What to Wait For

I have always liked surprises, that are GOOD and not the ones that involve me falling down in front of a multitude of people, or talking in my sleep and having someone overhear and ask me if I'm okay. No, not that kind. The good kinds always bring smiles to the faces or good thoughts to the mind. I got a phone call today that did that.

My old roommate from last January '09 and friend from Virginia called me. What's the scoop? She's engaged! The story of how they met and how it happened is how it should be. He was her waiter @ Tucanos, he left her his number...she called, and he did all the work from there--calling, persuing, everything. Just as it SHOULD BE.

A quote with good recommendations. This is how it should happen.

**Wait for the guy who pursues you. One who will make an ordinary moment seem magical; a kind of guy who brings out the best in you. Wait for the guy who will be your best friend, the only person who will drop everything to be with you at any time no matter what the circumstances. Wait for the guy who makes you smile like no one else and when he smiles you know he needs you. Wait for the guy who wants to show you off to the world when you are in sweats and have no makeup on, but appreciates it when you get all dolled up for him. Most of all, wait for the guy who will put you at the center of his universe, beacuse that's where you belong.**

?Love?

I found what I wrote for my Creative Writing final in December. I actually liked my piece. The prompt was, "What is love?" In red--is my response.

LOVE

The epidemic is so great that there are doctors for this sort of thing. There is no cure. There is no logic behind it. The treatment given when the symptoms kick is not 100 percent. With few survivors of its repercussions, many have been affected by this unknown feeling with a blissful life while others seem to vanish away, darkened and suicidal from lethal side effects. Some see it as the plague and others as a vaccine. It’s quite unexplainable. Love is curious and strikes at any given moment.

According to Sophocles, this “one word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: That word is love.“ Did he confuse this word with chocolate? To tell you the truth, my observation of love is just the opposite.

It is the unavoidable demon of some, possessing them at first sight. How can one be infatuated with someone with whom no words were exchanged? Incompressible. How many times have we walked by a restaurant on an empty stomach--looking through the glass to see the comfortably seated eater-outers smiling and nodding as their taste buds dance? Do you smell that? Can you can taste it. It’s so irresistible and next thing you know, you’re at the table next to the man that you were envying with his hamburger in hand. You even envy the mustard stain on his tie. For some, love has a similar effect. You see. You like. You love.


Love is the closest we can get to godliness--because it produces a sense of fulfillment gotten from no other source but from giving to another. To love and win--what an envy! To love and loose--the fate of many. That is why it can be so demonous…love is a poker game, the odds of winning and loosing are unknown as we stare down at 2 cards laying on a table. Hit…me?

Los besos del viento by: Diana Tartaglia

Desde cómo peinarme, hasta como ser una mujer de dignidad son algunas de las cosas que mi madre me enseñó. Pero hay algo que aprendí de ella y que no puedo sacar de mi mente.



No fue mucho tiempo después que Santa nos visitó cuando un día mi hermano y yo nos emocionamos por montar nuestras bicicletas pero pensándolo bien, no sabíamos manejarlas. Momentos como estos era los que mi madre disfrutaba con la única intención de poder ayudarnos.


- ¡Vamos afuera para aprender! Vamos niños-


- ¡Sí, vamos!


Corríamos a recoger nuestras bicicletas y como soldados en una fila esperábamos en la pista del barrio con nuestros regalos lindos hechos de metal y ruedas brillantes. Y estaba tan emocionada como cualquier voluntario que me ofrecí a ser la primera persona para aprender. Mi madre sujetó la silla y sentándome encima de mi bicicleta ella caminó conmigo mientras empezaba a esforzarme para hacer que las ruedas giraran y nos moviéramos juntas.


Como un perro con la cabeza fuera de la ventana en un auto así me sentía, estaba tan feliz y contenta hasta q me di cuenta q la mano de mi madre no estaba en mi silla. De pronto, vi que ella estaba muy lejos de mí y yo estaba yendo en una velocidad desconocida por no estar en un auto. Aceleré la velocidad y sentí los besos del viento en mi rostro mientras disfrutaba la experiencia de poder hacer algo nuevo por primera vez en mi vida.


Recordé que era humana y en donde estaba. Ahora quería ver el progreso de mi hermano, porque él iba detrás de mí. Vi algo muy diferente a mi experiencia. Intentaba montar su bicicleta pero cada vez que mi madre soltaba el asiento, mi hermano sentía que no podía hacerlo solo. Intentaron una y otra vez sin éxito. Vi la expresión de mi hermano derrotado. Sabía que él quería regresar a su mundo de videojuegos y nunca más aprender cómo hacerlo. Seguí dando vueltas por el barrio y cada vez que miraba a mi hermano también veía el rostro de felicidad y esperanza que tenía mi madre.


Mi madre no se cansó y no dejó que mi hermano entrara a casa hasta que lograra superar su desafío y debilidad. Con el amor que ella nos tiene y por entender la importancia de no aceptar una derrota, lo animó y ayudó. Fueron muchas caídas las que mi hermano tuvo ese día pero también se levantó por la mano de alguien que le ama y así fue cómo aprendió a montar su bicicleta. No hay éxito mejor que ver alguien que uno ama alcanzando una meta. Y que satisfacción recibí al jugar y recibir los besos del viento con alguien a mi lado, alguien a quien respeto como es mi hermano.

Good Talk

Developing Good Judgment and Not Judging Others


Elder Gregory A. Schwitzer

Of the Seventy


Good judgment is needed not only in understanding people but also in facing decisions that often lead us to or away from our Heavenly Father.

We live in a world in which many situations require us to make judgments that are often difficult. Yet the Savior gave the commandment to “judge not” our fellowman.1 How can we do this and still exercise good judgment in a world full of deception and corruption? We must judge well when making critical decisions in each phase of our life, such as choosing friends, finding an eternal companion, or choosing an occupation that will allow us to care for our family and serve the Lord. Although the Savior asked us not to judge others, He still expects us to use excellent judgment.

We may often find ourselves making quick judgments about people, which can change or redefine our relationships with them. Often incorrect judgments are made because of limited information or because we do not see beyond that which is immediately in front of us.
By way of illustration, the story is often told of the time when Jesus visited the home of Mary and Martha, who lived in Bethany with their brother, Lazarus. It was a welcome place for the Master, where He could rest and enjoy the surroundings of a righteous home. During one of His visits, Martha was busy preparing a meal and Mary elected to sit at the Master’s feet to receive His instruction.
“But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? . . .
“And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
“But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”2

Many Sunday lessons have been taught using this story which have cast Martha in a lesser position in terms of her faith. Yet there is another story of this great woman, Martha, which gives us a deeper view of her understanding and testimony. It happened when the Savior arrived to raise her brother, Lazarus, from the dead. On this occasion it was Martha whom we find going to Jesus “as soon as she heard” He was coming. As she meets Him, she says that she knows that “whatsoever [He would] ask of God, God [would] give [Him].”

Christ then shared with Martha the great doctrine of the resurrection, saying:

“I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

“And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”

She responded with her powerful testimony: “Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.”3

How often has Martha been misjudged as being a person who cared more for the deeds of doing than for the Spirit? However, her testimony in the trial of her brother’s death clearly shows the depth of her understanding and faith.

Many a sister has often heard the first story and wondered if she were a Mary or a Martha, yet the truth lies in knowing the whole person and in using good judgment. By knowing more about Martha, we find she was actually a person of deep spiritual character who had a bold and daring testimony of the Savior’s mission and His divine power over life. A misjudgment of Martha may have caused us not to know the true nature of this wonderful woman.

On a personal level, as a young physician I learned a great lesson about making quick judgments. While I was working a midnight shift in an emergency department, a young man and his wife came in because she was suffering some severe pain. From their dress and hygiene, it was easy to see that theirs had been a rough life. His hair was ill kempt and very long. Their clothing had not been washed for some time, and the effects of a rough life were written on both of their faces.

After an examination, I sat down with him to explain the problem and discuss the treatment. This man looked at me with a deep clarity of love that is rarely experienced and asked with all the love of a caring husband, “Doctor, will my dear wife be all right?” At that moment, I felt the Spirit testify that he was a child of God and saw in his eyes the evidence of the Savior. This man truly projected love for another, and I had misjudged him. It was a lesson that left a lasting impression.

Good judgment is needed not only in understanding people but also in facing decisions that often lead us to or away from our Heavenly Father. As I look back over my own personal life, I can see many instances in which a slight change of course based on poor judgment would have led me far from where the Lord wanted me to be—decisions like having a family while obtaining an education, being active in all aspects of the gospel, paying tithes and offerings when income was severely limited, and accepting callings at difficult times, which helped me to understand more about sacrifice. Many blessings in life are missed because worldly judgment was applied to what was really a spiritual decision.

There are many characteristics of people who have developed good judgment. I would offer four guides for developing such judgment in making important decisions.

First, put your own personal standards in alignment with the gospel of Jesus Christ. A person can never be a good judge without the gospel of Jesus Christ as a reference. The gospel has a long and successful record of guiding people to happiness. Some of the world’s ideas leave mankind adrift to try to define their own standards. Because of this, we hear phrases like “a new morality.” This phrase is deceptive! The standards of morality are eternal and have not changed; neither should we try to discover a new interpretation of them. For the youth these standards are written in the pamphlet For the Strength of Youth. These standards are clearly aligned with the gospel of Jesus Christ and are intended to continue through adult life. Perhaps it would be good for us as adults to study and apply this pamphlet to our lives.

Second, listen to the messages of the living prophet. How many poor financial judgments would have been avoided had we listened to the years of advice given through our prophets about avoiding risky speculation and following a careful budget to avoid consumer debt? How many marriages would have been saved by using good judgment in avoiding media that lead to pornographic addiction and heartache? Each general conference and Church magazine contains advice from the prophets which, if applied, will lead us to good judgment. We are left without excuse when we ignore them.

Third, cultivate with the Holy Spirit a relationship of listening. We are given the gift of the Holy Ghost after our baptism, but often we leave this gift on the shelf, forgetting that He will help us in the most important judgments of our lives. The Lord gave us this gift, knowing we would face difficult decisions in life. Listening to this voice is vital in developing good judgment. A relationship of listening often requires a quiet environment in which we can take time to ponder and hear the still, small voice. This peaceful environment is both external and internal. Therefore, it is more than shutting off the music of the world or the blare of other media; it is also shutting off the noise of sin that is internal to our soul. This will open the communication with the Spirit, which is so badly needed.

Christ said: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”4 The peace that comes from listening to the Holy Spirit removes the fear of making a poor judgment in life.

Fourth, keep the commandments. The willingness to keep God’s commandments opens to us many promised blessings. The Book of Mormon, in addition to being another testament of Jesus Christ, is a book about the results of keeping and not keeping commandments. The Lord said to Nephi in the second chapter of his first book, “Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper.”5

This same promise was repeated by almost every major prophet in the Book of Mormon. A thousand years of history is then recorded which bears witness that these things are true. And the same message applies to us today. Good judgment is best learned and practiced within the bounds the Lord sets by giving us commandments.

I testify that when we face difficult decisions and follow these guidelines, we can know better how we should judge. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

NOTES

1. Matthew 7:1. See also Matthew 7:1, footnote a; from Joseph Smith Translation, where the Savior commands us to “judge not unrighteously.”

2. Luke 10:40–42.

3. See John 11:20–27.

4. John 14:27.

5. 1 Nephi 2:20.