12/9/2012 Look to Christ and Live

Talk given by Shelly Griffin in Sacrament Meeting 12/9/2012

The topic of my talk today is entitled, Look to Christ and Live.

A wise man, when asked to list three cardinal points that exemplified the lives of the great teachers of all times and that would be a guide to new teachers said “First, teach by example. Second teach by example. Third, teach by example.”

Our savior Jesus Christ, is the greatest example the world has ever known. His teachings endure through the ages because the precepts he taught were emphasized by the example of his own life.

The worlds of the savior apply today also. “Let your light so shine before man that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven.” Matt 5:16

President Brigham Young counseled parents to teach their children by example. “if Parents will continually set before their children examples worthy of imitation and the approval of our father in heaven, they will turn the current, and the tide of feeling of their children and they will eventually desire righteousness more than evil.

We should never permit ourselves to do anything that we are not willing to see our children do. We should set the example we wish them to imitate.

Sister Ardeth Kapp said, “When you keep the commandments and follow the saviors example, it's like holding up a light. Your good example helps others to find their way in a a darkening world.”

In order to know more about the Savior and to follow his great example, we must read the scriptures.

As I prepared my lesson this week for Sunday school and was thinking about this talk, a thought came to my mind...

We have it so easy.

The book of Mormon prophets had to work really hard to put these words into print. I imagine their living conditions weren't comfortable. Food and drink was probably difficult to come by. The had to write on stone tablets. That could not have been easy. And they had to carry those heavy plates around as they tried to keep themselves safe from dangers of both animal and people.

Joseph Smith spent many hours trying to translate the words on those plates. I am sure that was not exciting or comfortable. He was ridiculed and eventually killed for his efforts and beliefs.

We have been given the words in an easy to read format with pictures and the edition I read even tells me what all the difficult words mean.

In our day the task before us is to simply read and study the scriptures, gain and testimony, live it's teachings and share our testimony with others. And we can do it in our comfortable temperature controlled homes with plenty of food and water in relative safety.

That seems like we were the fortunate ones in history.

In 2005, President Hinckley challenged all church members to read the Book of Mormon from start to finish before years end. I took the challenge seriously and perhaps for the first time in my life really established a good habit of reading and studying the scriptures.

I have felt a change in my disposition. I have felt the calm peace enter my life. I have felt the power to do many things I would not have thought possible.

Ezra Taft Benson stated in 1986, “There is a power in the book which will flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book. You will find greater power to resist temptation. You will find the power to avoid deception. You will find the power to stay on the straight and narrow path.

I truly believe that if we humble ourselves and do the things we have been asked, if we follow the savior and his example, we will be blessed in our lives beyond anything we can imagine.

I want to share a very personal story that is close to my heart that exemplifies Christ like love, the great example of others and pouring out of blessings.

It has been awhile since I've shared this story but I felt it was appropriate for the season and the topic today.

This story happened in 2004, the year breast cancer claimed my mother. I call it “Grandma's Quilts.”

A quilt is a piecing together of fabrics to form a beautiful design. This is a story of how some quilts stitched together the lives of all who were associated with them.

Moving into her new home in the Riverton 15^th ward was a bitter-sweet experience. My mom finally had what she had waited her whole life for. A beautiful, brand new home made just the way she wanted. She had designed it herself. And everything was perfect to her. That is the sweet part.

The bitter part came all too quickly. Within a week or two of moving into her new home she was informed that her breast cancer had returned after many years of remission.

  Perhaps the bitter brought out the sweet in the ward. The bishop was informed that things were amiss and he went to visit them the same day. As did the Relief Society Presidency. They brought with them comfort and friendship.

As she became sicker the ladies in the ward were asked to give her physical therapy several times a week. This brought a long list of sisters’ right to moms bedside as they spent 30 minutes each session rubbing her arm as she directed them. Many of them grew to love her through their act of service. She was so good at talking and laughing and listening. She made people relax and open up. The sisters came several times a week for months. I think many of them received mental therapy as they gave mom physical therapy.

She loved the company and she loved to show off her handiwork as the ladies came to help her. I don’t know the names of any of the ladies that came to visit but she fondly referred to them as the gingerbread lighthouse lady, the lunch ladies, the quilt ladies, the young moms with kids who came to swim, the Wednesday night therapeutic-aerobic ladies, the visiting teachers, the list goes on.

I know that as the ladies came over, my mom spoke of her love of her family-- her children and grandchildren--and the quilts. She knew her time was short but before she went she wanted to make a unique quilt for each of her 11 grandchildren to remember her.

The quilts kept her alive and going. They gave her a reason to get up each morning. First she feverishly purchased material for 11 twin size quilts. Then she spent hours designing them on paper. They were all different and all intricate. Each one was to have hundreds of pieces.

Then she spent hours cutting out and piecing her first quilt. It was not an easy task because the more she worked, the more her arm would swell. Her special therapists kept coming and mom carried on. It wasn’t long before she had her first quilt-top completely done and she was so pleased.

Everyone who came to visit or took the time to talk with her knew of her new-found passion for quilting.

Mom was always so sure she could complete this project. She had us convinced she wouldn’t die until it was done. And with so much more to do – we felt sure she had much time left with us.

The first time I heard her admit she might not be able to do it was just two short weeks before she died. I think the sisters saw her defeat and wanted to make things right for mom.

One sister offered to bind the quilt after it had been pieced together; another set up a quilt frame so we could tie the quilt in her living room, next to her sick bed. As they started the work of tying the quilt, mom continued piecing the other quilts together. It seems with every piece she stitched, she became weaker. However, the quilting project had become more than a passing fancy, and she had to finish them all.

Mom was able to piece together quilts for all 6 grandsons, but she was only able to design and purchase fabric for the girls quilts when she finally realized she could do no more. She became discouraged, but help was on the way.

Seeing her weakened condition, one sister removed the quilt from the quilting frame in mom’s living room and took it home to finish. Another took 5 quilts to her quilting group. They put aside their own endeavors to finish what my mother could not. Still another sister gathered mom’s fabric and quilt designs for her granddaughters quilts and told mom they would be finished.

What a relief. I remember mom calling to say how pleased she was that each grandchild would have a quilt and how much she appreciated the love of the sisters in her ward. She could hardly utter a sentence in her last week. Speaking took a lot of effort. But she never stopped singing the praises of the women who came to her aid.

When mom was sure that her project would be completed she finally rested her weary body.

Mom died on Sunday, November 14, 2004 at 5:15 p.m. as one special sister sang primary songs to her.

To my knowledge the quilts were far from done at that time. I can only imagine the love and time and effort that went into completing mom’s project.

That Tuesday evening (or was it all day?) about 50 sisters held a special Relief Society meeting and sat and lovingly tied and bound all the quilts. They had quilt frames set up all over the gym. They tied and bound some friendships that day too.

Keep in mind that all this is happening the week before Thanksgiving. All these sweet sisters had families to care for and their own homes to prepare. But they sacrificed of themselves for another.

By Saturday morning, November 21st- the day of the funeral- they were all done and they were all beautiful. Each one had the grandchild’s name embroidered on it. Each one was different. Each one was made with love.

Those same sisters who had served my mother in a Christ like manner unheard of these days sang as a choir at her funeral and presented the 11 quilts to her grandchildren. She had only been in their ward a little over a year and most of them had never met any of her children or grandchildren.

It would have been so easy be “too busy.”

I’m sure the story of the quilts will live on for generations as will many of the friendships that were surely developed through this amazing act of Christ-like service and love.

As Mom started this enormous undertaking, she thought she was just stitching fabric pieces together to make quilts for her grandchildren. But in the end the women of her ward stitched together their lives.

Her grandchildren were left with more than a quilt to remember their Grandma. They were left with the Christ-like example of love, service and compassion provided by the sisters of the Riverton 15th ward.

“In as much as ye have done it unto the least of these, ye have done it unto me.”

Mom continued living every day so that she could accomplish her task. And when she could no longer do it, there was a ward full of sisters’ right there to help her. What an amazing example these women are to me.

I hope that as we go throughout this Christmas season we will be an example to others. That we will serve others. That we will read and study the scriptures provided for us and remember Christ's example and choose to live a life worthy of him and his teachings.

I know that the gospel has blessed m life and I am so thankful for the guidance and direction and protection it blesses me with.

I am thankful for a worthy husband who loves me unconditionally and tells me so often. He has blessed my life in so many ways.

I am thankful that we were blessed with 5 healthy happy beautiful children who are striving to follow Christ and make good choices in their lives. I have enjoyed being a mom for over 21 years now and time goes so quickly.

I am thankful for the scriptures in my life and the calm peace they bring into my hectic life.

I would like to challenge each of you to read your scriptures daily, experiment on the word and to look to Christ and live. I know that you will find greater peace and happiness in your life as you do.