THE PRELUDE TO MOTHERHOOD

 

A favorite story  for multiple generations in our family

 

Only a mother can truly understand what another woman is going through as she prepares for the birth of her first child. It becomes up close and personal when that "other" woman is your own baby all grown up who is about to give birth and experiencing discomfort, anxiety, fear, and awe at one and the same time. Such was the case this morning, when Sister Lindsay received a telephone call from our youngest child, Rachel, who will be entering a hospital in Greensboro, North Carolina this evening in preparation for the arrival of a little girl who will become the latest addition to our family.

 

So there was our daughter holding the telephone close to her face making a quiet plea to the Mommy of her own childhood who was hundreds of miles away."Would you please read Blueberries For Sal to me right now?" she softly asked. Who knows how many times her mother had read her that book when she was a little girl?

 

"I can't do that, sweetheart," Mother replied. "I don't have the book here with me. Perhaps, you could get Jamie (our son Gordon's wife and mother of three of our granddaughters) to read it to you?"

 

"It wouldn't be the same. She wouldn't know how to say kerplink, kerplank, kerplunk (the sound of blueberries hitting the bottom of little Sal's small tin bucket)," Rachel sadly responded with a small voice resigned to the reality that her mother wasn't nearby when she wanted her with the book in hand that had comforted her in times past.

 

With a reassuring steady voice, Mother told her daughter that everything is going to be in good hands with the doctor at the hospital. "You will do just fine," said, "you and the baby will come through this experience without difficulty."

 

Being a resourceful woman (and an understanding mother), Sister Lindsay then went right to work and soon discovered that someone had recorded Blueberries For Sal in its entirety and placed it on the Internet. She immediately forwarded the link to Rachel as an electronic message.

 

It wasn't long before there was a brief email response from our daughter. "Thanks Mom, it helped!"

  

We never know the love of a parent till we become parents ourselves.

                                                                         -  Henry Ward Beecher

SERVING A MISSION ON YOUR BIRTHDAY

 

Sister Lindsay had another birthday on September 8th

 

For the second year in a row, Sister Lindsay has quietly celebrated her birthday away from home and family. In September 2011 we were in the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah when her special day arrived. So of course, the other senior missionaries in our district sang "Happy Birthday" to her.

 

This time around, we were in the midst of our missionary service in the Chesapeake Ward of the Baltimore Stake for the anniversary of my wife's birth. The district leader announced Sister Lindsay's birthday at our ward missionary coordination meeting, so the assembled group sang to her; and during the course of the day, several other missionaries called to offer their best wishes as well.

 

If memory serves me well, I believe that she might be 26 plus some months this year. When I suggested that to my wife, however, she told me that she had no interest in being 26 years old again. Her point is well taken. We can never return to our yesterdays, and why should we want to if we have enjoyed life's journey as we have lived it. For certain, we only have one chance at mortal life . . . and it is here and now. Regardless of our ultimate span of years on earth, as we grow older we begin to realize that our existence here is brief in the eternal scheme of things.

 

Hopefully as we age, we should also learn some valuable lessons that help us to distinguish what is important and what is not. Much of what we might have thought was relevant at age 26 no longer seems to matter that much 40 years or more down the road. Someone has suggested that "all things being equal, they are not!" Today, regardless of whether or not it might be our birthday, it just might be the most important day of our lives depending upon what we choose to do with it. We have no sure guarantee of any future tomorrows!

 

If you knew for certain that today was your very last day on earth, what would you choose to do with this 24 hour period?  Perhaps, expressing more love and concern for other people might be a good beginning. Or forgiving another of his trespasses (real or imagined) against you could be worthwhile. Taking time to play with a child or just spending an hour with an older person who needs someone to just listen . . . these things could be significant and selfless acts of kindness.

 

The American composer Meredith Willson in The Music Man has Professor Harold Hill, one of the principal characters in the show, voice a caution that is worth repeating. Says he, “You pile up enough tomorrows, and you’ll find you’ve collected a lot of empty yesterdays.”

 

"Let us relish life as we live it, find joy in the journey, and share our love with friends and family. One day each of us will run out of tomorrows." (Thomas S. Monson)

GOD PREPARES PEOPLE TO RECEIVE THE GOSPEL

Sister missionaries in the Jones Falls District

 

"God will put prepared people in the way of His prepared servants who want to share the gospel," according to Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency of the Church. ". . . How often it happens depends on the preparation of your mind and your heart."

 

Church guidelines preclude sister missionary companionships from teaching an individual male investigator without having another person present in the room. As a result, Sister Lindsay and I have on occasion participated in a gospel discussion under these circumstances. Such an opportunity presented itself this week, and we were blessed to again see how Heavenly Father prepares people to receive the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

The man who came to the Church a few days ago to talk about our Christian beliefs had been raised in the Greek Orthodox religion; but by his own admission, he had walked away from those teachings as a teenager and denounced Christianity altogether. For more than 15 years, he explored and researched many different theologies, cults, and religions . . . always searching but never finding peace within himself. He was cynical about the world and critical about the motives of other people and their beliefs.

 

But then, quite suddenly and unexpectedly, he told us, "Something touched my heart. It's hard to explain," he continued, "but I was redirected by some unknown influence back to wanting to be a Christian. Instead of speaking out against God, I found myself defending the Christian faith and feeling compassion towards other people!"

 

It was then that I spoke to him about the Biblical account found in the Book of John about the last time Jesus was with His disciples following His resurrection but prior to His ascension to God the Father:

 

These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:25-27)

 

This unknown influence which the man had experienced, I declared, was the Holy Ghost, which the Lord had promised would be sent by the Father. He agreed with everything that was shared with him in our meeting. This good man has obviously been prepared by Heavenly Father to receive the fullness of the gospel; and since that first meeting, the sister missionaries working with Church members have continued to teach him the plain and simple truth of God's Word.

 

So how do we as full time missionaries become prepared to share our testimony of the restored truth? We must have faith that God will provide us with the words to speak and then act without fear to share what has become precious to us and other members of the Church. As we endeavor to keep the commandments and honor our covenants, we will feel the influence of the Spirit as well as the Savior's love for us and those of God's children we meet day to day who have been prepared to hear our testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel.

RETURN WITH HONOR

Motto of The Maryland Baltimore Mission

 

Sister Lindsay and I have grown fond of the young men and women who serve with us as full time missionaries in The Maryland Baltimore Mission and respect them for their love of the gospel and devotion to the cause of bringing souls to Christ. From the time these young adults get up in the morning at 6:30 until they go to bed at 10:30 at night, their waking hours are filled with prayer, scripture study, searching for people to share the message of the restored gospel, teaching appointments, service to others, and follow-up contacts with investigators. Regardless of the weather or how tired they might be, the elders and sisters are out and about fulfilling their stewardship as authorized representatives of Jesus Christ. Their collective attitude is best expressed in the words of Alma found in the scriptures:

 

O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people! Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth. But behold, I am a man, and do sin in my wish; for I ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me. (Alma 29:1-3)

 

The longer we serve as senior missionaries, the more we are able to see these young people mature and grow into dedicated servants of the Lord through their committed service and sacrifice. Every six weeks there is a day of transfer in the mission, which not only involves moving missionaries from one proselyting area to another; but it is also the time when new elders and sisters arrive in the mission field while others who have completed their errand for the Lord go home. The motto of The Maryland Baltimore Mission for each missionary is to return home with honor, which is only possible through faithful service and obedience to living Church standards.

 

Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve tells us "when faith is properly understood and used, it has dramatically far-reaching effects. Such faith can transform an individual’s life from maudlin, common everyday activities to a symphony of joy and happiness. The exercise of faith is vital to Father in Heaven’s plan of happiness. But true faith, faith unto salvation, is centered on the Lord Jesus Christ, faith in His doctrines and teachings, faith in the prophetic guidance of the Lord’s anointed, faith in the capacity to discover hidden characteristics and traits that can transform life. Truly, faith in the Savior is a principle of action and power."

 

Missionaries learn to trust Heavenly Father for their daily bread . . . I'm not speaking of physical food but of spiritual guidance that will lead them to the pure in heart, so they can nourish others with the Word of God. The young elders and sisters are unique children of God, and Heavenly Father knows them individually. As they are faithful in performing their work, He blesses them with messages of encouragement, correction, and direction that are fitted to their specific needs. Small wonder then that when a missionary returns home, he or she is a much different person than when he first arrived in the mission.

 

Although it is difficult for us to say goodbye to departing missionaries who have served well, we know that they can return home with honor because they have learned that faith and character are intimately related. Quoting Elder Scott again, "Your exercise of faith in true principles builds character; fortified character expands your capacity to exercise more faith." What a blessing to have served with such marvelous young people who are the future leaders of the Church and in the communities where they will live.

THERE IS SUNSHINE IN MY SOUL TODAY!

 

Early morning sunrise  in North Carolina

 

The tomb was empty! The Redeemer had risen from the grave, the first fruits of the resurrection; and now He was in the midst of His beloved disciples instructing them one last time before He would ascend to God the Father.

These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:25-27)

Jesus had taught the Twelve Apostles about His relationship with God the Father during His three-year mortal ministry, professing that He came to do the Father's will and not His own while assuring them that He and the Father were one in spirit and purpose. And now, the Lord spoke of the third member of the Godhead, the Holy Ghost, whom He promised Heavenly Father would send to comfort, sustain, and teach them when He was gone away.

The Holy Ghost is the testator of truth in all things in our day as well. When someone is baptized by one having proper authority, the next ordinance to be performed is to bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost upon that individual by the laying on of hands, so he or she may enjoy the companionship of God's Spirit on a day to day basis predicated upon personal worthiness.

How do you describe what it means to have the companionship of the Holy Ghost in your life? My favorite description comes from an eight-year-old boy who had just received the Gift of the Holy Ghost. He said, “It felt like sunshine.” That simple description is quite appropriate, for when the Spirit is close by, there is a feeling of warmth and peace that sweeps over us in much the same way as we experience the warmth of the sun's rays when it emerges from behind a cloud.

To demonstrate the comfort that the Holy Ghost can provide, a Sunday School teacher wrapped each of her class members one by one in a blanket to teach them how the Spirit feels like the comfort and security of that covering.

When my father passed away suddenly in the middle of the night in March of 1978, I well remember slipping off the bed and onto my knees in fervent prayer asking Heavenly Father to watch over my mother and to help sustain our family in the midst of our sorrow and grief. There was an almost immediate sense of warmth and peace that came over me. It felt like someone had just covered me with a warm blanket. I recognized the reassurance of the Spirit and knew that Heavenly Father was aware of my urgent plea and that I was no stranger to Him in my hour of need. Through the gift and power of the Holy Ghost, I knew that He loved me and that all would be well.

Vicki F. Matsumori, former member of the Primary General Presidency of the Church, tells us that when we come to understand the whisperings of the Spirit, we will be able to hear Him teach us “the peaceable things of the kingdom” and “all things what [we] should do.” We will recognize answers to our prayers and know how to live the gospel more fully each day. We will be guided and protected. And we can cultivate this gift in our lives as we follow those spiritual promptings. Most importantly, we will feel Him witness to us of the Father and of the Son.

The companionship of the Holy Ghost brings sunshine to my soul even if I might presently be surrounded by the storms of life.

FOUR KEY RELATIONSHIPS THAT MATTER THE MOST

 

Slow down and take time to enjoy the journey

 

As a young father, I was in the habit of making an itemized list each Saturday of things that I wanted to get done around our home and outside in the yard and garden. This long collection of projects was virtually impossible to accomplish in a single day; and yet, I persisted in creating a new set of goals weekly only to become frustrated when I repeatedly failed to achieve the desired results. One day, my eldest son asked, " Dad, instead of being upset with yourself for the things you didn't finish on your list, why not be happy about all of the stuff you did get done?" It was then that I remembered what my own father had told me about the futility of trying to put ten pounds into a five pound bag.

 

With all that is going on in this complex, fast-moving world, it is pretty easy for us to become overwhelmed with having too many things to do and not enough time to complete many of them. In truth, nothing good can come from filling every conscious moment of every day with "stuff" that you believe must be accomplished with some unreasonably short deadline. We would all be more content and certainly happier if we would just take the time to slow down and enjoy the journey.

 

Ponder this thought:  If tomorrow never comes, would you be satisfied with the way today ended?

 

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church, offers this observation about life: "We all can think up a list of tasks that will overwhelm our schedules. Some might even think that their self-worth depends on the length of their to-do list. They flood the open spaces in their time with lists of meetings and minutia—even during times of stress and fatigue. Because they unnecessarily complicate their lives, they often feel increased frustration, diminished joy, and too little sense of meaning in their lives."

 

Never let the urgent get in the way of the important.

                                                         - Steve Gilliland

 

In simplifying our lives, we need to recognize the importance of developing and maintaining four types of relationships that are essential to provide balance and direction for each of us throughout our span of years here on earth:

 

Relationship with God - No one loves us more than Heavenly Father, and He desires for all of us to be happy in this life and eternally beyond the grave. As we seek to know Him, we learn of His Son, Jesus Christ and become more willing to be influenced by the gift and power of the Holy Ghost. It is through our interactive relationship with the three members of the Godhead that we know which things that are essential for us to do and those that we can assign a lesser priority.

 

Relationship with our families - Church leaders have told us that no other success can compensate for failure in the home. Good marriages and strong meaningful ties with our children and other family members is positively influenced by spending time together learning from each other. Keeping the Lord in the middle of our family relationships with prayer, gospel study, and Sunday worship deepens the bonds of love that we have for each other.

Relationship with our fellowmen - Although we have people coming and going in our lives all of the time, all of our associations with other people are built one at a time. I am so blessed to have a significant number of personal relationships (other than with family members) that have existed for almost 60 years (since I was in grade school). Choosing to remain in touch with other people throughout your life allows you to be a friend as well as to have a friend.

Relationship with ourselves - Like it or not, you will be in your own company all the days of your life, so it is a good idea to invest a considerable amount of time to learn who you really are so that this relationship with yourself is honest and positive. Each of us is really three different people: who we think we are, who other people think we are, and who Heavenly Father knows we are. Only when we learn to see ourselves as God sees us, can we realize our full potential and become all that He wants us to be in this life.

LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE

 

Loving hearts & helping hands reach out when there is need

 

When Sister Lindsay and I first joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we quickly realized that those members who are truly converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ are committed to living a lifestyle that is in harmony with the life and teachings of the Savior. None of them is perfect to be sure, but there is an unmistakable focused effort of trying to pattern one's behavior to match the Lord's instruction that we should serve one another with love and kindness.

 

We had only been members a very brief period of time when we experienced sickness in our home, and a Church member contacted us with an expressed desire to bring dinner to our home that evening. Our initial reaction was to say that this would not be necessary, because we could manage just fine without having her go to the extra trouble of taking care of us in addition to her own family. The response was gentle but direct: "Why would you want to deny me the blessing of serving you?" It was not a question of this Church family having to do something to help us out. Instead, it was a sincere desire on her part to demonstrate unconditional love, which is in perfect harmony with the teachings of the Master Shepherd.

 

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:14:16)

During this month of surgery and recovery, we have been the recipients of an amazing outpouring of love and support from Heavenly Father in so many ways. In addition, Church members both here in Maryland and back home in Carolina have sustained us with meals, flowers, and get-well cards. And there have also been messages of  compassionate concern and encouragement that have come frequently and sincerely from other friends and associates around the country. We are deeply humbled by such loving kindness from so many good people. Thank you.

Sister Lindsay and I remain committed to stay on our mission until our assignment has been fully completed next year. It is our prayer that we can in some small measure show our appreciation for what has been done for us by sharing the light of the gospel with others and by our personal example as God gives us the strength to do so.
 

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8:12)