So this might be totally lame, and only mean something to me, but I have this nagging feeling that I need to share, so here it is. Read it or don't-- but don't complain!
Once a month in my church we have what is called a "Fast and Testimony Meeting." Members fast (no food or drink for two meals, or about 24 hours, along with a prayer for a specific need or desire) the first Sunday of the month and will then donate the money that meals would have cost. This money then goes to help others in the area who might need food, help with utilities, etc. During the first hour of church on this Fast and Testimony Meeting, members are invited to come to the pulpit and share their testimonies.
This meeting can go one of several ways.
1) It can be oh so boring. Not to be rude, but sometimes people who get a chance at the pulpit just go on and on and on and never say anything worthwhile. Just being honest.
2) It can be very entertaining. Especially in the ward I am in right now. Members of this congregation are mostly new members and so they don't always understand the purpose of this meeting. People will get up and talk about their fashion shows, read letters from their friends, discuss the latest sports game. Seriously, it is a good time. You never know what you are going to get. But not so spiritually uplifting at times.
Or like today, you can get option number three
3) It can be incredibly touching. Our meeting started off today with a young man, Michael (who's about 14 I would guess) who has been struggling with a seizure disorder. He talked about how glad he was to know people in the church.
He mentioned his youth group leader, a guy who is here in Philly doing his residency. This guy really is an awesome example for the young guys in our church. He works so hard in his residency, and yet he is always there to work with the young men, even though they don't always seem to appreciate his hard work. He does his job quietly, with little fanfare or attention, but he does it diligently. He is committed and the boys he works with know it. Not many people truly "magnify" their callings without also expecting others to recognize how hard they work, but this man does.
Michael then talked about another guy in our church who came to help him when he had a problem at school. In his words, he said, "I mean, what kinda guy just does that? Leaves work and comes to help me? Not just any man." And he's right. The guy he was speaking about would do anything to help someone-- and I mean really help, not just some token offering. This guy is committed to helping, really changing people's lives. He shows up at kid's football games and talks to them about how they can improve their game. He sat down and hung out with Pete for awhile when we first moved here, because I wasn't out here yet and Pete was alone. I remember Pete calling me that first day he was here, saying how impressed he was that someone would not only help him move in, but would also really spend some time getting to know him. It made a huge impression on Pete and this man has become a real friend-- so much more than an acquaintance.
Michael was so sincere throughout his message. As he was up there he was stuttering and seizing, but he kept talking. Talking about how much he loved the people in this church. The people who bring meals when he is in the hospital so that his mom can be with him, instead of at home cooking. The people who help him with tutoring, the people who let him play basketball every week. (He said, "I mean, I get C's and D's in gym at school. I'm serious! But here, the ball just goes in. Because I love it here.")
Michael's testimony was easily one of the most genuine expressions of faith I have ever heard. I like to think that I am pretty well versed in the talks of General Authorities and Church Leaders. I would challenge any of them to express their love for others the way Michael shared it today. His testimony was so powerful and so simple.
I'm not sure why it touched me so much, I can't really put my finger on it. But it did and I will forever be grateful.
Thus ends my sappy post.
5 comments:
I totally agree with this post. I was in the mother's room during Michael's turn, and I was thinking, "Who is this??". It was refreshing.
agreed.
It means a lot more to me being out here. thanks for the great read. Ps are you still alive i have not seen you for at least a month
Hi Amanda!!! I am a huge fan/stalker of your blog so hopefully you know who I am...I love this story. It reminds me that I need to go to church with a "how can I help someone else" attitude other than wondering what am i going to get out of this meeting. one of the talks was about this too...thanks for sharing!
Our last Sunday in our old ward was High Council Speaker Sunday. The other speaker wasn't there for some reason, so we had about 40 minutes of High Council Time Filler, which just about made me want to slit my wrists just so that something interesting would happen.
When the HC speaker finished, our bishop asked a relatively new member, who had been to the temple for the first time the day before, to come share his experience and bear his testimony. He spent about three minutes saying how much he had enjoyed going to the temple, and how blessed he felt to be able to be baptized for his grandfather. And those three minutes made the whole rest of the meeting worth the wait.
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