The first speaker was an older brother (70+) who isn't remembering everything. He had a great talk about his life, but the real testimony of the message came with how the talk was presented. Parts were repeated and he went over time. The bishop went up to him and tried to get him to end a few times before he finally did. Unfortunately there was a large portion of the ward who laughed at the situation, and not just under their breath laughs, but out right laughing. I admit, it could have been a bit silly, but it was very sad that so many thought it was OK to laugh at someones disabilities.
I guess it's a little more close to my heart as Alzheimer's runs in my family, but my heart broke for this brother. This was probably the last time he will give a talk at church and he didn't seem fazed by the laughter, but we may never know if that's because he was OK with it or if he was just hiding the pain of not remembering. Either way, the message of how to deal with adversity really touched me.
Then the congregation hymn really touched me. We sang Where Can I Turn for Peace?
Where can I turn for peace?Text: Emma Lou Thayne, b. 1924. © 1973 IRI
Where is my solace
When other sources cease to make me whole?
When with a wounded heart, anger, or malice,
I draw myself apart,
Searching my soul?
Where, when my aching grows,
Where, when I languish,
Where, in my need to know, where can I run?
Where is the quiet hand to calm my anguish?
Who, who can understand?
He, only One.
He answers privately,
Reaches my reaching
In my Gethsemane, Savior and Friend.
Gentle the peace he finds for my beseeching.
Constant he is and kind,
Love without end.
Music: Joleen G. Meredith, b. 1935. © 1973 IRI
2 comments:
That reminds me about a brother in our Missouri ward. He had Alzheimers and was trying to bear his testimony. All he could remember was "I know". He would say that and then pause. The Bishop stood and started asking questions. "Do you know that the Savior is the Redeemer?" "Do you know that our Heavenly Father loves us?" Etc. After each question the brother would say yes. It was the most touching testimony I have ever witnessed and I am tearing up thinking about it now. Thank you for reminding me about this.
I loved his talk!!! I thought it was so good. I didn't laugh out loud, but I did chuckle, not because I thought it was funny, but because I thought it was so cute that he lit up every time he talked about his wife. He would get this huge grin on his face. What a sweet man.
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