Post # 116 – Becoming a Shepherd
Dear Family
and Friends
It has been
so hot here this week. I took my students o a field trip to a museum that was
two and a half hours away. We were able to see an original old home built in
the 1800’s, an old schoolhouse, an old sod home; an old church; and an old barn
– that is a museum on the bottom and an event place on the top of the barn with
a stage area, dance area, and a place for drinks in the corner😊
if it had some straw or hay on the floor you can just imagine an old-time community
get together going on up there😊
You know each
group or preschoolers I have every year are mostly new students – every now and
again I will have a few students who will stay with me for two years because
their birthday is later in the year so they are not old enough to go to
kindergarten. Many of them have never been to a museum before and I love it
when they see old things and truly take an interest in what is around them.
At my last
doctors visit I was told that they found something different in my pelvic area,
so I am waiting for the opportunity to retake the tests in September. My daughter
is not very good at waiting and wants to know the answers right now. I want to
know the answers too, but I don’t feel the urgency that she does in finding
out. I have asked questions but have not received any answers that have cleared
anything up as yet.
She is very
anxious to know exactly what is going on and just what the plan is going to be
to address the findings. I mention this to you because as a patient you may be
okay with what is going on, thinking that it is just part of the process, but
you also need to realize and take into consideration the feelings of your loved
ones and those that you will eventually leave behind😊
If you do not
feel that you need to find out information for yourselves, then please find it
out for those who are going through this journey along beside you. Even those
close friends and acquaintances will fray for your well being because they too
are concerned for you and your life. I, myself, have had a feeling of peace
continually throughout my journey thus far and I have felt very blessed by the
excellent care that my whole medical team has been giving me so far😊
Every one has
been caring, loving, concerned, and simply amazing people!!! So, when something
new is brought to your attention, be sure to ask those questions that you feel
that your loved ones – your ‘home team’ if you will, would ask if they were
there with you at your visit😊 What are those questions you say? I have
made a list for myself that my daughter fired off at me, she was not happy with
my not asking them at my last visit☹
1. What did you find that was not there
before?
2. Was it there before and has it grown?
3. What changes do you need to make in my
treatment to address these new findings?
4. Why do we have to wait so long to
retake the tests?
5. Will this new thing be growing as we
wait?
6. Is there a chance that whatever you
found can cause me more pain or other problems before it is addressed with the
retesting?
7. Is there anything that I need to be
doing in the meantime? (changes in my diet, exercising, adding medications,
etc.)?
8. How high should my concern be over these
new findings?
9. Will you be upping the dosages of my
chemo drugs in the meantime or do you wait for the retests to make any changes?
10. Does this mean that the chemo is no
longer keeping the cancer from growing?
11. Are there other things we can try if
what we are doing is no longer keeping the cancer from growing?
12. At this point do I need to make final
arrangements or how much time do you think I have left?
13. What showed up on the scans?
14. Why are we waiting until September to
do another scan? My mom has stage four cancer and I am not comfortable waiting,
especially if the cancer is spreading!!!
15. Are you going to try another type of Chemo?
16. Basically, why are we waiting
considering my mom’s past and current regimen.
17. Is it cancer that showed up on the scan?
18. What are they doing to ensure that my
mom will be okay?
19. What is the process and what is
happening with the spots that lit up on the scan?
20. Is the chemo to keep any cancer at bay or
gone?
I know that
some of these are very hard questions and maybe you are more prepared for the
eventuality of death, but I am not. I do not have a living will – or a will at
all. I do not have enough money to pay for my funeral or outstanding medical
bills or car bills etc. ☹ I believe
I am a bit better prepared for my death spiritually than I am temporally.
I believe if
you had one to be better prepared for – I would go with the spiritual over the
temporal of you had to choose😊 On the other hand I do to wish to
leave my children with outstanding bills in order to bury me either! It is
so-o-o-o very expensive☹ but we all need to think about these
things no matter how old we are or how young we are, because you never know when
your time upon this earth will be done😊
Well, enough
of my rambling about these dark things. I think we are due for a lesson from one
of the general conference sessions we have had. The talk I have chosen is one
that we had in our Relief Society group. The lesson was on Becoming a Shepherd
from the October 2018 general conference. This talk is by Sister Bonnie H. Cordon
Young Women General President.
She said that:
“We all want to be recognized. We want to matter, to be remembered
and to feel loved. Sisters and Brothers, each of you matter. Even if you are
not spoken of in general conference, the Savior knows you and loves you. If you
wonder if that is true, you need only contemplate that He has “graven [you]
upon the palms of [His] hands.” Wow!!
Have you actually thought about that thought – that He has each of us “graven”
upon His hands? He Knows us individually!! He loves each one of us!!! 😊
We began our lesson with a couple of
scriptures John 8:5-8 and John 2:3-4.
In these verses
the Pharisees tried to trick Jesus into saying something that they could ger
Him into trouble for. But Jesus knew their hearts when they brought the woman
who was Caught in adultery and they wanted her to be stoned. Jesus told them
that those who are without sin were to cast the first stone. Of course, nobody
is without sin except Jesus Himself.
5 Now Moses
in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
6 This
they said, tempting him, that they might have accuse him. But Jesus stooped
down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard
them not.
7 So when
they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is
without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
8 and
again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
In these next
verses they were talking about the miracle when Jesus turned the water into
wine at a wedding party that Jesus’s mother was hosting, and He and His
disciples were attending there as well.
John 2:3-4
3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of
Jesus saith unto him, they have no wine.
4
Jesus saith unto her, women what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet
come.
The Sister leading
our discussion told us that we should not judge
the people that you serve. How often have you been prompted to help someone,
but you didn’t for one reason or another? I felt pretty guilty when she asked
this question because just that week, I saw a lady walking down the street with
her arms full of grocery bags. She was doing okay, but I a sure that she would
have appreciated a ride with her heavy load.
I was
seriously going to stop then I looked at the clock in my car and realized that if I did stop to
give her a ride I would be late for work☹ so, I chose to go on to work, but I gave
up a great opportunity to do a simple act of kindness for someone☹ I worried
about that little lady all day long as I did my work☹ I have
watched for her as I go to work hoping that I might have another opportunity to
serve her😊
The next
statement she made in our group made me feel even more self-conscious and
guilty. “There is no reason why anyone
can’t stop to help another person in need of our help!” I was watching a
Christmas movie during this time – its Hallmark channel’s tenth anniversary of
doing their Christmas shows and so all during this year we can watch a
Christmas movie every Thursday night, which I love😊
So, on this
movie that I was watching the main character was a woman who had a bad divorce
and she had two children. She was therefore a single mom in a new town, with an
ex-husband who was causing her grief. On her way to work one morning, right before
she was to drop her children off at their day care center, a truck veered in
front of her and ran into a snowbank.
The young
mother jumped out of her car and ran to the other woman. She tried to talk to
her to find out if she was okay. She then pulled her free from her truck and
laid her down on the ground. Yelled at her son to call 911. Then she began to
administer CPR (which was portrayed all wrong😊)
The ambulance came and took the woman off to the hospital. this young mother was
in a hurry to get her children to day care and off to work.
She didn’t even
hesitate to stop and help this woman who desperately needed her help RIGHT
NOW!!! She saved the woman’s life. We may be prompted to do something that may
save a life. Have you ever thought about that? Even if you don’t physically
save a life you might have what the person needs to save their spiritual life!!! Which, like I said would be the best choice! Our
spiritual side needs to be strong in order to combat the daily temptations
Satan puts in our way. Satan wants us to fail, to think only of ourselves and
not about others☹
The young mother in the movie moved to help the other woman without a seconds hesitation, why dd I have to hesitate on that day? She ended up losing her job, because she had been late before due to car trouble or her babysitter being late, but she saved the life of the other woman😊 I’m not saying that the Lady I saw on the street was in a life or death situation like in this movie, but she could have been with the heat and carrying a heavy load.
After I had
my first child, I had to walk five miles to my mother’s home for my younger
sister to tend my daughter and I ended up having heat stroke – so things CAN
happen. ANYTHING can happen at ANYTIME!!! That is why it is so important for
each one of us to learn how your Heavenly Father speaks to each one of you
through the Holy Ghost😊 Then act immediately on those
promptings then you won’t be worrying as I have been about a stranger on the
street☹ Enough of my rambling! Sorry if I got
off track😊
In her talk
she talked about how knowing that the Savior loves each one of us we must think
at some point in time – “How can I best show my love for my Savior?” we can learn this through the
account of when the Savior asked Peter a question three times, in the following
exchange found in John 21:15–17
The Savior asked Peter, “Lovest thou
me … ?”
Peter answered, “Yea, Lord; thou
knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.”
When asked this question
both a second and a third time, “Lovest thou me?” Peter was grieved yet confirmed his love: “Lord, thou
knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.”
15 ¶ So when they had dined, Jesus saith to
Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more
than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.
He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
16 He saith to him again the second time,
Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto
him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved
because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I
love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
She continues in her talk asking:
Hadn’t Peter already proven himself a loving follower of Christ?
From their first encounter on the seashore, he “straightway” left his fishing
nets to follow the Savior. Peter became a true fisher of men. He
accompanied the Savior during His personal ministry and helped teach others the
gospel of Jesus Christ. Matthew 4:20 New
Testament 20 And
they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
But now the resurrected Lord knew He would no longer be by Peter’s
side, showing him how and when he should serve. In the Savior’s absence, Peter
would need to seek guidance from the Spirit, receive revelation on his own, and
then have the courage and faith to act. Focused on His sheep, the Savior
desired Peter to do what He would do if He were there. He asked Peter to become
a shepherd.
Do you ever feel like you have already
proven yourself? Maybe we should rethink this proving ourselves thing😊 I
don’t believe that our Savior is asking us to prove ourselves. I believe He is simply asking each one of us
to love and help one another, to look out for each other, to be the listing ear,
the lifting hands, the walking feet for those that need us to run errands for
them, the willing muscles for those that need a heavy job done. I think the
phrase “Many hands make light work” fits in here really well😊
Just think about how much better and more
efficient our families, our neighborhoods, our towns, our cities, states, our
country, and then the world would work if each one of us continuously did our
part to love and help those in need, and even help those who are not in need
but because it is the nice, the right thing to do!!! 😊 😊 😊 My
brother has always told me that in you work hard at something you can make it
happen!!
So here is my challenge to myself to be a
little kinder, love a little more, help our a little more during the next month
– in our homes, in our neighborhoods, in our schools, in our work places, and
in all those places we may find ourselves. Let us each try to follow our Savior’s
example of serving those around us and in doing so we can each make a splendid
improvement in our little corner of the world. So, wherever you are at this
moment – leave the place, the people, your home, your school, your workplace,
better because you were there!!!!
Now I know that this talk is about “ministering” to those we have been assigned to in our callings in the church, but some of us have not been called to minister to specific people. Though this may be true, and I know that there are many of you who may not be members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who may read my posts. In which case I say to you Jesus Christ is our Savior, and He has asked each one of us to “feed His sheep” just as He did ask of Peter when He was here during His earthly or mortal ministry. Jesus is not here on the earth at this time, so each one of us must choose to be His hands, His feet, and follow His example. 😊
We can read in the scriptures all the
Jesus Christ did during His earthly ministry and we too can accomplish many
great and marvelous things --- with His help!!! 😊 I
live and breathe each day with His help and through many priesthood blessings. Even
though I have endured many things while living in my mortal probation, I know
and I believe that I can and probably will endure many more things😊 I
am very willing to do what I can to help others our when I can. I can do the
small things and I know that is all that our Savior asks of me – to continue
doing the small things, because the small things do add up😊
In the scriptures it tells us that we are
not expected to run faster than we are able – with His help!!! This is what we
need to remember – in the scriptures it also tells us that we can do all things
in the strength of our Lord. I believe that we must – each one of us all around
the world – put our trust in our Heavenly Father and in His Only Begotten Son, our
Savior, Jesus Christ😊 in her talk this good Sister referred us
to what our living Prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, has asked each one of us
to do:
Last April, President
Russell M. Nelson extended a similar invitation to us to feed our Father’s
sheep in a holier way and to do so through ministering. Ministering April
2018 General Conference
To effectively accept this
invitation, we must develop a shepherd’s heart and understand the needs of the
Lord’s sheep. So how do we become the shepherds the Lord needs us to become?
As with all questions, we can look to our Savior, Jesus Christ—the Good Shepherd. The Savior’s sheep were known and numbered, they were watched over, and they
were gathered into the fold of God.
Known and Numbered
As we strive to
follow the Savior’s example, we must first know and number His sheep. We have
been assigned specific individuals and families to tend so we are certain that
all of the Lord’s flock are accounted for and no one is forgotten. Numbering,
however, is not really about numbers; it is about making certain each person feels the love of the Savior through
someone who serves for Him. In
that way, all can recognize that they are known by a loving Father in Heaven.
I believe we can feed
our Father’s sheep in a holier way through ministering whether we are a member
of the Church of Jesus Christ or not😊 we can – each one of us, in our own
homes, schools, workplaces, supermarkets, sports stadiums, concert halls,
bowling alleys, libraries, laundry mats, Y.M.C.A’s or other gyms, fast food
places, standing in line at our local Walmart or K-mart, hospitals, cancer
centers, or any other place that you may find ourselves – love and serve one
another. Remember our service doesn’t need to be huge to count😊
Our service can be as
simple as sharing a genuine loving smile, reminding those we meet that they are
loved by their Heavenly Father and by their Savior, Jesus Christ😊
Remember that each one of us are a child of a loving Heavenly Father. The phrase
‘I am a Child of God’ applies to everyone who has ever lived or who will ever
live on this earth!!! It might be helpful for us to review the words to the song
with the same title – you can find it here:
She goes on to teach
us the second way we can minister to our brothers and sisters. Again she refers
to the members of the Church of Latter-day Saints, but I believe this can be
applied to members of any church or even those whom do not belong to any church😊We
should be concerned about and care for those around us no matter who they are
or what church they go to or do not go to! They are each one a child of God and
our brother or sister/ our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know and love each
one individually and They are counting on us to love each one of them as well😊
Watched Over
A second way to develop the heart of a shepherd is to watch over
His sheep. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we
can move, fix, repair, and rebuild just about anything. We are quick to meet a
need with a helping hand or a plate of cookies. But is there more?
Do our sheep know we are watching over them with love and we will
take action to help?
In Matthew 25 we
read:
“Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit
the kingdom prepared for you … :
“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: …
“Then shall the righteous answer him,
saying, Lord when saw we thee an hungred, and fed
thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
“When saw we thee a
stranger, and took thee in?”
Brothers and
sisters, the key word is saw. The
righteous saw those in need because they were watching and noticing. We too can
be a watchful eye to aid and comfort, to celebrate and even dream. As we act,
we can be assured of the promise in Matthew: “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto
one of the least of these … , ye have done it unto me.”
40 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.
Let is each be more
aware of those around us, let us be observant and prayerful, that we might see
the needs of those around us. Then we can be the first to step up to the plate
and help them with those needs😊 I know that I need to work on this as I
am sure that some of you may as well, so please accept this challenge with me:
let us pray each day to notice those the Lord would like us to help for Him😊Let
us ask our Heavenly Father in our prayers how we can show His love to that person
people. Remember, there is great power in prayer!!!
Our sheep may be hurting, lost, or even willfully astray; as their
shepherd, we can be among the first to see their need. We can listen and love
without judgment and offer hope and help with the discerning guidance of the
Holy Ghost.
Gathered into the Fold of
God
Third, we want our
sheep to be gathered into the fold of God. To do so, we must consider where
they are on the covenant path and be willing to walk with them on their journey
of faith. Ours is a sacred privilege to come to know their hearts and point
them to their Savior.
Whether our sheep are strong or weak, rejoicing or in anguish, we
can make certain that no one walks alone. We can love them wherever they are
spiritually and offer support and encouragement for the next step forward. As we pray and seek to understand their hearts, I testify
that Heavenly Father will direct us and His Spirit will go with us. We have the
opportunity to be the “angels round about” them as He goes before their face.
88 And
whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on
your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.
This good sister
shared with is the fact that we can be shepherds at a young age – the young men
and young women, the youth of our family, our neighborhood, our town, our
cities, states, countries, world – can become shepherds as well. our Heavenly
Father and Jesus Christ are counting on you – the youth, as well as all of the
adults of this world😊 so, if you are a youth, young woman or
a young man – know that you are needed to become a shepherd too😊
Your own youth can be
your partner in your ministering efforts to help those around you to feel the
love of their Heavenly Father and help each of them to find their way to our
Savior, Jesus Christ😊 I believe as this good sister has
testified, that as we each pray and as we seek to understand the hearts of
those around us our Heavenly Father will lead and direct each one of us and His
Spirit will go with us.
Let us each take the
opportunity to be the “angels round about” them as He goes before their face😊
I know that as we each do this work together; we can change the world – one person
at a time! Just think about that – about how amazing this type of change can
mean in our world that is starving for love. You can read the whole talk here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2018/10/becoming-a-shepherd?lang=eng
Well my
dear Family and Friends, here we are at the end of this talk and this post. I hope
and pray that something that I have shared with each one of you has in some way
helped to inspire and lift you into action😊 Remember, the Lord needs all of His
children to help each other feel His love, to be there for one another in the
small and simple ways that only we can do😊 We each have our own unique gifts and
talents that only we alone can share with others!!!
As always,
I want to encourage each one of you to continue your study of the New Testament
with us. Continue saying your prayers; keeping the Lord’s commandments –- remember
the two greatest commandments are: to Love God with all our soul, with all our heart,
with all our mind; and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Until we meet again
at my next post, please make it a good week and remember who you are and who
the Lord wants you to become.
As found
in Matthew chapter 22 :36 -- 40
36 Master,
which is the
great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus
said unto him, Thou shalt alove the
Lord thy God with all thy bheart, and
with all thy soul, and with all thy cmind.
38 This
is the first and great acommandment.
40 On
these two commandments hang all the alaw and
the prophets.
You can
watch the Greatest Commandment video here:
You can
also check out this blog for more information: https://www.comeuntochrist.org/blog/which-is-the-greatest-commandment
