Find Your Footing.....Find Your Voice

A few weeks ago we received a hand written letter from McKenna from her mission in Uruguay.  Can I just say how incredibly fun it is to get a pure handwritten letter these days, when email is so much easier and faster.  In her letter she talked about her first two months... the ups the downs and the joy she is learning from both.  She shared her journey of trying to navigate success in her chosen new way of life.......living 24x7 with someone who doesn't speak her language, who doesn't share all the same values, very different personality and who sometimes lets her insecurities rule how she treats others...

She encapsulated this journey by writing: 

"I am trying to find my footing now, so that I can find my voice later...."

As soon as I read those words, they immediately stuck, like pinning a specific location on a google map.  It was like pure intelligence flowing into my mind... somehow I knew this was important despite not knowing what it exactly meant for me in that moment, but I knew what it meant for her.....that right now, in her world, everything was about forming a firm foundation..... getting more comfortable with Spanish, connecting with her companion, building trust with local church members and leaders, becoming more accustomed to the people and their customs first.... so that a bit later, after these things were in place, she could literally launch herself into a new orbit, like this picture of her above, with all her energy and spirit.......into a place where she could totally express the deep feelings she has in her heart without constraint, yes...even with total abandon. That space......where she could explicitly share her testimony and the love she has for Heavenly Father and Christ to others in her own unique way.... with her very special individual "voice."

When I heard these words from her letter, my mind could instantly see that place, where she, with her radiant face and spirit, was able to share her personal experiences, beliefs and values to others who might be interested in learning what plan God might have for them.  Where her heart could leap for joy as she could see how her efforts might lead any one to greater happiness by feeling God's love for them.

So, once I finished pretending to play this out for her in my minds eye...... I eventually turned those words inward where I found many questions looming.....Where is my footing?  Where is my voice?  Am I on solid ground?  Am I sharing all that I should be authentically with all my energy?

In LDS scripture, there are 25 references to the phrase:  "serve with all your might, mind and strength"  One of my faves is:  

"Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day."   D&C 4:2

Aren't we all in the service of God?  Maybe your God has a different name..... Maybe you don't go to Church, but I bet you serve others......probably very often, even daily....... A wise man named Mosiah said that when we serve each other, in essence we are only serving our God.  

A horrific thing happened this week in Vegas.  59 people died and hundreds more were injured from a shooter who ended up taking his own life.  Hard to even consider how this could happen, much less any motif...Truly soul shaking and evil at its core.  What was amazing was the collective response of so many people that have come out to support the relief efforts.  Many heroic stories that we don't even know about....too soon, but they will come out in time.  In fact, so many people have volunteered so many things that relief command couldn't even handle it all.   Talk about serving others...... What  a huge support from the community....no religion, no politics, no race, no gender issues....they just came forward because they knew in their hearts that serving was the right thing to do.

Yes, America was certainly shaken with the news..... but within hours, I would say she found her footing......within 1 day, I would say she found her voice..... a collective voice that has united us all and enabled us to find our own.....

I think in life we all get shaken......it often isn't just tragic events, but small things that can trip us up.  The wrong attitude, a bit of pride, a hurt feeling, feeling alone, feeling criticized, experiencing loss....are just a few.  What I think I am learning from McKenna is that it isn't about whether we lose our footing, but that we constantly need to find it and secure it, so that then, and only then.... can we share all the contents of our hearts with others....with all our abandon.....yes! even with all our might, mind and strength and feel the confidence that Heaven is smiling down on our efforts.

I am not sure how blameless I will actually be as I stand before God on that last day...... but I would like to believe, that if I can help you and you can help me to get clear about where we are standing and then what we are standing for that when asked I will be happy to say: "Oh yes, here is a good and faithful servant, please may they enter into your rest....."

Go for it McKenna, I can't wait to hear what happens when your voice is found... and then heard, the music it will make, the joy it will create, the closeness people will feel towards Heaven as a result.... I gotta tell you, in my book, you came with it as a little girl.  I have been listening to it your whole life, and it is so very sweet....