Church

YOUNG WOMAN (YW)

AT CHURCH, I WAS RECENTLY ASKED 2 BE A YOUNG WOMAN (YW) INSTRUCTOR, 4 THE 1ST SUN., 4 ALL THE YW. . THIS IS MY 1ST “REAL” CALLING IN OVER 5 1/2 YRS. I CAN’T EXPLAIN ALL I FEEL, BUT I THOUGHT THESE CALLINGS WERE GONE W/MY VOICE!

THOUGH WE OWN IT, I RECENTLY TIVOED THE MOVIE “HITCH,” SO I COULD WATCH IT AT MY LEISURE. “HITCH” BEGINS W/A STATEMENT: “60% OF COMMUNICATION IS BODY LANGUAGE, 30% IS TONE, & ONLY 10% IS WORDS.” IF TRUE, WORDS PLAY LESS A PART IN TEACHING…BUT THOUGH I CAN’T BE VOCAL, I CAN STILL SIGN & TYPE—I JUST NEED 2 BE MORE SELECTIVE W/THE WORDS I CHOOSE 2 USE.

HOWEVER, W/MY FEW WORDS, I KNOW I CAN FEEL MISUNDERSTOOD, BECAUSE I WILL WRITE W/A CERTAIN TONE, WHICH IS L8R READ IN A DIFFERENT TONE, MAKING IT APPEAR FUNNIER OR MADDER THAN IT WAS INTENDED…I HEARD THIS EXACT POINT ILLUSTRATED IN AN AUDIO BOOK, AS THE AUTHOR REPEATED THE EXACT SAME PHRASE (LIKE “SHUT THE DOOR”) IN BOTH A MAD & ALSO IN AN ICKY SWEET TONE. ABSOLUTELY AMAZING HOW MUCH TONE AFFECTED THE EXACT SAME WORDS!

THOUGH I CAN’T USE TONE WELL, WE’VE TRIED CREATIVE WAYS 2 SHARE TONE (ASTERICKS IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF AN EMAIL, WARNING THAT I’M MAD, BOLDING WORDS IN ORDER 2 STRESS THEM, & SOMETIMES I COLOR CODE WORDS). THOUGH I HAVEN’T MASTERED TONE, I STILL HAVE 70% OF MY COMMUNICATION, & IF I’VE LEARNED ANYTHING, I TAKE WHAT I DO HAVE, & RUN W/IT!

THE RESULTS…

THX 4 THE PRAYERS—IT REALLY HELPED, & HELPED ME BATTLE PBA! IT WAS MY UNSEEN ARMY!

I MANAGED NOT 2 CRY–ACTUALLY, IT’S HOW U C IT: THERE WAS “SILENT CRYING.” BUT THERE WAS NO HOWLING, OR STRAIGHTENING MY LEFT LEG, OR ANYTHING.

THIS WAS A BIG DEAL—NOT JUST BECAUSE I COULD DO SOMETHING I LOVED & NEVER SAW AS POSSIBLE….& NOT BECAUSE THE ACTUAL PART MEANT SO VERY MUCH, BUT BECAUSE I DID WHAT I HAVE TRIED 2 DO FOR ALMOST 5 YRS.—WHICH WAS 2 NOT HAVE ACTUAL OUT LOUD TEARS, DRAWING ATTENTION 2 MYSELF. SO, 2 ME, IT WAS A SUCCESS!

REMEMBER THE LIST I STARTED LAST DEC., “BLESSINGS FROM A STROKE”? THOUGHT OF 3 MORE:
1. I CAN DISCIPLINE MY KIDS ANYWHERE—EVEN ON STAGE!
2. IF A ZIPPER BREAKS IN BACK, WHO CARES? NO1 CAN TELL! & STAPLES WORK WONDERS!
3. I CAN GIVE THE VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF THE WORDS, LIKE I SAID WAS NEAT IN MY ENSIGN ARTICLE (WHEN SONGS WERE SIGNED). (LIKE THE SIGN 4 “GOD”—A PALM STRETCHED HEAVENWARD, & EYES LOOK UP—IS JUST A NEAT VISUAL REPRESENTATION).

I’VE SLOWLY BEEN ADDING 2 IT, & AM APROACHING #50! I AM SHOCKED THERE’S THAT MANY, ESP. KNOWING THAT I’VE 4GOT SOME!

IN THE PLAY, THERE WAS 2 ANGEL LINES. THE 1ST LINE, I PLANNED 2 START SIGNING, BUT SINCE IT WAS 2 LONG, I’D “PASS THE TORCH” 2 JESS, SO SHE COULD READ THE REST. WHEN JESSIE READ, IT WAS THE HARDEST. I SILENTLY CRIED AT THE END…SHE WAS SO NERVOUS, & I WAS SO PROUD OF HER!

LAST X-MAS I MENTIONED HOW I RELATE 2 THIS SONG—NOT AS IF I WAS A HEAVENLY ANGEL, BUT THE HERE & NOW: “HANDEL’S DREAM” FROM THE UNFORGOTTEN CAROLS, BY MICHAEL McLEAN.

THE STORY IS ESSENTIALLY ABOUT AN ANGEL, WHO CAN’T SING (NEITHER CAN I, NOW, THOUGH I HEAR SONGS IN MY HEAD/HEART), BUT AUDITIONS ANYWAY, 2 ANNOUCE CHRIST’S BIRTH. I LOVE HIS STATEMENT THAT “IF U COULD HEAR WHAT’S IN MY HEART, U’D LET ME SING!”

HE’S LATER INFORMED THAT HE HAS A “DIFFERENT” VOICE (I BELIEVE I DO 2), & THAT SOMEDAY, HE WILL BE GIVEN A VOICE, & HEARD (I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT I WILL 2).

THAT NIGHT I WAS GIVEN A VOICE, & HEARD!

BUT, I WANTED THE FOCUS ON CHRIST, NOT ON ME. I’D REALLY PRAYED NOT 2 CRY, DESPITE MY EXTREME EMOTION— I REFUSED 2 LET MYSELF THINK OF “HANDEL’S DREAM,” BUT I TOTALLY FELT IT!

THANK U 4 YOUR HELP!

ENSIGN ARTICLE

I’M ONLINE! THIS IS HOW I “READ” IT, SO IT IS EXCITING 2 HEAR IT THERE. IT’S MORE “REAL”.

SO, IF U DO NOT GET THE LDS ENSIGN, U CAN LISTEN HERE: WWW.LDS.ORG>GOSPEL LIBRARY>MEDIA FORMATS>AUDIO>ENSIGN, SEPTEMBER 2008> PRIMARY SONGS BLESSED ME. HOW ODD 2 BE ONLINE, & HOW ODD 2 HEAR IT READ…IT’S DIFFERENT, BUT BETTER, THAN HOW I READ IT IN MY OWN HEAD!

SO NEAT 2 BE IN THERE, WHEN U WRITE AS I DO, BUT THERE WAS LOTS OF HELP: MK, MIKE, MY PARENTS, & OF COURSE, GOD. EVEN OTHERS, LIKE MY PEN-PAL, LISA, & MY SISTER-IN-LAW, NICOLE, HELPED ME SEARCH 4 A TITLE (BUT MK GETS THAT, & WHEN IT WAS SUGGESTED, IT HIT LIKE A TON OF BRICKS, & I THOUGHT, “DUH! WHY DIDN’T I THINK OF THAT!” BUT, I TRIED ALONE, & IT DIDN’T WORK.

THE STORY BEHIND THE ENSIGN ARTICLE

MY GIRLS HAVE BEEN SO CUTE, WORKING ON CRAFTS FOR 2 WEEKS, 4 ME, 2 PREPARE 4 MY B-DAY. I FEEL SO LOVED, & QUESTION “IS THERE A REASON? I JUST SIT IN A CHAIR!”

BUT, I SPEND LIKE 1-2 HRS. DIRECTING THEM 2 CLEAN, THEY READ ME STORIES, SIT ON MY LAP & PLAY COMP., I COLOR W/THEM, I PLAY GAMES (IN & SOMETIMES OUTSIDE), ETC. MAYBE THAT’S WHY…OR MAYBE IT’S SIMPLY COOL THAT THEIR MOM CAN’T SPANK HARD!

THOUGHT MY B-DAY COMING UP COULD GET NO BETTER THAN FEELING SO LOVED. I WAS WRONG:

ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO, MY VISITING TEACHER, WENDY, READ AN ARTICLE 2 ME IN THE ENSIGN. I WAS MOVED 2 SHARE MY OWN STORY ABOUT WHEN I WAS AN INDY PRI. CHORISTER, B4 MY STROKE, UP 2 THE 1ST 1 ½ YEARS AFTER MY STROKE (THE PRESENT DAY, AT THE TIME I WROTE).

AT 1ST, I WAS TURNED DOWN BY THE ENSIGN. THERE WAS STUFF THAT I KNEW SHOULD BE CHANGED IN MY ARTICLE, BUT I WASN’T SURE HOW 2 DO IT,. HOWEVER, I WAS STRONGLY IMPRESSED 2 LEAVE IT THERE, SOMEHOW… IT HAD SEEMED SO CERTAIN THAT, THOUGH THE TYPE WASN’T THE BEST, THE MESSAGE WAS GOOD ENOUGH 2 SHARE. I COULDN’T SHAKE THE NAGGING FEELING THAT I STILL NEEDED 2 SHARE MY MESSAGE…

MY PARENTS NUDGED ME 2 TRY AGAIN. MY WHOLE LIFE I’VE BEEN INITIALLY REJECTED—THEN, MY PARENTS ENCOURAGE ME 2 TRY AGAIN, & GOOD STUFF HAPPENS!

ANYWAY, MY YOUNGEST BRO., MIKE, TOOK MY MESSAGE (THE “MEAT”) & ADDED ALL THE “FILLER” STUFF. MK ASSITED W/SOME MONUMENTAL EDITING CHOICES. IT WAS HARD SEARCHING 4 A TITLE. MK SUGGESTED ONE THAT SEEMED 2 SIMPLE & OBVIOUS, BUT ABSOLUTELY PERFECT! I TRIED AGAIN . I WAS ACCEPTED BY THE ENSIGN, & TOLD JAN. 2008 IT’D BE PUBLISHED. I WAS THRILLED, BUT 4DECIDED 2 KEEP IT UNDER WRAPS. FEW KNEW.

INCREDIBLY, IT WAS MOVED 2 SEPT.–I HAD NO IDEA WHY, BUT WAS TOLD 2 CHECK IN AUG…. I DID, & WAS TOLD THIS:

It’s good to hear from you. Your article titled “Primary Songs Blessed Me,” is, in fact, scheduled for September. In fact, I believe it’s at press right now. My notes show that it will be on p. 55 of the magazine.

The reason for the shift in scheduling was that the Liahona decided to run the article as well. Their publication timeline requires a little bit of extra time for translation and production, so that’s why we moved it to September.

SO, I’LL BE IN THE LIAHONA & ENSIGN–NOT ONE, BUT TWO MAGAZINES. & THE LIAHONA IS AN INTERNATIONAL CHURCH MAGAZINE! I’M THRILLED AGAIN, & 2 FIND OUT THAT I’LL BE TRANSLATED INTO OTHER LANGUAGES & PUBLISHED AGAIN! CRAZY! OVER THE LAST YEAR, THEY’VE EDITED & TOTALLY SHORTENED IT, BUT THE MESSAGE I NEEDED 2 SHARE REMAINS—EVEN WHAT DIDN’T SEEM 2 INITIALLY WORK!

SO, DO U GET THE LDS ENSIGN? IF U R NOT LDS, & DON’T GET IT, COME SEPT., U CAN LISTEN HERE: WWW.LDS.ORG >GOSPEL LIBRARY>MEDIA FORMATS>AUDIO>ENSIGN, SEPTEMBER 2008.

MANY WHO R LEARNING ASL, ARE FAMILIAR W/”SIGNING TIME.” THOSE WHO R LDS, MAY BE FAMILIAR W/A NAME OF A WELL-KNOWN LDS MUSICIAN WHOSE SISTER DOES “SIGNING TIME”—LEX De AZEVEDO. SHE OBVIOUSLY GREW UP IN A MUSICAL HOME. I DID 2, & DESPITE EVERYTHING, I REALLY WANT 2 SHARE MUSIC W/MY KIDS. HAVING A DEAF CHILD COULD HAVE BEEN REALLY, REALLY TOUGH 2 ACCEPT, BUT I’VE ALWAYS ADMIRED HOW THEY MADE GOOD OF SOMETHING BAD, BY MAKING SIGN VIDEOS, USING THE STREGNTH THAT MUSIC PROVIDES 2 TEACH. I KNOW IT HAS HELPED ME LEARN THE PRIMARY LANGUAGE I NOW SPEAK.

THANKS 2 GOD I HAD EXPERIENCES WORTH SHARING, & HAD THE ABILITY 2 SHARE THOSE EXPERIENCES. IT WAS CERTAINLY NOT INTENDED, BUT MAYBE I’VE FOLLOWED IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THOSE WHO’VE IMPRESSED ME, & MADE GOOD OF SOMETHING THAT APPEARS BAD. THAT’S THE MOST THRILLING THOUGHT!

I SUCK!

WHEN I DISCOVERED I COULD SUCK, I STATED THAT THIS "opens worlds for me.” 2 EXPAND ON THAT THOUGHT:

I USE A SPECIAL SQUEEZE BOTTLE 2 DRINK. IT'S ACTUALLY MEANT 4 FOOTBALL PLAYERS WHEN THEIR HELMETS R ON. I NEED IT 2 HAVE ANY LIQUIDS, BECAUSE THEN LIQUIDS R SQUEEZED IN MY MOUTH, WHICH I SWALLOW. I BEGAN W/DROPS OF LIQUID, SO THESE GULPS SEEM HUGE.

ANYWAY, WHY I SAID THIS "opens worlds for me”:

• IT GIVES MY FAMILY FREEDOM. IF WE R ASKED SPONTANEOUSLY BY SOME1 2 GO 2 DINNER, WE CAN GO & NOT CHECK 1ST IF I HAVE MY CUP, & IF IT'S NOT THERE, I DON'T HAVE 2 BE THE "BAD GUY" WHO SAYS NO BECAUSE I NEED 2 DRINK IF THE FOOD IS DRY & IF THE FOOD IS STICKING 2 THE ROOF OF MY MOUTH.
• I CAN GO PLACS & NOT WORRY IF MY CUP IS THERE. I CAN TAKE SM. SIPS WHENEVER & WHEREVER–FAST DURING A MEAL, IF I'M AT CHURCH, MOVIE THEATER (CAN'T WAUT 2 TRY W/POPCORN).
• I CAN HAVE SODA POP, IF I DESIRE IT.

I’M NOT GREAT–1 SIP IS SMALL, HARD 2 DO, & TAKES A WHILE. I DOUBT IT'S STRONG ENOUGH 4 A MILKSHAKE (WHO CARES—COLD STUFF GIVES ME A BRAIN FREEZE ANYWAY!) BUT THAT IS HOW IT ALWAYS STARTS: SMALL. THEN I PRACTICE. I JUST NEED THE ABILITY…AFTER ALL, EVERYTHINNG I DO, STARTED W/JUST MOVING ATHUMB!

I JUST GOT A A CUP W/A STRAW THAT HOOKS 2 MY W/C, SO I CAN PRACTICE SUCKING. (IT'S NOW A COMPLIMEMT 2 SAY, :I SUCK!") I THINK I'll BECOME A BIGGER MOVIE FAN NOW, SINCE I CAN PRACTICE FOR 2 HRS. STRAIGHT! COINCIDENTLY,WE MADE THE STRAW REQUIRE ME 2 ALSO PRACTICE TURNING MY HEAD THE DIRECTION THAT'S HARDER 4 ME, & PROB. ALSO STRENGTHENS MY NECK!