Emily’s Curio

I have a conversation I want to bring up about a previous conversation that happened over another conversation. As I thought about bringing the next conversation up I started to think that it probably wouldn’t do any good. their would be no closure, nothing would be resolved, it would just bring up another conversation. the idea came to mind that I should just forgive and let it go. That was a hard idea in one way. I knew it was right and the only way to end it. A little part of me felt like it wouldn’t really bring happiness and I should keep trying to get my feelings understood. I decided that the latter idea wasn’t one from someone that had my best interest at heart. The former idea or forgiving was from someone who did. I will see if I made the right choice, in time.

This was taken from LDS.org website:

“To forgive is a divine attribute. It is to pardon or excuse someone from blame for an offense or misdeed. The scriptures refer to forgiveness in two ways. The Lord commands us to repent of our sins and seek His forgiveness. He also commands us to forgive those who offend or hurt us.”

“In the everyday circumstances of life, we will surely be wronged by other people—sometimes innocently and sometimes intentionally. It is easy to become bitter or angry or vengeful in such situations, but this is not the Lord’s way. The Savior counseled, “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). He set the perfect example of forgiveness when He was on the cross. Referring to the Roman soldiers who had crucified Him, He prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34; see footnote c ).

We should pray for strength to forgive those who have wronged us, and we should abandon feelings of anger, bitterness, or revenge. We should also look for the good in others rather than focusing on their faults and magnifying their weaknesses. God will be the judge of others’ harmful actions.”

I was struck this last Sunday when  a member of the high preist quorum brought, to talk with him in sacrament meeting, a young Elder preparing to go on a mission. This young Elder was to speak first, and was witty and clever as all young Elders are at his age. Then he got serious for a moment, not too serious, but serious enough to show the proper reverence and respect for his talk. He started with the scripture:

Matt. 5:13

“Ye are the ^asalt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.”

Then he asked us what it means to be the salt of the earth. He suggested a few things like, Salt was good for preserving back then, so we are preservers; salt was good for food preparation, so we are preparers; and salt was valued at such a cost that it could be bartered with like money; so we are precious and valuable.

Then he asked a question:

“So if we, as disciples of Jesus Christ, are the salt of the earth, are we better than other people?”

Some members of the congregation shook their heads, some remained still, some looked around. Then he said,

“Let me ask that in anther way;  SHOULD we be better?”

there was an amazing quiet that came over the room as we thought of that.

He read a scripture about how disciples are meek, humble, longsuffering, ready to forgive, patient and kind, Temperant, full of mercy, repentant, and prayerful, and constantly desirous to bless the whole human family.

Then he read a scripture in 1 nephi 17: 35

” 35 Behold, the Lord esteemeth all ^aflesh in one; he that is ^brighteous is ^cfavored of God.”

And he made another point. That if we are his disciples who have not lost their savor, and can preserve righteousness on the earth, prepare ourselves and others, and be precious by keeping our testimony and light strong that we will not think ourselves better than anyone else, nor will we elevate ourselves above anyone, in would not be in our disposition. We would esteem all flesh as one and pray for those who are not coming unto Him.

I really enjoyed his talk. He used a lot of scriptures to bring across his point, and ended on Pres. James E. Fausts quote:

“Too often we try to follow God without offending the devil. Let us remember that no man can serve two masters. We either Follow Jesus, or we don’t. There is no middle ground. We cannot please the world by following its precepts, and please God.”

I wanted to include this in my blog because it was important enough to me that I am aiming on making it a conscientious daily goal.

I hope that all of my friends and family are doing well today.

Our doctor has extended the baby’s due date. I am trying to be patient and not complain.

There is a news article posted yesterday:

OGDEN — An Ogden woman cannot believe a stranger paid her $65 bill at the grocery store.

The Ogden Standard-Examiner reports it happened around 8 p.m. Friday at the Albertsons at 20th Street and Harrison Boulevard.

Frances Martinez reached the register but had a problem with her debit card. She stepped aside to call the bank. She says when she came back, the checker had surprising news.

“She goes, ‘The lady behind you paid for all your groceries; $65 worth.’ I said, ‘Who was it? What does she look like?’” Martinez said.

But the woman was gone.

Martinez tells the Standard-Examiner she went home and cried. “That doesn’t happen, hardly ever. Now with the economy so bad, it’s wonderful that someone would do that,” Martinez said.

This story reminded me of a situatioin that happened to our family recently. It was right after Christmas that I was waiting in line at Costa Vida with my oldest son. I was tired and pregnant and had had anemotional morning. My son was concerned and wanted to be with me so I held his hand and we talked as we waited for the long line to shorten and we could haveour turn. As we waited there a man entered the restaurant and walked right up to me. He put his hand on my arm and handed me something that I had supposed he would be asking me to give to someone within my reach. Instead he held my arm, looked me in the eyes and said clearly and softly, “Merry Christmas.” I looked at the card in my hand and could only think of responding with a simple, “Thank you.” He lefft the place and I stood a little dumbfounded as I looked at the costa vida gift card for twenty dollars in my hand. All kinds of thought went through my head. At first I paniked that he might think I was a single mother, that he was trying to do a good deed for someone who really needed it and thought it might be me. Then I paniked that he thought I might be in need in some other way, but it was obvious with my sons new red coat on and my new tan one that we did not look like we were in need. Then I felt guilty that he had done a kind act, supposeing he wanted to do it for someone in need, and that it had landed on me instead. I began to look through the line for the right person to give the gift to. Then a calm feeling, like somebody putting their warm hands on your shoulders in a loving way to get your attention, came over me and a thought struck me. “Maybe he was just doing something for someone to be nice, because there isn’t very much of that going on in the world.” That had a made a strong impression with me. I had always thought that people did things for people who were in need, but this was someone who was doing something for someone just to do it. There was so much of anger, critisism, gossip, faultfinding, judgement, tearing down, complaining, unkindness, and unhappiness everywhere.

Do you remember the last time someone smiled at you in understanding when you didn’t see them to your right as you were about to change lanes? Or the person at the grocery store who smiled and said excuse me as you came around the corner unaware that they were about to exit? Or the person who gave you the benefit of the doubt when you said something a little odd but they could tell you meant no harm, and they wouldn’t expose you to gossip or ridicule? Those are things I have done over and over again sincce the experience, just to give my two cents of the better way to live. It hasn’t been easy, you don’t always receive the same treatment in return, and it hasn’t become part of my natural character to do it, it’s still a choice and an effort I have to make because I want to someday be a better person than I am now. But I am grateful to al those people out there who are trying to do the same thing. Who are just doing the right thing because it’s right, not because they will receive any recognition or any special privileages. IN fact, as someone once told me, it’s one of those things you can chalk up to being another “Silent Victory’ in life. Your secret alone, something you did to make another persons day and nobody else knows about it except one:

“And the Lord who seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” Matt. 6:6

And what greater reward can we have than from the LORD? The Prince of Peace.