the abundant life

There is a little branch that we got to go to a couple times in my last area when we (Sestra Tislenko i ya) were teaching Nastya. There are about 14 active members. The branch president, his wife, and their four kids make up about half of that branch. Sister Shelton, my MTC companion, told me that she was at their place one time and all the kids were just sitting at the table having cookies and milk for breakfast; everyone was so happy and Sister Shelton just wanted to stay there and soak in the Spirit of this beautiful family. So this is what I wrote:


elbows and glasses crowd the table
hands shove cookies into smiling mouths
fresh-from-the-cow-milk fills the glasses
and sloshes around a bit in the jostle

the clamoring calms
scratched-up arms and chipped glasses
seem to be the only present roughness
but even their edges are smooth

the smiles are warm
the eyes glow and shine with happiness
they hold a secret that aches to brighten the world

it's no secret, really, though

it's truth

and we can all come to know

it's not hidden away,
this truth,
this light,
this love

perhaps forgotten
or maybe even pushed away,

aside
but not

out of reach

we can all beam milk-moustache smiles
and eat cookies for breakfast

we can rub elbows with our brothers and sisters
as we sit side to side
at the thick, wood table

we can feel at home
be at home

find center

be at peace

we can know who we are
and feel pure love

turn
turn to the table
sit down
offer thanks
and partake

smile
and live the abundant life