I love the months that we get to pick our own message to take to our sisters that we Visit Teach. It is always a difficult thing for me because there are so many wonderful conference talks that were given. I have decided to not share with you what I have selected for my message this month, because I believe that it is in the rereading of the talks that our inspiration comes. My inspiration might not be yours, and selecting the talk that is most applicable for your own sisters, will get your nose back into the Ensign and you too will be uplifted by reading.
Instead, I have a thought about this wonderful time of year for you. I have such an attitude of Gratitude to my Heavenly Father for so many things. A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I traveled to Iowa to the funeral of his brother. I have never attended a non-
LDS funeral before or even a non-
LDS church meeting, and it was an eye opening experience that strengthened my own personal testimony of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Don't get me wrong... the things that were said and done by the "Father" and other ministers was nice and comforting to the family, but there was something that I noticed that was missing. It was the Spirit. Everything that was said and done was scripted, and I felt as if I were
witnessing a sort of musical play. Lots and lots of lovely music, but even though it was lovely and the words were nice, it seemed empty. I felt no spirit. Many different prayers were read, and once again, I felt nothing. The thought about what our church teaches with regard to "vein repetition in our prayers" came to mind.
The following Sunday, after we returned from our trip, as I sat in Sacrament meeting, I realized that the only prayers that we had scripted were the Sacrament prayers. We sang "Because I have been given much" and "I
believe in Christ", and my eyes teared up and my spirit testified of the truths of the gospel. Such a huge difference I felt in my LDS Ward Sacrament meeting.
Another very interesting difference I noticed was that almost everything the ministers said, was scripted and read. In the wake, which in our
LDS funerals, is essentially the viewing and opportunity to share condolences and thoughts about the deceased to the family, the minister who conducted also read from a script. She then turned the meeting over to those who were in attendance to share memories of the deceased. Friends and family who were all of that faith, shared their comments and then my husband felt inspired to stand and share his own memories of his brother. He stood, dressed in a suit and white shirt and tie, and shared some stories and then he shared the knowledge that we have of life after death. I looked around and noticed that many of these people were nodding their heads as he spoke with the Spirit of the Lord with him. He testified that his brother's spirit was perfect, and that he felt no more pain or hurt from the cancer that took his life. He shared that he was with his loved ones who had
preceded him and what a glorious reunion that was being held there. I felt the Holy spirit in his words, that were not prepared, scripted but spoken from his heart.
After he sat down, a young man arose and commented on the words that my husband spoke. Others did the same. After the wake was concluded one woman came up to my husband and told him that she felt something special when he spoke, and knew that what he said was true. Of course we knew what she had felt was the spirit testifying to her heart.
What a wonderful blessing it is to be a part of a religion that is lead by mortal men, who are called of God to act in his name, who hold the Priesthood, and who serve the Lord, but do not even get paid for their service. This was another thing that I noticed as I spoke with many relatives and friends of the family. One woman said that her service in the church was to cook food for funerals, and that she gets paid to do it. To me, getting paid would take out all the blessings and fun of doing this kind of service.
LDS are different, but in marvelous ways. Service is something that we do and never receive compensation for it. We pay our tithing, fast offerings and other offerings voluntarily. That money is spent helping others who are in need, and not just in our own communities but all over the world. What a blessing it is to serve and give and share.
I am so thankful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ, for the Prophet who receives revelation from the Lord and who directs the affairs of our church. I love so much the talks given in Conference and the inspired words that touch my heart and fill my spirit with the nourishment I need in my life. I can't wait to go Visiting teaching and share one of these talks with the sweet ladies that I am so blessed to be friends with. I hope that you too can feel the same sweet feeling of friendship and love for those you teach. May the Lord bless you as you serve in this wonderful church. Enjoy! Katie G.
My husband is the bishop of our ward and he asked me to come up with a special message to give to our ward members. So... this is the story of how I came up with this wonderful message. A week or so ago, I attended the funeral of my sister in law's mother. My sweet sister in law, Kami Christensen Smith, gave the most inspired and wonderful talk which was the final talk of the funeral. She felt inspired to mend some family rifts and hearts and found this wonderful message given in a Devotional of President Howard W. Hunter in 1994. As she spoke these words, I knew that this was what our own ward needed to hear. I leaned over to my brother who was attending the funeral with me, and asked if he picked up on where this wonderful quote came from. He said that he too loved this quote so much, he printed it up years ago, and he remembered exactly where it came from. He then said it was the 1994 First Presidency Devotional spoken by President Howard W. Hunter.