Sorry, I shouldn't say that to a Mormon

In casual conversation with a patient I mentioned that my brother is a missionary in Australia. He has some association with "mormons" in Arizona where he learned to grind his own wheat. He owns a pasta manufacturing company. Anyways...all week he keeps starting to make a comment or tell a story and stops himself saying, "Sorry, I shouldn't say that to a Mormon". Sometimes it is an inappropriate comment, but once it was as simple as not recommending cooking with wine to make the mushrooms taste better. I am actually very pleased at how respectful he is trying to be.

Another patient I started with my first week tried to swear around me, or would say- " you probably think that I'm a **bleep**. My first response was, "I don't use that kind of language". It took 2 more times till he caught himself and he has not sworn around me since.

It is amazing how little effort it takes sometimes to be an example.

It's Amazing

"It's Amazing" by Jem

Do it now
You know you who you are
You feel it in your heart
And your burning and wishin

At first wait, won't get it on a plate
Your gonna have to work for it harder and harder
And I know cause I've been there before
Knockin on door the doors with rejection (rejection)
And you'll see cause if it's meant to be
Nothing can compare to deserving your dream

[Chorus]
It's amazing, it's amazing all that you can do
It's amazing, makes my heart sing
Now it's up to you

Patience now frustrations in the air
And people who don't care
Well it's gonna get you down
And you'll (you'll) fall (fall)
Yes you will hit a wall
But get back on your feet
And you'll be stronger and smarter

And I know 'cuz I've been there before
Knockin down the doors wont take no for an answer
And you'll see cause if it's meant to be
Nothing can compare to deserving your dream

[Chorus]
It's amazing it's amazing all that you can do
It's amazing it makes my heart sing
Now it's up to you

Kindness

...I've also been thinking about kindness recently. It was perfect, in my institute class this week we were asked the question, What causes people to be kind?

Sometimes we are kind because we feel obligated to be.

Sometimes we are kind because our heart cannot help but respond in such a manner.

More often than not, being kind results in us feeling better. In fact, being kind may be driven by the desire to please people...and that is okay, but not the ideal.

I couldn't write it down fast enough, but I believe the quote in class from President George A. Smith said,

" Our eternal happiness will be in proportion to our devotion to helping others".

I've had 3 specific opportunities to show kindness recently. At my clinical rotation right now I am working with in-patients at a physical rehabilitation hospital. Many of the patients are elderly, and nearly all of them move at a very slow pace. I saw a few of the therapists roll their eyes and talk to the patients as if they are children. I decided in my first week that I would not get annoyed at the slowness of the pace and treat them all with the utmost dignity. I try to think of how I would want someone treating my grandparents. It has made all the difference in my attitude and I am enjoying my time there.

The other two experiences involved going out of my way to do kind things for two different friends. There were great benefits in it for me, but the greatest rewards from being kind come when acting purely on the basis that every person I meet is a son or daughter of God and deserves to be treated special. (I am FAR form perfect in the "every person" part, but kindness is a work in progress.) Kindness is expressed in the little things, and I love finding little things to do for people. For example, who knew that high pulp orange juice or unwrapping tacos for a driver could make somebody so happy? Kindness is answering the phone with a smile in your voice when getting woken up at 6:50 am after going to bed at 1:00am. These experiences with kindness brought me pure joy!

I also received kindness in return. My most treasured type of kindness to get is someone's time. I know my time is precious, so when I am given some else's time, it means a whole lot to me.

I recently had a discussion with a friend about this quote:

Anne Morrow Lindbergh said,

“My life cannot implement in action the demands

of all the people to whom my heart responds”.

Maybe we cannot implement into action the demands of ALL people, but we should implement into action the demands of as many as we can. Let me end with the Creed of Life by President George A. Smith (8th Pres. of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints). It is a beautiful example to strive for to learn true Christ-like love and kindness.

"I would be a friend to the friendless and find joy in ministering to the needs of the poor. I would visit the sick and afflicted and inspire in them a desire for faith to be healed. I would teach the truth to the understanding and blessing of all mankind. I would seek out the erring one and try to win him back to a righteous and happy life. I would not seek to force people to live up to my ideals, but rather love them into doing the thing that is right. I would live by the masses and help to solve their problems that their earth life may be happy. I would avoid the publicity of high positions and discourage the flattery of thoughtless friends. I would not knowingly wound the feelings of any, not even one who may have wronged me, but would seek to do him good and make him my friend. I would overcome the tendency to selfishness and jealousy and rejoice in the success of all the children of my Heavenly Father. I would not be an enemy to any living soul. Knowing that the Redeemer of mankind has offered to the world the only plan that will fully develop us and make us really happy here and hereafter, I feel it not only a duty but a blessed privilege to disseminate the truth. "

(Elder George Albert Smith, Improvement Era, Vol. 5, March 1932, p. 295;

Tender Behind the Mercy

He's the Tender behind the Mercy
The Unconditional in Love
And when I need Forgiveness
He's the Redeeming in Son.
More and more I see
He's the Tender behind the Mercy

I am grateful for the tender mercies of the Lord in my life this past month. Lots of reasons to smile. Lots of good conversations. Lots of poured out blessings. Mercies are tender because I know my Lord knows how I feel and is smiling with me!

I love this season of joy!