Love and Support paid forward.

So, Monday we found out that one of our Elders was really sick and stuck at home. This immediately brought out the Mother Hen in me. One of the things that was drummed into my head from an incredibly young age was that people always take care of each other. We lived out in the middle of nowhere with no Doctors or Ambulance Services, so if your neighbor got sick or needed help, you helped them. It didn't even matter if you liked them or thought of them as friends. In times of crisis, big and small, people came together to help each other out.

So, I fixed a large thermos of soup (Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup) and took it over along with some fresh baked Pumpkin Spice Cookies just to give him something healthy to eat and to let him know we cared about him. Both he and Elder Brown were extremely grateful and even seemed somewhat surprised that I would go to such lengths. I just smiled, nodded and accepted their thanks even though to me it was nothing impressive to do it.

Last night, the Elders were supposed to come over for dinner, but Brown called and told me that Berg's Bug had spread to other Elders so they would be unable to come over. I had prepared my famous 5 Bean Soup and Elder Berg was very excited since he “Hadn't had Bean Soup in forever.” I quickly decided that just because they couldn't come over, it didn't relieve me of my “obligation” to feed them as I promised. So I filled another thermos up with Bean Soup, packed some chips and the Halloween Candy we had bought them in a bag and set out. I stopped by the store and bought them some juice and some apples. I then happily delivered the Booty to the Elders with my dearest wishes that they feel better soon. Again, I was met with thanks and amazement.

I think the Amazement is what surprises me. When I was growing up, we were very poor and really didn't have a lot of food to spare most weeks. Winter was especially hard since we couldn't grow anything to eat so if we didn't grow enough during the Spring and Summer, things got tough. Despite all of this, I have many many memories of my Mom and my Grandmother cooking and delivering food and other essentials to people in our area who were sick and injured. Sometimes it was even delivered on foot if my Dad or Granddad weren't around to drive. Course keep in mind, the ladies didn't walk 5-10 miles to deliver the food, we kids did. :)

Back then, people took care of people in any way they could and I think that is an idea that has slowly lost its glamor over the decades since then. These days, most people are so busy trying to get ahead and to get stuff for themselves that they just don't seem to care about people around them. It is like a veil is drawn over their eyes to the needs of others.

As I have stated in previous blogs, that is one of the things I find most amazing about our Church and the people within it. Everyone seems to genuinely care about everyone else. The Church and its Leaders from the 1^st Prophet we have been so lovingly gifted with down to the Bishops of the Wards truly love and care for the members of the Church. When they ask, “How are you doing? Is there anything we can do to help?” you know that it is asked in complete love and sincerity. All of the Members of my ward and my good friend Stephanie's Ward that I have actually managed to get to know truly seem to care about me and my Wife's well being. The love and support we have received from people who, just a few months ago, were complete strangers is mind boggling and humbling.

So when I help the Elders or anyone else, I don't feel like I am doing anything extraordinary or amazing. All I am doing is taking the love and support learned from my Old Family and from my New Family and paying it forward. I think the whole world would be a little better off if we all paid it forward a little.

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen