Tag Archives: service

I’m expecting an angel to ring my doorbell in about 5 minutes

Posted in Diapers, Divinity by

I’ll spare you most of the details of how miserable the last 24 hours have been. On Monday, Natalie had a 2-hour consultation with a pediatric urologist at the local children’s hospital in an attempt to stop the onslaught of urinary tract infections. While we were there, she peed in a cup and was pronounced clean. By that evening, she was starting to fever. Again. By morning, the fever was rising. I got her in to get some labs done and -surprise, surprise- it looked like there was some bacteria in her urine. There has been much medicine wrangling, shivering, vomiting, and general misery. This morning her temperature was 105.7. Seriously?

I had to take her in to get some shots, which she was not happy about, and in the struggle to get her to put her shoes on (that were all too tight, or too bumpy, or too “weird”) I told her that we can get her some new shoes another time, but please just put them on so we can get to the doctor on time. She got shots in both legs and was not pleased. She demanded that we buy her some new shoes on the way home. Even though I know it’s probably not the wisest idea, I decided to appease her and fulfill my promise and maybe ease some of her misery. (Note to anyone who’s thinking about calling the CDC: UTIs are not contagious even if they have a fever.) We tried on a few shoes, but that wasn’t going well, so I convinced her to go home and come back another day when she felt better. I tucked her into her carseat and covered her with her blanket and headed home.

A few minutes later, Matt called me to tell me that a lady called him from my cell phone saying she found my purse. Oh great. He then told me that she’s bringing it to my house. After a day like I’ve had, her honesty and kindness are a real blessing. I’m so glad that there are people who will respond with charity, even when they have no idea who I am or what I might need.

“I have spoken here of heavenly help, of angels dispatched to bless us in time of need. But when we speak of those who are instruments in the hand of God, we are reminded that not all angels are from the other side of the veil. Some of them we walk with and talk with—here, now, every day. Some of them reside in our own neighborhoods. Some of them gave birth to us, and in my case, one of them consented to marry me. Indeed heaven never seems closer than when we see the love of God manifested in the kindness and devotion of people so good and so pure that angelic is the only word that comes to mind. . . . My beloved brothers and sisters, I testify of angels, both the heavenly and the mortal kind. In doing so I am testifying that God never leaves us alone, never leaves us unaided in the challenges that we face.” — Jeffrey R. Holland, “The Ministry of Angels,” Ensign, Nov 2008, 29–31

I hope when my doorbell rings, I can express how much it means to me.  Any wagers on whether I can do it without crying?  These are the kinds of days you can’t make it through without knowing that God is watching, helping and caring.  And now I know He is, because he sent me an angel.

GCBC Week 2: Because of Your Faith

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“Because of Your Faith”
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
October 2010 General Conference
Saturday Morning Session

This is it, friends:  the official beginning of a new round of General Conference Book Club!  I am excited to have so many new people join us, and it’s sincerely my hope that participation in this book club will help us personally in our gospel study goals, and collectively as we share testimony, encouragement, and insight.  We will begin with Elder Holland’s beautiful talk, “Because of Your Faith.”  It seemed to me that the goal of this talk was simply validation– the bearing of testimony that our righteous efforts are seen by a loving Heavenly Father and appreciated by Him, by His servants, and by His church.  It was a lovely reminder that whatever contributions we make, no matter how small or insignificant or unnoticed they may seem, they are puzzle pieces in building God’s kingdom and in building ourselves.  When we offer our hearts and our service to Him, we are becoming what He wants us to be.  And He is pleased.

“I have struggled to find an adequate way to tell you how loved of God you are and how grateful we on this stand are for you. I am trying to be voice for the very angels of heaven in thanking you for every good thing you have ever done, for every kind word you have ever said, for every sacrifice you have ever made in extending to someone—to anyone—the beauty and blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

What are your favorite moments or quotes from this talk?  Is there anything you learned here that you had not considered before?  What stood out to you as you studied it?  And, most importantly, what did it make you feel or want to do?

Please share your thoughts in the comments below.  The comment thread is set up so that you can comment on and reply to each other’s comments as well.  Below each comment is a “reply” button.  If you are interested in receiving everyone’s responses, there is a box to check in the comment form that allows you to get all the follow-up comments by email.  Or you can come back and check out the progress of the post at anytime.

When you click on the link at the top of this post to read Elder Holland’s talk, you’ll see a page that looks like this:

Notice that on the right side, there are links that allow you to watch the video, listen to audio, print, download, etc.  There is also a link to the Study Notebook feature so that you can highlight and comment on the talk “in the margins.”

GCBC Week 13: “You Are My Hands”

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General Conference Book Club Week 13:

In President Dieter F. Uctdorf’s General Conference talk, “You Are My Hands,” he teaches the important principle that Christian discipleship requires us to act more like the Savior:  to embrace, to comfort, to serve, and to love.

I love the story from the New Testament about the adulterous woman that was brought before Jesus to be condemned.  After clearing the room by inviting the sinless to cast the first stone, he showed her great compassion and invited her to live a new life.  I worry that sometimes we all spend too much time condemning others, playing courthouse in our minds and deciding what’s right, what’s wrong, what deserves mercy, what demands justice, and somehow casting more stones than the situation calls for or than we have any right to throw.

I love President Ucdtorf’s simple exhortation:

As disciples of Jesus Christ, our Master, we are called to support and heal rather than condemn.

It seems we should analyze less and, instead, do more good.  When you read this talk, what parts of the message stand out for you?  How can your hands better do His work?

Go here to find the media versions of the talk (audio, video, mp3, etc.).  If this is your first visit to the General Conference Book Club,  click here to learn more about it.

GCBC Week 9: Helping Hands, Saving Hands

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General Conference Book Club Week 9:


“Helping Hands, Saving Hands” by Elder Koichi Aoyagi

President Monson has encouraged all of us to reach out to others and serve more.  He has invited us to ask ourselves often, “Have I done any good in the world today?”  In this General Conference talk, Elder Aoyagi revisits this theme and exhorts us to follow our prophet’s challenge:

“May we follow the counsel and example of the prophet and each day seek out those in need, that we might be the hands of the Lord in helping and saving His children.“

This talk is brief and full of personal experiences where he and his loved ones were saved by selfless others.  What are some of your own experiences where another person’s service or love have rescued you?  What about this talk is meaningful to you?

Go here to find the media versions of the talk (audio, video, mp3, etc.).  If this is your first visit to the General Conference Book Club,  click here to learn more about it.

One of the people I want to be when I grow up

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Photo by Scot Facer Proctor

I don’t want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails.

I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp.

I want to be there with grass stains on my shoes from mowing Sister Schenk’s lawn.

I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbor’s children.

I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone’s garden.

I want to be there with the children’s sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder.

I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived.

Marjorie Pay Hinckley