Tonight for Family Night we plan on discussing bullying! Last week the LDS church releaed a new video based on President Dieter F. Uchtdorf's April 2012 conference talk.
Apple Users-You can watch it HERE.
"We are all Brothers and Sisters. I imagine that every person on Earth has been affected in some way by the destructive spirit of contention, resentment, and revenge. Perhaps there are times when we recognize this spirit in ourselves."
You all know I'm a huge fan of BofM365 on Instagram. Last week one of the commenters talked about how important it is for us to act as Jesus acted. We need to STAND for truth and righteousness -Christ would not sit there and do nothing. She then shared a story that goes along so well with this. The commenters name was sherrysworth and she said,
"Dear Insta Family: May I share a story. . .I was sitting in an auditorium waiting to hear inspirational talks from members who had stayed strong in the faith even though they lived on the communist side of Germany during the war. The room was filled to capacity and even into overflow with people anxious to hear these amazing stories. The audience was a buzz in pre-meeting chatter when a ruckus broke out across the aisle and up three rows from me. The audience grew quiet. I stopped talking to my friend and quickly assessed what was happening. Books and papers were scattered down the aisle and a tearful woman was retrieving her things asking if she could please have her seat back explaining as she gathered her tossed things that she had attended the class before just so she could heat the testimonies that were about to be shared in this next class. The belligerent woman who had taken her seat and shoved the belongings out into the aisle replied, "No, sorry.You know you aren't allowed to save seats at this conference. You left. You lost you seat." The tearful woman continued to explain that she had only gone to use the bathroom between classes and that she had not saved any seats, only her own. "Too Bad!" was the woman's retort and turned away. I was disgusted. This can't be happening. I knew for a fact that this woman had attended the previous class just as I had, to guarantee a spot in this one.
As if one person picking on her wasn't enough, a gentleman joined in explaining how she should have just waited to use the restroom if she hadn't wanted to lose her seat. My heart was breaking as I saw this tearful woman walking up the aisle, leaving. Just as she passed me, an older couple stood up and gently reached out and touched her on the arm saying, "Sister, please have our seats. There is no way we could enjoy this class now knowing that you will not be in it." She tried to refuse but they insisted and they left and she sat down. I felt an immediate chastisement within myself. Why had that not been me? Why had I not stood up, reached out to her and given her my seat? That should have been me. Everyone in that room should have been trying to find a way for her to stay. . .I know that it is NOT enough to feel bad for someone. I should have figured out a way for her to stay like these amazing older couple did and I should have stood up and given her my seat. I never want to feel like that again. I know now that if we feel something we must find a way to help and act on it even if it is three rows up and across the aisle in a room full of other Christian-minded people. We are accountable to do something about it as if we are the Savior. We have taken on His name. We represent Him. I will not fail him again!
There is a poplar song on the radio that my kids listen to. Part of the chorus (and frankly the only part of the song I know) says,
And You Know, We're On Each Other's Team
-Lorde
In the preexistence we were all given the chance to choose which team we wanted to be on, Lucifer's or Jehovah's. We know that each of us here chose to all be on the same team, Jehovah's.
Years ago, Troy Dunn gave an EFY talk called "Life is a Football Game". In that talk he says, "We're not a bunch of single individuals running around, we're a team - on the same team." We need to block for each other or look out for each other. We are in this game of life together as a team. "This is a game we are in to play to win. We want to win this game. We want to get to the Homecoming party, and we all want to be there. It is no fun to go to a party by yourself. . .You don't want to go to a party by yourself, you want to go with everybody you know. So don't just play on this team to win, play on this team to win and take the whole team with you."
In the words of President Uchtodorf:
When it comes to hating, gossiping, ignoring, ridiculing, holding grudges, or wanting to cause harm, please apply the following:
Stop it!
And remember, We're on Each Other's Team. . .Together Everyone Achieves More.