Jury Duty

Monday was new experience for me. Out of the four times I have been summonsed to Jury Duty, I was actually selected this time to be a part of the jury. When I received the green paper in the mail, I had a feeling that I would be part of the jury. I sent in the paper with only my CNA job as my excuse for getting me out of it. Two weeks later, I received an e-mail regarding the dates for jury duty. I told Tom and the boys, "I have a feeling that I am going to get selected and I'm nervous." Tom was being a good husband and kept telling me that everything was going to be okay and that they would send me home. I don't claim that I have premonitions, but this time, I think that Heavenly Father was trying to prepare me for this. The second I walked in the court room, my heart was pounding and I felt this lump in my throat, wondering what I was in for. Then, I offered a silent prayer that everything would be okay and if there was a special reason why I was there, to please let me know.

Anyway, I did get to stay and I did learn from this opportunity, if you want to call it that. First of all, during the trial, I felt this urgency to go home and tell my kids how much I love them. I tell them this all of the time, but sometimes, it becomes part of our daily ritual and not really thought much about as the words come out. So, I really wanted them to know how much I really love them. Then I wanted to talk to them about the atonement. As Elder Matt said in his letter, "Sometimes we feel that we are past the point of no return, or we have committed too many mistakes and that it is too late that Heavenly Father can save us, but this is Never TRUE! " I wanted my kids to understand that it is better to repent of something right away, then to let it fester and become to difficult to ask for forgiveness later, thus leading us down a lonesome dark path. The last, but not least, I wanted them to know, that they are loved not only by me and their dad, but by a Heavenly Father who created a beautiful temple for them to live in. They need to keep the inside and outside clean and pure, so that when others see them, they will stand as a light or example of Jesus Christ.

Alas, I had also found our theme for Girls Camp this year. The theme for the youth this year is "Arise and Shine Forth". Just as the Temples around the world, stand as a beacon or light for others, I want the Young Women to know of their worth- their potential and to be a light and beacon to all that are searching for truth and light. They are given a temple to keep through this life and eternity and their calling in life is to fill it with the good things in life. Not only do they need to keep it clean inside, but the outside also needs to "Shine Forth" for others to see.

One comment that stood out in my mind that was stated in the trial, was "I at first felt guilty, like I should just turn around and go back, but I didn't. I wanted to have some fun." The Holy Ghost was trying to whisper and give help to this person, but they shut him out. This makes me wonder how many times I have been given the opportunity to follow the Spirit and I shut Him out.

I have had my testimony strengthened again- that the gospel of Jesus Christ can make all of the difference in this life. It is only through Him that we can be saved. He is the only one that loves us enough to help us in all that we do. We have to be humble and willing to let the Holy Ghost guide us in ALL that we do, so that we can "Arise and Shine Forth"!