This is #10 in a series of posts in which I share some of the things I have experienced because I am a Mormon. In each of these posts, I will give you a basic background and share a small experience. I hope that through the sharing of these small things you can have a glimpse into my experience as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I will also try to explain principles and doctrines of my faith that bring me so much happiness.

Sick, and Ye Visited Me

She taught Relief Society lessons on Sundays with wisdom and candor. She was funny. She was real and without pretense. The lesson I remember best is when she taught us from Matthew 25. We read,

And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. (Matthew 25:33-36, KJV)

“Do you realize what this means?” she said. “Have you BEEN to a prison? Have you seen how ‘yucky’ a sick room can be? We need to be in THOSE PLACES.”

Perhaps I remember her words because one afternoon in May (and it happened to be her birthday), this Relief Society teacher walked into my hospital room to visit me. She was my only visitor during that hospital stay and I will never forget that pure Christian act.

“And the King shall answer and say unto them, 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)

Mine is a religion of action and personal development. Understanding that we are lacking, we depend on the Savior for salvation, daily support, and direction. This does not diminish the role our actions play in expanding our capacity to experience heaven someday. We believe that as followers of Jesus Christ, we spend our time visiting, lending, comforting, and helping, not as items to check off a list, but as a means of expanding Christ’s influence in the world and in our hearts.

 

 

This is #9 in a series of posts in which I share some of the things I have experienced because I am a Mormon. In each of these posts, I will give you a basic background and share a small experience. I hope that through the sharing of these small things you can have a glimpse into my experience as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I will also try to explain principles and doctrines of my faith that bring me so much happiness.

Background: The people of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints love temples. They are sacred places where we make covenants with God, participate in sacred ordinances, and we are taught. To enter a temple, a person must be worthy and prepared for the important work that goes on there. Ordinances such as eternal marriages are performed in temples for the living and the dead.

Jesus Christ taught that baptism is essential to enter into the kingdom of God, yet many people have not had the opportunity to be baptized in their lives. Because God is merciful and just, baptisms may be performed for the dead. In the temple, living proxies are baptized for the dead (1 Corinthians 15:29), one name at a time. This sacred work takes place in our temples with the proper priesthood keys and authority. In no way do these proxy baptisms “force” a person to accept “Mormon” doctrine. It is a gift that the dead may choose to accept or not accept.

Church members are encouraged to seek out the names of their deceased ancestors and be baptized and receive the other temple ordinances for them.

To learn more about temples, you may go here.

Alli

Alli was born in Turku, Finland and came to America in 1921 and settled in the Bay Area.  She worked as a washer woman, which was an extremely arduous task. Heavy loads, scalding water, and strong chemicals all probably contributed to her ill health, and it is likely that she had tuberculosis when she entered the United States. She had lovely dark hair and gray eyes. She was married to a man named Axel, an immigrant from Sweden, and they had a daughter named Ruth. Alli’s health declined and she eventually entered a sanitarium. Her daughter Ruth has perhaps one memory of her mother, and that is waving to her through the window at this sanitarium. Alli died when Ruth was only two years old.

Alli was my great-grandmother and Ruth is my grandmother.

It was with these stories of Alli’s short life that I carried her name to the temple in Mesa, Arizona, in December 2008 with Paige to begin her temple ordinance work. Paige was baptized for Alli and several other deceased grandmothers. As I heard each name and watched Paige being baptized for them, tears streamed down my face. My heart turned to my grandmothers and I believe that I felt their love.

I was the proxy for Alli’s other temple work, and as I listened to the promises and blessings given, my heart and mind seemed to exclaim, “No blessing will be denied her!”

I believe that Heavenly Father makes up for every loss, every heartache, and every need. It is through the vicarious sacrifice of the Savior for all of us and through vicarious service in the temples that He accomplishes this.

The Lord compensates the faithful for every loss. That which is taken away from those who love the Lord will be added unto them in His own way…

Not even death can take from us the eternal blessings promised by a loving Heavenly Father. (Elder Joseph B Worthlin, “Come What May and Love It,” Ensign, November 2008)

To me, temples symbolize Heavenly Father’s love for all of his children. I am thankful that I can go there and feel His peace and joy in serving others.

This is #8 in a series of posts in which I share some of the things I have experienced because I am a Mormon. In each of these posts, I will give you a basic background and share a small experience. I hope that through the sharing of these small things you can have a glimpse into my experience as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I will also try to explain the principles and doctrines of my faith that bring me so much happiness.

I didn’t sleep at all the night that I was called to be a Relief Society President. I was 27. I was 6 months pregnant. I had braces on my teeth. All of my imperfections and insecurities emerged from their dark corners. I knew that I had offended people even just that week.

I knew that my abilities didn’t match the things I was being asked to do. (To see a description of what a Relief Society President does, go here.) At last, my mind settled on an image that I drew in my journal. It was a stick figure Angie with different labels: mother, daughter, college graduate, imperfect friend, etc, but each label was dwarfed by the sign she held in her hand: Daughter of God. I decided to trust that THIS qualification, more than any other label, would make it possible to be a good servant.

One day as I was helping a lonely woman, she shared her favorite scripture with me, Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” She told me to look at the word, “which” and notice that it refers to “do[ing] all things”. Of course Christ helps us to do the difficult things, but it’s doing the difficult things, and not being paralyzed with fear or insecurities which strengthens us.

This is #7 in a series of posts in which I share some of the things I have experienced because I am a Mormon. In each of these posts, I will give you a basic background and share a small experience. I hope that through the sharing of these small things you can have a glimpse into my experience as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I will also try to explain principles and doctrines of my faith that bring me so much happiness.

Rejoice and be exceedingly glad: dealing with persecution

Living in Texas and Arizona, we were surrounded by friends and neighbors of different faiths. That was a good thing. I loved them, regardless of their religion.

There were some difficult times over the years, though, as I learned that our religion was not respected or tolerated by some. The details and players are not important, but I have found anti-Mormon literature addressed to me on my doorstep and we were excluded from some activities because of our faith. As I served as a volunteer, someone said to me and my associates at a community event, “These people won’t want anything to do with you once they find out you’re Mormons.”

My initial reaction to these things was to curl up and hide for a few days. The answer was never to fight back. What would that accomplish? As I allowed myself to look deeper, I learned that some of these people truly cared about my salvation. They weren’t all motivated by intolerance or hatred. One person in particular said that she thought I was wonderful and she wanted me to know how misguided I was. She acted out of concern, even though her methods were unwittingly hurtful.

I believe that ignorance and intolerance will continue as long as people of different faiths refuse to associate with one another and show respect despite doctrinal differences. I also believe that the truest test of a religion comes by experiencing it, not by debate or blindly trusting rumors and sensational stories.

Healing and understanding have come over time as I have come to understand that my role is not to quarrel with people, but to show that we are striving to be disciples of Christ.

I find healing as I continue to be friendly to all. My progress in healing is hindered when I indulge in feelings of resentment. I love my Church because there is no place for religious intolerance. It’s a lovely statement that there is no manual or instruction about the evils of other faiths in Mormon meetings. The campaign for our religion is a positive one. Just look at those missionaries we send out to the world!

Mormons love truth, and that means that the truths of other faiths are not automatically written off as evil. We’re taught to be good neighbors and friends. When dealing with religious intolerance, the answer for any disciple of Christ is to turn the other cheek. I am thankful for a patient, kind, and loving religion; it truly is the Church of Jesus Christ on the earth today.

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

Blessed are they that mourn : for they shall be comforted . 

Blessed are the meek : for they shall inherit the earth. 

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness : for they shall be filled. 

Blessed are the merciful : for they shall obtain mercy. 

Blessed are the pure in heart : for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers : for they shall be called the children of God. 

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness ’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 

Rejoice , and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

-Matthew 5:3-12

This is #6 in a series of posts in which I share some of the things I have experienced because I am a Mormon. In each of these posts, I will give you a basic background and share a small experience. I hope that through the sharing of these small things you can have a glimpse into my experience as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I will also try to explain principles and doctrines of my faith that bring me so much happiness.

Background: In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, local members serve as the leaders of our congregations. In fact, all positions in a congregation are filled by members. Bishops are somewhat like pastors in a congregation, and they usually serve for 5-7 years. If something goes wrong or something great happens, or anything in between among the members of his congregation, the bishop is there to help. Bishops serve with 2 counselors who assist them in their duties. They are called by inspiration and are ordained High Priests and set apart by the laying on of hands. During sacrament meeting each Sunday, the bishop presides and he and and his two counselors sit on the stand.

Choosing Happiness

Richard had just been called to serve as the first counselor to our bishop in Arizona. I was expecting our fourth baby, we were 2 1/2 weeks away from moving to our new house. I felt overwhelmed. How was I going to take care of four children during church without his help?

It didn’t help when someone shared her negative attitude about my situation that first day that Richard didn’t sit with us. I came home angry because she said that my life was going to be terrible for the next several years.

That week, I remembered what my mom had told me years ago when asked how she managed to take care of her children when my dad was a bishop’s counselor. She said, “The Lord trusts women to do difficult things.” I also never heard her complain.

In rebellion against negativity, I decided that I would never complain about sitting alone with the children. I decided that I would not only endure, but I would blossom during these years that Richard would serve.

I was busy with the children while he had meetings and visits with the bishop, but I made sure that he always had a white shirt clean and pressed in the closet. It was small, but choosing a good attitude and performing this small service made a huge difference at church, at home, and in our marriage.

Choosing to see the good allowed me to appreciate the women who offered to help when I had to take our baby out for a change. It allowed me to enjoy seeing Richard be outgoing and respected. I grew in my confidence because I learned that with the Lord’s help, I COULD take care of 4 small children during sacrament meeting. They learned to be reverent. They were good kids. I made an effort to have a church-like experience in my home when I was alone with a sick child on Sundays, watching DVDs of conference talks and listening to my Mormon Tabernacle Choir CDs. I learned that my cup could still be filled, even if I wasn’t able to attend church.

I look back at that time of stretching and I honestly don’t remember the difficulties as much as I remember being happy to spend time with our children and seeing my husband grow. It was a good time in our lives.

This is one of a series of posts in which I will share some of the things I have experienced because I am a Mormon. In each of these posts, I will give you a basic background and share a small experience. I hope that through the sharing of these small things you can have a glimpse into my experience as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I will also try to explain principles and doctrines of my faith that bring me so much happiness.

Background: In our Church worthy men and boys age 12 and older are given the priesthood, which is the authority to act in God’s name. It is through priesthood that God directs the Church and blesses His children. Although the priesthood is given only to worthy men, priesthood and gender are not equivalent. The role of women is no less important in our Church. Equality does not mean sameness.

The power that comes from the priesthood is contingent on personal righteousness. A wicked man will not be able to have priesthood power. (3 Nephi 8:1,  D&C 121:36-37)

Although women do not hold the priesthood, the blessings of the priesthood are for all. I have received priesthood blessings for comfort and healing from bishops, my father, my brothers, missionaries, an Elders Quorum President, and my husband.

To learn more about the priesthood in the Church, you can go here to see a series of videos on the topic.

CTR rings are a common piece of jewelry worn by members of the Church. They are given to children to remind them to Choose The Right. We are not required to wear the rings; it’s just a little reminder to be good.

Light in the Darkness

It was a dark day. We were living in Austin, Texas and I awoke to excruciating abdominal pain. I was 18 1/2 weeks pregnant with our Daniel and the pain was so intense that we rushed to the hospital. After some tests and an ultrasound, they discovered a tumor or cyst that required immediate surgery to remove.

The pain medication made the rest of my experiences that day a little hazy. Richard made some phone calls from the hospital. I knew that he had called my parents in Utah, but apparently he called some other people, too.

As I waited with Richard by my side, I became aware that we were waiting for the Elders Quorum President (a priesthood leader) from our congregation (ward) before they took me into surgery. When he arrived, I felt his deep concern and love. This meant so much at this scary time. He and Richard placed their hands on my head and gave me a priesthood blessing that I can’t remember. I only remember feeling completely peaceful and loved.

As the nurse wheeled me into surgery, he showed me the ring he had on his finger. It was a CTR ring. My nurse was a member of my Church, too! There were ministering servants all around me on that day and their presence and the blessing they gave to me carried me (and wee Daniel) through the darkness.

Image from lds.org

This one in a series of posts in which I will share some of the things I have experienced because I am a Mormon. In each of these posts, I will give you a basic background and share a small experience. I hope that through the sharing of these small things you can have a glimpse into my experience as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I will also try to explain principles and doctrines of my faith that bring me so much happiness.

Background: During my junior year of college I lived in an apartment with wonderful friends. I attended church with them in a congregation (ward) made entirely from college-age young men and women within a four block radius. My responsibility was to serve as first counselor in the Relief Society presidency. You can read about what a Relief Society President does here. We visited many young women and organized many activities. One of my responsibilities was to see that Sunday meetings always had a teacher, music, and that an uplifting message from the manual was being taught.

The Body hath Need of Every Member

I have always been wary of big social situations. Add to my shyness the highly charged dating environment of a “singles ward” at Brigham Young University and that I had just broken up with someone in the room and you can visualize me sneaking out the back door of the party to go home and hide in my apartment.

So what I tell you about this experience is not boasting. I was simply escaping a really stressful social situation when I decided to visit this young woman.

As a member of a Relief Society presidency, I was aware of an apartment with 4 girls who were not coming to church on my pathway home. As I scurried down the street, I decided to knock on the door of this apartment and say hello.

The only young woman who was home that evening answered the door wearing her usual hat with her long blond hair streaming down her back. I knew her name, but nothing about her. I told her that I needed a place to escape and she invited me in. We talked for a long time. She showed me her collections. I learned she had served a mission for the Church. I learned that she was a cancer survivor. She removed her hat to show me that one of the consequences of her brain tumor was that her hair wouldn’t grow back on the crown of her head. “Male pattern baldness” was the reason she always wore hats.

I’m not fooling when I tell you that I admired her. So often as I have visited women over the years for Relief Society, I have found unique and beautiful stories. Mormon women are incredibly diverse. Some may dress alike or act in similar ways, but visit a Mormon woman in her home and you will see that she is no copy.

Our friendship grew. It was natural that we would share things that were important to us. She shared her books. I just liked talking with her. I invited her to come back to church.

Within a few months she and her roommates did come back to church. It was a happy time to see them feel welcome there. I got married at the end of the school year and we said goodbye and I moved away.

My friend’s cancer returned while I was living in New Mexico and she passed away about a year after we had met.

My desire to see my friend come to church was a little bit like the desire I have to see her again in heaven. Truly, the Church has need of every member, quiet and outgoing, healthy and unhealthy, rich and poor, wounded and strong.

Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:4

For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:12

Also the body hath need of every member, that all may be edified together, that the system may be kept perfect. Doctrine and Covenants 84:110

This one in a series of posts in which I will share some of the things I have experienced because I am a Mormon. In each of these posts, I will give you a basic background and share a small experience. I hope that through the sharing of these small things you can have a glimpse into my experience as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I will also try to explain principles and doctrines of my faith that bring me so much happiness.

Background: Richard and I were married while we were still in college. Mormons attend church according to a map; we do not choose our congregation. It is assigned to us based on the location of our home. Our first congregation (ward) in Provo had a wonderful mixture of ages, talents, and backgrounds. We were asked to serve in the Primary organization, teaching the 9-11 year olds on Sunday. Richard taught the boys and I taught the girls. I also served as a leader for the girls for their weekday activities on Wednesday afternoons. The Primary organization is for children under the age of 12 to be taught the gospel through Sunday school lessons and group lessons that are rich in interactive activities and songs. Primary is a fun place to serve.

Pressed down, shaken together, and running over

It was 1997 and Richard and I had graduated from college and were preparing to move to Texas. For nearly two years I had taught my small group of girls each Sunday. We had traveled through the Book of Mormon and perhaps the New Testament together in our lessons. They had held newborn Paige and watched her grow old enough to crawl and try to walk. We had spent many Wednesday afternoons together, learning the names of trees and plants, baking pies, learning to sew, collecting photos for their scrapbooks, and doing many things I can no longer remember.

These girls were in my thoughts during the week as I read the scriptures to prepare lessons. My Saturday nights were devoted to these girls, making fun activities for them to experience the scriptures the next day.

I was sad to leave them, and I was surprised to learn that they had organized a goodbye party for me. One morning, Richard discovered them carrying two large cakes down the street that they had purchased for me from the Provo Bakery. They had also prepared water balloon activities on the church lawn. Never having been the popular type, I had not expected a party.

I regret that I lost touch with these girls. They would be around 25 or 26 years old now. They may not remember me and I would probably not recognize them as grown women. However, my memories of them carry extra emotion because they were the first of many Primary children I would teach and love over the years.

There were practical and spiritual blessings from teaching Primary. The notes that I took in the margins of my scriptures for lessons are still a treasure to me. I sat at the feet of an amazing chorister who modeled the way to effectively lead the music for children. My next Primary responsibility (calling) in Texas was to lead the music. I was so thankful for what Sister Uharriet taught me.

There were blessings of the heart from teaching Primary. The children didn’t know my inexperience and they accepted me. I accepted them, their little feet balancing on the fence around my yard and their silly giggles at church. Teaching in Primary gave me confidence and a serving of love that I needed.

Their sweet ways and their memorable final act of gratitude filled my heart in good measure.

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. Luke 6:38