Lift Where You Stand

Last Sunday Sister Callihan taught a lesson based on President Uchtdorf's 2008 talk called Lift Where You Stand.

"Some years ago in our meetinghouse in Darmstadt, Germany, a group of brethren was asked to move a grand piano from the chapel to the adjoining cultural hall, where it was needed for a musical event. None were professional movers, and the task of getting that gravity-friendly instrument through the chapel and into the cultural hall seemed nearly impossible. Everybody knew that this task required not only physical strength but also careful coordination. There were plenty of ideas, but not one could keep the piano balanced correctly. They repositioned the brethren by strength, height, and age over and over again—nothing worked.

As they stood around the piano, uncertain of what to do next, a good friend of mine, Brother Hanno Luschin, spoke up. He said, 'Brethren, stand close together and lift where you stand.'

It seemed too simple. Nevertheless, each lifted where he stood, and the piano rose from the ground and moved into the cultural hall as if on its own power. That was the answer to the challenge. They merely needed to stand close together and lift where they stood."

President Uchtdorf went on to say that the Lord expects each of us to do whatever we are called to do, whether it be large or small, to simply lift where we stand.

Two sisters in our class shared stories that really touched me. The first was a lady (a visitor) who said that in her ward a couple she knew were called to be greeters. The couple was to stand at the door to the chapel before the meeting, shake hands, welcome members, and hand them a program. The woman in this couple felt that calling was beneath her abilities and was a little insulted to be asked to do such an small job. However, she did fulfill her assignment. After many months a single older woman came up to this greeter and said, "I feel like you are the only one who knows or cares that I come to church. You ask me how I am and make me feel like I belong." How does that change the significance of the assignment? To make a difference in the life of one person is to be an angel here on earth.

Another sister, a new member, shared how much she loves her calling washing the baptismal clothes. She said, "When I pick up the clothing I think of the person who wore them and what it means now that they are baptized. My calling is doing laundry and I love it!" What a wonderful service to provide, especially on the heels of her own baptism a few short months ago.

That lesson helped open my eyes to the many people who serve without fanfare, accolades, or public recognition. I think of the parable of the talents in Matthew 25. The first two servants were given a certain amount of talents based on their abilities; they both doubled their talents. The Lord was pleased with their efforts and says to them in verses 21 and 23:

His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Where we serve is not nearly as important as HOW we serve. I hope that I always accept callings with the humility and wisdom to know that I am part of a great work of building the kingdom of God; I hope that I always find the strength to lift where I stand.