of
wisdom. Could it be that your gift of organization isn’t as laudable as your sister’s gift of
energy? Not having your mother’s gift of baking or your daughter’s gift of friendliness might
make you feel inferior.
When we feel these very human feelings of envy, we must remember that, “All these gifts come
from God, for the benefit of the children of God.”xiv
All gifts are to benefit the children of God—and we are all children of God. “To some is given
one, and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby.”xv
When you honor your gift, you appreciate it without comparing it.
Sometimes when I begin to feel envious of another’s gifts, I stop to think, “How is her gift
blessing me?” It might be a selfish thought, but it helps me to remember that through others, my
Heavenly Father blesses me.
For example, I have a brilliant brother. When Paul was young, he was given the gift of a
fascination for the human body. He has developed that gift with extensive schooling and decades
of practice as a surgeon. I could allow myself to feel inferior because I’m not as educated, nor
have I given the life-saving service that my brother has. Heavenly Father has blessed Paul with a
gift of medical expertise to bless His other children, including me. Paul’s gift blesses me in times
of illness and times of trauma, and his gift helps our family deal with an aging and ailing father.
Stop and think about the gifts of others in your life. Contemplate the gifts that Heavenly Father
has given by making a catalog of the ones you are personally a witness to and then determine
how those gifts bless your life. For me, Lenora’s gift of meticulousness forces my daughter to
mature into a precise pianist, which in turn blesses our home with beautiful music; Heather’s gift
of patience inspires me to “hold my horses” when I am too eager. Margaret’s gift of serenity
calms me, and Adam’s gift of laughter puts a smile on my face.
As we rejoice in our gifts and in the gifts of others, we honor the gifts and, more importantly, we
honor the giver. Recognizing and applauding the gifts that God has given to others is one way to
worship the Giver of all good gifts.
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One afternoon I asked my high-school daughter, Whitney, how to rejoice in the success of others
rather than feeling inferior. Her answer was preposterously plain. She said, “Pray for the gift of
rejoicing in the success of others.” How profound! Did you know that there is such a gift? There
is, and I know someone who has it.
In 1995, vehicles sliding on icy, Idaho roads claimed the lives of five beautiful young people
while three others survived. Among the dead was my niece, 20-year-old Veniece Ricks. The
community mourned the loss of Veniece, Lisa, Lacey, Trudi and Shaun.
Veniece’s mother, Linda, has the gift of rejoicing in the success of others. To my amazement,
Linda absolutely rejoiced that three had survived the terrible collision. Even as her own heart
ached, she celebrated their survival. She exulted as each recovered, and she continues to delight
in their successes.
If Linda can rejoice in the good fortune of others even while at the funeral of her own daughter,
can’t we each rejoice when others succeed?
After discovering her gift of rejoicing in the success of others, and after years of developing it
through motherhood, Linda honored her god-given gift even when it was sorely tested. Like
Linda, Sir Ernest Shackleton honored his gifts in terribly unfortunate circumstances that he never
expected to encounter.
Despite his best plans, Shackleton never crossed the Antarctic continent; however, he will be
remembered for miraculously bringing 28 men safely home. When he landed on Elephant Island
to rescue the men who had been stranded there for 105 days, one said, “We knew you’d come
back.”xvi Shackleton’s men knew of the extraordinary gifts their leader had been blessed with,
and those gifts saved their lives.
Don’t fret over the gifts that you don’t have; focus on discovering, developing, and honoring the
gifts you do have, and then appropriately seek additional gifts that you will use to bless the lives
of God’s children.
Although we each have individual gifts, we can all share the greatest gift. If we keep the
commandments and endure to the end, we are promised eternal life, “which gift is the greatest of
all the gifts of God.”xvii
We can only receive this greatest gift—the gift of living with Heavenly Father forever—because
of the gift of the Atonement.
If you haven’t yet recognized and accepted the gift of the Savior’s Atonement, follow the three
steps that we’ve talked about today. Discover the gift of the Atonement by gaining a personal
testimony of the Savior. Develop the gift of the Atonement as you use it in your life by repenting
of misdeeds, by enduring life’s challenges, and by sharing the glorious news of the gospel.
Honor the gift of the Atonement by your gratitude to the Giver, by your service to His children,
and by recognizing that you have been ennobled by the Savior’s very personal and individual gift
to you.
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How grateful I am for the gifts I”ve been blessed with, and how grateful I am for the gifts that
you have been blessed with. I’m especially grateful that I have the gift of knowing that Jesus is
the Christ and that His gospel is true.
i http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/shackleton/1914/alexandra2.html
ii D&C 46:7–8
iii Dallin H. Oaks, “Spiritual Gifts,” Ensign, Sep 1986, 68.
iv D&C 6:25
v “Lesson 19: Developing Our Talents,” Duties and Blessings of the Priesthood: Basic Manual
for Priesthood Holders, Part B, 172.
vi Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 544.
vii “Elder L. Tom Perry of the Council of the Twelve,” Ensign, May 1974, 120–21.
viii Marvin J. Ashton, “‘There Are Many Gifts,” Ensign, Nov 1987, 20.
ix Matthew 25:21.
x Matthew 25:26
xi http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=talent
xii Thomas S. Monson, “The Spirit of Relief Society,” Ensign, May 1992, 100.
xiiiD&C 88:33
xiv D&C 46:26
xv D&C 46:12
xvi Jennifer Armstrong, Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World, New York: Crown Publishers,
1998, 123.
xvii D&C 14:7
Elizabeth Ricks
______________________________________________________________________
This address was given Thursday, May 1, 2008, at the BYU Women’s Conference
© 2008 by Brigham Young University Women’s Conference. All rights reserved
For further information write:
BYU Women’s Conference
352 Harman Continuing Education Building
Provo, Utah 84602
801-422-7692
E-mail: womens_conference@byu.edu
Home page: http://womensconference.byu.edu
______________________________________________________________________
Between 1914 and 1916, Ernest Shackleton led the Endurance Expedition, attempting to cross
the Antarctic continent on foot. Although he failed to achieve his goal, he demonstrated
remarkable leadership. The ship Endurance became trapped in the frozen sea and was finally
crushed nine months later.
Trekking across ice and then rowing in lifeboats, Shackleton led his men to refuge on remote,
ice-covered Elephant Island. He left his men there while he sailed across 800 miles of open
ocean to get help. After 14 days at sea, he reached an island where he crossed brutal,
mountainous terrain and marshaled a ship. Four attempts later, Shackleton rescued his men.
Astonishingly, all 28 survived their ordeal after spending 22 months in the Antarctic.
Despite Shackleton’s notable leadership and tenacity, he unfortunately may not have recognized
many of his own gifts. He explained in a letter to his wife why he was an explorer. “I’m not
much good at anything else,”i he wrote. Perhaps too many of us are like Shackleton in that we
define our gifts by default.
Let’s not focus on what gifts we might not have, but let’s consider the gifts we do have. Think, “I
am a good neighbor, and I have the gift of empathy.” Think, “I am a preschool teacher, and I
have been blessed with the gift of singing silly songs.” Think, “I am a mother, and I have the gift
of nurturing.”
I would like to urge you to do three things:
• First, discover your gift;
• Second, develop your gift;
• and third, honor your gift.
First let’s talk about discovering our gifts. Do you know what gifts you have been blessed with?
If you’re thinking you don’t have a gift, reconsider. Let’s turn to the scriptures. Section 46 of the
Doctrine and Covenants is a wonderful dissertation on gifts. In verse 11, we read, “For all have
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not every gift given unto them; for there are many gifts, and to every man [and every woman] is
given a gift by the Spirit of God.”
You have a gift; your challenge might be to discover it. One way to discover a gift is to actively
seek it. In this same section, we read, “Ye are commanded in all things to ask of God, who giveth
liberally . . . seek ye earnestly the best gifts, always remembering for what they are given.”ii
Elder Dallin H. Oaks has stated that we should desire and zealously seek spiritual gifts. He
reminds us that, “the receipt of spiritual gifts is predicated upon faith, obedience, and personal
righteousness.”iii
The Lord told Oliver Cowdery that if he desired it, he would be granted the gift to translate, even
as Joseph translated.iv
In the Book of Mormon, Nephi sought the gift of vision, and he was granted the glorious vision
of the Tree of Life.
President Heber J. Grant desired the gift of penmanship, and through perseverance, he received
and achieved that gift.v
Another way to discover your personal gifts is to study and ponder your patriarchal blessing. The
counsel given in your blessing can provide you with insight and inspiration.
My husband Lyndon’s patriarch grandfather gave him his patriarchal blessing when he was only
13 years old. In the following year, as Lyndon and his parents pondered the blessing, they
realized that the gifts enumerated in it weren’t consistent with Lyndon’s becoming a fourthgeneration
farmer. With his parents’ help, Lyndon sought ways to develop the gifts his inspired
blessing promised. Consequently, we don’t live on a farm today. We aren’t even very good at
growing zucchini, but Lyndon has successfully developed his non-agricultural gifts that were
identified in the blessing.
A most satisfying way to discover your gift is through personal revelation.
May I share with you the process that I went through to discover a spiritual gift:
Several years ago our bishopric was reorganized. There was a feeling of excitement during
sacrament meeting as we contemplated new calls we might serve in. I had served most of my life
in music callings and hoped that, for a change and for my own personal growth, I’d be called to
be a teacher. The next week, new presidencies in all of the auxiliaries were sustained. The week
after that, name after name was read as we sustained teachers, compassionate service leaders,
music directors, and so forth. I was beginning to feel sad because I hadn’t received a new calling.
My patriarchal blessing said that I was to fulfill “responsibilities in the activities of the Church,
especially among [the women] and among the younger generation,” but the Relief Society,
Young Women and Primary were fully staffed.
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Nearly a month passed. I knew that the Lord loved me, but I felt hurt that I wasn’t being
entrusted with a calling. My sadness took me to my knees. I told my Father in Heaven that I had
a desire to serve and asked Him to quell my uneasy heart. Most of all, I asked Him to help me
feel of my own individual worth in His kingdom.
After my prayer I began my scripture study. That day I was at the end of the Book of Mormon,
and one of the passages in Moroni 10 was about spiritual gifts. I read the list of gifts, hoping to
receive the assurance of the Holy Spirit that one of them was mine.
Starting in verse nine, I read about teaching the word of wisdom and then the word of
knowledge. I hoped for the familiar feeling of the Spirit’s witness, but it didn’t come, so I read
on.
“Exceedingly great faith.” Not my gift.
“Healing,” “mighty miracles,” “prophesy.” Nope. Nope. Nope.
“The beholding of angels and ministering spirits.” That would have been exciting, but it wasn’t
my gift either.
As I finished verse 15—“And again, to another, all kinds of tongues”—I felt anxious, because
the list was coming to an end. I knew what the last gift was, and because I didn’t have the gift of
tongues, I knew that I wouldn’t have the gift of the interpretation of tongues. But not wanting to
be a quitter, I finished the list:, “And again, to another, the interpretation of languages and of
divers kinds of tongues.”
As soon as I read the words “the interpretation of languages,” my heart swelled. I experienced
that wonderful, tender feeling that I knew was the Holy Ghost. Puzzled, I spoke aloud, “the
interpretation of languages? Is that my gift?” Unmistakable warmth coursed through my veins.
I knelt down beside the couch and asked Heavenly Father to increase my understanding. In my
mind I heard the words, “You have the gift of the interpretation of languages, and the language
that you interpret is English.”
It sounds crazy to have a gift of interpreting your native language, doesn’t it? In the week that
followed throught the experience of discovering my gift of interpreting English, I realized that I
had loved and interpreted the English language for as long as I could remember. I loved rhyming,
writing, reading, and reciting. When I started college, I shocked my piano teacher by declaring
an English major rather than a music major. I enjoyed the classes that led to my degree in
English. I still love placing apostrophes, finding symbolism, and looking for patterns and insights
in stories.
As you might guess, the next week, a member of the bishopric came and called me to be a
Sunday School teacher, a calling that I held for over six years and absolutely loved.
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As I embarked on the calling, I wasn’t sure that I had the gift of teaching—even though I wanted
it—but I knew I had the gift of the interpretation of English. Knowing that I had the ability to
understand the original language of the latter-day scriptures, I set out to help my ward members
appreciate these holy words in a way consistent with my gift. They may not have learned much
about history or geography, but they certainly learned the intricacies and importance of words
such as “remember,” “tent,” and “restoration.”
Of course the gifts outlined in Moroni 10 are not the only gifts. The Spirit can grant any gift that
would fill a particular need, and so no exhaustive list is possible.vi As you discover your own
gift, consider the vast range them.
For example, did you know that enthusiasm is a gift? Elder L. Tom Perry once expressed, “I
think that the greatest talent that the Lord has blessed me with is enthusiasm.”vii
Elder Marvin J. Ashton delineated other gifts.viii Here are just a few from his list. See if you can
claim any for yourself:
• The gifts of asking, of listening, of being able to weep;
• The gifts of avoiding contention, of being agreeable, of avoiding vain repetition;
• The gifts of not passing judgment, of looking to God for guidance, of being able to
ponder.
Consider some more gifts. Do you have:
• The gift of being on time?
• The gift of writing thank-you notes?
• The gift of getting out of your comfort zone?
• The gift of being a conscientious visiting teacher?
• The gift of complimenting?
Let’s talk about the gift of complimenting for a minute. I’m sure that all of us love it when those
around us have this gift.
When I was growing up, part of each Family Home Evening was devoted to compliments. We
went around the living room and complimented family members who’d done something
significant that week. I might hear something like, “I’d like to compliment Barbara on being
positive; she completed the fourth-year hike without a single word of complaint,” or, “I’d like to
compliment David on being so diligent in both mowing and trimming the lawn without being
asked.”
This is a tradition that we’ve carried on in our home and that my married children also carry on
today. It’s our favorite time of the week. Some weeks we might not get a lesson, but we always
have compliments. How uplifting to receive sincere and thoughtful praise each Monday night
from those closest to us. Even better than that, as family members think through the week, they
appreciate the gifts of others. The blessing of our compliment time during Family Home Evening
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is twofold: receiving compliments helps family members discover their gifts, and giving
compliments helps us all develop our gift of complimenting.
Now that we’ve talked about our first area—discovering gifts—let’s move to the second area,
developing gifts. Once you know that you have a particular gift, you are under divine mandate to
develop it.
I love the parable of the talents. Let’s review it using the New Testament Stories.
“A man gave his servants some talents. A talent is a piece of money. The man gave one servant
five talents . . . another servant two talents and a [third] servant one talent. Then the man went to
another land. The servant with five talents worked hard . . . and made five more talents. The
servant with two talents worked hard . . . and made two more talents. But the servant with one
talent was not like the other servants. He hid his talent. He buried it in the ground [because] he
was afraid he would lose it. The man came home. He asked the servants what they had done with
their talents.”
The first and second servants brought their talents—ten and four, respectively—to the man. The
man was happy. He said to each of them, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou has
been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of
the lord.”ix
“The third servant came to the man. He had only one talent. The man was not happy with the
servant. He called the servant ‘wicked and slothful’.x He took the talent and gave it to the servant
with ten talents and sent the lazy servant away.”
In this parable, “talent” refers to a piece of money, but how poignant the parable becomes when
we understand that it also refers to our aptitudes and gifts. In fact, the modern meaning of
“talent” is derived from this parable.xi I don’t know if you think that’s exciting or not, but
knowing how we get the word “talent” makes my interpretation-of-English gift tingle.
We should develop our gifts by sharing them. President Monson has admonished us with these
words: “Share your talents, for that which we willingly share, we keep. But that which we
selfishly keep, we lose.”xii
Let’s look for some practical application to President Monson’s words.
It isn’t enough to develop your painting skills and then keep your paintings in your closet so that
they can delight only you; you must display your paintings so that others can share in their
beauty.
It isn’t enough to study the scriptures and gain spiritual insights; you must communicate your
newfound knowledge with others perhaps in church meetings, around the dinner table, or in
letters to loved ones.
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It isn’t enough to make delicious meals for your family; you must bless your children by
teaching them and others how to cook.
It isn’t enough to know that you have a mighty testimony; you must share that testimony to lift
others.
Developing and sharing your gift takes vigilance. A few months ago, a group of exceptional
graduate students applied for positions on the senior editorial board of a prestigious publication.
Because all of the candidates had excellent grades, the application asked them to identify unique
traits—gifts—that set them apart and qualified them for the editorial board. Among the
applicants were students with photographic memories, students with celebrated publishing
experience, and students with advanced scholarship and academic proficiency.
One application stood out. The candidate wrote, “I am approachable. I rarely take offense, I do
not hold grudges, I never raise my voice, I dislike gossip, and I can keep conversations in
confidence.”
Are you surprised to know that he got the position?
Now that he has it, that young man must be watchful to continue to develop these gifts. Having
recognized and stated that he never raises his voice, he must control his feelings even when the
editorial schedule gets stressful. He knows that he can keep conversations in confidence, and he
will develop his gift by teaching others to do the same.
Let’s move to our third area—honoring your gift. Once you have discovered your gift and are
working to develop it, how do you honor your gift? Let me illustrate honoring your gift with a
question and then a story.
Have you ever gotten out of bed Christmas morning, bubbling with excitement, only to return to
that same bed with a feeling of disappointment? I have. Let me tell you about my pogo-stick
Christmas.
One year as a young girl, I wanted a pogo stick for Christmas. I asked for a pogo stick for
Christmas, and I got a pogo stick for Christmas. It was beautiful, with long, colorful streamers
descending from the handlebars. At first it magically sparkled, propped up in the family room
next to my stocking. Yet also in the room were thrilling gifts for other family members—a
Lasting Curls Hairsetter with Beautifying Mist, Head 360 skis, the Carpenters’ Close to You
album. As others oohed and aahed over their Christmas gifts, somehow, my pogo stick didn’t
seem quite so enchanting.
Looking back, I hope that my parents thought my lack of enthusiasm was because of a driveway
full of snow. I hope they didn’t know that I was dissatisfied. As the youngest child, I didn’t feel
that my gift was quite as spectacular as the big-kids’. I professed excitement about the pogo stick
and halfheartedly displayed it in a corner of my room for a few days before carrying it out and
leaving it in the garage.
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I didn’t honor my gift of a pogo stick on that Christmas, nor did I honor the givers, my parents.
Several months passed before I tried it out and discovered how fun it was to pogo up and down
the driveway. My parents had given me a wonderful gift, but during the winter season, I failed to
appreciate it because I found it lacking when weighed against other gifts.
When we fail to honor the gifts that our Heavenly Father has given us, we also fail to honor Him.
“For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift?
Behold, he rejoices not in that which is given unto him, neither rejoices in him who is the giver
of the gift.”xiii
You may feel that your gift of compassion pales in comparison to your neighbor’s gift of
wisdom. Could it be that your gift of organization isn’t as laudable as your sister’s gift of
energy? Not having your mother’s gift of baking or your daughter’s gift of friendliness might
make you feel inferior.
When we feel these very human feelings of envy, we must remember that, “All these gifts come
from God, for the benefit of the children of God.”xiv
All gifts are to benefit the children of God—and we are all children of God. “To some is given
one, and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby.”xv
When you honor your gift, you appreciate it without comparing it.
Sometimes when I begin to feel envious of another’s gifts, I stop to think, “How is her gift
blessing me?” It might be a selfish thought, but it helps me to remember that through others, my
Heavenly Father blesses me.
For example, I have a brilliant brother. When Paul was young, he was given the gift of a
fascination for the human body. He has developed that gift with extensive schooling and decades
of practice as a surgeon. I could allow myself to feel inferior because I’m not as educated, nor
have I given the life-saving service that my brother has. Heavenly Father has blessed Paul with a
gift of medical expertise to bless His other children, including me. Paul’s gift blesses me in times
of illness and times of trauma, and his gift helps our family deal with an aging and ailing father.
Stop and think about the gifts of others in your life. Contemplate the gifts that Heavenly Father
has given by making a catalog of the ones you are personally a witness to and then determine
how those gifts bless your life. For me, Lenora’s gift of meticulousness forces my daughter to
mature into a precise pianist, which in turn blesses our home with beautiful music; Heather’s gift
of patience inspires me to “hold my horses” when I am too eager. Margaret’s gift of serenity
calms me, and Adam’s gift of laughter puts a smile on my face.
As we rejoice in our gifts and in the gifts of others, we honor the gifts and, more importantly, we
honor the giver. Recognizing and applauding the gifts that God has given to others is one way to
worship the Giver of all good gifts.
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One afternoon I asked my high-school daughter, Whitney, how to rejoice in the success of others
rather than feeling inferior. Her answer was preposterously plain. She said, “Pray for the gift of
rejoicing in the success of others.” How profound! Did you know that there is such a gift? There
is, and I know someone who has it.
In 1995, vehicles sliding on icy, Idaho roads claimed the lives of five beautiful young people
while three others survived. Among the dead was my niece, 20-year-old Veniece Ricks. The
community mourned the loss of Veniece, Lisa, Lacey, Trudi and Shaun.
Veniece’s mother, Linda, has the gift of rejoicing in the success of others. To my amazement,
Linda absolutely rejoiced that three had survived the terrible collision. Even as her own heart
ached, she celebrated their survival. She exulted as each recovered, and she continues to delight
in their successes.
If Linda can rejoice in the good fortune of others even while at the funeral of her own daughter,
can’t we each rejoice when others succeed?
After discovering her gift of rejoicing in the success of others, and after years of developing it
through motherhood, Linda honored her god-given gift even when it was sorely tested. Like
Linda, Sir Ernest Shackleton honored his gifts in terribly unfortunate circumstances that he never
expected to encounter.
Despite his best plans, Shackleton never crossed the Antarctic continent; however, he will be
remembered for miraculously bringing 28 men safely home. When he landed on Elephant Island
to rescue the men who had been stranded there for 105 days, one said, “We knew you’d come
back.”xvi Shackleton’s men knew of the extraordinary gifts their leader had been blessed with,
and those gifts saved their lives.
Don’t fret over the gifts that you don’t have; focus on discovering, developing, and honoring the
gifts you do have, and then appropriately seek additional gifts that you will use to bless the lives
of God’s children.
Although we each have individual gifts, we can all share the greatest gift. If we keep the
commandments and endure to the end, we are promised eternal life, “which gift is the greatest of
all the gifts of God.”xvii
We can only receive this greatest gift—the gift of living with Heavenly Father forever—because
of the gift of the Atonement.
If you haven’t yet recognized and accepted the gift of the Savior’s Atonement, follow the three
steps that we’ve talked about today. Discover the gift of the Atonement by gaining a personal
testimony of the Savior. Develop the gift of the Atonement as you use it in your life by repenting
of misdeeds, by enduring life’s challenges, and by sharing the glorious news of the gospel.
Honor the gift of the Atonement by your gratitude to the Giver, by your service to His children,
and by recognizing that you have been ennobled by the Savior’s very personal and individual gift
to you.
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How grateful I am for the gifts I”ve been blessed with, and how grateful I am for the gifts that
you have been blessed with. I’m especially grateful that I have the gift of knowing that Jesus is
the Christ and that His gospel is true.
i http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/shackleton/1914/alexandra2.html
ii D&C 46:7–8
iii Dallin H. Oaks, “Spiritual Gifts,” Ensign, Sep 1986, 68.
iv D&C 6:25
v “Lesson 19: Developing Our Talents,” Duties and Blessings of the Priesthood: Basic Manual
for Priesthood Holders, Part B, 172.
vi Encyclopedia of Mormonism, 544.
vii “Elder L. Tom Perry of the Council of the Twelve,” Ensign, May 1974, 120–21.
viii Marvin J. Ashton, “‘There Are Many Gifts,” Ensign, Nov 1987, 20.
ix Matthew 25:21.
x Matthew 25:26
xi http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=talent
xii Thomas S. Monson, “The Spirit of Relief Society,” Ensign, May 1992, 100.
xiiiD&C 88:33
xiv D&C 46:26
xv D&C 46:12
xvi Jennifer Armstrong, Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World, New York: Crown Publishers,
1998, 123.
xvii D&C 14:7
Friday, October 9, 2009
“How have I seen God blessing my family today?”
“How have I seen God blessing my family today?”
I have resolved to do better at writing down each day the blessings, inspiration, and tender mercies I receive from Father in Heaven. Elder Eyring’s talk inspired me.["O remember, remember," Ensign, Nov 2007, 66-69. See http://www.lds.org]
I had been keeping a gratitude journal for years, and resolved to try to ask “how have I seen God blessing my family today?” Some days when I come to the end of the day I just draw a blank. Then I list a few things I am thankful for. Some times during morning prayer the answer to last night’s question just pops into my head. And then if there is time I write it down.
Like a few mornings ago the thought popped into my head “If my friends are moving perhaps they need boxes.” So I quickly phoned her. “Yes, we are moving, yes, we need boxes.” I hurriedly dressed, snatched some breakfast, and bundled in the car to go look for moving boxes put out for the garbage man. And I found boxes, so many boxes that I drove to my neighbors house emptied my boxes into her car and then went back for more. I had previously arranged to drive separately to our 11am visiting teaching appointment with H. So I feverishly worked loading my car as full as possible until it was time to drive to her home. A Diana promised to save future boxes she empties for me.
During the visit my friend mentioned she needed to go to a pharmacy. So after we discussed the gospel message, said a prayer and goodbye to my neighbor who had an appointment. H. and I drove to a pharmacy getting medicine for her and me. This pharmacy had the migraine medicine I take. [I had blessedly grabbed the bag that had the prescription for the medicine as I had hurried out the door.]
H. helped me do a map quest so that I could safely drive to grocery store from her house and do my shopping. I was very thankful that the traffic was moving, slowly but steadily.
Thanks to a Facebook comment by H saying they were going to move, and inspiration from my Father I was of service to the family.
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