The Importance of One July 18, 2012

Two weeks ago in sacrament meeting something interesting happened. We partake of bread and water in remembrance of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but we have members of the congregation that have health conditions that do not allow them to eat the bread we use. Rice crackers are used for them to be able to partake without causing them ill effects. For some reason possibly due to the summer season and a lot of people being out of town, the rice crackers were not prepared. There was one woman in the ward who could not partake because of this. The young deacons administering the ordinance apologized but the bishop of the congregation noticed this interchange.

The administering of the water was postponed while a member of the bishopric went to retrieve the rice crackers. Another blessing upon those crackers was given (As stated in D&C 20:77) and administered to just this sister. They would not let her be left out. She looked a little embarrassed that all that would be done for just her, but it demonstrated the love of God for EVERY single one of children.

In The Book of Mormon, Jesus Christ comes to visit those on the American continent. In 3 Nephi 11, Christ invites all to come forth and feels the wounds of the nail prints in his hands and feet. In verse one it tells us that there was a GREAT multitude gathered together. The definition of multitude is a great number of people or numerous amounts gathered together. An example with a concrete number would be in the gospel of Matthew chapter 14. The multitude Christ fed with five loaves and two fishes was in number "five thousand men, beside women and children." (Verse 21) So we can infer that the number of those gathered by the temple just after the signs of Christ's death was a very great number. However, the Lord invited EVERY SINGLE ONE INDIVIDUALLY.

"And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and did feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come." 3 Nephi 11:15

It was so important that every person could testify that Jesus Christ was the Savior. All had the opportunity to know for themselves. Each person mattered to the Lord. Not one who would come would be left out, just as that sister was not forgotten or overlooked in that sacred ordinance that is done to remember our Savior Jesus Christ and the promises we have made with our Father in Heaven.

This is a gospel where each individual matters and none will be forgotten or denied.

 

Lesson from the fire escape.

July 11, 2012 tiffany.stamm

This is a post written by my missionary companion about one of our adventures.

This morning has been of epic proportions. My companion and I are always up to something ridiculous, so we should have known this was coming. We decided this morning we were going to try and save some time! First off I will share some background. Usually when we go downstairs to the parking lot we have to go down three flights of stairs and ALL the way around the building. OR there is a fire escape, with convenient stairs, coming right to our window that leads to the parking lot. The choice of the fire escape was certainly the "most efficient" of the two choices! So we decided in order to "save time" and "get to the Lords work" faster that this was the BEST PLAN EVER! Alas. I should have known it would end badly. You see, it started off great, we were having such a fun time climbing out our window on to the fire escape. We successfully got to our car and grabbed the needed items. We even met some missionaries of another faith while we were down there and had a nice conversation with them. The job was successful, we went back up the fire escape and then....DISASTER STRUCK! Somehow...my companion decided to FALL in the window instead of step in, which in turn pulled down the lamp, broke the light bulb, knocked over a chair, moved the fridge, tore a hole in her shoe, scuffed up the other, and got rug burn all up her legs. Meanwhile I'm outside on the fire escape holding a heavy item, which makes me almost fall off the fire escape with laughter. Oh my goodness!

But wait...that way was easier. It was more convenient. It seemed like such a fool proof plan! We were going to be safe and we were going to be successful...or so we thought. This whole experience reminds we of something we read in the Book of Mormon. In Alma Chapter 47 we learn of a man named Amalickiah. Now Almalickiah is not a good man. He has intentions to become king by killing off all the other people in line before him. Not cool Almalickiah. Not cool. The way he plans to do this is by tricking everyone. At one point he tricks the leader, Lehonti, of the other group to come down the mountain he was stationed at and talk to him. Well, Lehonti is not being fooled by Amalickiah. He KNEW that Amlickiah was bad news and he KNEW that he was going to be safe if he just stayed up on that mountain. But when we continue reading in Alma 47:12 we learn that Amalickiah is not okay with just sitting and waiting at the bottom of the mountain. He tells Lehonti he will be safe! It's just down the mountain a little way Lehonti? Why not go down? You'll probably be fine! But no. Lehonti was fixed in his purpose with a determined resolution! Alma 47:6 He won't go down that mountain! Then Amalickiah decides he will go up the mountain, nearly to Lehonti's camp, and convinces Lehonti at that point to come down the mountain with his army. Lehonti saw no reason to not go! He could bring his armies with him, and he would be SO CLOSE to his camp that everything would be okay. But. Alas. Lehonti was tricked. He thought he would be safe, he thought he would be fine if he took his armies with him, and the thing was he was safe for a while, until he was betrayed! He would've been safer if he stayed up on that mountain!

Truth is, there is probably almost always a "more efficient" way to get things done. But are we going to be hurting others or yourself to do it? Are we going to be spiritually safe at the end of the day? Wouldn't you rather go the safer way and not have to deal with the after math, which for us meant cleaning up our apartment and sweeping up glass and all sorts of chaos, so instead of leaving a little early to go out and do missionary work we had to stay in and clean! It was obviously not worth it. Are we ever choosing the more acceptable way with our friends? It's just a little way "down the mountain" you might think you can go right back up and as my companion and I learned, there are always consequences. Do we ever do the things we KNOW are not safe and tell ourselves that we can make it alright? We won't get hurt, we will only do it the one time. Of course my companion and I are alright. We are safe besides a few scrapes and bruises. But we could have been better off! We could have been perfectly fine! Don't let the desire of the more efficient way keep you from being the most spiritually happy you can be!

Lesson learned from the fire escape? Don't go down that mountain. Stay strong in what you know to be true! The safer way if always the better way both physically in spiritually.

Posted by Robyn Honomichl at 11:56 AM

Sister Honomichl, Sister Stamm, and Sister Wright--who just returned

from her mission and spent the day with them because she had not been released yet.