Two Ears and One Mouth

Tuesday was our first full day of meetings and teaching.   We started with a meeting with President Lake Ah Chong, the leader of Pesenga Stake.   We had a very good talk with him about his concerns for his stake and how Family History could be a key part of strengthening the members there.

This meeting very much illustrated the importance of LISTENING to Priesthood leaders to fully understand their concerns before jumping in to push our own agenda of promoting Family History.   President Ah Chong  shared some stories with us about some members in his Stake who were really struggling in poverty.  We talked about principles of self reliance and the challenges people in the island face. Through those conversations,we built trust as we showed understanding for the different issues that were most pressing for him.  Then, when we began talking about the promises associated with family history, he gave us his full attention and showed a sincere desire to find ways  to bless the members in his area. By the time our meeting ended he committed to following up on some goals the stake had been working on in the past which had since been let slide.

It reminded me of the old saying that we have Two Ears and One Mouth as a reminder that we should listen more than we talk.   My dad used to say "I already know what I have to say.  If I let someone else talk, I just might learn something."

Listening to others and listening to the Spirit are such vital tools.  I hope I will continue to practice to be a better listener - not just on this mission, but throughout all my days to come.