Together Forever / Serving with a Diet Coke

President Gordon B. Hinckley died last night. Although I know that the loss of this man is a great one, I feel more happiness than sadness. The first thing I said when I heard the news is, "he's with his wife again." There seems to be no grief in that. What a privilege I have to be able to understand and believe in the most fantastic philosophies of this day and age. I know that life goes on forever after this one. I also know that we are able to be with our families forever. One of the most remarkable things I know though, is that we are able to live in the presence of our Father in Heaven and His son Jesus Christ again when this life has passed.

We have so much that can be learned from the lives of those church leaders who pass before us. What a remarkable leader President Hinckley was, and what a legacy he left here on earth. But, his legacy and mission continues, and I am happy that he is able to see his beloved Marjorie again.





I heard a cheesy line in a movie recently that really opened my eyes. "If you pray for courage, do you think that God gives you Courage? Or, does he give you the opportunity to be courageous. If you pray for strength, does God make you strong? Or, does he give you the opportunity to become strong." I can't get these words out of my head. We all know our weeknesses and I know that we kneel down and ask our Father in Heaven to help us overcome those weeknesses. But, I don't think it is His way to just take them away from us. He puts situations in our lives that allow us to show that we are willing to let go of those weeknesses.

Bryce has been really busy with school lately. He has had some pretty strenuous tests that have left his tired and kind of worn out. Last week I felt so bad for him, I wished there was something I could to to help him. But, how can I learn his material for him. I prayed that I could find a way to help Bryce with his school. The next day we had just got done running some errands real quickly between study sessions. It, of course, was below zero outside and I revel in the warm apartment the moment we step inside. Bryce, immediatley went back to the office to continue sutdying. I asked him if there was anything I could do. He commented that he might like some pop to drink later. I replied, "oh, we just got back from running around. We should have got some while we were out. I really don't want to go back out in the cold to the store. Can you just have water or juice tonight?" Of course, he said that water would be fine and I didn't have to worry about it.

The second he closed the door behind himself, I realized how ignorant I had been. This was a way I could help Bryce. Diet coke wasn't really the way I had been expecting my opportunity for service to come into play. But, there it was, and I was passing it up. I quickly bundled myself, and dashed out for some pop. It made me wonder, how many other opportunities for service have I passed up just because they didn't come quite as I expected them? I'm sure there are many, but perhaps the diet coke incident will make me more aware of when the offer for help arrives. "When you pray that you can be of more help, does God make you helpfull? Or, does he give you the opportunity to be of service?" I know that I will look a little harder for those opportunities of service from now on.