“Don’t be nervous! Teachers always love people who just jump in and help out without being told!”
But I was still nervous.
It was my first time going into a real elementary school classroom as an assistant while I was earning my teaching degree.
Everyone kept saying that we should just jump in and help but… I still didn’t know what to do.
I spent way too long standing at the back of classrooms afraid that I would mess something up.
Years later, as I stood in front of 35 sixth graders and an assistant walked in to help me, it did not even cross my mind that my helper would “mess everything up”.
I just desperately needed help and was happy someone was there!
The Lord told Joseph, as Joseph was concerned about procuring the proper materials for the sacrament:
“It mattereth not what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink when ye partake of the sacrament,
“if it so be that ye do it with an eye single to my glory—remembering unto the Father my body which was laid down for you, and my blood which was shed for the remission of your sins.” D&C 27:2
In other words, stop worrying about all those details.
Stop worrying about not understanding every aspect of that new calling you just received.
Stop worrying about that new position at work.
Stop worrying about getting all of the parenting techniques right.
And just get your heart in the right place.
That’s what the Lord wants when we take the sacrament, more than anything else.
Are we focused on Him?
Then the details will work themselves out.
Then the details of that calling, that job promotion, and that tough parenting situation will work themselves out.
That doesn’t mean, of course, that we throw the details out of the window. We don’t use candy and soda for the sacrament every week for a good reason.
But when we let go of trying to get every single detail right, and instead focus on turning our hearts and desires to what matters the most…
That’s when our hearts start to change.
Happy Studying!
-Cali Black
4 Responses
1 Nephi 3:7
I WILL GO AND DO
by Sam Will Gardner
I will go and do.
Not just sit and stew.
Not sit and stew.
About what to do.
The Lord will prepare the way.
If I will just say.
I will go and do.
What will you do?
What will you do,
When the Lord calls you?
What will you do?
Will you go and do?
What will we all do?
When the Lord calls us?
Will we put up a fuss?
Will we murmur and moan?
Will He hear us groan?
Will He hear us say
When He hears us pray?
It’s much to much
To do such and such.
It’s much to much
To do what you say.
It’s much to much
So will I just do it my way?
No! No! I will not do it my way!
I will do it Thy way!
Yes! I WILL DO IT THY WAY,
Yes! I will go and do!
Not sit and stew
About what to do!
What will you do
When the Lord calls you?
What will you do?
Will you go and do?
7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.
Great poem! Thank you for sharing!
I so needed this today. I was awake a good part of the night worrying about something unimportant . Thank you.
<3