Last summer I stumbled across a TV show on KBYU called The Story Trek. http://www.byutv.org/show/a5d5a631-d2b5-48e6-a0e9-069d50a5524b It's about a reporter who goes to a random area and chooses a random house and knocks on their door. His film crew and he ask if they can go in and interview the people who live there. Most people are a little taken back, but surprisingly, those who agree to the interview open up to these strangers and pour out their soul. Their stories are fascinating. What I've learned from this is that everyone, behind every door, has a story. Everyone behind ever door longs to tell that story, and everyone behind every door wants to feel like they're important.
This is the shiny new Christmas present my husband gave me for Christmas 2012. Little did I know that it would contribute to our own story trek. The following spring, just as it was getting bike-riding weather, my husband got a new assignment in our church - Ward Mission leader. This meant that he would be working closely with the missionaries in an effort to get to know everyone who lived in our ward boundaries and share the gospel with them. Each night, we would ride our bikes around the neighborhood and look at every door asking ourselves, who lives behind that door? What are their interests? Joys? Sorrows? Struggles? What is their story? We suddenly saw our neighborhood with new eyes. Though we had lived in the same house for 20 years, we had never looked at our neighborhood like this before. As we rode around, many times we would see people out in their yards. We would wave and say hello and sometimes stop and introduce ourselves. We got to know a lot of people that way.
One evening, as we were riding around, we saw a man out in his yard that we had waved at a few times in the past, so we decided to stop and introduce ourselves. He had an immaculate yard that had won beautification awards, so as we were complimenting him on it, he started telling us about each and every plant. He then went in to recruit his wife to take us on a tour of the backyard, equally as beautiful. She had named each plant, tree, and bush and knew the exact care for each one. Before we left, I asked her if she would be willing to have ladies from our church come over one night to have her teach us about horticulture. She said she would love it. (I later confirmed with the Relief Society President that we could have an activity night over at her house in the spring.) As we drove off, my husband talked about how easy it had been to meet and talk to those people - people we didn't even know, but felt like fast friends after our 1 1/2 hours touring their yard. All they wanted was to tell their story, feel loved, and important. We visited again during Christmas and were invited in to sit down and talk for awhile. We invited them to the church Christmas party. They weren't able to come because of work schedules, but they said to invite them again.
Open Your Mouths
Elder J. Jay Christensen, a general authority emeritus and ironically the MTC President while I was on my mission, gave a talk entitled "Open Your Mouths, The Courage to Share the Gospel."
In it he says that in the midst of everyday situations opportunities present themselves for us to share the gospel. He talks about the power of just opening our mouths and simply letting people know who we are, whom we represent, and what we have to offer. Wouldn't it be great if all of us got to know who lived behind the doors of those around us and in our sphere of influence? How might lives change? How might we help each other rise to new heights? How easy can it be to become their friend? How easy will it be to share the gospel once we become friends?
D & C 33:8-10
Everyone has a story and everyone is eager to tell it
Everyone wants to feel loved, accepted, and important
Every needs to feel the love of our Savior Jesus Christ
I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Last year I was called to be a ward missionary for my church, which has blessed my life immensely! My calling is to help bring others to the knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; to help people understand His divine mission and how His atonement can change and bless their lives. During this past year, my testimony of Him and His divine calling has grown more than ever. I have seen many people come to know Him and have seen their lives not just change, but transform. My life was forever changed in September of 1981 when I gained a burning knowledge that He was/is my Savior. I became a new person and a committed disciple of His, and though I fall very short on a regular basis, I just keep trying. My blog is dedicated to discussing His work, His mission, and feeding His sheep. (John 21:15-17) One of the greatest events of my life was when He changed my heart and my life. There is no greater influence on mankind and nothing that will impact change in this world as Jesus Christ and His teachings. I
know He is the Savior of the world and that following Him and trying to live as He did can
transform our lives.
President Ezra Taft Bensen, former President of the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, put it best when he said:
“The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside
in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ would take the
slums out of people, and then they would take themselves out of the
slums.The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ
changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape
human behavior, but Christ can change human nature."
("Born of God," General Conference October1985) Click on the link below to read it in its entirety.
Now to explain the name of my blog - Lower Lights Be Burning
Today in church, our teacher talked about the importance of the upper and lower lights in a lighthouse, and that both are necessary to be seen in order for ships to make it safely into harbor. Christ is the constant light in our lives that never goes out. He will always be there and shine to guide our way. We can help and assist others by being another beacon or "lower light" in helping people come to Him. She retold a story given by Elder Boyd K. Packer, a member of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Given at October 2012 General Conference. Here's the link to the talk in its entirety):
"My message is directed to those among us who are suffering,
burdened down with guilt and weakness and failure, sorrow, and despair.
In
1971, I was assigned to stake conferences in Western Samoa, including
the organization of a new stake on Upolu island. After interviews we
chartered a small plane to Savai‘i island to hold a stake conference
there. The plane landed on a grassy field at Faala and was to return the
next afternoon to take us back to Upolu island.
The
day we were to return from Savai‘i, it was raining. Knowing the plane
could not land on the wet field, we drove to the west end of the island,
where there was a runway of sorts atop a coral break. We waited until
dark, but no plane arrived. Finally, we learned by radio that there was a
storm, and the plane could not take off. We radioed back that we would
come by boat. Someone was to meet us at Mulifanua.
Port of Savai'i
As
we pulled out of port on Savai‘i, the captain of the 40-foot (12 m) boat
asked the mission president if he had a flashlight. Fortunately, he did
and made a present of it to the captain. We made the 13-mile (21 km)
crossing to Upolu island on very rough seas. None of us realized that a
ferocious tropical storm had hit the island, and we were heading
straight into it.
We
arrived in the harbor at Mulifanua. There was one narrow passage we were
to go through along the reef. A light on the hill above the beach and a
second lower light marked the narrow passage. When a boat was
maneuvered so that the two lights were one above the other, the boat
would be lined up properly to pass through the dangerous rocks that
lined the passage.
But
that night there was only one light. Two elders were waiting on the
landing to meet us, but the crossing took much longer than usual. After
watching for hours for signs of our boat, the elders tired and fell
asleep, neglecting to turn on the second light, the lower light. As a
result, the passage through the reef was not clear.
The
captain maneuvered the boat as best he could toward the one upper light
on shore while a crewman held the borrowed flashlight over the bow,
searching for rocks ahead. We could hear the breakers crashing over the
reef. When we were close enough to see them with the flashlight, the
captain frantically shouted reverse and backed away to try again to
locate the passage.
After many attempts, he knew it would be impossible to find the
passage. All we could do was try to reach the harbor at Apia 40 miles
(64 km) away. We were helpless against the ferocious power of the
elements. I do not remember ever being where it was so dark.
We
made no progress for the first hour, even though the engine was at full
throttle. The boat would struggle up a mountainous wave and then pause
in exhaustion at the top of the crest with the propellers out of the
water. The vibration of the propellers would shake the boat almost to
pieces before it slid down the other side.
We
were lying spread-eagled on the cover of the cargo hold, holding on
with our hands on one side and with our toes locked on the other to keep
from being washed overboard. Brother Mark Littleford lost hold and was
thrown against the low iron rail. His head was cut, but the rail kept
him from being washed away.
Eventually,
we moved ahead and near daylight finally pulled into the harbor at
Apia. Boats were lashed to one another for safety. They were several
deep at the pier. We crawled across them, trying not to disturb those
sleeping on deck. We made our way to Pesega, dried our clothing, and
headed for Vailuutai to organize the new stake.
I
do not know who had been waiting for us at the beach at Mulifanua. I
refused to let them tell me. But it is true that without that lower
light, we all might have been lost."
Mulifanua Beach, Samoa
Elder Packer quotes a hymn called "Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy" and talks about how “Jesus Christ is the light and the life of the world. As we fix our gaze on His teachings, we will be guided to the harbor of spiritual safety."
Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy
Brightly beams our Father’s mercy
From his lighthouse evermore,
But to us he gives the keeping
Of the lights along the shore.
Let the lower lights be burning;
Send a gleam across the wave.
Some poor fainting, struggling seaman
You may rescue, you may save.
Dark the night of sin has settled;
Loud the angry billows roar.
Eager eyes are watching, longing,
For the lights along the shore.
Let the lower lights be burning;
Send a gleam across the wave.
Some poor fainting, struggling seaman
You may rescue, you may save.
Trim your feeble lamp, my brother;
Some poor sailor, tempest-tossed,
Trying now to make the harbor,
In the darkness may be lost.
Let the lower lights be burning;
Send a gleam across the wave.
Some poor fainting, struggling seaman
You may rescue, you may save.
I love this acapella group's version of this song
One of my favorite lines is "Trim your feeble lamp, my brother." No one is perfect, and I am FAR from it (just ask my family), but I hope that my efforts, no matter
how small, and my light, no matter how feeble, will testify of Him. As I go
through my life, I am committed to be a "lower light" to help those who
are searching to find peace and happiness through Jesus Christ.
