An Example of Believers--"Doer's of the Word"

You know how some days you think it is your place to strengthen and lift people, but then it all turns around and YOU actually are the one who is being strengthened and lifted. Today I went visiting teaching, pondering & thinking for several days how I could make each of my gals' days better, but instead they lifted me with their strength, their desires to live and be "doer's" of the word.

At the first of the year, I was asked by the Bishop to give a talk on President Monson’s Conference talk, “To Learn, To Do, To Be.” In the talk we are counseled in the words of Paul to BE an example of believers in word, in conversation, in charity, and in spirit, in faith, in purity. And further admonished in the New Testament to know our sheep and feed them. Little did I know, that I would in a few short months become a sheep that needed feeding, tender care, and prayers. Today was another example of those who I should be sheparding, in turn sheparding me. Truly an example of believers who are "doer's of the word." I have a saying…”it is usually through the enlightened people of the Lord that he sends help to those in need.” Today, I was surprised how much I was fed and I was sheparded in word, conversation, charity, spirit, faith, and purity. I love my ladies! And thank the Lord for their goodness on this beautiful day.

HOPE--One of the Three Sisters

I haven't had time to write--all the recent doctor visits and my life changing so fast and all. I have been diagnosed with breast cancer. I go in next week for a partial mastectomy on the left side and and a removal of a benign papaloma on the right. I feel blessed at this stage that it was caught early. So far the doctors say I have a "low risk" breast cancer. Because I opted for a lumpectomy (partial mastectomy), I will have to have radation. That requires travelling to the hospital for 5 days a week for six weeks. Talk about ruin a summer of fun! After the surgery, my auxillary lymph nodes will be sent out to California for a test called an Oncotype DX which measures your risk of cancer throughout the rest of the body. If this test comes back below a score of 17, then I will NOT have to have chemo. It looks like I should be in good shape that way too. So you might ask yourself, "where does the title of this article come in to all of this?" Well, let's take a look at HOPE. We don't always know what is in store for us--what the good Lord's purposes may be, but we have to trust in him. Even though the puzzle pieces aren't all coming together for me or aren't all there yet, I have learned through past experience that the Lord does come through. So HOPE is more than just a cross of the fingers--it's the experience I have had to know that HOPE combined with FAITH can work miracles for us.

Twelve years ago, I went through an interesting health scare. At that time my daughter was only in 8th grade. Now she is 25 and living in NYC. I asked her how she was feeling with all of the news. She replied, "You know mom, our last experience taught me a lot about faith and that the Lord will help us get through this one too. It has given me confidence to know He is in charge and knows all." Yes, I thought. He has ALL the pieces of the puzzle. If I possessed all the pieces, I would never have to exercise FAITH and find HOPE in the experience I have had with Him.

Photo Credit: © Jaromír Ondra Dreamstime.com