Lessons on Love

 22 August - 28 August 2022

This week was really good! It went by pretty quickly and I felt like I got to do some fulfilling things this week. I had the energy and motivation to work on projects that I've been avoiding all year, such as finishing up my book, laser cutting, and socializing with boys. I had good work outs at the gym. My favorite thing is putting the treadmill on the highest ramp setting and walking. I don't even need to go very fast, and that will get my heartrate up real good. I can easily reach and maintain my target heartrate, making my body work for it. I was surprised by how much it made me sweat on Friday, just doing that for 10 minutes! Especially because I used to never really sweat. 

Monday we had the stake slip and slide activity. I was disappointed that they advertised dinner but then only had pizza. So I went hungry. The slip and slide was alright, but I had a good time. I got to feel like I was swimming in a giant pool of soap bubbles! Plus I got to meet some friends there, like Jessy and Sam. Jessy wasn't planning on coming, but I convinced her to show up! Work has been fine. I have been reorganizing the office supply room and back storage room, and I almost gave my boss Cameron a heart-attack because he went into the back room and didn't recognize it because it was so clean and organized! One of the days at work this week, a client my boss was meeting with called in to have tacos delivered for everyone for lunch, which was super nice, especially because I hadn't brought lunch that day. 

On Wednesday, I got to help my mom teach the activity day girls how to hand sew, and mom's partner just had a baby, so I got to help hold him when he was crying. That made me ever so more excited for baby Gracelyn to get here! She's due this next week and Breisa can't wait to have her out! My mom is so good with the girls. So patient and kind and approachable. The girls absolutely love her.

On Wednesday night, Valerie and I went to clean the temple. We got to see Sam there. I'm pretty sure he was the only other person from our ward that went! I'm glad we were there to represent :). It was good. Walking into the temple that evening and seeing the split staircase behind the temple recommend desk, which is so beautiful, just made me feel like this was the Lord's home and He was welcoming me there.

Saturday night, we had another game night, and people came! A lot of people I invited couldn't come, but at least we had a good turn out! Plus, it's hard when you and your siblings/cousin already make up four of the people at game night because the group can get super big, super fast! It was an entertaining time, and I loved seeing how happy and excited the others were about certain aspects of the games, though I can't say that I really had a blast and felt like I was among friends. I'm still working on that, though, and a big part of it is to just keep trying to get to know people better. It takes time. I'll find me a friend group yet!

I was asked to give a short talk about FSY in church, along with Valerie and two others. I contemplated a few days what to talk about, and then the day before, I searched through the notes I took during FSY and came across a common theme of love, so I spoke on that. I wrote my talk down on my phone and figured why not post it here? So, if you want, here's my talk!

"Going into FSY, I had one goal that I wanted to accomplish. I set that same goal every single week to focus on, and I knew that if I did nothing else but accomplish that goal, I would succeed. That goal was to love the youth placed in my care more than they'd ever felt before by a stranger. To feel Christ's pure love for them and to love them unconditionally. To love them regardless of what they had done or had NOT done. (And man did I feel that! So much power and love trust for those youth, for us, from the Lord).

"Unconditional love can be defined simply as: love without conditions. That means there are no conditions or criteria you must meet before you are loved. You just are. Christ loves us as we are, without conditions. His love is always there, and it is the most powerful motivator for changing to become like Him.

"During my third week as a counselor, I had a particularly tough group of boys. The "kool" kids. The ones who argued with you, complained, talked over you, didn't pay attention, thrived on making inappropriate jokes. Boys who seemed to openly rebel and disrespect, who seemed closed off to allowing themselves opportunities to feel the spirit. Who didn't want to be there and said they'd do something to get sent home. With one main ring leader in particular, Terin. 

"I had the pleasure of loving Terin for everything he already was, without waiting for him to follow all the rules first or to be respectful. All the things he had NOT done that I wished he would do, I didn't hold it against him. I simply loved him. That looked like responding to his bad behavior with soft tones and smiles as I sought to see the needs behind his behavior and words. It looked like hugging him, and listening to his complaints with empathy and validation, and testifying of his worth and potential. Giving firm but gentle correction followed with statements of my faith in him that he was capable of doing better and that God trusted him to make the best decisions.

"I learned that when God corrects you, it isn't because you're hopeless and worthless. It's because he sees what great potential for good you have, he loves you, and he wants to help you reach it. Truly, our perfectly loving Father and Savior "doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him." Do you trust that promise? Do you trust His love? I promise that as you trust in the Lord that all things, especially the hard things, are for your good, you will come closer to Christ.

"I learned a lot about Christ's perfect love, not only how it feels from him, but how it looks to give it to others. I love bringing others closer to Christ, because along the way, I'm also brought closer to him. There is nothing more fulfilling, no other source of accomplishment or entertainment that can compare to the joy, peace, and hope that comes from loving others as Christ loves them. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

Much love,

Emily Burnham