Sunday, July 26, 2009
Saturday, February 14, 2009
"Now Is That Gratitude?"
The other night before a Stake Basketball game, I had the rare occasion of laying outside on the grass and meditating a little. As I looked up into the sky, I contemplated the path my life has taken thus far. As I pondered about the events of my life, the Spirit of the Lord touched my heart and reminded me of all the people in my life that have helped me through difficult times and have helped me to grow as a person. As I reflected, my heart was filled with gratitude towards all those people that have come in to my life to help me along the way.
In our busy hectic lives, we often forget to thank those who have helped us to grow and become the people we are. The Savior teaches this principle in the Gospel of Luke: "And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God. And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole. "
I believe that the Lord allows people to enter our path in mortality to carry us through difficult times and also to present different challenges so that we grow as a person. I also believe that the answers to most of our prayers come through caring people trying to serve others. Once while going through a particularly tough time in my life the answer to fervent prayers over about a month time was through a friend who felt (from the Spirit, no doubt) that I was in need and wanted to help. He felt strongly that I should see a certain therapist that he had seen. I was able to get an appointment that day with the therapist and start the healing process.
This leads to another point. Are we in tune enough to hear the Still Small Voice tell us when someone close to us is in need? Do we constantly strive to serve others and be the catalyst to help change a life or help a person grow? Do we truly want to serve others? I believe this is why we Home and Visit Teach. If we are consistent Home and Visiting Teachers and listen to the Still Small Voice, we will have great experiences in helping other people grow and help the Lord do his work, which is to, "...bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:38).
Now back to Gratitude. I would like to give a 'shout out' to all those people that have helped me along the way. I will undoubtedly miss someone, but I have not forgot.
My Best Friends Growing Up and Still so Today:
Conrad "Temporary Chicken" Williams, Jason "There's a Monkey in the Tree" Tranquill, Scott "Holmeslice" Holmes, Brain "Scorn" Jackman, Dave and Bill Moon, Cliff "Diverman" Devries, Vermena VanDuzer Lee, Shelly Siebach Dinerstein, Amy Flierl, Paul "Big Daddy" Burdick, Melanie Ogan Pickens, Tom Clifford, Clint Taylor, Ty Taylor, Devin Youmans ,Jeremy "I'll Posterize You" Mains & Brian West.
The Mission:
Elders Sollis, Nix, Christiansen, Schoeney,Lindenau, Hale, Allen, Hunter,Wollf, Sieger, Smith, Hull. President Wolferts & President Charles. Sister (Birrell) George. Sergienko Family, Frank Schneidereit, Silvia Mehrkert.
My Family:
Kari Wendt Vastbinder, Amy Wendt Lau, Ryan , Brendan, Kevin & Ian Wendt. Mom and Dad.
Others:
Darren Cram, Dr. T, Dr. W, Bishop Sears, J. Owens, S. Hall, D. Carlile, President Williams, Dr. Hunter, Dr. Borup, L. Claywell, S. Johnson, and T. & R. Berman.
And last but not least, the two people that have kept me on the straight and narrow for the last 13 years, my beautiful wife Heidi and my daughter Samantha.
Just a thought or two...
In our busy hectic lives, we often forget to thank those who have helped us to grow and become the people we are. The Savior teaches this principle in the Gospel of Luke: "And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God. And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole. "
I believe that the Lord allows people to enter our path in mortality to carry us through difficult times and also to present different challenges so that we grow as a person. I also believe that the answers to most of our prayers come through caring people trying to serve others. Once while going through a particularly tough time in my life the answer to fervent prayers over about a month time was through a friend who felt (from the Spirit, no doubt) that I was in need and wanted to help. He felt strongly that I should see a certain therapist that he had seen. I was able to get an appointment that day with the therapist and start the healing process.
This leads to another point. Are we in tune enough to hear the Still Small Voice tell us when someone close to us is in need? Do we constantly strive to serve others and be the catalyst to help change a life or help a person grow? Do we truly want to serve others? I believe this is why we Home and Visit Teach. If we are consistent Home and Visiting Teachers and listen to the Still Small Voice, we will have great experiences in helping other people grow and help the Lord do his work, which is to, "...bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man" (Moses 1:38).
Now back to Gratitude. I would like to give a 'shout out' to all those people that have helped me along the way. I will undoubtedly miss someone, but I have not forgot.
My Best Friends Growing Up and Still so Today:
Conrad "Temporary Chicken" Williams, Jason "There's a Monkey in the Tree" Tranquill, Scott "Holmeslice" Holmes, Brain "Scorn" Jackman, Dave and Bill Moon, Cliff "Diverman" Devries, Vermena VanDuzer Lee, Shelly Siebach Dinerstein, Amy Flierl, Paul "Big Daddy" Burdick, Melanie Ogan Pickens, Tom Clifford, Clint Taylor, Ty Taylor, Devin Youmans ,Jeremy "I'll Posterize You" Mains & Brian West.
The Mission:
Elders Sollis, Nix, Christiansen, Schoeney,Lindenau, Hale, Allen, Hunter,Wollf, Sieger, Smith, Hull. President Wolferts & President Charles. Sister (Birrell) George. Sergienko Family, Frank Schneidereit, Silvia Mehrkert.
My Family:
Kari Wendt Vastbinder, Amy Wendt Lau, Ryan , Brendan, Kevin & Ian Wendt. Mom and Dad.
Others:
Darren Cram, Dr. T, Dr. W, Bishop Sears, J. Owens, S. Hall, D. Carlile, President Williams, Dr. Hunter, Dr. Borup, L. Claywell, S. Johnson, and T. & R. Berman.
And last but not least, the two people that have kept me on the straight and narrow for the last 13 years, my beautiful wife Heidi and my daughter Samantha.
Just a thought or two...
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