HAPPY BIRTHDAY SISTER MONSON - ON THURSDAY JUNE 1ST! We love you and send our wishes your way. Have a wonderful day celebrating all that life has to offer. - Love, Mom
Last week as I was emailing my mother she told me about how she was getting help in the yard and to mow the lawn because my dear Stake President of a father didn't have the time to mow it for himself. To be honest, it made me frustrated, I wanted to be able to be there to mow my mom's lawn for her and help out around the house. But I knew I couldn't, so all week I looked for opportunities to serve others. It started out as a few little gestures throughout the week, but as Sister Pluim and I prayed for opportunities to serve others, they were answered enormously.
Friday became a service day, and we were out doing yard and house work all day. We started out at the Masticks' washing windows, clearing land, and untangling ropes. We worked hard, and made it all look amazing at their house.
After being treated to lunch by the Masticks, we rushed over to a man named Eugene's house, we met him while knocking, and weeded and cleaned up his self-reliant mini-farm. It was so cool to see how he made his yard into a place that grew things all year round and how he was able to reduce his "carbon footprint" with a little hard work. I'm a little partial to growing grass over vegetables, but it was still cool to learn about. He was so kind and gave us home-grown vegetables!
We had to rush to change because we had a lesson with Carolyn, and we took Sister McCormick with us. Sister McCormick raised 10 children and is now in her 70's. After the amazing lesson, we asked what she would be doing with her afternoon. She told us "I'll have to mow my lawn, my husband doesn't have time to do it. It's a hard lawn to mow, but it has to be done."
This triggered something in my mind, and I remembered a verse in John 19, just as the Savior was about to give up His life, He took care of one last piece of business.
27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.
28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.
The last thing He had to do was make sure His mother was taken care of. And He had to allow someone else to do it. So when Sister McCormick told me she needed to mow her lawn, I heard the words of the Savior, "Behold thy Mother." I knew that I needed to serve Sister McCormick right then, to lift her burdens and ease her load. So we ran back to our house and put our disgusting, smelly, dirty, service clothes back on, and rushed over to Sister McCormick's house.
If you know me, you probably know that I have three brothers, and three brothers meant that I never once mowed the lawn... so when we showed up to the McCormicks' I had a lawn mower in my control and still had no idea how to use it. But the Lord always provides and I somehow figured out how to mow the lawn. It wasn't perfect, by any means, but it got done and Sister McCormick was so grateful.
Somehow, without doing as much knocking, and with doing 4 hours of yard work, it wound up being one of the most fulfilling days of my mission. Because as King Benjamin says, "17 And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." (Mosiah 2)
I hope you all get a chance to serve someone this week!
All my love,
Sister Megan Monson
PS Don't forget to wish everyone a "Happy Megan's Birthday!" on Thursday!
