Service Boot Camp: I Can See Clearly Now

Letter from Basic: Day 15

We are now halfway through our family's month of "Service Boot Camp".

We were so happy with the success of our Haiti Fundraiser, and I was happy to complete the baking (of all 700 fortune cookies!). It was actually really thrilling to work hard at something and to see it work out.

I think my favorite part of this service activity was the time that I was given (while baking) to ponder life and, in the process, to be taught by the spirit.

I have also had some special realizations.

One realization in particular surrounds my Silpat baking mat, which I used to bake the fortune cookies. We were given the mat as a wedding gift from Jane Greensides, a woman in my husband's home ward who was renowned for her ability to serve others.

The woman could cook like the dickens.

Well, I actually borrowed an additional Silpat from a friend for this project, so that I could do two pans at the same time.

I realized immediately that my friend's Silpat had never been used. Then about halfway through the week, I realized that my Silpat never looked as new as hers did. And then, as I thought on it more, I realized or rather, suspected that my Silpat was Jane Greenside's own Silpat. And I suddenly felt two emotions strongly and simultaneously. I felt honored and ashamed all at the same time, because at the time that I had received her gift, I had looked down upon a few of the other wedding gifts that I had received that were clearly "re-gifted".

But now years later, I could start to consider the love with which these gifts might have been given and begin to see their value, as items given to me from someone's HOME...especially the Silpat that quite possibly had been used to serve many by this dear lady...that is now being used to serve others again.

Day 15: As we focus on serving others, the Spirit is able to whisper to us and reveal things to us that we didn't know we didn't know.

To read the rest of my experiences in "Service Boot Camp" click here.