Sunday, February 15, 2015

Speaking in Church




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.

 

 

 

 


No comments:

Post a Comment