Tuesday, March 29, 2016

March 27, 2016 Happy Easter

It's been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. 
So it seems a little strange to realize that reading lyrics aloud to someone who is hard of hearing is like opening a window to a whole new world of understanding and appreciation.

Jesus climbed the hill
To the garden still
His steps were heavy and slow
Love and a prayer
Took Him there
To the place only He could go

He felt all that was sad, wicked or bad
All the pain we would ever know
While His friends were asleep
He fought to keep
His promise made long ago

The hardest thing that ever was done
The greatest pain that ever was known
The biggest battle that ever was won
This was done by Jesus
The fight was won by Jesus

Gethsemane
Jesus loves me
So He gave His gift to me
In Gethsemane

He is risen! He is risen!Tell it out with joyful voice.
He has burst his three days' prison;
Let the whole wide earth rejoice.
Death is conquered; man is free
Christ has won the victory!

We have so  much to be grateful for, Happy Easter!
The Assistants to the President Elder Hann and Elder Bowler 
weighing luggage for a missionary leaving on a jet plane Saturday morning.
Just a few missionaries saying farewell to friends and past companions as three IBM missionaries, Elders Anderson, Marostica and Smith, prepare to depart for home following an honorable release.

The smallest act of service is worth more than the grandest intention!
It's the Saturday before transfers so where would you find Elder Busath? 
At our infamous storage unit picking up beds, that's where!
 
Beds,beds, and more beds.
 It's crunch time and we still needed to find a few more places for our missionaries to lay their heads.  Fortunately one family stepped up to the challenge.

 President Thomas S. Monson has counseled:
“The needs of others are ever present, and each of us can do something to help someone.
“… Unless we lose ourselves in service to others, there is little purpose to our own lives” (“What Have I Done for Someone Today?” Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2009, 85).

 
As is too often the case lately, the phone rang at the Mission Office with a landlord complaining about the poor housekeeping skills of the missionaries.
  Senior Office staff to the rescue!

Elder Busath and Sister Christensen surveying the damage.
(Viewed discretion is advised when looking at the BEFORE pictures below)







                                    

 What would their mother's say?
It wasn't a surprise to discover that their vacuum cleaner hadn't been working 
for some time.
 Two days later at their re-inspection:
Walkway swept!
                                             
Bed made and clothes put away where they belong!

 
No words are necessary-
 After a full day of cleaning and passing their re-inspection the Elders were noticeably humbled and promised to do better.  
Please note that most of our missionaries are 100% obedient 
and work hard to keep a clean house, but there are always a few exceptions.
Still hoping to have daffodils this spring!

 “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
“This is the first and great commandment.
“And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself”
                                                                                                   (Matthew 22:36-40)
                                                                                         
It is only when we love God and Christ with all of our hearts, souls, and minds that we are able to share this love with our neighbors through acts of kindness and service—the way that the Savior would love and serve all of us if He were among us today.
When this pure love of Christ—or charity—envelops us, we think, feel, and act more like Heavenly Father and Jesus would think, feel, and act. Our motivation and heartfelt desire are like unto that of the Savior. He shared this desire with His Apostles on the eve of His Crucifixion. He said:
“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you. …
“By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” 
                                                                                                         (John 13:34-35)

The love the Savior described is an active love. It is not manifested through large and heroic deeds but rather through simple acts of kindness and service.

 May we show our love and appreciation for the Savior’s atoning sacrifice through our simple, compassionate acts of service.


Make it a great week!







No comments:

Post a Comment