A Little Child Shall Lead Them..: May 2016

Saturday May 7, 2016

Iowa City Stake Relief Society Women’s Meeting

The Light of Jesus Christ Makes Me Unique

Thank you so much for inviting me to speak today. I admit that being new to Iowa City, I was quite surprised by the invitation, but I am thankful for it. We moved here, to Marengo/Belle Plaine Branch, about a year ago from a place where we had been for 15 years. In that time, we had been in almost every ward/branch in that stake and served as stake missionaries and in other callings where I knew quite a bit of people in the stake. It has been hard to move here, especially to a branch (which I love dearly), but be somewhat isolated from the rest of the stake and really not know anyone. So again, I appreciate this opportunity, and I hope that if I don’t know you yet, you will come introduce yourself to me afterward.

Today I have been asked to speak about how the light of Christ is reflected in my life and how it makes me unique among my friends, peers, and community. As I talk, I would like to interject some life experiences to illustrate this idea, and help you better understand how others see the light of Christ in you.

In October 1999, I had been living in Iasi Romania, a large city in the north near the Ukraine. The gospel had been preached in Romania for 10 years, since the fall of the Berlin Wall, and many people had converted to the Church, especially as they travelled and schooled throughout Europe. In Iasi there were several strong members, but they were all women, and there had yet to be sister missionaries in that part of eastern Europe. I arrived on the train the same day as a brand new set of sister missionaries. It was to be my assignment to not only work in the orphanage, but to also play a crucial role in the teaching and organizing of the Church in Iasi, along with the sisters. We befriended many people through service and proselytizing work. We decided to have a Halloween party for the group and invited the community. To shorten the story, many people came, including a group of boys from the street well known to be gypsies and thugs. We allowed them to stay. They had a good time but by the end of the night I noticed that my husband’s hunting knife was missing and I saw in the front of one boys sweatshirt, the shape of the knife. I confronted him. He denied it and after a struggle, we retrieved the knife. (It was a Cutco knife and we were really concerned about the damage it could do on the streets). The next day was Sunday. We arrived at our rented room on time. We settled in the with sisters, investigators and missionaries. Just as the elders were about to bless the sacrament someone kicked the double wide doors to the room open. There stood this gang of kids. I have never been so frightened, yet so calm in my life. Everyone looked up, a room full of 4 men and many, many women. Sister Herguligiu smiled and invited them to sit. They sat down on the front row and the Elders continued to bless and pass the sacrament. They stayed through the meeting, never interrupting again, and quietly observing what was happening. After the closing prayer they excused themselves and we never saw them again.

Sister Bonnie L Oscarson, related a similar experience in her talk “Defenders of the Family Proclamation” in April 2015 General Women’s Session of Conference. She said, “I recently read the story of Marie Madeline Cardon, who, with her family, received the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ from the first missionaries called to serve in Italy in 1850. She was a young woman of 17 or 18 years of age when they were baptized. One Sunday, while the family was holding a worship service in their home high in the Alps of northern Italy, an angry mob of men, including some of the local ministers, gathered around the house and began shouting, yelling, and calling for the missionaries to be brought outside. I don’t think they were anxious to be taught the gospel—they intended bodily harm. It was young Marie who marched out of the house to confront the mob.

They continued their vicious yells and demands for the missionaries to be brought out. Marie raised her Bible up in her hand and commanded them to depart. She told them that the elders were under her protection and that they could not harm one hair of their heads. Listen to her own words: “All stood aghast. … God was with me. He placed those words in my mouth, or I could not have spoken them. All was calm, instantly. That strong ferocious body of men stood helpless before a weak, trembling, yet fearless girl.” The ministers asked the mob to leave, which they did quietly in shame, fear, and remorse. The small flock completed their meeting in peace.”

What is it that stopped these men/boys in their tracks? What do we have as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that radiates so brightly from us it causes our enemies to turn away from us and our foes to look to us for strength and guidance?

Sisters it is the light of Christ.

John 8:12 teaches us that true followers of Christ “shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life.” Matthew expands this idea and says that as we go about doing good that we glorify our Father in Heaven and the light of Christ cannot be restrained from being with us (Matthew 5:16).

I received the absolute best compliment the other day at Parent Teacher Conferences. My 14 year old can be handful at home some days, but he is a good boy. His teacher said to me “Tristan is such a good boy. He has such good manners and morals. You can really tell his parents have high expectations for him and that he comes from a really good home.” Another parent told me that after a school event, that many kids had made a horrible mess of the food table, and Tristan was the only one who offered to clean up and he actually did it. She was so impressed and said to me that he was the kind of boy she wanted her daughter to marry. Oh my goodness, I wanted to shout from the rooftops, this what the gospel of Jesus Christ does for you! It brings such happiness. It helps you to raise good kids despite all the evils and trials of the world today. This is faith in and love for our Savior! But I didn’t have too, because my son taught me a valuable lesson in letting our light shine. He stated matter of factly to his teacher, “It’s because we are Mormons. We believe in Jesus Christ and we follow His commandments.”

Sisters, have you ever had someone point out how good and different you are? I am sure the answer is YES! And if so don’t be afraid to share your testimony of our Savior when someone points out this light that you emit. President Kimball taught us that “much of the major growth that is coming to the Church in the last days will come because many of the good women of the world….will be drawn to the Church in large numbers. This will happen to the degree that the women of the Church reflect righteousness and articulateness in their lives to the degree that the women of the Church are seen as distinct and different—in happy ways—from the women of the world.”

As I preparing this talk, an article came across my Facebook titled, “The Mormon Glow: people really can identify Mormons in a Crowd.” The study, done by Toronto University in Canada in 2010, concluded that Mormons and non-Mormons could point out/find Mormons in a crowd of people they did not know simply by the “texture” of their skin. We Mormons come in many shapes, sizes and colors and all were included in the study. So it definitely wasn’t texture that people saw. The fact is that science doesn’t have a word for the light of Christ, and perhaps should have described texture as the “light” emiting from their countenance.

Let me tell you a little more about myself: I have 8 kids. I never planned on having eight, maybe 3, but once we started our family, I just loved it so much and I knew that the Lord had more children in store for me. Now, every day is not a party at my house. Running a busy household is tiring and consuming and sometimes not fun. And yes I do yell sometimes, but a lot of people point out how I am seem so happy all the time and that they could never have so many children and still be happy.

One day I was very pregnant with my 7^th child and at the grocery store with my very, well, my toddler. Who let’s say, is a unique child. She was busy and a woman in line said to me “you are going to have your hands full when this baby comes. Is it your second?” “No, my seventh.” “oh honey, two babies are so much harder than one. You will have to get more sleep” and proceeded to list off everything I needed to do with 2 to feel happy. I politely listened and then corrected her. “Actually this is my S-e-v-e-n-t-h .” Oh, she said, you look so well, young and good for 7 babies! You must be a Mormon!”

I know I am not the only person who gets this comment/compliment. My best friend Elise has 5 she gets it too. My sister in law has 4, she gets it and my high school friend has three and she gets it. So, it is not family size that intrigues these women, it is our light. No matter the size or shape of our family in the church, the thing we have in common as saints is that we understand the importance of womanhood and motherhood. While the world fumbles in confusion about roles and opportunities for women, we understand that God has a special place for women in His kingdom.

In General Conference April 2011, Elder Quentin L. Cook, of the Quorum of the Twelve gave a talk entitled, “LDS women Are Incredible!” In it he says, “A predominant attribute in the lives of our pioneer ancestors is the faith of the sisters. Women by divine nature have the greater gift and responsibility for home and children and nurturing there and in other settings. In light of this, the faith of the sisters in being willing to leave their homes to cross the plains for the unknown was inspiring. If one had to characterize their most significant attribute, it would be their unwavering faith in the restored gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. ..

I believe the women of the Church today meet that challenge and are every bit as strong and faithful…

Much of what we accomplish in the Church is due to the selfless service of women…

Our women are not incredible because they have managed to avoid the difficulties of life—quite the opposite. They are incredible because of the way they face the trials of life. Despite the challenges and tests life has to offer—from marriage or lack of marriage, children’s choices, poor health, lack of opportunities, and many other problems—they remain remarkably strong and immovable and true to the faith. Our sisters throughout the Church consistently “succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.”

We shine our light, the light of Jesus Christ when we serve, and love our friends, our neighbors, and our cowokers. A few years ago a woman at my work gave birth to a beautiful sleeping child at 36 weeks. Immediately my friend and I went to work. We organized a meal schedule and care times for this woman’s other daughter and went about the office signing people up. Many were resistant, stating she just wanted to be alone, or that they didn’t know what to say or do. Elise and I reassured them that this was the best way to show love for this woman and her family. Almost 6 years later, it is common knowledge around the Y that if you need a meal, a hug or help during a tragedy, ask a Mormon.

Sister Neill F Marriott spoke at our most recent General Women’s Meeting about how we can build the kingdom of God. She said that we do this by nurturing or serving others and speaking up and testifying of truth. I didn’t serve a mission, but I have had many opportunities to nurture others and testify of truth and thereby contribute to the building of the Kingdom of God. I have also had the privilege to be served by some amazing women too, who let their light shine by doing these things.

One woman was Marie. Marie is an African sister in her 50s living in the slums of London, England. When I lived there for my study abroad, I was asked to attend the Lea Valley Ward just on the outskirts of London. It was a ward made up of mostly African refugees. Marie had come to England as a teenager to be part of the modeling industry. She had a son during this time and struggled a bit after he was born. She met the missionaries, joined the Church and put herself through culinary school to support herself and her son. When he was a teenager, her sister and husband died in a tragic accident and she became the sole caretaker for their newborn boy. When I met Marie she lived in the ghetto, 4 floors up with no running water. The walls of her home were crumbling and she had papered them with the artwork of her adopted son and her twin grandsons. She made us a fabulous meal, a whole weeks salary for her, one Sunday afternoon. It was delicious. She was the most selfless woman I have ever met, and despite her circumstances was so incredibly happy. Her son had served a mission and was raising his family in the Church, and she knew God loved her. She shared that testimony with all who would listen. She truly taught me that to glorify God you must give your all to the service of God and let Him carry your burdens.

I know some of us are suffering like Marie, and many if not all of us have trials and burdens that seem overwhelming. When I think about this, I remember what it says in Ecclesiastes. The teacher says, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;” etc (Ecc 3:1-12). Sisters, I want you to think about the season of your life. I know for me this past year has been difficult to say the least. We have experienced job loss, a move, my parent’s divorce, estrangement from my Father and finally the loss of our baby. Some days I could hardly even get out of bed. I began to wonder what is my purpose in this season? How is my light supposed to shine when I have so little to give? Over time, I realized that it was my season to let others serve me, and to focus on serving my children and helping them through these crises. I could strengthen my own testimony by doing these things and help others to strengthen theirs too. How can you let your light shine in your season?

The Church has introduced a wonderful new program called “I Was a Stanger” to help nurture others and share our testimonies of the Gospel with refugees in our own community and around the world. From the website it says “Although we can work together, we are not asked to organize large efforts. Instead we are each asked to seek personal revelation about whom the Lord would have us strengthen and love as individuals and as families. The Savior invites us to participate in a personal ministry of love and to remember His words: “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these . . . , ye have done it unto me” (Matthew 25:40).

Sisters, again we are unique and different- in happy ways- from the women /and men/ of this world. How can we use our good to glorify God, to nurture others and grow our own testimonies? By standing for truth, bearing witness of Jesus Christ, having faith through our trials, enjoying the blessings of motherhood and womanhood, serving others and allowing others to serve us.

Of this I testify. Jesus lives. He knows and loves each one of us. The scriptures are true and will lead us to eternal life. President Thomas S Monson is a Prophet of God. In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

My mom, (Angie Price), came for three weeks at the end of April beginning of May. She watched the kids while Josh and I were in Florida with Gideon, and she also watched them so we could see Garth Brooks for my birthday! We enjoyed having grandma come to visit and hope she comes back soon! We got to celebrate two birthdays and Mother's Day with her!

I have always wanted to go to The Picker's showroom. I was a bit disappointed that is was more of a gift shop than antiques, but I guess they have a huge shop in Nashville. We did enjoy antiquing in this small town though.