December 28, 2015 - Monday in Nauvoo

Another P-day has come and gone and we are better off from enjoying a wonderful day together.  We are finally getting that long anticipated freezing rain.  The morning walk was out of the question, and our trip for groceries was in question for most of the early morning hours.  

We were in full indoor exercise mode by 6:00am and had our morning devotional and prayers completed.  Mom and I both finished getting ready for the day and were ready to leave by 8:30am.  However, the weather was still rainy a icy cold.  However, we decided that since it wasn't freezing or snowing, we would venture out for our trip to Sam's Club in Quincy. Even though it rained all the way to Quincy, the roads were free from ice and we enjoyed the ride down.

Our first stop was to Christopher and Banks to see if a sweater was still there from last week that mom liked.  The Mall was pretty quiet and we went right to the store, and there it was!  And just the right size!  With the coupons we had and one furnished by the clerk, the final cost of the $42.00 sweater was -0-!  The exact sweater mom would have gotten at 50% off last week came was free today with the coupons we had.  I think that must be a new world's record for mom and me!

And then we headed straight for Sam's.  The rain was falling a little harder when we came out of the mall, but we were parked close to the Mall entrance.  When we got to Sam's there was a parking spot right near the covered loading area!  We had fun getting our supplies and this time we shopped for the next two weeks.  Our trip home was wet and cold and by the time we pulled into Nauvoo, there were traces of snow along the roadway.  It was a good time to get off the roads!

In talking with Ali this afternoon, I found out a very touching story given by my friend and brother in the Gospel before his Sunday School lesson yesterday.  I have posted that story here as a reminder to me on how to act and react in my associations with others:

Matthew 25:34-40

34 -Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

 35 - 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:

 36 - Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

 37 - Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? Or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

 38 - When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? Or naked, and clothed thee?

 39 - Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

 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.

A former counselor, whom I served with, in the Rigby 10^th Ward Bishopric back in 2011, gave this thought at the beginning of his Sunday School Class on December 27, 2015;

“I was involved this year in developing and marketing a product that was due to be introduced between Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I had invested a very large sum of money to get this product on the market.  I thought that this was the best time to get maximum exposure because of the Christmas season.  However, there seemed to be a delay in the process so I called to see what was going on. 

I found out from a secretary that the wrong address had been used and that the delay was caused by this error.  I was livid!  I asked her how this could have happened and she boldly exclaimed that it was my fault!  She indicated that I had apparently given the wrong address!  That did not set well with me, and I let her know, in no uncertain terms, and expressed my displeasure and anger in generous helpings!  I was so incensed that after I had finished my tirade, I abruptly hung up the phone.

It was then my opportunity to gather my thoughts and begin preparing my lesson for my Sunday School Class in two weeks.  While I was organizing my thoughts, my anger was still at a high point and I could not feel the Spirit to begin my preparations!  I knelt down in prayer and could not shake off the phone conversation.  I asked the Lord for help and he replied simply;  “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me”.

Tears instantly filled my eyes and I sobbed like a little child.  I would never want to treat the Savior like that, and if treating the secretary as I did paralleled treating the Savior, I needed to repair things as soon as possible.

And, feeling very guilty, I decided to send an email of apology…. The Lord spoke to me again and said; “that is not enough”.  That was on Friday, so Monday I picked up the phone and spoke directly to the secretary and made my apology directly to her.  I hung up the phone ready to get back to preparing that next Sunday lesson, when the Lord said; “that is not enough”.

So, I found out where the closest flower shop was to the secretary’s office, and I called and asked them to send a bouquet of flowers, and not just any bouquet, but an arrangement that anyone who would see it would say, WOW! 

I received an email later that Monday from this secretary.  She indicated that she was having a tough time and that this week she was celebrating her birthday.  She indicated that things had been very difficult for her but the bouquet of flowers had made her entire week!

When I hung up the phone I heard the Lord say; “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me”.

This time, I, again, dropped to my knees in prayer, and, as my eyes filled with tears, they were tears of joy.  We just don’t know what others are going through in their lives and the way we treat them is an example of how we might be treating our Savior.

May I suggest that when we speak to each other, in the coming new year 2016, that our conversations, our feelings and actions, will parallel that by which we might be addressing our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!