Faith Among Diversity

The following is an excerpt from an article published in Frisco Style titled “Faith Among Diversity” (http://friscostyle.com/stories/faith-among-diversity/).  This article explores the different aspects of faith from the perspectives of a variety of religions represented within the Frisco area.  Suzanne Jensen, Frisco Stake Relief Society President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, presents her views on service.

Service

by Suzanne Jensen – President of the Women’s Ministry in Frisco for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

As the holidays draw near, our thoughts turn to family and often to those who are no longer with us. I find myself thinking of our son, Tyler. It has been 14 years since we celebrated our first Christmas without Tyler. He passed away from complications with leukemia in the spring of 2003, and as the holidays rolled around that year, our family was still getting used to a new life without him. I knew Christmas would be hard because Tyler loved Christmas; what 8-year-old doesn’t?

The sun was just beginning to set that Christmas Eve and I was preparing our traditional dinner. I was feeling melancholy as I considered the fact that there would be no one waking up at the crack of dawn to excitedly open presents. Tyler’s siblings were teenagers, prone to sleeping in. There would be no Batman or Spiderman action figures under the tree. The reality of this Christmas was hard for my heart to grasp.

The doorbell suddenly interrupted my thoughts. Assuming it was the deliveryman, I went to open the door. To my surprise, our front lawn was covered with the faces of those who I knew and loved. It was a group of our church, school and neighborhood friends. Without a word and under the direction of our church choir director, they began to sing “Silent Night.” My husband and children quickly came to the door to see what was happening. We stood in the doorway with our arms around each other, wiping away tears from our eyes as these sweet friends gathered on Christmas Eve to share their love and light with us. I felt peace knowing they had not forgotten how difficult this first Christmas without our son would be. It was a simple gesture, but one that even 14 years later, still shines brightly in my memory and warms my heart. I felt the love of Jesus Christ, our Savior, through this simple act of kindness.

As president of the women’s ministry in Frisco for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I believe it is often through another’s small and simple acts of service or kindness that prayers are answered. So many times, in this ministry, I have seen that God answers prayers through others. I know we can be His hands.

The holidays often stir a desire in most of us to want to serve. Sometimes we are deceived to think that our service and giving needs to be grandiose, organized or far-reaching. But, it is often the small and simple kindnesses given one-on-one to those around us that are the most impactful.

There is One that we can look to as the perfect example of ministering to the one. It is He who showed us how to best love others, particularly the outcast, the downtrodden, the burdened, the grieving, the stranger, the sinner and the hard to love. Jesus Christ taught, “In as much as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

Perhaps if every one of us found just one person to bless, serve, lift or love this holiday season, we could heal what ails our world. If not forever, at least for a season.