It's been another crazy week in Nanaimo! Yesterday we had a pretty cool experience. On Sunday
we found a lady named Pam. We taught her a little and then offered some
service, which she accepted. The service she needed was her lawn to be
mowed. Unfortunately neither Sister Yraguen or I have a lawn mower. We
told her we would try and find a lawn mower by the next day, but no
promises. I was a bit nervous about finding the help we needed on such
short notice and on a holiday (Victoria day). We decided to text a
member in the ward who is usually pretty willing to help. I wasn't
expecting him to be available though. However, he responded right away
and said he would gladly mow this lady's lawn. He came with his
daughter, who had just flown in from Alberta. Come to find out his
daughter was only there for 3 days, so they had limited time together.
We weeded with his daughter while he mowed Pam's lawn. It wasn't an easy
task since the grass was about a foot tall. Every time I looked over at
him mowing the lawn he had the biggest grin on his face. After
finishing the project they politely said they had to get going, because
the daughter needed to be dropped off at the airport. They didn't have
much time together, yet they still came and served. Not to mention,
afterwards we texted him a thank you and he responded thanking us for
giving him the opportunity. The biggest miracle to me that day, was
witnessing someone so wiling to serve. It really touched me. I want to
be the kind of person that the Lord can call on me for anything, even if
it comes at personal sacrifice. It reminds me of something Joseph Smith
once said. "A man filled with the love of God, is not content with
blessing his family alone, but ranges through the whole world, anxious
to bless the whole human race."
I've been
thinking a lot about why service is so important. I've come to the
conclusion that it's because Christ Himself is not physically here on
the earth. So it is up to us to be His hands and feet. The other day
someone helped me out a ton. I remember 2 thoughts the flew through my
mind. The first: "how am I ever going to repay them for this" the second
"Christ doesn't expect you to repay Him." I'm not going to claim the
2nd thought as my own. We don't serve out of an effort to fill some
quota. We serve because that's how others can come to understand the
love of God. When we see Christlike service in the acts of others,
that's when we begin to understand the unconditional nature of Christ's
love. We serve without expectation of reward because Christ loves us
without demanding anything from us.
Lately
I've met a lot of people who are angry at God for some reason or the
other. One thing I've noticed is that a lot of the time when people are
angry at God, they try to convince themselves that He doesn't exist.
Because one of the things that hurts the most is to be ignored. I don't
know if this is true, but sometimes it seems that people are trying to
hurt God in their anger by denying his existence. Yet God still exists
no matter what any one person may think or decide. As Jeffry R Holland
said "I am grateful to know that in spite of my imperfections (or the
imperfections of those who may hurt or offend us) at least God is
perfect- that at least He is, for example, able to love His enemies,
because too often, due to the natural man and woman in us, you and I are
sometimes that enemy. How grateful I am that at least God can bless
those who despitefully use Him because, without wanting or intending to
do so, we all despitefully use Him sometimes. I am grateful that God is
merciful and a peacemaker because I need mercy and the world needs
peace."
I know that God exists. I also know that He refuses to give up on anyone.
I hope all of you have an amazing week!
Sister Bloomfield
