Showing posts with label Charity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Charity. Show all posts
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Teaching Charity?
What a beautiful video and what an example Heber J. Grant is to us all. What do you do to teach your children to be more charitable amidst all of the wants, the constant "need" for more or better, and the feelings of greed that sometimes can accompany this season, among other times of the year?
Really, I'd love to hear how you mold the young minds and hearts in your home to think less of what is under the tree and more about others. Please share.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Friendship to All, Pass it On
Ever since The Foundation For a Better Life started putting out these videos I have absolutely loved them.
The videos below are about friendship, something that is much needed in these days filled with pressure to look a certain way, pressure to act a certain way, and increasing amounts of bullying in many forms (including cyber-bullying).
I have sadly heard of a few instances where members of the Church will not be friends with those of other Faiths. How horribly wrong and sad. There are many great people with high standards to which we can be friends.
In the For Strength of Youth pamphlet is states, "Choose your friends carefully. They will greatly influence how you think and act, and even help determine the person you will become. Choose friends who share your values so you can strengthen and encourage each other in living high standards. A true friend will encourage you to be your best self."
Choosing friends carefully is, of course, very important but we need not narrow our friendships simply to Mormons or even Christians. We could learn much and gain great friendships from all. Enjoy the video below of three friends with very different backgrounds.
The pamphlet continues on to say, "To have good friends, be a good friend yourself. Show interest in others and let them know you care about them. Treat everyone with kindness and respect. Go of your way to be a friend to those who are shy or do not feel included."
This video is a perfect example of this.
And finally this is one of my favorite stories from the March, Friend magazine. The story truly shows what a huge difference one friend can make. (click pictures to enlarge and read)
The videos below are about friendship, something that is much needed in these days filled with pressure to look a certain way, pressure to act a certain way, and increasing amounts of bullying in many forms (including cyber-bullying).
I have sadly heard of a few instances where members of the Church will not be friends with those of other Faiths. How horribly wrong and sad. There are many great people with high standards to which we can be friends.
In the For Strength of Youth pamphlet is states, "Choose your friends carefully. They will greatly influence how you think and act, and even help determine the person you will become. Choose friends who share your values so you can strengthen and encourage each other in living high standards. A true friend will encourage you to be your best self."
Choosing friends carefully is, of course, very important but we need not narrow our friendships simply to Mormons or even Christians. We could learn much and gain great friendships from all. Enjoy the video below of three friends with very different backgrounds.
The pamphlet continues on to say, "To have good friends, be a good friend yourself. Show interest in others and let them know you care about them. Treat everyone with kindness and respect. Go of your way to be a friend to those who are shy or do not feel included."
This video is a perfect example of this.
And finally this is one of my favorite stories from the March, Friend magazine. The story truly shows what a huge difference one friend can make. (click pictures to enlarge and read)
Monday, May 18, 2009
Seek and Give
I just had to pass this information on. Someone I know and love has created a site called SeekAndGive.com "where you can help generate donations for charities by searching the Internet."The search engine is powered by google and all you have to do is use their page to "search the web and make a difference."
Here is an example from the site of how it works: "As little as 100 searches a month by you can generate $3.50 for charities that's $42.00 a year with just an average of 3 searches a day! Imagine if you have 10 friends doing the same, that's $420 a year and if they have 10 friends that's $4,200 a year and 1000 friends is $42,000 a year and 10,000 friends is $420,000 a year to charities and as little as $20 can put a child into grade school for a year, with a set of school clothes and school supplies! So tell your friends and family and start searching and let the giving begin!"
They also suggest to make it easier to remember to use this search engine to "BookMark Us and make SeekAndGive.com your Home Page and if you have a blog or website link to us."
There are three charities that have already been recommended but you can recommend specific charities that you would be interested in the money being donated to as well by visiting the Seek and Give Blog.
I think this is such a great idea and such a simple way to give by doing something we all do so often. I hope you'll give it a try and pass the information on to others you know.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
True Service Brings Love
This last Sunday I was asked to share an experience that related to the topic "Leaders in the Lord's Kingdom Love those they Serve". I quickly was reminded of this simple yet profound experience I had while in college. So I shared it on Sunday and thought I would share it here.
I was doing my student teaching in a preschool setting. At the beginning I was to help out here and there but mostly observe the teachers and how the class was run. There was one particular boy named Simon in the class that was the little "trouble-maker", every class seems to have at least one. :) He caused some frustration to all of us teachers, understandably I thought. But as I continued to watch I began to notice that the only attention this little boy got was negative. When hearing others speak to him it would always begin with a don't, stop, no, etc. It almost seemed to me that a few of the teachers quite certainly dis-liked and almost despised having this little boy in the class.
The Spirit pricked my heart and guided to me to know what to do. I was guided in knowing what to say to this little boy and how to react in certain situations. I made a commitment with myself that I would make a very big effort to focus on the good things that Simon did, even if it was as simple as standing in line for 30 seconds or following a direction given.
It did not take long for this little boy to change and to change a lot. He began sitting in circle time. He began picking up after himself. He stopped hitting the other children. He became my little buddy. He started wanting to be around me all of the time and sought for my approval and praise. He did not become perfect -he still tested me and the other teachers but he improved drastically.
Although he changed, the more profound change may have been in myself. I like the other teachers started out quite frustrated and irritated with Simon. He made it difficult to teach. But as I saw the good in him and spent my time focusing on it by giving praise, compliments, and little acts of service I began to love this little boy. I grew so far from frustrated that I cared very deeply for him.
Soon after all of this took place I found out that Simon would be moving. It was a sudden move and I remember feeling a little distraught about the whole idea. I hadn't come into my student teaching expecting to create such an incredibly strong bond with anyone and suddenly my best little man was going to be gone. I remember I cried every day for about a week.
I know that has we serve others and as we see the potential in others we can grow to love them and we can grow to see them more as our Heavenly Father sees them. I also know that as we lead through love, service, and expectations others will have a greater desire and determination to be better.
Our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ are perfect examples of this. They love us and serve us and have great expectations of us. When we can see that and feel that love we truly can and should have a greater desire to be better and do more.
I hope that we all will strive to look for the good in others - in our spouses, in our children, in our neighbors, in our fellow church members, in strangers - and strive to serve them and buoy them up. I know that has we do so they will have a greater desire to follow our examples and become better and we will have a heightened ability to love more fully. I also know that as we serve and gain a greater capacity to love we will feel the love of our Savior and draw closer to Him.
Do any of you have experiences where service brought greater love?
Friday, August 29, 2008
Becoming Charitable - Charity is Kind
So this is both my quote of the day and a continuation on becoming charitable. Charity is so important that it could be a long lasting run of posts.
Moroni 7:45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Moroni 7:45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Elaine L. Jack, “Strengthened in Charity,” Ensign, Nov 1996, 91
Former General Relief Societ President 1990-1997
"Nothing will bring the Spirit of the Lord into your meetings, your homes, and your personal associations more quickly than showing kindness. “Charity … is kind” (1 Cor. 13:4). Kindness should be right at the top of everyone’s list of things to do. Write it down every day: “Be kind.” Kindness comes in many different packages. Be thoughtful to your neighbors. Be patient in a crowd. Be considerate of your children and your husband. Be honest with your sisters. Trust them and they will trust you. Go out and bring them into this grand circle of sisters we call Relief Society. As we increase our kindness, we add charity to our storehouse and we are strengthened."
I love her directions to - "Write it down every day: “Be kind.”" What a great reminder that would be if we truly put "Be kind" at the top of our daily to do list.
And then I love the blessings that we will receive if we are kind - we will have the blessing of the Spirit of the Lord where ever we are, we will have charity added to our storehouse, and we will be stregthened. What great blessings.
I love her directions to - "Write it down every day: “Be kind.”" What a great reminder that would be if we truly put "Be kind" at the top of our daily to do list.
And then I love the blessings that we will receive if we are kind - we will have the blessing of the Spirit of the Lord where ever we are, we will have charity added to our storehouse, and we will be stregthened. What great blessings.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Becoming Charitable - Charity Suffereth Long
Moroni 7:45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Robert C. Oaks, “The Power of Patience,” Ensign, Nov 2006, 15–17
How thankful I am for latter-day scriptures regarding core Christian virtues.
The Book of Mormon provides insight into the relationship between patience and charity. Mormon, after pointing out that if a man “have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have charity,” goes on to name the 13 elements of charity, or the pure love of Christ. I find it most interesting that 4 of the 13 elements of this must-have virtue relate to patience (see Moroni 7:44–45).
First, “charity suffereth long.” That is what patience is all about. Charity “is not easily provoked” is another aspect of this quality, as is charity “beareth all things.” And finally, charity “endureth all things” is certainly an expression of patience (Moroni 7:45). From these defining elements it is evident that without patience gracing our soul, we would be seriously lacking with respect to a Christlike character.
In the Bible Job offers the classic portrait of patience. In the face of losing his vast empire, including his children, Job was able, because of his unfailing faith, to proclaim, “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” Through all of his tribulation and pain, “Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly” (Job 1:21–22).
How often do we hear oppressed souls ask foolishly, “How could God do this to me?” when really they should be praying for strength to “beareth” and “endureth all things.”
The greatest scriptural examples of patience are found in the life of Jesus Christ. His long-suffering and endurance are best demonstrated on that excruciating night in Gethsemane as He uttered, in His atoning agony, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matthew 26:39). He truly suffered and bore and endured all things.
While nailed to the cross on Calvary, Christ continued in His perfect example of patience as He uttered the singular words, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).
These examples of patience have greater meaning for us when we consider the admonition found in 3 Nephi: “Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am” (3 Nephi 27:27).
Several scriptures highlight the importance of patience. Let me mention a few:
“Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” (James 1:19).
“Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith” (Mosiah 23:21).
In Mosiah, King Benjamin instructs us that we will be a natural-man enemy of God until we yield to the enticings of the Holy Ghost through our patience, plus other virtues (see Mosiah 3:19).
Joseph Smith stated, “Patience is heavenly” (History of the Church, 6:427).
Is patience important and worthy of our pondering and pursuit? It certainly is if we would avoid the demeaning classification of “nothing” used to label those without charity. It is if we desire to be less a natural-man enemy of God. It is if we would be heavenly. It is if we would seek to become after the manner of Christ.
The impatient, natural man is all about us. We see it manifest in news reports of parents, in a fit of rage, abusing a child, even unto death. On our highways, incidents of mobile impatience, or road rage, result in violent accidents and sometimes fatalities.
On a less dramatic but much more common level are flared tempers and harsh words uttered in response to slow-moving customer lines, never-ending telephone solicitation calls, or children reluctant to respond to our instructions. Do any of these sound familiar?
Fortunately, there are seldom-reported but marvelous-to-consider stories of great patience. Recently I attended the funeral of a lifelong friend. His son told a beautiful story of parental patience. When the son was in his youth, his dad owned a motorcycle dealership. One day they received a shipment of shiny new motorcycles, and they lined them all up in the store. The boy did what every boy would like to do, and he climbed up on the closest one. He even started it up. Then, when he figured he had pushed his luck far enough, he jumped off. To his dismay, his dismount knocked the first bike down. Then, like a string of dominoes, they all went down, one after another. His dad heard the commotion and looked out from behind the partition where he was working. Slowly, smiling, he said, “Well, son, we had better fix one up and sell it, so we can pay for the rest of them.”
I think my friend’s response personifies parental patience.
Patience may well be thought of as a gateway virtue, contributing to the growth and strength of its fellow virtues of forgiveness, tolerance, and faith. When Peter asked Christ how many times he should forgive his brother, Christ replied, “Seventy times seven,” rather than the mere seven times that Peter had offered (see Matthew 18:21–22). To forgive seventy times seven certainly takes a large measure of patience.
Elder Neal A. Maxwell linked patience and faith together when he taught: “Patience is tied very closely to faith in our Heavenly Father. Actually, when we are unduly impatient, we are suggesting that we know what is best—better than does God. Or, at least, we are asserting that our timetable is better than His” (“Patience,” Ensign, Oct. 1980, 28).
We can grow in faith only if we are willing to wait patiently for God’s purposes and patterns to unfold in our lives, on His timetable.
Since impatience is so natural, how do we develop the divine virtue of patience? How do we move our behavior from that of the natural man to that of our patient, perfect example, Jesus Christ?
First, we must understand that to do so is necessary, if we desire to fully enjoy the blessings of the restored gospel. Such an understanding might motivate us to:
1. Read each of the scriptures in the Topical Guide listed under the topic “patience” and then ponder Christ’s patient examples.
2. Evaluate ourselves to determine where we stand on the patience continuum. How much more patience do we need to become more Christlike? This self-assessment is difficult. We might ask our spouse or another family member to help us.
3. Become sensitive to the examples of patience and of impatience that occur around us every day. We should strive to emulate those individuals we consider to be patient.
4. Recommit each day to become more patient, and be certain to keep our selected family member involved in our patience project.
This sounds like a great deal of work, but to achieve any worthwhile goal requires hard work. And overcoming the natural man and working to become more Christlike in our patience is a most appropriate objective. I pray that we will pursue this path with diligence and dedication.
I testify that Jesus is the Christ and that He stands at the head of this Church, guiding us through a living prophet and blessing our every effort to become more Christlike. And I so testify in the holy name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Part 3
Robert C. Oaks, “The Power of Patience,” Ensign, Nov 2006, 15–17
How thankful I am for latter-day scriptures regarding core Christian virtues.
The Book of Mormon provides insight into the relationship between patience and charity. Mormon, after pointing out that if a man “have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have charity,” goes on to name the 13 elements of charity, or the pure love of Christ. I find it most interesting that 4 of the 13 elements of this must-have virtue relate to patience (see Moroni 7:44–45).
First, “charity suffereth long.” That is what patience is all about. Charity “is not easily provoked” is another aspect of this quality, as is charity “beareth all things.” And finally, charity “endureth all things” is certainly an expression of patience (Moroni 7:45). From these defining elements it is evident that without patience gracing our soul, we would be seriously lacking with respect to a Christlike character.
In the Bible Job offers the classic portrait of patience. In the face of losing his vast empire, including his children, Job was able, because of his unfailing faith, to proclaim, “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” Through all of his tribulation and pain, “Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly” (Job 1:21–22).
How often do we hear oppressed souls ask foolishly, “How could God do this to me?” when really they should be praying for strength to “beareth” and “endureth all things.”
The greatest scriptural examples of patience are found in the life of Jesus Christ. His long-suffering and endurance are best demonstrated on that excruciating night in Gethsemane as He uttered, in His atoning agony, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matthew 26:39). He truly suffered and bore and endured all things.
While nailed to the cross on Calvary, Christ continued in His perfect example of patience as He uttered the singular words, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).
These examples of patience have greater meaning for us when we consider the admonition found in 3 Nephi: “Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am” (3 Nephi 27:27).
Several scriptures highlight the importance of patience. Let me mention a few:
“Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” (James 1:19).
“Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith” (Mosiah 23:21).
In Mosiah, King Benjamin instructs us that we will be a natural-man enemy of God until we yield to the enticings of the Holy Ghost through our patience, plus other virtues (see Mosiah 3:19).
Joseph Smith stated, “Patience is heavenly” (History of the Church, 6:427).
Is patience important and worthy of our pondering and pursuit? It certainly is if we would avoid the demeaning classification of “nothing” used to label those without charity. It is if we desire to be less a natural-man enemy of God. It is if we would be heavenly. It is if we would seek to become after the manner of Christ.
The impatient, natural man is all about us. We see it manifest in news reports of parents, in a fit of rage, abusing a child, even unto death. On our highways, incidents of mobile impatience, or road rage, result in violent accidents and sometimes fatalities.
On a less dramatic but much more common level are flared tempers and harsh words uttered in response to slow-moving customer lines, never-ending telephone solicitation calls, or children reluctant to respond to our instructions. Do any of these sound familiar?
Fortunately, there are seldom-reported but marvelous-to-consider stories of great patience. Recently I attended the funeral of a lifelong friend. His son told a beautiful story of parental patience. When the son was in his youth, his dad owned a motorcycle dealership. One day they received a shipment of shiny new motorcycles, and they lined them all up in the store. The boy did what every boy would like to do, and he climbed up on the closest one. He even started it up. Then, when he figured he had pushed his luck far enough, he jumped off. To his dismay, his dismount knocked the first bike down. Then, like a string of dominoes, they all went down, one after another. His dad heard the commotion and looked out from behind the partition where he was working. Slowly, smiling, he said, “Well, son, we had better fix one up and sell it, so we can pay for the rest of them.”
I think my friend’s response personifies parental patience.
Patience may well be thought of as a gateway virtue, contributing to the growth and strength of its fellow virtues of forgiveness, tolerance, and faith. When Peter asked Christ how many times he should forgive his brother, Christ replied, “Seventy times seven,” rather than the mere seven times that Peter had offered (see Matthew 18:21–22). To forgive seventy times seven certainly takes a large measure of patience.
Elder Neal A. Maxwell linked patience and faith together when he taught: “Patience is tied very closely to faith in our Heavenly Father. Actually, when we are unduly impatient, we are suggesting that we know what is best—better than does God. Or, at least, we are asserting that our timetable is better than His” (“Patience,” Ensign, Oct. 1980, 28).
We can grow in faith only if we are willing to wait patiently for God’s purposes and patterns to unfold in our lives, on His timetable.
Since impatience is so natural, how do we develop the divine virtue of patience? How do we move our behavior from that of the natural man to that of our patient, perfect example, Jesus Christ?
First, we must understand that to do so is necessary, if we desire to fully enjoy the blessings of the restored gospel. Such an understanding might motivate us to:
1. Read each of the scriptures in the Topical Guide listed under the topic “patience” and then ponder Christ’s patient examples.
2. Evaluate ourselves to determine where we stand on the patience continuum. How much more patience do we need to become more Christlike? This self-assessment is difficult. We might ask our spouse or another family member to help us.
3. Become sensitive to the examples of patience and of impatience that occur around us every day. We should strive to emulate those individuals we consider to be patient.
4. Recommit each day to become more patient, and be certain to keep our selected family member involved in our patience project.
This sounds like a great deal of work, but to achieve any worthwhile goal requires hard work. And overcoming the natural man and working to become more Christlike in our patience is a most appropriate objective. I pray that we will pursue this path with diligence and dedication.
I testify that Jesus is the Christ and that He stands at the head of this Church, guiding us through a living prophet and blessing our every effort to become more Christlike. And I so testify in the holy name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Our Savior is our Perfect Example that Charity Suffereth Long.
The Lamb of God
Part 1
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Monday, August 25, 2008
Becoming Charitable
One of the things that I find most interesting about becoming-characteristics is that you cannot "do" them you must "become" them. You cannot do charity, you must become charitable. You can do service but that is only a small part in becoming charitable. In Moroni 7 it defines charity and it's importance. This will be one of many posts on becoming charitable.
Moroni 7:45-48
45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—
47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.
48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.
President Monson - The Good Samaritan
Moroni 7:45-48
45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—
47 But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.
48 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.
President Monson - The Good Samaritan
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