My niece has reached the halfway point in the Provo MTC, and once again I feel to quote from her weekly email home. She is such a rock star missionary!
My niece and her district were invited to perform in a weekly devotional, then last Thursday they heard that the devotional would be held in the Marriot Center on the BYU campus.
"Talk about humbling right?" wrote my niece. "Especially because, I, Sister Cox, had the opportunity to play the Grand Piano which is a Steinway signed by Steinway and other amazing pianists! So I'm feeling mega denaro blessed right? Well wait, there's more."
The song they would perform was a rendition of the hymn Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me. "I was so so nervous to perform in front of 2,000 missionaries and our devotional speaker," wrote Sister Cox. "I was so nervous because I wouldn't count myself as an incredible pianist. I play hymns and I play easy arrangements of hymns and that's about it. I'm not what I would consider a 'performer.'"
I am sure that we have all experienced feelings of inadequacy. It's a fact of life, we are human, we are weak. What would you do to prepare in the face of such feelings? My niece prepared by reading two scriptures that have become favorites:
"And
he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is
made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in
my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
"Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
And
"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13).
I particularly liked the scripture in 2 Corinthians, for it recalls my favorite scripture, Ether 12:27:
"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."
Having read the two New Testament scriptures quoted above, my niece humbled herself in prayer and exercised faith. "Heavenly Father, I have worked so hard on this," she said, "we all have. Bless us with strength beyond our own. I am so weak, make me strong. I'm doing this to glorify Thee, I need Thee to do even that."
My niece then tells the rest of the story:
"Usually when I perform my hands shake and I can't think as clearly as I like. But my fingers touched that gorgeous Steinway (I'm totally in love) and all the nerves left. Everything. I played that piece perfectly and if any of you know anything about music, there is no such thing as 'performing perfectly.' But I repeat. I played it perfectly with strength beyond my own. Because in my weakness, God made me strong.
"I testify of a living and loving Heavenly Father who not only hears our prayers, but answers them. He is so in the details of my life that He sat along side me on the piano and strengthened me to perform. He is so real.
"My prayer is that you will find the strength and faith to ask for help. He will help you. He wants to help you. He is ALWAYS there. I know it, I know it, I know it.
"I love this Gospel, it is sooo true. He is real, of Him I testify of, in His name, even our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, amen."
Again, I add my testimony to hers. His grace is sufficient for all of us if we will humble ourselves before Him and exercise faith in Him. If we will do that, then will He makes weak things become strong. That we will do this is my prayer, in His name, the Master, even Jesus Christ, amen.
"Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
And
"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13).
I particularly liked the scripture in 2 Corinthians, for it recalls my favorite scripture, Ether 12:27:
"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."
Having read the two New Testament scriptures quoted above, my niece humbled herself in prayer and exercised faith. "Heavenly Father, I have worked so hard on this," she said, "we all have. Bless us with strength beyond our own. I am so weak, make me strong. I'm doing this to glorify Thee, I need Thee to do even that."
My niece then tells the rest of the story:
"Usually when I perform my hands shake and I can't think as clearly as I like. But my fingers touched that gorgeous Steinway (I'm totally in love) and all the nerves left. Everything. I played that piece perfectly and if any of you know anything about music, there is no such thing as 'performing perfectly.' But I repeat. I played it perfectly with strength beyond my own. Because in my weakness, God made me strong.
"I testify of a living and loving Heavenly Father who not only hears our prayers, but answers them. He is so in the details of my life that He sat along side me on the piano and strengthened me to perform. He is so real.
"My prayer is that you will find the strength and faith to ask for help. He will help you. He wants to help you. He is ALWAYS there. I know it, I know it, I know it.
"I love this Gospel, it is sooo true. He is real, of Him I testify of, in His name, even our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, amen."
Again, I add my testimony to hers. His grace is sufficient for all of us if we will humble ourselves before Him and exercise faith in Him. If we will do that, then will He makes weak things become strong. That we will do this is my prayer, in His name, the Master, even Jesus Christ, amen.
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