Every Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. we have a staff communications and leadership meeting.  Everyone in the building in encouraged to be there.  In reality it is a devotional. Announcements are made.  Birthdays are recognized.  New people are introduced and those leaving are invited to bear their testimony.   Sometimes a member of the area presidency will preside and/or speak for just a few minutes.  Each department is in charge for a month.  They are responsible for conducting the meeting, prayers, music and speaker.  We are considered part of the area presidency department which has 11 or 12 people in it so we end up with double duty during our month.  The lady that gave the message this week is someone that I do not really know.  I knew she worked in some sort of finance capacity but I had never really met her.  She had a great message.  She told about watching a TV documentary last week that was on brain injury.  She talked about that for a minute and then she told about her own brain injury.  She has been in an auto accident when she was 17.  She was in a  coma for a pretty long time and when she woke up she had to re-learn all sorts of things.  She said that she had a form of amnesia.  She could remember all about herself as a young child and she remembered the accident and her family and friends  but she could not remember things that happened immediately.  If her sister came to her room and told her that dinner was ready, by the time her sister walked out of the room she did not remember being called to the table.  She did not know what she was like...was she shy or outgoing?  Did she like to play games or sing?  Did she have a special talent?  She said that she had to learn all over again who she was.  Then she drew the analogy to us....we go around all day doing all those things that we think we are required to do...we care for our families and we run around and try to do our church callings but through it all, we sometimes seem to forget who we really are.  We are sons and daughters of good parents.  We are moms and dads who have special callings and responsibilities to care for our children  and love them and help them to be successful. We are brothers and sisters and aunts and uncles and have responsibilities because of that.  Most importantly,  we are the literal spirit sons and daughters of a Father and Mother in Heaven...we are uniquely different.  We are never alone because we have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.  

I appreciated her message.  I am grateful to be reminded each day, that when we come to the office and do the work that is before us,  the reason we are all there is because of just that.  We are the literal spirit children of loving parents who have a plan for us!  What a choice blessing it is to work and serve with these people each day!