The Other Side of Giving
I am sorry it has been a few days, but it has been busy around here. I ended up working at temple on both Tuesday and Wednesday, Thursday was crazy with honor band and more, and then Friday we were all together and on the road.
Anyway, it has been a good week. I am grateful for the time that I have had to be with family. I have learned a great deal. I have been touched in many ways. I have been given many things to ponder. I would like to give voice to one of those thoughts today.
Over the past several years, we have all watched my Grand Mother slowly slip away. Her mortal body and mind have been crumbling before our eyes. The worse she became, the more we all questioned, why? Why did she have to suffer the way she was suffering? Why would she be required to endure such things? What could possibly be the reasoning behind the conditions of this life?
We all had these questions. I am sure we all prayed about it. I know I did. It was not easy. I prayed for understanding, that her suffering would be lightened, that this hardship would be eased from her. But year after year, we watched her continued to slip away.
Well, this weekend I was touched with at thought. I don't know if it was my answer or if it was the reasoning, but all kind of makes sense in my mind. So here it is...
I am not sure the roll of the concluding speaker at her funeral. I know he was the mortician, but I don't know if he was her current Bishop, a counselor in the Bishopric, in the Stake Presidency, or just a nice guy who wanted to speak at a funeral and took advantage of the opportunity when the Stake President could not. I don't know. I do know that he knew my Grand Mother. He also shared comments from the Stake President who had been her home teacher for some 20 years or more. They knew my grandparents well.
He commented on how dedicated my Grand Mother was to her husband. He reviewed all the many callings she had accepted in the church and how she was always more than willing to help and assist others in need. That being said, he also commented on how hard it was for her to receive assistance from others. He talked about how hard it was for her to let others help her when her husband was sick. If she could not get it done, she just didn't do it. She never went out and asked for help. When people offered the assistance, she told them that she was fine. I was left with the impression that the assistance she did receives was almost forced upon her and done against her will. Even when it came from the doctors.
With that thought, I wonder if this was a lesson she needed to learn. A lesson that we all need to learn. We were not sent down to earth to complete our test alone. We were sent here with all of our brothers and sisters. It is true that many of the tasks before us must be completed on a personal level, but not all of them are to be completed alone.
If you think about the whole idea behind the plan of salvation, it was designed for success on when we received the assistance of another. If we are not willing to accept the assistance and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we are not able to return to our Heavenly Father.
What if this was Grand Mothers lesson to be learned? What if this was the way she needed to learn it? If you think about it, she had been receiving a great deal of assistance over the past several years. If she had remained in the same state and condition, physically and mentally during that time, she would not have been as willing to accept such assistance.
How many times during that period did she say "NO" or refuse/fight against those who were trying to help her? Could you count them? I don't know that we could. But then, one of the last stories I will remember her by is the one all have been talking about. It was her last trip to the dentist. I was given the impression that she went willing and that when she was done, she said "Thank You". She willingly received/accepted the assistance she needed.
Had she learned her lesson? Was it then that her mission was completed? I don't know. I do know that she has helped me learn many lessons in life, both in person and through her example. This is just another one that I needed to learn. Take my words for what they are, just my thoughts.
Remember, we have to find balance on both sides, giving and receiving.
Anyway, it has been a good week. I am grateful for the time that I have had to be with family. I have learned a great deal. I have been touched in many ways. I have been given many things to ponder. I would like to give voice to one of those thoughts today.
Over the past several years, we have all watched my Grand Mother slowly slip away. Her mortal body and mind have been crumbling before our eyes. The worse she became, the more we all questioned, why? Why did she have to suffer the way she was suffering? Why would she be required to endure such things? What could possibly be the reasoning behind the conditions of this life?
We all had these questions. I am sure we all prayed about it. I know I did. It was not easy. I prayed for understanding, that her suffering would be lightened, that this hardship would be eased from her. But year after year, we watched her continued to slip away.
Well, this weekend I was touched with at thought. I don't know if it was my answer or if it was the reasoning, but all kind of makes sense in my mind. So here it is...
I am not sure the roll of the concluding speaker at her funeral. I know he was the mortician, but I don't know if he was her current Bishop, a counselor in the Bishopric, in the Stake Presidency, or just a nice guy who wanted to speak at a funeral and took advantage of the opportunity when the Stake President could not. I don't know. I do know that he knew my Grand Mother. He also shared comments from the Stake President who had been her home teacher for some 20 years or more. They knew my grandparents well.
He commented on how dedicated my Grand Mother was to her husband. He reviewed all the many callings she had accepted in the church and how she was always more than willing to help and assist others in need. That being said, he also commented on how hard it was for her to receive assistance from others. He talked about how hard it was for her to let others help her when her husband was sick. If she could not get it done, she just didn't do it. She never went out and asked for help. When people offered the assistance, she told them that she was fine. I was left with the impression that the assistance she did receives was almost forced upon her and done against her will. Even when it came from the doctors.
With that thought, I wonder if this was a lesson she needed to learn. A lesson that we all need to learn. We were not sent down to earth to complete our test alone. We were sent here with all of our brothers and sisters. It is true that many of the tasks before us must be completed on a personal level, but not all of them are to be completed alone.
If you think about the whole idea behind the plan of salvation, it was designed for success on when we received the assistance of another. If we are not willing to accept the assistance and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we are not able to return to our Heavenly Father.
What if this was Grand Mothers lesson to be learned? What if this was the way she needed to learn it? If you think about it, she had been receiving a great deal of assistance over the past several years. If she had remained in the same state and condition, physically and mentally during that time, she would not have been as willing to accept such assistance.
How many times during that period did she say "NO" or refuse/fight against those who were trying to help her? Could you count them? I don't know that we could. But then, one of the last stories I will remember her by is the one all have been talking about. It was her last trip to the dentist. I was given the impression that she went willing and that when she was done, she said "Thank You". She willingly received/accepted the assistance she needed.
Had she learned her lesson? Was it then that her mission was completed? I don't know. I do know that she has helped me learn many lessons in life, both in person and through her example. This is just another one that I needed to learn. Take my words for what they are, just my thoughts.
Remember, we have to find balance on both sides, giving and receiving.
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