Recently, Chris. Lauren and I were asked to give talks in our new ward. It was a great experience. I learned so much from studying about what it means to "Be Thou an Example of The Believers".
I have come to the conclusion that being an example radiates from our very being. It's who we are, what we believe in, and how we act. There is good in everyone. Even though our beliefs may differ, we all radiate something......What is it that you radiate? What conviction shows forth from you that says "I AM AN EXAMPLE"? I believe that our own heritage is rich with examples of those that sacrificed and paved the way and were true examples of the believers.
My Grandma Wardle is one of those people! She was as cute as can be. She was a pretty as a Georgia peach and that is where she grew up. She was a true southern belle and very petite. She had a southern drawl in her voice that never left her. She used to say "Tamara Joy" with the cutest southern accent and it would melt my heart. She used phrases like "Oh, fiddly dee" and "I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream"! She had a sweet sound to her voice that drew you right in like a good book. Her warm embraces felt like rays of sunshine on a warm Spring day.
When Grandma would come to visit, her and Grandpa would stay in my room since I had a trundle bed. I never minded giving up my room because when Grandma left, her sweet scent was always left on my pillow. I never wanted to wash my pillowcase and her sweet scent seemed to linger forever! She would also leave a cute note saying "Thank you" and sometimes even left a dollar. I felt so rich, but it wasn't the money that made me rich, it was the feeling Grandma left in your room. She was pure and sweet to the core. You felt like a piece of heaven had just been there.
Grandma always tried to better herself and knew the scriptures like the back of her hand. She had notes all over the margins and inserts throughout her scriptures. You could tell she studied often. She had pictures of Christ throughout her house and loved to learn Spanish. Can you imagine this cute Georgia Grandma speaking Spanish to you with a southern accent? We would just giggle when grandma would say "Como tu te llamas" in her cute southern way.
When we would visit grandma in the summertime, there was never a dull moment. She always treated us to a fun outing and it was just peaceful to be in here presence. One particular Summer, I lived there between my junior and senior year of high school. My grandparents rented a piano for me so I could keep up on my music studies. They made me feel so wonderful and would showcase me to their friends as if I were some kind of prize possession....and indeed I was. I was their most prize possession, and although there were many cousins, when you were with them, they made you feel as if you were the most important person on earth. Grandma would take me walking with her every morning to the Rex Center. While we would walk, we would talk about life and she would share her testimony of her beliefs and convictions. The love she had for me, was apparent. It wasn't just a feeling...it was real..tangible, just like she was! Someday, I want to be that kind of grandma.
Grandma lived what she believed and you knew it. She talked often of choosing the right, being obedient, keeping the commandments and honoring my parents. When I wasn't visiting grandma, I was receiving letters of love and concern in the mail. She always sent pictures of herself in front of flowers...Oh, how grandma loved flowers! Her favorite were dogwoods and I have many pictures of grandma infront of them. She just seemed to know what it was that I needed at certain times in my life. She once sent me a copy of a talk by President Benson entitled "Beware of Pride". At the time, I brushed it aside, but years later, that talk became a profound tool in my journey of becoming a better person and to this day remains a very special talk to me. How did she know? It's like she could see into the future and KNEW that at some point, I would really need this talk.
As grandma got older and I was married, I watched her even more. I started to long for some of her traits to be mine, and I adopted many of them and faked it till I made it. Grandma radiated love. She radiated care, and mutual respect and fashion. My cousins and I would brag to our friends and be so proud that we had the hippest grandma on earth. And truly...... she was.
When grandma passed away, I was heart-broken. I piece of heaven had now returned to heaven. She loved music and good books and good company and good food and everything good. She represented to me what the phrase "Charity Never Faitleth" truly means. Many times since her death, I have felt her presence and have pondered the question "Would my grandma be proud of what I am doing?"
We all need an example of the believer to have as a steady example of who we to be like. Christ was the ultimate example of charity, pure love, humility....and those are just some of the trails that grandma possessed. Who is it in your life that you emulate, that you desire to be more like? What in your life needs some fine tuning so you can be a better example of the believer?
Daily Challenge: Make a list of those qualities that you love about yourself and those that need some fine tuning...choose one and work on it for the week and don't forget to smile!!
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