Finding Joy in Christ

Finding Joy in Christ

by President Steven J. Lund

This is a talk by President Steven J. Lund whom is the Church Young Men General President. He shared about his youngest son Tanner Christian Lund, taught him and his wife Sister Kalleen Lund a timeless lesson in finding joy in Christ shortly before cancer claimed his young life.

One Sunday, 12 years old Tanner climbed out of bed and dressed himself and prepared himself to go to the Church to fulfil the assignment to pass the sacrament. His mother assured him it was not necessary as someone else in the Church could do that for Tanner, while he should stay home and rest.

“Yes,” he said, “but … I see how people look at me when I pass the sacrament. I think it helps them.”

“It seemed that every eye in the chapel was on him, moved by his struggle as he did his simple part. Somehow Tanner expressed a silent sermon as he solemnly, haltingly moved from row to row—his bald head moist with perspiration—representing the Savior in the way that deacons do. His once indomitable deacon’s body was itself a little bruised, broken, and torn, willingly suffering to serve by bearing the emblems of the Savior’s Atonement into our lives.”

Tanner’s commitment to serve the Lord and others signalled an “unspoken miracle.” He answered the call to “enlist in God’s battalions and join in the work of salvation and exaltation.”

The sacramental symbols point to the gift of the Redeemer.

“We contemplate the bread that He once broke — and the bread the priests before us are, in turn, now breaking. We think of the meaning of  the liquid, consecrated then and now, as the sacrament prayers solemnly pass from the mouths of young priests into our hearts and into the heavens, renewing covenants that connect us, in that moment, to the very powers of Christ’s salvation.”

“The Savior’s mission has always and forever been to serve His Father by saving His children.

And the surest way to find joy in this life is to join Christ in helping others.”

And this lead to the Children and Youth program which inspired by this.

“All Children and Youth activities and all Children and Youth teachings are about helping  young people become more like Jesus by joining with Him in His work of salvation and exaltation.”

Basically, the Children and Youth program was based on the scripture Luke 2:52,

“Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”

It focus on 4 aspects or areas which is:

Spiritual “Favour with God” – You can grow spiritually by showing your love for God and your willingness to live the gospel.

Social “Favour with…man”. You can grow socially by showing love to all people.

Physically “Grew in stature”. You can learn to work and take care of your body, your mental health, and God’s creation.

Intellectually “Grew in Wisdom”. You can study in school, learn new skills, and improve your talents.

President Lund mentioned that,

“Our youth cannot wait for the world to right itself before they come to know the Savior. Some are making decisions even now that they would not make if they understood their true identities—and His.”

“Moms and dads, your sons need you to support them now as passionately as ever you have in the past when they have been about lesser things like badges and pins.”

My heart was sunken when I listened and read these sentences, as I am not so upkeep with the goals that both children need to set for 4 of the areas above. It is so difficult to ask and check on them to set goals. They seems like not motivated at all for doing it. Sigh…

President Lund ended his talk by talk to the youth,

“And to you of the rising generation, I testify, as one who knows, that you are beloved sons and daughters of God and He has a work for you to do.”

“As you rise to the majesty of your stations, with all of your hearts, might, mind, and strength, you will come to love God and keep your covenants and trust in His priesthood as you work to bless others, beginning in your own homes.”

“I pray that you will strive, with redoubled energy worthy of this time, to serve, exercise faith, repent, and improve each day, to qualify to receive temple blessings and the enduring joy that comes only through the gospel of Jesus Christ…”

I have been inspired to do it myself as I started my physical goal to get fitness and I hope by doing so, able to motivate them doing the same for their own.

I know that if I continue to do and work by example to them, it will craft into their mind and remind themselves that their mother was doing it and they will do it one day in the near future.

I am grateful for the gospel in my life, and keep doing it and applying it, by small and simple things, are great things brought to pass.

A Surprise Welcome Gift for Seminary

Today, Issac and I went to Church for our tithing settlement interviews after our church online sacrament meeting. We met President Augustine at the new chapel in his office.

After our interview, President Augustine took out a paper bag and told us that these presents are from her daughter Sister Anita. Anita was called a seminary teacher who teaches the youths in the Church in seminary.

Next year Annabelle would turn age 14, and it will be her first year to attend seminary class every Saturday morning. After came back home, Issac and Annabelle opened out their presents happily.

It was a box of chocolate for each of them and with slight notes from Sister Anita. Both are happy about the little surprise welcome gift from their seminary teacher for next year.

Here are all the photos of them and the small notes from their caring teacher ^^

Young Women My 150 Challenge

The Young Women organization is celebrating its sesquicentennial anniversary this year. Young Women's general presidency is inviting young women worldwide to join in celebrating the 150th anniversary.

Earlier in the year, the Young Women general presidency had extended invitations to the young women striving to improve themselves, develop their talents, serve others and strengthen their testimonies of Jesus Christ through the challenge called "My 150".

Leaders are encouraging young women worldwide to think of the activity related to 150 to commemorate the anniversary. They had done it through the cookies baking for last June. Now they are planning to do a bookmark. Thus, I helped Annabelle printed out the selected bookmarks.

Both Issac and Annabelle work as a team to do the cutting, laminating, and punch the hole tie the ribbons for all the bookmarks. Finally, let's have a group photo together with all the bookmarks.

The bookmarks are intended to give it away to their friends or someone they know or pass along to others to spread the gospel of the things that the young women believe in.

Of course, the first one that Annabelle gave was her best friend and beloved brother Issac.

Belated Mother’s & Father’s Day Gift Packs Delivery

When I heard about the Young Women Baking Activity, suddenly it reminds me of our Relief Society during early of the year, we were planning activities and gifts for the Mothers and Fathers in the Church.

No one would know that the Covid-19 just came as a storm and would turned to a global pandemic and affect globally and have disrupt all our lives and planning. The situation might be a little better now as from last 4 May 2020, Malaysia Government has replace the Movement Control Order (MCO) with CMCO as the Covid-19 cases become lesser and it seems like it is better.

I feel as it is time for the Relief Society to do something for the sisters and brothers in the Church, especially at the time like this. We were planning to prepare healthy dried fruits and nuts for the sisters during Mothers Day and big red apples for the brethren during Fathers Day early of the year.

After some discussions with both counsellors Sister Annie and Sister E Chin, we decided to go ahead with our original plans. We would prepare for both Mothers and Fathers and hopefully able to distribute before Fathers Day.

Sister Annie was helping buying the apples, dried fruits and nuts and the beautiful wrappers as well. Together with the help from few sisters, she managed to prepare all that needed.

Combined effort with the cookies made by Young Women and Young Men yesterday, we planned out and get our lists to deliver. I am getting help from both Issac and Annabelle to deliver.

Started from Sister Saffron’s house for Sister Saffron and Bro Tan, Kelvin and Beam. Then we went to Sister Sylvia’s condo, after which is Sister Jennifer and Bro Tesh, then Sister Josie and Sister Michelle and Peter. We went to Sister Parames’s house before we went back to home.

It took departed from our house at 10.00am and we were only back around 2.30pm in the afternoon and taken our lunch at that time. We were so hungry as we did not take the breakfast.

Of coarse the last delivery destination is our home to deliver to the children daddy Alvin. We took a moment for some photo shots for remembrance. What a meaningful day!

Happy Father’s Day Relief Society, Young Women & Young Men Baking Activity

Today is Friday and it is still a school day for both Issac and Annabelle, but today is little bit unusual and special for both children as there is Young Women Baking Activity for Annabelle.

It was kind of difficult to organize this baking activity during this Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) period, as all the children are at home and not allow to go to school, and of coarse we as parents too are worried about letting our children out for activities.

The ideas comes from the Young Women organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is celebrating 150 Years Anniversary.

The Young Women General Presidency is inviting all the young women turn 12 through 18 years of age to join the challenge called “My 150” to think of an activity they can do related to 150 to commemorate the anniversary.

It can be anything from choose to read 150 pages of scriptures or index family history 150 names, or to share 150 smiles or 150 encouraging texts or social media posts with friends who need a lift or a boost.

Or join with other youth in ward and take 150 names to the temple for proxy baptisms as soon as we are able to return to those sacred spaces.

Thus, the young women in Puchong branch were thinking of bake 150 cookies for the fathers in the branch during the Fathers Day.When I heard about this ideas from Annabelle in one of our conversations, I was pretty impressed with the Young Women Leaders’ ideas.

I decided to let Issac join in as well because he is the only young man in our branch after much discussion with our Young Women Leaders, I decided to let Issac join in as well because he is the only young man in our branch.

Thus, I send both of them to Sister Amy’s house early in the morning before I went to office. Both of them would be skip the PE lessons online as it is quite difficult for them to follow.

The baking activity will be held at Sister Jing Jing’s home whereby she is the Young Women Counsellor. Sister Amy drove both Issac and Annabelle together with Yna and Ruth to her home.

It is very thoughtful and kind of Sister Jing Jing that she prepares 2 separate rooms for the girls and boy that still need to attend the class online. The youths would have to take turns to bake their cookies, while some were having online classes thru Zoom or Google Meet.

Three of the sisters – Sister Amy, Sister Jing Jing and Sister Annie lead the activity. All of the young women and young man take turns to learn to bake 2 different types of cookies – chocolate chip raisin cookies and dried fruits and nuts cookies.

The young women too lead by Yna making Father’s Day and Mother’s Cards for all the fathers and mothers in the Church. All the girls learning from her how to make a wishing card.

Both Issac and Annabelle had the opportunities to cook the group lunch. It is quite surprise for me when Sister Jing Jing sending me the photos of both of them standing in front of the cooking stove cooking the fried noodles!

I know that they were having fun too! both of them are very proud on the noodles that they fried and prepared for all the persons.

They also celebrate Ruth’s birthday as she is turning to 19 years old and going to Relief Society. The activities were ended only around 6.00pm, as they need to pack the cookies in the wrappers.

I feel so grateful that our girls and boy have such a dedicated leaders in the Church to guide and lead them. Young Women President Sister Amy whom coordinate the activity with the parents;

Young Women Counsellor Sister Jing Jing whom planned and lend us out her kitchen for the youths to learn to bake and cook and Relief Society Counsellor Sister Annie whom helped out and teach the youths on the recipes for the baking activity.

All the girls and boy and leaders were tired but I know that they were having much fun, especially during this CMCO time!