The 7ups Of Life

Think of the pleasure you receive from a handwritten note, an unexpected phone call, or a gift.

Think about the sisters that are not here today. Are they ill, have personal issues at home or some other reason that's kept them away?

Keep a supply of note cards and stamps on hand to send to less active or missing sisters… you could easily send at least two notes a week to those who just need a lift. Better yet, go and visit them, even if you aren't their visiting teacher. Wouldn't your Visiting Teaching Supervisor be thrilled if you called her and left a message stating, "Hey, I just left Sister So & So's home... I took her a slice of my pie and a magazine to read... she's doing fine and we had a great visit".

If you have kids at home, let them get involved…. children are natural people pleasers. They love to be involved in bringing joy to someone. Let them do what they love -- coloring, cutting, pasting, decorating -- and teach them about loving one another at the same time. It brings honor and glory to God and a little sunshine to someone who needs it.

In the November 1993 Ensign, Spencer J. Condie relayed a story:

"A few years ago my wife, Dorothea, and I were walking across the grounds of a temple in a foreign land when we met a very radiant, cheerful, silver-haired sister. Her cheerful, Christ-like countenance seemed to set her apart from those around her, and I felt inclined to ask her to explain why she looked so happy and content with life.

“Well,” she said with a smile, “several years ago I was in a hurry to get married, and quite frankly, after a few months I realized I had married the wrong man.” She continued, “He had no interest in the Church as he had initially led me to believe, and he began to treat me very unkindly for several years. One day I reached the point where I felt I could go on no longer in this situation, and so in desperation I knelt down to pray, to ask Heavenly Father if He would approve of my divorcing my husband.

“I had a very remarkable experience,” she said. “After I prayed fervently, the Spirit revealed a number of insights to me of which I had been previously unaware. For the first time in my life, I realized that, just like my husband, I am not perfect either. I began to work on my intolerance and my impatience with his lack of spirituality.

“I began to strive to become more compassionate and loving and understanding. And do you know what happened? As I started to change, my husband started to change. Instead of my nagging him about going to church, he gradually decided to come with me on his own initiative.

“Recently we were sealed in the temple, and now we spend one day each week in the temple together. Oh, he’s still not perfect, but I am so happy that the Lord loves us enough to help us resolve our problems.”

Isn't that a great story? Wouldn't you like to be described by others as 'cheerful'?

Third, LIFT UP.

Lift up your hands and be an enthusiastic saint.