My Sister's Keeper
I grow as I serve my sisters
Sister's I don't know about you but i am ALWAYS busy. Between
children, my husband, school, church callings, sports, music lessons,
caring for the house, helping with my extended family, and all the
other things I am responsible for, Sometimes I feel like I don't have
a single second to spare.
I would like to share with you something that happened to me a
couple of weeks ago.
It was one of those days. I had spent all day doing things for
everyone around me. Then I received a message from a friend
that I hadn't seen in a while........asking for a favor.
I didn't want to do it. I really, REALLY didn't want to do it. I thought
of all the excuses I could make (and I had some great ones!) I thought
about how it would inconvenience me, how I already had so much on
my plate. I wanted to pretend like I had never seen the message, maybe
wait to respond for a couple of weeks so I could mentally prepare, or do
the favor on my timetable. I wanted to say no, but I didn't.
I got to her house and I remembered how much I love this friend that
I hadn't seen for such a long time. I hugged her and I caught up on her
life. I saw how much her children had grown. I smiled and laughed and
I did a favor for her.
When things had calmed down and we were alone, she told me that she
was going through a very difficult time. That she felt so alone. That she
had no one to talk to, no one to help her get through this hard time.
She cried on my shoulder.....and I knew I was exactly where I was
supposed to be.
This is from a talk by Jean B. Bingham during the April 2018 General
Conference.
"Sometimes we think we have to do something grand and heroic to
count as serving our neighbors.Yet simple acts of service can have
profound effects on others as well as ourselves."
Although I helped my friend, I learned something. I learned that
helping others is necessary.
Helping is hard. Helping others helps me. This really brought
home to me that I am my sister's keeper. We need each other to share
the joys, the sorrows, the triumphs, and the trials with. Guess what?
That visit didn't make my life easier. In fact, I told her I would come
back to talk, to help, to do what I could to ease her burden.
And I have.
And I am so glad I did.
"The Savior is our example in everything. Not only in what we should
do but why we should do it. His life on earth was an invitation to us to
raise our sights a little higher. To forget our own problems and to reach
out to others."
I am so glad I followed the example of my Savior.
Next time I will do it with a better attitude.
Written by Elisabeth Mattson, Secretary Centralia Stake Relief Society
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