Il fait très chaud - sweaty with some days in the high nineties. Tom figured out an air conditioner, déhumidifier, that we found in the front closet. It has an eight inch wide hose which goes out the window and a normal hose which drains the water into a bucket. He also found a big fan in the store room so we are surviving. The forecast is for cooler temperatures after next Thursday. We may hit some 100s before then.
Where has June gone? In Raymond they have started the celebrations for Canada Day with the 10k race yesterday. Some of Pudge's kids and grands came especially hoping to win that race. The rodeo starts tomorrow and the parade is Tuesday. Next year we will be there with some of our family.
Our fifth Sunday discussion was Elder Renlund’s talk ‘Personal Preparation to Meet the Savior'. His examples resonated as truth with me, just as they did the first time I heard them. I will share one of them. I was thinking about Ben specifically but this applies to me, to Tom, to all our children, their children and to everyone. It is the incident of Zusya, the great Hasidic scholar and teacher of Anipol who was anxious about his death.
"His disciples asked, “Master, why do you tremble? You’ve lived a good life; surely God will grant you a great reward.”
Zusya said: “If God says to me, ‘Zusya, why were you not another Moses?’ I will say, ‘Because you didn’t give me the greatness of soul that you gave Moses.’ And if I stand before God and He says, ‘Zusya, why were you not another Solomon?’ I will say, ‘Because you didn’t give me the wisdom of Solomon.’ But, alas, what will I say if I stand before my Maker and He says, ‘Zusya, why were you not Zusya? Why were you not the man I gave you the capacity to be?’ Ah, that is why I tremble.”
Indeed, God will be disappointed if we do not rely upon the merits, mercy, and grace of the Savior to magnify the God-given abilities we have received. With His loving assistance, He expects us to become the best version of ourselves. That we may start with differing abilities is irrelevant to Him. And it should be to us."
We saw pictures today of the temple grounds in Jacksonville. Old buildings have been cleared away, the grounds are being cleared, and there is a sign showing an architectural renduring of the building that will be constructed. No mention yet as a date for groundbreaking but we are excited.
No comments:
Post a Comment