Seeking out the One

I love Christmas. I love everything about it. Now that I live up in Utah, it's even better with the snow! I love the anticipation of the season, the songs, the lights, just everything. Tonight I was blessed to have felt the season spirit in a very special way.

Tonight was our Relief Society party (for those that have no idea what that means, its when all the women get together and eat and talk!) I have always LOVED Relief Society, but I especially look forward to the Christmas one. It always means lots of good company and delicious food to enjoy at such a wonderful time of year. I don't have to chase down children or worry about what foods they are picking in or if one or more have already left the building. In this ward, we have amazingly talented and creative women who do everything way above and beyond anything I have ever witnessed! I like to think that maybe I am creative-here or there-but I really don't compare! So, it was with great excitement that I looked forward to this evening.

Then I remembered. I have Celiac Disease. It's not something that affects me very often, at home because I have easily learned to cook around it. In fact, other than social gatherings or trying to eat out, I don't feel like my life is any different than it was before. However, imagine for a moment attending a mormon function with desserts and trying to avoid all wheat product. Impossible, huh? I knew that I had three options. I could go and politely turn everything down and watch everyone else eat the yummy things and pick through a thing here or there that might be safe or I could take my own food or I could just stay home. Well, I really didn't feel like going and being the one person not enjoying a delicious feast of holiday goodness and I certainly didn't want to be the one walking in with my own treat-yeah that's fun! So, I opted to stay home. I didn't even fully make the decision until the morning of. I was bummed, but it was a lot less work and no one would have to feel bad, and let's face it, in a ward of over 100 women I would not be missed. As it is, my calling at church is just playing the piano, so most sunday's I wonder if anyone even knows who I am.

About 2 hours before the event, I got a phone call. It was the Relief Society President on the other line. Here is how our conversation went.

Her: Hi Ramona, I was just calling to see if you were coming tonight. We'd really like to have you there.
Me: um, no I don't think I'm going to be able to make it.
Her: Really? Are you sure?
Me: (wanting to lie, but really, who can lie to the Relief Society President) well, I know that there was going to be food and with my inability to eat wheat, I didn't want to make a big deal, so I just thought it would be easier if I stayed home.
Her: Let me call you back.

So, there was a bit more to the conversation, but you get the idea. About 20 minutes later, she called back with the ingredient list of what was being served and how many things I would still be able to eat. Of course, I went.

It was a wonderful evening with delicious food. They had this delicious looking cake that was crumbled and layered with peppermint ice cream, but they also had a few extra bowls of just plain ice cream (well, not too plain, it was peppermint, my favorite). They had artichoke dip with crackers and chunks of bread and a bowl of chips (gluten free) and so on for everything. Whether those things were all part of the original plan or some dear sweet sister ran down to Wal-mart to grab just before it started, it didn't matter. I felt like I fit in and more importantly, I felt loved. They didn't need to go to all the extra effort. In fact, if I had my way, no one would have even known. And maybe to many it seems like a silly reason to stay home in the first place, but I couldn't stop crying at the end of the evening when the final message was presented. They talked about Christ and the real meaning behind this amazing time of year. They said the same words we all hear every year about the same story and the same baby that was born in a manger. But, as I sat there, surrounded by beautiful women who took the time and effort to make me feel important enough to be there, the real message was taught. Jesus was more than a baby in a manger. The events of that night were only the beginning to a life of self-less love and teaching and sacrifice. Jesus never let the one go unnoticed. Like the true shepard He was, He always knew and met the needs of His flock. For me, this night, I was the one. This sweet Relief Society President taught more in her quiet actions than any word that was spoken. She followed quiet promptings to call me in the first place and then she did everything she could to make the night possible for me. I didn't have to take my own food or sit and watch everyone else eat without me. I was part of the fold and the lesson was profound.

So, as we all get busy during this time of year, remember to seek out the one. It may be someone in your family who is struggling a bit this year or a neighbor who is feeling alone or it just may be someone in your ward who can't eat wheat and feels a little out of the loop! No matter what our efforts are or how small they may seem, we may never know how much it means to the one.