This is What We are Supposed to Do!

Preface: You might have to bear with me through my thoughts. I don't always seem to get down in a post what I really want to say.

Let me start with a scripture:
Mosiah 18: 8-9 "...and now, as ye are desirous to come unto the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light; 9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all time and in all things and in all places..." I think to this list we can add... support those that need support, be kind to those that need kindness, smile to those that need a smile, sit by those who are sitting alone, etc. you get the point.

This is our job as members of the Church. It says so right in the Book of Mormon. If we want to be members of His fold this is what we need to do.

When I was in junior high I was at a Mia Maid presidency meeting and we were talking about a girl who was always seeking attention and we all knew her ailments were fake and her problems were intensified just to get sympathy. One of the girls at the meeting said, "she needs to get over herself and we need to ignore it." Our wise advisor at the meeting said, "Yes, perhaps that's true, but that's not our job." Our job was to figure out why she needed attention and give her the right kind. We didn't need to coddle her annoying behavior and sicknesses, however, if she was doing it because she felt left out, then yes, we could help fix that problem. If she was acting out because of problems at home, maybe she needed to talk about it, etc.

We've been talking about this a lot in church lately- I know I need the constant reminder. To be members of this church it takes time and effort and sacrifice. It's easy to think, "oh let someone else take care of that problem, I'm not that close to her (him)" or "I'll do it some other day when I have more time". No! If it's not us then who? We are all busy.

A very respected lady in the ward mentioned that everyone can do something even if you are on bed-rest, have 10 kids at home, crippled, or laid up in your house without a car; if you can pick up the phone then make a phone-call, if your hands are working then write a letter, if you can hear then just be the listener. This lady mentioned that she works full-time and doesn't get home until late so she can't babysit children and take in meals because of work, but she needs to make an effort to find that she can do.

Recently, there was a chance to help someone out in the ward. It came to me through the grape-vine, not directly from the person in charge. It wasn't necessarily something I was excited about, but I knew the help was needed and knew more people were needed. I asked someone else if they wanted to come with me and they said that because they weren't asked directly from the person in charge they could just turn deaf ears and pretend it wasn't mentioned. What?? Yes, we would all like to do that. Yes, it's never convenient. Yes, we can not help with everything. Yes, we can say no.
But that incident was what started all these thoughts.

Do we always want to attend Enrichment activities, Ward activities, Pack meetings? I will raise my hand with a resounding "NO". Do we go to support those that have planned these things? I sure hope so because that is what we are supposed to do. Even if that is the only intention we have in going we are still there. Do you know how much effort it takes in planning these things? And then to not have anyone show? It's sad really that people can't sacrifice the time to attend these programs that were directly inspired from our Heavenly Father. (And no this has nothing to do with me being in charge of pack meetings- I've been pleasantly suprised with the turn-out lately)

This has consumed my thoughts for so long I just didn't know how to formulate it into a post. And now I've just spat it out of my brain. Hopefully, you got the gist: we need to have a change of heart and attitude.