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Be Careful What You Wish For Part 1

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It's often been said, "Be careful what you wish for... you just might get it!" Have you ever wished for something, or prayed for something, and not quite known what to do when that wish or dream actually came true?


("Your dream stinks, I was talkin' to her.")

At the beginning of November I went to a large church meeting that addressed single adults. A church leader talked about our desires for marriage and family, and that we need to keep that desire [dream] in the front of our minds. However, in the meantime, it is important to cultivate a life that is governed by Christ-centered principles... that way we can be our best self, and learn valuable lessons as we take steps to get to marriage.

Here are some of the Christ-centered principles he mentioned, and he told us to pick one of these to work on.

  • Faith in Jesus Christ
  • Hope
  • Charity and Love
  • Virtue
  • Knowledge
  • Patience
  • Humility
  • Diligence
  • Obedience

I went through the list and thought about each one. I picked Charity and Love. I promptly prayed for a greater amount of charity and love to fill my heart for others around me. (See The Book of Mormon, Moroni 7:48)

TWO SIDES TO CHARITY AND LOVE:

SIDE 1: Did you know that the way God helps you develop charity is by making it harder for you to love people?

I didn't. Maybe if I had known that, I wouldn't have prayed to have more love in my heart. (just kidding! ...kind of) 

"For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them." (Luke 6:32)

If Christ was kind to the unthankful and the evil, and those who showed him no love, then that is a huge part of charity. It's about loving people who are HARD TO LOVE.

It's hard to love people who mock your personal beliefs.

It's hard to love people who bring up your past mistakes.

It's hard to love people who ignore you.

But that is precisely what the Lord wanted me to work on (I'm still working on it.) More has been asked of me in the past two weeks than I've ever been asked- I have had moments of impatience, moments of turning the other cheek, and moments of pleading. I thought "Wow, God was really listening when I asked Him to help me become more loving."

I can't say that loving my enemies is easy, but I can say that I've experienced a lot of growing pains, and that I'm a better person for the experiences I've had.

SIDE 2: The more love you give, the more love you get. Here's a sampling of all the times when I tried to show love, but was given even more love in exchange:

  • I hemmed a pair of pants for a friend. He hid a $10 bill in one of the pockets for me without telling me. 
  • I went to serve food to the homeless, and ended up singing Disney songs on a stage with three little kids. They were hungry, and all looked like they needed baths. They took turns sitting on my lap while I showed them the music, and their dad clapped his hands after they sang. The little girl said "Your voice is really pretty." That was one of the sweetest compliments I've ever received.
  • I invited some people in my ward over for dinner last week. This week, they all came up to me and we talked and sat together in church. I tried to serve them by feeding them, and then they served me by being my friend. 
  • I looked through my drawers for t-shirts to send to Typhoon victims in the Philippines. All that did was help remind me of how fortunate I am. Giving away clothing is actually a blessing.
  • My brother filled up the gas tank on our car, and he hardly even uses the car. 
  • Boys brought cookies to our apartment.
  • I was asked to watch my friend's kids, and got sweet little hugs and kisses from them.
I think I summed it up pretty well in my journal entry for November 7:
This Charity + Love experiment is so interesting. If I were keeping a tally of Charity + Love I show, vs. what things the Lord gives me, the balance on the scale would be so off....And even though I feel like I'm running around like a chicken with my head cut off in some ways, I know that the Lord is increasing my capacity for patience and love right now!  


Comments

Heather said…
Love your thoughts, dear Emily. Thanks for sharing! Being blessed AS we serve is such a wonderful tender mercy…
Love you!
Monday, November 18, 2013
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