A New Face

Seven in the morning is far to early for any sane college student, but I've found a single exception: Service.

Two weeks ago the USU 6th Stake Activities Commitee (of which I am part) planned an enormous service project helping the sweet Jensen family repaint their home. I was in charge of refreshments for each of the four sessions and making sure there was plenty of water and food. Bagels and fruit in the morning, cookies at night. In 8 hours of service our stake planned a return of this house to it's former glory: a picturesque house of yellow brick with white pillars.

Bright and early at 7 o'clock the vigilant workers tired over this quaint home in an attempt to make it something glorious. If I hadn't been so tired then I would have been there, but alas, Taylor was lazy and only showed up at 9 to clean up the food. But I did go to every shift!

That morning Bro. Jensen--the man whose house we were painting--beckoned Jessica and me to follow him down into his workshop in the basement. Inside was a low ceiling and a tiny little room packed with woodworking tools. Bro. Jensen got in an accident when he was younger and he can't speak or walk straight, but he always has the most bright and happy expression on his face. He picked up a large paper bag and started to lay its contents on the floor. He makes decorative plaques out of wood. They all had hymns and scriptural sayings on them like, "How Great Thou Art" and "I Need Thee Every Hour." He motioned for us to choose one and so we sifted through the many and I eventually settled on one that said "My Redeemer Lives." He was such a kind and generous man, and his smile was so contagious! Now I have a treasure that will always remind me of this time.

We scraped and washed as much paint off as we could during the first shift, and started priming the weathered walls. We primed, painted, caulked, repainted, and made plenty of messes. I was the self-appointed washer for the first night and scrubbed all the brushes until it was too dark to see. I found that I love the feeling of paint on my hands.

Jess and I were self-appointed picture takers as well and so we took pictures of everyone and had 400 pictures by the time it was done... But here is proof that I did paint!

I ran from place to place doing anything and everything I could. Bro. Feldsted probably got so sick of me asking for something to do. So many people showed up the last night that there was hardly anything left. We did all of the finishing touches to the house (some places were painted over several times) and we painted the porch a gray color to cover the previous paint jobs that were peeling off. I got to work along side the most amazing people and I had a fantastic experience.

In the midst of the most difficult class of my life I found the time to give this service and it is the greatest thing I have ever done. I got lost doing work and I have no regrets--this was definitely the most productive use of my time. The Lord blessed me abundantly for my service, and I was overcome with happiness. So, in the midst of giving a house a new face I feel like I got one too--a cleansed mind, reorganized priorities, and an irrisistable desire to seek out more ways to serve.