By Lacey Gunter
These past three weeks I have undertaken the goal to complete a service marathon. When I started this adventure I assumed I was going to be the one doing the giving. But I think I finally learned what Christ means in the scriptures when he says:
I thought I was trying to make others feel happy, instead the gifts seemed to flow back to me.
The gift of love: The world would have you think that joy is found when others love you. But this equation is all wrong, No matter how hard we break our backs trying to get others to love us, it is out of our hands. We cannot make another love us, it is theirs to give. True joy comes when we choose to love others. This is something we can control. We can fill our whole soul up with love, love we radiate and give to others, rather than love we take.
The gift of gratitude: Opening my eyes to find people in need and help them has actually attuned my vision to see the innumerable ways I am being watched over, blessed and helped. By learning to serve as Christ does, we start to see what Christ has actually done for us. I truly stand all amazed! As if those blessing weren't enough, this gratitude itself is a gift. It makes everything in life a little sweeter. It is like rose colored glasses.
The gift of peace: When life became stressful and chaotic, or the world seemed more terrible, doing service for others brought me peace. You would think that adding one more to-do on an already backlogged list would just lead to frustration and exhaustion. But when I took the time to stop and really let myself get immersed in even just a simple act of service it really felt more like a reprieve.
I am so grateful I have taken this journey! And I wish you all peace, love and gratitude in your lives.
These past three weeks I have undertaken the goal to complete a service marathon. When I started this adventure I assumed I was going to be the one doing the giving. But I think I finally learned what Christ means in the scriptures when he says:
..and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it
(Matthew 10:25)
I thought I was trying to make others feel happy, instead the gifts seemed to flow back to me.
The gift of love: The world would have you think that joy is found when others love you. But this equation is all wrong, No matter how hard we break our backs trying to get others to love us, it is out of our hands. We cannot make another love us, it is theirs to give. True joy comes when we choose to love others. This is something we can control. We can fill our whole soul up with love, love we radiate and give to others, rather than love we take. The gift of gratitude: Opening my eyes to find people in need and help them has actually attuned my vision to see the innumerable ways I am being watched over, blessed and helped. By learning to serve as Christ does, we start to see what Christ has actually done for us. I truly stand all amazed! As if those blessing weren't enough, this gratitude itself is a gift. It makes everything in life a little sweeter. It is like rose colored glasses.
The gift of peace: When life became stressful and chaotic, or the world seemed more terrible, doing service for others brought me peace. You would think that adding one more to-do on an already backlogged list would just lead to frustration and exhaustion. But when I took the time to stop and really let myself get immersed in even just a simple act of service it really felt more like a reprieve.
I am so grateful I have taken this journey! And I wish you all peace, love and gratitude in your lives.
Look at it this way: yeah, Mormons are sexist by most people's views. I know this, I'm Mormon. But the way people think of sexism typically states that women must be like men to be equal. By that statement, I am probably incredibly sexist. The fact remains that men and women are biologically different. Our bodies have a different structure, and we have different hormones that contribute to different feelings. I believe (and anyone, Mormon or not, is allowed to disagree with me) that it is a woman's divine authority to care, to nurture, and to teach. This does not necessarily mean that all women must marry and have children in the duration of their lifetime. I know many wonderful women making a positive difference to the world around them that I support completely, and many are not married. Now, I believe motherhood is sacred, and of utmost importance- but not all women must have children to fulfill their divine potential.
ReplyDeleteMen, on the other hand, are supposed to be the ones who delegate, and perform sacred covenants. Period. Men in the church perform ordinances for men and women alike, and women can receive just as many blessings and revelations as men, but while men serve God to distribute these ordinances, women have the opportunity to raise whole generations in faith (whether they be her children or not), and lead them to the right path.
Has anyone ever heard the tale in the Book of Mormon of the Army of Helaman? Did it mention their fathers, who baptized them, or led over the church? No. The story mentions the ever-faithful mothers of this army, who taught them through the revelation of the Lord, and kept their children faithful and respecting of such women, which made them strong enough that not one died in the wars they fought.
In short, women have very different, and sexist, callings than the men, but they are just as important, if not more so. The teaching of children and motherhood are both divine authorities that women alone are consecrated to act upon.
This is beautiful, and so true! I’m always happy I have such a healthy sense of guilt, because when that sigh-up sheet gets passed around or that phone call comes asking me to help, my brain usually says no but my heart always says yes- and my heart always wins. But then I always reap far more blessings from my service than anything I might have sacrificed. One of those guilt-induced sign-ups many years ago resulted in a friendship that has lasted about 5 years with someone who is one of the most beautiful souls I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. Blessings do come with service!
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