Monday, February 27, 2012

Story of The Five Dollar Lawn

Story of The Five Dollar Lawn as told by Bishop Vaughn J.
         
Featherstone in General Conference, excerpted from "The Gospel of Jesus

                                Christ Is The Golden Door" (October 1973):
                   

       I am indebted to a good friend of mine, Aldin Porter, for a story and I
would like to share it with you.  He shared it with me about two years ago.

      "No one in our Utah town knew where the Countess had come from;  her
carefully precise English indicated that she was not a native American.  From
the size of her house and staff we knew that she must be wealthy, but she
never entertained and she made it clear that when she was at home she was
completely inaccessible.  Only when she stepped outdoors did she become at
all a public figure--and then chiefly to the small fry of the town, who lived in
awe of her.

      "The countess always carried a cane not only for support, but as a
means of chastising any youngster she thought needed disciplining.  And at
one time or another most of the kids in our neighborhood seemed to display
that need.
  By running fast and staying alert, I had managed to keep out of

her reach.  But one day when I was about thirteen, as I was short-cutting
through her hedge, she got close enough to rap my head with her stick.

      "'Ouch!'  I yelled, jumping a couple of feet.

      "'Young man, I want to talk to you,' she said.  I was expecting a
lecture on the evils of trespassing, but as she looked at me, half smiling,
she seemed to change her mind.

      "'Don't you live in that green house with the willow trees in the next
block?'

      "'Yes, ma'am.' . . .

      "'Good. I've lost my gardener. Be at my house Thursday morning at
seven, and don't tell me you have something else to do; I've seen you
slouching around on Thursdays.'

     "When the Countess gave an order, it was carried out.  I didn't dare not
come on that next Thursday.
  I went over the whole lawn three times with a

mower before she was satisfied and then she had me down on all fours looking
for weeds until my knees were as green as the grass.  She finally called me
up to the porch.

      "'Well, young man, how much do you want for your day's work?'

      "'I don't know.  Fifty cents, maybe.'

      "'Is that what you figure you're worth?"

      "'Yes'm. About that.'

       "'Very well.  Here's the fifty cents you say you're worth and here's the
dollar and a half more that I've earned for you by pushing you.  Now I'm
going to tell you something about how you and I are going to work together.
There are as many ways of mowing a lawn as there are people, and they may be
worth anywhere from a penny to five dollars.  Let's say that a three-dollar
job would be just what you have done today, except that you'd have to be
something of a fool to spend that much time on a lawn.  A five-dollar lawn is
well, it's impossible, so we'll forget about that.  Now then, each week I'm
going to pay you according to your own evaluation of your work.'

      "I left with my two dollars, richer than I remembered being in my whole
life, and determined that I would get four dollars out of her the next week.
But I failed to reach even the three dollar mark.  My will began to falter
the second time around her yard.

    "'Two dollars again, eh?  That kind of job puts you right on the edge of
being dismissed, young man.'

     "'Yes'm. But I'll do better next week.'

      "And somehow I did.  The last time around the lawn I was exhausted, but
I found I could spur myself on.  In the exhilaration of that new feeling, I
had no hesitation in asking the Countess for three dollars.

      "Each Thursday for the next four or five weeks, I varied between a
three-and a three-and-a-half dollar job.  The more I became more acquainted
with her lawn, places where the ground was a little high or a little low,
places where it needed to be clipped short or left long on the edges to make
a more satisfying curve along the garden, the more I became aware of just
what a four-dollar lawn would consist of.  And each week I would resolve to
do just that kind of a job.  But by the time I had made my three dollar or
three and-a-half dollar mark I was too tired to remember even having had the
ambition to go beyond that.

      "'You look like a good consistent $3.50 man,'  she would say as she
handed me the money.

      "'I guess so'  I would say, too happy at the sight of the money to
remember that I had shot for something higher.

      "'Well don't feel too bad,'  she would comfort me.  'After all, there are
only a handful of people in the world who could do a four-dollar job.'

      "And her words were a comfort at first, but then, without my noticing
what was happening, her comfort became an irritant that made me resolve to
do that four-dollar job, even if it killed me.  In the fever of my resolve, I
could see myself expiring on her lawn, with the Countess leaning over me,
handing me the four dollars with a tear in her eye, begging my forgiveness
for having thought I couldn't do it.

      "It was in the middle of such a fever, one Thursday night when I was
trying to forget the day's defeat and get some sleep, that the truth hit me
so hard that I sat upright, half choking in my excitement.  It was the
five-dollar job I had to do, not the four-dollar one!  I had to do the job
that no one could do because it was impossible.

      "I was well acquainted with the difficulties ahead.  I had the problem,
for example, of doing something about the worm mounds in the lawn.  The
Countess might not even have noticed them yet, they were so small; but in my
bare feet I knew about them and I had to do something about them.  And I
could go on trimming the garden edges with shears, but I knew that a
five-dollar lawn demanded that I line up each edge exactly with a yard stick
and then trim it precisely with the edger.  And there were other problems
that only I and my bare feet knew about.

       "I started the next Thursday by ironing out the worm mounds with a
heavy roller.  After two hours of that I was ready to give up for the day.
Nine o'clock in the morning, and my will was already gone!  It was only by
accident that I discovered how to regain it.  Sitting under a walnut tree for
a few minutes after finishing the rolling, I fell asleep.  When I woke up
minutes later, the lawn looked so good and felt so good under my feet, I was
anxious to get on with the job.

       "I followed this secret for the rest of the day, dozing for a few
minutes every hour to regain my perspective and replenish my strength.
Between naps, I mowed four times, two times lengthwise, two times across,
until the lawn looked like a green velvet checkerboard.  Then I dug around
every tree, crumbling the big clods and smoothing the soil with my hands,
then finished with the edger, meticulously lining up each stroke so that the
effect would be perfectly symmetrical.  And I carefully trimmed the grass
between the flagstones of the front walk.  The shears wore my fingers raw,
but the walk never looked better.

        "Finally about eight o'clock that evening it was all completed.  I was
so proud I didn't even feel tired when I went up to her door.

         "'Well, what is it today?'  she asked.

         "'Five dollars,'  I said, trying for a little calm and sophistication.

         "'Five dollars?  You mean four dollars, don't you?  I told you that a
five-dollar lawn job isn't possible.'

        "'Yes it is.  I just did it.'

        "'Well, young man, the first five-dollar lawn in history certainly
deserves some looking around.'

       "We walked about the lawn together in the light of evening, and even I
was quite overcome by the impossibility of what I had done.

      "'Young man, she said, putting her hand on my shoulder, 'what on earth
made you do such a crazy, wonderful thing?'

      "I didn't know why, but even if I had, I could not have explained it in
the excitement of hearing that I had done it.

     "'I think I know,'  she continued,  'how you felt when this idea first
came to you of caring for a lawn that I told you was impossible.  It made you
very happy when it first came, then a little frightened.  Am I right?'

     "She could see she was right by the startled look on my face.

    "'I know how you felt, because the same thing happens to almost
everyone.  They feel this sudden burst in them of wanting to do some great
thing.  They feel a wonderful happiness but then it passes because they have
said,  "No, I can't do that.  It's impossible."  Whenever something in you
says,  "It's impossible,"  remember to take a careful look and see if it isn't
really God asking you to grow an inch, or a foot, or a mile, that you may
come to a fuller life.'

       "Since that time, some 25 years ago, when I have felt myself at an end
with nothing before me, suddenly, with the appearance of that word,
'impossible,'  I have experienced the unexpected lift, the leap inside me,
and known that the only possible way lay through the very middle of
impossible."
 

     (Richard Thurman, "The Countess and the Impossible," Reader's Digest, June 1958.)


http://www.lds.org/ensign/print/1974/01/the-gospel-of-jesus-christ-is-the-golden-door?lang=eng&clang=eng



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All is well! All is well!

HELLO EVERYONE!!!!!
 
    This Sunday we had an amazing talk from the Elder's Quorum President, President Haring. He shared a talk from the 1973 General Conference about a $5 lawn. It was a way cool story. Basically, we go above and beyond. We need to magnify our callings. He listed it in 3 simple ways 1. Know the calling (MISSIONARY WORK) 2. Learn the gospel. 3. LIVE IT. I have heard it many times  Meaning we cant just do a $3 job but a $5 job is going to be going above our limits. Yesterday was an example of Sister Christensen and I starting our $5 job of being missionaries. We got home at 8:00pm. We had meetings, lessons, and on top of this we had fasted. We could have stayed in, did paperwork, and made phone calls. Instead we went out to check on our investigator, Brandon. He was sick and didn't come to church. He doesn't have a phone. We jumped on our bikes in the rain and were off. He felt so much love and was so happy to see us. On top of that we got three referrals for the Spanish Elders. It was a neat experience! I want to be a $5 missionary. I want to go above and beyond. I have also been reading "Our Heritage". Seeing the trials of what the early saints went through adds to my testimony and makes me want to be better.

             We are going into week 3 of our member referral lesson. its going great! We role played with Bishop's family and the Elders Quorum President's family last night. President Haring and Sister Haring were AMAZING! They have 3 dates were they want to invite friends in their home to meet us! We are getting everyone to pray about missionary work and we are praying. Yesterday 2 other ladies came up to us and told us about how they have someone for us to meet. We haven't even taught them yet! With our prayers and the ward prayers the missionary work is going to take off. We are working hard to follow up. We haven't knocked a single door to tract but we meet people everywhere we go. Its been amazing.

               This week we met a 61 yr old man named John Wayne Beal. He was riding his bike. He was in a 15yr coma! He was 6"0something and woke up 5"0something. Crazy! He was way cool. Also, I ran over a nail this week with the car. We had to run around everywhere on Saturday to get it fixed. It was hilarious. Kind of frustrated. We had an appointment with Brandon that night and I told Sister Christensen that Satan was trying to get in the way because Brandon read from the Book of Mormon. Well guess what....we got the tire fixed, we saw Brandon, and HE READ THE BOOK OF MORMON! He said he felt so much peace in his day. It was so awesome!

We did have an amazing experience yesterday! There is an Elder we love that is struggling with obedience and its the simple things. Well we didnt know what else to do so we decided we were going to be bold and loving. We were going to remind the Elder through the Spirit why he was on a mission and why we need to be obedience. Sister Christensen asked an INSPIRING QUESTION "Why did you come on a mission?" He had a long, lengthy answer. He taught himself through the example of others. We bore testimony of obedience. We didn't accuse him. While we showed love, he changed right in front of our eyes. You could tell he knew of our love. He felt it. The Spirit was so strong. My heart was pounding, I wanted to cry. The Lord loves us. He can only bless us through our obedience.

hmmmm. What else...i am sure a million things but I am running short on time! We are going to go play with nerf guns with the Elders at the church. Thank you everyone for the letters! I have a list of people I need to write, so dont worry! I will write!!

Its fast Sunday coming up. If you cant think of anything look at Alma 6:  Nevertheless the children of God were commanded that they should gather themselves together oft, and join in fasting and mighty prayer in behalf of the welfare of the souls of those who knew not God.


love, Sister Ploth

 



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Monday, February 20, 2012

Crazy Email---all jumbled up-----ACK!!! sorry!!!

Hello ALL! Hope you have a great Presidents Day!!

 Everything is going great! I am learning a lot from Sister Christensen! She is really patient with me! I have taken a lot from what the blessing I got from Bishop Cheveir's blessing. I am being humble and teachable! She has so much knowledge, she should train before she leaves!

The week picked up! I have loved being busy again. We met a really cool guy named Brandon! He has such a desire to learn and progress. He accepted baptism the first lesson. One thing I have come to realize is that during the First Vision part of the first lesson, if we are teaching outside especially, something REALLY distracting happens. For Brandon it was a HUGE plane overhead! I prayed so hard for him to feel the spirit and he did! It was amazing. We have also going through potentials and have made a lot of contact with people who are interested in learning. I never realized how important those papers are until Sister Christensen took them so seriously. Also I LOVE updating the area book. It has a taught me a lot about how we need to treat the people we teach.
             
 We started our member lesson this week. We went over it with Bishop Chevier and Brother Eng and they loved it. We were able to teach them this Sunday and it was good. It comes in three different phases. 1. We teach the Message of the Restoration in the form of inspiration questions helping people remember their testimonies. We then invite people to pray to find those who are prepared for the gospel. 2. In 1-2 weeks we follow up and role play with them to invite people to meet with the missionaries. 3. We meet the people. So far its going really great! We have done 4 families so far!

           
love, Sister Ploth.

sorry this is so short! i had an awesome email but i had to give the computer up and it lost all my work. I talked to someone about the gospel so its all jumbled up!

I also got a flat this week! Ran around getting a tire on valentines day with the Conte Family. They were awesome! It was so fun!

Next week the email will be better!!

love you all!!

OH CHRISTELLE AND DJ ARE GETTING MARRIED!! YAY ETERNAL FAMILIES!!!



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"You dont need a goal when you are robbing a bank!"- Bishop Chevrier.

Hello Earthlings!

Well Transfers week were crazy!!  I felt really crazy, nothing was going right. I defiantly cried more than I have ever.

 
This week I have been praying, a lot. Nothing seemed to be going right. I realized that I was being impatient and expecting too much from myself and the area. That I wasn't allowing the Lord be apart of HIS work.

               
Sister Christensen is great! She is really reserved so not knowing what she is thinking is uneasy but I know it will be something that will be able to be overcome. She is teaching me a lot. She sees the miracles and really follows the Spirit. Before I would just do and see what works out. She is helping me not question myself. She strives to be EXACTLY OBEDIENT, which in turn helps me see what I am doing and how I need to improve.

  
This week was psycho! All of our gators were M.I.A.! It was so frustrating. Everyone lost their baptismal date, we didnt meet with anyone. Actually, that is a lie. We met with Kim's 14 year old son, Jhvante. He was way cool! He loved the first lesson, he told us he felt God's love for him. His mom's lesson was that amazing too. Its just hard because she works a lot and wont return our calls. We will just have to keep trying. Jhavante reminds me a lot of Brent Carter, pain Brent black and you have Jhavnte. Crazy huh?
The Weessies came to church this week! I don't think they have come in 5 years. Their home teacher saw them, got really excited and introduced them to the Bishop and other members. They were so comfortable. I loved seeing them! They are excited to come back. I LOVE working with less active members. They simply want an invitation back!

So I am almost out of time but I want to talk about Bishop Chevrier;s talk this week. It was Ward Conference. He talked about the 10 things we should all do, but dont do. Okay, so every one you do give yourself a point....lets go!

1. Attend ALL meetings (not just the 3 hour block but other meetings. its fine if you are sick, those things happen.)
2. Pay tithing
3. Pay a GENEROUS Fast Offering (if you get a raise, your fast should raise)
4. FAITHFULLY Home Teach and Visit Teach (Visit often, not just once a month)
5. Daily scripture Study (5-7 days a week)
6. Daily Prayer (Are you TALKING to your Heavenly Father???)
7. Regular FHE
8. Regular Temple Attendance (make it a habit! Dont you know how blessed you are when its near and you CAN go?)
9. Magnify calling (What more can you do?)
10. REPENT REGULARLY, Don't simply say "I'm sorry", put the sins behind you

It was an amazing talk! We don't need to measure ourselves by our perfection but by our progression. The Lord's kingdom raises us up! I love this gospel! I love studying the Book of Mormon and the Bible together! I love setting goals. This work is wonderful! Kind of crazy sometimes but helps me stay focused on the good.

I hope all is well! Thank you for the letters this week! They were EXACTLY what I needed. I needed to be reminded to forget myself. If anyone needs anything....let me know and I guess I can try!

all my love,
Sister Ploth

Picture 1: Sister Christensen and I. She forgot her badge...haha. Her hair is CURLIER than mine!
Picture 2: We got caught in the rain!
Picture 3: We got a pineapple for serving the Coutures (we swept and mopped her house)


           

    



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Fwd: "You dont need a goal when you are robbing a bank!"- Bishop Chevrier.



---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Aisha Ploth <aisha.ploth@myldsmail.net>
Date: Mon, Feb 13, 2012 at 1:05 PM
Subject: "You dont need a goal when you are robbing a bank!"- Bishop Chevrier.
To: Mom <lilac_rain66@yahoo.com>, Mission Email <aishaploth@gmail.com>, Dad <dploth@gmail.com>, Jessica Guinan <jessguinan@gmail.com>, Karl <karlden@hotmail.com>, Mema <katc7750@comcast.net>, KendalTitus <kendalinwonderland@yahoo.com>, Papa <robert317@comcast.net>, Dad and Angela <Danang0504@comcast.net>
Cc: Blog Info <amaaazingaish.floridaorlando@blogger.com>


Hello Earthlings!

Well Transfers week were crazy!!  I felt really crazy, nothing was going right. I defiantly cried more than I have ever.

 
This week I have been praying, a lot. Nothing seemed to be going right. I realized that I was being impatient and expecting too much from myself and the area. That I wasn't allowing the Lord be apart of HIS work.

               
Sister Christensen is great! She is really reserved so not knowing what she is thinking is uneasy but I know it will be something that will be able to be overcome. She is teaching me a lot. She sees the miracles and really follows the Spirit. Before I would just do and see what works out. She is helping me not question myself. She strives to be EXACTLY OBEDIENT, which in turn helps me see what I am doing and how I need to improve.

  
This week was psycho! All of our gators were M.I.A.! It was so frustrating. Everyone lost their baptismal date, we didnt meet with anyone. Actually, that is a lie. We met with Kim's 14 year old son, Jhvante. He was way cool! He loved the first lesson, he told us he felt God's love for him. His mom's lesson was that amazing too. Its just hard because she works a lot and wont return our calls. We will just have to keep trying. Jhavante reminds me a lot of Brent Carter, pain Brent black and you have Jhavnte. Crazy huh?
The Weessies came to church this week! I don't think they have come in 5 years. Their home teacher saw them, got really excited and introduced them to the Bishop and other members. They were so comfortable. I loved seeing them! They are excited to come back. I LOVE working with less active members. They simply want an invitation back!

So I am almost out of time but I want to talk about Bishop Chevrier;s talk this week. It was Ward Conference. He talked about the 10 things we should all do, but dont do. Okay, so every one you do give yourself a point....lets go!

1. Attend ALL meetings (not just the 3 hour block but other meetings. its fine if you are sick, those things happen.)
2. Pay tithing
3. Pay a GENEROUS Fast Offering (if you get a raise, your fast should raise)
4. FAITHFULLY Home Teach and Visit Teach (Visit often, not just once a month)
5. Daily scripture Study (5-7 days a week)
6. Daily Prayer (Are you TALKING to your Heavenly Father???)
7. Regular FHE
8. Regular Temple Attendance (make it a habit! Dont you know how blessed you are when its near and you CAN go?)
9. Magnify calling (What more can you do?)
10. REPENT REGULARLY, Don't simply say "I'm sorry", put the sins behind you

It was an amazing talk! We don't need to measure ourselves by our perfection but by our progression. The Lord's kingdom raises us up! I love this gospel! I love studying the Book of Mormon and the Bible together! I love setting goals. This work is wonderful! Kind of crazy sometimes but helps me stay focused on the good.

I hope all is well! Thank you for the letters this week! They were EXACTLY what I needed. I needed to be reminded to forget myself. If anyone needs anything....let me know and I guess I can try!

all my love,
Sister Ploth

Picture 1: Sister Christensen and I. She forgot her badge...haha. Her hair is CURLIER than mine!
Picture 2: We got caught in the rain!
Picture 3: We got a pineapple for serving the Coutures (we swept and mopped her house)


           

    



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Monday, February 6, 2012

Transfer 4- Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee!

Hello Family and Friends and others!

Well here I am transfer #4! (Remember: 13 transfers in a Sisters' life) Results are in, I am staying in Lake Mary and Sister Durr is leaving! She is going to Daytona! Sister Christensen is coming here! She used to serve with Sister Durr in College Park so I know she is a hard worker! This will be different but I am excited. I will miss Sister Durr so much! I love her so much and reading my emails and letters and seeing pictures I hope you all have been able to feel/see/know of that love! She is truly Christlike! I feel my Savior's love through and around and everywhere about her!!

As for the subject:: I GOT STUNG BY A BEE THIS WEEK! I was going to the bathroom in Walgreens and I felt something on my neck, well I grabbed it (MY 'B' (ee)) and it stung! I started crying!! It hurt so bad! Its hard to ride a bike with a stinger in it. We finally were able to get the rest of the stinger out THIS MORNING! Oh gosh.
Earlier that week, outside of Walgreens, A JW (Jehovah Witness) came up and tried to "save us". She was sharing scriptures from the bible and telling us that we had spiritual needs and we need to start dealing with them. Sister Durr and I were polite. We bore testimony of the Restored gospel. She gave us literature but we took it while shoving some into her hands. She seemed uneasy but hey, we read yours so you should read ours!

This morning I finished the Book of Mormon! I was reading it last week and realized I could be done by the end of the transfer and I was able to read 27 pages/day and be done! It was way cool! I learned a lot. Especially from 3 Nephi, I love the teachings of the Savior! I love they are consisted with the same teachings in the Bible. It hit me while reading that Christ's church is going to be the same EVERYWHERE! Next transfer I want to finish it again. If I read 12pages/day I will be able to do it. I invite you all to do the same!

Everything is going great! It seems like when we "lose" people, others jump on board. We got a referral from North Winter Park this last week, we taught him yesterday, he accepted a soft baptism date. We taught another member referral from the Holladays. A 16 year old kid who wants to go on a mission and share with people about "Jesus Christ, Mormons, and Stuff" That was way cool!
Carmen is struggling. She was all about the gospel and recently she has stopped talking to us. She is stressed out about worldly things. Every time I think of her I think of the Stake Conference talk about "jumping off ship". I know we need to nurture her and show her that the gospel WILL help her out.
Lindsey (Recent Convert) is still struggling. We see her a lot and always invite her to church and activities.
Next week we have some awesome plans for our investigators. I want to do more than teach them, I want to serve them!


Hmmmm. thats about it! I hope all is well. Here are some people I have been thinking of::

KAILEY FRAZIER: I want to see your baby!! (: I dont have your address
Ling Family: Dont have your address either. ):
Jason Call: Can I have a copy of some of your music? The one about missions "Best of Me". Its been stuck in my head!!

love you all!!

Sister Ploth!

Picture 1: Preach my Gospel Mission!! (In the car wash)
Picture 2: A girl in our ward collects these Beanie Boos. Well she showed them to us and we LOVED them! She bought us some! So of course we dressed them up like missionaries! CUTE!



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