Each night, I would snuggle under my covers and eagerly wait for one of them to choose a book. Maybe it would be a Dr. Seuss classic or a Berenstain Bears adventure. Perhaps I’d get to hear about Aunt Tildy’s elephant or be sent off to sleep with the image of a poky little puppy running through my mind.

It didn’t matter what they chose because I loved any and all books. 

Well… Except for one.

I loathed the children’s book The Story About Ping.

What was to like?! There was an adorable duck that gets left behind and lost; scary people who want to eat him; the imminent, terrifying fear of being spanked… It was all so awful. Any time my mother or father reached for that book on the shelf, I inwardly — and probably outwardly — squirmed. Whether they continued to read it because my siblings liked it or simply because they thought it had a good moral, I don’t know, but I absolutely detested that little book.

Until, that is, a few months ago.

Unfortunately, I’ve long since outgrown my parents reading me bedtime stories. So while my mom didn’t actually read this story to me, she brought it up in conversation recently and put it in a whole new light for me. The Story About Ping — a story that I once thought was scary and mean and pointless — has become one of the most beautiful allegories of repentance that I have ever encountered.

And I want to share it with you.

The Premise of The Story About Ping

For any of you who haven’t read The Story About Ping, written by Marjorie Flack and illustrated by Kurt Wiese, you can do so here. It’s a short, easy read, and I’d really recommend you read it — but if reading children’s books isn’t your jam, don’t fret: I’ll give a little background here. The funny thing about this book is that I can find absolutely no record anywhere (although maybe I missed it) of the author having Christian motives in writing the book, and no accounts of people looking at it through a Christian lens — yet it is fraught with wonderful symbolism.

Ping is a precious, domesticated young duck who lives on a “wise-eyed” boat on the Yangtze river in China with his mother, father, brothers, sisters, and basically entire extended family. Each day, the ducks swim in the river and hunt for food, and each night, when the boat master calls for them, the ducks scurry back onto the boat. 

All in all, it’s a pretty cushy, happy life for these ducks, except for one small detail: whichever duck is the last to make it onto the boat each night gets a spank on the back. (And while I personally don’t love the idea of spanking, times were different when this book was published in 1933 — so to keep the verbiage the same throughout this post, I’ll use the term “spanked” since it’s what was used in the book. However, you can substitute “chastised,” “lectured,” or whatever term you feel is most appropriate.)

Ping is “very-very careful” not to be the last duck on the boat because he does not want to get spanked. But one day Ping is diving for something tasty in the water and doesn’t hear the boat master call to the ducks. By the time Ping surfaces, he realizes that it’s too late: 

“Ping knew he would be the last, the very last duck if he crossed the bridge. Ping did not want to be spanked.

 

So he hid.” 

Ping hides in the bushes and waits for the boat to return the next morning. But when morning comes, there’s no boat — so Ping decides to find it himself. He swims around looking for his boat, but there are so many boats. While he’s swimming, Ping sees some captivating birds diving for delicious fish, only to realize upon closer inspection that they are actually in captivity with rings around their necks and are forced to find fish for their masters but are prevented by the rings from eating them. Understandably, this terrifies him. He swims away but ends up being captured by a family who wants to eat him.

Ping is distraught. All day, he has to look through the small holes of the basket the family has trapped him in. He has all day to think about the life that he has given up because he was too scared of a spanking. No one can save Ping now — not his mother, his father, his sisters or brothers. 

Everything appears lost until the family’s son, a sweet little boy, comes and lifts the basket off of Ping and slips him back into the water — even though the boy will surely be punished for this act of mercy.

As Ping swims away, he hears his master’s call. He swims over to his boat… only to see his family all lined up. Again, Ping is late. But he knows what he must do to find the happiness he longs for once again.

“As Ping reached the shore the last of Ping’s forty two cousins marched over the bridge and Ping knew that he was LATE again! But up marched Ping, up over the little bridge and SPANK came the spank on Ping’s back!

 

Then at last Ping was back with his mother and his father and two sisters and three brothers and eleven aunts and seven uncles and forty-two cousins. Home again on the wise-eyed boat on the Yangtze River.”

The Fear of Being Spanked

In Ping’s story, he’s so terrified of being punished that he does what all of us have done at some point or another: he hides. 

This is one of the adversary’s most effective tools: when we feel ashamed, fearful, and scared, he makes us think we can get out of “punishment” by hiding. He’s been using it since the beginning of time! Just look at Adam and Eve: 

“Immediately after God left Adam and Eve in the garden, telling them to partake freely of the fruit of all the trees except one, of which they were commanded not to partake, Satan began his nefarious plan for their destruction. Following Satan’s successful attempt, God returned to the garden; and because they were ashamed, Adam and Eve were hiding from him, so he called: ‘Where art thou?’ a question which can and does apply to every one of us individually and collectively, and one which we might well be asking ourselves as it applies to our relationship to God and our fellowmen.

 

Adam replied: ‘… I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.

 

‘And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked?” (N. Eldon Tanner, “Where Art Thou,” October 1971).

We know the rest of the story. Satan, who didn’t understand God’s plan, thought that he could destroy everything by causing Adam and Eve to break a commandment — one that there was no coming back from. 

But what Adam and Eve didn’t realize when they hid — what Satan convinced them wasn’t true — is that there is always, always, ALWAYS a way back, and that way is Jesus Christ. 

The Fear of the Spanking is So Much Worse Than the Actual Spanking

One of the things that Adam and Eve didn’t realize in that moment in the garden — and that Ping obviously didn’t realize on the Yangtze river — was that the fear of being punished was much worse than the actual punishment.

To put it simply, Adam and Eve saw no way back. They’d messed up too much, done too much damage, gone too far. They were doomed, their future dismal.

In The Story About Ping, it seems like our little duck friend had never been spanked before. Maybe he’d had a few too-hard pats on the back, maybe he’d had a play session that got a little too intense with his siblings, maybe he’d been bitten by something in the river… But he’d never been spanked by someone so much bigger, so much greater than him.

And it seemed really scary. 

In both stories, instead of facing up to what they’d done, our characters initially choose to hide. And what they end up facing — the fear, the unsurety, the shame and pain — is so much worse than the very thing they had feared: being “spanked” or chastised by God.

At the beginning of Ping’s story, the life he had was a good life: he was happy, secure, and content. Then he stumbled and made a mistake. He tried to go back to his old life, but he couldn’t find it. It seemed there was no way back. And the life that he chose to pursue instead? It was absolutely horrible. It was filled with pain, misery, and loneliness. Even the birds that from far away looked like they were having a good time were in reality trapped, experiencing the happiness of finding a fish but then never getting to enjoy it. No matter how it appeared at first glance, any happiness they may have felt was short-lived and shallow.

Yet in both narratives, just when things seem completely hopeless — like all is lost — our beloved characters are saved by someone who risks their own happiness and safety so that our heroes can again find life and joy. And as it turns out, life after the “spanking” is so much better: Adam and Eve experience true joy because they now know sorrow, and Ping no longer spends his life in fear of the spanking. Their repentance — the very thing they were avoiding — brings even greater fulfillment and meaning to their lives. 

Here’s the thing: yes, repentance hurts. It hurts to face what we’ve done, to own up to it, to acknowledge that we’ve messed up and hurt our spirits and maybe even other people. It’s painful to talk to your bishop. It hurts not to be able to take the sacrament, not to be cleared for baptism, not to be able to give your daughter a priesthood blessing when she so desperately needs one. It’s heart-wrenching to look your husband in the eye and say sorry, to admit to your mother that you made a huge mistake, to have to say “I can’t do it” when your little boy turns eight and wants you to baptize him, to perhaps even have your membership in the Church revoked. I may not know that pain, but I do know that no matter your circumstances, you’re experiencing nothing that Christ hasn’t felt, nothing that He hasn’t already atoned for.

To read more of Amy’s articles, click here.

But what hurts even worse than any of those things is a life without Jesus Christ — not just without the restored gospel, not just without our church community, not just without priesthood ordinances, but without Jesus Christ, without living by the things He has taught. Because no matter how shiny and beautiful those birds diving on the Yangtze river looked, they still had rings around their necks. No matter how fun life without Christ looks, deciding not to live by His teachings — refusing to live without Him in your life at all — will only bring heartache and confusion.

I have learned that when you accept the spanking, life only gets better. But when you avoid it, life is filled with fear, pain, and desperation.

And the wonderful, awe-inspiring reality is that Jesus Christ already took the worst part of the spanking for us. I can guarantee that the little boy’s punishment was a lot more painful than the spanking Ping endured, and that Jesus Christ’s Atonement was a whole lot more painful than having to leave the Garden of Eden. And while you have to be the one to humbly accept the spanking — and yeah, ouch — Christ will hold you up, strengthen you, and help you as you recover.

So next time you’re tempted to run and hide, to do whatever you can however you can to avoid a spanking, I hope you remember Ping the duck. I hope you remember that in life, there are much worse things than being spanked.

Amy Carpenter

Amy Carpenter is the site manager and editor for LDSBlogs.com. She served a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Denver, Colorado, where she learned to love mountains and despise snow. She has a passion for peanut butter, dancing badly, and most of all, the gospel.

I mean it. Like, step aside, Mother Teresa and Mr. Rogers — Charlotte’s* here. (*Name changed.)

As I wrote about back in February, I’ve been going through some traumatic events the last few months, so finding a good therapist was a must. You know how in TV shows or movies, the protagonist will be having a hard time and they’ll say something to the effect of, “Things can’t get any worse!” and then you know things are about to get wayyyy worse? Maybe she’s on her way to her high school graduation and her car runs out of gas. Then, just as she gets out her cell phone to call her mom, she sees that her phone is dead. Naturally, of course, she fatefully asks, “Could this day possibly get any worse?” and as she gets out of her car to walk to the nearest gas station, it starts pouring rain.

Well, that’s basically my life right now. 

The one bright spot in my life, though, is Charlotte. She’s so angelic that I half expect that one day in a few years — or like, twenty years, because I’m honestly pretty traumatized — when I’m doing a little better and I’ve been out of therapy for a bit, I’ll stop by the therapy office and ask, “Hi! Is Charlotte around?” and the receptionist will be like, “There was never anyone named Charlotte that worked here…” *Cue Twilight Zone music* 

For real, though, I think she may be one of the Three Nephites. She’s incredible.

One of the things I love best about her is that she always says exactly what I need to hear in the exact moment I need to hear it, and our therapy appointment the other day was no exception. 

“Sometimes I feel like I’m just not meant to be happy,” I told her. “And it feels so unfair because I look at other people’s lives and it seems like they don’t have to go through things that are so hard and they’re still great people. I feel like God is blessing them and constantly punishing me.” 

“Yes, and it’s hard because you know how wonderful life can be because you’ve had glimpses of it,” Charlotte said. “It’s kind of like someone is making a delicious chocolate cake and lets you lick the spoon. It tastes so good and you’re so excited to have a piece. But then when it’s finished, they say, ‘Everyone else gets to have some — but you have to eat what’s over there’ and they point to a pile of pig slop.” 

At this point, I was sobbing because yes, that’s exactly what it feels like. “But some people get to eat the cake their whole lives and are never forced to have the pig slop. Why?”

Charlotte thought for a moment, and then she dropped a bombshell that resonated with me so deeply: 

“What if everything went perfectly in your life — your marriage was perfect, your career was prestigious, you had a calling you loved. You had beautiful children that were wonderful and kind, and they all got married in the temple and provided you with gorgeous grandchildren that adored you. Everything was so easy, but even still, all that time, you stayed faithful to God. Then after this life, you met the Savior and He said, ‘Good job, Amy. Really great. Now go in there and stand next to Abraham and Abinadi and Moroni.’ How would you feel?”

Immediately, I knew exactly how I would feel: unworthy to stand next to them — ashamed, even.

“I would be embarrassed!” I responded. “I wouldn’t feel worthy to stand next to them.” 

“Right? Imagine going in there and standing next to Abinadi, and he’s giving you the thumbs up and says, ‘Good job!’ You’d feel like, ‘Oh my gosh, my life was a piece of cake and you went through awful things.’ It would be embarrassing! For whatever reason, we have to go through really, really hard things sometimes, but it will allow us to feel closer to the Savior and more comfortable when we get to heaven.” 

I love that and it provided some much-needed comfort in a moment of intense sadness and confusion. Truthfully, I think trials come to us for different reasons — we need to be refined, we can teach others through our experiences, and so on and so forth — but really, at the end of the day, the why behind the trial (or the “pig slop,” if you will) doesn’t really matter the way I thought it did in that moment.

To read more of Amy’s articles, click here.

All that matters is what we become. Through this trial, there has been one thought that repeats in my mind over and over: “I’ve tried so hard my whole life to be good. I’ve done everything right. Why is God allowing this to happen?” Yet the Savior, who was the most undeserving of all of us, had the absolute worst things happen to Him. When He had the Spirit withdraw from Him — something He had never experienced; something that must have made Him feel so incredibly, heartbreakingly alone on top of the incomprehensible pain He was already experiencing — He didn’t do anything to deserve it. It was through no fault of His own. Yet He endured it because He knew what He would become. He understood His divinity and the glory that comes to those who endure.

So while I’d never wish for this pain — or even wish it on my worst enemy — I’m grateful it’s making me more like the Savior. I’m grateful to be able to stand with all of my heroes who have endured unimaginable suffering. What has happened to me is going to scar me for the rest of my life and I recognize that (and on some level, I’m very angry about it, which is an important part of the grief cycle) — but whenever I think about my scar, I’m reminded that the Savior has scars, too. 

And because of His scars, I have someone who understands me. Because of His scars, I am comforted and assured. Because of His scars, I know that someone loves me even when everything in my life feels like it has fallen apart.

And my scars? I think they’ll help someone else, too. 

So I’ve realized something: the pig slop is never going to taste good. No matter how you dress it up or try to make it more tolerable, it’s still pig slop and it’s disgusting and that’s never going to change.

But if I have to eat a little pig slop before I get an eternity of chocolate cake, I think I’m okay with that.

Amy Carpenter

Amy Carpenter is the site manager and editor for LDSBlogs.com. She served a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Denver, Colorado, where she learned to love mountains and despise snow. She has a passion for peanut butter, dancing badly, and most of all, the gospel.

To be perfectly honest, my lack of fear has really surprised me; after all, the scriptures about the Second Coming have always really freaked me out. (To be clear, I’m not saying that the Second Coming is about to happen — after all, none of us knows when it will happen; I’m only saying that the thought of pestilences, wars, and similar things that will happen prior to the Savior’s return has always frightened me.) I always thought that if a situation like this pandemic were to occur, I’d be a nervous wreck.

But through it all, the one emotion that has encompassed me has been peace. Peace that no matter what happens, our Father’s plan will not be thwarted. The righteous will prevail and all will be well in His kingdom. He remembers His children and makes a way for them to be happy in the eternities.

I can’t say that I will live to see the Lord’s return. I can’t even say with surety that if I were to get COVID-19, I would survive. I can’t say that worse, more painful or scary things won’t come once this virus makes its pass through the world.

I realize that sounds kind of terrifying — yet I’m not afraid, because the one thing I can say is that I know none of this is taking God by surprise. I don’t know which trials God causes or simply allows to happen, but I do know that He consecrates all of our trials if we turn to Him. He makes a way out of these hardships, whether here on earth or in heaven.

The Lord knew that frightening things would happen prior to His return. Yet He didn’t say, “Yikes, watch out!” or “You should all be very afraid” — what He did say, over and over, was “Fear not.” And while no one on earth can give us a complete assurance that we shouldn’t worry, the God of heaven and earth certainly can. If there’s anyone we can trust, it’s Him — the One who sees all.

In fact, the reason the Lord gives us these “scary” things before His coming isn’t to make everyone’s life miserable — it’s to give everyone an opportunity to repent and to make their lives better and right with God. It’s an opportunity to come closer to Him; to turn to Him. These tragedies are painful, yet they are also merciful in that they allow us to recognize the things in our lives we need to change to be ready to meet Him before it’s too late.

As I’ve thought about all that is going on in the world, I’ve had a specific scripture come to my mind more than once:

“He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation” (2 Nephi 26:24).

Absolutely everything He does is for the good of the world, and that will never, ever change.

So amidst this time of turmoil, fear, and chaos, we can feel peace, comfort, and hope knowing that God takes care of His children and that He remembers His followers.

Just think of it: He’s consistently taken care of us through his prophets. Before the huge recession of 2008, the Lord told us through President Gordon B. Hinckley to get out of debt; then, when the recession hit, those who had taken that advice were able to pull through financially. Similarly, the Lord has told us for years and years to have food storage; then, when the shelves were empty and the stores were in total upheaval, we were prepared. He told us to prepare spiritually at home and not rely on church meetings for our spiritual needs; then, when church has been suspended for an indefinite amount of time, we’ve been ready.

He’s always taken care of us, and He’s not going to leave us now.

So all we have to do is adhere to His counsel and trust that good things will come for those who strive to follow Him.

During this time when so many are fearful and afraid, may the words of a familiar hymn be our mantra:

“Be still my soul the Lord is on thy side
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain
Leave to thy God to order and provide
In every change He faithful will remain
Be still my soul thy best, thy heavenly friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end”

To read more of Amy’s articles, click here.

Throughout my life, I can say with complete confidence that the Lord has remained faithful to me “in every change.” Though there have been times when I’ve turned from Him, He has never turned from me. He is my constant; my rock.

I know He remembers us, loves us, and will care for us in all the ways that we need.

And that’s why I’m not afraid.

Amy Carpenter

Amy Carpenter is the site manager and editor for LDSBlogs.com. She served a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Denver, Colorado, where she learned to love mountains and despise snow. She has a passion for peanut butter, dancing badly, and most of all, the gospel.

Then someone raised their hand and made a comment that honestly — and I know this sounds dramatic, but it’s true — changed my life.

“The only title that matters,” she said, “is child of God. Spouses can leave us. Parents can abandon us. Friends can betray us. But the one thing that will never change is that we are children of God.”

That upcoming week, my life fell apart. I won’t go into details because I think this can apply to various situations in our lives, but it felt like everything I thought I knew about life was wrong; like the ground had been completely ripped out from under me.

I thought that if anything like this were ever to happen to me, I would break down. I thought I might die, or at least be unable to function. I thought I’d never get out of bed again.

But I’m still standing. It hurts so badly — more than I knew it was even possible to hurt — but I’m surviving. I’m living and breathing and moving forward knowing that no matter what happens, everything will be alright.

And it’s all because even though nearly everything I thought I knew feels like it has been completely turned on its head, the one thing that never changes is the only thing that really matters: my relationship with God and status as His child.

13 Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.

 

14 But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me.

 

15 Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.

 

16 Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.

(Isaiah 49:13-16)

In a world that is constantly changing and feels more unsure and unstable by the minute, the one thing that is always secure is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our Savior never betrays us, forgets us, or turns His back on us, even when we turn our backs on Him. We are loved immeasurably by the One who knows us best; the One who knows our flaws, our struggles, and our deepest wounds. No matter what we’ve done or where we are or how far we’ve strayed, Christ will come to us and help us if we allow Him to.

Elder Donald L. Hallstrom said:

“Jesus Christ is the rock upon which we must build our foundation. . . . This is not new doctrine. In one form or another, all of us understand it. Why, then, is it so difficult for many of us to live it?

 

Well, simply stated, it needs to get from our minds to our hearts and to our souls. It needs to be more than what we sometimes think or even what we sometimes feel—it must become who we are. Our connection with God the Father and His eternal plan, and with Jesus Christ, His Son and our Rock, needs to be so firmly established that it truly becomes the cornerstone of our foundation. Our identity then becomes first that of an eternal being—a son or a daughter of God—and of a grateful receiver of the blessings of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

We can then securely build other righteous identities upon that foundation because we will know which are eternal and which are temporary and how to prioritize them.”

In my life, when things have been tumultuous, Jesus Christ is the One I can turn to. He is the foundation of my life, the core of my identity. Because I have made Him my priority, I have been able to get through rough patches of my life — which seem basically constant, to be honest — without falling to pieces.

And even when I do, He is there to pick up every last piece and put me back together again — always even better than He found me.

Joseph B. Wirthlin once gave a talk about having deep spiritual roots. He compared a palm tree to an oak tree, explaining that while palm trees are beautiful, their roots are so shallow that they often don’t withstand storms or major gusts of wind. Oak trees, on the other hand, have roots so deep that it’s near-impossible for storms to knock them down.

When the roots of our lives are embedded in the Savior and His gospel, the storms of life cannot knock us down. They may snag a branch or two, or leave us a little cracked and broken, but they won’t destroy us.

I’ve learned that in life, there are no guarantees when it comes to our plans. Our loved ones get sick, people let us down, and situations that seemed so promising totally fall through. Life is beautiful, but it’s also heart-wrenching and full of suffering.

To read more of Amy’s articles, click here.

How grateful I am that amidst all of that pain and chaos of life, we have one thing — and one thing only — that is a sure thing: the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’s love for us. He never changes and He will never let us down. He never breaks His promises.

He is everything to me. I am eternally thankful for His endless love and infinite goodness.

So please, if you aren’t there already, make every effort to get to know Him. He is the best friend you could ever have, the greatest supporter and confidant. Study His words. Learn about His life. Talk to Him and get to know Him so that you can more fully feel His support in the good times and especially the bad.

It is so worth it.

Amy Carpenter

Amy Carpenter is the site manager and editor for LDSBlogs.com. She served a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Denver, Colorado, where she learned to love mountains and despise snow. She has a passion for peanut butter, dancing badly, and most of all, the gospel.

That’s a sentiment I totally understand. As a “words of affirmation” kind of gal, compliments mean so much to me. (If you’re unfamiliar with the 5 Love Languages, you can find out yours — as well as what the Love Languages are all about — here.) I can say in complete truthfulness that I remember just about every single compliment I receive — and I’ll love the compliment giver forever because of it.

As I’ve written about before, I’ve never had the greatest self-esteem (although I like to think it’s getting better), and growing up, this was especially true. I was an overweight child and pre-teen, and being labeled “fat” and “ugly” scarred me to my core. Due to words that were probably uttered without a second thought, I’ve spent a great deal of my life struggling with image issues and feelings of low self-worth based on my looks.

Because of those experiences (and many others along the way), I recognize that words are incredibly powerful. We can use them to hurt or to heal, to wound or to strengthen. President Gordon B. Hinckley once said:

“There is a sad tendency in our world today for persons to cut one another down. Did you ever realize that it does not take very much in the way of brainpower to make remarks that may wound another? Try the opposite of that. Try handing out compliments.”

Have you ever seen those videos or read vignettes that show the chain reaction of being cruel to someone? They go something like this: “Bob, who is angry because he stubbed his toe, yells at his wife. His wife becomes agitated and yells at their young son. Their son is upset and kicks the neighbor. The neighbor gets mad and yells at the mailman.” The list could go on and on.

Yes, unkindness often begets unkindness — but the opposite is true, too. An act of kindness, no matter how simple, often inspires another. And as we “hand out compliments” or acts of kindness, we’ll often find that our own day improves, too! It’s a win/win.

Take this video, for example. Even though it’s clearly dramatized, the principle it teaches is powerful: kindness leads to more kindness.

As we go out of our way to show goodness and genuine warmth to those around us — often by simply extending a kind, encouraging word — our little corner of the world becomes a bit brighter.

A December 1982 Ensign article entitled “One-a-Day Compliments” emphasizes the importance of complimenting children, but I think the advice applies to adults as well. It reads:

“One day I was visiting with a mother of seven grown children, all active, confident members of the Church. As a young mother anxious for help and advice, I questioned her about her secrets of success. One of her most impressive answers was: “I tried to genuinely compliment each child on something he or she did well every day.”

 

How often we ignore the good behavior of our children and comment only on their mistakes and misbehavior! To grow to be of value to himself and society, a child needs to think well of himself. He needs to see himself as an important person and know that he has abilities and skills.

 

Compliments go a long way toward improving a child’s self-esteem.”

When I was four years old, my paternal grandmother came to live with us and stayed until I was just shy of 12 years old. While there are a lot of things from those years that I can’t recall, I will never forget how often she told me that I was kind. Because she emphasized that, I began to believe it — and to this day, it remains an integral part of my identity. While I’ve struggled with other aspects of who I am (namely, my looks), I’ve always believed that I am a kind and loving person.

To read more of Amy’s articles, click here.

Would I be a kind person, or at least believe that about myself, without having received that compliment from my grandmother (especially with such frequency)? How grateful I am that I will never have to know.

While clearly compliments are extremely formative in our childhood years, I believe they continue to inspire and shape us when we receive them as adults. They are important because they help us feel validated and valued, loved and appreciated — plus, they enable us to feel more comfortable not just in our own skin, but in our relationships and community as well.

In Happify.com’s article, “Want to Feel More Positive? Learn to Give Genuine Compliments,” we’re taught:

“Compliments don’t just make others feel great. They also enhance our own self-confidence. Giving a genuine compliment requires us to look for the good in others. In doing so, we also start to see the good in ourselves. We realize that we are all on the same journey together and that each of us has value to share with the world.”

So please, as Patty reminded us only a few days ago, “[b]e the rainbow in someone else’s cloud” today. Extend an encouraging word to someone — or multiple someones! — as you remember on National Compliment Day the worth of a kind word for both the giver and the receiver.

Every time you give a compliment, I hope you remember that while your words may not change someone’s life, they will certainly change their day for the better.

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32, emphasis added).

Amy Carpenter

Amy Carpenter is the site manager and editor for LDSBlogs.com. She served a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Denver, Colorado, where she learned to love mountains and despise snow. She has a passion for peanut butter, dancing badly, and most of all, the gospel.

Unfortunately, I would venture to guess that such is the case for many of us. Is Thanksgiving more about pie and gravy (preferably not together) than about counting our blessings? Are we placing importance on the right things?

I know that there have been many times in my life when I haven’t. So while this post certainly sports strains of the classic “be grateful” dialogue that we hear every November, it’s focused on something a little different: setting our priorities straight.

Thanksgiving: An Opportunity to Reflect On Our Priorities

Thanksgiving is, at least in my own life, the perfect example of misplaced priorities: I’ve been focused more on the food than on the people at times; more on the Black Friday sales than on the multitude of blessings I have, including — but certainly not limited to — the restored gospel. At a time when I should be assessing my commitment to Christ and thanking God for His Son’s Atonement, I’ve been hindered by the commercial aspects of the season and my own to-do list.

Thankfully, over the last few years, some of that has been stripped away for various reasons: living on a newlywed budget, struggling with chronic illness, being apart from family. Unfortunately, it seems that as we paddle our way through life’s sea of trials, we realize what’s important and what’s simply details.

The delicious meal, the shopping, the obligatory post-turkey nap… Those are all fun, but they’re details. And thankfully, I’m learning to prioritize what matters most.

President Dallin H. Oaks once taught:

“Our priorities determine what we seek in life. ‘Wherefore, seek not the things of this world but seek ye first to build up the kingdom of God, and to establish his righteousness’ (JST, Matthew 6:38), Jesus taught his disciples. As we read in modern revelation: ‘Seek not for riches but for wisdom, and behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you, and then shall you be made rich. Behold, he that hath eternal life is rich’ (D&C 6:7).”

Those words hit me hard when I read them. All my life, I’ve had a tendency to do what’s “fun” rather than what’s most meaningful, long-lasting, or important. I can think of so many instances when I’ve prioritized playing a game on my phone over reading the scriptures, or when I finished an episode (or five) of a favorite show instead of offering a heartfelt prayer at bedtime.

Is Seeking the Kingdom of God My Priority?

Truthfully, I haven’t necessarily sought for riches instead of the kingdom of God, but I’ve certainly sought for fleeting fun.

But the good news is that we can change — and I have, although I have so, so far to go. As I’ve imperfectly attempted to make God the center of my life, I’ve found my joy in all other activities has increased and that I am happier and more fulfilled.

In the words of Ezra Taft Benson:

“When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives. Our love of the Lord will govern the claims of our affection, the demands on our time, the interests we pursue, and the order of our priorities.”

Over and over again, I’ve found this principle to be true. The more I make God my first priority, the better my life is. It doesn’t take away trials or make me immune to hardship — and believe me, no one is more disappointed by that than I am — but it has allowed me to find joy despite my circumstances and have peace when things are difficult.

Now is the Time

To read more of Amy’s articles, click here.

In October 2018, Elder Jack N. Gerard of the Seventy gave a thought-provoking talk about setting our priorities straight, and it conveys the importance of this topic better than I ever could. In his talk, he explained that years before, while he was preparing for a business trip, he began experiencing chest pain. His worried wife decided to accompany him, and on their first flight, the chest pain became so severe that as soon as they landed, they rushed to a hospital.

The hospital, after running several tests, said he was fine and sent him on his way back to the airport. He and his wife went on their next flight like normal — only when they landed, they were met at the airport with an ambulance. As it turns out, he had been misdiagnosed and had a blood clot in his lung that needed to be taken care of immediately. Many patients, his doctors told him, did not survive this condition — so if he had anything he needed to get in order, he needed to do so now.

Elder Gerard explained:

“I remember well how almost instantaneously in that anxious moment, my entire perspective changed. What seemed so important just moments earlier was now of little interest. My mind raced away from the comfort and cares of this life to an eternal perspective—thoughts of family, children, my wife, and ultimately an assessment of my own life.

 

How were we doing as a family and individually? Were we living our lives consistent with the covenants we had made and the Lord’s expectations, or had we perhaps unintentionally allowed the cares of the world to distract us from those things which matter most?

I would invite you to consider an important lesson learned from this experience: to step back from the world and assess your life. Or in the words of the doctor, if there is anything in your life you need to consider, now is the time.”

As I assessed my own life, I realized that the things that matter most should take up most of my time. Instead, there were important things that I was neglecting, and unimportant things that I was prioritizing. In my attempts to remedy that by placing God at the forefront of each day, I’ve seen my spirituality, love for others and self, and overall joy grow.

Today and each day, I’m doing my best to remember that actions speak louder than words — so while I’ll certainly be saying a prayer of gratitude this Thanksgiving, I plan to express my thankfulness to the Lord by putting Him and my loved ones first.

Amy Carpenter

Amy Carpenter is the site manager and editor for LDSBlogs.com. She served a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Denver, Colorado, where she learned to love mountains and despise snow. She has a passion for peanut butter, dancing badly, and most of all, the gospel.

Yet despite that, many members of the Church residing in the States are not happy with the current political climate or our nation’s leaders. In fact, only 45.5% of Utahns voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 election — the lowest percentage for a Republican candidate since 1992 — and according to a recent poll, 52% said that he shouldn’t be reelected.

Judging by the current impeachment inquiry, it’s clear that many people in the country share these feelings and are highly displeased with the federal government.

For these reasons and more, President M. Russell Ballard’s comments in a New England devotional a few weeks ago may have surprised some:

“Our nation was founded on prayer, it was preserved by prayer, and we need prayer again. I plead with you this evening to pray for this country, for our leaders, for our people and for the families that live in this great nation founded by God. Remember, this country was established and preserved by our founding fathers and mothers who repeatedly acknowledged the hand of God through prayer.”

The question, then, becomes this: Should I pray for political leaders even if I don’t like them?

The answer is a resounding YES.

Leaders — Especially the Ones We Dislike — Need Our Prayers

Social media is a hotbed of MESS, so I’m never shocked when I see political posts running the gambit from the most ardent of POTUS supporters to those who detest him. Yet regardless of our personal feelings and political leanings, I completely believe we should pray for those who run our country.

Whether we like someone in government or not, they’re in a position of leadership — and the things they do are going to affect not only us and our loved ones, but everyone who lives in the nation. Because of that, leaders need our prayers to steer our country in a positive direction. In fact, I think it’s those with whom we don’t agree or like who need our prayers the most because they need extra help.

In a world that is increasingly blurring the lines between good and evil, it’s imperative that we pray for those in leadership positions. We pray that they will do what is right for the country, consider its inhabitants, and encourage them to a sense of national unity and morality. We plead with heaven that those in charge will have the strength to do what is right for the country regardless of party lines, popularity, and a host of other enticing but ultimately negligible factors.

Those who lead our country need our help and our prayers.

America’s Foundation of Prayer

Arnold Friberg’s “The Prayer at Valley Forge”

What President Ballard said is true: The United States of America was founded on a bedrock of prayer.

On December 11th, 1776, the federal government of the newly formed United States discussed the country’s need to have a day of prayer and fasting to honor God. On this day, people would acknowledge God’s hand in the country’s successes and plead for His continued guidance and assistance. This requested day of prayer and fasting was an expression of humility and a recognition of God’s providence.

The minutes for the meeting read:

“WHEREAS, the just War into which the United States of America have been forced by Great-Britain, is likely to be still continued by the same Violence and Injustice which have hitherto animated the Enemies of American freedom: And, whereas it becomes all public Bodies, as well as private Persons, to reverence the Providence of GOD, and look up to him as the supreme Disposer of all Events, and the Arbiter of the Fate of Nations: Therefore the CONGRESS hereby RESOLVE,

 

That it be recommended to all the States, as soon as possible to appoint a Day of solemn Fasting and Humiliation, to implore of Almighty GOD the Forgiveness of the many Sins prevailing among all Ranks, and to beg the Countenance and Assistance of his Providence in the Prosecution of this just and necessary War. The Congress do also in the most earnest manner recommend to all the Members of the United States, and particularly to the Officers civil and military under them, the Exercise of Repentance and Reformation; and further, do require of the said Officers of the military Department, the strict Observation of the Articles of War in general, and particularly that of said articles which forbids profane Swearing, and all other Immoralities; of which all such Officers are desired to take Notice. It is left to each State to issue Proclamations fixing the Day that appear most proper for their several Bounds.

 

Extract from the Minutes,

CHARLES THOMPSON, Secretary.”

The Founding Fathers were wonderful, though imperfect, men who did amazing things for our country, a budding nation that could have easily collapsed under sovereignty. All that they accomplished was by the grace of God, whom they repeatedly acknowledged and thanked. They knew that the reason they were so successful — and it is the same reason we were able to become an independent nation that has served as a refuge for billions: God’s loving kindness and mercy.

The Power of Prayer to Enact Change

The Constitution of the United States of America

Our country was successful because of God’s hand, which was ushered forth by the prayers of the people. Its leaders enacted positive change largely because of their own prayers and the prayers of those whom they served.

We need positive change so desperately today. We need to pray.

As we do so, let us encourage others to do the same. We each have the power to make a difference. In President Ballard’s words:

“Invite your neighbors, your colleagues, your friends on social media to pray for this country. Let it begin today that we take leadership … to pray for this country that we all love much.”

Let us be leaders as we pray for our country and those who serve it.

It only takes a minute or two a day, but as we all step forward, our prayers will result in changes that will impact our country forever.

Amy Carpenter

Amy Carpenter is the site manager and editor for LDSBlogs.com. She served a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Denver, Colorado, where she learned to love mountains and despise snow. She has a passion for peanut butter, dancing badly, and most of all, the gospel.

Recently I had an interview for a writing internship. It was over Skype and so I primped and even put on a dress (as if they could see whether I was wearing skinny jeans or not…) because I was so nervous.

The interview started and things seemed to be going well. They asked about my writing experience, my editing experience, etc.

And then they asked the question that I live in constant fear of: “What are some of your hobbies?”

This is for a writing position, so I don’t think they’re going to be super impressed that my only hobby is writing. I mean, I like to read, but here’s how that conversation would go:

Me: I really like to read.

Interviewer: What do you like to read?

Me: Uhm, mostly teeny-bopper books and the book The Icing on the Cake. OH! I also love cake. Is cake a hobby? You’re shaking your head no. Ice cream?

Seriously, though. Am I the only one that feels that way? Here’s a comprehensive list of my hobbies: taking baths (it’s an addiction. I’m not even kidding. I live for baths.), smelling lotion at Bath and Body Works (or, if I’m feeling very adventurous, maybe even heading over to YANKEE CANDLE!), eating chocolate and all other tasty things, making Spotify playlists, and playing Boggle on my phone (don’t judge). None of these things is impressive! I cannot list any of these things as a hobby — especially the Yankee Candle thing. Unless I’m applying at Yankee Candle.

For a long time, I’ve been embarrassed that I don’t have hobbies or talents that everyone can see. I don’t make super fancy, high-class meals. I can’t run a mile without wanting to die. I have no idea whatsoever how to sew, and since my eyes are incapable of looking in like 80 different directions at once, I doubt I’ll ever be able to play anything more complicated than “Winnie the Pooh” on the piano. (Seriously, I don’t understand how people can read two staffs at once! How is it possible?!)

A few weeks ago, I was talking about this with my friend. I expressed my frustrations about not having lots of talents. She’s an incredible cook, my husband is an amazing guitarist… I felt like I was surrounded by such talented people, but had no gifts of my own. The next day, my friend told me, “I’ve been thinking about it and you do too have talents! Maybe they’re not ones everyone can see. But you’re so good at loving people. You’re so good at making people feel special. And maybe that’s not as obvious as someone who can play guitar really well, but it’s just as important.”

To read more of Amy’s articles, click here.

Not only did that not make me cry (it totally did), but it also really helped me to understand that it’s okay to not be the best at everything. I mean, don’t get me wrong,  I still want to develop hobbies and stuff — if only for my next job interview — but I’ve realized it’s just as important to develop internal talents. To be kind to people, to be patient, to say nice things about someone instead of gossiping. Just like outward hobbies take time, so do internal ones.

So it’s okay that if you can’t spin plates on sticks (I asked my husband, “What are some cool talents?” and that’s the first one he came up with…); it’s okay if you can’t speak five different languages; it’s okay if you’re not Mozart or Leonardo da Vinci. It’s okay to be simple.

It’s okay to be just me and it’s okay to be just you.

Amy Carpenter

Amy Carpenter is the site manager and editor for LDSBlogs.com. She served a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Denver, Colorado, where she learned to love mountains and despise snow. She has a passion for peanut butter, dancing badly, and most of all, the gospel.

Okay, so obviously Mean Girls isn’t often a vehicle for gospel learning (although, if I’m being totally honest, I did reference it in my missionary farewell talk), but I can’t think of a better way to start my article than this:

Regina George: “You’re like, really pretty.”

Cady Heron: “Thank you!”

Regina: “So you agree? You think you’re really pretty?”

For a long time, I’ll admit to being a Regina. I mean, I didn’t create a burn book or punch anyone in the face (“One time she punched me in the face… It was awesome!”), but I did have an alarm that would go off in my head blaring the word “Conceited!” any time someone complimented their own appearance or admitted they were smart or funny.

You think your haircut looks good on you? Self-absorbed. Think you look awesome in that dress? Stuck up! Said you deserved that ‘A’ on your history test? Sheesh, brag much?! Basically, if someone liked themselves or gave themselves credit for something, I thought they were vain.

But liking yourself? Being comfortable with who you are and the skin you’re in? That’s awesome. And it DOES NOT make you conceited.

We SHOULD Like Ourselves

A New Era article back in 2014 stated:

“The Lord wants you to be yourself, not someone else. He knows that you and everyone on this earth have strengths and weaknesses. Comparing yourself to someone else doesn’t help you be better. Of course, it’s important to improve yourself and to make goals, but they should be based on doing your best, not someone else’s.”

We are unique, and that makes us all uniquely beautiful and important. Recognizing our individual worth and importance is a huge stepping stone to finding peace and happiness.

Remember when the lawyer asked Jesus Christ what the greatest commandment was? Christ responded:

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (emphasis added).

Whoa. You mean there’s an actual scripture that says we should love ourselves?!

YES! The second great commandment is that we love our neighbor as ourselves. That means we should love ourselves and take care of ourselves. It also teaches the important lesson that if we don’t love ourselves, it makes it so much harder to love other people — and, on the flip side, that the more we love and serve other people, the happier we usually are with ourselves.

There’s a HUGE Difference Between Boasting and Being Comfortable With Yourself

Okay, so obviously liking yourself is not the same thing as being conceited. I love the quote, “Don’t think less of yourself; think of yourself less.” Being conceited doesn’t just mean that you really like yourself — it means that you think only of yourself! Being vain means that you think you’re better than others, whether that’s being prettier than others, more talented, smarter, or whatever.

In Moroni 7:45, Moroni reminds us of the characteristics of charity, which is the pure love of Christ:

“And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.”

If we truly love ourselves and others, we’re long-suffering (i.e., patient), kind, and selfless. Someone who has charity for herself (or himself) doesn’t spend all of her time thinking about how great she is; instead, she is simply comfortable with who she is — and that allows her to focus her time and energy on others rather than on her own self-perceived flaws.

In March 1979, the New Era published a question asking, “Others tell me I need to love myself. Yet how do I do this properly without being conceited?” In his answer, Boise State professor Clark Swain explained:

“As you develop your talents, you will discover that you sometimes excel over others in certain activities. This does not mean that you are better than they are. Conceit comes from comparing yourself to others and concluding that you are better than they are. Comparing yourself to others can also result in either feelings of inferiority or superiority. Psychologist Maxwell Maltz says an inferiority complex and a superiority complex are merely opposite sides of the same coin. And the coin is counterfeit, for no one is either inferior or superior to anyone else. A person is just different from others. Accept yourself as the unique person that you are without comparing yourself to others. Doing this will help you love yourself properly without conceit.”

Being conceited means that we compare others to ourselves, claiming (whether it’s internally or vocally) that they don’t measure up. On the flip side, being happy and comfortable with ourselves means we’re aware of our talents and strengths, but that we’re humble enough to recognize how we can grow and improve, too — and we extend the same courtesy to others. We don’t need to brag because we don’t crave others’ approval. Instead, we recognize that God’s approval and our own are the only ones that actually matter.

Learning to Like Ourselves

To read more of Amy’s articles, click here.

Liking ourselves is essential to our happiness, but sometimes we fail to recognize how crucial it is. It affects all aspects of our lives: how we treat ourselves, how we allow others to treat us, how we perceive our future, etc. One woman shared her journey to greater self-esteem in an Ensign article from 1982:

“I became quickly convinced of the necessity of knowing and liking myself—something I had neglected.

 

Real self-acceptance didn’t come easily. I had spent twenty-seven years thinking of myself primarily in negative terms and it wasn’t an easy habit to break. Debilitating thoughts continued to come uninvited to my mind at every opportunity, but now I recognized that negative thinking was my enemy—and I fought it with every ounce of strength I had.

 

First, I dismissed negative, critical thoughts, telling myself they weren’t valid. I learned to turn them off the same way I turn off the television set when something unsuitable comes on. In their place I substituted positive thoughts, reminding myself of the things I could take pride in.

 

At first it was difficult to find positive thoughts about myself. When I looked for my strengths, my mind would go blank! Luckily, my husband filled in the gap. He patiently pointed out to me over and over the things he saw in me that were praiseworthy—until I began to recognize and appreciate them for myself. The assurances from the Spirit that my Father in Heaven loves me also helped. Such feelings would often overwhelm me when I arose from prayer, and did much to reinforce my battered self-esteem.

 

Searching for my assets caused me to examine my values and priorities. As I brought these things into better focus, I was able to acknowledge the areas in which I was succeeding and identify ways I wanted to change.”

The author goes on to explain that the more she liked herself, the more she liked other people and treated them with greater patience and kindness.

Liking yourself isn’t being prideful. It doesn’t make you vain, conceited, or self-absorbed.

It makes you happy.

Amy Carpenter

Amy Carpenter is the site manager and editor for LDSBlogs.com. She served a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Denver, Colorado, where she learned to love mountains and despise snow. She has a passion for peanut butter, dancing badly, and most of all, the gospel.

I can’t even count the number of times I’ve wondered if my missionary service was worthwhile. Firstly, because I can’t count very high (math is my nemesis now and forever) and secondly, because I question all the time whether I made even the slightest difference in anyone’s life.

It’s easy to become discouraged and to feel like all that time I spent as a missionary was a huge waste. After all, almost all of the people I taught that were baptized are no longer active despite my efforts to stay in touch and encourage their gospel activity. Then, on top of that, I look back and see all of the mistakes I made as a missionary. I was inadequate in so many ways.

So I wonder, did I even do any good? Was there any point to my service? Did I make a difference at all?

Not to toot my own horn — like I said, I made A LOT of mistakes as a missionary — but the answer is yes. And you did, too. So… Toot, toot!

You Never Know the Seeds You Planted

The prophet Abinadi before the wicked King Noah

When I wonder if anyone was blessed or changed as a result of the hours I spent preaching about God and His love, there’s one other, awe-inspiring missionary I remember: Abinadi.

Abinadi was the most incredible, devoted missionary ever. (So devoted, in fact, that he probably didn’t just stretch in bed for his 30-minute morning workouts, like someone I know… ME. 😭) At the risk of his own reputation, he preached repentance to a people that didn’t want to hear it. I’m sure he didn’t love being hated (although he probably didn’t almost cry every time someone yelled at him… ALSO ME), but he was willing to be subjected to rejection over and over again because he loved the gospel and he knew his Savior.

Even after all of his efforts, no one seemed converted by his words. He was doing everything right, but it didn’t seem to make any difference — not to the king, not to his priests, and not to his people.

And eventually, he died because of his beliefs — likely thinking all the while that he didn’t make any difference at all.

But he did. He made an incomprehensible difference, both anciently and now. Because of Abinadi’s efforts, Alma was converted; then, from Alma, thousands were soon after converted. After that, Alma’s son endured a life-changing experience with the sons of Mosiah, and because of that experience, the sons of Mosiah went on missions and converted thousands AND Alma, through his own missionary efforts (and the Holy Ghost, obviously), converted so many people.

I mean, whoa. But Abinadi didn’t get to see any of that — at least not in this life.

Like Abinadi, we may never really understand or see the effects of our outreach during our lifetimes. While we may not recognize the additional lives we touched, we do become heartbroken as we watch people we taught leave the Church or become less active — but we never know what the future holds.

Keeping an Eternal Perspective

Take, for example, my own family history: my dad’s entire extended family is from Mississippi, a “Bible belt” state that is predominantly Baptist, and was even more so in the early 50’s. It was there that my family found the gospel — only to become less active a few years later.

My father wrote me this letter at Christmastime when I was on my mission, and it impacted me deeply. I want to share it because I think it so perfectly illustrates how we never know the lasting impact our service has:

“In the early 1950s, Mississippi was (and still is) overwhelmingly Baptist. However, Henry* and Abigail* (names changed) had neighbors who were Mormons. They were good people and very good neighbors. Somehow, Henry and Abigail became acquainted with the missionaries and eventually started taking the lessons. They were probably one of the few families who would even talk to the missionaries, let alone take the discussions. 

 

In time, they and their daughters were baptized. However, a few short years later, Abigail died and the rest of the family (who by this time had moved to Chicago to obtain employment) became less active in the Church. Grandma and your Aunt *Jane both married outside the Church and the whole family was quite inactive for many years thereafter. 

 

As for the missionaries who helped convert them, I don’t know their whole stories, but given the place and the times, I’ve often said that the Smith family may have been the only family — and if not, certainly one of the only families — they brought into the Church. 

 

Had those missionaries returned 10 years after their missions — say in 1962 — they would have found Abigail had died and the rest of the family had stopped going to church many years earlier. I’m sure it would have been a huge disappointment to them and they might have thought, “Well, so much for that… Did we really do any good at all?” 

 

Yet, fast forward a year or two to 1963-64 and my grandpa started attending church again due to the efforts and encouragement of a faithful home teacher. He received a call to serve a stake mission, and then in the ward Sunday School presidency. After he passed away in 1965, Grandma and Jane started going back to church. Eventually, I grew up and served a mission. I later got married and had 5 kids, 3 of whom served or are serving missions. [My sister] married in the temple and had 3 kids, 2 of whom served missions. Some of the people we have taught were baptized and have shared the gospel with others. 

 

Those little missionaries (as Grandma still calls them) probably thought they’d gone and done their duty, but hadn’t really had much success at all. However, if we could somehow count the number of people who have had the light of the gospel come into their lives that can be traced back to them, it would be [astounding]. 

 

. . . [W]hat they accomplished is truly amazing. You and I owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude. Because of their efforts so many years ago, we and many, many others have had the opportunity to follow the Savior. As you reflect this Christmas on the blessings the gospel has brought in your own life and as you go forward and share it with others, think of those little missionaries and thank the Lord for them.”

My Mission Changed Me

To read more of Amy’s articles, click here.

That story always amazes me. It’s impossible to know how many people have been touched by the Savior’s light through us!

But here’s something I’ve come to realize: even if no one that I taught ever becomes active again or stays active or whatever the situation may be, the point is that I tried — and as Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said, “. . . and the great thing about the gospel is we get credit for trying, even if we don’t always succeed.”

Plus, even if my mission didn’t change anyone else, it changed me. Maybe not in seemingly huge ways — truthfully, I was devoted to and lived the gospel before my mission. But it increased my understanding of the Atonement; it opened my heart and mind to the power of God and the importance of the Restoration and the priesthood; it deepened my love for the Savior. I think I was living a good life before my mission, but it taught me how to live a better, more Christlike one — and that’s the best, most life-changing and awe-inspiring gift I could have asked for.

Missions teach us the reality of repentance. They ingrain in us, if we let them, a stronger love for the Savior and for His teachings. Perhaps most important of all, our missions have the power to transform us  — and if you feel like yours didn’t change you, let it change you now. Remember the experiences you had. Learn from the mistakes you made. Know that it’s never too late to open the door to the Savior and allow His healing touch to influence your life. He can help you correct your past wrongs and relinquish guilt for mistakes you made.

Your mission DID matter. It affected you and brought you to repentance (either then, now, or both). Even if you can’t see the fruits of your labors right now, trust me — they exist. One day, we’ll see that what looks like one tiny, insignificant tree now is actually a vast, beautiful orchard.

And it’s all thanks to a God that worked miracles through you.

Amy Carpenter

Amy Carpenter is the site manager and editor for LDSBlogs.com. She served a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Denver, Colorado, where she learned to love mountains and despise snow. She has a passion for peanut butter, dancing badly, and most of all, the gospel.