Come What May

“Wrinkles should merely indicate where the smiles have been” (Mark Twain). At age 21 I have finished serving a 12 month part time mission in the Family History Department.  As one might imagine I have always been kind of a rarity when I put on my name tag each day.  As far as I know, there is a relatively small percentage of young family history missionaries and an even smaller percentage of those attending BYU.  Most of the people I work with have about 30 to 40 years more life experience than I have and I often notice the age gap: when they talk about children, their grandchildren, when they mention that they don’t hear very well, when they bring up their time in the 60s, and most especially when I hear the testimonies, stories, commentaries, and questions indicative of a life full of service and struggles that no 21-year-old can quite understand. I am often touched by the sweet examples of service from my much wiser, more experienced elders.  They were my...

Life as a part-time family history service missionary has been a delight.   This year has been full of tender moments, a few frustrations, and plenty of humor. I have learned a little bit about shortcomings, service, patience, people, family history, and continue to be blessed with a life full of sweet, happy, entertaining moments. Most of my mission was served at a little desk in a little apartment staring at computer screens and answering phone calls and chat rooms. Surprisingly it was never as boring as it sounds.   I was blessed to speak with hundreds and hundreds of incredibly interesting people with lives and problems and histories and opinions that I will never know much about. This year I’ve kept a list of my favorite comments, conversations, (and even some very generous compliments) that made each day a little more enjoyable this year. Here is a taste of my mission life: “Lexie on a scale from one to ten…you’re about a six.” (That’s how Brett comforted me whi...

 " And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind...And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities" (Alma 7:11-12). Every day I get to help people fix up their family pedigree charts editing, deleting, and restoring data.  It’s not a thought everyone considers, but a family tree is quite revealing.  In a matter of minutes I can see important names and dates connected to you, your spouse, your children, your parents, your grandparents, their parents, and so forth.   I can see your newborn daughter, your grandfather’s marriage, your parent’s divorce, the day your mom died, the day your husband died, your uncle’s adoption, your son’s death,...

“O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people! “Yea, I would declare unto every soul…the plan of redemption…that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth” (Alma29:1-2). For the past year I have been serving a part-time FamilySearch Support mission in the Family History Department.  Most people have no idea what that means.  For me it means helping people do their family history.  Every day 15 hours a week, I sit at a computer taking phone calls, chats, and emails from people with questions about their family trees.  I wear a little missionary nametag to church every week and teach lots of family history lessons.  Sometimes I am really good at what I do.  Sometimes I am really bad at what I do, but it’s a work in progress.  In addition...

“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:28 KJV). A few months ago I went in for a check-up with my doctor. As a neurologist he ran some tests to analyze my nerve functions.  Then he cheerfully went through his list of what was wrong with me.  Great.  I rolled my eyes and he quickly replied with great reassurance, “It’s not you, it’s your brain. You’re perfect .”  It’s not you, it’s your brain.  You’re perfect?   I don’t know how comforted I felt by his remarks, but it certainly made me rethink my definition of perfect. I believe in a literal God.  I believe He is our literal father, we are His literal children, and He gives us literal commandments. “Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal” (Exodus 20:13-15). I don’t think it’s a metaphor, but it’s not always so black and white.  I’ve been stuck on Matthew 5:28 once or twice before: “Be ye therefore perfect,”...

And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? (Luke 17:12-17) The other night I was working late answering phones and chats on the FamilySearch help line like I do every day.  Things can get pretty busy between school, social activities, and missionary work, so as the day winds down I can tell when it’s time to quit and take a break.  This was just such a time.  I had been answering question after question after question from one of...

(Written for a small group of girls at Girls' camp about staying strong in the mist of adversity. The theme of camp this year?  BOOT camp: Building Our Own Testimonies.) Dear Young Women, My name is Jennie and I am a Lieutenant in the United States Air Force. When I was a Laurel and deciding where to go to college I came up with the bright idea that instead of going to BYU I wanted to go to the United States Air Force Academy.  I’m pretty sure my parents thought I was crazy.  None of my family is military so when I announced that I wanted to go to a military college instead of BYU, everyone was a little surprised.  However, it turns out, that I didn’t come up with the idea to go the Air Force Academy all on my own.  It wasn’t until I received my acceptance letter that I realized the Spirit had been prompting me.  My first year at the Air Force Academy was tough.  I went through boot camp for six weeks before beginning my freshman year....