As I type your brother is in an interview with the Bishop to start his mission papers. "I have no greater joy than to know that my children walk in truth". Why is it that I, a little barefoot girl from the thriving metropolis of Bluffdale, get to hold the title of "Most Blessed Mother Alive?" Why do I have the most wonderful children on the planet, children I love more than life itself?
The very first of Spencer's group of friends had his mission call opening this week. Here we go! I may or may not have cried during his state jazz band competition yesterday while watching Spen, Kaden and Mikey play.
Our week has been one for the books. Piano recital, lip sync battle (Joseph and Annie did I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston with fans and wigs, it was epic), Shopping for new suits for Joseph for prom and missing you so much because we were in the same corner of JCPEnney where we shopped for your mission clothing, homeschool science, Spen getting asked to Morp and answered for prom, Nate's birthday party was Thursday (he turned 30). You were featured in one of the videos we made. Piano federation for Annie (she got superiors), State Jazz Band Competition, play practice, Seth had a friend party Friday night, Grandma Raspberry's birthday party yesterday (you may want to wish her a happy birthday today :)), two region basketball games for the girls in our ward (they rocked it, made it three games into regions), PROM for two brothers, prom day dates, crazy fun.
Sweet Mckay Scott Christensen, you one of my favorite humans who has ever lived. I had things ready to share my testimony today, but I didn't share it publically. It was a full meeting of wonderful testimonies. May I share my feelings with you?
Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
thought it scarcely worth his while to waste much time on the old violin,
but held it up with a smile; "What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,
"Who'll start the bidding for me?" "A dollar, a dollar"; then two!" "Only
two? Two dollars, and who'll make it three? Three dollars, once; three
dollars twice; going for three.." But no, from the room, far back, a
gray-haired man came forward and picked up the bow; Then, wiping the dust
from the old violin, and tightening the loose strings, he played a melody
pure and sweet as caroling angel sings.
The music ceased, and the auctioneer, with a voice that was quiet and low,
said; "What am I bid for the old violin?" And he held it up with the bow.
A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two? Two thousand! And who'll make
it three? Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice, and going and
gone," said he. The people cheered, but some of them cried, "We do not
quite understand what changed its worth." Swift came the reply: "The touch
of a master's hand."
And many a man with life out of tune, and battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd, much like the old violin, A
"mess of pottage," a glass of wine; a game - and he travels on. "He is
going" once, and "going twice, He's going and almost gone." But the Master
comes, and the foolish crowd never can quite understand the worth of a soul
and the change that's wrought by the touch of the Master's hand.
but held it up with a smile; "What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,
"Who'll start the bidding for me?" "A dollar, a dollar"; then two!" "Only
two? Two dollars, and who'll make it three? Three dollars, once; three
dollars twice; going for three.." But no, from the room, far back, a
gray-haired man came forward and picked up the bow; Then, wiping the dust
from the old violin, and tightening the loose strings, he played a melody
pure and sweet as caroling angel sings.
The music ceased, and the auctioneer, with a voice that was quiet and low,
said; "What am I bid for the old violin?" And he held it up with the bow.
A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two? Two thousand! And who'll make
it three? Three thousand, once, three thousand, twice, and going and
gone," said he. The people cheered, but some of them cried, "We do not
quite understand what changed its worth." Swift came the reply: "The touch
of a master's hand."
And many a man with life out of tune, and battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd, much like the old violin, A
"mess of pottage," a glass of wine; a game - and he travels on. "He is
going" once, and "going twice, He's going and almost gone." But the Master
comes, and the foolish crowd never can quite understand the worth of a soul
and the change that's wrought by the touch of the Master's hand.
Myra 'Brooks' Welch
I testify that the Savior Jesus Christ never ever gives up on anybody. I think of is unconquerable love as his voice rang out in the heavenly throng to volunteer to be the Savior. His humble birth was another one of his gifts, in a stable, with flies and animals all around. He grew up as a tender reed, never saying or doing one single wrong thing. Imagine him fasting forty days to begin his ministry, and humbly but boldly testifying of his role and mission to the adversary. How glorious it would be to be among those watching him heal the sick, cause the blind to see, embrace and make whole the leper, raise the ragged cloth of the old beggar at the pool of Bethesda, notice virtue gone out of him when the woman touched his cloak, teach his truths that encourage such radical and uncoventional love, mercy and forgiveness, calm the seas, raise children from the dead, comfort, teach, testify, forgive, feed the five thousand and the four thousand.
I was so touched this week as a I studied a painting of the Last Supper. I noticed something I had not read before. Prior to kneeling and washing the feet of the bickering disciples, the Savior wrapped an apron around his waist. In that moment, as in every moment he ever lived, I long to be like him. I try to imagine him walking into that room and hearing his disciples arguing about whom is most important. (Now for me, if I was the mother of this little flock I may have said, "are you serious? Do you have any idea how much I need you to behave right now? Or a million other similar things, but he wraps an apron around himself, kneels down and shows them how to love in his own time of preparing for indescribable events, he takes time to teach. This is an important relationship scripture.
I read this week about the process of an olive harvest. The first step is to break apart the olives with great stone presses, then they are placed in baskets on top of one another and the weight of the baskets gets heavier and heavier until the olives are pressed so completely that the purest most perfect olive oil pours out, and it is red. Somehow in that olive garden he stood in our place, suffered our sufferings, paid for every single sin of his brothers and sisters and it would have cost him his own life incalculabe times had He not been part God and been able to hold body and soul together. His intimate and infinite gift was our only hope. What followed was betrayal and forgiveness, whipping and scourging without retaliation, mocking with only love offered in return, and hours on the cruel cross where he uttered the most incredible words, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Then he reaches the finish line, immediately enters the spirit world and organizes missionary work. Easter morning with it's quiet and glorious victory and the folded garments inside the empty tomb.
I feel so unworthy and tiny to even attempt to discuss these sacred gifts, yet I also want to shout them from the rooftops and tell every single person I know all day without sleeping.
The Savior Jesus Christ through his atoning gifts turns hate into love, fear into fiath, pride inot humility, contention into peace, causes broken things to be made whole, wrong to be made right, sorrow to joy, scarlet sins as white as snow, horror to hope, swords into plowshares, those feeling worthless come to know their infinite worth, loneliness to love, dirty to clean, hunger to feast, and death to life. He loves us though we are imperfect, weak, simple and broken. I love President Uchtdorf's comment: Think of the purest love you can imagine, then mulitply that love by an infinte amount. That is the measure of God's love for you." It is never too early and never too late. God never gives up on anyone. He is perfect love and unbelievable mercy. I love the Savior Jesus Christ. I testify of his perfect and eternal love with a gratitude that melts my soul, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen
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