March 2011

Today is Fast Sunday - One young man (I almost wrote little boy because I remember him as a little boy) bore his testimony. He just turned 12 and was ordained to be a deacon. He said "my mom said this morning 'It's Fast Sunday' and my first thought was 'Oh, good, I get to bear my testimony' instead of 'Oh, drat, I can't eat anything until lunch'." I haven't been on here at all lately because our son CM just came home from his 2-year mission for our church. He served in the New Hampshire Manchester mission and spent time in Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire. Whenever I would tell people about him serving a mission - then answering the question "oh, Where did he go" - I would wonder what their thoughts were about that. One lady last month told me of her daughter who went on a 2 week mission to Venezula and how much she learned and grew to appreciate the prosperity her family had. I think that is what most people think of when they hear the word mission - humanitarian aid missions. Well, our son served for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints. In fact, today in Sunday School, we had a lesson about missionary work. The Lord's church has always been a missionary or procelyting church. But what is procelyting? Well, that is just what CM has been doing for 2 years now. It is teaching people about Jesus Christ and the gospel which He taught when He lived on the earth. When a person is truly converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, they change their life to be a follower of Jesus - and go about doing good as He did. That is one way in which the world can be changed for good. When we are true Christians, we reach out and help others, we are happy and we look for ways to improve the world around us. People everywhere are in need of hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, whether they live in a country which is a Christian country or they have never even heard of Jesus Christ. I have made a goal to make myself a better Christian everyday in some way. Mostly it is in my relationship with my family, but also in the impression I leave on other people I meet - whether it is a conversation with the baglady at the grocery store or a nod as I pass someone walking on the street. I love the commercial (I think it is for an insurance company), where someone does something nice for another person - and it is actually someone else observing the act who then turns around to do a kind act for someone who has a need. Well, my thoughts are all jumbled. I can give the excuse of it being fast sunday - In our church we have one sunday every month where we fast - or go without food for 24 hours or 2 meals. We donate the money we would have used on groceries to a fund which is used for helping people in need. Sometimes it is hard for me to concentrate when my tummy is grumbling and my body is feeling faint - but as I try to teach my children - that is when you need to pray for strength to make it until our meal. I am at that point right now - so I'd better sign off. have a great week!