Each Life That Touches Ours for Good

It's not exactly scripture, but that was the theme of my devotional thought that I gave yesterday at the OFSP Center.  Our turn to give the thought comes around about once a month, and I decided rather than choose a subject and hymn to go along with it, to choose the hymn first and then the thought.  So I chose Each Life That Touches Ours for Good.  Here is approximately what I said.

We are all blessed to rub shoulders with other people, and some of those really lift and strengthen us.  Elder Thuesen last Thursday was telling me about his association with Elder Bednar years ago.  Elder Thuesen was privileged to be a counselor when Elder Bednar was a bishop.  He told me what a learning experience it was and said, "Some people are just better than the rest of us.  If you want to do better, if you want to be better, associate with better people."

I've thought about that a lot.  I don't know any general authorities.  But I do know some people who are better than I am.  And it's such a privilege to rub shoulders with those people and learn from them.  We've been meeting with Arringtons weekly for at least 30 years, discussing the Gospel in depth.  I feel like I've been tutored in my ideas and opinions through those years.

We have the blessing of rubbing shoulders with great people as we serve missions and serve in the temple.  Those people touch our lives for good.  We need to learn from them and savor those relationships.

I used the example of Scorchi and Tom's get-together with the family Tom brought into the Gospel 44 years ago.  There are now 62 people who are members of the church in that family, and several generations have served missions and done family history research, so many, many more lives have been touched.

My concluding thought was that WE need to be those great people that others want to rub shoulders with, so that we can inspire and influence and lift those around us.  I want us all to be giddy at being in the Celestial Kingdom together, as I quoted from Alicia Arce in yesterday's Mahubble blog.

For worthy friends whose lives proclaim
Devotion to the Savior's name
Who bless our days with peace and love,
We praise Thy goodness, Lord, above.