Posting #2 for the day - talk for Sunday

I know - kind of weird to post twice in a day (even in an hour?) - but I'm using this to document things that I will print out/save as a journal later. :)

My talk for Sunday is written and included below - it is written so I can basically read it word-for-word and be at ~10 min (if I don't talk at hyper speed) - if anyone sees anything confusing or dreadful, pls post a comment and I will fix it! :) I know it's kind of weird to write out everything and may make it seem less genuine - but I want to stick to the time and not ramble since we're speaking with a missionary and people will want to hear what he has to say!

Now on to helping Blake finish his, and to preparing my YW lesson for Sun. So much to do, but I think Sun afternoon will feel oh so nice and calm!!!

Melissa’s talk – Aug 29, 2010
Good morning, Brothers and Sisters! A little over a week ago, I was lucky enough to get to go to baptisms with the Young Women and Young Men at the Bountiful Temple. While I was there, Brother King sat by me and said “What are you and Blake doing this morning?” It was pretty early for a Saturday, so I didn’t realize that an assignment was looming until I had gotten home, changed my clothes, and the phone rang from the King’s house. Blake and I both looked at each other with a bit of angst, but I was very proud of him for answering and agreeing for Brother King to come right over. I was even prouder when he agreed, with just a little hesitation, that he (well, we) would participate today. What a privilege, though, to be a part of this meeting, speaking with such neat people.

It is true that although we have been in the ward for a little over four years, we have escaped this assignment - or blessing, depending on how you look at it - until now. Although many of you know us already, I will give a brief introduction to the Dimonds .

Blake is the youngest of three children. He was born and raised in Bountiful, just east of the Mandarin. He went to Viewmont High School and the University of Utah, where he graduated in Business. Blake works for Crown Casters and Handtrucks in Salt Lake City, where he helps with everything from sales, to physically building casters and handtrucks of all shapes and sizes, to customer service, and everything in between.

I am the oldest of three children. I was born in Boulder, Colorado, and have lived in El Paso, Texas; Las Vegas, Nevada; Littleton, Colorado (where I graduated from Chatfield High School); Salt Lake City, and Bountiful. I came to Salt Lake City in 1992 to go the University of Utah, where I graduated in Biology and then completed a Masters in Public Health degree. I currently work for the Utah Department of Health where I manage the Communicable Disease Investigation and Response Program, or “CDIRP” for short. You’ve got to love government acronyms.

Blake and I did not have a traditional courtship. We met in our early 20’s when we worked together at the Carriage Court Restaurant – he was the “Room Service King” by the time I started working there. He didn’t really notice me – at all – though I often heard him telling stories that made me laugh and I knew he was a very funny – and handsome – person. We became friends after a while, and he would call me to chat now and then. Finally one day I asked him if he wanted to hang out – and he did. We dated for a couple of months, and then I moved and was focusing on my Masters degree. We still would call each other a few times each year, and in 2003, I decided I wanted to go out with him again, so I called him and asked him if he wanted to hang out – again – and he did. The rest is history. Well – I guess I SORT of forced the proposal –but that’s a story for another day. We were married on October 15, 2005. After a few rough years, as Blake tells it, after going for time, we decided we liked each other enough to go for eternity – and we were sealed this year on January 2.

We have lived in our home since July of 2006. We are lucky that we love each other, and we love our home, our neighbors, and this ward! We have been blessed beyond our expectations since choosing to live here and are very thankful that we both knew our house was “the one” for us.

I will mention before getting into the topic that normally, I actually enjoy speaking – but that is usually when I have a Powerpoint to go along with, which is a great tool for masking fear and keeping you on track!

I was very happy to hear we were assigned the topic of Elder Uchtdorf’s talk “You are My Hands” from April’s General Conference. I remember hearing this talk and being flooded by thoughts of wonderful people who have helped me so much, and I truly love this topic.

For me, the essence of the talk is the idea that “As we emulate [Christ’s] perfect example, our hands can become His hands, our eyes, His eyes; our heart, His heart”. I decided to focus on why I think this idea is important for my talk today.

As I considered the “why” of this principle, the first thing that came to mind was “How do our Heavenly Parents see each of us”? In Doctrine & Covenants 18:10, we read, “Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God”. We know that our Heavenly Father, and his son Jesus Christ, love us perfectly and unconditionally. To me, this means that they love every single one of us. I am not a parent yet, but I notice when people have new babies that they often gaze at them with a look that clearly shows they are seeing how perfect that little one is – perhaps even seeing a glimpse of how Heavenly Father sees them. When I get annoyed by some people, I often wonder what they were like as infants, and think about how (hopefully) their mother looked at them lovingly and realized how magnificent they were. Sometimes this helps me to try to think past what’s bothering me and to try to have some patience to get to know the person better and learn to appreciate them.

I used to ride the bus to work and school when I was going to the University of Utah. Often I would have very interesting people sit by me and start talking. Sometimes I admit I would be deep in thought and wish they’d leave me alone, but usually I’d become engaged in the conversation and end up thinking “what an interesting person that was”. I remember once when a man with a rather large lump on his nose, who, going by his smell, seemed to have skipped a few showers, sat by me and started telling me all about his life. At first, I couldn’t get past the lump, or the smell – it was pretty gross. But as I talked with him and listened to his stories, I realized that poor man didn’t have anyone else to talk to! I realized that I had no way of knowing if any of his stories were true, or if he was suffering from a mental illness, but it didn’t really matter. He was certainly not threatening, and I felt happy to listen as it seemed to cheer him up, and the stories were really interesting!

As I think about this now, was this poor man loved any less by his mother than I was by mine? Probably not! More importantly, was his value any less to Heavenly Father than mine? Most assuredly not! Just because of his lack of hygiene that day, was he excluded from what we learn about the Savior’s love for us in 2 Nephi 26:24-25?
24 He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation.
25 Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but he saith: Come unto me all ye ends of the earth, buy milk and honey, without money and without price.

I think verse 28 clarifies this even more when it states:

Behold, hath the Lord commanded any that they should not partake of his goodness? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but all men are privileged the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden.

The next part of the why to me, then, is “why do they need us to help”? Surely when they have the power to part the Red Sea, or to feed the masses, or calm the tempest, they do not NEED us. I would say, though, that we need that experience in order to truly learn charity and love. If we skip learning how to listen to the promptings of the Holy Ghost, I would imagine He will prompt another to help the person we could have helped. I think Heavenly Father has a large army of people who are willing to listen and help. But what will we miss in missing that experience? Will we become more like the Savior, or less, if we choose to focus on our own needs instead of looking outward towards opportunities to help others? I believe that this principle is not one that Heavenly Father or Jesus Christ need for themselves as much as they need it for US to become like them.

If we use this principle as a teaching tool to help us to be humble and to learn and grow, especially when it means helping someone we wouldn’t normally think to help, I think we are more likely to learn humility, to learn to better follow promptings of the Spirit, and, if we are open to the experience, we may even have the opportunity to get a glimpse of what the Savior sees in those we are serving.

When we embrace this principle, we are learning to live the 2nd great commandment described in Matthew 22: 39-40:
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

I think we learn through experience, too, WHY these two commandments are the foundation of all of the law when we strive to obey and truly live them. I think, then, we are getting closer to qualifying to return to live with our Heavenly Father, which is a goal that He has for us, as much as we have for ourselves.

I’d like to briefly bear my testimony that I love the idea of becoming His hands, seeing with His eyes, and knowing His heart. I have seen wonderful examples of others working towards this and have been the recipient of remarkable acts of service, many from members of this ward, as well as many from people who are not members of the church. I am so grateful for this, and love that it makes me want to do better and strive more fervently to be a better servant. I’m thankful for the opportunity I had to speak today, and hope the Spirit has been able to convey something that will help you as you go about your day since I know my words are imperfect! I love you all and thank you for the amazing people you are. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.