Becoming A Community of Latter-Day Saints

COMMUNITY of Latter-Day Saints
I am currently a member of a search and rescue team. As I've been completing the mandatory training requirements, it has been interesting getting to know some of the members. There is a retired school teacher, a worker at ALCON, a director of human resources, a high school teacher, an electrician...a community of individuals all coming together for the purpose of assisting official governmental agencies with the location of lost or missing persons, and locating human remains and disaster victims. They're an impressive group of men and women. Even more impressive to me, as I've gotten to know them, are the attributes they bring to the team. The retired school teacher is an expert hiker, including new GPS applications and techniques, which knowledge keeps team members safe by knowing exactly where they are during a search. The worker at ALCON has a degree in veterinarian science, and is able to work on dogs injured during a search. The director of human resources is a trained medic and helps team members as well as found persons. The high school teacher specializes in forensics, and is able to contribute more than others on preserving a scene. The electrician worked at a morgue, and is an expert on bone identification. All these team members would be able to contribute in a positive manner just by being on the team, but the team as a whole is so much more because of each team member's individual contributions that collectively make this community team more powerful and successful.

As a community of saints, we too are a group of volunteers bound together by similar beliefs and desires.

Community is defined as "a group of people having a particular characteristic in common. And, a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals.

How appropriate that from the word community comes the word commune, which means to focus on God with profound intensity.

As a ward community, who commune together, we are comprised of a body of saints whose collective knowledge, experience, and talents make up so much more than meets the eye. Imagine if we could harness this collective power for good in our efforts to minister more, to be better missionaries, to be more diligent remembering our family history, to desire going to the temple more, to be more committed to our covenants. To sacrifice and serve more. To watch over one another more.

I recently read about a BYU soccer player volunteering to teach soccer in refugee camps. Camps where living conditions were unclean, meager, where the individuals in the camps had suffered war like conditions that forced them from home, amid the loss of stability, even the loss of family members. He was struggling as to why he was there, and how would soccer be something they could use when they had experienced and lost so much. As he was explaining his thoughts to his frequently used taxi driver, the taxi driver said, “Thomas, when we breathe, we breathe in the name of God.”

The words struck this soccer player with meaning. He said, “That’s the only thing we had in common - the air we breathe. But it came from God; we had the same maker. We had the same Heavenly Father." Even if they didn’t share the same religion and were raised on different continents, it didn’t matter. The taxi driver saw the soccer player as his brother, a brother that was struggling in the same conditions, with the same feelings. Together they became a little community.

I've shared these two examples that demonstrate the concept of community to help us ponder six characteristics that help us to develop and become a stronger, more powerful ward community of latter-day saints.

The first is SERVICE
Recently, it became apparent to me that I would not be able to design, create, staff and operate a float that the Bishop was asked to have entered into the Granbury Christmas Night Parade. Reaching out for help I found that someone's large piece of property, with cedar trees, became the source of greenery for the floats. The suggestion of using the city park as a source of pine cones allowed my husband and I the opportunity to peruse the park, and enjoy a beautiful fall walk. The decrepit play house in my backyard, that was knocked down by my sons to become an eyesore, became the wood needed to build the stable and manger. Labored over for ten hours, and the parade now over, this stable is now a new shelter for goats.

When those of you that couldn't contribute in person but still wanted to contribute, volunteers offered to fund the tea lights that were handed out to those on the parade route, and create the invitation to #LightTheWorld, and join us on December 22nd. The lights that were wrapped around the entire float were donated or purchased. A star created for a youth dance was repurposed into the star that sat on top of the stable. Costumes, generator and speakers were offered. Power tools and garage space were donated to build and decorate the float. Hay was purchased for the thatch roof and floor covering. Parade participants were encouraged and gathered by others willing to assist in that manner. The parade float became so much more than an entry. Did you know we have sisters in this ward that can thatch a roof like they were ironing a shirt, and operate power tools like a kitchen mixer?

Doctrine and Covenants 81:5 tells how to serve: "Succor the weak." We'll get back to that part. "Lift up the hands which hang down." When it was announced that the a float needed to be built, you came running. My hands never even had a chance to hang down in discouragement, disappointment, or despair. "Strengthen the feeble knees." My legs might have been a bit weak at the thought of building a float, not as much as Noah or Nephi when they were instructed to build a boat. But all those those extra hands that came running reinvigorated my legs.

Serving together helps our ward to develop into and become a more powerful community of saints.

The second is PRAYER
When I think of prayer, I always think of young Joseph Smith, going into the grove of his own accord. It was not what we or he would consider a sacred place. It was just a private place near his home. In his history, verse 15, he states, "I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue to that I could not speak." Elder Holland, speaking to the San Antonio Missionaries in 2007 said, "Satan does not have the power to kill, so he did the second most powerful thing he could do. He bound the tongue of Joseph Smith." And as we know, then the grove became sacred. 2 Nephi 32:8 explains the principle of prayer a bit more with Nephi's words: "For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray."

Elder Ballard, while speaking at a regional conference in New England said, "As a community of saints, the power of unified prayer is one of our strongest weapons against the adversary."

Praying together and for each other helps our ward develop into and become a more powerful community of latter-day saints.

The third is SUPPORT

Elder Soares says, "...as we encourage, support, and love each other, we combine to form a mighty force for good in the world."

Lehi did not travel to the Promised land alone. He had a family that went with him. Nor did he solely obtain the plates, nor find wives for all his sons. And he definitely did not build the boat, or fix the bow that broke.Or make new plates on which to record. He had a family that supported him in his efforts to flee Jerusalem. To obtain the scriptures for his family and their posterity. To provide for their families while traveling in the wilderness. He had family. And his sons. Even sons such as Laman and Lemuel. Think of Laman and Lemuel. Even though they were visited by the angel because they were striking their brothers, they become witnesses to Ishmael's family of the validity of that incident. Probably a necessity to help Ishmael have the courage to follow Lehi into the wilderness with his most precious possessions, his daughters. Because these families were able to join together, they became more numerous, accomplished more, and even prospered under difficult circumstances. We all have redeeming characteristics.Just by singularly choosing the Savior's plan, over Satan's host that did not, we are endeared to our Father in Heaven.

In the Doctrine and Covenants, 36:2 it says, referring to Edward Partridge: "...you are blessed, and your sins are forgiven you, and you are called to preach my gospel as with the voice of a trump; And I will lay my hand upon you by the hand of my servant Sidney Rigdon, and you shall receive my Spirit, the Holy Ghost, even the Comforter, which shall teach you the peaceable things of the kingdom."

Elder Hutchins had this to say about Edward Partridge and this revelation given in December 1830. "This principle applies to us as well. Many times, we don't see the whole picture. When we are set apart for a calling, ordained to an office in the priesthood, or blessed, we see the human hand on our heads. As this scripture notes though, the Lord is laying his hand on us as well."

When we raise our arm, to the square, and answer the often heard Sunday question, "All those in favor," we need to realize we're making a covenant between ourselves, those whom we're offering our support, and our Heavenly Father. We're agreeing to support all of our leaders, whose heads have felt the hand of the Lord, in their efforts, in building up the Kingdom of God on the earth and preparing the earth for the return of our Savior. That's the kind of support I'm referring to when I say, "Supporting each other in our families, in our callings, in our efforts to minister to others, through the power of the Priesthood, will help our ward become a more stronger and powerful community of latter-day saints.

The fourth is SUCCOR

This was mentioned earlier, as one of the tenets of how to serve.

My son Hunter shared this with me in a letter earlier this month: "Sunday School covered Hebrews today. One of the scriptures that we talked about was Hebrews 2:14-18 and how that helps give us hope. I especially liked verse 18: "For in that he [Christ] himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted."  On my mission I gained new insight into the the word "succor." It's not one that we use often anymore. In Portuguese, the language spoken in Brazil, the word is "socorrer." The Latin root is correr, or to run."

I love that he was able to determine that this word, succor, literally means to run to the aid of another.

Everyone is aware of the miracle of the loaves and fishes in John chapter 6. Verses 11-13 state, "And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given athanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled. which were about five thousand, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be alost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves."

But the often overlooked lesson of that experience relates to the youth who had brought the food. Specifically, in chapter 6 verse 9, which states, "There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?" That "so many" being five thousand.

I can picture this youth in my mind's eye, literally running up the shores of Galilee at the Savior's request for food. Despite his seemingly insignificant offering of five loaves and two small fish, the Lord was able to magnify it to bless the lives of many. So too, can He magnify our seemingly insignificant offerings if we are but willing to run to the aid of.  For those of you who participated in the parade - you were literally running to the aid of others with your paper. Elizabeth Gammons spoke last week in her testimony about how precious the piece of paper titled #LightTheWorld was that was being offered, and how desperately she wanted parade participants to know of its eternal significance.

My son continued: "When we are beset by difficulties, and especially by temptation, we can cry out for help, and Christ will run to us. He is eager and ready to help. He will heal our woundedness and cure our brokenness. He is the Savior. He is our Savior, and He is the way, the truth and the life." And we can develop into and become a more powerful community of saints by running to our Savior, through the aid of others.

The fifth is SACRIFICE
If I was asked to pick one thing I liked most about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints I would say that I appreciate the fact that our Church is a church of sacrifice. Our youth offer a small sacrifice to the Lord through their seminary attendance, and later a larger sacrifice when they serve a mission. We pay tithing, we serve in callings, we minister. Our clergy are unpaid volunteers. We grow to love those whom we sacrifice for through our service.

My family and I have been in this ward for five years. We've had two sons leave and come home from their mission, and a third that will be leaving soon. While Porter, the son who came home this summer, was on his mission, I would frequently ask my husband if it was time to put more money in the mission fund. Every single time he said, "No, not yet." In meager mites of the widow, this ward paid for my son's mission. We feel the love of you through your sacrifice on our behalf. Your support of missionaries and fast offerings is another way we make sacrifices for the Lord.

Elder Soares this past October said, "Our determination to cast off all that is contrary to God’s will and to sacrifice all we are asked to give and to strive to follow His teachings will help us to endure in the path of Jesus Christ’s gospel—even in the face of tribulation, the weakness of our souls, or the social pressure and worldly philosophies that oppose His teachings."

Sacrificing of our time, talents, and all that we have, for my family, your family, and our ward family, will help us to develop and become a more powerful community of latter-day saints.

The sixth is SANCTIFY
When I think of becoming a more powerful latter-day saint, I think of the temple. In the Doctrine and Covenants, section 109:13,  the Kirtland temple dedicatory prayer, it says, “All people, who shall enter upon the threshold of the Lord’s house may feel thy power." This isn't like the stapler I was using when hanging garland on the float, this is the equivalent of operating the 16" circular saw that built the stable.

Elder Christofferson, who recently helped with the dedication of a new temple said, “God does not force grace of goodness upon us. But the covenants we make through temple ordinances permit Him to let His divine influence flow into our souls. This brings power in the priesthood, power to declare the word of God, power to gather scattered Israel, and power to offer redemption to the dead. It is the power to resist temptation and overcome evil. It is the power to know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. In other words, it is the power to lay hold of eternal life.” Anyone need to develop and increase their spiritual power? Get to the temple and be more sanctified.

Joshua 3:5 commands, "Sanctify yourselves: for to morrow the Lord will do wonders among you."

Yesterday was the birthday of my youngest son Miller. He is fortunate enough to be born on Pearl Harbor Day, effective yesterday now to be known as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. A day to remember the immeasurable sacrifices made so we may live today in peace and prosperity. Christmas is the Remembrance Day for the Savior. A day to remember His eternally impacting sacrifice and example. May we offer Him those gifts of our self that will be most meaningful to Him

As we work to do the will of the Lord, we will experience miracles in our lives, and be tools, of the power tool variety, to perform miracles for others. Sanctifying ourselves in the process of serving together, supporting and succoring each other, praying for each other, sacrificing and for each other, helps our ward develop into and become a more powerful community of saints.

This is my prayer -