Leaving our Mark

So, my first name is KaeLynn.  Most of the world knows me as this, but for the last year I've been known to everyone as Sister John!  What an interesting thing it is to be known by a name.  I often think of this name as our mark on the world.  We all know Michael Jordan for his basketball skills, or Rafael Nadal for his tennis skills.  And the list could go on and on.  We hear a name and most of the time it makes us think of a legacy, whether good or bad.  The things we do leave a mark on the world.  Now, the mark we leave may not be a literal mark like this picture, but it leaves a far greater mark than this.  Everything we do defines us and shapes the mark we leave on the world.  People look to you as an example!  Are you leaving the mark you want to be leaving on the world?  I like to think that for the last year or so I have left a different mark on the world than I was leaving when I was in college.  I am out sharing a message about Jesus Christ.  I pray that rather than leaving my name in the sand, or on the world, at this time that I am "scratching his name into the sand".  What mark are you leaving behind? 

How 'Bout a Donut?

I received a copy of this story at church a few weeks ago and I felt like I should share it with you.  Here's the story:

There was a boy by the name of Steve who was attending Seminary in Utah.  In Utah Seminary classes are held as release time during the school day.  Brother Christianson taught Seminary at a high school.  He had an open-door policy and would take in any student that had been thrown out of another class as long as they would abide by his rules.  Steve had been kicked out of his sixth period class and no other teacher wanted him, so he went to Brother Christianson's Seminary class.  

Steve was told that he could not be late, so he arrived just seconds before the bell rang and he would sit in the very back of the room.  He was also the first to leave after the class was over.

One day, Brother Chriastianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him.  After class, Brother Christianson pulled Steve aside and said, "You think you're pretty tough, don't you?"

Steve's answer was, "Yeah, I do."

Then Brother Chriastianson asked, "How many push-ups can you do?"

Steve said, "I do about 200 every night."

"200?  That's pretty good, Steve, "Brother Christianson said.  "Do you think you could do 300?"

Steve replied, "I don't know... I've never done 300 at a time."

"Do you think you could?" Again asked Brother Christianson.

"Well, I can try." said Steve.

"Can you do 300 in sets of 10?  I need you to do 300 in sets of ten for this to work.  Can you do it?  I need you to tell me you can do it."  Brother Christianson said.  Steve said, "Well.... I think I can... Yeah, I can do it."

Brother Christianson said, "Good!  I need you to do this on Friday."

Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room.  When class started, Brother Christianson pulled out a big box of donuts.  Now these weren't the normal kinds of donuts, they were the extra fancy BIG kind, with cream centers and frosting swirls.  Everyone was pretty excited- it was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going to get an early start on the weekend.

Brother Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, "Cynthia, do you wan a donut?"


Cynthia said, "Yes!"

Brother Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so the Cynthia can have a donut?"

Steve said, "Sure," and jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten.  Then Steve again sat in his desk.  Brother Christianson put a donut on Cynthia's desk.

Brother Christianson then went to Joe, the next person, and asked, "Joe do you want a donut?"

Joe said, "Yes."  Brother Christianson asked, "Steve would you do ten push-ups so Joe can have a donut?"  Steve did ten push-ups, Joe got a donut.

And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten push-ups for every person before they got their donut.  And down the second aisle, until Brother Christianson came to Scott.

Scott was captain of the football team and center of the basketball team.  He was very popular.  Then Brother Christiansn asked, "Scott do you want a donut?"

Scott's reply was, "Can I do my own push-ups?"

Brother Christianson said, "No, Steve has to do them."

Then Scott said, "Well, I don't want one then."

Brother Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Scott can have a donut he doesn't want?"

Steve started to do ten push-ups.  Scott said, "HEY!  I said I didn't want one!"
Brother Christianson said, "Look, this is my classroom, my class, my desks, and my donuts.  Just leave it on the desk if you don't want it."  And he put a donut on Scott's desk.

Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little bit.  He just stayed on the floor between sets because it took too much effort to be getting up and down.  You could start to see a little perspiration coming out around his brow.  Brother Christianson started down the third row.  Now the students were beginning to get a little angry.

Brother Christianson asked Jenny, "Jenny, do you want a donut?"

Jenny said, "No."

Then Brother Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn't want?"  Steve did ten, Jenny got a donut.

By now the students were beginning to say "No" and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks.  Steve was also having to really put forth a lot of effort to get these push-ups done for each donut.  There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved.

Brother Christianson asked Robert to watch Steve to make sure he did ten push-ups in a set because he couldn't bear to watch all of Steve's work for all of those uneaten donuts.  So, Robert began to watch Steve closely.  Brother Christianson started down the fourth row.

During his class, however, some students had wandered in and sat along the hearters along the sides of the room.  When Brother Christianson realized this, he did a quick count and saw 34 students in the room.  He started to worry if Stever would be able to make it.

Brother Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next.  Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time.  He was taking a lot more time to complete each set.

Steve asked Brother Christianson, "Do I have to make my nose touch on each one?"

Brother Christianson thought for a moment, "Well, they're your push-ups.  You can do them any way that you want." And Brother Christianson went on.

A few moments later, Jason came to the room and was about to come in when all the students yelled, "NO!  Don't come in!  Stay out!"

Jason didn't know what was going on.  Steve picked up his head and said, "No, let him come."

Brother Christianson said, "You realize that if Jason come in you will have to do ten push-ups for him."

Steve said, "Yes, let him come in."

Brother Christianson said, "Okay, I'll let you get Jason's out of the way right now.  Jason, do you want a donut?"

 "Yes."

"Steve, will you do ten push-ups so that Jason can have a donut?"  Steve did ten push-ups very slowly and with great effort.  Jason, bewildered, was handed a donut and sat down.

Brother Christianson finished the fourth row, then started on those seated on the heaters.  Steve's arms were now shaking with each push-up in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity.  Sweat was dripping off of his face and, by this time, there was not a dry eye in the room.

The very last two girls in the room were cheerleaders and very popular.  Brother Christianson went to Linda, the second to last, and asked, "Linda, do you want a donut?"

Linda said very sadly, "No, thank you."

Brother Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Linda can have a donut she doesn't want?"

Grunting from the effort, Steve did ten very slow push-ups for Linda.  Then Brother Christianson turned to the last girl, Susan.  "Susan, do you want a donut?"

Susan, with tears flowing down her face, asked, "Brother Christianson, can I help him?"

Brother Christianson with tears of his own, said, "No, he has to do it alone.  Steve, would you do ten push-ups so Susan can have a donut?"

As Steve very slowly finished his last push-up, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 push-ups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.

Brother Christianson turned to the room and said, "And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, plead to the Father, 'Into thy hands I commend my spirit.' With the understanding that He had done everything taht was required of Him, he collapsed on the cross and died.  And like some of those in this room, many of us leave the gift on the desk, uneaten."

When everyone in the classroom heard what the teacher meant by it and realized everything, Steve smiled on the ground where he laid in his own sweat and began to cry.

Walking on Water

I decided that I wanted to study the New Testament and focus more on the Savior and His life.  A story that I have heard many times struck me and has made me think about how soon I turn to my Savior to help me.  The story is found in Matthew 14: 24- 33.  The story goes that the apostles were out on a ship at night and the wind and the waves were terrible.  The apostles were scared and then they looked out and saw something walking on the water.  Naturally, they were more scared at this point.  They thought it was an evil spirit or a ghost.  Jesus called out to them not to be afraid and that it was Him.  Peter says to Jesus that if it truly is Him he should bid Peter to walk out to Him on the water.  Jesus tells Peter that he can get out of the boat and walk to Him.  I cannot imagine the faith that Peter shows by stepping out of the boat and into the water truly believing that he can walk on the water.  I am pretty sure that my faith would not have been that strong.
But, Peter is in the water, or should I say on the water at this point.  He is doing it! He is walking on the water!  Then he notices the wind and how HUGE the waves are.  He looses sight of the Savior and focuses on the water for a split second and he begins to sink. The part that stood out to me was the next verse:  30, But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.  And the very next words are And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, ...  How often in our life do we lose sight of our Savior and rather than immediately cry out for His help we wait until we're nearly "drowning"? I know that our Savior is always there for us and that He will immediately stretch forth His hand to help us.  Jesus loves us and is waiting for us to turn to him.  We don't need to wait until we can barely breath to turn to him and to cry out for help.  He loves you and wants to help!

Disneyland vs. Gospel Truths



It wasn't too long ago that I was graduating from college and taking a trip to California!  My roommates and I decided that we wanted to go to the happiest place on earth to celebrate.  Where did we decide to go to celebrate my graduation from college?  We decided to go to DISNEYLAND!!!  What makes Disneyland such a happy place?  I think it's the fact that it's a wholesome place to be.   There are fun rides, the yummiest churros you'll ever eat, and you take people you care about.  I would say that Disneyland is one of the happiest places I have ever been on earth.  While we were there we saw Mickey Mouse and rode Splash Mountain.  We ate good food and had a lot of fun.  But, let me ask a question:  Does the happiness last after you get back from the happiest place on earth?  Sure it does, you have lots of good memories of the people you were with and the laughs you had.  I know I think of our trip to Disneyland often, but is it Disneyland I think of or is it the people I took with me?  I would have to say that the happiness from Disneyland fades and goes away with time.  I know a joy that can last forever.  Are you curious?

It's not a certain place, but something more than that.  It's something that won't change with time.  It's something that is eternal in nature.  It's something that will bring us happiness forever.  Have you figured it out yet?  It has to do with Jesus Christ.  If you're thinking, "It's his gospel!" You're right!  The gospel of Jesus Christ will bring us lasting joy in this life and beyond.  Christ tells the woman at the well, "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." (John 4:14)  We are promised that we will never thirst again, but that he will continually provide for us.  I know this to be true.  Life isn't easy when we have the gospel, but we have the tools we need to be able to accomplish the task at hand.  The gospel truly brings us happiness that is everlasting.  Unlike Disneyland that is fun, but doesn't last forever, the gospel truly will bring you happiness forever.  Jesus Christ promises us that it will last us forever.  I have seen the gospel in action in my life and I know these things to be true.  Put this promise to the test.  See if you partake of the living water and if you thirst again!  I dare you!

Ice Cream Sandwich Uno

Monday is our preparation day, meaning that we can take care of everything that needs to be done for the week.  We get to grocery shop, do laundry, clean our apartments, wash our car, along with many other things.  My companion and I were writing letters outside in the sunshiney weather when the Elders in our district called to see if we wanted to play a game.  The game was called Ice Cream Sandwich Uno.  They explained over the phone that the way you played was whoever lost the round had to eat an ice cream sandwich.  I thought, how bad can this be?  Eating ice cream because I lost a game?  Well when we went to start playing the game and the specifics of the rules were told the game was much different than I had previously understood.  You not only had to eat an ice cream sandwich when you lost, you had to eat it before the next hand was dealt or you had to eat another one.  So we embarked on the epic game that taught me a valuable lesson.  We started and at first I didn't lose, so it was funny to watch the Elders try and shove the ice cream sandwiches in their face and get done before the cards for the next round were dealt.  Then the game took a tragic turn of events.  I lost a round and had to try to shove an ice cream sandwich in my mouth.  It was a lot harder than I had anticipated.  Thankfully the Elders took pity on me and said since I had the entire sandwich shoved (literally) in my mouth by the time the cards were done being dealt that I didn't have to eat another one.  Then it happened again.  I couldn't believe that I lost again!  I frantically grabbed the ice cream sandwich and ripped the wrapper off and began putting as much of the sandwich in my mouth as I could at one time, but the problem is that when I got my mouth full I could hardly even chew or swallow there was so much ice cream in my mouth. 

Then the game went from bad to worse when for the third time I had to eat an ice cream sandwich as fast as I could.  I begged not to have to eat the sandwich, but no one would take pity on me.  My companion even said to me, "Find someone to pay the price of justice for you, or you have to eat it yourself!"  So since no one volunteered to pay the price of my cards I had left I was forced to once again shove a big ice cream sandwich in my face.  You may be wondering why this story is applicable to a gospel setting.  Well I'm going to tell you.  Sometimes life is hard and we end up losing that "round of uno" and we have to shove an ice cream sandwich in our face.  Repentance is a gift that we each may have.  Just as my companion said to me that I needed to find someone to "pay the price of justice" we each have someone that has already paid the price of justice for each of our sins, or our "lost rounds of uno". 

The catch is that we have to ask him to help us.  He is always willing, but he can't "eat our sandwiches" or take care of our sins for us unless we allow him to.  Our Savior, Jesus Christ, loves you more than you know.  He wants you to be able to return to live with him and our Heavenly Father, so for that reason (his immense amount of love) he has taken care of justice for us.  Our Heavenly Father has to be just, but because of the sacrifice of our Savior we are allowed mercy now.  We have this gift, but we must accept this gift!  Accept the Savior and his atonement in your life today!

An Easter Lesson

This story was in the Friend and I loved it!  It's called:  Mending Easter by Gwen S. Jones

Davey’s kindergarten class was going to have an Easter egg hunt, and he could hardly wait. He had talked to his two little brothers about the exciting event and had solemnly promised them that he would not eat any of the Easter eggs he found but would bring them home to share.

That morning, Davey stood by his mother, waiting for the school bus. It was hard to stay still enough to carefully hold the two boiled eggs he was taking to color that day. There would be lots of fun on this last day of school before the Easter holiday.

Finally the large yellow bus rounded the corner and stopped to pick him up. He waved and smiled at his brothers, who were watching out the window of their home across the street.

His little brothers’ faces were in the window again when the large yellow bus delivered him home at the end of the school day. Davey was usually the first child off the bus at this stop. But not today. When he finally climbed off, Mom knew that something was wrong. She hurried out to meet him on the front walk. She knelt and looked into his drooping eyes. He fell into Mom’s arms and sobbed.

“I’m so sorry … let my little brothers down,” he choked out. “I didn’t mean to … saved everything … didn’t eat even one.”

Mom held him close for a long time and then, when his body stopped trembling, led him inside. She and Davey and his little brothers all huddled together for a big family hug.

“Let’s start again, Davey,” Mom said reassuringly. “Tell us about what happened from the beginning.”

Davey arrived at school with his precious boiled eggs unbroken. When the time came, he colored them sky blue to match his eyes. When they were dry, he placed his eggs in his basket. After his teacher read an Easter story, everyone in his class ran outside for recess. When they came back in, the teacher told them that candy eggs were hidden in their classroom. All the children scrambled to look for the candy eggs. Davey was a good finder, and he helped other children find some. He found a yellow marshmallow bunny too. After the egg hunt, many of the children ate a lot of their candy eggs during the party, but Davey saved every one, just as he had promised his little brothers.

His class was late boarding the school buses after school, and his usual seat behind the driver was already taken. Davey walked down the long aisle until he found a seat near the back. He sat down, carefully cradling his basket of treasures on his lap.

When the bus pulled out, some big boys behind him began to tease him. He could hear them whispering about him. Then they tweaked his hair, ears, and neck. He used one hand to protect his candy; with the other, he tried to bat their hands away. With all the noise and confusion on the bus, the driver didn’t hear Davey’s small protests as the teasing increased.

Then his candy eggs began to disappear as he turned his head this way and that, trying to get away from all the hands that were pinching and tickling him. The worst teaser was the boy who lived across the street. Davey had thought that he was a friend, but today he had become an enemy.

By the time the bus came to Davey’s stop, his marshmallow bunny and all the candy eggs were gone, and both of his sky-blue eggs, so carefully carried and colored, were cracked and smashed.

Mom, Davey, and his brothers all looked at Davey’s little Easter basket. It was a sorry sight.

“Well, Davey,” Mom asked, “what shall we do to let these boys know that you forgive them?”

Davey’s mouth dropped open, and his eyes got wide. “Forgive them?”

“What is Easter about, Davey?” Mom gently asked. “Is it about colored eggs and candy, or is it about forgiving others for the pain they cause?”

Davey was surprised. He had thought that Mom would march right across the street and tell the big boy’s mother exactly how mean her son had been. “Why should I be the one to forgive them first when I didn’t do anything wrong?” Davey asked.

“The Savior didn’t do anything wrong, either. But He forgave those who killed Him. He taught us to forgive everyone because that is what will bring us the greatest peace,” Mom said. “How do you feel inside right now?”

Davey’s face was still very red and tear-streaked. Couldn’t Mom guess how he felt? “I feel mad and sad and …”

“And do you like feeling that way?”

“No.”

“Jesus taught us that when people do bad things to us, the only way we can really feel better is to forgive them, even do something good for them.”

“But stealing is wrong,” Davey protested. “You and Dad have always taught us that when we take something that isn’t ours, we should give it back and say we’re sorry. That’s what those boys should do!”

“Davey, we can’t choose what they will do. We can only choose what we will do. We can do what Jesus did, or we can choose not to.”

“But Jesus never rode the bus and got His eggs stolen. The scriptures don’t say anything about that.”

“The scriptures say to forgive others as you would want to be forgiven,” Mom pointed out patiently. “The lessons that the scriptures teach are true, Davey, not just stories. They really work. Shall we try them out?”

After Davey thought about it, he decided to follow his mother’s suggestion. Maybe then she would find out that the scriptures weren’t talking about someone who stole your brothers’ candy.

Mom and the boys decided to stir up a big batch of cookies as a forgiveness offering. Before Davey knew it, he and Mom were walking across the street to deliver the cookies. Davey could see the neighbor boy through the living room window. He looked anxious when he saw both Davey and his mother coming up his walk. When he hesitantly answered the door, Davey gave him the large plate of cookies and wished him a happy Easter. Nothing was said about the trouble on the bus. The boy had a relieved but puzzled look on his face. As he closed the door, Davey and Mom waved good-bye and started back home.

It was then that Davey noticed a new feeling inside his chest. He had been mad and sad. Now, however, his chest wasn’t tight with anger, it was calm and peaceful. When they arrived home and were eating warm cookies with milk, Davey asked Mom how it could be that he felt so different so quickly.

“Because,” Mom said, “no matter what is broken in your life—your heart or anything else—following Jesus Christ is the best way to fix things. At Easter we celebrate not only that He died for us, but also how He lived. He taught us how to live and be happy, and if we do what He taught, we’ll be happy and have the Holy Ghost to comfort us. Living the gospel works.”

Davey thought about that for a long time—and he decided that the scriptures did teach about stolen Easter eggs, after all.

Ok- now my thoughts on the story! :) Davey's mom was so right and she taught him such a valuable lesson.  The scriptures truly do teach us anything that we need to know.  The Holy Ghost has a way of allowing us to see exactly what we need to know from the scriptures!  The scriptures were written a long time ago, but they somehow relate perfectly to each of our own lives and our own personal trials and concerns.  It's amazing how the Lord knows us and knows how to help us.

Easter truly is the time to think about the way that our Savior lived and the example that he was!  He showed us how to love our fellow men and how to work through hard times.  He overcame all!  He was crucified for our sins and ultimately was resurrected so that we may each have this gift!  This week think about our Savior and his life.  Think about all that he has done for you personally and what a blessing he is in your life!

Spilt Water

I had an experience the other week at church that has really had me thinking the last little while.  We were at church in Ronan, MT and it was time for the sacrament to be passed.  The bread came and the water came, but something happened when the water came... I picked up the cup and then immediately dropped it.  Water of course went spilling all over me.  I felt foolish at first and thought that only a two year old would do something like that, but as I've thought about this embarrassing experience it has had much greater meaning than simply doing something and feeling dumb.  What does the water represent?  It represents our Savior's blood he freely spilt for us.  Exactly the point that has hit me:  He gave his blood for me and I can either use the Atonement and make his suffering worth it, or I can ignore his gift to me and simply spill the water cup.  I know that what I did was an innocent mistake and I thankfully took another water glass, and was able to partake of the sacrament.  I know that our Savior was willing and ready to perform the act of the Atonement for each one of us.  He loves us that much!  He wanted to make it possible for each of us to return to live with our Heavenly Father.  None of us has ever done anything too bad to use the Atonement and be forgiven of our mistakes!  Through the Atonement we can be completely forgiven of our sins and be pure and clean!  It is never too late!  Our Savior is there waiting for us with open arms, he is waiting to welcome us back to the fold!  The choice is ours-  We can spill the water cup or we can partake and be cleansed!  I, for one, would much rather partake of the Atonement and allow him to cleanse me.

Where are We Being Led?

I have been thinking a lot about the decisions that we make each day.  We have so many opportunities to choose right and so many times we can choose wrong.  We have a gift called agency, which is the ability to choose.  The Book of Mormon teaches us this in 2 Nephi 2:27 "Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man.  And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself."  On Saturday this verse meant something different to me than it ever had before.  It told me exactly how I can know if a choice is correct or not!  It taught me that as I am thinking about a choice I can think if it brings me closer to the Savior, the great Mediator of all men, or if it takes me further away from him.  I have loved this picture since I first saw it, but as I thought of it Saturday I thought of it differently too.  It was a perfect image of agency to me that day.  Our Savior is there waiting for us at all times beckoning us to come unto him.  The devil, however, is not going to be there for us when we make choices that take us farther from our Savior. Why would we ever want to make choices then  that take us further away from our Savior and lead us to no one?  I don't believe that any of us want to be further from our Savior, but the fact is that we all make mistakes and choose things that do take us away.  The best news is that we can turn around and head back towards our Savior.  He is waiting for us and desires to put his arm around us.  Just as this child is with Him so too can we be with Him as we strive to make choices, big and little, each day that will lead us to Him.  He wants us to come unto Him!  Don't let Satan trick us and lead us away to somewhere that no one will be waiting for us.  Our Savior WILL be there for us!  He loves us!