Mormons are big on service, or at least they say they are. We've got a pretty good track record of helping people move in and move out. Generally, we have a whole squad of people show up and help. If you need muscles, meals or cleaning done, Mormons don't bat an eye. They get right to it.
My husband and I have moved a number of times. We appreciated all the help we've ever received. We're pretty good at moving by now. But, I realized that what we truly needed was a little outside the normal spectrum.
Finally, I got the courage up to tell people what we REALLY needed help with when we move -- bathe our dogs. Okay, everybody was incredulous even after I explained myself. But, I wasn't making it up. That was truly what we needed. It wasn't what people were used to hearing though.
It's very simply. My husband is allergic to dogs, which includes our dogs. When we moved, we had to have them in the truck cabs with us. My husband could handle them a lot better if they were clean. They didn't affect his allergies as much. Also, if we had to stay overnight anywhere along the road, the doggies had to be in the room with us. Again, my husband could handle them a lot better if they were clean.
Bathing them myself was an enormous task anyway. It was even worse if we were trying to move. For example, I had to bathe them in the tub with the spray nozzle. If we were moving then often the spray nozzle had to be packed, as well as the tub mat, any towels, the shower curtain etc. Cleaning the doggies meant I had to deep clean the bathroom after I was finished. This was enormously difficult if all my rags were packed, if all the cleaning supplies were packed, etc. In addition, the washing machine and dryer had to be unhooked for moving as well. This all made cleaning the little characters extremely difficult as well as cleaning up after the task was done.
Take the little critters away, bring them back clean. It was that simple. Okay, at about 100 lbs. each it wasn't THAT simple but it was straightforward.
Only one congregation ever took us up on this challenge. They arranged for a lady who did dog grooming in her home to bathe them for us. She was largely inactive. I'm hoping that this contact with the Church did something for her that was lasting. It sure helped us.
Often, people are embarrassed to ask for what they truly need and we have trouble identifying it ourselves in order to serve them.
Let's start observing more and thinking more. Let's start PRAYING more and solicit Heavenly Father's help in truly helping people with what they need and not just what we are used to doing for them.
We'd all be a lot better off!
My husband and I have moved a number of times. We appreciated all the help we've ever received. We're pretty good at moving by now. But, I realized that what we truly needed was a little outside the normal spectrum.
Finally, I got the courage up to tell people what we REALLY needed help with when we move -- bathe our dogs. Okay, everybody was incredulous even after I explained myself. But, I wasn't making it up. That was truly what we needed. It wasn't what people were used to hearing though.
It's very simply. My husband is allergic to dogs, which includes our dogs. When we moved, we had to have them in the truck cabs with us. My husband could handle them a lot better if they were clean. They didn't affect his allergies as much. Also, if we had to stay overnight anywhere along the road, the doggies had to be in the room with us. Again, my husband could handle them a lot better if they were clean.
Bathing them myself was an enormous task anyway. It was even worse if we were trying to move. For example, I had to bathe them in the tub with the spray nozzle. If we were moving then often the spray nozzle had to be packed, as well as the tub mat, any towels, the shower curtain etc. Cleaning the doggies meant I had to deep clean the bathroom after I was finished. This was enormously difficult if all my rags were packed, if all the cleaning supplies were packed, etc. In addition, the washing machine and dryer had to be unhooked for moving as well. This all made cleaning the little characters extremely difficult as well as cleaning up after the task was done.
Take the little critters away, bring them back clean. It was that simple. Okay, at about 100 lbs. each it wasn't THAT simple but it was straightforward.
Only one congregation ever took us up on this challenge. They arranged for a lady who did dog grooming in her home to bathe them for us. She was largely inactive. I'm hoping that this contact with the Church did something for her that was lasting. It sure helped us.
Often, people are embarrassed to ask for what they truly need and we have trouble identifying it ourselves in order to serve them.
Let's start observing more and thinking more. Let's start PRAYING more and solicit Heavenly Father's help in truly helping people with what they need and not just what we are used to doing for them.
We'd all be a lot better off!
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