A Tender Mercy from St. Johns - by Kailey Foxcroft

There once was a sister missionary serving in my ward that always told me "God is so aware of you." I reflected that often as I served a mission in Houston Texas. I made it a goal to always look for the signs He was giving me, that would allow me to see His hand in everyday matters.

There was one particualar Sunday that I was feeling down. My companion and I weren't getting along the greatest, the work was slow, and I was feeling homesick at the time. We were in Relief Society and were divided into separate groups during the lesson. I was sitting next to women I didn't know, so they were asking me the typical missionary questions like, how long have you been out? Where are you from and so on. After telling them I was from Arizona the lady to the left of me leans over and says, "You don't happen to know where St. Johns is do ya?"  *mini freak out* Her name was Chanda Shreeve and come to find out, she and my mom had gone to high school together and had grown up in the same ward. She helped me feel at home, in a state where I was a stranger, and i know this was a blessing sent from above just for me when I needed it.  She took good care of us, and fed us the last few weeks before I was transferred to a new area. It really showed me that God was aware of me. Not only was this a tender mercy for me, but for my mom as well. She had been praying for me and  was comforted to know I was in good hands and being taken care of by an old friend. 

 I experienced many many more tender mercies as I began to look for them. It really opened my eyes to how much we are truly loved. It changed my attitude and my thoughts. I was more positive and happier. In a world that is filled with negativity and temptations that question our beliefs, it's easy to not see the hand of God everyday. But I know that as we open our eyes and take the time to look, tender mercies are all over. He is waiting and willing to bless us. We must first do our part and look in faith just as it says in 1 Nephi 1:20. I now know that St. Johns is indeed the smallest biggest town ever, but also that God is so very aware of us. Just open your eyes and look! I promise you will see the hand of God everyday and will have a happier life. 

(Kailey is the daughter of Rachel Nielsen; granddaughter of Lawson and Carolyn Nielsen)

Town Of Angels by David Eisley

The day was cold as I sped down the black, ribbon highway, thinking about how late I would be for my appointment. I was 9 miles out her Show Low and my appointment was in two minutes. It was spring, and the wind was blowing as I passed a car parked along the side of the road with the trunk popped open. A woman was standing along at the edge of the road. 

“Don’t stop,” I thought. “You’ll miss your appointment,” I said to myself. 

Then another voice whispered softly to my mind, “Stop.” 

Somewhat reluctantly, I pulled the car to the side of the road where I stopped and backed up to the stranded vehicle. Getting out of my car I walked to the lady who had her arms folded and was standing by the opened trunk. “Can I help you?” I asked.

“Oh, yes!” She replied enthusiastically. “Are you an angel?” She asked. “I have been stranded here for over an hour, and cars just keep speeding past. I finally prayed for an angel. ...You must be an angel.”

“Not even close,” I chuckled. I proceeded to ask her what the problem was and was able to quickly change her tire. It was the first time I’d ever been accused of being an angel.

It ended up that I made my appointment…because they were late.

Are you an angel? St. Johns is a wonderful town! It is full of angels. I remember, years ago, I had hurt my back and was unable to chop my firewood. I don’t even know how he found out, but my home teacher came over and chopped up all my firewood. He was an angel.

On another occasion, the wind had destroyed my roof, and I was replacing it with a steel roof. The only help I had was my 11-year-old son. I was concerned that the winds would catch the tin and crumple it with just me and a small boy handling the long, fragile pieces. We decided we needed to get up at 4 AM and get started, because by 9 AM the winds were gusting to 15 or 20 mph. This time, a different home teacher had come by visiting the night before, and I had told him my plan of getting up at 4 AM to thwart the winds. The next morning at 4 AM-without being asked-this home teacher showed up and helped all morning. He helped for the next four days until the roof was completed. He was an angel.

Three decades ago (my family and I had just moved to St. Johns) it was a little bit scary moving to a new town where I knew no one. A few days after we had moved into our new apartment, one of my sons stepped on a fishing hook. It went in deeply and was buried beyond the barb. It was late at night, and we had no insurance to take him to the emergency room. The move to St. John’s had deleted whatever money we had. We were panicked. I called the only LDS friend I had in town and found out that there was a dentist who was also LDS. We called him. He arranged for us to meet him at his office where he extracted the hook. When we tried to pay him; he wouldn’t take any money. He was an angel.

Once, shortly after we had moved to town, we were in dire need financially, and an envelope arrived at our PO Box without any return address. I opened it, and inside was $200! It helped us through a cold winter… Someone was our angel.

When my son moved into town, 10 years ago, our small trailer could no longer hold his expanding family and us. The solution was to put another place on the backend of our property. A young man who had also just moved into town and was very busy trying to make his own ends meet, came over and spent three days helping to level the lot, put in the sewer and electric, and lay the concrete pad for our manufactured home. He was an angel.

Sagebrush smells good when it rains, but when it is close to your home it is a fire hazard during the summer. When I tried to burn it myself, I was politely asked by the Sheriff’s Department not to do so because it was red flag season (I didn’t know that). I made the fortunate mistake of telling one of the families that I home teach about what had happened. Without being asked, he showed up with his tractor the next morning and scraped the sage and chemise far from my house. He even leveled the land. He was an angel.

We have been challenged each day to pray that we will find someone to serve. At the, November 1, 2014, Stake Conference, President Burgoyne said, “Serving others…opens doors.  Look for opportunities to invite and serve.” He then promised us, “As your stake president, I promise that as you seek understanding you will be blessed with "great treasures of knowledge." The spirit of the Holy Ghost will rest upon you and will testify the truth of all things to you. I further promise that you will receive a change of heart capable of changing your behavior to do all things that the Lord commands you to do.” He then challenged us to read M. Russell Ballard’s talk: “Be Anxiously Engaged”, and to pray for guidance from the Holy Ghost. In that talk Elder Ballard said, “great things are brought about and burdens are lightened through the efforts of many hands “anxiously engaged in a good cause (D& C 58:27).”. King Benjamin said, “... I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when you’re in the service of your fellow beings you are only in the service of your God. (Mosiah 2: 17)”.

There is an interesting thing about being an angel for somebody else. Although we are serving others, we receive a great reward. I will explain. The other day I went to the post office and there was an elderly lady who entered with me. She smiled at me as I opened the door for her. Later, again as I left, she was there at the door struggling a little to get out. I opened it for her, and then asked she would like me to help her to her car. She replied that she would, and as I held up my arm for her to take it, she surprisingly grasped my hand with hers. She then explained to me that it was the best way to maintain control when you’re helping someone to walk (I didn’t know that). We engaged in a short, friendly conversation, and as we said goodbye she said, “God bless you.” My heart filled with the joy of the Holy Ghost as He witnessed to me that this very simple active service was also serving God. Service of others can be a selfish thing, because those who serve others receive just as much as those they serve.

The slogan for the town of St. Johns is, “The Town of Friendly Neighbors”. Although that is true to me, I think perhaps a secondary slogan is appropriate: “The Town of Angels”. I only hope that I am as good an angel as others have been to me.

Do Your Job by Marcie Ashton

Last Sunday I joined many of you in the auditorium to watch the movie, “Meet the Mormons”.  I giggled about the misconceptions some people have, I cried with the missionary mom and I’m considering a trip to Atlanta for Bishop Sullivan’s barbeque.  But mostly, I came away with a sense of awe concerning the incredible impact those featured have had on the world. 

As Ryan and I discussed our reactions, I felt a little disheartened.  Just what is my purpose in life?  Is there a certain task I was sent here to do?  What if I’m not following through with it because of fear, complacency or selfishness?  What was I born to do?  Who am I supposed to become?  As little seeds of doubt and worry crept into my mind, I heard a quiet voice:  “Do your job”.

*    *    *  

When Cade was a freshman, he and three of his fellow freshman played on the Varsity baseball team. While I was extremely proud of him, it was intense because of the high expectations for a fourteen-year-old kid. And on top of that, his dad was one of the coaches.  The initial part of the season was tense as the boys tried to prove themselves, and fit in with the upperclassmen.  (Or at least not drive them insane).  Luckily, it all worked itself out in the end.  Epic games of “Wiffle” were played in Coach Davis’ backyard, morning practices were followed by breakfast at Wilburs and life-long friendships were formed.  To top it off, they even won the State Championship. But that is all a side note to my point.

During the season, when Cade would get up to bat, Ryan would clap his hands together from the first base coach’s box and say "Do your job." Not, "You can do it", or "I believe in you", but just a simple "Do your job." I spent a good part of that time thinking Ryan was a jerk. What in the world?! Here was my baby boy, who needed all the encouragement we could offer, and Ryan was just telling him to “do his job”.   Finally I confronted Ryan about it. (Confronted may be a strong word, let's just say "asked"). What he told me, struck me as so profound, that it keeps coming back to me as a motto for my life. 

He said, "You know Marcie, I get so nervous for him sometimes that I just have to turn away. My stomach churns and I want nothing more for him than to get a great hit. But nothing I say or do can get that hit for him. He knows what to do. We've taught him, and he's practiced it. All he has to do is get up there and do his job.

"Wow. That really changed my perspective on Ryan, Cade and their relationship. Nobody was asking Cade to perform a miracle, but then again, no one expected him to fail. Doing "his best" wasn't quite enough, but there was a total expectation that he could handle the task. And if he failed on that try (which happens enough in baseball) Ryan was there to tell him to hang in there, give him some advice get him ready for the next time.

*    *    *

That phrase often comes to my mind when I feel overwhelmed and stressed. "Just do your job".  I don't have to be perfect, I don't have to even do it all. I just have to accomplish the task that is right in front of me. And sometimes, I won't be successful. But there is always someone there to tell me to hang in there and encourage me to keep trying. 

I still don’t know if there is some earth-shaking job I’m supposed to be working towards.  That’s OK.  But I do know that I’m supposed to love my family, serve others and grow closer to my Savior as I help others do the same.   I can just imagine Heavenly Father watching us, hoping we'll "do our job", but knowing that he can't do it for us. Yet, he's always there, ready with encouragement, a little advice, and the expectation that we'll get back in the game.

Find a Penny… by Kirstin Udall

My grandmother seemed to have a surplus of sayings that she would offer up in times when needed, or in her later years they would surface in seemingly normal conversation, but didn’t always fit the situation being discussed.  Nevertheless, her little sayings always fascinated and entertained me.  As an adult, I sometimes giggle at how and when they pop into my head, or spill out of my mouth in conversation! 

One of these little adages was, “FIND A PENNY PICK IT UP – ALL THAT DAY YOU’LL HAVE GOOD LUCK”.  I remember as a young girl feeling so lucky if I would come across a shiny penny on the ground!  I was sure to snatch it up and then begin to observe my surroundings more closely during the day, to see what LUCK would befall me.  Sadly, I can’t tell you anything in particular that occurred because of this act, but I do remember how much more observant I was of the people around me, and what they were doing.  I had such great examples of “doers” to watch. I witnessed family members do nice things for the people around them. I took more notice of the daily chores and favors that my mom, or grandmas, did for the family and me.  It didn’t seem like LUCK, but rather WORK.  So the LUCK I was waiting to emerge in my life was never readily apparent to me.  Needless to say, I didn’t buy into my grandma’s advice about the luck thing.  I even asked her what I should do with the pennies that I had found, picked up, and not received any luck from.  She responded, of course, with another saying: “Save them for a rainy day.”  She was a puzzling character indeed to a small girl! But since my grandma had said it, I knew it was special and I should remember it and try to live up to the advice!

As I have grown up, I have made the connection that I was “lucky” for several reasons; not because a magical thing called LUCK was floating around waiting to bless me, but rather because the people around me were willing to help me on my journey.   I have come to realize that not everyone has this LUCK or blessing in their life.

The other day I was getting a soda at Whiting’s Quick Stop.  A guy in front of me was paying and didn’t wait to receive his change.  It was a couple of pennies, and the clerk tossed them into a tray at the side of the register.  He rang up my total,  86 cents,  and I handed him a dollar.  He handed me back two dimes for my change.  When he saw the puzzled look on my face, he quickly said, “I used four of those so you could get silver back…” he was gesturing to that little penny tray. He smiled at me and said, “Your lucky day I guess!” and I blurted out, “I didn’t even have to pick them up.”  I smiled at him, and he gave me a puzzled look, and I went to my car.  My thoughts began to tease me, “I wonder if the LUCK is valid still if I didn’t even have to work to pick them up?”  I don’t consider myself superstitious by any means, but I do read into things sometimes.  I began to think of how invaluable a penny has become.  How many people will cast them aside or, even throw them away as meaningless.  And yet here I was walking away with 4 extra pennies that someone else deemed unimportant.  By the worlds standards, these 4 pennies weren’t the jackpot, but I thought of how many times I had used that “extra penny” to make up the difference in a purchase that required one more cent than what I had, and how valuable even 1 cent became in that instance, and how “lucky” I was that it was there…   most people wouldn’t see the big deal in a penny, but when you think of how all those pennies can add up, or be spread out to help many, they seemed a little more valuable to me.

A few weeks later I was teaching a lesson at church, and we were discussing expressions of love and gratitude.  I had everyone present choose a penny from my penny jar, to be a reminder of the blessing we could be in others lives.  Sometimes we feel invaluable or incapable, and of no worth to anyone else, but the reality is that any amount of assistance we give, sooner or later someone will benefit from the effort made.  That is what I believe “LUCK” is… it is someone taking the time, no matter the amount, to serve someone else, and make their life a little, or sometimes a lot easier.  It lightens their load, mood, and even their attitude about life.  One sister added this thought to the discussion… she said, “Think of the words on the front of a penny.. IN GOD WE TRUST.  Now that’s the luckiest thing we could ever believe in.  So when I find a penny, I try to think of a blessing God has given me and spend a moment in gratitude.”  I loved this idea! And me being the type to “read more into things”, suggested we take a challenge to not only “Find a penny, pick it up, but also take notice of where we find it.  Then try to find someone living, or standing around that location, and find a way to serve them. Several suggestions were made of how we could do this and they ranged from a simple smile that could be offered in friendship, a compliment rendered, a commitment of service, or even a financial contribution; whatever a person felt able to give at the time.   Imagine the wave of goodness that could roll forth from the simple act of finding a penny! 

I know that God lives.  I know that he loves us.  I also know that he trusts us to do His work.  I know that in its most basic form this means that we should love and serve others as he would.  In other words BE THE LUCK in someone’s life.  Look for someone who is have a "rainy day" and spend your service on them!  We might not ever realize how our kind acts, “make up the difference” in the scheme of things, but I believe that every single one adds up to spreading God’s love, and that can never be invaluable or worthless.

I read recently an addition someone made to the penny poem:

 FIND A PENNY PICK IT UP

 ALL THAT DAY YOU’LL HAVE GOOD LUCK…

GIVE IT TO A FAITHFUL FRIEND

THEN YOUR LUCK WILL NEVER END

I would like to add that the “FAITHFUL FRIEND” in my opinion is God… He has given us a way to return to live with him.  That is our true luck… and also a great responsibility He has placed with us.  He trusts us that we will work to help each other on our journeys.  

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.
~Aesop

Happy New You! by Suzanne Hancock

The year was winding down, only seconds until the ball dropped in Times Square. Dick Clark smiled through the television screen and led the countdown, as we joined in chorus at my mom's house. 10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1... When the clock struck midnight, hugs and kisses and the usual greeting filled the room, punctuated by Tyli, my then two-year-old niece, exclaiming with great vigor, "Happy New You!" We all laughed in delight at her misunderstanding of the name of the holiday. It was only later that I recognized the wisdom in her innocent error.

Each January, we set out to change something about ourselves, something to enhance our lives. Among the top resolutions are those of losing weight, exercising more, and eating better, which are all related in their end goal to be more physically fit. Although these are admirable goals that will lead to healthier bodies, I believe they can be extended to improve our lives even more.

LOSING WEIGHT: Many of us are carrying excess pounds of regret, grudges, hatred, and heartache. Whether this is as a result of our own actions or the actions of others, it matters not. What matters is we have a Savior. Jesus Christ atoned for our sins, our weaknesses, our pains. When we decide to get down on our knees and sincerely ask for forgiveness, or strength, or healing, the numbers won't show on the scales in our bathrooms, but the weight on our heart will be lessened.

Elder David A. Bednar said,

"We are not and never need be alone. 

We can press forward in our daily lives with heavenly help.

Through the Savior’s Atonement we can receive

capacity and “strength beyond [our] own."

EXERCISING MORE: While I can attest to the physical and emotional benefits of exercise, no amount of Beachbody workouts is going to help me as much as an exercise of faith.

In Hebrews, Chapter 11, verse 1, the Apostle Paul taught that

“faith is the substance [assurance] of things hoped for,

the evidence of things not seen."

I have faith that my Savior lives, that his Atonement is for me. Faith that there is a God above who hears my prayers and answers them for my good. Faith that families are forever and because of that I will see my beautiful mom again. I exercise my faith more every day when I choose to believe that the best things I can imagine exist, not only in the scope of religious beliefs, but also in the people in our community.

EATING BETTER: I really need to improve in this area. I don't eat enough vegetables, and some days I just eat too many cookies. However, when I do as Nephi taught and "feast upon the words of Christ" by reading and studying the scriptures, I am filled with spiritual nutrition. There is a power in the Bible and the Book of Mormon that is unsurpassed by any health food out there. No energy drink can give you the jump start to your day that the word of God can. Plus, the scriptures are calorie, fat, and even gluten free!

With February 2015 already upon us, many of us, myself included, have given up on our New Year's resolutions. We have failed again in our minds, with thoughts of maybe next year scrolling through our brains like a news ticker. It's a good thing that our Heavenly Father does not care about what month it is. He offers us blessings without regard to the date or the time. We can begin today to forgive and be forgiven; we can begin today to have faith in God and Christ and believe in the goodness found in those around us; we can begin today to read the joyful words written for our benefit. If we do these things, our before and after pictures will show healthier spirits and comforted hearts.

Although many years have passed since Tyli misspoke on that holiday night, I still repeat her words each New Year's Eve, and I also repeat them whenever I need to be reminded that there is always an opportunity to become a happy. new. me.

Total Commitment by Stacy Frazier

A hen and a pig were walking down the street together when they passed a sign advertising ham and eggs.  Said the hen,“Isn’t it great that we can be of service? Doesn’t it make you feel just wonderful to be able to do something for others?” The pig replied, “For you it is small daily service given with little cost to yourself. For me, it is total commitment!  The hen was involved, but the pig was committed!

I have been thinking a lot of about commitments lately and thought I’d share a few things I found as well as add my two cents!  I listened to an interview of a young man recently named Kyle Dake who is a four time NCAA wrestling champion in four different weight classes. He talked about many things that helped him achieve the success he has had but what he said about commitment was outstanding.  He said his parents didn’t push him into anything but if he did commit to something, he’d have to honor that commitment.  By being held accountable to those commitments, he was able to achieve his goals. His philosophy includes hard work, positive thinking and never giving up.  He said, “You can only lose when you quit.”

The journey of success is long and dotted with a series of commitments to worthy goals.  A person does not become committed to worthwhile goals just by making the declaration or decision.  It must be daily progression toward established purposes.   Dale Carnegie once said, “If you are not in the process of becoming the person you want to be, you are automatically engaged in becoming the person you don’t want to be.”  Goals that we set to become better people are just that without commitment.  Total commitment entails work. Our actions have to mirror what we say. Goals should always be made to a point that will make us reach and strain. “Success should not necessarily be gauged by always reaching the goal set, but by progress and attainment.” (Spencer W. Kimball) True happiness is not made in getting something. True happiness is becoming something. This can be done by being committed to lofty goals. We cannot become something without commitment.

We have many examples in our little town of what the power of commitment can do. Whether committed to another person, a program, a relationship, a worthy goal, a team, a personal standard, or living up to a promise to yourself, without that inward obligation, the success will not be complete.  Marvin J. Ashton said, “I’m thinking of a five-year old boy who fell out of bed during the night and came crying to his mother’s beside. To her question, “Why did you fall out of bed?” he replied.  “I fell out because I wasn’t far in far enough!”

The simple differences between those committed and those who are not is the difference between the words want and will.  To reap the full benefits of life, we must fill our days with commitment to worthy goals. We must be all the way in!   As we stay accountable to our commitments by appropriate actions, we will find that we will grow and improve along the way.

Of Journals, Unconditional Love, and Discipleship by SueAn Stradling-Collins

      In 1975, President Spencer W. Kimball invited the youth to “… Get a notebook, a journal that will last through all time, and maybe the angels may quote from it for eternity. Begin today and write in it your goings and comings, your deepest thoughts, your achievements, and your failures, your associations and your triumphs, your impressions and your testimonies. Remember, the Savior chastised those who failed to record important events. ... This is what the Lord has commanded and those who keep a personal journal are more likely to keep the Lord in remembrance their daily lives." (New Era, Oct. 1975)

     I was obedient to that counsel and started writing in a Holly Hobbie spiral notebook.  I filled up two with things like, “I'm so excited that _______________ (insert boy's name here) talked to me today.” or “I can't believe _____________ (insert boy's name here) is such a jerk.”

     While in college at ASU in 1985, I had to take a class on how to teach writing to teenagers.  The professor, Dr. G. Lynn Nelson, told us that we would need a journal for the class.  “I want you to go to a place that sells journals and stand among them and let one choose you.”  At the time, I was pretty sure Lynn was crazy, but I had been told by a prophet to keep a journal, so I chose one instead.  (In the ensuing 30 years, many journals have chosen me.)  Throughout the semester (and in every other class and seminar I could take from Lynn), he taught us how to really write in a journal.   We were to look inside, to be honest, to set goals, to evaluate who we were, to deal with feelings of happiness, sadness, hurt, pain, and joy.  He admonished us to pray in our journals.  No hard and fast rules except writing and writing and writing and using words to discover and heal.  He told us in his ultra-quiet voice that writing and praying had healed his throat cancer.  We believed, and we continued to write and write and write.  And having taught us how to write and keep a journal, we were then ready to teach our students the same.

     In the Church, we often teach that we keep journals for our posterity, but I testify with Lynn that the keeping of and writing in a journal is an amazing power to us in this lifetime.  I know that when I am truly writing in my journal, I am healthier mentally, physically, and spiritually, and it is easier to keep the Lord in remembrance daily.

     One of the other lessons Lynn taught me was unconditional love.  If I was not his favorite student, I never would have known it, and I believe that all/each of his students felt the same.  He accepted each of us as we were, never criticizing, only correcting, and encouraging us to improve.   Lynn was my student teaching adviser, and if I needed advice, he gave it.  If I wrote him a letter, he wrote back;  if I needed to talk, he listened; if I was in town, he made time to visit.  After I married Chuck, he showed Chuck the same love, because he knew that I loved Chuck.  I called him a few months back after not visiting in years, and there was his calm voice, “Ahhh, SueAn, my friend, how are you?”

     Again, through example, Lynn showed us how to treat each student as an individual.  As Lynn's students and disciples, we set out to help teens learn to write in a way that really mattered.  And we tried to love our students unconditionally. 

     As Christ's disciples, are we trying to share the good news and joy of His gospel with others and love them unconditionally?

     I called Lynn again last month to visit.  His wonderful wife, Lorrie, answered the phone and told me of his passing in November.  We cried together.

            “...but the raindrops still shimmer on the green leaves and the morning star still floats in

             the eastern sky at 5:00 a.m. and sometimes I hear children singing....

            “...so I hold your friendship like a flower in my heart - - know that I am with you, my friend.

                                                                                            peace and love,

                                                                                                               Lynn”

                                    (from a letter Lynn wrote me in November of 1991)       

I would be happy to share journal writing with anyone on an individual basis or in Family Home Evening, as well as with a class or any large group.