Kara's Talk
How does Serving in a calling help us Grow?
Kara Talk- Sunday, February 15, 2015
Good morning bros and sis, I see many familiar faces but I
also see some newer ones. For those of you that don't know me, my name is Kara
Becker. I am originally from New Jersey and have lived in Utah the last 18
years, so I definitely feel at home here. I graduated from Brighton High School
and went on to Utah State University where I received my bachelors in
accounting almost ten years ago now. For the last 8 1/2 years I have worked as
an accountant at a mutual fund management company, with offices up by the U. I
have lived in this ward for 8 years and have enjoyed serving and getting to
know the many wonderful members here. When I am not working, I like to spend
time with my husband Henry and our two “small” dogs lily and jade.
So I think there is a moral to the story of how it is that I
am speaking to you today but you will have to decide for yourself:
Many of you may remember two weeks ago when I bore my
testimony in our fast and testimony meeting. What you didn't know was when I
was sitting back in the overflow debating with myself whether or not to go up,
I thought to myself, maybe you better not go up. What if you go up and it
occurs to the bishop that you haven't spoken in a while and that triggers a
speaking invitation. But I thought to myself, Kara you are just being paranoid,
I’m sure it is just all in your head.
Brothers and sisters I kid you not, immediately following
sacrament meeting the bishop approached my unsuspecting husband and well here
we are. (So sorry honey…) So I am sure there is a lesson to be learned here but
I just can't put my finger on it...
The topic the bishop has given me to speak on is “How does
serving in a calling help us grow.” So I pray that my words will be guided by
the spirit in a way that will help someone here today.
As I pondered this topic a simple metaphor came to mind.
If everyone would just humor me for a moment and close their
eyes.
And Picture this.
You are on a giant yellow inflatable life raft. (much bigger
than the ones that usually decorate our front yard)
You are In the middle of the ocean.
And there are some fierce waves.
But guess what, you are not alone.
Everyone open your eyes and look around.
Every member of our ward is in this Life raft with you.
And guess what we all have.
An ore to paddle with.
An in this raft we will all be taking turns rowing. Trying as
we might to get to dry land.
But my friends I’m so sorry this is not a short journey.
This is one that last’s a lifetime.
And guess what, we are all going to get tired along the way.
But that is why it is so valuable that you are not the only one having to row
in these treacherous waters. You have friends around you that are here to help.
I would like to now share the following ten ways callings can
be likened unto rowing in our Woods Cross 9th Ward life raft:
1st- Like constant rowing strengthens us physically in our
life raft. By serving in a calling we are continuously strengthened,
spiritually. It helps our testimonies to grow and it strengthens others.
In a talk by Henry B Eyring titled “Rise to your call” he
shares this insight. “You see, even the newest member of the Church can sense
that a call to service should be primarily a matter of the heart. It is by
giving our whole hearts to the Master and keeping His commandments that we come
to know Him. In time, through the power of the Atonement, our hearts are
changed, and we can become like Him.” Closed Quote
2nd- The constant rowing teaches us a new skill. When we
serve in a calling there are so many times we learn something new. Whether it
is preparing a lesson, or a talk, doing our visiting or home teaching, cleaning
our ward building, conducting the music, or even preparing the monthly
newsletter we learn and grow by the spirit without even realizing it. The
resources we can use to perform our callings such as scriptures, manuals and
teachings of the prophets and apostles help us to expand our eternal knowledge
and give us perspective. I would encourage everyone to take full
advantage of the plethora of resources out there: lds.org, mormon channel videos,
online talks and manuals to aid in your callings.
3rd: It is imperative that we all row the same
direction or the raft will not move very far very fast. Or it will likely just
turn in circles and go absolutely no where. It is good to remember that our
callings are not about our personal agendas, it is about what the Savior would
have us to teach, what is it that he needs someone to hear?
“In an Ensign Message from our Prophet Thomas S Monson titled
“The Savior’s Call to Serve” he shares these words: “I would hope that we would
not lose the real objective of our cherished opportunities to serve. That
objective, that eternal goal, is the same spoken of by the Lord and found in
the Pearl of Great Price: “For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to
pass the immortality and eternal life of man.”1
Pres Hinckley goes on to say “Our duty, in addition to saving
ourselves, is to guide others to the celestial kingdom of God.”
As a ward it is imperative that the driving force behind all
that we do in serving one another be geared towards that purpose.
Sometimes it is healthy to even take a step back, take a deep
breath, and refocus our efforts if the purpose has become cloudy or our
attitude is less than positive. We can do that by reading our scriptures, being
obedient, having more sincere prayer, attending the temple, and simply making
choices that will help the Holy Ghost to be our companion always.
4th -Many times when we are rowing we can become so focused
on rowing that it can actually distract us from dwelling on own trials. Mosiah
teaches us in chapter 2 vs 17 “That when ye are in the service of your
fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.” And Moroni shares the
significance of serving others through Charity in chapter 7 verses 46-47
“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.
President Monson goes on to say in the same article: “In the
New World, the resurrected Lord declared, “Ye know the things that ye must do
in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do, that shall ye also do”
We bless others as we serve in the shadow of “Jesus of
Nazareth … who went about doing good.”11 God bless us to find joy in serving
our Father in Heaven as we serve His children on earth.”
5th While being on this raft can seem hard at times, the fact
that we are even on this raft is because we chose long ago that we wanted to be
here. We told Heavenly Father in the preexistence that we could do this. That
we wanted to come here to earth to get a body and to have experience so that we
could learn and grow and return to him new and improved!
Again in President Eyring’s talk he shares these words:
“You are called to represent the Savior. Your voice to
testify becomes the same as His voice, your hands to lift the same as His
hands. His work is to bless His Father’s spirit children with the opportunity
to choose eternal life. So, your calling is to bless lives. That will be true
even in the most ordinary tasks you are assigned and in moments when you might
be doing something not apparently connected to your call. Just the way you
smile or the way you offer to help someone can build their faith.” Closed Quote
6th: Rowing aka Serving in a calling can help teach us about
our strengths and help us to overcome weaknesses. QUESTION Is it always easy to
come up to this pulpit and share our testimonies? I venture for a good 90% of
us, it is not an easy thing to do, but we do it because we love the Lord more
than our fear of public speaking. Just like callings we do it to be obedient
and show our appreciation for all that we know and have.
In Ether 12:27 we are taught “27 And if men come unto me I
will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be
humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before
me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I
make weak things become strong unto them.”
I truly have a testimony of this scripture. As I look back
over the years when I have sincerely prayed to overcome weaknesses, it has been
with the Lord’s help and guiding hand that I have been able to overcome. I
truly believe a person can change with the Lord’s help. Nothing is impossible
when you have a sincere righteous desire to become more Christlike.
In the words of Spencer W Kimball, “It is by serving, that we
learn to serve”.
7th: I would also like to venture a guess that we
wouldn’t all be completely silent on that raft. Serving in a calling helps us
get to know other ward members and make friends. And frankly I don’t think you
can ever have too many friends! Callings can give a sense of belonging and
purpose and a comfort that can only be found in the gospel of Jesus Christ. And
if our hearts are in the right place it is through service to each other that
we truly grow to love not only each other but the Savior as well.
8th: QUESTIONS Is rowing always convenient? Are callings
always convenient? Is it easy to always have the greatest attitude? Are
callings always in our comfort zone? Probably not, but I tell you this, they
are WORTH IT! And the growth that you will see in your own life is proof that
there is not only purpose in it but that you have been divinely called.
But I would like to also take this time to lend a word of
caution. Everyone goes through different seasons in their lives, and different
trials at different times. Our capacities to serve are ever changing as we each
try our best to survive this storm of life. So I would pray that we will all be
a little more patient with one another.
Sometimes you may be serving in many callings while others
are serving in one or maybe even no callings. Let’s not find ourselves
comparing one to another. The Lord knows and loves us individually. He knows
our hearts and the hearts of those around us. To be most Christ like is
to be mindful of others, their personal situations, and to not put unfair
expectations on one another. By just simply loving one another and
looking past any judgments you will find that you will enjoy your own calling
that much more and simply appreciate the opportunity serve.
In John 13:34 we are taught “A new commandment I give
unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one
another.”
And in Mosiah 4:15 it reads “But ye will teach them to walk
in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and
to serve one another.”
9th: But I would also say this, we can’t let others row
forever without our help. We must try and take turns. Who knows we might even
surprise ourselves with what we are capable of!
In D&C 64:34 we are taught what the Lord requires of us:
“ 34 Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind;
and the willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these
last days.”
In 3rd Nephi 12:15 it reads “Behold, do men light a candle
and put it under a bushel? Nay, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light to
all that are in the house;” End Quote
Brothers and Sisters let’s not let our fears, lack of
confidence or insecurities get in the way of sharing the most precious gift we
all have, a testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ.
We are not going to serve in our callings the same way, and I
am glad for it! How boring would that be if we were all the same! We all have
something to give, that is special, that is unique. Please don’t keep your
talents hidden and to yourself because guess what, you are loved by all of us
in this raft! And the fact that you even show up to participate is a blessing
to us all!
Lastly:
10th: While rowing can be challenging, we are capable of
rising to that challenge. Serving in a calling gives us opportunities for
growth.
While serving in the Young Woman for several years I had the
opportunity to earn my Young Womanhood medallion for the second time. The goals
I had to set such as reading the Book of Mormon all the way through again and
performing service have been invaluable to me. It not only helped me while I
was working towards the end result, but it helped me develop habits that have
made all the difference in my life. It has helped me to develop better habits
of prayer, scripture study, and spending more time serving others. Just
like the youth of the church, adults need ways to help them stay on the
straight and narrow path. Just because you become an adult does not mean it is
automatically easy to always choose the right. But by serving in callings our
focus can be centered on what is really important in this life, which is doing
the Lord’s work here on this earth.
Of his own call to serve President Hinckley when he was an
apostle shared:
“We [the Apostles] serve by His sufferance, knowing that at
any time He chooses to do so, He can easily remove us. We are answerable to Him
in this life and will be held accountable when we are called before Him to make
our report. I hope that we shall not be found wanting. I hope that when that
time comes, I may have the opportunity of standing before my Beloved Savior to
give an accounting of my stewardship, and that I may be able to do so without
embarrassment, or apology, or excuse. I have so tried to conduct my life. I
know that I am not a perfect man, that I have many weaknesses. But I can say
that I have tried to do that which the Lord would have me do as His servant,
and as the servant of every member of this Church throughout the world, and
most particularly as the servant of my beloved President, our Prophet, Seer,
and Revelator” Closed Quote
So I would just like to leave you with my testimony:
Serving in callings have been a great blessing in my life.
Maybe not always an easy blessing, or a perfect blessing, but one that I feel
has helped me to grow spiritually. I love the learning that comes with serving
in a calling. And I truly cherish those I serve with all the love I have to
offer. Serving in a calling has truly given me strength, helped me to not hide
my talents under a bushel, helped me to develop more Christlike attributes, and
helped strengthen my own personal testimony, while I truly hope it has helped
to strengthen others. I am so grateful for my current calling in primary to
teach the wonderful 9 year olds of this ward. They each are truly precious to
me and our Heavenly Father. They are so smart and I can see why they have been
saved for this time on the earth. There is much I can learn from them and I
pray that I can help build on their foundations of their growing testimonies of
our Savior.
I also want to express my gratitude for my parents who are
here today. Everything in this life that I have accomplished or have has been
because of their loving and guiding help. Their examples to me over the years
of being true disciples of Jesus Christ by serving in capacities above and
beyond what they are able have been invaluable me. Mom and Dad, I love you and
I thank you.
I also want my husband to know how much I love him and how
grateful I am for his continuous support in all that I do.
At the end of this life, like President Hinckley I pray that
I will not be found wanting, but will have had the strength to continuously
serve others in my time here.
So I ask you now, Will you row with me? In the name of Jesus
Christ, Amen.
Henry's Talk
How can we develop more Christlike Attributes?
Henry-Sacrament Meeting Talk
2/15/2015
Good morning Brothers and Sisters. I am grateful for the
opportunity to speak to you this beautiful Sabbath day. For those of you
who know me know, I would much rather be taking advantage of this weather about
8,000 feet above where we are right now.
For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Henry Becker.
I spent most of my life living in Connecticut and Virginia. After meeting Kara
on an online dating site 7 years ago while I was living in Connecticut. I
decided to move out west to see if she was “eternal companion” material.
Turns out she was and after proposing to her at the Bountiful Temple we were
married in the Washington DC temple 4 months later. It has been 6 ½ years since
we got married and I think it is safe to say that marrying her was the best
decision I ever made.
Most of my time these days is spent as an aircraft mechanic
working for Allegiant Air in Wendover, UT. While it is not always easy to be
away from my girls as in, my wife Kara, our st. Bernard, Lily, and
newfoundland, Jade. I have felt that I am where the Lord wants me to be at this
time to build my resume and to provide for my family. In my spare time which
isn’t much lately, I like to keep my pilot’s license current by flying around
Utah with my friends. And If I can get in a little duck hunting now and again,
that is just an added bonus.
The bishop was kind enough to let me choose the topic
that I would speak on today. Out of kindness or fear, I am not really
sure, but at any rate, Kara always makes sure she edits my talks for content.
So you can all sigh a breath of relief knowing that this is not the original
version. Especially for my inlaws that are sitting in the back.
So I will be focusing my talk on “How can we develop more
Christlike Attributes”. A lot of my talk comes from chapter 6 from the manual
Preach my Gospel.
“At the beginning of His mortal ministry, Jesus Christ walked
along the shore of the sea of Galilee and called out to two fishermen, Peter
and Andrew. “Follow me,” He said, “and I will make you fishers of men”. The
Lord has also called you to His work, and He invites you to follow Him. The
invitation to follow Christ is an invitation to follow His example and to
become like Him.”End Quote
So the question is How do we become like him?
The answer is simply- we develop Christlike attributes.
And your next question might be what are Christlike
attributes?
The manual gives the following explanation and list:
“Christlike attributes are gifts from God. They come as you
use your agency righteously. Ask your Heavenly Father to bless you with these attributes;
you cannot develop them without His help. With a desire to please God,
recognize your weaknesses and be willing and anxious to improve.”
Examples these attributes are as follows.
· Faith in Jesus Christ
· Hope
· Charity and Love
· Virtue
· Knowledge
· Patience
· Humility
· Diligence and Obedience
· End Quote
For me, it is helpful to focus on one at a time. It can be
overwhelming if we focus on all of the areas that we are in need of
improvement.
Today I would like to focus on the following three
attributes: Patience, Diligence, and Humility.
1st Patience- It is defined as the following:
“Patience is the capacity to endure delay, trouble,
opposition, or suffering without becoming angry, frustrated, or anxious. It is
the ability to do God’s will and accept His timing. When you are patient, you
hold up under pressure and are able to face adversity calmly and hopefully.
Patience is related to hope and faith—you must wait for the Lord’s promised
blessings to be fulfilled.”End Quote
This character trait has been the most difficult for me
to integrate into my own life. I remember when I was younger, my Grandmother
always told me that I needed to have more patience, because I always wanted
everything right now.
The problem is that having a lack of patience can make you
forget and appreciate what it is that you do have especially while going
through trials. It can cloud our ability to have “joy in the journey” as they
say.
In Book of James Chapter 5 versus 10-11 it reads:
10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in
the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have
heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord
is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
In the November 1995 Ensign, Pres. Thomas S. Monson shared
the following on patience:
Quote“Life is full of difficulties, some minor and others of
a more serious nature. There seems to be an unending supply of challenges for
one and all. Our problem is that we often expect instantaneous solutions to
such challenges, forgetting that frequently the heavenly virtue of patience is
required.”Closed Quote
In my own life it has not always been easy to accept
the Lord’s timeline but the older I get the more I have learned to trust it.
Ever since graduating from Salt Lake Community College with
my associates degree in Aviation Maintenance, I have wanted to find a job in
Salt Lake. Thus far it has not happened. No matter how many jobs I apply for in
my field for some reason the Lord has a different plan for me, in Wendover of
all places. But with that has come many learning opportunities and blessings in
disguise. And it also helps to have such an understanding and trusting wife
that can handle me being gone as much as I am.
The next attribute I would like to focus on is Diligence- The
manual explains Diligence as steady, consistent, earnest, and an energetic
effort in doing the Lord’s work. The Lord expects you to work
diligently—persistently and with great effort and care. When you are diligent,
you find joy and satisfaction in your work.”Closed Quote
In October of last year, after being inspired by General
Conference, I set a goal for myself to read the book of Mormon all the way
through by the end of the year. This was a feat I had attempted many times but
never actually had success in doing. I have for as long as I can remember
struggled with ADD and so it has been very difficult for me to ever focus long enough
to complete this task.
So I loaded up my phone with the scriptures and began to
listen to them in the car as I traveled weekly back and forth from Salt Lake to
Wendover. Having the patience and diligence to accomplish my goal was not
always easy and I did not actually accomplish my goal by the end of the year,
but I did not let that deter me from finishing. In January of this year I
completed my goal and I know it was with diligence and with the Lord’s help
that I was able to do so.
My next goal is to read the Bible from cover to cover and I
know that it will also be a challenge but one that I know I can complete if I
make it a priority.
In Alma 32:41-43 we are counseled concerning diligence.
But if ye will nourish the word, yea, nourish the tree as it
beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience,
looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall
be a tree springing up unto everlasting life.
And because of your diligence and your faith and your
patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold,
by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is most precious, which is
sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, yea,
and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until
ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst.
Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your
faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the
tree to bring forth fruit unto you. Closed Quote
As I read the Book of Mormon I truly felt filled by the
spirit that is contained in the words of those long ago. And I know that if we
will all strive to be diligent in reading our scriptures we will have the Holy
Ghost with us always.
The Last attribute I would like to focus on is
Humility.
Humility is the willingness to submit to the will of the Lord
and to give the Lord the honor for what is accomplished. It includes gratitude
for His blessings and acknowledgment of your constant need for His divine help.
Humility is not a sign of weakness; it is a sign of spiritual strength. When
you humbly trust Him and acknowledge His power and mercy, you can have the
assurance that His commandments are for your good. You are confident that you can
do whatever the Lord requires of you if you rely on Him. You are also willing
to trust His chosen servants and follow their counsel. Humility will help you
as you strive to be obedient, to work hard, and serve selflessly.
The scriptures can further help us to know what humility is.
In Mosiah 4:11-12 it reads
11 even so I would that ye should remember, and
always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness,
and his goodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble
yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord
daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which
was spoken by the mouth of the angel.
12 And behold, I say unto you that if ye do this ye
shall always rejoice, and be filled with the love of God, and always retain a
remission of your sins; and ye shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him
that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true.
In a talk by President Uchtdorf from 2010 titled “Pride
and the Priesthood” he asks the question: How do we become more humble? The
following is his response:
“It is almost impossible to be lifted up in pride when our
hearts are filled with charity. “No one can assist in this work except he shall
be humble and full of love.” 22 When we see the world around us through the
lens of the pure love of Christ, we begin to understand humility.
We don’t discover humility by thinking less of ourselves; we
discover humility by thinking less about ourselves. It comes as we go about our
work with an attitude of serving God and our fellowman.
Humility directs our attention and love toward others and to
Heavenly Father’s purposes.” Closed Quote
I have found in my own life that the most joy I experience is
when I have been serving others. Especially when it comes to doing temple work.
My sweet grandmother passed away about three years ago. And
she was not only a second mother to me but she was one of my best friends.
For their whole lives my grandmother and my grandfather
had always been members of a congregational church in their town of Avon,
Connecticut.
Before my Grandmother passed, I had a heart to heart
conversation with her concerning the work I would like to do in the temple for
her. She agreed to let me have her work done and even admitted there was a high
chance that my church was the right one. A year after my grandmother passed,
Kara and I took her name to the Las Vegas temple along with my grandmother’s
mom and dad’s names (she was an only child) and we performed the work for all
three of them beginning to end including having them all sealed together.
It was a long day at the temple but one that I will always cherish. Having the
opportunity to be apart of that experience was truly humbling, and I can’t say
that I have ever felt the spirit as strongly as I did when I was able to
baptize Kara as proxy for my Grandmother in that baptismal font.
Brothers and Sisters, I would just like to conclude with my
testimony that I know if we strive to integrate more Christlike attributes in
our lives not only will we draw closer to our Savior but we will be able to
find joy in this life and in the next to come. I pray that the messages I
have shared on Patience, Diligence, and Humility have helped someone here to
today. And I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
