Broken Things to Mend
I am convinced that my guardian angel has an ‘in’ with Elder Holland (and his wife). I can’t tell you how many times he (or she) has said something that has penetrated my soul, addressed my most tender troubles, and caused my heart to burn with the Spirit.
Perhaps my guardian angel had something to do with Elder Holland’s most recent Conference talk, Broken Things to Mend. I read it out loud to my husband last week, and could hardly finish it for the tears.
For one thing, the scripture he used was one on which I gave a talk earlier this year (Matthew 11:28-29). That scripture has always been a favorite, but it means more to me after studying it in an in-depth way, applying it to my own trials, and then speaking about it (you know how it is when you give a talk or a lesson – you are the one who benefits the most).
He addressed his talk to members and “tens of thousands listening this morning who are not of our faith,” so I thought it was wonderful to see him clearly teach the basics of how we come to Christ — through faith, repentance and baptism (!) (and covenants in general). Those are the fundamental first steps to come to Christ. Elder Holland then says:
Following these most basic teachings, a splendor of connections to Christ opens up to us in multitudinous ways: prayer and fasting and meditation upon His purposes, savoring the scriptures, giving service to others, “succor[ing] the weak, lift[ing] up the hands which hang down, . . . strengthen[ing] the feeble knees.” Above all else, loving with “the pure love of Christ,” that gift that “never faileth,” that gift that “beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, [and] endureth all things.”Soon, with that kind of love, we realize our days hold scores of thoroughfares leading to the Master and that every time we reach out, however feebly, for Him, we discover He has been anxiously trying to reach us. So we step, we strive, we seek, and we never yield.
My desire today is for all of us—not just those who are “poor in spirit” but all of us—to have more straightforward personal experience with the Savior’s example. Sometimes we seek heaven too obliquely, focusing on programs or history or the experience of others. Those are important but not as important as personal experience, true discipleship, and the strength that comes from experiencing firsthand the majesty of His touch (emphasis his).
[I added the above quote as an afterthought to my original draft of this article…in part because I think what he says ties in so well with the experiment we have been invited to do together here — an experiment designed to help us love others and feel the Savior’s love more in our lives!]
The tears came as I read the poem at the end. There is much in my life (and especially in my self) that needs mending; indeed, I sometimes use the word “broken” to describe myself, when I’m feeling discouraged. (I just couldn’t believe he used that word…!)
“If you feel you are broken, please know you can be mended.
In Nazareth, the narrow road,
That tires the feet and steals the breath,
Passes the place where once abode
The Carpenter of Nazareth.And up and down the dusty way
The village folk would often wend;
And on the bench, beside Him, lay
Their broken things for Him to mend.The maiden with the doll she broke,
The woman with the broken chair,
The man with broken plough, or yoke,
Said, ‘Can you mend it, Carpenter?’And each received the thing he sought,
In yoke, or plough, or chair, or doll;
The broken thing which each had brought
Returned again a perfect whole.So, up the hill the long years through,
With heavy step and wistful eye,
The burdened souls their way pursue,
Uttering each the plaintive cry:‘O Carpenter of Nazareth,
This heart, that’s broken past repair,
This life, that’s shattered nigh to death,
Oh, can You mend them, Carpenter?’And by His kind and ready hand,
His own sweet life is woven through
Our broken lives, until they stand
A New Creation—’all things new.’‘The shattered [substance] of [the] heart,
Desire, ambition, hope, and faith,
Mould Thou into the perfect part,
O, Carpenter of Nazareth!’”
May we more fully come to Him, lay our “broken things” at His feet, and feel His healing love and rest in our lives.
June 23rd, 2006 06:44
Thanks so much for this beautiful post, Michelle.
June 25th, 2006 08:28
I’ve had the same experience with them time and again. Patricia Holland wrote an article for the Ensign years ago about Peace, I can’t remember the exact title, but bits and pieces of it will come to me over and over.
I think she was a rather reluctant participant in the public part of her husband’s service, afraid, like we would be. But she’s grown and shared her human-ness with us and we’re all better for it.
It makes me wonder how God would like us all to grow.
June 25th, 2006 13:34
I didn’t read this until today, for some reason, and I can’t tell you how much it means. I’ve had my conference Ensign open to the same talk meaning to read it for at least a couple of weeks now. I do feel so broken in so many ways. I feel like I can never diagnose the whole problem let alone fix myself.
I’ll make a point of reading the whole thing today. Thanks.
June 25th, 2006 13:57
annegb,
Have you read Sister Holland’s book, A Quiet Heart? I think you would love it. It’s such a sisters’ book (when I read it for the first time, I thought, “This should be required reading in RS!”) — it’s so honest and loving and warm and all that make the Hollands who they are.
June 26th, 2006 16:11
I can say the Hollands are very real to me since I graduated from the same high school class as their oldest son. Wonderful people, and I enjoy everything he says. It was not a surprise to me when he was called as a general authority. I can say that he a compassionate man on many issues. Thank you Michelle for your touching post.