I delight in the power of one.

The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don't have any.

Last night I had the incredible experience and privilege of attending a performance by the special needs mutual. They are a group of youth/adult members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter -Day Saints with special needs who join together each week. Every year they put on a presentation and invite everyone to attend. This year's presentation was "Be Strong in our Standards." It was based around the church's pamphlet and program entitled "For the Strength of Youth." My commitment to the foundational principles of the gospel were strengthened as I felt the testimonies and love of each participant in the program as they performed in skits, sang songs, and recited their lines.

My Mom worked extra hard with Christin to help her learn her lines. "Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness." Christin can't read but Mom had worked hard with her on being able to recognize and sound out the initial phonemes (sounds) of each of the words. She did a great job and was SO proud of herself. They all performed to the best of their abilities. I love the billboard put up by Workers Compensation (I think)...'Don't dis-ABILITY.' While they may not have the same abilities or looks as you or I, they have so many abilities that reach beyond what the world values. Smiles that warm the soul. Testimonies that touch the deepest part of the heart. They live lives that teach and testify the eternal truth that 'Charity Never Faileth.'

A few weeks ago, I sat at my homeward in Sunday School. It was an unusual occasion because a) I rarely/never go to my homeward when I'm home on Sundays. I usually go with Craig to the singles ward. And b) My parents had been invited to attend a different Sunday School class so it was just Christin and I from our family in Gospel Doctrine. The lesson was on Christ-like attributes and in essence child-like attributes. The teacher began class by having members of the class suggest attributes that children have...kind, obedient, loving, trusting etc etc. As they told of different experiences I couldn't help but watch Christin color, unaware of the conversation going on around her. I couldn't help but think...they're speaking of her, she's right here. The Christ-like attributes are so well personified and embodied in countless precious souls, children with special needs, children with special gifts.

Over the course of my life, I have had people tell me on a number of occasions that they could 'never have a child with a disability' or that they just 'wouldn't be able to handle this or that.' Almost every time I interrupt them and inform them that they could if they had to and that its not bad, its just different. Life often goes differently than we plan but it never means its bad, just that its different. Everyone has the power to change the world: in every deed they do, in every word they say. You have just as much power as the next person. Make it work together for your good...that's the key to success. That's the power of one.

Mosiah 3:19For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.