Last night I had the opportunity to attend our monthly Senior Family Home Evening (FHE). It was a delightful evening. This is a very special opportunity for 8-10 single seniors to get together, discuss the gospel, sing together, pray together, learn more about each other, and enjoy a snack as we visit. We have a really fun and motivating group. Our "family" gathers together on the second Monday evening of the month.
Last night David drove and Mother, Teresa, and I were escorted to Bill's home. He treats us with such respect, opening and closing doors, making sure we are safely to our destination. The door was open and Bill was waiting for us with a smile on his face and open arms. We visited, laughed, and joked until everyone who was available was there. The evening started with prayer and a song. Now, you need to understand that we love to sing. Not only that, but we have some wonderful voices in our group. We also have a very good organist David, and a back up Teresa, and if neither of them are available Bill can step in also. As you can see, music is important to our "family".
We discussed our "family business". This week we decided that our hot air ballooning activity will be on Sept. 20th and "0 dark thirty" in the morning. The object is to lift off just as the sun is coming up in order to maximize our time prior to high winds and heat destroying the peace and serenity of the activity. We are hoping that we can get two or three rides done that morning. Most of the "family" have not been ballooning before so it will be new to most. David is also going to bring his boys (4 and 6) to the activity so that will add another layer to the fun. The next activity we discussed was to begin putting together a fireside for the stake. We have designated the fifth Sunday in November (11/30) for the activity. We are asking Brother Handy to present the program "Evidence of Christ in the Americas", which is a slide show that he has put together as a result of several trips to Central and South America as well as many years of study. He has done it previously for multi stake single adult conferences, but we felt that our stake general population (over the age of 12) would enjoy the evening.
The next order of business was a personal profile by Chris. She told us about growing up in Colorado, being in the Air Force, stationed in Japan, and some of the more bizarre places she has been while part of the military. She said that she has been escorted (blindfolded) to top secret facilities, done the necessary electrical work without moving very far one way or the other, and then being blindfolded until she was returned to the starting point. She has seen experimental aircraft, ordinance most of us never hear about, and been in a variety of missile silos. She has worked in telecommunications as a result of her military background and continues in that area today. She is an avid Family History buff and has specialized in Scottish history and "clan" lore.
Teresa gave the lesson on Testimony. It was a simple and beautiful lesson that lifted my spirits. She stressed that the gospel is "Simply Beautiful and Beautifully Simple". She referenced the most recent conference talks on testimony to remind us that a testimony is not a travel log, health or family update, a thank you note, a sermon, or an expression of our love of family. It is bearing our knowledge of the Godhead, prophets, scripture, the atonement, and the truthfulness of the gospel. She reminded us that a simple four sentence testimony, in the presence of the Holy Ghost, is more powerful that any prepared speech or lesson.
We had a closing prayer and sang another song, "There is Sunshine in my Soul". Refreshments were fruit, cheese, and cookies interspersed with plenty of conversation, stories, and more enjoyment of each others company. After a pleasant ride home, again dropping off Teresa, we bade good night to our escort and visited awhile with Porter, my grandson who has been visiting and spent the evening dining with his Aunt Anna. A very pleasant and uplifting evening right to the last.
Showing posts with label atonement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label atonement. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Repentance
As time goes by, we find that some things become more evident to us that they once were. I have found that my reliance on my Heavenly Father, and upon my Savior Jesus Christ, is much stronger and that I need them every day.
About 8 years ago I purchased a home so that my mother could retire and move in with me. We wanted it to be our home, not a a case of one or the other of us moving in to an established environment. As luck would have it, my daughter moved in also, so we were three generations in one home. I think it was wonderful. I will admit that I am prejudiced, but I loved having both of them there. We had plenty of common area and each of us had our own personal space. There was a nice yard and a beautiful deck, once we got some landscaping done.
My first visitors were from the Ward and included the Bishop and his two councilors. They were quickly followed by the Relief Society President and her two councilors in about 3 hours. My daughter and I are members, but my mother never felt the desire to join the church. I promised her that I would not pressure her, and there was no reason for her to doubt my promise. I hadn't been all that active for the previous 20 plus years. However, there was something about those visits. The people obviously genuinely cared about me. They understood that I had not been active, and that I needed more in my life. I felt love. For the first time in many, many years I felt real love and I respond well to love. I wanted more; I craved more. I began attending the meetings every week; accepted a calling as a Visiting Teacher and one as a Family History Consultant.
I began meeting more members of the ward as I would visit in their homes and talk to them about family history work. We began each visit with a prayer and ended each evening with a prayer. I began praying at home and studying the lessons. There was still something wrong, and I knew what it was, I was just afraid to take the action necessary. Over the years I had committed several acts that were not in keeping with my membership in the church. I had broken the word of wisdom, and some of the covenants that I had made with my Savior. I needed to repent. I needed to visit with the Bishop about this.
I was nervous as I waited for that first appointment. What would he think of me? How would I ever be able to look at him once he found out what an awful person I was? How had it come about that I was even in this position? I can't even begin to write about the awful feelings I had. However, once I walked into that office, and he took my hand, I realized that although it was going to be hard, I would be able to tell him everything, and he would be able to help me. I poured out all of the garbage collected over the previous 20 years, and some of it really stunk. He gave me activities that I needed to do including assigned reading, praying, and additional visits. We met several times, discussed what I had been reading including my feelings and thoughts about the selections. What I thought was important to him. He would council me and give me additional activities to do.
Before all was done, he asked me to visit with each of my children and ask for their forgiveness, confessing everything I knew I did that hurt them in one way or another. That was hard. I had not been the always there, patient, kind, long, suffering mother. I had left their father. My actions had made their lives much harder than they should have been. Each of my children told me that they had forgiven me many years earlier. Several of them reminded me that they were endowed and that they had forgiven me before they went to the temple. After gallons of tears, weeks of extra meetings, constant reading, many, many prayers, Bishop's court and other restrictions, I felt the burden of all those years begin to lift. The final night was filled with meditation, tears, and council from my Heavenly Father. I knew then that he loved me, that He knew my heart, and that I would not leave me as long as I did not leave Him.
Since then I have felt the presence of the Holy Ghost, something that I had not felt for many, many years. Life has had many ups and downs and there seems to be a new twist almost every month or two, but through it all I have known that I would not be abandoned. The ward has been there for me, my visiting teachers, home teachers, and local leaders have been there to strengthen me. I have received guidance and council, and I have felt my Father's love. I have felt the atonement work for me. Now I know where I priorities lie. I look for ways to serve; to feed His sheep; to be what He wants me to be. I am not saying that I have it all down pat; that is an incredible stretch. However, at least I realize what the goal is now, and I know that as long as I do the best I can, my Savior will make up the rest. I don't know what will happen when I stand before Him, but I do know that He loves me.
By the way, I am still a visiting teacher, and I am still a Family History Consultant. They are awsome callings.
About 8 years ago I purchased a home so that my mother could retire and move in with me. We wanted it to be our home, not a a case of one or the other of us moving in to an established environment. As luck would have it, my daughter moved in also, so we were three generations in one home. I think it was wonderful. I will admit that I am prejudiced, but I loved having both of them there. We had plenty of common area and each of us had our own personal space. There was a nice yard and a beautiful deck, once we got some landscaping done.
My first visitors were from the Ward and included the Bishop and his two councilors. They were quickly followed by the Relief Society President and her two councilors in about 3 hours. My daughter and I are members, but my mother never felt the desire to join the church. I promised her that I would not pressure her, and there was no reason for her to doubt my promise. I hadn't been all that active for the previous 20 plus years. However, there was something about those visits. The people obviously genuinely cared about me. They understood that I had not been active, and that I needed more in my life. I felt love. For the first time in many, many years I felt real love and I respond well to love. I wanted more; I craved more. I began attending the meetings every week; accepted a calling as a Visiting Teacher and one as a Family History Consultant.
I began meeting more members of the ward as I would visit in their homes and talk to them about family history work. We began each visit with a prayer and ended each evening with a prayer. I began praying at home and studying the lessons. There was still something wrong, and I knew what it was, I was just afraid to take the action necessary. Over the years I had committed several acts that were not in keeping with my membership in the church. I had broken the word of wisdom, and some of the covenants that I had made with my Savior. I needed to repent. I needed to visit with the Bishop about this.
I was nervous as I waited for that first appointment. What would he think of me? How would I ever be able to look at him once he found out what an awful person I was? How had it come about that I was even in this position? I can't even begin to write about the awful feelings I had. However, once I walked into that office, and he took my hand, I realized that although it was going to be hard, I would be able to tell him everything, and he would be able to help me. I poured out all of the garbage collected over the previous 20 years, and some of it really stunk. He gave me activities that I needed to do including assigned reading, praying, and additional visits. We met several times, discussed what I had been reading including my feelings and thoughts about the selections. What I thought was important to him. He would council me and give me additional activities to do.
Before all was done, he asked me to visit with each of my children and ask for their forgiveness, confessing everything I knew I did that hurt them in one way or another. That was hard. I had not been the always there, patient, kind, long, suffering mother. I had left their father. My actions had made their lives much harder than they should have been. Each of my children told me that they had forgiven me many years earlier. Several of them reminded me that they were endowed and that they had forgiven me before they went to the temple. After gallons of tears, weeks of extra meetings, constant reading, many, many prayers, Bishop's court and other restrictions, I felt the burden of all those years begin to lift. The final night was filled with meditation, tears, and council from my Heavenly Father. I knew then that he loved me, that He knew my heart, and that I would not leave me as long as I did not leave Him.
Since then I have felt the presence of the Holy Ghost, something that I had not felt for many, many years. Life has had many ups and downs and there seems to be a new twist almost every month or two, but through it all I have known that I would not be abandoned. The ward has been there for me, my visiting teachers, home teachers, and local leaders have been there to strengthen me. I have received guidance and council, and I have felt my Father's love. I have felt the atonement work for me. Now I know where I priorities lie. I look for ways to serve; to feed His sheep; to be what He wants me to be. I am not saying that I have it all down pat; that is an incredible stretch. However, at least I realize what the goal is now, and I know that as long as I do the best I can, my Savior will make up the rest. I don't know what will happen when I stand before Him, but I do know that He loves me.
By the way, I am still a visiting teacher, and I am still a Family History Consultant. They are awsome callings.
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