Tag Archive for: serve

It’s in their hands…

Over the last three years, I have penned many Sunday morning thoughts, sharing everyday parallels to gospel truths.
This will be my last in the Belgium Netherlands Mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
It has been a labour of love and joy.
Each weekend, as I consider the days gone by, some insight or reflective thought always comes.

New Leaders

Our new friends, Marius Natanya Von Mollendorff, will arrive on Wednesday.
By Friday, theyโ€™ll be leading the mission, and we will be on a plane back home to Scotland.
Thinking about the future of the Belgium Netherlands Mission, I couldnโ€™t get the phrase “๐’Š๐’•’๐’” ๐’Š๐’ ๐’•๐’‰๐’†๐’Š๐’“ ๐’‰๐’‚๐’๐’…๐’”” from my mind, as Monic and I depart the scene.

Safe Hands

Indeed, the mission is in a very safe pair of many hands, all trustworthy and reliable.
It reminded me of a quote from President Thomas S. Monson who said โ€œWe are the Lordโ€™s hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children. He is dependent upon each of us.โ€
When I think of our missionaries, I often think of them stretching out their hands to lift, comfort, bless, love, serve, and minister to the one, by offering hope and salvation through Jesus Christ.
Daily they try to emulate the great example of Jesus Christ.
They are called by a Prophet of God, to represent Him and to serve.
To serve, just as Jesus Christ served.
As a result of the Saviour stretching out His hands to touch others, they became stronger and better.
Similarly, โ€œโ€ฆas we emulate His perfect example our hands can become His handsโ€ โ€“ Dieter F. Uchtdorf.

It has been my experience these last 3 years, that as we extend our hands and hearts toward others in Christlike love, something wonderful always happens.

Whilst on the Lordโ€™s errand, I am a witness to the fact, that as missionaries combine their efforts with others, oftentimes impossible tasks are accomplished in miraculous ways.
The result โ€“ over and over again, many people become much stronger and happier as the Gospel of Jesus Christ comes into their lives.
I hope and pray that our hearts and hands just like the missionaries, can be stretched out in love and compassion towards many others.
Like the missionaries you too can become His hands.
For the moment, He asks us to be His hands, by โ€œdoing goodโ€ โ€“ Acts 10:38
What good can you do today?

Patterns

That’s a 3-year-old me on the left, with my younger sister – both wearing cardigans knitted by my mum.
Throughout her life, mum used knitting patterns to create woollen wonders.
As a child I recall watching my mum knitting hats, socks, gloves, scarves, shawls, cardigans, jumpers and so forth! As she settled down to watch the television, she would inevitably pull out her latest knitting project – and off she went.
On a few occasions Iโ€™ve tried my hand at knitting.

Knitting

Mum gave me some pointers on casting on, and the appropriate techniques – but then I had to learn the pattern!
Have you ever tried reading a knitting pattern?
To the uninitiated, they can look like a foreign language, cast on 140 sts, knit 1, purl 1 repeat etc!
But to those who know – they are a sure pattern, followed precisely, will lead to success, each and every time. Indeed, their beauty is in their simplicity, if you understand the direction. Each pattern doesn’t just suddenly appear, it needs to be carefully considered, written and practised.
As we stand on the shoulders of those giants who have preceded us, who have lived by these patterns before, we soon realise that we can replicate success or failure depending upon the patterns of life we choose to live by.
Just as there are many thousands of well used knitting patterns, in a like manner, there are tried and tested “patterns for life” that once understood and emulated will always lead you to higher ground.
In fact, followed with exactness these patterns will always lead to success.
So what are these patterns and how do we follow them in our lives?
And by following them, what will we become?
Regarding the fundamental nature of our characters, Gordon B. Hinckley stated that; “The course of our lives is not determined by great, awesome decisions…….our direction is set by the little day-to-day choices which chart the track on which we run.
If we apply that maxim to our lives, we could say that we are the result of many small decisions.
In effect, we are the product of our choices. We must develop the capacity to recall the past, to evaluate the present, and to look into the future in order to accomplish in our lives.

Patterns for Life

Likewise I believe that we can succeed in life by following simple patterns.
1. ๐ƒ๐จ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐ž๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐‹๐จ๐ฏ๐ž. In your work and career choices, its a simple fact that if you do something that you love – then you will never work one day in your life. If you are currently following the wrong pattern – then perhaps you need a new one?
2. ๐…๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐ž. Take it one step at a time, for some it may take a lifetime to discover. But most importantly along the way, you need to apply pattern #1 – do something you love! That will help you to find your purpose and meaning in life and your work. Are you currently using the wrong-coloured wool and need a new yarn?
3. ๐’๐ž๐ซ๐ฏ๐ž ๐Ž๐ญ๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐ฌ. Find out exactly who you can help and serve along the way. Follow the promptings of your heart and apply pattern #1 – give service through doing something you love! This will help you find even more joy in the journey. Perhaps you are using the wrong sized needles and you need some larger ones?
4. ๐“๐š๐ค๐ž ๐€๐œ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง. Choose to Act, and not be acted upon.
I know that our daily actions will determine our character. Take ownership of your own personal journey. What’s holding you back, is it perhaps that you have got stuck with a complicated part of your pattern? Why not seek out a personal coach to help you along the way? In turn they can help you to interpret the pattern for your life.
For me, I have witnessed a lifetime of beautiful woollen wonders created by mum and many others who can read the patterns.
In a like manner as we form our patterns for life, our life will be formed by those patterns.
Get yourself organised!!
Why not follow a new pattern, get some new yarn, some different needles for yourself, home and career today by knitting together some life changing habits – you won’t regret it!
๐–๐ก๐š๐ญ ๐ซ๐ž๐ฉ๐ž๐š๐ญ๐ž๐ ๐ฉ๐š๐ญ๐ญ๐ž๐ซ๐ง๐ฌ ๐š๐ซ๐ž ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ค๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐Ÿ๐š๐›๐ซ๐ข๐œ ๐จ๐Ÿ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฅ๐ข๐Ÿ๐ž?

Bored?

Bored? Confused? Fed up? Scunnered? Fatigued? Unhappy? Floundering? Depressed? Down? Gloomy? Flagging? Weary? Sad? Flat?…..

All of the above?

Yep – its tough at the moment, for sure.

This week when it was getting tough, I learned a very powerful lesson (again). It’s a simple thing, that will overcome all these feelings….

What is this straightforward remedy?

Forget yourself and Serve.

Serving others with love, will open the door and flood your life with greater meaning, purpose and joy.

Why not give it a go today! You know you want to! I promise you won’t regret it.