I Am Trying To Be A Good Person

I attended a funeral of a woman who I have come to know over the past eight months.  During the funeral, I began thinking about who I am and how I feel about myself.
Each one of us has our own distinct personality and a whole bunch of God-given characteristics that make us who we are.  It is up to us to use those to help others and also to become better.  In spite of our faults, who we are can bless the lives of those around us.
All four children of this woman took the opportunity to speak to those in attendance.  They are all very different.  What they had to share was good and each one is trying to do the best that they know how to do.
I took a few minutes to review, in my mind, my own life.  I asked myself the question, "Am I trying to be a good person?"  I believe that I am giving it a good shot.  I understand, better than anyone, my own weaknesses.  I also know my own strengths and the strategy I am using to utilize those strengths to lift the heads of those whose hang low.  I am trying to forget about myself and focus on somebody else.
I would ask the same question to you. 
Life is an opportunity to grow and get better.  The happenings of life require us to stretch and see what we are made of. 
When my days are through, I want those who I love to reflect on the good things that I tried to do every single day.  I want to be someone who fought through all of life's challenges, without speaking negatively.  I want to have said of me that I was a good person.

I Found A Friend

This is an experience sent from my older sister.  Friends touch each of us differently and in ways that help us the very most.


"When I was 15 years old, my dad took a job with a firm located in another state.  I was just finishing my sophomore year, and EVERYTHING was important:  my classes, my position in the school, my friends, my boyfriend, my music.  We were moving from a small (and I mean SMALL!) ranching community to what I was sure was going to be worst place on earth!  My dad moved to our new home before the rest of us did.  He found a house to rent, he set up the furniture, he attended church meetings, he met the neighbors.  By the time we arrived, I already had stacks of information from the church’s youth leaders.  I kinda rolled my eyes—who needed another adult looking over my shoulder?  What I needed was girls!  Six days after we moved, I went to help out at a fund raiser.  It was a car wash, and it was a lot of fun.  Water, soap, dozens of girls—what’s not to love?  But the best part of the entire day was when Jana asked if I wanted to go to a dance with them that night and a movie with her in a couple of days.  After the movie, we became fast friends.  It turned out the pining for my former life lasted less than a week, and my time in that (not so) HUGE city was not only formative, but happy!  Jana was one of my very best friends during my adolescent and young adult years.  I’m so glad she invited me along!"

Friends are miracles in our lives.  They touch us and help us.  I am grateful for friends that bless my life. 
Thanks, Aundrea.  I love you!

A Friend Forever

Our daughter, Natalie, has enjoyed a friendship with Isabel.  Here's what she has to say about this friendship of a lifetime.


"I met Isabel in my seventh grade cooking class and we hit it off instantly. We were always in the same cooking group. She didn't care for chopping, stirring, measuring, or washing dishes, but she'd throw the food in a bowl or come up behind me and give me a hug while I was mixing batter. The class only lasted a trimester and I figured that was probably the end of my association with her. Ninth grade came, and to my surprise we were in the same seminary class! It soon became my responsibility to walk her to and from the building and sit next to her in class. She loved seminary and our class and sometimes she would even lead the music for us. She added so much to my experience that year!  When I became a sophomore, Isabel was not in my seminary class. Those first few weeks were kind of rough. Something was missing for me, and I later found out for her as well. A change had to be made, and soon we were in the same class again. This year she was the designated chorister. She would stand up at the beginning of class, write the page number on the board, and promptly tell everyone in class to "Sit in your chairs! Quiet down! It's time to sing because I'm the leader." It was this year that our friendship really took off. She came over to my house and watched a movie once, but for the most part, if we hang out, I go there.  This school year I think she has had her greatest impact on me yet! We're not in the same seminary class, and there isn't a way to move schedules so we can be. Earlier in the year I was so sad! Something was definitely missing. I needed Isabel. So, I transferred into her Special Education class room to be a peer tutor/TA. This class is food for my soul. I get to be with Isabel, and some of my other new found friends, Heavenly Father's most perfect children. I love it!  It's amazing to me what one person can do. For as long as I can remember (I can't pinpoint when it began) Isabel has sent me a text goodnight, every night. Never at one specific time, just whenever she goes to bed!  Isabel is my true friend. She's a constant friend. Through fickle teenage friendships she is always there to hang out and be there for me. She loves completely, speaks truthfully, and exercises loyalty. I hope that everyone can have an Isabel in their life. Friends like her are hard to come by. I truly hope I can grow up and be like Isabel, the truest friend anyone could ask for."
Thanks, Natalie.  These are the kinds of stories that each one of us have.  They are inspiring!  It makes me want to be a better friend. 

.

The Worth Of A Friend

Just as I promised, this week I am going to share some experiences that other people have had with good friends in their lives.  If you have something to share, please email them to me dfish0223@yahoo.com.
This story comes from my mom. 

"I was an extremely shy girl. I would get sick to my stomach if I went to stay overnight anywhere that my parents were not with me.  When I was a Beehive (12 or 13) in Young Women at church I had the most wonderful leader. Her name was Edith Van Sloten. She pulled me in and loved me like I was the only girl in the class. I know she did the same with all of the girls. It was springtime and she started talking up what a fun summer we were going to have and that she wanted all of us to go to Young Women camp. As I remember the cost of the camp was sizeable for that time and she was willing to help us with ideas to earn the money to pay our way.  Sister Van Sloten hired me and another girl to wash all of the outside windows in her home. We worked very hard all one Saturday. We did several other fund raiser projects and finally had our money.  A couple days before we were to go to camp I started to get very anxious and nervous about being away from home, but we had worked so hard that I hoped that I would be okay with Sister Van Sloten. So with the encouragement of my parents I packed my suitcase and my sleeping bag and off I went with my group.  I only made it one night at camp and my parents had to come and get me. I was sad that I would have disappointed the leader that I loved so much, but she assured me that it was okay and that there were lots of other fun times ahead.  I have never forgotten what a wonderful friend Sister Van Sloten was to a very shy young girl."  Thank you, mom.  I love you. 

The affects of one person are far-reaching.  Friends are those we can count on to accept us for who we are, all of the time. 

There Is Power In Knowledge

About eight months ago, I was asked to visit an older couple who live in our neighborhood.  He is retired from the Boeing company.  She has had average health over the past several years.  Me and my good friend, Michael, were asked to visit this couple as part of a church assignment.  It has been an enriching opportunity.  We have been faithful in visiting them each month and sometimes several times.
On Friday afternoon, Penny passed away.  I was notified of her passing later that afternoon.  I spoke with her husband, Don.  We chatted with each other.  He cried on the phone to me.  I listened intently as he spoke of his great love for his sweetheart.
My mind has thought about the short time I had to know Penny (short for Penelope).  I found great joy in being around her.  A couple of short weeks ago, Michael and I were called to their home to give them both a priesthood blessing.  As we laid our hands upon her head, and I offered the blessing, I felt a great peace come over me as I assured her that her health would be strong enough until her time would come to leave this existence.  I knew that a Heavenly Father was there and He was aware of all that she needed.  I still feel that same way.  I now know that His comforting presence will be with Don.
Even the thought of Becky being gone is about more than my heart can bear, I know with a surety that the kids and I would be watched over and our hearts would be comforted through such a tremendous loss.
We have all had a loss of a loved one at one time or another.  We know of the sting that the loss of a loved one brings.  We can be assured that God is with us.  He will fill our hearts with peace.  He will make His love perfectly manifested.  He loves us more than we can possibly comprehend.
I spoke with Don last night and I assured him of these same truths.  I told him that I loved him. 
We have knowledge of the light we can have even during our darkest days.  Don will feel and see of the light I am talking about.  We can too.  There is peace in knowing that one day, he will see her again.  I am thankful for this knowledge.

I Believe In You

I've been thinking, over the past two days, about some of the things that are the most important to me.  If you're married, think about the one thing that makes your marriage special.  If you're not married, give some thought to the friends that you have and what makes those friendships unique.
I have given some thought to my own marriage, and, the friendships I have with people and what one common thread makes them all special.
When Becky and I hadn't been married that long, we had a conversation that involved trust for one another and the vital part that it played in maintaining a strong and successful marriage. 
I worked with a woman who was nearly old enough to be my mother.  She was someone that I cared about.  I enjoyed the conversations we had about life and about our families.  Our relationship was always appropriate.  This woman asked me one day if I wanted to go get a burger for lunch.  I responded that I would if someone else came with us.  She gave me a funny look as if I was crazy.  I explained to her that I knew it might sound crazy but that it just doesn't look good.  It would be my luck that I would run into somebody that I knew and then their thoughts would run crazy about me being alone with another woman.  Becky and I vowed to each other that even at work we would not go to lunch with someone of the opposite sex, alone.  The appearance doesn't look good and I wouldn't ever want Becky to have reason to not trust me.  "Self-trust is the first secret of success."(Ralph Waldo Emerson)  I want to do things that allow me to maintain trust for myself.
There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about the decisions I make.  Each one is based on trust or the trust that would be lost by making a poor one.
I have friends that I would trust with my own life.  I believe that no matter what, they would guard my heart and all would be well.  The number of these kinds of friends is smaller in number but important none the less.
I want to be a person that others can trust.  When I say that I'll do something, there should be no question that it will get done.  When I say that I'm in one place, it is sure that I am there.  When someone tells me something in confidence, they can be sure that I will not tell another person...PERIOD!
These are the things that I want to do.  There is a saying,"that it is better to be trusted , than it is to be loved."  I believe that is true.

We All Want A Friend

I love a good story.  Here is one for you that I read and enjoyed immensely.

There was a time when Whitney didn't have a lot of friends. She was a bit shy and reserved. She never really wanted to be popular, but she did want to have someone to share secrets and laughs with. All through high school, though, she just slipped in and out of "light" friendships where she didn't find a lot of comfort or companionship.

When it came time to go to college, Whitney was quite nervous. She was going to be rooming with someone she didn't know and living in a town 300 miles away from home. There wouldn't be a single person she knew in town. She had no idea how she was going to make friends in this new environment. The first week of classes, something happened that changed Whitney's life forever. In her English Composition class, she was asked (as were all the students) to share a little about herself. She told everyone where she called home and all of the other ordinary details that students share in such situations. The final question for each student was always the same: "What is your goal for this class?" Now, most of the students said it was to get a good grade, pass the class or something similar, but for some reason, Whitney said something entirely different. She said that her goal was to make just one good friend.  While most of the students sat in silence, one student came to Whitney and held out his hand and introduced himself. He asked if she would be his friend. The whole room was silent – all eyes focused on the Whitney and the hand extended just in front of her. She smiled and stretched her hand out to take his and a friendship was formed. It was a friendship that lasted all through college.

Everyone wants to feel needed.  Several years ago, I was leading a group of young men at church.  After church, on Sunday afternoon, I would take two boys to visit a few elderly people.  One visit was to a ninety-two year old woman.  She was very friendly but old and fragile.  She didn't remember who we were until we had been there a few minutes and then her mind would spin into action and she remembered precisely who we were.  One Sunday afternoon, we stopped by for our visit and her seventy year old daughter answered the door.  She invited us in.  I said hello to this elderly friend of ours.  She sat silent and starred at me.  "You are the most handsome man I have ever seen," she said.  I didn't know who she was talking about but I took what she said as a compliment.  I walked over and sat next to her on the old couch.  I reached over and held her hand.  When I looked at her face she smiled and gently squeezed my hand.

Each one of us longs for someone to love and care about us.  We can brighten someone else's day by acts that we consider simple.  Let's be that friend.
I want to try something a little different beginning on Monday.  I hope that all next week the blog will be devoted to uplifting personal stories from the readership of this blog.  Will you please send me your own personal stories about friendship and the impact a good friend has had in your life? I would like to hear from some of you all next week.  Email those to dfish0223@yahoo.com.