Have FAITH in Yourself!

 A few weeks ago Bro. Jefferies showed up at my door. 

 He wore a smile and greeted me with a hug and a kiss ... because Jeff comes from a family of "kissin' cousins" and Bro. Jefferies is not only his counselor in the Bishopric but also his cousin ... and now mine!  

We love him!

 As soon as I saw his face I could sense something was UP and I was tempted, just for a minute, to run and hide.  Well, I should have followed my instinct because something was indeed "UP"!  He was visiting me to invite me to speak in Church on ...

It wasn't the actual "speaking" that made me want to run.  I've spoken to Stake Center's full of people a couple times and even packed football stadiums.  It was the SUBJECT of the assignment and the OCCASION  that had me spooked!

   I'm no fool!!   

I know the feelings that can accompany Mother's Day. 

It is an emotional day, 

usually involving tears!

HAPPY tears and sometimes NOT-SO-HAPPY one's,

followed by POSITIVE feelings or NEGATIVE.

I've been the recipient of all those emotions at different times in my life.

Hence, the weeks since my assignment came knocking have been filled with stewing and worry.

 Never before  

 have I been 

 so nervous 

 to speak! 

I wrote my talk a few days prior and sat down Friday night to look over it, Friday night at 11:00 PM ... NOT smart!  As I stared at the words, they didn't even make sense anymore.  I prayed and knew, without a doubt, it was the wrong message.  So from 11:00 PM - 4:00 AM I humbly and VERY PRAYERFULLY re-wrote it.

I sat on the stand Sunday Morning looking into the eyes of some of the GREATEST WOMEN I know.  Once again a feeling came into my mind that the words on my paper were not exactly what I was suppose to say.  

So I prayed again, then I stood.

As I got on Facebook Monday morning I was not surprised to find posts rejoicing that Mother's Day was OVER.  

But tears filled my eyes as I read the status of one of the sweetest mother's I know.  To quote her:

I'm just going to say it.... I HATE MOTHERS DAY!!

Of all people, SHE is the kind of mother whom I think our Heavenly Father is so pleased with ... the kind of mother who loves and see's the best in EVERYONE'S kids ... and she was so frustrated with the holiday.

So I thought perhaps I might share with you and her, one of the things the Lord taught me from 11:00 PM - 4:00 AM Friday night and then taught me again as I sat on the stand Sunday morning.

 

In 2011 Pres. Uchtdorf gave a powerful message to women

"Forget Not to be PATIENT with yourself"

Then he continued ...

"God is fully aware that you and I are not perfect.  Let me add:  God is also fully aware that the people you THINK are perfect are not.  And yet we spend so much time and energy comparing ourselves to others - usually comparing our weaknesses to their strengths." 

I think this is something so many of us struggle with, and

NOT 

because anyone is trying to "keep up with the Jones".

I believe our intentions are truly just to be the very best we can be.

When Dillon was just a little boy he wanted to be just like Tyson!  Not only that, he wanted to do everything just as well as Tyson even though he was

  FOUR YEARS 

younger than him.

           

I can remember Dillon being SO FRUSTRATED one day.  I sat him on my lap and he CRIED.  That's the good thing about "baby" boys, they will still let you hold them when they're sad even though they're growing up.

I can't remember what his particular frustration was about but I can remember what I felt I should say to him and as time has passed I've come to realize that feeling was DIVINELY inspired.  I said:

"Dillon, this world doesn't need TWO Tyson's"

Dillon thought on that for a long time and there were many days I had to repeat it to him.  Eventually he came to realize it was TRUE.  He came to appreciate Tyson's gifts, but best of all ... he came to appreciate his OWN unique gifts!

My testimony of this has grown as our sons have received their mission calls.

Tyson was called to 

New York City!

People would often ask if I was scared about him going there. I would always say, "NO! Tyson was born a New Yorker! But I would be scared if Dillon was there!" Tyson's gifts were given to him in the pre-existence so HE could make a difference in New York City!

Dillon was called to the

Dominican Republic

where he has fallen in love with Dominican music.  If you know Dillon ... you know he loves to DANCE!!!

 Can you imagine him dancing in the streets of New York City?!  Heaven's No!!  Those New Yorkers would not be impressed!  But he can dance in the Dominican Republic and the people there laugh and SMILE at him.  HIS gifts are the kind the Dominican's need.

Heavenly Father 

has sent each of us here with very different gifts.  

Jeff serves as a bishop in our church and has shared with me how thankful he is for the individual gifts each person in our congregation possesses.  If we were all the same, the ability to bless the lives of others would be lost.

Our ward does NOT need 100 "Krista's"

but it does need ONE

and it also needs ONE Jeri

and ONE Rachel

and ONE Jan

and ONE Kristina

and ONE Christy

 and on and on and on 

and this world surly needs 

ONE of YOU!

So no more comparing yourself to all the "perfect" mother's and the "perfect" people who are not perfect at all.  

The truth is, NO ONE is perfect!

But you can be "perfect" in appreciating your individual gifts and doing your best to share them with those who so desperately need them.  Sometimes YOU are the ONLY person who can touch the life of another in need.  

So stop looking around for someone you think you should be like, and look around for someone who needs you, because YOU are ...

Tune back in for another lesson I learned Friday night from 11:00 PM - 4:00 AM