#LIGHTtheWORLD Day 22 - Gratitude goes a long way, especially today

I would be remiss if I didn't express gratitude to a number of people who have helped me this past week.  I got a cellulitis infection in my left elbow last week and while I started some treatment a week ago, it ended up flaring up in severe way on Sunday and I ended up in the Emergency Room for treatment and then the next day for follow up treatment.  I also had my dosage of antibiotics increased.  It ended up keeping me down for the next few days and while I went back to do some work on Wednesday and Thursday, I've really been dependent on others to step in and help me including my family and my brother Spencer who is visiting us for the Holidays.  I wish I could say it's a 100% better, but it will be a slow and gradual thing.  I've felt my Heavenly Father's blessing to help me get through obligations at work, church and other responsibilities in my life.

However this evening practically had me in tears as I watched members of our Stake respond to an idea that just came up a few weeks ago through a member of our Stake who serves as our cultural arts specialist, Joni Astorga.  She suggested we have Luminaries and share them through the Stake, so we can show a unified experience with neighbors, member and non member alike.  Joni and her husband Paul, did a lot of the work to gather supplies and organize, another designed the handout above, a large number of youth, leaders and other adults assembled 4,000 of them this evening.  Another member took pictures to document the event, and finally members came in large numbers and they had gone down the street asking neighbors if they would like to participate and then came and picked them up.  Frankly I felt so helpless.  My arm was bothering me, but everywhere I looked, someone was doing something to help.  My counselors, Paul Fullmer and Brent Hyde were in their usual and welcoming way giving directions to those  participating and my wife Cathy and daughter Sarah were there helping me out as they so often do.  It will be interesting on Christmas Eve to see these lit, but in my heart, I've already seen the Light that exists among good people here in Rose Park.