Sharing Your Light

So, I did it! I made it through my talk in sacrament. I really get quite nervous in front of people, so I give all credit to Heavenly Father, and the phrase "Be still my soul, the Lord is on thy side" repeated over and over while sacrament was passed.

As I studied and pondered this week, I wrote and rewrote my sacrament talk over and over and over. I had written a beautiful talk using my friend Rhonda's suggestion on sharing your light vs sharing your oil. The spirit whispered that the message wasn't the right message for the congregation. Then I reworked my talk using another friend's quote suggestion, because I absolutely love that quote (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....), but again, it wasn't quite right. Finally as I shut myself in my room late Saturday night and prayed and pondered over what the Lord would have me say, the words began to flow. When I finally hit save at about 2:30 in the morning, I prayed that the spirit would help me as I gave my talk, and that those who needed the message would allow the spirit to teach them.

After I spoke, I was followed by the High Council speaker, who shared many of the same things I had written in my first few drafts including almost word for word what Rhonda and Heather had suggested. I was humbled as I sat there and realized that the Lord knew what the high council speaker was writing, and he knew that I needed to share a different message, one that seemed to intertwine hand in hand topically with the High Council speakers talk.

After sacrament, I was approached by a girl I didn't know. She said she was new in the ward, and really needed to hear the message I shared today. She then asked if she could have a copy of my talk. I gladly shared it with her explaining that it was a talk written by the inspiration of the Lord, they were not my words...

More or less, here is my talk:

Several years ago, while I was in college, my roommates and I decided it would be fun to take a tour of a popular nearby cave. At one point during the tour, the guide led us into a massive cavernous room. He then did something that surprised everyone on the tour, and flipped the light switch, plunging us into immediate darkness. Have you ever been just a little afraid of the dark? Have you ever been in a place that was so dark that you couldn't see your hand in front of your face, even with your eyes wide open? At that moment in time, my answer to both of those questions was yes, so at that point of the tour, I may just have screamed a little bit at the unexpected blackness.

Fortunately, another guide was across the cavern and lit a small match. Though tiny, that little match’s light immediately dispelled the anxiety of all in the group, then one by one, the guides began to light candles along the path and told our little tour group a story I can’t remember now, but I will never forget the overwhelming darkness of that cave. If you’ve ever been afraid of the dark, or been in a deep, dark cave, then you know how welcome a ray of light can be. Even a small light makes a big difference in a dark place. Today the world can seem very dark, there are many searching for light, any gleam of hope that dispels anxiety, fear, or depression.

I must admit, when Brother Greene pulled me into the office and asked if I would speak today, I may have given a little scream on the inside, because it really does terrify me to speak in front of others, but I couldn't say no. Then Brother Greene gave me the topic; Sharing your light. What an awesome topic! A HUGE topic, but absolutely wonderful topic. So this past week, as I have been preparing, I have been pouring over scriptures and listening to countless conference talks and devotionals, especially focusing on Sister Marriott’s talk from last conference entitled “Sharing Your Light”.

So what is this light that that we are to share? “John 8:12 says “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” 3 Nephi 18:24 “Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up—that which ye have seen me do.”

It is the light of Christ. It is divine energy, power, and influence that proceeds from God through Christ and gives life and light to all things, including us.

President Monson pointed out, “If you want to give a light to others, you have to glow yourself.” How can we keep that light of truth glowing within us? (Thomas S. Monson, “For I Was Blind, but Now I See,” Ensign, May 1999, 56; Liahona, July 1999, 69.)

Elaine S. Dalton said, “You will “shine forth” as you pray daily, read in the Book of Mormon, obey the standards in For the Strength of Youth, and SMILE… as you keep the commandments and live the standards found in For the Strength of Youth, you will radiate joy and qualify to be guided by the Holy Ghost.” (https://www.lds.org/new-era/print/2012/01/2012-mutual-theme… )

That’s how we get and keep the light shining within us.

In Sister Marriott’s talk, she shared the following analogy: “When our children were young, I felt like the co-captain, with my husband, David, of a ship, and I pictured our 11 children as a flotilla of little boats bobbing around us in the harbor, preparing to set forth on the sea of the world. David and I felt a need to consult the compass of the Lord daily for the best direction to sail with our small fleet. My days were full of forgettable things like folding laundry, reading children’s books, and putting casseroles together for dinner. Sometimes in the harbor of our homes, we can’t see that by the simple, consistent acts—including family prayer, scripture study, and family home evening—great things are brought to pass. But I testify that these very acts carry eternal significance. Great joy comes when those little boats—our children—grow into mighty seafaring vessels filled with gospel light and ready to “embark in the service of God.” Our small acts of faith and service are how most of us can continue in God and eventually bring eternal light and glory to our family, our friends, and our associates. You truly carry a circle of influence with you!”

You don’t need to be in a temple to shine with the light of Christ. You don’t need to be up bearing your testimony to shine and glow for somebody else.

As I read, and re-read Sister Marriott’s talk multiple times, I thought not only of sweet children still safely in the harbor of the home learning and growing, but my mind wandered to those out on the sea. The sea is not always a pleasant place to be. Massive waves and storms can throw your ship back and forth, forcing you to worry about your ship sinking. As I thought of those on the sea of life, I couldn't help but think of a favorite hymn:

Brightly beams our Father’s mercy From his lighthouse evermore, But to us he gives the keeping Of the lights along the shore. Let the lower lights be burning; Send a gleam across the wave. Some poor fainting, struggling seaman You may rescue, you may save. Christ is the light. He is the lighthouse.

Did you know you can see a light house 7 miles off the shore. That 7 mile mark is when a sailor coming in from the dark open waters first catches glimpse of the lighthouse glow. And when you come into shore, you KNOW where the shore is because of the lighthouse. After being subject to such darkness of the ocean, that firs flicker of light is HUGE, and when eager eyes are watching and longing for that light, You CAN’T miss it. But if you are going to safely bring your boat into the harbor, you need more than just the Upper lights of the lighthouse. What you also need are the little lower lights that are along the shore. They are not a big old lighthouse, but little smaller lights, and what you want to do is line those little lower lights up and when you line those lower lights up so one is directly on top of the other one, you know you going to miss rocks and shallow waters that might damage your boat, and are on course to safely travel into the harbor.

You’ve got the upper light, the light of Christ, that comes when you Pray, and read your scriptures, and Obey the commandments, that is the upper light that comes into your eyes. Matthew 6:22 “The light of the body is the eye”. You have the upper lights. But the lower lights are something we need also if we are going to guide anybody into our shore, You can share all the light that you want from your eyes and still not be guiding anyone into the shore if you don’t the lower light that is in your mouth, your smile. Remember Sister Dalton said you can “Shine” as you Pray, Read the scriptures, Obey the commandments in the For Strength of Youth, AND smile. The first 3 are in the eyes, the last is in the mouth.

President Faust said, “The commandment given by the Savior was to love others and yourself….Am I secure in my love of others to smile and say hello to a perfect stranger?” (Aug 23, 1983 BYU Devotional "Self Esteem: A Great Human Need”). The top lights are your eyes, but they don’t do you much good to bring anybody into the gospel if you are not using your mouth as the lower lights too. And with both of those lights shining, THAT is when you can make a difference. I decided to test this out this week, and really focus on letting my lower lights shine. I really tried to smile at everyone I came across at work, at the store, everywhere, and I can’t believe the difference. A simple shining smile allowed for conversations that never would have happened. I smiled to a little boy at the store, and the next thing I knew I was having a wonderful conversation with this 5 year old. He just wanted to talk, and tell me about his favorite things, and invited me to his birthday party in a few months. His sweet mother apologized and said that Kayson liked to say hi to people, but has never carried on a conversation like he did with me. Kayson kept saying, just a sec mom, I have to tell her one more thing”. I found out how much he loved his family, and his grandmother, and his mom. I wish I would have had my purse because I carry Families Are Forever Pass Along Cards, I would have given one to this cute boy and his mother, I hope I will get to run into them again someday.

I had a similar experience with a client at work, who came in and explained to my coworker how she was having a very rough day, and I simply smiled at her. Once again, that simple act of smiling, letting my lower light shine, I was able to start a conversation… which is HUGE for me because contrary to popular belief, I really am quite shy and terrified of talking with people I don’t know.

If you do smile, and you have both lights going shining, you are able to really draw people in, and they are going to feel safe, not bouncing around on the tempestuous sea, or whatever they are going through, and they can have the gospel like we do, plus everybody likes someone who smiles. I don’t know what it is, but I believe that smiling is the only expression you can have on your face that is contagious. You wanna know why? Because it is the only expression worth catching.

The act of smiling actually releases the chemicals in your brain that make you happy. As I smiled this past week, I couldn’t stop smiling, and I was happy! Don’t wait to be happy to smile, make yourself happy by smiling. St. Francis of Assisi said, “preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words”. (April 2011 General Conference, “Waiting on the Road to Damascus”)

People WANT to know what you know when you smile. We can preach the gospel with our lights in our mouths as we make sure we have the light of Christ in our eyes.

Ella Wheeler Wilcox wrote the following Poem. 
It is easy enough to be pleasant, 
When life flows by like a song, 
But the man worth while is one who will smile, 
When everything goes dead wrong. 
For the test of the heart is trouble, 
And it always comes with the years, 
And the smile that is worth 
the praises of earth 
Is the smile that shines through tears.

Jesus said, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. “Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” (Matt. 5:14–16.)

My husband was an incredible example of this. He was diagnosed with a massive brain tumor 4 months after we were married. The day after Christmas, he had surgery to remove this massive tumor. Because of the surgery, he had to relearn EVERYTHING how to walk, how to swallow, how to talk. He didn’t even know who I was for a while (which can be a major trial for a newlywed wife). As Jordon progressed relearning everything, it was not easy, but he did it with a smile. It was contagious, and you couldn’t help but smile when you were around him. His light was infections! And because he smiled, I was able to smile and find joy in this hard journey.

My sweetheart smiled and joked through weeks and weeks of radiation, even though he was weak and still learning how to reuse his body. He smiled through painful and scary seizures. He smiled as he endured years of painful horrible chemotherapy. He was never afraid to let those lower lights burn, despite how awful he felt, and as he smiled, people were drawn to him, and Jordon could always be found sharing his testimony of the Gospel, and of the miracles in his life, that He, Jordon Mott was a miracle of God, and of God’s love for him. He truly magnified what it means to let your light shine, to share it, so he could GLORIFY our Father in Heaven.

Next month it will 2 years since my sweetheart returned to his heavenly home. One of the greatest gifts he gave me was teaching me how to Share Light. While planning his funeral, I knew that I needed to continue sharing my sweethearts infectious lower lights, so I smiled through my tears, I wore bright yellow, and I smiled. I wanted to share MY testimony of what I knew. I smiled because I know that I will see my sweetheart again someday. I smile because I know God loves me, even when I make mistakes. I smile and share my light because I know the Savior’s atonement is real and all encompassing, I smile because I know that HE lives! I KNOW He lives.

Let the lower lights be burning; Send a gleam across the wave. Some poor fainting, struggling seaman You may rescue, you may save.

Christ is the Upper Light. He is always there, and His path is always clear. We are the lower lights--we must have our lights shining so that others can find their way back to our Savior. Without our lower lights being on, souls around us can be lost. I pray that we may all share our lights with those around us that they may find peace and safety in the harbor of the gospel, in the harbor of God’s love. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.