We Can Do A Little Better Than Hamburger Helper Can't We?

I was speaking with my friend Brook last week about the Church. She's a member although not really active but I can see her heart starting to slowly turn back to the fold so to speak.

We were speaking about what happened to her after her mother passed away about a year go. As most single parents she did what she needed to provide for her son and her mother who live d with her. I'm not sure if she ever lived on her own before her mother passed away. Mom did most of the in home care while Brook worked to provide.

Her mother passed away quite suddenly. Even in the situation of having a parent ill with the knowledge of their lives coming to an end isn't easy, so to lose a parent quite suddenly is and immense shock to anyone's system.

She spoke of the ward members in her area and the judgements which were passed upon herself, her mother and her son.

In going through some difficulties about this time last year I turned to my bishop who gave me these instructions: "Let us love you. The Purpose of a ward and ward family is to love you, don't run away, let us love you."
I took him up on that offer. My congregation (ward) is PHENOMINAL and I invite anyone out there to come to provo and visit the GrandView 9th ward. I don't care who you are, what you look like and how you dress, you will not believe the warmth and love you feel in this congregation.
Brook at this most needed time in her life was not so lucky. The ward member's kicked in as dutiful little robots to carry out the much needed "funeral assignments." But without comfort and warmth in service, is it really service at all?

I imagine a congrete building with herself and her son looking at a wooden box in which her mother lies resting in peace. This woeden box, lying on top of a concrete slab.

The lighting is dim. The room, also concrete with concrete benches. No windows but a damp musty smell in the chilled air. So cool you can see your own breath. Resting on those concrete benches are Robots in varying shades of gray programmed to different assigned task. Upon finishing their task they walk up to Brook and her son and speak some choppy well programmed monotone condolence. While putting cold steel arms around her before turning their back and leaving.
This was the picture I recieve in my mind as she explained to me the feelings she had by a ward whose job is to Love her and her son. She met people she had never seen before and she has never seen since.
Where are home and visiting teachers during times such as these? I guess there was a Relief society member who took some effort to reach out to her and speak those famous words we Latter Day Saint's speak:
"Is there anything I can do for you?"

I'm not sure about the rest of you but I do tend to cringe when I hear these words. In my experience, most who same them, don't really mean them. I have great faith that my home teachers and visiting teachers mean them and I almost feel bad when I have to say to them,

"no, I think we're doing great but I'll let you know if something comes up."

Don't most of us know that we can sense a sincere offering and we can sense when an offering is out of obligation. In other words.... we KNOW when you meant it and when you don't.


When Brook was presented with those words: "Is there anything I can do for you?"
I'm sure the sister who asked was quite suprized when Brook had the audacity to let her know there was something they, the relief society sisters could do for her.
Her response was simple. It was easy. It was a opportunity for her to feel the love of God our father and In Christ our Lord. It was an opportunity for someone to reach out and serve and "do it unto the least of these..."

Brook said... "well can somebody teach me how to cook? I've never had to cook before my mom did all the cooking."
Such a simple request in a time where someone's world could be crumbling apart around them.

The response she recieve back pains my heart when I think of it.
Her relief society sister responded to her: "You may have to stock up on Hamburger Helper for a while."

My mouth dropped when she told me this. Tears formed in my eyes and my heart screamed at the disservice my sister had encountered.

This was Brooks final straw with her ward/congregaton.


It's been around a year I guess since this has happened. I must say in hearing her story a bit of shame came over me. One of the Saddest things about this earth is how we treat our brothers and sisters. How we make service a matter of OUR convenience instead of providing it when it is much needed by another.

Something as simple as passing on a recipe or spending a couple of hours a week with Brook could have completely changed some major things in her life and impacted her, her son and her life forever.
To tell ya the truth I wish I could find that Sister and give her an infamous V-8 moment. Because she missed the mark on that one
Our sister Brook was failed. That's the bottom line truth.

Brothers and Sisters take some time to seek out those who are in need of the Lords love and service in their lives and do what you can. It doesn't have to be some great thing. Something as simple as a hug. A 5 minute visit to someone not feeling well or having a hard time. This valentines day I rec'd a call from someone who is ill who had been thinking of me. She wanted me to know that if I needed some sweets she had a plateful of cookies on her table she was waiting to share. She called because she wanted to hear MY LAUGH on Valentines day. How AWESOME and amazing is she?

My grandma used to always say "The only hands the Lord has are yours." That's always stuck with me.

When you speak the words "is there anything I can do for you or call me if you need anything" make sure you mean it or just don't even let that lie out of your mouth.

Feel free to comment your favorite recipe for my friend brook who has come a long way in her cooking. I think it would be a great gesture of love!

And please.... we CAN do a little better than Hamburger helper, can't we?

ROCKED AND ROLLED

With Easter a month away I and with a conversation held to today about religion and my belief in God the Eternal father and in his son Jesus Christ, I felt the need to "rebroadcast" this peom from my "floetry" blog.
Enjoy.


ROCKED AND ROLLED

Our father’s love
our spirits bought
he sent his son
to pay the cost.

The angels cheered
the angels sang
soon would come a king to reign

The Heaven’s rocked
and the heaven’s rolled
we found salvation for our soul

He grew to serve
Within the masses
Touching every life he passes
the sick he healed
the weary he held
picking up
all those who fell.

he walked the waters
the mountains move
evil departs when he comes through
the creatures hush
and elements silence
at the majesty of his excellence

he gathered all
no soul emitted
through him each one
would be acquitted

The Saints did sing
and the heaven’s roared
Cheering our Hero
for ever more

The hand of a baby
the hand of a son
outstretch to reach
everyone

they healed the sick
they carried the weak
they feed us the food
that we would seekt

hey clasped in prayert
hey bled in pain
then pierced with nails
they bled again.

His eye’s with sorry
then they raised
looking toward heaven,
he easily forgave

Born to die
so we could live
eternal life he came to give

Then Heaven’s rocked
and the Heaven’s rolled
we have salvation for our soul.

K.M.D © 12/4/2006

Ghetto Blog! ;) More coming later

Here's a link to my latest blog on my other page! This experience was food for the soul
http://kaydeezplace.blogspot.com/

Can I Get A Witness?

This is a picture of the new first presidency Of the Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints.
I've read the bio's of each of these men and have looked into their faces and their eyes. As I was doing so and overwhelming feeling of love washed over me for each of these men. I do not know them personally and have never held a conversation with any of them. However I know the feelings that washed over me could not become any stronger if I did know them personally. I know with the surety of the holy spirit bearing witness to me these men are truly men of God and and he is well pleased to have them leading his church.
I want my family, friends and the world to know that I have received a witness that Jesus Christ is at the head of our church. Thomas S. Monson is a Prophet of God in the same manor of
Moses
Abraham
Jesus Christ
Nephi
Alma
Moroni
Joseph Smith
Gordon B. Hinckley.

I know that The Lord loves his children the same yesterday, today and tomorrow and if he provided his children with a prophet to lead and guide them in ancient times, he has done the same for his children on the earth today.

I testify that Thomas S Monson, Henry B. Eyering and Deiter F. Uchtdorf are men of God and serve as a special witness to our Savior Jesus Christ. I support them and sustain them to the fullest extent.
OF this, I do believe and testify.

The Heart Of A Servant.

A week ago today the earth lost one of it's great servants, but it gained another guardian angel.
President Gordon B Hinckley returned home to God the Father and was again rejoined with his beloved wife Sister Marjorie Pay Hinckley.
As I watched the funeral yesterday it didn't really hit me until the camera panned the seats of the quarum of the 12. They showed President Monson, and then an empty chair and then President Eyering. The empty chair is what pricked my heart. Funny how it was an empty chair that gave me the reality slap?

President Hinckley indeed is a man who will be missed and we feel the loss deeply. However I am not so sad. Because I know he will live again. I know his great work is continueing on the other side. I know he was met by friends, colleagues, family and many others who's life he touched. I'm sure he's having a grand ole time.

I love President Hinckley because for me, he was the "Human" Prophet. He cracked jokes and laughed and shared very human and obtainable elements of his life with the world. He let the world know that it is ok to laugh, and joke and cry and have moments of weaknesses and faults. He humanized the LDS Faith in my opinion. For years we were looked at as a "OLD WHITE STAUNCH BORING SERIOUS RELIGION." I can imagine him at times saying to the brethern....
"don't be so stuffy, guys, laugh a little, lighten up, have some joy!'
That's exactly what he did.
He made being A member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints cool! And he opened the doors of our church and invited the world in while also inviting us to go out befriend the world. To recognize our differences and embrace the uniqueness of them. He reminded us that we do have much we can learn from others and to not be afraid of that, but to share our love of the Savior and the gospel with those around us and if nothing more, create a bond of respect in simply us all being children of God.

When I hear the quote:
"Live as though those who don't know God, may know of him because they know you"
I think of President Gordon B Hinckley. I feel as though I'm missing A Grandpa or a favorite uncle, he had such a way of bringing across a personal feeling of love and friendship even for those who have never met him.

I am grateful for his life and his service to the world and his love for all mankind.


In a time where the media focuses on wars, rumors of wars, bin ladens, political injustices, and those worldy things that focus on all that is wrong on the earth. I hope that we can take the light left behind from the heart of a servant and allow it to outshine the wickedness and create a fire within us all to focus on the love and the legacy left behind by President Gordon B Hinckley, Prophet of God.

Let us each try to:
Be Grateful
Be Smart
Be Involved
Be Clean
Be True
Be Positive
Be Humble
Be Still
Be Prayerful
Because we love him.

(cute news article below)
http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695249735,00.html