The Blessings of Service

"Wow, time goes by so quickly that I just don't get to this blog enough.  This is my journal, as well, so I need to be more diligent at keeping up with it!

There have been so many sweet blessing come to us over the past few weeks.  First of all I want to report on Savannah Smith.  She is still in the hospital at 6 months old.  She weighs 11.6 pounds now, which is probably pretty small for someone her age, but she has been a little fighter to live and make it through.  I love going to see her, and we do it every day now, as she needs more attention.  She focuses on me more now, and give me such big, happy, and lasting smiles.  It truly warms my heart and makes me realize how precious life is!  Her lungs are still not well enough for her to be without oxygen and she still has the feeding tube.  They are waiting for her parents to accept that she needs to go home with a trac. for breathing.  They are so reluctant because of the fact that the surgery didn't go well for her.

Victoria, brought her two other children to church a couple of Sunday's ago.  We were so thrilled to meet her cute kids.  She has a son that is 12 and another daughter who is 4.  I sat by her cute daughter during Sacrament meeting.  She drew me several pictures, and at the end I drew her one of me and her with a note that said "I love you", I read it to her, and then she reached up and gave me a hug and kiss!  So fun to be with kids that you know have been raised with love and affection.  We're hopeful this family will accept the teachings of the gospel when they're all settled at home again.

I mentioned the two missionary's in our ward in one post.  I just found out that Elder Degn is a nephew of my cousin Rhonda Barfuss!  The world of the church always seems to guide us to people we know, or discover we have mutual friends and family!


Speaking of which, I found Elder Richardson again at the missionary meeting with Elder D. Todd Christofferson. I was glad I got to see him again as I wanted to get a picture.  He's going home in another week, and will be warmly greeted by Pres. Stephen & Marianna Richardson.  This family holds a special place in my heart!

The Saturday meeting we had with Elder Christofferson was wonderful!  He was there with Pres. Donald Halstrom - Pres. of the 70, Elder Randy Funk, Elder Terrance Vinsin, and Elder Todd B. Hanson.  Elder Hanson told me he used to live in Redmond and then in Woodinville.  Had we talked longer I'm sure we would have known the same people.

They asked us to be at the meeting at 9:30 even though it didn't start until 10:00.  At 9:15 Pres. Durrant asked us all to have a seat and be very quiet for the arrival of these priesthood leaders.  The reverence was so amazing and created a spiritual feeling that was powerful.  When they filed in, Pres. Durrant said they wanted each of us 259 missionary's to line up and shake hands with these good brothers.  What a sweet blessing to all of us!

They each bore their testimonies and shared special experiences they have had in their lives.  Elder Vinsin is the newest Seventy and was just called at this last conference.  He has been assigned to serve in Africa.  He and his family are from Australia, and I loved his accent.  His message was that of Alma and the Sons of Mosiah, who had fallen away from the church but repented and became great missionary's.  They became "Instruments in the Lord's" hands in spreading the words of the Savior.  He shared this poem:

                                                 COME TO THE EDGE
                                                 Come to the edge.
                                                 We might fall.
                                                 Come to the edge.
                                                  It's too high!
                                                 Come to the edge!              
                                                 And they came,
                                                 And we pushed,
                                                 And they flew.
                                                                           Christopher Logue

Elder Funk counseled us to cherish the moments of our work, and study the atonement again, and again, and again!  He said our lives will be forever changed by serving missions, and that we will always look back at our mission; and gain strength to face our trials because of our experiences here.

Elder Halstrom turned to Pres. Durrant and asked how many missionaries were here today, he said "There are 249."  He then said:, "The price of taking 249 missionaries out of service to come to this meeting was very great.  Whether the message we receive will be worth the cost, is up to each one of us.  The Holy Spirit is the great teacher.  What we receive depends on how we've prepared our
hearts."

Elder Hanson shared that when he was on his mission they met with a new investigator.  They had wondered about their presentation to him, and what the best approach would be.  As he invited them in and sat down with them, he reached down and took off his leg.  The Elders knew at that point where to begin.  Alma 11:  43-44, The body shall take it's perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored.  Not even one hair shall be lost, but everything restored to it's perfect frame.  He counseled us to "Be aware of our surroundings, and then we will be guided by the spirit."

Elder D. Todd Christofferson was at our Stake Conf. on Sunday and told us:  "The Holy Ghost makes it possible for each of us to serve His children.  It prepares us for ALL we need to do to serve, teach and love others.  Most all of us have an inner yearning to touch others and influence for good.  The church opens up the way for us to satisfy those feelings.  The Lord's spirit is a very personal one, but he wants us to use our personal experiences to touch his children."  (end quote)

He left us with an apostolic blessing:  "There are very hard times ahead".  He blessed us that we may have food enough to eat, and some to share.  He told us to be patient and receptive to the "burning witness" in our hearts so we can endure to the end.

Had a fun experience with Sis. Nelms husband Morris this past week.  I feel a connection with him because of my dad.  I asked him...straight out, "Why aren't you a member of the church?"  He said, "I have a few private issues".   However, he began to open up to me, and we had a nice conversation.  The issues were hurt feelings. We talked about how everyone of us have been hurt at times....but we should never give other people the right, to stop our own eternal progression.

I told him my dad had married in the temple and had raised us in the church, but had not been active.  However, he did everything he could to get us to church, and would have been very unhappy if we had not been married in the temple.  He knew the gospel was true, but he was too stubborn to live it!  I told him that's why he reminds me of my dad! "Bro. Nelms, you're stubborn just like him"!  I told him, "When you die, your are going to be baptized anyway, and you'll have to make the choice there just like you need to here; and think about how much happiness it would bring to your wife and children if you did it here!"  Well, with all that...he didn't get mad, in fact, he came out the door to catch me as I left and said, "Sis. Baxter, thank you for coming.  We both enjoy your visits!"  Maybe just one more little seed was planted in his stubborn heart".

Pres. Durrant has told us we are now going to expand out to another ward.  We will not leave this ward or any of the wonderful people we're working with, but will go out to help others.

I want to close with the following quote from a book by Marvin J. Ballard:
"Reach out to one another with love, for "Charity Never Faileth" (Moroni 7:46).  Many of you sisters may be hurting for one reason or another.  Reach out to those who suffer, listen to their concerns, be worthy of their trust, and always keep their confidences.  Share their burdens.  Teach them, both by precept and by example, about Heavenly Father's plan for His children.  Help them understand our Father's unalterable commitment to the principle of moral agency.  Teach them about the essential part adversity plays in our eternal lives. Take them by the hand and help them to repent, forgive, have faith, endure, or do whatever is needed.  Never forget that the Lord may work a miracle in their lives through you.

I know that if we do this at home, at school, at work, and at church,  the Spirit will guide us, and we will be prompted by that Spirit, and be magnificently motivated to help pollinate the world with the pure love of Christ and His gospel.  And remember, like the honeybee's 1/12 teaspoon of honey provided to the hive in it's lifetime; if we multiply our efforts by tens of thousands, even millions of prayerful efforts to share God's love for His children through Christian service; there will be a compounding effect of good that will bring the Light of Christ to this darkening world.  Bound together, we will bring love and compassion to our own family, and to the lonely, the poor, the broken, and to those of our Heavenly Father's children who are searching for truth and peace." (End of Quote)

This is the perfect description of what I see my missionary calling to be, and also a way to live a beautiful life!  May my small acts of love make a difference!