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Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Sacrifice

Here's the deal- when I interviewed with LDSFS about a service mission, they asked if I could serve on the 2nd and 4th Saturday's of the month at the main front reception desk for the entire building. I said yes, however I REALLY didn't want to. I like having my weekends open. Lots of family activities happen on Saturday's since that's when most people don't work. Plus, I think it's kind of silly that Family Services has to cover the front reception desk at all since they're not opened on Saturday. Only Family Search is open. So in my opinion, I think they should have to cover the front reception desk every Saturday. But that's just me.

Anyways, when I served my first Saturday (2 weeks ago), a lady from Family Search also showed up to cover the front reception desk. She was surprised I was there, stating that she thought Family Services wasn't covering Saturday's anymore. So I told this to the people in Family Services and stated that if this was possible, that's what I would prefer. The lady in charge said yes, that'd be fine. I was so happy/relieved. Especially since spending 9 hours at the reception desk was well... to be frank- boring. Yes I brought my scriptures and a book, and I was on the computer for a while. But for 9 hours?! That's a long time. 

Well fast forward to this week (this Saturday being the 4th Saturday of the month) and I find out that no- the lady from Family Search was misinformed and Family Services (meaning me) still does need to cover the 2nd and 4th Saturday's. In addition, I am now also covering the front reception desk Wednesday nights from 5:30-9. 

When I found this out I was not happy. In my mind I was thinking to myself, "I came to be a service missionary to LDS Family Services, NOT to the Riverton Office Building front reception desk!" I couldn't seem to get over it. I was full out throwing a hissy fit in my mind over the whole thing. (Don't worry, only in my mind. My feelings were not expressed to the people I serve with. At least not verbally. ;)) 

Then... I had a breakthrough today. The thought came to me (and I firmly believe it was divine communication, not just my own thoughts) something along the lines of- Every mission requires sacrifice in some form or another. You were willing to sacrifice everything- leave everything you've ever known for 18 months to serve a full-time mission- and now that your mission is here at home you're not willing to sacrifice anything? That if it's not exactly how you imagined/want it to be- you're not going to be happy about it? You won't receive as many blessings as you could with that attitude.

Needless to say I was immediately humbled. When you calculate it out, that's only 24 Saturday's in a year. 24 Saturday's in a year- heck in a lifetime?! Yeah I think I can give that to the Lord. Now I'm told that there's a chance things might change and I won't have to do Saturday's anymore sometime in the future. And I won't lie- if that happens, I'll be thrilled. But in the mean time, I'm choosing to have a better attitude about serving on Saturday's from now on. I know I'll blessed for the service, and more so with a good attitude.

*Merely for documenting purposes for myself- when I serve on Saturday's, I serve Tuesday & Wednesday during the week. The weeks I don't serve on Saturday, then I serve Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday.

**Also on an unrelated note- I found out more information about being involved with adoption cases, and I am so excited!! They want me to sit in on interviews with adoptive parents, actually go to their homes to tag along on home-studies, and then help write up case study notes. The case study notes might not be so much fun, but sitting in on interviews and being involved in home-studies sounds so exciting to me. 

I have a very special place in my heart for adoption ever since my sister and brother-in-law, Laura & Mike, adopted their adorable little girl, Makai. I love her just as much as my other nieces/nephews, and can't imagine our family without her. It just wouldn't be complete. 

Anyways... at the end of the day- the gospel is true and therefore life is good. 

3 comments:

  1. Okay, let's try this again...and this one isn't going to be nearly as good as my last attempted two comments, sorry. I think that that is a great attitude to have about it Jess & I too think it was the spirit intervening & giving those impressions in your mind. And I think that it is amazing that you might get to work with some of the adoption cases. I think that u can be a great source of comfort to those adoptive parents, since you got to see first hand in your own family what an emotional journey it really is. I definetly think you are serving exactly where the Lord is in need of you. I am so proud of you Jess!

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  2. Sounds like you had a Naaman moment. (If the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it?) Glad to see you're willing to wash in the Jordan 7 times . . . or serve in the reception area 24 Saturdays, whichever. I love the part about how sometimes the level of our blessings depend on our attitude. How true it is.

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