"I dare you!" are words boys and girls often hear from friends who want you to prove to them that you are brave or strong or daring. They may ask you to do something that your parents or teachers have told you not to do-something that you know is wrong to do. I have learned that when we do something we know is wrong, we show weakness rather than strength. A person shows true bravery and strength only when he has the courage to do right.
Once, when I was about seven years old, I had a pal whom I liked very much. We often walked home from school together. We talked about such things as what happened at school that day or what we were going to be when we grew up. We talked of being brave and of being able to do many things.
Sometimes we would dare each other to jump across a ditch or to climb a tree just to prove that we were brave or that we could do things we had seen older boys and girls do.
As we came to my home one day we stood out by the road and talked about who was the fastest runner in the school. The discussion got a little louder as both of us began boasting. When I strongly insisted that I could run faster than my friend, he turned to me and said, "If you're so fast, I dare you to run across the road before that car gets here!"
I looked up the road and saw a car a short distance away. Without another word I dashed into the road to prove that I was fast and brave. A moment later the car's brakes squealed! Its bumper hit me, and I landed in an unconscious heap.
When I opened my eyes, my aching body, a hurt pride, and my mother's anxious face made me realize that I had been neither fast nor brave. I had only been foolish. I had brought sadness to myself and to others.
Fortunately, my injuries healed quickly. Of greater importance was the lesson I learned that has been valuable to me throughout my life. I learned that the only dare a person should ever accept is the DARE TO DO RIGHT.
If you accept a dare to do something that is not right, something that Heavenly Father or your parents would not want you to do, you will be left with a sad and disappointed feeling. When you dare to do right you will have a good feeling about yourself."
Next I introduced the words of the song with another story. The bold letters are the lines of the song which I sang and then the children repeated after me.
Our prophet, Thomas S. Monson, told a story about when he was in the Navy. I would like to tell it to you now in his words.
"Navy boot camp was not an easy experience for me...I shall ever remember when Sunday rolled around after the first week. We received welcome news from the chief petty officer. Standing at attention on the drill ground in a brisk California breeze, we heard his command: "Today everybody goes to church!" Then he shouted, "All of you Catholics, you meet in Camp Decatur-and don't come back until three o'clock. Forward, march!"
Dare to do right! Dare to be true!
Then he barked out his next command: "Those of you who are Jewish, you meet in Camp Henry-and don't come back until three o'clock. Forward, march!" Then he said, "The rest of you Protestants, you meet in the theaters at Camp Farragut-and don't come back until three o'clock. Forward, march!"
You have a work that no other can do;
Instantly there flashed through my mind the thought, "Monson, you are not a Catholic; you are not a Jew; you are not a Protestant. You are a Mormon, so you just stand here!" I can assure you that I felt completely alone. Courageous and determined, yes-but alone.
Do it so bravely, so kindly, so well,
Then the chief petty officer looked in my direction and asked, "And just what do you guys call yourselves?" Until that very moment I had not realized that anyone was standing beside me or behind me on the drill ground. Almost in unison, each of us replied, "Mormons Sir!" It is difficult to describe the joy that filled my heart as I turned around and saw a handful of other sailors.
Angels will hasten the story to tell.
The chief petty officer thought for a moment and finally said, "Well, you guys go find somewhere to meet. And don't come back until three o'clock. Forward, march!"
Dare, dare, dare to do right;
As we marched away, I thought of the words of a rhyme I had learned in Primary years before:
Dare to be a Mormon;
Dare to stand alone.
Dare to have a purpose firm;
Dare to make it known.
Dare, dare, dare to be true,
Since that day, there have been times when there was no one standing behind me and so I did stand alone. How grateful I am that I made the decision long ago to remain strong and true. May we always be prepared to stand for what we believe and if we must stand alone, may we do so courageously, strengthened by the knowledge the we are never alone when we stand with our Father in Heaven.
Dare to be true, dare to be true.
My oldest granddaughter, Cicilee, joined the Navy and is now in boot camp in Chicago. This story about President Monson reminded me of Cicilee. It has been really hard for her but I am so proud of her for her commitment and dedication to serving our country. She passed a test last week and had the highest score of all of the women in the camp. She will graduate boot camp on April 7th (I'll be going there to see it.) and then she will go to Monterrey CA for language training. She will be learning Russian and Arabic and other languages for 2 years before she begins her work as a CTI-cryptologic technician interpretive. She will be translating classified documents and interrogating prisoners as I understand it. She certainly is daring to choose the right!"
Tuesday was transfer day here in the mission. We received 13 new missionaries and 7 completed their missions and returned home on Wednesday. I was again privileged to go to the mission home to hear and feel their departing testimonies.
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| Departing missionaries with Sister and President Reynolds |
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| The sisters leaving the church for the mission home. |
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| Sisters Bugingo snd Morales. Elder Garza and Sister Johnson |
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| Sisters Dos Santos, Tarnasky, Fitt |
Thursday I went to Brooklyn to pick up some glasses at Costco for a missionary who was transferred out on Long Island. The Costco is located in a large industrial area called Industry City. It is probably the largest Costco I have been in and it was packed. The parking lot was full and it wasn't even Saturday!
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| Rows of warehouses in Industry City |
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| Costco and parking lot |
After I picked up the glasses I drove out to Hicksville. I got to have an early dinner with the elders. They chose Chick-fil-a.
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| Elder Nielson in his new glasses with Elder Rhodes |
It was a beautiful warm day. I had to turn on the air conditioner in my car it was so warm.
Friday morning I woke to a snow storm. It wasn't bad though thank goodness. I went into Manhattan twice to accompany two different missionaries for treatment. After the last trip into the city, I was hungry so I coerced the missionary I was with to have dinner with me at NUR, a Thai restaurant close to my apartment. I had Tom Kha soup and Thai salad. She had drunken noodles. (This Thai dish features pad Thai rice noodles and crispy tofu. Roasted red chili paste and jalapeño add fiery spice to the sweet-and-savory sauce.) For dessert we shared sticky rice and mangoes. Delicious meal!!
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| Snow on the trees looking out of the window in Manhattan |
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| Sign on the train: One Book New York. People are to read one of five
books and vote on which one is best. Sort of a city wide read-a-thon. |
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| Thai salad |
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| Drunken noodles |
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| Tom kha. This
classic chicken and coconut soup gets its rich and dynamic flavor from quintessential Thai ingredients: coconut milk, lemongrass, fresh ginger, lime juice, fish sauce, chile paste, basil, and cilantro. It is really good! |
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| Sticky rice and mangoes |
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| We stopped in a .99 Store to get a hand mirror to use in the nursery at
primary. I saw this red sequined hat and had to try it on. My companion snapped my silliness so thought I'd share. |
Saturday was the ward Relief Society birthday luncheon. I only attended for a few minutes and then was called away for a conference call with our area medical doctor in Boston and an elder in Utah from our mission who is home recuperating with a knee injury. Hopefully he will be able to return soon.
Saturday afternoon I took a sister to urgent care and did my grocery shopping at Stop & Shop (NY version of Smith's) next door to the UC while she was being treated.
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Saturday night salad dinner
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It has been a great week. I have walked every day but today, Sunday. I managed to get or exceed my 10,000 steps on 4 of the days. I'm trying to get back into hiking condition after my winter of laziness.
Life is good. I love the Lord who has given me everything. I am so grateful for my countless blessings. I love my mission. I love the missionaries. I love the people of the New York.
I love you my family and friends.
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Storm coming in on Tuesday
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| I got in on a skype with the sisters in Bermuda. Sisters Thompson and Wuthrich |
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