November - Serve Your Neighbors #davidsmission

A little over 15 years ago we had sold the home we built and were looking for a new home in Northern Utah County. We did so with many  prayers in our hearts: Help us find a home that's comfortably within our budget; help us find a place where our kids can grow up with good friends; a place close to my husbands work; a place with friends for us, the adults; a place where we would find great happiness. Looking back on 15+ years in this home, I'm overcome with how abundantly these prayers have been answered.

One of the greatest blessings has been the opportunity to be surrounded with extraordinary neighbors and friends. I've heard it shared many times, from new move-ins to visitors: there is something unique and beautiful about the people in this area. It is almost palpable, when you open your heart to see it, the feeling of unity and love in this corner of our little world.  This is not just a select small group of individuals; it really is a majority of the area.

This is why my heart swells this month as our family approaches our service theme: Serve your Neighbors. We want to introduce you to  an idea with a little talisman that will help us remember to move this service around.

Meet our Kindness Trains. In the next week these trains will be visiting some of our neighbors as we perform a secret act of service on their behalf. Once done, we will leave the train with a card of instructions attached, directing how the neighbors can jump aboard the train and move the kindness along. We encourage anyone who get visited to snap a picture of the service given to you and either post on social media with the hashtag #davidsmission or email me at marissa@allens.net.

I would love to see the Kindness Trains move throughout the state and continue into the new year. Or, start your own movement out of state. I found these wooden trains at Hobby Lobby and gave them a coat of paint. I will include a copy of the card you can save and attach. 

Hope you all jump on the Kindness train and Spread kindness throughout your neighborhood. Can't wait to see what service ideas you come up with. 💕

List of service ideas:

~Make them dinner or a freezer meal
~Clean part of their house
~Do some of their yard work
~Take garbage to roadside and return after they are empty
~Take them baked goods
~Visit someone lonely
~Drive Carpool for a week
~Babysit for them, for free
~Wash car windows
~Send someone flowers
~Send a care package
~Gift card to go out to eat
~Anonymous thank you note
~Take someone to lunch
~Holiday treat bags

October - Serve the Missionaries #davidsmission

When we become baptized members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we make covenants to take upon ourselves the name of Christ.  Each Sunday thereafter we partake of a sacrament, renewing that covenant, and promising that we will always remember Him and always have His name with us.  One way that members of the Church can do that is by becoming missionaries, to go out into the world and testify of Christ. Our youth, ages 18 or 19, can be called on Missions where they set aside their worldly ambitions and give 18 months to 2 years of their lives to serve the Lord, testifying of Christ, and preaching the gospel that He taught when He lived on this earth.  It is these young men and women that we want to honor this month.

Even though it is a sacrifice to be away from family and friends for 2 years of their lives, I know that they do so willingly because of their great love for their Savior, for all the blessings that He has brought into their lives.  As members of the church we strive to help them in their efforts by telling our friends and neighbors all the goodness that Christ has brought into our lives. 

This month we will be 'adopting' our missionaries from our neighborhood.  Currently our congregation has 9 young adults serving in the mission field, from California to Hong Kong and many places in between.  It is our goal to make care packages for each one, including treats and letters from home, honoring and thanking them for their service, hoping to help them feel we are supporting them from back home.  We would also like to include Books of Mormon with our testimonies in the front so that our belief in the Savior can spread around the globe. 

How would you like to help?  What ways can you think to honor a missionary this month?

Another Part of the Story

Many people, my daughter included, have asked me when I intend on writing the rest of her story.  That's a tricky question.  Let me explain why.

This past week said daughter sent me a poem she had written for her creative writing class; a beautiful poem about what she thought love was before, and what she grew to learn it truly was. As I read I was not expecting the emotional response my body would have.  All those past feelings from the time of her struggles, all the heartache a parent has when their child suffers, all the anxiety that overcame my being at that time, it all returned in a few short sentences.  The immediate threat was no longer present, but that did not mean my body knew how to respond differently.

I have was is called emotional PTSD.  It is very real.  While I am doing a lot of thought work, redirecting and reframing emotions, that takes time and practice.  I did that this week, reworking my emotions and working through my thoughts after I finished the poem.  These are the reasons I am not ready to publish the rest of her story, yet.  I have more emotional work to do before I am ready to readdress that time in my life again.

So, thank you for your patience.  I know some of you want to hear her story so that you can get answers for the struggles you are currently working through with your own children.  In a way, I guess I just gave you another very real piece of the story.  Sometimes that ugliness continues even when everyone is in a much more joyous, balanced place. And that's just reality.


Her Poem:

I thought love was beautiful.

I thought it was messy and chaotic

But somehow, still beautiful.

I thought love was a goodnight kiss

And a wink that left you with a feeling

Of hope for the good morning smile.

I thought love was playful.

I thought love was colors

And laughter that grew like

Vines into beautiful flowers that

Bloomed into spasmodically-

Colored petals and sweet aromas.

I thought love was strong.

I thought love was two against

Everything else and nothing

Else mattered and no one else

Could intrude and protection went both ways.

I thought love was strong.

I didn’t think love would hurt.

I didn’t think love would leave me

Feeling like I did something wrong

Or like I wasn’t doing enough or

Like I wasn’t worthy of trust or that

I had been alone for so long because I could say no.

I didn’t think love was a tempest.

I didn’t think love would leave me

Bruised and bleeding on the shower floor

Because there was no one else to hurt

Except for myself because no matter what

I said he wouldn’t believe me when I told the truth.

I didn’t think love was supposed to turn its back on you.

I didn’t think love was that feeling where you

Can’t stop crying and must stop breathing

Because the breath drowns you in salt

And vinegar and bitter farewells.

I didn’t think love was supposed to hurt so much.

So I left.

And love became beautiful again.

Love became everything I had hoped

And everything I thought it was meant to be

And we laugh and we cry and we drive

Each other nuts but our love is beautiful

Just like love should be.

I thought love was supposed to be beautiful

Because it is. Our love grows flowers

That blossom in starlight because love

Shines bright in the dark and holds you

When your world is caving in around you

And the only thing holding you together is love.

And that’s when I realized that love is a sunset.

Love is a sun that sets on the heartache

And rises into something worth keeping

And working on until it is polished brighter

Than the diamond on my finger.

This is love, and it is beautiful.

September - Serve the Ailing, Serve the Struggling #davidsmission

As I sat down and planned our service themes for this year I didn't realize that this was childhood cancer awareness month. When three of my dear friends posted on social media, bringing this awareness to my mind, I was awed by the inspiration I had received to choose the theme I did for this month: Serve the Ailing/Serve the Struggling.

Although it has been a few years or more since my friends' children or loved ones have battled cancer, I still think often about what a difficult thing it would be to watch your child fight this disease.  I also think of all the support they had to have received to get through such a fight; support that gave them strength to endure watching one more treatment, take part in one more sleepless night, clean up one more bout of throw-up.  No parent should ever have to do something like this alone.

I have always loved the thought that we become the angels God needs on earth, to administer the help He would give it He were here.  We are needed by those who are afflicted, by those who are barely keeping their heads above water, by those who are silently suffering from mental anguish. Even those small acts that seem like mere drops in an empty bucket can relieve the thirst of a parched soul. 

Our family has chosen to keep this service close to home.  There are many in our church family who need relief in one way or another.  We will fast and pray for them; we will bring treats and a visit; we will babysit children so they can have a much needed night out; we will visit the lonely; we will be friends.

What will you do this month to become an angel?

August - Serve the Children #davidsmission

One of my favorite parts of the Book of Mormon is found in 3 Nephi when Christ is visiting the American continents.  After having spent time with the people, allowing them personal witnesses of Him, teaching them His gospel, and administering to the sick, He stands and commands the little children to be brought to Him.  He surrounds Himself by these little ones and offers a prayer so magnificent and sacred that words could not even be written to equal the power of it.  Filled with emotion, He takes the children one by one and blesses them and prays for them, weeping as He does so.  As He finishes and directs the multitude to "Behold your little ones," they behold the heavens open and angels descend and minister to these children.  In what ways are you striving to "Behold His little one"?

I love spending time with my nieces and nephews.  While visiting my brother in another state earlier this year, I sat outside with my nephew as he excitedly searched for bugs to show me.  While I'm not a fan of spiders I loved watching his excitement as he cupped them in his hand and gentle brought them to show me his treasure.  I loved the bubbling energy as I went later that night to catch little frogs with the family and see how proud they were when they accomplished the difficult task and then gently releasing them back into the pond.

I've enjoyed being the "relief society mom" for a new mother, as I cradle her fussy baby and allow the mother to enjoy an hour break to feel of God's spirit.

I've enjoyed taking my kids friends into our home, feeding them dinner, including them in family prayer and scripture study, making them a part of our family by loving them for who they are.

In my small way, I feel that I am trying my best to "Behold" His little ones as He beholds them, to love them in the way He would love them.

I often think of the tender love the Savior has for children.  He knows of their importance. He knows them individually and ministers to them individually, just as He does for His adult children.  I believe He has an even more tender place in His heart for children, so recently descended from heaven, experiencing so many new things.  I hear Him in my mind, cheering them on, encouraging them to find joy in this journey, despite the hard life ahead.

With these thoughts, I get excited about the service theme this month: Serve the Children.  I was so blessed to have an amazing childhood, and I know by kids are blessed with even more than I was.  But there are many, many children, even in our own neighborhoods, that stand in need of more.  More love, more acceptance, more money, more time with caring individuals, more basic needs met. More of more.   There are so many "mores" that it was difficult for me to narrow down the services that I want to provide.

Ways that you can help:
~Recently at our family reunion we started the first part of a service for children.  There is an organization that makes character wigs for children who have lost their hair due to cancer or other illnesses.  Our family decorated the envelopes that will hold the cards that go along with these wigs as they are given away.  We will be doing a second round of this service. www.themagicyarnproject.com

~I wanted to do a drive to collect school item for children in need as they head back to school, and was excited to see that a young man in our ward is doing this for his eagle project.  Our family will be contributing to this worthwhile project.  Donations are needed by Aug 13. contact me if you want to contribute.

~We have children in our neighborhood taking part in a summer reading bingo where they receive treats for certain bingos, with a party at the end of the summer if they get a blackout.

~I have a special surprise that I am working on as well, that I will reveal at the end of the month. :)

Other Ideas:
~Hold a bike wash for neighborhood kids
~Serve a meal at the Ronald McDonald house
~Children's book collection for library/WIC/classrooms
~Play date with special needs children
~Pack Lunches for homeless children
~Check out the app JustServe.  There are many, many ideas of serving children listed there.

July - Serve Your Ancestors #davidsmission

Does it feel like we missed June?  Well, in a way, I was still continuing the service from May: Serve yourself.  Even when there are grand things I want to pursue, good things I want to accomplish, I have learned the essential need to take care of myself and allow myself to heal when that healing is needed.  At times, that means other well-meaning things have to take the backseat position and wait patiently for me to be in a place where I can invite them back to the front. 

June was Serve the Community.  I originally had lavish plans of orchestrating a big event, such as a Special Olympic or a large scale community clean up.  Instead, I reminded myself that the service doesn't have to be grand to reach the individual.   The week after school got out we sat on the corner with a cooler and a sign: "Welcome Summer!  Free Popsicles!"  A handful of grateful customers stopped by to kick off their summer with a sweet, sugary treat. 

The end of the month found us around the city, writing words of encouragement on sidewalks.  Service doesn't have to reach the masses.  This month was a good reminder to reach out to the one.  If only one person got a free popsicle, if only one person read a message that made them smile, then that was more than enough. 

As I still seek healing in my life, I look towards the service I chose for this month: Serve your Ancestors.  To some, this may seem like a strange theme to choose for a service.  Let me explain as best I can. Without touching on that which is too sacred to me, I want to testify of the tremendous help and guidance I have often felt from those loved ones who have passed on.  They are in my life still.  They are aware of me and often help where they can to strengthen me through trials and help me feel of God's love.  I feel blessed to have the conviction that we are connected eternally, that I will see these loved ones again someday. 

I have a duty to them. As they are helping me from the other side I have the responsibility to help them how I can, here in the flesh, to do things they cannot do. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we feel it is our opportunity to take the joy of the gospel we have found and offer that to others, including those who have passed on.  We do this by being baptized vicariously for our ancestors in temples throughout the word, and by making further covenants for them in these temples.  They then have the opportunity to accept or reject the gospel message in heaven, an opportunity they may not have had while on earth.  But if we don't do the work to make those covenants for them, they will miss those opportunities of joy that are offered. 

I can not think of a better service to give my ancestors than to offer them the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

This month I will be spending time in the temple, making covenants in behalf of my ancestors.  I will be taking time to write their stories in family search and adding pictures.  I may even share on social media some ways my ancestors have influenced my life. We will end the month with a family reunion to celebrate the legacy left by my grandparents. 

I invite you to join me.  For the endowed members of the Church of Jesus Christ I invite you to do at least one ordinance in the temple for an ancestor.  (I'd love to see your pictures in front of the temple that day. 💖 ) I invite you to share a story, a picture, a joke your grandpa used to tell.  Help us honor our ancestors.

My Grandpa and Grandma Barker on their wedding day, with their parents, some siblings,

 and friends

May - Taking Care of You #davidsmission

Life rarely takes us on the path of least resistance. In fact, life is often filled with black diamond courses, difficult level hiking, and plummets made not for the faint of heart. Facing these daunting odds may make one feel inadequate for the tasks ahead.  How will I ever make it though to the other side of this ravine? How can I keep moving forward without changing the way I proceed?

I recently read an article in the April 2019 Ensign addressing sister Cecily Smith's struggle with depression.  I loved the section where she lays forth how she changes the way she proceeded forward with simplicity during those difficult times.  "I've learned to slow down my pace and.. care for myself so I can take care of my family.  I've sometimes had to miss important events, but the more I take care of myself, the quicker I recover." Quoting Elder Uchtdorf, she adds: "When stress levels rise, when distress appears, when tragedy strikes, too often we attempt to keep up the same frantic pace... There is beauty and clarity that comes from simplicity."

This month of service must needs be different for our family.  While traveling back from St. George recently, I was re-listening to general conference.  Sister Eubanks talk struck me when she said: "Part of this life in knowing what NOT to do." While there are many, many good things you can choose to do in life, there are times when you need to choose not to do them.  There are times when life needs to be simplified, the horses corralled and cared for, the spirit recharged and refreshed. That is this month for us.

What needs do you have?  What ways do you need to do things differently this month to take care of you first?  Never forget that giving service to yourself is no less important than giving service to others.

April - Serve the Babies #davidsmission

We are entering our 4th month of service.  What an incredible year this has been thus far.  I never imaged the variety of service opportunities that our family would be introduced to.  Many of the services we have done are ones that we plan to make traditions in our home.  Not only have these opportunities blessed those who we serve but it is bringing a myriad of people together and opening their lives to connections they never thought about before.

This next month is one I have been anxiously awaiting, as it has very personal meaning and is directly tied to our son, David.  In the hospital were we delivered there is a unique group of parent volunteers called the Parent to Parent group.  Its members consist of parents who have lost little ones at birth and desire to give back to help support those who must face the same tragedy.  After David passed a group member came in and spent time with us taking pictures, making casts of his hands and feet, helping us dress him, and giving us cherished keepsakes that tied our memories to something good.  These keepsakes still bring back fond memories of service given, right along the memories of the time we had with our baby.  I always intended to donate these same services back some day.

My favorite connection keepsake, a gold ring worn by David.  

If you ever see me wearing this necklace you know I am needing connection to him that day.

Although I had made an outfit and quilt for David to be buried in, many parents do not have the foreknowledge that their child will be passing.  It is from donations of caring individuals that they are able to cloth their child and cuddle them, giving them the dignity they deserve.  This month I, along with anyone who cares to join me, will be making Angel Gowns and blankets for parents and babies in need.

Angel gowns

You need not be a seamstress to contribute to this service.  Fabric could be donated and I will do the sewing. 😊  Another beautiful way to contribute:  An unused wedding dress can be repurposed into many, many angel gowns.  Here are some other ways to Serve the Babies this month:

~Blankets for the cribs in the NICU

~Offer photography services to parents who lost a baby

~Clean the headstones of babies in local cemetery

~Put flowers on the graves of babies

~Ask if your local NICU has a cuddle program, where you go in an cuddle babies in need

~Serve a meal at the Ronald McDonald house

March - Serve the Family #davidsmission

Two months into our mission.  What have these first few months shown us? First, there are so many service opportunities out there that we never really thought of before.  A bit of searching can bring more opportunities that  you could ever fulfill. That's okay.  We don't need to do it all.  Even small things, even done once, can make a big difference.  Second, we see that there are some things that are great fits for our family that we could do again and again, and there are some things that were great to do once but probably won't be revisited.  Again, that's okay.  The service was still given and the audience was still blessed.  Third, I had to think through my reasons behind posted the activities on social media.  Am I advertising our 'great deeds' for all the world to see? I really struggled with this. I struggle to post service activities because I don't want it to take away from the spirit of what was actually done. What I learned about this thought exercise was this:  As I mentioned earlier, there are many opportunities of service that I never thought about before.  I want to show others what is available to them. Then, if something pricks their heart, they too can now reach out in a way they never thought about before.  I want to show others the joy of the receivers.

With that, I want to introduce you to this next theme: Serve the family.  What does that mean to you?  Don't we already do that each and every day, especially as parents?  I am reminded of a talk given in general conference recently were a dear sister did great service by helping those around the world.  As she was driving home from her latest service opportunity the spirit spoke to her and said "Now go and serve your neighbor."  In essence, the Lord was guiding her to those closest to her and letting here know we don't have to reach far beyond our scope of influence to make our service meaningful.  So this month we are pulling it in, we are focusing on the core unit in our lives.

Family means something different to each of us.  You may be single, you may be a young married couple or empty nesters, or you may have 10 children and lots of cousins. Family may mean those 'extra' children that come into your home, those friends who eat dinner at your table numerous times a week.  Family is really those people who are in your sphere of love on a consistent basis.

This months invitation is two fold.  Let me give one bit of background before I explain. 

Five years ago, at the end of February, I lost a cousin to a tragic adventure activity.  She had only been married two weeks and her life was cut short.  As I attended her funeral I was reminded of two things about her. First, that she had a great love of doing humanitarian work.  Her life, outside of living adventurously, was filled with giving of herself.  Second, there were many people at her funeral from a variety of walks of life.  She made everyone 'family'.  This month as we serve the family, we are striving to emulate and honor her through serving and loving as she did.

The invitations: 1. Find a way to honor a family member that has past, by doing an act of service in their name. 2. Find ways to serve your earthly family in different ways than  you usually do.

Some ideas for you to ponder on this month:

• Plan an event that brings your family together. (We are throwing our Dad/Grandpa a 90th bday party!)
• Do a surprise house cleaning for a sibling
• Mend a relationship
• Invite a family to dinner and game night
• Send snail mail letters to family that lives far away
• Complete a project for a family member that you have been putting off (We will be painting our youngest sons room)
• On March 17th, let someone know that you are "Lucky to have them" in your life
• Leave treats on doorsteps for your neighborhood family (Something my cousin Amber loved to do)
• Be a peacemaker in your home this month.  Seek to show more love.

I am excited about this month, to find ways each day to serve those I love most in the way that Christ would want me to serve them.

February - Serve the Elderly #davidsmission

Aging is a reality for every person on earth. From the moment we are born, we began to "grow old." Different cultures have varying attitudes and perspectives on the elderly in their countries. In China there is an actual law that allows elderly parents to sue their children if they feel they are not getting the emotional and financial respect due to them. Employees are also required to give time off to their workers, allowing them time to visit their parents.

In Japan, appreciation for elderly in ingrained into the family, making this one of the kindest places for seniors.  Many families often have multiple generations living under one roof, attributing much to the happiness and longevity of the elderly that blossoms from these strong bonds. 

Unfortunately in America seniors are often the subject of prejudice, stereotyping, and the subject of jokes, with many elderly feeling a great lack of respect from the young people.  More often than not our elderly are placed in assisted living homes, a practice that is not common in other cultures.  (please to take this as judgement on my part for I know that everyone's situation is unique and, I'm sure, is prayerfully considered).

As we have had some recent happenings in our family with an aging parent I have had cause to pause and reflect on my own views of aging in our society. The older I personally become the greater love I have for those who have forged the path ahead of me.  I see the wisdom gained from their life experiences and seek to learn from what they can impart.  I see what  a great blessing it is to have my father-in-law in our home, to have our children help with his care and see that we make sacrifices for those we love because they deserve it.  What I sense the elderly would like us to know is that they want to be included, but don't want to feel like a burden; they know when you are doing it out of obligation and not love.  They want to feel valued and useful. They want to spend time with us and for us to not put a time limit and rush out of there. They value youthful interactions, along with time with their 'old pals.' 

In light of all that I've been pondering, we are choosing the theme of 'Serve the Elderly' for the month of February.  We are still scheduling the events that we will sponsor this month, so look for details to come.  We are looking at planning an afternoon of game playing, with youth visiting a retirement home.  We are also wanting to hold a night of musical entertainment at the same location. (Music friends, start preparing some old time favorites 😊).  A few other events will include some junior high students making birthday cards to be given to the elderly, along with elementary students making spring-time pictures to decorate the doors of the elderly. 

 I would love to hear other ideas that you might have for this month.  This is a service that spans the distance and is available to all ages.  Here are some ideas for you to ponder:

• Help give caregivers a break by staying with their elderly parents to they can go out
• Volunteer to deliver meals with meals on wheels
• Go have lunch with an elderly neighbor
• Listen to their stories, write them down, input them on FamilySearch
• Paint their nails for them
• Send them a card in the mail
• Take flowers to the seniors in your community and sit down for a visit
• Read to them
• Find a housekeeping project you can help them with

I hope this month stretches us all to be more respectful, more full of love, and united in created strong bonds with those in their twilight years.

10 Changes: A Year in Review

I'm sure I am just like the majority of you.  The new year brings a time of reflection. Did I accomplish what I set off to accomplish this year?  What changes do I want to make for the coming year? As I reflect I wanted to share 10 things that I did this year. Each of these have taught me how to take accountability for my health and given me the hope I needed regarding answers I personally needed.

• I Changed My Thought Process
• This is huge!  (For anyone who doesn't know about thought work, I highly recommend to study it for yourself.)  I no longer see myself as a victim of circumstance.  I see the influence of positive energy.  I know that I will be accountable to God for both my thoughts and my actions, so what am I doing with both? 
• I Started Bringing Natural Products Into My Home
• The more I've learned about health, to more I realize how everything interacts.  We have need of not just changing what we eat, but what we put on our body.  After all, what we put on also goes in through the skin, through our airway, etc.  It is not cheap, but it is worth it.  I'm taking one product at a time, I started with medicine, and I'm evaluating what the total influence of that product is for me and my family.  My next step is cleaning products and makeup.
• I Buy Organic Produce
• If we are worried about what we put on our body and into our body then we should also be worried about what our food in grown in and what is brought into their "bodies".  I've come to see a taste difference in the produce, including organic meat when I can purchase it.  
• I've Started Practicing Self-care
• Take time for yourself!  You deserve it, and it is not something that is important only after everything else on the to-do list is done.
• I've Learned that Mental Health is as Important as Physical
• I do mental checks often.  Why am I feeling down?  Why am I feeling impatient and irritable?  In other words, I talk to myself often because I know it's good for me.
• I've Learned to Listen to my Body
• When my body it telling me to slow down, I slow down.  Whether the project is done or not.  If that means I take my sheets off the bed but need to lay down for half hour before I put clean ones on, then that's what I do.  I honor my body and it's need instead of powering ahead just to get through.
• I've Placed a Major Focus on Spiritual Health
• I prioritize my time in the scriptures and time in prayer above all else in my day.  I have set out a pattern of Weekly Temple services as well.  That is what my time on this earth is meant for.  It is not a sacrifice.
• I Have Sought out Great Products
• I've started searching for great quality products that will help me reach the desired health I long for.  With each produce I research, I take it to the Lord for confirmation to make sure it is right for my body.  Two companies I began using are Juuva and Young Living.  Yes, there are other good products out there, but these are what's right for my family.
• I Started to Share my Story
• What good is all this information if I keep it to myself? 😂 I began writing a book this past year and know it is what my mission is at this time.
• Above All, I Trusted God
• I trusted that this was exactly the journey I needed to take to get me where I need to be.  It's been a good journey. Here's to continuing the learning this year....

January - Serve the Homeless #davidsmission

January.

The beginning of a new year.  A time when we often reflect on the year previous and look for ways that we desire to do be, to be better in the year to come.  A number of years ago I changed the way I approach the new year, letting go of the traditional goal setting that often was abandoned by the end of the first month.  I, instead, started choosing a one word focus, one that deepened the meaning of the changes I hoped to make.  Last year I focused on a concept: Come to better know Jesus Christ.  Through this, all my "goals" focused on ways to know Him better.  I asked myself questions such as, How is my physical health getting in the way with my relationship with Him?  What ways can I purify physical self to be more receptive of that relationship?  I love the opportunity this affords me to give a more eternal focus to the changes I hope to make for the year.

This year I will also have a concept: Minister as the Savior would minister.

To begin that goal, I decided that the first month of David's mission we would Serve the Homeless. I thought it would be best to start where I feel my weakness lies.  I will be the first to admit that I have often been judgmental and lacking in understanding for these individuals.  I would pass them as I traveled around Temple square, doing my best to avoid eye contact. I would see them with signs, begging for money on the side of the road, while just down the block was a help-wanted sign.  My thoughts were often not thoughts of compassion, seeing as Christ sees them.  As I have recognized this in myself, I have tried to do better these last few years to have a more Christlike heart toward all of God's children.  Why did I avoid eye contact?  Was is discomfort? Fear? Not knowing what I could do?  A bit of yes to all of these.  I hope in this month we all can bridge the gap between that fear, that discomfort, that unknown and find a way that we can stretch ourselves to Love in a deeper way.

My daughter is involved with the handbell choir in her school.  Each year they take a tour of different locations and perform throughout Salt Lake city.  As this is one of my favorite Christmas activities, I always choose to chaperone this tour.  Last year the choir teacher took them to a location we had never been to before: the Salt Lake County library.  For anyone who has never been here before, this public space is filled with homeless individuals seeking a quiet place to rest, to get warmth, and to find a place of normalcy where they can continue to learn.  As our group performed their music, the homeless listened.  It struck me then that the homeless have lost more than their homes.  Many have lost meaningful connections and the feeling of love from their fellow men.  They have lost opportunities, such as this, where their hearts can be filled with music, where they can enjoy simple entertainment and not have think about the cares of the world.  Their daily life is about survival. They don't often get a break from that burden.  I was so, so grateful that this young group of musicians were able to come and give them back something they had lost.

What can we do?  More than we think.

"If we find we cannot help others, the least we can do is desist from harming them" - Dalai Lama

We can change our thought work, the way we think about these individuals.  We can ask the Lord to help us see with an understanding heart, to know we don't see the whole picture to understand why they are in the situation they are in.  We can take the time to make eye contact, to smile at them and ask them their names and a bit about themselves.  Shake their hands, place a comforting hand on their shoulders, send forth love through your words.

Our activity this month will be collecting food and making up sack lunches for the preschool children in the family Homeless shelter in Midvale, Utah.  For any locals who would like to contribute time or food to this event, please follow this link: Serve

There will also be a donate button on my author Facebook page for those who live out of state and want to contribute monetarily.  Marissa Allen. Look for the Shop-now button. I am also still pondering and researching the idea of having an entertainment night at the Salt Lake County Library near the end of the month. (please leave a message if you would be interested in performing).  

There is so much more we can do, if we just get creative.  Here are some ideas that you could ponder and pray about with your family to find a way you can help in your area:

• Gather a group to serve dinner at your local soup kitchen
• Donate bedding, hygiene supplies, coats, etc (lists can often be found online for your local shelter)
• Volunteer at the shelter - do crafts with the youth, work the front desk, help with laundry
• Make up "care-kits" that you keep in your car and hand out throughout the month.
• For hairstylist:  offer free haircuts
• For dog groomers:  offer to bath and groom their pets
• For anyone: Show respect.  They are God's children, too.  
• Pray for them.  Any time a pass a panhandler in my car and don't have cash, I send a prayer heavenward in their behalf.

I would love to hear what you choose to do this month!  Don't forget to include #davidsmission.  If you would like to keep your service quiet, that is understandable; I would still love a personal message, and possibly pictures, to include in my personal records.

Happy New Year to you all!  May this year be filled with good things, especially for those we reach out to.