MISSIONS OF LIFE

It was several weeks earlier than when I actually sat down to write this Thought, that I started thinking about what the Thought would be about. What started me thinking was a conversation Kathleen and I had had about her feeling that life is made up of a series of different missions.

During these weeks of pondering I come to the conclusion that some times these mission follow quickly upon one another, sometimes we even find ourselves involved in more than one mission at a time and there may be times when we aren’t sure
what mission we are currently called upon.

A brief and very incomplete review of what I perceive to be the missions Kathleen has served and continues to serve would include:

Born into the mission of being nurtured through the learning of the fundamental movements and skills necessary for the daily activities and adaptations of life.

Assigned to the mission of sitting with teachers and mentors in man made classrooms and in God created nature to learn and practice the skills needed to maintain and advance herself in society.

Given the blessed mission of bearing, birthing and nurturing heaven lent children of Heavenly Parents through the process of maturation. She even took on the additional role of fulfilling this mission for some who were absent during the day because they were serving in conflicting missions.

Called on missions to bring order to offices she managed in the educational, dental and legal professions. She even served an overtime mission bringing order to the office of a trucking company.

She was called to serve in a variety of zones in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She served in the Primary zone as president and teacher, she served in the Sunday School zone as a teacher, she served in the Relief society zone as teacher and music director…

She served as a full time leader and missionary in the Colombia Bogota North Mission with her husband.
She currently serves a mission as a full time caregiver.

I am positive that my beloved could add a great many missions to this list, but I feel a need to divert from that path and call our attention to the thought, that as important as it is to fulfill the missions we are called to serve during life to the best of our abilities, even more important is what we should be learning from those missions and how humbly and graciously we accept releases from those missions.

Once again my efforts will be found lacking, but I have observed that Kathleen has learned many marvelous things while serving on the missions of her life.

Those little feet which were taught to walk have remained steadfastly upon the path of righteousness. Those little hands which were taught to grasp have served and comforted countless children of our Heavenly Parents. Those little eyes which were shown the wonders of God’s creations have helped others see colors more brilliantly, mountains more majestic and others more kindly.

That mind which was so attentive in classrooms and witnessed nature with such wonder has never grown weary of expanding in knowledge and understanding and has especially been drawn to seek that learning which will be useful eternally.

Through the bearing, birthing and nurturing of her mortal children she has begun the process of learning the qualities of the one mission we know has eternal significance. They call her mother!

As she has faithfully fulfilled her missions of keeping others organized in many arenas, she has learned the importance of order, rules, laws and procedure which are essential to helping one another progress, find fulfillment and success.

By serving in the missions peculiar to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints she has learned that stewardship fulfillment can be magnified when we serve with all our might, mind and strength, when we seek and hearken to the counsel of the Holy Spirit and the essentialness of the need for the service of many, with many different talents, in various areas of the Kingdom.

While serving her mission among the wonderful people of Colombia her understanding of the brotherhood of humankind was magnified along with her circle of loved once being greatly extended.

Her mission as full time caregiver was simply an extension of a part time mission she had already been serving during which she has learned and taught the importance of co-dependence, the wonders of eternal companionship and the beginnings of the attributes and characteristics of Eternal Oneness.

Although my heart has been brought to the verge of bursting with the appreciation I have for Kathleen and what she has been, what she is and what she is becoming, and although the testimony I have born of her goodness would be reason enough for the writing of this Thought I feel it would be less than complete if I didn’t add the following:

As we prepare to enter the New Year, along with the traditional resolutions we might spend a moment or two and review the missions of our own lives.

Most importantly we would be well served to review the extensive learning and meanings of life with which we have been blessed because of serving these missions.

It might be advantageous to prayerfully ponder upon what missions of life you will be serving during the coming year and petition a blessing that you will be led to know the important lessons you are to learn.

One of the resolutions you make this year which might be the most important is that you will make a daily reminder to be attentive to what the Lord would have you learn each day as you serve the missions of life you are called to serve in this year.

My personal prayer for us all is that the true purposes of our mortal experience will be emblazoned upon our hearts and minds more powerfully and inspire us to be engaged in that which is most meaningful as we serve this coming year’s mission of our life.


THOUGHTS FOR A SABBATH DAY – WILLIAM L. RILEY

EDITED BY – KATHLEEN W. RILEY

THINK + PLAN + PREPARE + DO + HUGS + PEACE + JOY + LOVE + INTEGRITY + FAITH + HOPE + CHARITY = THE GOOD LIFE❣️❣️