Leaving the 99 can be a Lonely Place

There are some predictable challenges of life that can make us feel stuck, such as taking care of small children or aging parents or spending a great deal of time and energy helping specific people with their problems. I am always surprised by how hard it is for me when I find myself in these situations and I wonder if it is because spending a lot of time taking care of one or a few people can be quite isolating at times.  It is hard to feel progress when you face the same loop of problems again and again and it seems like the world is just rushing past you. 

It can happen to missionaries who serve in companionships not of their choosing. Our missionaries come from varied backgrounds from all over North & South America.  Because of this diversity, some missionaries are not very compatible, but yet they are assigned together so they can learn from one another and strengthen each other. If one of the missionaries has significant problems, then it can be very difficult for his or her companion. As I was focusing on one of these companionships this week, I was reminded of the parable of the lost sheep where the shepherd left the 99 to recover the one in the wilderness and for the first time, I saw this parable from a different perspective. I have always assumed that the shepherd quickly finds his lost sheep and immediately returns it to the flock for safety. But what if the task is not easy and it proves to be a very long & difficult journey? What if the lost sheep resists him? What if the shepherd becomes tired and lonely in his efforts and begins to wonder if he is making a difference and yearns to return to being with the community of the 99?  

It is important for all of us to remember that even when we are serving behind the scenes, that we are still serving God in a meaningful way.  In Mosiah (Book of Mormon) 2:17 it says “ when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.”  If we can keep this in mind, it elevates any service into something much more relevant and meaningful and certainly worthwhile. 

This Holiday season, focus on sharing kindness, just like Jesus did. Look for opportunities to bring joy to someone new each day.  Easy ideas can be found at #Light the World.  https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist

Scriptures where I found inspiration this week:

Luke 15:4-6

4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbors, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.

Mosiah 2:17 

When ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God

D&C 18:10  

Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God.