Hi, my name is Annie Fletcher. I’m new in the ward but I’m already loving it! I’m gonna be upfront with you. I don’t like speaking in front of people. It kind of terrifies me. I’m really more a writer/reader creative thinker type person. SO to prepare this talk I decided to write this… 4.. page.. essay. And I’m gonna try really really hard not to read it because that would just be boring and awkward and weird. Not gonna lie, this is my first ever big girl talk… and I’m slightly terrified, so bear with me. We’ll all get through this talk one way or another. I just thought I’d introduce myself a little before I begin. I grew up mostly in Mesa but I moved around a lot in and since high school. Thankfully, I’m not really a shy person…. Except when it comes to speaking in front of an audience. I’m currently going to MCC where I change my major about once a week. Who actually needs to graduate, right? But anyway, I was assigned to speak on President Uchtdorf’s talk “You Are My Hands” from this last spring’s general coference.
He opened his talk with an awesome story that I’d like to share to open my talk as well.
“A story is told that during the bombing of a city in World War II, a large statue of Jesus Christ was severely damaged. When the townspeople found the statue among the rubble, they mourned because it had been a beloved symbol of their faith and of God’s presence in their lives.
Experts were able to repair most of the statue, but its hands had been damaged so severely that they could not be restored. Some suggested that they hire a sculptor to make new hands, but others wanted to leave it as it was—a permanent reminder of the tragedy of war. Ultimately, the statue remained without hands. However, the people of the city added on the base of the statue of Jesus Christ a sign with these words: “You are my hands.”
I love that. I love that they turned such a tragic situation into something so inspiring! As I read through the talk I noticed three main ways that we can use our hands for Christ’s purposes.
1. Our hands can serve.
2. Our hands can embrace.
3. Our hands can love.
Now I’m just gonna talk about each of those ways.
Our hands can serve.
There are a lot of obvious ways that we can serve others. Humanitarian work is one of them. There are so many people out there that are less fortunate than us. And the church is awesome at organizing ways to help those people. So when something is announced in Relief Society or Elders Quorum… go. That’s all you have to do. Make a little time for someone else. You REALLY don’t have time? Too busy with work, school, church callings? That’s chill. There’s a time and a season for everything, right? So what can we, as young single adults, do right now to give our hands to the Lord in Service? Just the little things, really. The Lord said to “not run faster or labor more than you have strength and means.” So if you don’t have time to go to the 3 hour food drive on a Saturday morning… maybe you have enough time to do the dishes for your roommate. Or maybe have time to call your single grandma and chat on the phone for a while. Or maybe take the time to prepare an extra good lesson for Sunday School. Magnify your calling! That’s a great way to serve! Even if your calling is just Relief Society Greeter. No joke, that’s a calling. Even if your only job is to be at the door to smile at people as they walk in. Do that job the BEST! Because the Lord probably picked that calling for you because he knows you have an awesome smile. Whatever you do, do it with a happy heart and in the best way that you know how. Because then it will FOR SURE bless the lives of you and everyone around you.
Our hands can embrace.
I think this one is especially important in a singles ward. A lot of us don’t live with family. Some have just moved here from different cities and different states and don’t have a ton of friends yet. And some have lived here all their lives but are just painfully shy and quiet and have a hard time getting to know people. Everyone just wants to be accepted and loved for who they are right? President Uchtdorf said, “It only seems right and proper that we extend to others that which we so earnestly desire for ourselves.”
So the one thing that I’ve noticed that makes me feel accepted and embraced when I go to a new ward is having someone to sit by. It’s such a little thing, but it makes all the difference in the world! One thing I really liked about my old ward was that the Elders Quorum Pres challenged the Elders to make sure no Sister sat by herself in Sacrament meeting. I just really liked that… just saying. … ANYWAY I thought of a few reasons why it’s hard to sit by someone that you don’t know.
Reason 1: I’m the new one so people should sit by ME to help ME feel welcome.
Uhm, hello, this is a singles ward. Chances are most of the other people sitting alone are new too, so just man up and go sit by someone!! Make some friends and don’t be afraid to reach out to people.
Reason 2: They don’t look like someone I could be BFF’s with OR my future eternal companion. What’s the point?
Once again, uhm hello! Get over yourself. Some of my best friends in the past have turned out to be people that I sort of hated a little when we first met. But then I LOVED! So don’t judge on first impressions… and also, connections. Even if you don’t end up as best friends what if that person has a friend of a friend who turns out to be your future hubby or wifey? Connections.
Reason 3: My PERSONAL favorite: I won’t sit next to someone because who’d want to sit by me?
Everyone here is a child of God. He created you and He loves you so so much! If you’re interesting enough to be [insert awkward emotional, crying voice here ugh!] CREATED and LOVED by a GOD, you are interesting enough to sit by.(I cried here when I PRACTICED my talk earlier too. *Audience laugh, tension released, Annie gets over it* And have some confidence! Confidence is attractive no matter who you are.
Basically, we just need to be inclusive instead of exclusive. Everyone deserves to be loved and cared for. We all just want to be accepted.
Our hands can love
Pres. Uchtdorf said that “True love requires action.”
I thought a lot about what I could share on this part because I have so many wonderful examples of people who show their love through action. But I decided to stick with all of the moms of the world. Everyone’s mom is the best.. just because she’s your mom, right? They all have flaws.. but it’s usually hard to see them through the unconditional love and sacrifice that they offer you. They truly show their love through action every day. They put their lives and dreams on hold for us. They picked up after us, stayed up with us when we were sick, let us cry on their shoulder when our hearts were broken for the first time, helped us get back on the right track when we started losing our way, and bore their testimony to us every day by living the gospel the best they knew how.
Now obviously none of us are parents, so how do we can we show our love for others? I think Mosiah 18:8-9 sums it up pretty well for us.
“And it came to pass that he [Alma] said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold ofGod, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; Yeah, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yeah, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death.” We serve each other and embrace each other and support and help each other to show our love. We do the things that Christ would do. We try to care for people the way that He cares for him. The whole point of this life is to become like Christ, right? We can start by giving our hands to him.
Using our hands to serve, embrace, and most of all love will bring us closer to Christ and our Father in Heaven. I know it. He has given us this opportunity and responsibility because He knows we can do it and he knows it will help us grow into what He wants us to be. Marianne Williamson said, "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world."
I am so grateful for His example and the examples of ancient and modern day prophets. We are all so blessed to have the knowledge and influence of the gospel in our lives. If we follow the Christ we’ll be happy. I am.
(Close)
And here's the original. It's better than mine. :) I love Pres. Uchtorf!
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