I am reading Paul's words to the Corinthians in his second epistle to them and was impressed by these two verses this morning. As we take upon ourselves the name of Christ and keep his commandments and always remember him, making him the center of our lives, I believe these words from Paul take on greater meaning.

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

2 Corinthians 6:16
And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

A testimony of Christ can lead us to follow him, to become more like him, to become new in him. As we do so he may dwell in us, walk in us. He will be our God and we will be his people. What a glorious promise indeed.

The first snow of the season lays its quiet blanket of white upon all we can see, making all things new and pure, just as the Savior Jesus Christ does when we turn our hearts and minds to him, repenting and taking upon ourselves his name, keeping his commandments and always remembering him.

We all feel like a left shoe or a third wheel sometimes.

But consider Paul's words in I Corinthians 12 (from NRSV though I usually read KJV). We are all an important part of the church, and if we're missing on Sunday or other days when the body of Christ gathers, the whole feels it. You are needed. You are wanted.

Here's how Paul puts it:

12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.
13 For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body — Jews or Greeks, slaves or free — and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
14 Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many.
15 If the foot would say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body.
16 And if the ear would say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body.
17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?
18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.
19 If all were a single member, where would the body be?
20 As it is, there are many members, yet one body.
21 The eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you," nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."
22 On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,
23 and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; 24 whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member,
25 that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another.
26 If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

1. Clearing the sidewalks on a snowy day.
2. Picnics in the mountains in the summer.
3. Opening presents in jammies on Christmas.
4. Borrowing tools and clothes without asking.
5. Hot cocoa and warm blankets on a cold winter night.
6. Cleaning the basement just before company comes.
7. Hugs and encouragement when hard things happen.
8. Patience and forgiveness when none can be found.
9. Safety net against the darkness of despair.
10. Incubator of exalted and eternal beings.

"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls." ~Matthew 11:29

"Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me." ~D&C 19:23

"Meekness is a defining attribute of the Redeemer and is distinguished by righteous responsiveness, willing submissiveness, and strong self-restraint...

"The Christlike quality of meekness often is misunderstood in our contemporary world. Meekness is strong, not weak; active, not passive; courageous, not timid; restrained, not excessive; modest, not self-aggrandizing; and gracious, not brash. A meek person is not easily provoked, pretentious, or overbearing and readily acknowledges the accomplishments of others." ~Elder David A Bednar, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Learning to be meek is a worthy daily endeavor