Have I Done Any Good in the World Today?

Earlier this week, I enjoyed watching a music video that someone else had shared on Facebook. I enjoyed the words and music so much that day, that I shared in on my Facebook page with the question, "Well, have you?" This is the link to the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIeA_5yYgB4

I didn't give much thought to it, other than I needed the reminder, because I hadn't given much service lately. Yesterday, as I thought back on my week, I realized that I guess I had done a little service.

Wednesday, I took my school class to the Soup Kitchen to prepare and serve a meal for the homeless and downtrodden. My students love going and it is a great experience. We usually go about twice a year. I have my regular 'friends' there who make a deal about us coming and look forward to our visits each year.

Let's see, I also bought girl scout cookies, donated to the Special Olympics, supported the DHHS boys soccer team who were doing a car wash fundraiser and spent most of the day Saturday helping my friend set up and decorate for her daughters wedding reception and another daughters mission farewell, the same weekend.

Dan spent six hours, yesterday, helping another young man complete his Eagle Scout Project. He has helped about ten this year with their projects. Although as a youth, he never had a chance to earn his Eagle, because his family moved around so much, he has more than made up for that, probably assisting over 50 young men with projects over the years!

Days of service are my favorite! The blessings that come to you through your service, always out weigh the hard work that is sometimes involved. So as I reflect back on the question that I posed earlier this week, "have I done any good in the world today?" Yeah, I guess I have.

An Angel to Guide You

Grandma and Grandpa Datwyler stopped by on the way home from their trip to Huma, AZ and Southern California and shared this story with us:

On their trip they had visited the Las Vegas, San Diego and Newport temples and had done sessions there.  They had checked into to a Comfort Inn hotel for the evening in the Newport area. They were to leave the next day to go and visit their grandson Marcus Datwyler and family is San Dimis.
That evening, they decided to go out and get something to eat. They checked at the front desk for recommendation and were told there was a Mimi's restaurant not far away. They took off in that direction but realized too late that they had missed the exit to the restaurant and couldn't figure out how to get off and back to that area. They decided to keep going and just look for somewhere else to eat.

Before long, they saw a Cafe Rio restaurant and decided to eat there. It was dark at this time and they made their way back to the shopping area and ate at Cafe Rio. After eating, they tried to make their way back to the way they had exited. They could tell that the entrance back the way they had come was not at the same area they had gotten off at. They wandered around in the dark trying to find a way to get back on the highway towards their motel. They could see the freeway heading the way they wanted to go but could not figure out how to get over a road that was between them and the freeway that they needed to get on.

They drove around and were frustrated as they realized that they were really lost. They did not have the address or the phone number of the motel  where they were staying at. With a prayer in their hearts they became even more lost and were headed up a hill side in a residential area looking for some sign or someone to ask for help. All of sudden they looked up out the window and they could see the Angel Moroni above the trees on the hill top. They recognized this as the Angel on top of the Newport temple where they had been earlier that day! They followed the angel until they got to the temple and found a church house next door.

They pulled into the parking lot of the church at the same time that a nicely dressed gentleman approached the church in his car.  They pulled in beside him and explained their predicament. It turns out that he was the stake president and had arrived early for his meeting for some reason. He got out his smart phone, searched for Comfort Inns in that area and it turned out there were two. He called the first one and they did not have a Denzel Datwyler registered there. When he called the second one, it was the right location. The kind stake president, Googled directions to the motel, drew a nice map for my dad and explained exactly how to get back onto the freeway and how to return to the motel.

Mom and Dad thanked him and drove right back to their motel without any further incident. Dad and mom turn 85 and 83 years old this month. They are in remarkable shape and continue to serve others and attend the temple regularly 2 or 3 times a week. I testify that their years of temple service (12 years as ordinance workers and now as patrons) provide them the blessing of having angels watch over and guide them as well as their extended family. We continually feel blessings from their faith and service. And on this particular night in Newport, CA, the Angel Moroni, literally guided them to get help to make it home!