Angels
Believers, look up - take courage. The angels are nearer than you think.
Billy Graham
My mind has continually been drawn recently to the service of those around me, in my behalf. Those individuals are truly angels in essence-- God's hands on earth.
A few weeks ago, my husband woke up early and left the room for a little while. When he came back, he was shivering and commented on the low temperature outside. Still transitioning from a dream state, I did not comprehend his words until later.
When I was getting ready to leave for work, I sighed at the thought of scraping my windows. Because of an injury, my lungs are very sensitive to temperature. I knew that they would hurt. But, when I saw my car that morning, I noticed that the windows were clear of frost just enough for my view to be undeterred. He had scraped the windows with hardly a coat on so that I would not have to stand too long in the cold.
Being someone's angel is truly beautiful. :j
One of My Heroes
“The life of a man consists not in seeing visions and in dreaming dreams, but in active charity and in willing service” - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
My younger brother can definitely be spotted out of a crowd because of his height, but to me, he also stands out for the size of his heart. Over a year ago, he was brutally beat up by some of his teammates. The beating up was so horrific that the boys that hurt him are currently being tried in court. It was also so traumatizing for him that he will not talk about it with those he loves.
Right after he underwent this horrible event, he and my sister were walking across a street by their high school when they were hit by a car. The driver left the scene immediately. After the police were notified of the hit and run, they tracked down the driver of the car. When he was identified, my brother and sister recognized that he was the father of a boy at their school that considered an outcast. The police told my siblings that they could choose whether to press charges or not. If you had been in my brother's shoes after experiencing a brutal assault and then being hit by a car, what would you choose?
This giant of a kid asked that no charges be pressed against this driver because he worried about what would happen to his son at the high school.
Having the ability to express concern for the welfare of another--even when you have been hurt--is truly an act of beauty.
My younger brother can definitely be spotted out of a crowd because of his height, but to me, he also stands out for the size of his heart. Over a year ago, he was brutally beat up by some of his teammates. The beating up was so horrific that the boys that hurt him are currently being tried in court. It was also so traumatizing for him that he will not talk about it with those he loves.
Right after he underwent this horrible event, he and my sister were walking across a street by their high school when they were hit by a car. The driver left the scene immediately. After the police were notified of the hit and run, they tracked down the driver of the car. When he was identified, my brother and sister recognized that he was the father of a boy at their school that considered an outcast. The police told my siblings that they could choose whether to press charges or not. If you had been in my brother's shoes after experiencing a brutal assault and then being hit by a car, what would you choose?
This giant of a kid asked that no charges be pressed against this driver because he worried about what would happen to his son at the high school.
Having the ability to express concern for the welfare of another--even when you have been hurt--is truly an act of beauty.
Learning to Love
"The best way to destroy an enemy is to make him a friend.”- Abraham Lincoln
There is a woman I work with every so often that seems not to like me. When I see her and try to say hello, she gives me an annoyed smile and continues on her way.For those of you that know me, you know that I am very friendly with people. So, when people I meet are not happy to see me, I sometimes do become a little sad. But, I realized that about 99% of the time, people are mean to us for two reasons:
1. They are currently struggling with an insecurity about themselves or are in emotional pain.
2. They do not truly know us.
When I realized these two things, I saw this woman in a different light than before. I set a goal right then and there to make her my friend.
These two thoughts also helped me today. For part of my job, I make phone calls to people that I usually only make contact with via technology. I spoke with a woman that was very upset that I would call her. I admit that it took me a few minutes to mentally recover from my conversation with her. But, as I was starting to really feel hurt, a voice inside of me said, "That is so sad that she is having such a difficult day that she had to release some of that stress on me." Upon hearing this, my feelings turned into sadness for that woman.
At that moment, I also did something else. See, whenever I meet someone, I pray for them. So, in praying for this woman, I prayed that her day would go much better and that somehow the stress she released on me would help her be able to handle her current struggles.
Now, I know and continue to remember that loving someone that does not reciprocate is very hard and sometimes requires a lot of patience. But, how many of us have offended our Savior in an act or thought and have been welcomed back into His arms? I am learning that in order to truly become like my Savior, I need to love as He loves. Becoming like the most selfless and loving person that ever lived is truly beautiful. :j
There is a woman I work with every so often that seems not to like me. When I see her and try to say hello, she gives me an annoyed smile and continues on her way.For those of you that know me, you know that I am very friendly with people. So, when people I meet are not happy to see me, I sometimes do become a little sad. But, I realized that about 99% of the time, people are mean to us for two reasons:
1. They are currently struggling with an insecurity about themselves or are in emotional pain.
2. They do not truly know us.
When I realized these two things, I saw this woman in a different light than before. I set a goal right then and there to make her my friend.
These two thoughts also helped me today. For part of my job, I make phone calls to people that I usually only make contact with via technology. I spoke with a woman that was very upset that I would call her. I admit that it took me a few minutes to mentally recover from my conversation with her. But, as I was starting to really feel hurt, a voice inside of me said, "That is so sad that she is having such a difficult day that she had to release some of that stress on me." Upon hearing this, my feelings turned into sadness for that woman.
At that moment, I also did something else. See, whenever I meet someone, I pray for them. So, in praying for this woman, I prayed that her day would go much better and that somehow the stress she released on me would help her be able to handle her current struggles.
Now, I know and continue to remember that loving someone that does not reciprocate is very hard and sometimes requires a lot of patience. But, how many of us have offended our Savior in an act or thought and have been welcomed back into His arms? I am learning that in order to truly become like my Savior, I need to love as He loves. Becoming like the most selfless and loving person that ever lived is truly beautiful. :j
If Only You Could See
Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart. ~
Kahlil Gibran
I once went on a double date with a couple that was being lined up for the first time. The woman was beautiful, smiled a lot, and seemed to be having a lot of fun with her date.
Toward the end of the date, this woman and I went to a locker room to change out of our sporting attire. I quickly got ready to return to my date when I noticed this woman staring at her reflection in the mirror. She would fuss with her hair, talk to me, and then fuss with it more and tell me how sloppy she looked.
After the date, I thought a lot about this incident. She was so worried about impressing her date that she forgot about letting her inner beauty shine through. To her, wherever she is, I say, "If you could only see the beauty you possess. Then, you would not fret about your physical appearance in front of others." It is my wish that all women and young women realize the beauty they already possess. Once they recognize their beauty, no one, thing, or incident can diminish that beauty. The confidence that comes from within is a beautiful thought. :j
Kahlil Gibran
I once went on a double date with a couple that was being lined up for the first time. The woman was beautiful, smiled a lot, and seemed to be having a lot of fun with her date.
Toward the end of the date, this woman and I went to a locker room to change out of our sporting attire. I quickly got ready to return to my date when I noticed this woman staring at her reflection in the mirror. She would fuss with her hair, talk to me, and then fuss with it more and tell me how sloppy she looked.
After the date, I thought a lot about this incident. She was so worried about impressing her date that she forgot about letting her inner beauty shine through. To her, wherever she is, I say, "If you could only see the beauty you possess. Then, you would not fret about your physical appearance in front of others." It is my wish that all women and young women realize the beauty they already possess. Once they recognize their beauty, no one, thing, or incident can diminish that beauty. The confidence that comes from within is a beautiful thought. :j
Grace
"For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." - 2 Nephi 25: 23
When I was in high school, I ran on the cross country team. The way that cross country is scored is based upon individual and team points. The main runners on the team are the top five individuals on your team that cross the finish line. If one team has five individuals that cross the finish line before your five finish crossing the finish line, the other team wins. You could have a person on your team take first place overall, but your team would still lose if your fifth person crossed the line in last place. Therefore, there is a big responsibility for the fifth person.
My first year of cross country, I was the fifth runner on my team. My first year of XC, the coach of the team had predicted the best girls team he had coached in years. It was really my first year of running ever, and I worked hard to do my best.
Throughout the season that year, my team had done fairly well--beating out all of our competition fairly easily with the exception of one main competitor, the Trojans. The Trojans and my team and been neck and neck the whole season. As we entered state qualifiers, we were continually reminded of the importance of focusing to get in front of the Trojan runners.
The state qualifiers course was at Freeman Park. I had never run at Freeman, and it looked easy. It was only grass and a few hills. I thought that I would be able to run this course without a problem.
Being the novice runner that I was, I started sprinting when the gun went off. Sprinting for 3.1 miles for a novice runner is nearly impossible. I quickly found myself slowing down and in pain. What was even worse was to count the girls ahead of me from the Trojans. One, two...four, and finally, five girls from the opposing team were ahead of me. My coach encouraged me to go faster to get ahead of the Trojan girls, but I could not.
Tears fell my from my eyes as I painfully finished the race. The other top four runners from my team had finished in amazing time...and I had let them down. I was so upset that I left with my family before the results of the race were announced. I knew that I had caused my team to not qualify for the state race. As the park faded from view, I pondered my running mistakes and how those mistakes had hurt my entire team.
A few miles down the road, my cell phone rang. One of my teammates was on the line. All I heard was screaming and could barely make out the words that were being relayed to me. "WE...STATE! WE'RE GOING TO STATE!" I could barely keep my composure! How? I had counted the number of girls ahead of me...how?
Later that day, as I reunited with a few of my teammates, I told them of what I had seen and asked how it was possible for us to still go to state with my errors. To this day, I do not fully understand, but I was told that the number four runner on my team had done something that caused my team to have just enough points to beat out all of the other teams. It was because of the fourth runner that my mistakes were compensated for and we were going to state.
Years after this experience, I have constantly pondered how closely this story fits with that of the Atonement. In 2 Nephi 25:23, we are reminded that "it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." In this life, we are all inexperienced runners trying to cross the finish line to qualify for exaltation. Since we are inexperienced, we fall short at times and make mistakes that can cause us to not qualify individually for our exaltation. But, it is through the grace available through the Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ that our mistakes can be compensated for in order for us to qualify. If we turn to Him with a broken heart and contrite spirit, He will not only compensate but teach us how to improve. I am so grateful for the grace that helps me in all of my imperfection to have a chance to qualify for all of the great eternal blessings provided by my Savior.
When I was in high school, I ran on the cross country team. The way that cross country is scored is based upon individual and team points. The main runners on the team are the top five individuals on your team that cross the finish line. If one team has five individuals that cross the finish line before your five finish crossing the finish line, the other team wins. You could have a person on your team take first place overall, but your team would still lose if your fifth person crossed the line in last place. Therefore, there is a big responsibility for the fifth person.
My first year of cross country, I was the fifth runner on my team. My first year of XC, the coach of the team had predicted the best girls team he had coached in years. It was really my first year of running ever, and I worked hard to do my best.
Throughout the season that year, my team had done fairly well--beating out all of our competition fairly easily with the exception of one main competitor, the Trojans. The Trojans and my team and been neck and neck the whole season. As we entered state qualifiers, we were continually reminded of the importance of focusing to get in front of the Trojan runners.
The state qualifiers course was at Freeman Park. I had never run at Freeman, and it looked easy. It was only grass and a few hills. I thought that I would be able to run this course without a problem.
Being the novice runner that I was, I started sprinting when the gun went off. Sprinting for 3.1 miles for a novice runner is nearly impossible. I quickly found myself slowing down and in pain. What was even worse was to count the girls ahead of me from the Trojans. One, two...four, and finally, five girls from the opposing team were ahead of me. My coach encouraged me to go faster to get ahead of the Trojan girls, but I could not.
Tears fell my from my eyes as I painfully finished the race. The other top four runners from my team had finished in amazing time...and I had let them down. I was so upset that I left with my family before the results of the race were announced. I knew that I had caused my team to not qualify for the state race. As the park faded from view, I pondered my running mistakes and how those mistakes had hurt my entire team.
A few miles down the road, my cell phone rang. One of my teammates was on the line. All I heard was screaming and could barely make out the words that were being relayed to me. "WE...STATE! WE'RE GOING TO STATE!" I could barely keep my composure! How? I had counted the number of girls ahead of me...how?
Later that day, as I reunited with a few of my teammates, I told them of what I had seen and asked how it was possible for us to still go to state with my errors. To this day, I do not fully understand, but I was told that the number four runner on my team had done something that caused my team to have just enough points to beat out all of the other teams. It was because of the fourth runner that my mistakes were compensated for and we were going to state.
Years after this experience, I have constantly pondered how closely this story fits with that of the Atonement. In 2 Nephi 25:23, we are reminded that "it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." In this life, we are all inexperienced runners trying to cross the finish line to qualify for exaltation. Since we are inexperienced, we fall short at times and make mistakes that can cause us to not qualify individually for our exaltation. But, it is through the grace available through the Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ that our mistakes can be compensated for in order for us to qualify. If we turn to Him with a broken heart and contrite spirit, He will not only compensate but teach us how to improve. I am so grateful for the grace that helps me in all of my imperfection to have a chance to qualify for all of the great eternal blessings provided by my Savior.
Blessing
"...A man may have great power given him from God. Thus God has provided a means that man, through faith, might work mighty miracles; therefore he becometh a great benefit to his fellow beings." - Mosiah 8:16, 18
A few days ago, I was really struggling with my illness, and I was wondering why I had been given this illness. I opened up my scriptures and found the scriptures mentioned above. Suddenly, my heart filled with gratitude. How blessed I feel to have this illness, for because I am experiencing it, I can help comfort those that are suffering from this illness, too.
My thoughts have since also turned to my Savior. Why did he suffer pains and sorrows in addition to sin? He suffered so that He could know how to succor His people. Through His infinity mercy and love, we, too, are blessed with opportunities to experience hardships so that we can be used by Him to help succor His. Having the ability to glimpse a small portion of what He has experienced and others experience is beautiful. :j
A few days ago, I was really struggling with my illness, and I was wondering why I had been given this illness. I opened up my scriptures and found the scriptures mentioned above. Suddenly, my heart filled with gratitude. How blessed I feel to have this illness, for because I am experiencing it, I can help comfort those that are suffering from this illness, too.
My thoughts have since also turned to my Savior. Why did he suffer pains and sorrows in addition to sin? He suffered so that He could know how to succor His people. Through His infinity mercy and love, we, too, are blessed with opportunities to experience hardships so that we can be used by Him to help succor His. Having the ability to glimpse a small portion of what He has experienced and others experience is beautiful. :j
Helpless
"...how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise." - 2 Nephi 2:8
Ever felt helpless? I am currently being blessed to study the lives of women and children around the world. A week ago, I studied for days and was lectured for almost three hours about the misfortunes of millions of women world-wide. At the end of the lecture, I had a desire to go to Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa to help change these misfortunes. But, a feeling of helplessness overcame me. I realized that I was just one individual wanting to change the lives of millions.
Then, my mind was drawn to my Savior. Although I cannot help every misfortuned woman, He can. He loves each of Heavenly Father's daughters and knows them by name. Through His help, we can help reach out to those around us to help their misfortunes and then rely on Him to help those we cannot see. How beautiful it is to have a Savior that suffered for each of our trials so that we could come to Him for help. After all, one of His names is Healer--which is beautiful. :j
Ever felt helpless? I am currently being blessed to study the lives of women and children around the world. A week ago, I studied for days and was lectured for almost three hours about the misfortunes of millions of women world-wide. At the end of the lecture, I had a desire to go to Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa to help change these misfortunes. But, a feeling of helplessness overcame me. I realized that I was just one individual wanting to change the lives of millions.
Then, my mind was drawn to my Savior. Although I cannot help every misfortuned woman, He can. He loves each of Heavenly Father's daughters and knows them by name. Through His help, we can help reach out to those around us to help their misfortunes and then rely on Him to help those we cannot see. How beautiful it is to have a Savior that suffered for each of our trials so that we could come to Him for help. After all, one of His names is Healer--which is beautiful. :j
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