Living What We Pray For

A young mother gave a wonderful talk in my Sacrament meeting a month or so ago, and contained in her talk was a poem that really struck a note with me. The poem was called "Living what we pray for," and she said that it was shared by President Monson in a General Conference talk.  I have not taken the time to search for his talk, so I hope she is correct, but I did find this great poem and wanted to share it with all of you.  As I was searching, I noticed that Stirling W. Sill had also written a poem, that is very similar, so I really don't know who the author is for sure, but none the less, it is really a thought provoking one that all of us need.  I made a little hand out for you as well that you can find at this link:  https://www.dropbox.com/s/nw9jclz04z3wlbx/Inspirational%20Door%20Hanger%20cropped.jpg?dl=0




LIVING WHAT WE PRAY FOR


I knelt to pray when day was done
And prayed, "O Lord, bless everyone;
Lift from each saddened heart the pain,
And let the sick be well again."

And then I woke another day
And carelessly went on my way;
The whole day long, I did not try
To wipe a tear from any eye.


I did not try to share the load
Of any brother on the road;
I did not even go to see
The sick man, just next door to me.


Yet, once again, when day was done,
I prayed, "O Lord, bless everyone."
But as I prayed, into my ear,
There came a voice that whispered clear:


"Pause now, my son, before you pray;
Whom have you tried to bless today?
God's sweetest blessings always go,
By hands that serve Him here below.


And then I had my face and cried,
"Forgive me, God, I have not tried.
Let me but live another day,
And I will live the way I pray?

Service Contest

"...Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Matthew 25:40

I am gathering stories to include in my book that will focus on “Christ like Service”. If you would like to participate in this wonderful contest opportunity, please email me with your stories of Christ like service that:

1. Has been given to you
2. Has been given to someone you know
3. You have observed
4. You have been a part of
5. Or that has been a group project

Here are the details:

· Stories should be no longer than 800 - 1000 words. (If you must go longer, be sure to total up the word count and submit it along with your story.)

· Provide as much story detail as possible, helping those who will eventually be reading to have their own hearts touched by your experience.

· You may include names of those involved in this service, or you may request for them to remain anonymous, in which case you can change the names or I will.

· The stories MUST BE TRUE, and have actually happened. (document with dates that your story happened if possible)

· Stories can be in the past, or present, and you can go way back to your ancestors if you wish, however your stories must not have ever been published before in a book, magazine, or periodical of any sort.

· Stories can be shared about being neighborly, aiding the sick or infirm, providing meals, groceries or other needs for someone, kind acts, service that were passed on, helping a friend, lifting spirits of someone through kindness, or just about any other kind of service you can think of. Whatever comes to your mind, that you feel is worthy of sharing, please do.

· If you have photos of the service given, please include them. If you did not take photos at the time and could take some after the fact, please include those as well. Attach photos to the email.

Please be sure to include on your story and email the following:

· Your full name

· Your complete mailing address & zip code

· Email address

· Phone number (in case I need to contact you for further information about your submission)

On the Subject line of your email type in: "Service Contest"

FYI: I will not give out your name, address, phone, etc., to anyone, but I will need it if I need to contact you about including your story in my book, as well as sending you a release and permissions form to use your story and or photos. I will also need your address so I can mail you a copy of the book if I include your story. No one but me will have access to your information.

All those whose stories are selected for use in my book will win a free copy of the book when it is completed and published. Your name will also be included as the contributor, and possibly a photo, so you too will be famous and published. (As you know this may take up to a year or longer, so if your story is selected, please be patient remembering it takes time.) If your story is selected, you will be contacted by me within 6 months.)

These stories do not have to be LDS oriented only, but the book market will focus on Christian readership.

Thanks so much for your time and interest in this wonderful project and contest which will run until midnight, April 1, 2013 . I would like entrants worldwide, and this is why I am announcing it on my blog. I have lots of blog readers from everywhere in the world, and hope to receive email submissions from most of you. Please pass on the link to this contest to your friends and family, or any who you know has a story to tell.

I look forward to your emails, and I wish you the best of luck, as well as enjoyment while you sort through your memory for stories of Christlike Service.

Best regards,

Kathleen Gauger

Ktgauger@gmail.com

Happy Valentines Day ---- A Day of Roses

I have designed a cute Valentine Day Card and insert for you to print off if you like for those sisters you Visit teach, or for anyone else you may want to give one to.  I have given ideas about using different kinds of roses to go with the card, or simply give the card and personalize it without adding anything.  But, when I was creating this project which is posted at http://visitingteachingsurprise.blogspot.com I thought about a story that I would like to share with you.  I call it, "A Day of Roses".

I know a special friend, who sufferers from depression, MS, and a multiple of other health problems.  She does her best every day to deal with her problems, however at times they get the best of her.  Several years back, when she was in her 20's, she became so depressed that she made yet another attempt at suicide.  Her mother, for some reason, and who was older, did her best to keep her suicide attempts quiet, because she didn't want others to know about them, thinking that this was the best way to handle the situation, which by the way was WRONG!   This time, it was found out, and the years of troubles she had suffered, was brought out into the open, and her whole family was finally brought to the knowledge of the situation.  They all grieved feeling so badly that they had not known their sister had been going through such difficult times. 

I found out about it too, as this young woman was a very close friend to me.  I pondered at what I could do to lift her spirits, and let her know she is loved, and valued, and that she was not judged by me for her challenges.  I had a thought one day as I went shopping at Costco.  I passed by the beautiful flowers that they had displayed at the end of an isle, very close to the check out registers.  The fragrance of the flowers drew me to them, and I looked at this beautiful, fragrant display, and had an Epiphany.  I knew what I would do for my friend.  I know that flowers can lift the spirits of everyone, and especially the ill.  Flowers are given to people who are in the hospital, and so why not give flowers to someone who is suffering in other ways! 

I made a phone call to my Friend and asked her if she was busy that very next day.  She said she was available, and I told her to set aside about 3 hours of time, and that I would pick her up at her house, and we would spend that time together.  I gave her no clue as to what we would be doing.

When I picked her up, I was excited and so was she.  The anticipation of doing something together that was a secret, was exciting.  She was smiling and filled with wonder, until we drove up to Costco.  She asked, "So we are going shopping in Costco?"  I said, "Yes", but what we are shopping for is the secret. 

We entered the store, and because I wanted to keep her guessing and excited, we went through all the isles, and admired so many lovely things, until the point we were just about done window shopping, and we arrived at the flower isle.  I then told her to select the most beautiful color of roses and that I would be buying them for her today.  Her eyes lit up and she told me she loved roses.  She also told me that she had never been given so many roses at one time before.  She took her time and checked out each bunch and finally settled on beautiful, long stemmed, Red roses.  There looked to be 18 - 24 roses in the bunch.  On our way to the cash register, I told he that it was my gift to her, but once they were hers, it was up to her as to what she wanted to do with them.  I told her that there were so many, that she might want to consider giving some of them to others, to make them as happy as she was, or she could just keep them all for herself.  (I had secretly planned and hoped that she would like to share, because it was part of my plan.)  She responded as I had hoped and said she would like to give some away, but then began to question who.  I then chimed in and made some suggestions.  I said to think about people throughout her life, who had made an impact on her.  Maybe a teacher, or music teacher, or friend.  She began to think and speak out loud her thoughts.  She excitedly said, 'I know who I will give to, and she lives very close by. 

While in line at the check out, I suggested that there might be many others who could have their day lifted by being given a rose.  I suggested that she look around as we went from place to place to watch for someone who might need a rose. 

Right in front of us in line, was a mother with a crying child.  The mother looked frustrated and was struggling to handle paying for her Costco purchase, and wrestling with her child. My friends eyes lit up and she said, "I think that woman needs a rose".  While I was paying for the roses, my friend took out one of the roses in her bouquet, and went over to that woman, and said, "I was noticing that maybe you needed one of these to brighten your day!"  The woman responded favorably and smiled and thanked her for the rose.  It was totally unexpected, but so very welcomed.  They briefly spoke, but what I observed was that not only the countenance of the woman struggling with her child, had changed, but my friend seemed to brighten her own countenance, and she seemed so happy and uplifted. 

Next we went to another store and thought that we might find some people in that store who could use a rose.  One of such, was the woman who was at the cash register.  She seemed frustrated by the onery person who had just checked out.  My friend gave her a rose and said that she hoped her day went better from that moment on.  You should have seen the look on the face of the woman at the cash register.  Her mouth gaped open in wonder, and then a big smile.  She thanked my friend and my friend, said, "No thank you for the service you give every day".

My plan for a day of roses was a huge success.  I knew from personal experience that when we give service to others, there is a huge side benefit.  We feel just as good or better than those we had given the service!  My friends countenance changed and she eagerly thought about who she might give the next rose to.  We stopped at the door of a music teacher who had made a difference in her life.  She gave some of the roses to her Mother who had taken care of her and who was also grieving at the thought her daughter could be dead and gone from the last suicide attempt.  Each and every person was happier, and brighter for a time, and this happiness was felt inside my friend. 

After the three hours, I took her home.  She hugged me and thanked me over and over for the wonderful day of Roses.  I told her how much I loved her and how important she was in my life to me.  I told her that I didn't know what I would do without her, and hoped that the good feelings she had inside from giving service, love and kindness to others, would remind her of how good if feels to be alive, and focusing on others instead of ourself.  We talked about how everyone has troubles in this life and that challenges were what made us who we are.  I told her that when she became discouraged, to look around and see that there are so many others who have challenges too, but we can make a difference, by simply being kind, and giving a little service.  When we look outward, we don't have time to look inward, yet a direct result of serving others is good feelings.  No pill has ever been created to make a person feel as good about themselves as they do when they are serving others.

We parted, and I went home knowing I had done something good.  I felt warm fuzzies inside of me, knowing that my friend did too.  I had invested my time, my love and a little bit on Roses, but what a marvelous day we shared, one that I had impact on me and so many others, and that I will never forget.

I hope you enjoyed my true story and will go out and enjoy serving others.  Much love, Katie G

Hurricane Sandy hits the East Coast

As I awoke this morning, my husband was getting ready for work and had turned on the television to get the latest updates on Hurricane Sandy, and the East coast states who would be hit.  Hurricane Sandy's devastating effects are see on every Chanel and not just in one state but many.  This has been such a hard hit, leaving people without homes and millions without power. I saw a whole neighborhood on fire with 50 homes ablaze in New york, and powerlines downed in the waters of the canals that use to be roadways. If anyone ever wondered what you can do to help those effected in this disaster, the words come into my mind of the song "Put your shoulder to the Wheel"

"The world has need of willing men, who wear the workers seal,
Come help this good work move along, put your shoulder to the wheel.
Put your shoulder to the wheel push along, Do your duty with a heart full of song,
We all have work, let no one shirk, put your shoulder to the wheel."
This song is talking about doing your duty in the callings we are asked to do, working together in this church. Each and everyone doing their part to move the work along.  There is greater application to this song than today, as we see so much work that will be needed to be done to repair the damage that has been done by Hurricane Sandy.  In safety, and under the direction of the Community leaders, you can put your shoulder to the wheel, and love your neighbors in a way that has not been done.  You can join in the efforts to help clean up, rebuild, feed and clothe, you know... all those things that we are suppose to do as Christians.  Reach out and assist our neighbors, and create bonds of unity and good will, lifting the weary and downtrodden.   Let them see who Mormons are and what we do when we see a need.  I don't mean to be sacreligious in any way, but the initials of our church could mean more than Latter Day Saints... today it can mean, "Lets Do Service".

May the Lord bless each and every one of you who have suffered this trial, or are suffering other devastation, trials, or hardship.  May there be ministering angels who come to your aid and help provide the strength and courage to move forward in faith.  May many hearts be softened and the most crusty ones be humbled as we all move forward to help our neighbors.  We all have work, let no one shirk put your shoulder to the wheel.  Love, Katie G

September 2012 Visiting Teaching messsage

You can find the September 2012 Visiting Teaching message either in your September Ensign on page 7, or b y going to this link at lds.org http://www.lds.org/liahona/2012/09/special-needs-and-service-rendered?lang=eng

President Monson said that "The needs of others are present, and each of us can do something to help someone... Unless we lose ourselves in service to others, there is little purpose to our own lives." Ensign, Nov.2009, p. 85  This is so true especially as we look into our own lives, and realize that serving others is what we do, each and every day. I believe that the Lord knew that when we serve others that our capacity to love would increase, and as a direct result of this service and love, we would be happy.

Some of the most miserable, depressed, and unhappy people I know, could turn their lives around if they could focus themselves outward instead of inward.  I know it is difficult to do so, especially when there is illness or hurt or pain involved, but the act of serving must release some kind of feel good endorphins in the brain, because happiness is a bi-product of serving others.

A woman who I knew in a past ward, fell into a depression that she could not shake.  She was sad all the time, and it got to the point that her thoughts were bleak and dark, and she was absolutely miserable.  She went to the doctors and was prescribed antidepressants to help her, but even taking those, she did not get relief from her despair, and the darkness lingered.  It wasn't until one day as she was down on her knees petitioning the Lord on her own behalf, that she received the answer of how to release this looming despair and depression.  The answer was simple.  The words that came into her heart, was "to serve others."  At first I am sure that she must have considered that she was the one who needed to be served, but she also knew that the Lord loved her and as  in the past, He had answered her prayers.  So... she thought long and hard who needed to be served, and prepared herself for service.  I won't go into what she actually did, but when she began to focus her thoughts and actions outward, on others, and take her focus from herself and her own problems, her burdens were lifted, and the darkness lifted.

This woman became so happy that she shared with others her experience and she mounted a weekly service project, to help those she had focused her efforts on. By doing so, this service helped others who needed to share the joy in their own lives. This wonderful woman understood that not only when we are in the service of our fellowmen, we are only in the service of our God, but she realized that true happiness only comes when we serve others.

This is exactly the concept for Visiting Teaching.  Serving others, whether or not they are in need, but becoming friends so when they are in need they will feel comfortable to call for assistance, because they will already know and have felt the love of a Visiting Teacher.

The lesson tells of some really great ways we can maintain contact with our sisters or other acts of service--to watch over them and strengthen each other.  They are as follows:

• Personal Visits
• telephone calls
• notes of encouragement
• e-mails
• sitting with her
• a sincere compliment
• reaching out to her at church
• helping her in times of illness or need
• other acts of service

I am sure that all of us could add to this list, and we should because there are endless ways we can serve. 

I loved the last little part of the paragraph I just quoted from the Sept. 2012 lesson, and that was this "and strengthen each other".  My message is that we are strengthened as we reach out to strengthen another".

John 13:34-35 reads, "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.  By this shell men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another".   
It is my prayer that we will take the opportunity to use Visiting teaching as a tool to do as the Savior taught, to love one another as He has loved us, and we can do this in many ways, but especially through serving as Visiting Teachers.

I have prepared a cute note card, which was one of the suggestions of "giving a note of encouragement", and have posted it on my other blog.  Please go to http://visitingteachingsurprise.blogspot.com to print this off and write your note. 

Enjoy!  Katie G

August 2011 Visiting Teaching Message

You can find the message for this month, at lds.org or just click on the title of this post and you will magically be taken there. The message is titled, "A Society of Holy Women".

Sister Sylvia Alred was quoted when she said, "The work of Relief Society is holy, and doing holy work creates holiness in us." What a profoundly true statement. When we are about doing the Lords work, which is indeed holy, then we become holy. I can certainly testify to the truthfulness of this quote. As an example of this truth, about a month and a half ago, my husband and I were called into the Stake Presidents office, and after interviewing both of us, and asking us some pretty direct and probing questions, my husband was called to be the new bishop of our ward. He was sustained and set apart a few weeks later.

I have been married to him for over 35 years and when hands were laid on his head and the keys were given to him, and he began to serve our ward, I saw a different man. I was seeing him through the very same eyes as I always have, but his countenance changed as he was about giving tireless service to the members of our ward. He looks different to me and I feel such a marvelous spirit surrounding him, and like the quote said... "holy work creates holiness in us."

I testify that as we go about serving others, like Sister Alred said, We become holy. We may not necessarily be transformed and look different as the example I gave , but when we go about doing what the Lord asks of us, we are refined, and our thoughts and actions become holy.

As members of the LDS Church as well as sisters in the Relief Society, we are given plenty of opportunities to become holy as we receive callings and are given opportunities to serve others. Visiting Teaching is one of the greatest opportunities to provide service. Relief Society Presidents can't be everywhere and know everything, so she depends on the Visiting teachers to provide the watch care over the sisters of the ward. We become earthly ministering angels as we act upon the promptings we get on behalf of our sisters. To paraphrase sister Lucy Mack Smith, the Prophet's mother, "We cherish, watch over, and comfort one another".

There is so much more to what we as women in this church, are blessed with the opportunity to do. We serve our families, we serve in our various church callings. We look for needs and then provide service to fulfill those needs. We do our genealogy, and write our family history and go to the temple and do ordinance work for ourselves and our ancestors. This holy work gives us the opportunity to become Saviors on Mount Zion for those who have left this earth without the opportunity to receive these holy ordinances.

The Prophet Joseph Smith said: "Relief Society sister living their covenants command the respect not only of noble people, but "if you live up to your privileges," he promised the sisters, "The angels cannot be restrained from being your associates."

One of my favorite scriptures brought to mind is ..."When we are in the service of our fellowmen (and women) we are only in the service of our God." And one more..."If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things."

It is my prayer that we will seek for higher grounds as we serve others. Now with this said... go out and get your visiting teaching done for this month and enjoy and be happy! Katie G.

P.S. I really enjoyed reading all of the scriptures referred to in this lesson. I think you will to, so don't pass them by. One more thing... I have made a door hanger handout for you to print off, so that you can..."GIVE THEM A HAND" in whatever ways you can. For the printable go to http://visitingteachingsurprise.blogspot.com/

Christmas Lesson on Service

I have just finnished putting up a Christmas lesson on Service on my http://visitingteachingsurprise.blogspot.com/ blog if you need one. I will also be posting a few more that others have sent me, so be sure to visit that blog if you want a good Visiting Teaching lesson/seminar, Family Home Evening lesson, Church lesson or just to enjoy.  I have handouts also posted that you can print off.  Enjoy and Have a Happy Holiday season filled with love and joy and service!

LDS.org

Don't you just love to go to lds.org and see all the wonderful and constantly updated materials that they have? I know that I do!

I was so excited to finally see the video that was made last summer of some friends and missionaries serving in the same mission that my husband and I have been serving in. The church filmed this video at the home of our friends, The Olsen's, who live just up the street from us. It was the Olsen's that first introduced us to the LDS Addiction Recovery mission when they spoke on our wards Sacrament meeting after we had been in our new ward for only 3 months. Our hearts were touched and the Spirit bore witness to both my husband and I all throughout that meeting, that this was something we needed to find more about. About a month later, my husband and I were called as part time service missionaries to one of the Utah LDS Addiction Recovery missions. We served there for 18 months then transferred to another area that was closer to home for us. We have since served more months and have 8 months to go on this, our second service mission. What will happen after that? As we learn in Step one, when we turn our lives and our wills over to the Lord, he will guide and direct our paths. He knows much more than we could ever know.

Anyway.... I wanted to include this interview with the Olsen's for you to enjoy and see what wonderful people they are. The church needs full time and part time missionaries. Missionaries are needed everywhere. You don't need to be retired to serve missions for the church, and you don't even need to move away from home. Just ask me!!! Love, Katie G.

P.S. This and the other two videos that are well worth viewing can be found at this link http://www.lds.org/csm/csmvideo.html

My Christmas gift to you

I have my very favorite saying all made up in a cute book mark. (not pictured) I made them up for the Park City Boutique to give to those of you who dropped by my booth. It is over now, and so close to Christmas but I would like to share the bookmark with you now.

This message is deeper than what meets the eye. Yes, I have Santa on the bookmark, mostly because I love vintage Santa's and wanted that to be the style, but the message is much more than Santa. The message on the bookmark reads...

"The secret of Christmas not the things you do at Christmas time,
but the Christmas things you do, all year through."

This brief verse was taken from a cute old fashioned Christmas song, that I first heard sung by Bing Crosby, but since then many other famous singers have sung and recorded this song as well. This message stuck with me because it is so true. A marvelous secret about Christmas is giving of ourselves and our means to others. It is sharing, and kindness. However just because it is Christmas doesn't make what we do at Christmas time anymore important than what we do throughout the year.

I love to look to Jesus Christ as an example for everything in life. The wise men recognized the signs in the heavens and those for told of the birth of the Savior of the world. The first gifts of Christmas traveled with them, of Gold, Frankincense and Muir. Christ himself is and was the greatest gift of all. Throughout His entire life, Jesus Christ was continually giving gifts to those in need. His gifts were on a higher scale than we give at Christmas time, but the giving freely of his love and healing power, his greater knowledge were given everyday. What an example to us.


We are told to be like Him and the verse to this song reminds us that we should be more like Christ the whole year through by showing kindness, giving acts of service, looking after each others needs, feeding the poor and hungry, helping to make others burdens light and so on. Now do you see why I like this verse to this song so much?

Go to the link to my other blog and you can print off the cute bookmark that I made up to share. Let this little bookmark be my gift to you and I would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas! http://visitingteachingsurprise.blogspot.com/ or this is the direct link....

http://visitingteachingsurprise.blogspot.com/2009/12/secret-of-christmas-bookmark.html

Love, Katie G.