busy saving souls, crying out repentance, serving our fellow beings,
and using the Urim and Thummim to better understand why keeping
commitments are so difficult! On more than one occasion I feel asleep
in my full proselyting attire... Name tag on Book of Mormon in hand...
The whole nine... Some might say "wow sister z, you are indeed
anxiously engaged in the work..." But in reality changing into my
everyday sweats requires to much movement and to be quite honest...
This sista doesn't have time for that :)
Yesterday, before Sacrament started, I watched as the Chapel filled. I
looked into each of the faces of the people I serve, teach, and know.
I thought to myself...look.. Look what you are apart of. The people in
Bend, OR mean so much to me, I think more than I realize. It's so
amazing!
I remember serving with Sister Redd... I remember thinking she knew
everything about everything... I worshiped she ground she walked on.
It was so easy for her to talk to people, she was so inspired all the
time, and she always knew what to say. I remember thinking I hope when
I train a new missionary, that she will look to me as I did Sister
Redd. I wanted to live in such a way, testify in such away, and teach
in such away, that my trainee would look to me as an example just as I
did. I never thought I would be someone to look up to. After a really
good conversation with sister e.... I realized that the person she
looked up to was me. It was so weird. I love her!
The Chaotic Madness of My Mission: the past week has consisted of....
A zone conference
2 amazing member presented lessons with investigators
2 investigators at sacrament
Learning new motto - Eat what you can - cann what you can't! <---- LOVE IT
Discovering a fairly large hang mole (seriously what the heck? I go on a mission only to be turned into a leper???)
Had my face compared to the Rocky Mountains... Brown and bumpy :(
Realizing that I will NEVER live where day lights savings exists
Waxing a car...having no clue that waxing cars was something people actually "do"
Belting "who let the dogs out"... while walking to small pooches
Making more Dutch cards.
My lesson for this week is a part of the talk I am preparing:
I have heard stories about a seminary teacher that my aunts, uncles and my mother had growing up....I wish I had that one teacher whose stories and lessons stuck with me all these years later but, sadly I didn't so, I'm going to borrow one I've heard so many times I feel it must be one of my own by now....this seminary teacher whom we'll call "Bro Judd" since that is his name (ha ha) told the story of the camel in the sand storm...
As a master and his camel made their way across the dessert a furious sand storm approached, the master set his small tent next to his camel and climbed inside to protect himself from the beating sand - soon after zipping the tent, the camel beckoned...master may I please put my nose in your tent? the sand is whipping wildly and I have no way to protect my nose from it...the master said "but, my tent is so small that barely myself fits inside"...the camel replied "master, it is only my nose and nothing more" the master unzipped the tent and the camel stuck his nose inside, thanking his maser for his kindness...moments after the camel spoke again "Master I am so grateful I was able to protect my nose but now my eyes look directly into the heart of the storm, I cannot keep the sand from them and I fear I will not be able to continue on our journey if I am unable to see!" The master fearful he would be stranded relented and allowed the camels entire head into the tent...."Master you are too gracious, I am blessed to have you, thank you for sharing your small space with me." The master was so happy to hear his camels gratitude, squeezed ever smaller into the corner of the tent. "Master the wind is stronger than any other storm we have faced, the sand bites and pulls at my front legs and I fear I will not be able to carry you home to your family if I cannot protect them from this storm." The master anguished, where was the camel to put his legs, there was little room for them now, however would he fit? The master ever sorrowed for the pain his camel must be enduring and so grateful for his concern about returning his master home replied "Camel yes you may put your front legs in the tent but nothing more, we haven't the room for another hair in here." The camel thanked his master over and over as he inched his legs in, they moved about intertwined in one another, packed so tightly neither could move. "Master the storm rages stronger and the wind seems right upon us, my back legs cannot bare the torment of the sand for another minute, please may I put my entire body in the tent?" The master said "camel I will not be able to fit inside my tent if your entire body is in here, where shall I go?" The camel calmly said "Master I have carried you all this way and will carry you to your family at the storms end, please step outside for just a moment so my legs can have safety from the storm, only for a moment, what can it hurt?"
The master grateful for his camels service stepped out of his tent, so the camel may have a short reprieve from the storm....after some time the master spoke "Camel it is time that I return to my tent, I have no cloak to cover me and the sand is tearing at my skin, you are built to be able to handle this type of storm unharmed, I am not and will not survive much longer!" The camel replied " master only a fool would go willingly into a storm, I have found my shelter, it is best if you leave me now and find your own!"
What's the moral? Everyone who knocks at your door ain't your friend? Sometimes the best help we can give others, is insisting they help themselves. And if you can't handle the pressure or the whinnying from the camel next door....MOVE YOUR TENT!
As members of the church we have been blessed with the power of the Holy Ghost, the still small voice that says "seriously, you're going to give your tent to the freaking camel?!"
I remember being little and starting to do something well...not exactly "right" and I would stop and in the quiet...listen, I would try to listen inside myself and if a "small voice" didn't say...."what the snapdragon?! DO NOT DO THAT!?" Then obviously the Holy Ghost did not think it was that bad of an idea and thus I had his blessing :)
The voice isn't always a voice...some mothers have said, they have heard a voice say 'Go check your child!" They have heard the words, don't or look or stop....heard a voice that spoke to them! So, if he's not speaking then I have a green light...got it!! (Ha ha) NO!
The Holy Ghost is not always so bold, it can be a feeling, a notion, a thought...President Ezra Taft Benson said "You cannot do wrong and feel right. It's impossible!" That's the Holy Ghost, the one saying yep you drank the sprite and left the bottle in the buggy without paying for it and although no one but you and the Lord know about it....you feel like pooh because it's wrong! If we are always waiting for a slap in the face or a YELL, and pushing forward if they don't come....then we will eventuality end up with a camel in our tent!
I have heard rumors that "someone" (TOMMIE) borrowed portions of my talk to use for her lesson Sunday....um there will be payment collected for that later!
Sister Z
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