Joyful Journeys

I’ve discovered my own personal “Fountain of Youth”.  My life philosophy is that we are, or should be, constantly learning.  I believe that I'll only be old if I ever stop learning, or when I think I know everything on any given subject.  My goal is to never become old.

Over the years, I’ve sought out training to help me gain new skills and improve the skills I have. An excellent dentist I know (my older brother), attends seminars, conferences, classes, etc. to maintain and improve his skills.  He has stated that since his graduation his skill set has completely changed from the techniques he learned at university.  Governments in most countries require on-going training in order to keep professional licenses current. I feel greater confidence in the services I obtain from a professional who is consistently learning new skills.

Throughout my life, I’ve observed, heard of and worked with wonderful and not so wonderful management. I was recently promoted to be a supervisor at work.  I’ve been trying to incorporate the excellent traits I've seen and learn from the few bad examples.  

Being a supervisor involves training and correction.  There are, and always will be, mistakes made.  We are human beings, not robots.  Computers don't suffer from fatigue, stress or distraction. Sometimes, managers intentionally or otherwise, embarrass or humiliate over small or large mistakes.  Many employees either internalize and self-deprecate,or get discouraged and quit altogether.  

On the other hand, when the employee is given sufficient training done in a respectful, and supportive manner, they improve, office atmosphere improves, and everyone is benefited.  When correction is needed at my place of work, it’s all part of training. No shame, no guilt, just training.

Repentance is part of training for our lives, yet it often gets a bad rap.  When we make a mistake we tend to endlessly berate ourselves and others.  If you were to look up a picture to accompany a lesson on repentance, it’s almost always of someone crying or looking miserable. How well could you sell a training conference ticket if the ad was showing everyone sobbing or looking defeated?  Godly, not eternal sorrow is required.

I just read my thoughts to my wonderful, wise husband who is also an excellent supervisor.  His comment was “Mistakes can be either soul-crushing, life-ending events or  learning experiences.”

Global Positioning Systems (GPS) are excellent examples of good supervisors.  The technology helps us find where we are want to go.  If we don't follow exactly, or misunderstand the directions given, it simply gives us a quick warning sound, 'duhroop', recalculates a path to the correct route and helps us get back on our way to our destination.  I don't think a GPS app that insults the user would sell very well.

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, it has been revealed that we are to partake of the sacrament weekly.  When we partake worthily and ask for forgiveness, our sins are washed away and we are clean.  Our Father in Heaven knew that we would need to repent often and gave us the opportunity to do so.  It is part of His eternal Plan of Happiness.  


Our Savior lovingly invites all to "Come, follow me," (Matthew 4:19).  When we follow the Savior, the Holy Ghost becomes our spiritual GPS. He sends a spiritual duhroop when we've stumbled or left the Savior's path. He patiently, lovingly recalculates and waits until we're ready to try again. He shows us how to come back to the "strait and narrow way" (Matthew 7:14).

We then must heed the correction, follow the prompting, and do the work of getting back on the correct path. Sometimes the work we need to do is pretty quick and relatively painless. Other times we need a major course correction, some repairs, and a commitment to not repeat the mistake(s). But our Father and our Savior are always there for us, leading us onward through the promptings we receive from the Holy Ghost.

I hope that we can keep learning and be kind to ourselves and others on our journey through this life and thereby remain young in heart and in spirit. I've linked the song that inspired my thoughts below.  

 "Gentle" Michael Mclean (LDS composer)

Musing on Ministering

The Ministering program is part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, to which I belong.

"Ministering is learning of and attending to others’ needs. It is doing the Lord’s work. When we minister, we are representing Jesus Christ and acting as His agents to watch over, lift, and strengthen those around us."  https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/ministering/what-is-ministering?lang=eng

For years, I’ve heard this statement in regards to “Ministering” or what was formerly known as “Home and Visiting Teaching”,

“I don’t believe in assigned friends."

I was blessed with parents who home and visit taught.  I saw how they blessed other people's lives. Each with an assigned companion, visited assigned brothers and sisters. They taught, served and comforted them.  I knew I wanted to minister because of their examples. Over many years, I’ve met my dearest friends through these programs. Sometimes, I have struggled reaching out to assigned sisters I didn't know well.

When a member of our church is called to a volunteer position such as a teacher or leadership over an organization, they are given a priesthood blessing with hands placed on their head that is known as being "set apart". It confers  responsibility and stewardship in the role and blesses them in fulfilling it. Perhaps, it's because we are not formally set apart as ministering sisters and brothers that it’s hard sometimes to feel the spirit of the assignment to minister?

In pondering these things, the Holy Ghost reminded me that each of us have been called and set apart to minister. 

In the Book of Mormon, in Mosiah 18:8-10, the Prophet Alma teaches,

8 …Behold, here are the waters of Mormon … and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;

9 Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—

10 … if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?

As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, when we are baptized we take upon us these covenants.  When we enter the Holy Temple, we also take upon ourselves sacred covenants.  Each week we worthily partake of the Sacrament, we renew all of the covenants we have made.

A prophet of the Lord, President Spencer W. Kimball said: “… the real purpose of the sacrament, (is) to help us to remember … [that which we have] covenanted at the water’s edge or at the sacrament table and in the temple.”³ The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1982), p. 112.

Everyone of us who has entered the waters of Baptism has covenanted to bear our brothers and sisters burdens.  Prophets of the Lord have asked us to help watch over our Father’s sheep and lambs.

I hope that we can all discover the joy of ministering to our Heavenly Father’s children - our brothers and sisters.

Each of us will be blessed as much and, in my experience, even more than those whom we minister to.