"And for this year, my wish for each of us is small and very simple.
And it's this.
I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes.
Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're Doing Something.
So that's my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody's ever made before. Don't freeze, don't stop, don't worry that it isn't good enough, or it isn't perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life.
Whatever it is you're scared of doing, Do it.
Make your mistakes, next year and forever."--Neil Gaiman
(listen to those generous thoughts)
yesterday i didn't give a gift.
i had plans to.
but i suppressed a few generous thoughts.
early in the mornig a flower i had planted to give away bloomed. i had a thought to give it to someone i had never met.
and i chickened out.
wondering if i would be really weird to do that.
and i really, really loved the flower and i didn't want to chance that it would fall into unappreciative hands (yes, i already forgot my gift-giving lesson about "no strings attached").
and then i thought to give my chair up to someone. a friend of a friend that i recognized who was expecting. and i kept checking over my shoulder. trying to build up my courage to get up and introduce myself and ask if she wanted to take my seat--since there were no more chairs.
but i chickened out.
what if i got up and offered her the seat and she thought i was weird? and what if she didn't want to go sit down and wanted to stay standing by her friend? and then i would be standing there and then i guess i would have just gone back and sat down. with people watching me in the middle of a talk.
and then i had a plan to gift something.
and someone else beat me to it.
and so at 11:31 last night i wondered what i could give.
and maybe i didn't give anything for my project yesterday
but i almost started crying when i walked in the door and saw that tim had cleaned the kitchen. and i opened the fridge. and each shelf was clean and organized. and i know i had spilled some elderberry syrup, ormus green powder...well, a while ago on the shelves. and i know it was crusty and gross and i am sure there were moldy lemons. because i despise cleaning the fridge out.
and i was so happy that tim had not supressed a kind thought.
"For many who have need of our help, it is not necessary to create new programs or take actions which are complicated or costly. They only need our determination to serve—to do the right thing at the right time, without delay." Jose L. Alonso
"My daughter-in-law’s mother, Susan, was a wonderful seamstress. President Kimball lived in their ward. One Sunday, Susan noticed that he had a new suit. Her father had recently returned from a trip to New York and had brought her some exquisite silk fabric. Susan thought that fabric would make a handsome tie to go with President Kimball’s new suit. So on Monday she made the tie. She wrapped it in tissue paper and walked up the block to President Kimball’s home.
On her way to the front door, she suddenly stopped and thought, 'Who am I to make a tie for the prophet? He probably has plenty of them.' Deciding she had made a mistake, she turned to leave.
Just then Sister Kimball opened the front door and said, 'Oh, Susan!'
Stumbling all over herself, Susan said, 'I saw President Kimball in his new suit on Sunday. Dad just brought me some silk from New York . . . and so I made him a tie.'
Before Susan could continue, Sister Kimball stopped her, took hold of her shoulders, and said: 'Susan, never suppress a generous thought.'
Susan didn’t have an assignment to make that tie. She wasn’t hired to do so. Despite feeling a bit hesitant, she did it because it felt right. Susan had a quiet sense of mission to serve others. I was also the beneficiary of such service. Her service went beyond any calling because it lasted throughout her life. Never suppressing a generous thought became a part of her personal ministry.
Some years ago, at the conclusion of a Utah Board of Higher Education meeting, Elder Neal Maxwell submitted his resignation. He said he needed to do so to make time for his personal ministry. Most of the board members assumed he was referring to his apostleship. However, he explained that his personal ministry was different than his apostleship. His personal ministry was to comfort fellow cancer patients.
We often speak about the Savior’s ministry. But have you ever wondered if you have a personal ministry? I have.
What is personal ministry? Each of us has a personal ministry. I believe we received our personal ministry in the premortal world. It was divinely given and lasts a lifetime.
Asking to be an answer to someone’s prayer has a powerful impact. There are sacred, quiet experiences for those who participate with the Lord in answering prayers. As we go about listening, watching, and feeling for the answer to those prayers—even in the midst of our busy schedules—I testify that our earthly ministry unfolds by revelation and divine empowerment. Our testimonies, faith, and feelings of connectedness to the Lord expand in amazing, unexpected ways." Bonnie D. Parkin, "Personal Ministry: Sacred and Personal" (I wanted to include the entire devotional--it is really amazing).
Comments