Monday, May 23, 2011
MOM's missionary talk
When new families move into our ward, they usually get the opportunity to tell about themselves, so although we have been here a long time, most people don't know much about us.
Mat grew up in Sugar City and I grew up outside of Sugar in an area called Salem on a farm. Mat was a Digger and I was a Digger Darling.
Mat went to the Ohio/West Virginia mission, which set a standard for the rest of our married life. It was important.
We were married and came here to school intending to go back but never did.
We bought land and built a home in 1979.
At first we thought all the great and noble people lived in the FH 5 Ward
Then as we served and got to know more people, we figured all the great and noble people lived in the FH Stake
Then as our children have gone to school, played soccer, gone on band trips, etc, we have decided that all the great and noble people live in Kaysville, Fruit Heights
I am fairly we confident that we will find great and noble people in Oakland California.
Over the past few weeks, I have written 3 talks, so I’ll just give you the highlights of each one.
TALK #1
THE MARVELOUS MIGHTY MIRACLE OF MISSIONARY WORK
I have watched as the young men who are Joseph’s age have literally flooded the earth as they have each received their mission calls. It truly is a miracle to see 19 year old boys go to different countries, cultures, languages, and preach the gospel. They have no experience, no training, and very little money, and yet a tremendous amount of faith.
Then I have truly marveled when I think about senior missionaries going about “doing good” in Madagascar, Germany, Kirtland Ohio, Australia, South Africa, Oakland California and all over the world. We have experience in the church, and have talents and abilities to offer. It is a Marvelous Mighty Miracle as we share with the world our blessings.
TALK #2
WORK, WORK, WORK
A farmer owned an old mule. One day the mule fell into the farmers well. The farmer, hearing the mule braying, rushed over to see what had happened. After assessing the situation, the farmer decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together and enlisted their help to haul dirt to bury the old mule and fill the well. At first the mule was hysterical, but as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling dirt onto the mules back, he would just shake it off and step up. So this he did, shake it off and step up, shake it off and step up, shake it off and step up. It wasn’t long before the old mule, battered, dirty and exhausted, stepped over the wall of the well. What seemed like it would bury him had actually been the means of his rescue.
Everyone including missionaries are hit with a variety of problems, some harder to deal with than others, financial, health, emotional or it could be that our bread has mold on it or our car won’t start. No matter what we deal with on a daily basis, this is a solution: to just shake it off and step it up or in other words work, work, work.
When our Savior Jesus Christ had problems or difficulties to surmount he often went away to pray and then he would come back be about His Father’s business.
In PMG, PRESIDENT BENSON “I have often said one of the greatest secrets of missionary work is work! If a missionary works, he will get the Spirit; if he gets the Spirit, he will teach by the Spirit; and if he teaches by the Spirit, he will touch the hearts of the people and he will be happy. There will be no homesickness, no worrying about families, for all time and talents and interests are centered on the work of the ministry. Work, work, work—there is no satisfactory substitute, especially in missionary work.”
TALK #3
NEVERTHELESS
During last week’s sacrament meeting on the Atonement of Jesus Christ, I jotted down a few notes. We have but a few verses in scripture as to what happened that long night in Gethsemane. We know that our Savior, Jesus Christ must have prayed mightily. He might have pleaded for us and for the burden which He was going through. We know that He said, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death.”
Matthew says, He “went a little further and fell on his face and prayed, saying, O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: NEVERTHELESS not as I will, but as thou wilt”
Mark says, “And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me; NEVERTHELESS not what I will, but what thou wilt.”
Luke says, “And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: NEVERTHELESS not my will, but thine be done.
The very fact that our Savior prayed mightily that the terrific and necessary experience of the Atonement might be lifted, yet, NEVERTHELESS He was willing to do whatever our Father in Heaven needed Him to do, signifies to us that we should do the same. When faced with difficulties and concerns, big or small, we can pray mightily about our needs, and desires, and then, NEVERTHELESS, be willing to, "Submit with patience to all the will of the Lord”. It takes a tremendous amount of courage and an incredible amount of faith to say "Thy will be done" when faced with overwhelming concerns or even minor disruptions in our lives. But when we accept the reality of the situation, pray mightily, and then go to work we can have peace. We may have sorrow, discouragement, disappointment, and even pain, but we will also have peace. Our Heavenly Father and His son, Jesus Christ gave us all we have and so we give all that we have back, and yet the only thing we really have to give is our will. NEVERTHELESS, not my will, but thine be done.
To conclude all three talks:
We are excited as a family to participate in the MARVELOUS, MIGHTY, MIRACLE OF MISSIONARY WORK. And yes we expect to WORK, WORK, WORK. But most importantly we try to live our lives as representatives of the gospel of Jesus Christ all the time and do as He did in going about “doing good”. We covenant each week as we partake of the sacrament to “always remember Him” and take upon us His name. NEVERTHELESS, we give all that we have, because He gave all that He had for us.
Life is good and it will be good in Birmingham England and Oakland California. I testify that our Father in Heaven and His Son Jesus Christ loves each one of us.
Mat grew up in Sugar City and I grew up outside of Sugar in an area called Salem on a farm. Mat was a Digger and I was a Digger Darling.
Mat went to the Ohio/West Virginia mission, which set a standard for the rest of our married life. It was important.
We were married and came here to school intending to go back but never did.
We bought land and built a home in 1979.
At first we thought all the great and noble people lived in the FH 5 Ward
Then as we served and got to know more people, we figured all the great and noble people lived in the FH Stake
Then as our children have gone to school, played soccer, gone on band trips, etc, we have decided that all the great and noble people live in Kaysville, Fruit Heights
I am fairly we confident that we will find great and noble people in Oakland California.
Over the past few weeks, I have written 3 talks, so I’ll just give you the highlights of each one.
TALK #1
THE MARVELOUS MIGHTY MIRACLE OF MISSIONARY WORK
I have watched as the young men who are Joseph’s age have literally flooded the earth as they have each received their mission calls. It truly is a miracle to see 19 year old boys go to different countries, cultures, languages, and preach the gospel. They have no experience, no training, and very little money, and yet a tremendous amount of faith.
Then I have truly marveled when I think about senior missionaries going about “doing good” in Madagascar, Germany, Kirtland Ohio, Australia, South Africa, Oakland California and all over the world. We have experience in the church, and have talents and abilities to offer. It is a Marvelous Mighty Miracle as we share with the world our blessings.
TALK #2
WORK, WORK, WORK
A farmer owned an old mule. One day the mule fell into the farmers well. The farmer, hearing the mule braying, rushed over to see what had happened. After assessing the situation, the farmer decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together and enlisted their help to haul dirt to bury the old mule and fill the well. At first the mule was hysterical, but as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling dirt onto the mules back, he would just shake it off and step up. So this he did, shake it off and step up, shake it off and step up, shake it off and step up. It wasn’t long before the old mule, battered, dirty and exhausted, stepped over the wall of the well. What seemed like it would bury him had actually been the means of his rescue.
Everyone including missionaries are hit with a variety of problems, some harder to deal with than others, financial, health, emotional or it could be that our bread has mold on it or our car won’t start. No matter what we deal with on a daily basis, this is a solution: to just shake it off and step it up or in other words work, work, work.
When our Savior Jesus Christ had problems or difficulties to surmount he often went away to pray and then he would come back be about His Father’s business.
In PMG, PRESIDENT BENSON “I have often said one of the greatest secrets of missionary work is work! If a missionary works, he will get the Spirit; if he gets the Spirit, he will teach by the Spirit; and if he teaches by the Spirit, he will touch the hearts of the people and he will be happy. There will be no homesickness, no worrying about families, for all time and talents and interests are centered on the work of the ministry. Work, work, work—there is no satisfactory substitute, especially in missionary work.”
TALK #3
NEVERTHELESS
During last week’s sacrament meeting on the Atonement of Jesus Christ, I jotted down a few notes. We have but a few verses in scripture as to what happened that long night in Gethsemane. We know that our Savior, Jesus Christ must have prayed mightily. He might have pleaded for us and for the burden which He was going through. We know that He said, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death.”
Matthew says, He “went a little further and fell on his face and prayed, saying, O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: NEVERTHELESS not as I will, but as thou wilt”
Mark says, “And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me; NEVERTHELESS not what I will, but what thou wilt.”
Luke says, “And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: NEVERTHELESS not my will, but thine be done.
The very fact that our Savior prayed mightily that the terrific and necessary experience of the Atonement might be lifted, yet, NEVERTHELESS He was willing to do whatever our Father in Heaven needed Him to do, signifies to us that we should do the same. When faced with difficulties and concerns, big or small, we can pray mightily about our needs, and desires, and then, NEVERTHELESS, be willing to, "Submit with patience to all the will of the Lord”. It takes a tremendous amount of courage and an incredible amount of faith to say "Thy will be done" when faced with overwhelming concerns or even minor disruptions in our lives. But when we accept the reality of the situation, pray mightily, and then go to work we can have peace. We may have sorrow, discouragement, disappointment, and even pain, but we will also have peace. Our Heavenly Father and His son, Jesus Christ gave us all we have and so we give all that we have back, and yet the only thing we really have to give is our will. NEVERTHELESS, not my will, but thine be done.
To conclude all three talks:
We are excited as a family to participate in the MARVELOUS, MIGHTY, MIRACLE OF MISSIONARY WORK. And yes we expect to WORK, WORK, WORK. But most importantly we try to live our lives as representatives of the gospel of Jesus Christ all the time and do as He did in going about “doing good”. We covenant each week as we partake of the sacrament to “always remember Him” and take upon us His name. NEVERTHELESS, we give all that we have, because He gave all that He had for us.
Life is good and it will be good in Birmingham England and Oakland California. I testify that our Father in Heaven and His Son Jesus Christ loves each one of us.
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