What an amazing week from God! Honestly, there is just not room or time enough to describe the workings of His tender mercies!
This past week when the snow storm hit, I admit, I went through the emotions of bitter and sweet. Sweet because I love fresh snow. Bitter because I love (almost more than fresh snow), blossoms on the trees. The blossoms, in just one week have, awwed the streets of Springville and Provo. The blossoms only stay a few short weeks, but this storm surely cut the life span of all the blossoms.
As I got into work and shook off the snow from my coat, I over heard some girls talking. Vanessa was concerned about the 3 blossom trees we have in the parking lot. She said when she got in to work, some of the tree's branches were sagging to the ground. So in an effort to save the trees, she went out and shook the limbs she could reach on each tree. Her hope was to get enough snow off so the tree branches wouldn't touch the ground. She talked about finding a broom so she could reach the higher branches. I thought that was a little on the extreme side. After all it was still heavily snowing outside. (Oh how wrong was I!)
I didn't think any more of what I heard and went to start my work.
By the end of the day, the snow had already started to melt from the 24 hour dump that had just occurred. The sun was shining and the birds were singing. I pulled out of the parking lot and headed for my church building, when not even driving 30 secs, I started to realize the magnitude of the snow storm. I found several trees that had been badly broken. Whole massive branches had been broken in half. I started seeing so many that my heart became sick.
I pulled my car over (mind you there were no shoulders on the road I was driving and I made quite a few cars not so happy with me) but I just had to take pictures of the damage done by one snow storm.
Blossom trees, pretty developed, had significant gashes from where their branches had become too heavy from the snow.
My heart was sick. On this one particular tree, this huge branch, full branch, had broken off.
As I drove down the road, I started seeing more and more trees like this. It was a common occurrence. By the end of the night without hesitation I can say I counted well over 50 blossom trees that had some type of crack/brake in their branches.
I started thinking of all those people I love. Friends, family and particularly the Sisters in my ward. I pondered how we can all relate to these trees.
In the dead of winter, the snow comes, then ice storms... trees all lay dormant. I don't think I have ever seen a tree in the winter that has cracked or had a branch broken off. How true that is to life. When we are in our winter, refusing to open up our testimony or show our light or "open to God" the storms come and go and we are just a cold/lifeless tree. But it is when have the courage to open up unto god... when we find life in the gospel and living the commandments. That is our time to blossom!
I will finish that thought, but let me jump to the rest of the story.
Because I had seen all these broken trees, I was really anxious to see the trees at my work. The ones Vanessa had lovingly--shook.
The next morning came and on my drive to work from the temple, I was again sickened like the day before to see all the cracks and brakes--this time I was looking at 900 E Trees and not East Bay Blvd Trees. As I pulled up to work, I turned to look at the three trees we have in our parking lot.
Whole! One tree had a tiny brake (this is in comparison to everything else I had seen) and the other two were completely whole! WHOLE!! And yet on the very same street, 30 secs away in a car bigger and smaller trees had big cracks/brakes in them. But the trees in my parking lot were just fine!
Okay, okay, so you totally know where I am going with this! But nonetheless I am still going there!
VISITING AND HOME TEACHING!!!
You have someone that you have been called to watch over. Maybe someone strong in their testimony of the Savior. Maybe someone not so strong. Maybe someone who is still dormant in their faith. Maybe they just don't know that they know. Regardless of what state they are in, we are all like the blossom trees. Do we know when there is a storm in their life? Are we apart of their life enough to know when their branches are hanging low. Are we in contact and intune with the spirit when it comes to caring/watching/tending to their needs?
While I was stopped at a stop light I marveled with how full a couple of the blossom trees were.
I thought that these trees were just fine. No need to worry. They looked like they had survived just fine. Well that is what I thought until I searched the tree for any signs of breakage. Sadly, though the tree did a good job of hiding among all the blossoms, I found it, a brake in the upper top of the branches. Can you see the brake below? (You can click on the picture for a better view)
Go do the center of the picture then slightly over just a little to the left. Do you see it? I hadn't noticed it at first. But how true is this for all of us! Everyone is always dealing with something. They put on a beautiful full mask, but everyone has struggles of their own or are worried over others. Everyone is, or knows someone. So when I visit teach, am I sensitive to the un spoken/or unseen wounds/struggles/temptations/addictions/pains? Do I even care enough to know if they have those area's in their life?!
At a stop light, I saw a white blossom tree limb just laying on the side walk, broken--alone--lifeless.
Do I notice/or am in touch enough to know when someone is struggling--feeling broken--alone--lifeless?
Everyone has burdens! Friday as I left work I pulled down a street and saw this massive blossom tree broken in three different places.
The brakes were pretty huge! Any of us can fall. None of us are numb to the temptations of life, although that would be an awesome goal!! But even the strongest member needs to be nourished and feed by the good word of god. By teachers who really care about what is going on in their lives.
Okay, so you can see the passion I had with this 48 hour adventure. So impressed was I by Vanessa at work. And her little act of shaking off the tree limbs.
1. She was aware
enough of the three trees in the parking lot to have concern for them when a storm hit.
2. She was aware enough of the trees/seeing them daily (and I know for us, we usually don't do daily, but being in enough contact that we know) to tell a difference in the perkiness/droopiness of ones branches.
3. She had concern enough to shake the limbs. This took extra effort. Defiantly not convenient to go out during a snow storm, trace through the snow, stand under a tree and shake the snow off limbs, which would in return dumb their [the tree's snow] snow on you. But she did it! (Some times promptings come to make a surprise visit or a call... or to go visit/check in even after your monthly visit has already been completed. But are we sensitive to their needs and the daily/weekly/monthly/yearly storms they face?)
I don't know how fun it is to be shaken--perhaps the tree thought, "Vanessa, what are you doing to me?! Leave me alone. I don't want you to shake my limbs." Thank goodness she did!
What happens when we meet others that for whatever reasons, have pretty big wounds from whatever...? Well we surely just don't leave their broken limb hanging!
I was shocked to find on Friday that many of these trees had not been taken care of. And as you can tell from this picture, because the limb was not cut off (taken care of), any added pressure, you can see how much further down this limb might brake/tare!
Going back to the new blossoms, when we are sensitive to those around us and get to know them, we will be able to notice when they are taking hold of gospel truths for the first time, or are reestablishing their commitment level. We will know because they will start to bloom and open unto the lord. And it is in/with these tender moments when we need to be extra mindful/watchful over their conditions and what we can do for them.
Friday morning, before work, I drove to the temple and awwed over the fact that I could not find one broken blossom tree at the temple. --! We include the temple consistently/frequently in our life and help it be a goal in the lives of those we teach--we will find that we can withstand the storms of life. The temple shields us with power. When we are reminded of our covenants that we make there, we become filled with greater desire to keep blooming to him! The temple must be a focus.
I will never look at a Blossom Tree the same.
STAKE MEETINGS-TEACH?!
After getting home on Friday somewhat late, I was excited to have a moment to myself to clean. But so strong was the impression that I needed to make a movie of what God had just taught me through the Blossom trees. I start
ed on the movie, somewhat reluctant because I really wanted to clean my place. Carson stopped by unexpectedly and what a treat it was to have him over. We haven't hung out just the two of us since before he and Nyk got married. It was so good for me to be around/talk with him.
Before he and Nyk headed back to WY, I asked if they wouldn't mind having family prayer with me. (Ha, the family was me and them!) But I felt impressed that we needed to have prayer and that Carson should be the one to say it. It was beautiful/sincere and I felt the spirit strongly. I must admit I was a little hesitant to ask them to pray with me, but that thought only lasted for a sec! Prayer, I feel, is one of the most powerful tools one can have in their life. IF we can stay true to sincere communion with God then we will be open/worthy for the spirit to dwell with us, we will be able to be better at remembering Him and I believe we will have a desire to be and do good. Okay, little plug in for PRAYER IS AMAZING! DO IT!
After Chick and Carson left I felt I needed to head back to putting together the movie. Around 9:30 I noticed I missed a call from the Stake RS President, Sister Hutchison. I called her back and she asked if I would give the closing prayer in our stake meetings the next morning. After agreeing, I am not sure how we got talking, but I mentioned I went to the RS training up in SLC and how excited I was with the things Julie B. Beck had talked about. Sister Hutchison excitedly asked if I would speak at the end of the meetings and asked if I could type up my notes from the Salt Lake meeting. I agreed, hung up the phone and went back to putting together the movie. 1:30 AM came and I went to sleep happy that the Lord had put together what I felt was a significant clip.
6 AM came all too quick, but I was up and out on the track with Jinger. It was walk 6 mins and jog one min training. We are just at the start of training for a 10 K . Mind you I will not be running in a race, but I want so badly to learn how to jog and the Lord has provided Jinger as an answer to my prayer. When I got home, I had a little over an hour to shower/get ready and make the handout for the stake meeting.
As I jumped out of the shower I felt impressed that I needed to show the movie clip at the stake meeting. Mind you, this meeting was for training the RS presidencies about Visiting Teaching. And when the Stake President called me the night before she had no intentions of asking me to teach/share what I had learned from the Salt Lake training...How could I now call her and tell her I wanted to play a clip at
her meeting. Talk about inviting yourself to take over! (So NO WAY, was my thought, but again, I know better then to go against an impression.)
I got the guts up (I admit I had to pray for the guts) and ask her if she wouldn't mind me sharing this little video clip. She said it was fine. (Few!) :) I know I am pathetic!
There was a knock at my door. I ran in my rob and hesitantly opened the door. It was Jinger with a little bag of banana bread slices. She had to run, but dropped them off and she asked/begged me to not back out on a commitment I had made. Her little service of bringing me 4 little slices of bread turned out to be a huge tender mercy of the Lord... I will finish this thought in a min.
So I am now 30 mins until the meeting started and I was just typing up my handout of notes. As I typed I kept stewing over the thought of how I didn't want to overstep my stewardship. Last min training at the stake meetings... showing a clip that they, the stake leaders, had not approved of first... I got a little sick at what others would think. And really more then that, I was worried if I was stepping over my bounds/stewardship.
As I was driving (3 mins to get to a a church 7 mins away) I pondered over if I could really do/should do this training. In my heart I just knew the meetings would go over and I would be asked to speak when everyone would be expecting to leave--oh I was completely un easy about the whole notion.
While I drove, I gratefully ate the two small slices of Jinger's banana bread. I thanked the Lord as I recognized his tender mercy. I was hungry from being up so early/exercising but had been too busy to grab a quick bite of anything. After the stake meetings, I knew there would be a little breakfast, but I was sure grateful for the slices of bread to give me something until then.
As I got on the freeway, the battle of what to do for the meeting still cankered my soul. And for whatever reason I leaned over the stirring wheel towards the windshield and looked up. And at that moment I saw what looked between a swan, crane, and pelican fly nearly on top of my car-on the freeway- and then fly away. There were no other birds to be found, and it was so quick and so different looking, that I still don't know what type of bird it was. But my heart immediately stopped it's battle. Here was my confirmation... I would follow through. I would show my clip and not worry about stepping on toes at the meeting.
The meeting went amazing! We watched the movie "Feed My Sheep" and I could not keep from weeping. Two little kids go to care for baby lambs all summer with their Dad. A storm had killed all the adult sheep. With the parents gone, and the little lambs not knowing how to eat in a trough because they had never been taught by their mothers, these little kids had to bottle feed every lamb. There was so many little lambs and only two doing the feedings. Many of the lambs were starving to death. Every morning they would find 6 or 7 dead little lambs.
The girl who was tending to the sheep happened to name of of the lambs. She loved the lamb and it followed her faithfully everywhere. One morning she wakes and finds the lamb gone. She goes searching for the lamb and finds it a far way off dead. She gently picks up the now cold lamb and takes it to her father crying. She asks if anything can be done. And as he patted her head and just let her do some needed crying she looked up at her dad and asked, "Isn't there anyone that will help feed our sheep?" To this, my cheeks became uncontrollably wet. I have prayed and cried almost those exact words to Heavenly Father on several occasions. To see sisters/brothers/loved ones fall away, or become spiritually dead--so many that I believe would not have fallen/drifted--had they been properly cared for/feed through the home teaching and visiting teaching programs. I have had some countless nights where I have knelt in anguish of the drop off of flock members. Ones that needed not drop off had they only had the support of loving visiting teachers. No one is a number, but a spiritual daughter/son of God! And just like the trees, there are so many that could be spared, or at least protected from the storms had they just been looked after/cared for by the people over them.
Well true enough to the impressions in the morning, the meeting was already 30 mins over the time limit by the time I was to get up. Even during the presentation the opposition threaten to destroy and make me shut my mouth and just sit down. I am sure to the reader of this, I sound so nuts, but this is how I felt. The meeting ended, and the Lord had gotten me through my moments. I felt heaven had engulfed the room.
Because the meeting had ended later then planned, I dashed out the door to help some girls with their visiting teaching. And as I drove to the appointment, knowing I would not be home for several more hours, I saw the last two slices of banana bread in the bag Jinger gave me. My eyes became wet as I pondered over how the Lord had provided for my needs. Would I have been okay not eating until after 2 when I got home... you bet! But my Father in heaven just proved yet again that he is into details. And he had detailed out for me (by having a wonderful sister in law who I had just been with that morning) run over before she rushed to Salt Lake, and drop off 4 slices of banana bread. Something she has never done before. And here I had breakfast and lunch!! And all because our God, is a God of details/love/kindness/miracles!
Now you may ask, why was it so important to give the lesson and show my little clip? Well I will never know. I have some hunches, for I was able to talk to someone after the meeting that I normally would not have talked to, but even if that was just a little test to see if I would follow through--don't follow my example. Do it, and don't worry/question. Sure I was willing to do it, but my weaknesses, doubts clouded my faith with "what will other stake members think of me if I take up this time/present?" Oh to be quick to obey, and not complain/question in the process, is a beautiful thing I need to work on.
MOSIAH 26:13-15,19
Tonight, I felt impressed I had to get this blog up. But I had not read the Book of Mormon for the day. I just opened to Mosiah 26 and just started to read starting in 13. I started to cry. The Lord knows what is in our hearts! He knows our desires. He knows when we are trying to be better. And he also knows how to comfort and bless us. Don't get me wrong, today was amazing! And there many choice moments basking in His spirit. But even with all that... He led me to read Alma's conflict which seemed completely identical to my feelings/heart this evening. I didn't mean to, but the likening unto ourselves, just came by the spirit as I read. The Lord was talking to me--I cried. And in gratitude thanked Him for allowing me to read such verses. God is, a God of love/compassion.
I know that God lives. I know that Jesus is the Christ, the Prince of peace, the Holy one. I know that they love us. I know that prayers are answered and can be guided/led daily. I am so thankful for repentance! It is real! We can be cleansed and made whole through Christ's atonement.
I hope to leave this life like President Henry B. Eyring quoted his dad while he was approaching his death (this month's Ensign article
Teaching True Doctrine):
"My father...talked to me during the nights as he approached death. He spoke of joyous reunions that were coming soon in the spirit world...
At one point I asked him if he had some repenting to do. He smiled. He chuckled softly as he said, “No, Hal, I’ve been repenting as I went along.”"
Thank goodness Heavenly Father, through His Son's atonement has provided a way for me to repent each day and to renew my soul each week...
And may I clarify a bit on my feelings of Visiting/Home teaching. There are times when we will visit and limbs will still brake... and trees will still remain or even choose to go dormant. But we, the Lord's helpers in tending to needs in the field, can be assured that we will know what God would have us do for such trees. We must have the faith, that he will help us/guide us as we lovingly/willingly tend to the branches and our trees.
Oh it has been an amazing handful of days.
The church is true!
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