The One

I have a unique opportunity in my church to serve. I also have the opportunity to see others serve. I've seen people support and uplift and strengthen those they worship along side every week. I've seen friends become closer friends through service. I've seen people who couldn't be in the same room with one another become friends through service. I have been greatly blessed to have these opportunities.

I have been greatly blessed in all areas of my life actually. blessed with things I take for granted and don't appreciate as much as I should. Not everyone has what I have. I know this a little better today.

This week I was asked to serve someone I don't know, had never met, and someone who truly needed some compassion at this time in her life. I don't know what happened though. For some reason - this experience has not gone as smoothly as I thought it would. It was been fraught with changes and struggles and plagued with forgetfulness and ambivalence. I don't understand why it so easy to serve those we know and worship next to every week, and it's so hard to serve those we don't now and don't see all the time, when they are the ones we really need to be remembering in our prayers! They are The One. The One we need to leave our flocks for and search out and bring into our loving fold.

When I left this sweet sisters home last night, having just met her for the first time, a thought stuck me with intense force. It was a story that my sister had told me several years ago about an experience she had with someone in her ward  in relation to my calling. It wasn't an uplifting story, but it's one I've thought about several time since. It was a caution to me. And last night it happened here in my ward.

I am kind of surprised that it happened since I've been doing these types of things for a long time now, and I've never had to face this issue. Not once. I've organized hundreds of these acts of service. Never has someone not fulfilled their commitment to serve. Until now. When I got the call I was thrown into a panic and Jeremy and I went right into trying to correct the problem. But, our actions don't change the fact it happened in the first place. Someone who needed to be remembered was forgotten. Oh how that breaks my heart.

I spent the rest of the night worrying about this sister. I spent it praying for her and her family. I spent it asking for peace to be with her, and an added measure of the spirit to be with her and her children and to stay in her home. I hope my prayers are answered. I'm hoping for the best with all my heart, but I fear for the worst.

This probably seems kind of chaotic, but the reason I'm talking about both Gratitude and Service is that they go hand in hand. If we are truly grateful for our blessings, then we will want to share them with others. We will come to know and love our Father in Heaven better as we express our gratitude for the blessings he has given us, and we will want to be the tools in his hands to bless others. I know these things to be true.

This whole experience, and the experiences of the past few weeks, have caused me to re-think how I celebrate the holidays. Specifically Thanksgiving. Normally, I'm so burnt out after Halloween that Thanksgiving is mostly forgotten. This year it's been different. We've been busy, but my excitement for Halloween has tapered off significantly. I am only about half decorated and haven't even started on my costume, or planning the party we're having next week. Anyway - I find myself thinking about Thanksgiving a lot more recently, and today I'm wondering if I give thanks enough. Actually I know I don't.

Basically...I want to do more service. I want to show my gratitude through giving of my blessings to others. I want to share and thus grow to more fully appreciate what I have been given. I'm working on a plan for the month of November, and I hope you come back to find out what it is. I think it will be something that will bless my family and home, and maybe teach me a thing or two about service. I want it to be something others can participate in too. More than anything, I want to put more love into this world. More kindness, and meekness, and maybe help someone feel welcome who may have felt forgotten. I want to go after The One.I want to be a source of light and comfort in this dark and scary world. I have thought things like this before, and I do feel that I serve often...but it's not always in the right spirit or for the right reasons. And it's rarely something that continues on for very long. I want this to be a lasting change in my life and in our family. I want to share what I have been given, and share my Father's love with others.

There are chances for work all around just now, opportunities right in our way...

Have the Best Day!