You Are My Hands

September 5, 2010 (Erik)

Last night I read a sermon given earlier this year by Dieter F. Uchtdorf (second counselor to the Prophet, Thomas S. Monson) called “You Are My Hands.” I was deeply touched by the message and felt his message had direct application to all of the wonderful people of our community who helped with this project of goods being sent to the people of the Philippines.

In part, here is something that President Uchtdorf said in that sermon:

“True love requires action. We can speak of love all day long—we can write notes or poems that proclaim it, sing songs that praise it, and preach sermons that encourage it—but until we manifest that love in action, our words are nothing but “sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.”(see 1 Corinthians 13:1)

Christ did not just speak about love; He showed it each day of His life. He did not remove Himself from the crowd. Being amidst the people, Jesus reached out to the one. He rescued the lost. He didn’t just teach a class about reaching out in love and then delegate the actual work to others. He not only taught but also showed us how to “succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.” (see Doctrine and Covenants 81:5)

Christ knows how to minister to others perfectly. When the Savior stretches out His hands, those He touches are uplifted and become greater, stronger, and better people as a result.

If we are His hands, should we not do the same?”

On Thursday of this week we completed the final phase of this project. With the help from Christian Paulsen and his scout buddies we packed all of the remaining goods (i.e., those that didn’t fit into the POD) into two trailers and large vehicles. We drove to the warehouse where the shipping container was located where 11 pallets were already packaged with the Kids Against Hunger kits that the K2 Church had organized and prepared for shipment. Our job was to unpack the POD and the trailers and get all of our goods on 9 remaining pallets. We worked from 4 pm until 11 pm that night getting everything on that we possibly could and taking the remaining items back to our home.

last few items to be taken put on the trailers

just leaving our house

Here is the parking lot and shipping container where the goods were put on pallets…

loading last pallet

Here is the container with all the pallets packed and 2 more bikes fit in…note, my kids wanted to make sure one of these bikes went to their friend Gabriel.

Shipping container is full

It was hard to see that we could not fit every bike, food donation, or piece of furniture onto the pallets. I just know what a blessing each of these items will be to the people there. But we were successful in providing a tremendous amount of new and used goods to the people and to the KIM ministry there. We had many items specifically requested by our friends in Malaybalay and we were able to provide most of these items to them including things like oats, sugar, shoes, back packs, toothbrushes, toothpaste, hygiene supplies, clothes, bikes, and more. I just know they will be so blessed to have these items. I want them to receive these goods with the assurance that we love them and our Savior Jesus Christ is aware of their wants and needs. I also want them to know that there is a group of people in Utah, including many known as Mormons by the world, who are dedicated believers in Jesus Christ and in His gospel message. I say this only because I know there are many misconceptions in the world about our faith. I know that it is Satan’s objective to cause division and disputations amongst the children of God. I also know that only through the teachings and example of Jesus Christ can we overcome the challenges that will be placed in our paths of life and bridge gaps amongst different people and faiths. This was one of our objectives in launching on this journey. I knew we had met this objective not only because of the wonderful people we met and the feelings we had, but when I read William Miller’s blog post about Abi and our family from his perspective (Note: William is one of the Christian missionaries who was serving in Malaybalay at various ministries including the jail ministry).

Through this amazing journey for our family I have watched first hand how many amazing Christian people of different faiths have come together to bring about a great work of love and bridge gaps of culture and backgrounds through love. I feel so grateful to have been a part of it, to have had the desire to go overseas to serve another people, for a wife and children who were willing to give up their comforts to live in the Philippines for the summer and most of all for all that we have learned and experienced. I am certain that there is much more to be done. I think we are all ready to spend more of our time in the service of our fellow beings because of the great feelings that God gives us and the great good that happens from living His teachings.

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