Acting with Faith

A month ago in Brazil, I met Aroldo Cavalcante. 
He was baptized at age 21, the first member of the Church in his family. 
His faith burned brightly, and he immediately began preparing to serve a mission.
Sadly, Aroldo's mother was diagnosed with cancer.
Three months later, , only days before she died. she spoke to Aroldo of her greatest concern: There were no relatives to help.
Aroldo would need to take full responsibility for his two younger sisters and his younger brother. 
He solemnly made this promise to his dying mother. 

By day he worked in a bank, and at night he attended the university.
He continued to keep his baptismal covenants, but his hopes for a full-time mission were gone.
His mission would be caring for his family. 

Months later while preparing a sacrament meeting talk, Aroldo studied the words that Samuel reprovingly spoke to King Saul: "To obey," he read, "is better than [to] sacrifice." 
Aroldo received the seemingly impossible impression that he needed to obey the prophet's call to serve a mission.
Undaunted by the obstacles before him, he moved forward with enormous faith. 

Aroldo saved every Brazilian cruzeiro he could. 
At age 23, he received his mission call. 
He told his brother how much to withdraw each month from his account for the family. 
Aroldo still did not have enough money to pay the full cost of his mission and the living expenses for his brother and sisters, but with faith he entered the MTC.
A week later he received the first of many blessings.
The bank that had employed Elder Cavalcante unexpectedly doubled the money he was to receive as he concluded his work. 
This miracle, along with others, provided the needed income for his mission and his family during his absence. 

Twenty years later, Brother Cavalcante is now serving as the president of the Recife Brazil Boa Viagem Stake.
Looking back, he said of those days, "As I tried to live righteously, I felt the Savior's love and guidance. 
My faith grew, allowing me to overcome many challenges." 
Aroldo's faith did not come by chance, but by choice. 

-Neil L. Andersen -Faith Is Not by Chance, but by Choice -October 2015 General Conference

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

The Cockatiel

There was this little old lady wandering around my department today.
Holding a bag of bird food, she was looking a little lost.
So I went up to her and asked her if she needed help with anything.

To which she replied that no, she was just looking around. 
But she wanted to make sure there was nothing she was missing...
Because she hasn't owned parakeets before.
But she had a cockatiel. 
But she ended up giving up the cockatiel to the vet, because the bird got sick with some sort of pneumonia and she couldn't afford to take care of the bird.
And so the vet offered to take it from her and would nurse it back to health and then adopt it out to someone else.

So she let the vet take her bird.
But still wanted birds.
And decided that taking care of parakeets would be easier than taking care of a cockatiel. 
And just wanted to make sure there was no special food or anything else that the parakeets would be needing.

Which after talking to her, and hearing her story about the cockatiel at least six more times....
We parted ways with her satisfied that she had everything she needed.

And I was able to go help the next customer.
Who turned out to be one of the regulars in the store, who often comes in to get things for his birds. 
I see him every couple of weeks or so, and so asked how everything was going and he was like "Good! Did I tell you I got another bird?" 
O.o
No?
I mean....last time we'd chatted he'd bought another bird....a parrot. 
So I was wondering if he was talking about that parrot or if it was another bird.
And he was like "Yah! I adopted it from the vet, it's a cocka...cocka..." 

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. 
"A cockatiel?" I asked.

"Yah!" he nodded. "One of them, sweet bird. He was given up by the owner, some 90 year-old lady who wanted it euthanized when it got sick. And while some Vets will do that, the Vet I visit doesn't believe in putting down birds that are healthy. So the vet took the bird off the lady, and we nursed it back to health, and now he's mine." 

"...did this bird have pneumonia by chance?" I asked. 

He nodded. "How did you?"

"You saw the old lady I was talking to right?" 

"Yah?"

"She was just telling me that she gave her cockatiel to the vet....because it had pneumonia, and she couldn't care for it and the vet said she'd adopt it out." 

Lol. 
It's crazy.
It was a crazy moment.
Like...is it possible that two different little old ladies took cockatiels to the vet and gave them up? Sure.
But likely?
No.

It's so crazy how that scenario happened today lol. 
Like....what are the odds that the two customers who at different times owned the same bird...would mention that bird and come in one after the other?

Totally.
Crazy. 

Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

The Red Spot

I thought it was a mosquito bite originally. 
Because I remember touching the spot on my arm, and it twinged with the "itch!" reflex that accidentally brushing a mosquito bite usually triggers.
Plus the area had that white raised bump that usually indicates a mosquito bite.

So. Ignored it. 
Figured don't touch it and it will go away.
Though I was wondering...where in the world did I get bitten by a mosquito? As they haven't been around for a bit...and like...it happened indoors and I hadn't been outside recently. *shakes head*

But as the days passed.
I noticed that that spot on my arm, had gone from being white...to red.
And that red spot...wasn't fading.

In fact it was getting a little bigger.
And there were tiny bumps within the red spot. 

Which...I'd seen this before.
On my skin.
And I didn't want to see it again.
And I was strongly hoping that it wasn't what I thought it was.

But after another day of looking at it.
I decided that it was in fact... Ringworm. 

>.< 
Grrr.

Thankfully I caught it early, so it stayed just under being the size of a dime.

But it was so confusing as to how I got it....
And I can only guess that I got it from work, just before I left on vacation, as it didn't show up until the day after I got back from vacation....
And it can take around 10 days or so for it to show up on the skin....
Which means...yah I probably got it at work. 
>.< 

Foo.
*shakes head*
It's not surprising that I got it.
After all I work with animals all the time.
And we've had some issues with ringworm with our guinea pigs recently.
So it wouldn't be surprising that I somehow got it from them. Even though I'm always really careful around them when they end up with it. Wearing gloves and such. 
*exhales*
Who knows which creature I had it from 

But I had it.

And thankfully, I also had the cream still to treat it.
...since it seems like an every other year sort of thing for me to get. lol. 

And bonus! I caught it early enough that it actually faded much quicker. Within the week after treatment like the cream says it should.
So woot!!!

*fingers crossed* That I don't get it again anytime soon.

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

October 2016 General Conference -Sunday Afternoon

David A. Bednar -"If Ye Had Known Me" 

• True faith is focused in and on the Lord and always leads to righteous action. 
• Exercising faith in the Lord is a necessary preparation for following Him.
• We grow to love those whom we serve.
• We often testify of what we know to be true, but perhaps the more relevant question for each of us is whether we believe what we know. 
• Believing Him is trusting that His bounteous blessings are available and applicable in our individual lives and families. 

Brain K. Ashton -The Doctrine of Christ

• Faith also causes us to stop worrying so much about what others think of us and begin to care far more about what God thinks of us. 
• Repentance is not a backup plan just in case our plan to live perfectly fails.
• Repentance is really about becoming like the Savior.
• As we repent, we replace our old, unrighteous behaviors, weaknesses, imperfections, and fears with new behaviors and beliefs that draw us closer to the Savior and help us to become like Him. 
• Change is a step-by-step process, [where] little by little, week by week, we are transformed. 

Carl B. Cook -Serve

• We have greater power when we join together. As we unite to serve one another, we accomplish much more together than we could on our own.
• Service is not something we endure on this earth so we can ear the right to live in the celestial kingdom. Service is the very fiber of which an exalted life in the celestial kingdom is made. 
• Fulfilling callings requires faith.
• Blessings come as we persevere in our callings and responsibilities and hang on with all the faith we have.
• Whom the Lord calls, the Lord qualifies. 
• Whether we are overwhelmed or underwhelmed, whether we are scared to death or bored to death, the Lord wants us to gear down, power up, and serve.
• No calling in this church is small or of little consequence. Every calling is important.

Ronald A. Rasband -Lest Thou Forget

• I begin by reminding you that you are a son or daughter of a loving Father in Heaven and that His love remains constant.
• Heavenly Father knows and loves each of you, and He is always ready to help.
• Each of us must first strengthen ourselves spiritually and then strengthen those around us. 
• No matter what mistakes we have made or how imperfect we feel we are, we can always bless and lift others.

Evan A. Schmutz -God Shall Wipe Away All Tears

• While it seems that painful trials fall unevenly on us, we can be assured that to one degree or another, we all suffer and struggle. 
• God invites us to respond with faith to our own unique afflictions in order that we may reap blessings and gain knowledge that can be learned no other way.
• When we find ourselves laboring through tribulation, it can be difficult to see our trials as signposts on our personal trial of discipleship. But whether we find ourselves at times in the dark valley of despair or on the high road of happiness, learning from and feeling compassion for the sufferings of others can be a blessing. 
• We all must learn that suffering in and of itself does not teach or grant to us anything of lasting value unless we deliberately become involved in the process of learning from our afflictions through the exercise of faith.
• Certain forms of suffering, endured well, can actually be ennobling. 
• When we can link our suffering to an assurance of purpose in our mortality and more specifically to the reward awaiting us in heavenly places, our faith in Christ increases and we receive comfort to our souls. 
• We can take strength in knowing that all the hard experiences in this life are temporary; even the darkest nights turn into dawn for the faithful.

K. Brett Nattress -No Greater Joy Than to Know That They Know

• No matter what the circumstance, I was worth it.
• Motherhood is near to divinity. It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind. It places her who honors its holy calling and service next to the angels.

Dale G. Renlund -Repentance: A Joyful Choice

• But blaming others, even if justified, allows us to excuse our behavior. By so doing, we shift responsibility for our actions to others. When the responsibility is shifted, we diminish both the need and our ability to act. We turn ourselves into hapless victims rather than agents capable of independent action.
• Instead of making excuses, let us choose repentance. 

Until you next read these words;

I'll be watching the leaves.

Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

Reorganized

So I went into work tonight to help out with the store.
Because we are apparently like 2 months behind on our Planners. 
-Aka resetting sections of the store to be able to put new product on the shelf. 

Which...isn't a good thing.
Because in the meantime we've ended up with this odd splicing of new and old and 'fit the product wherever we can' sort of set up. Because if it doesn't go on the shelf...it usually ends up lost in a box somewhere. (some days we are more organized than others.) 

And usually where this is really visible.
Is my department.
Because my department is the sort of 'odds and ends' section of the store. 
Because we have Small Pets, Birds, Reptiles, and Fish sections. 
And those are a ton of different cages, bedding, foods, accessories, and decorations.
Which means we're often switching up 'the extras' that we're selling. 
You know...to get people to buy more things.

And when we're in that inbetween stage where we've sold the 'reduce to clear' items, but haven't officially put out the 'new to the store' items....
It just leaves the shelves looking really...empty.
Which isn't a good thing, looks wise.

So knowing that tonight we would be resetting sections of my department?
Oh yah. I was totally game.
Because I wanted my department back in order and looking nice again. I wanted to see the new products on the shelves and see what we got in.

Plus...
I actually really like resetting planners.
Like it's one of those 'accomplishment' sort of things.
Where I enjoy the challenge of the puzzle that planners bring. Pulling things off the shelf, reorganizing, adjusting, putting it all back.
I really like doing that. 

Soo that's what I did.
For like 5 hours tonight lol. 

Me and a couple other coworkers were able to reorganize our Fish Decorations, the Fish Backgrounds, Some Reptile Pellet foods, Reptile Decorations, and our Small Pet Cages. Getting everything in the proper spots and looking all nice and pretty again. 

lol. Though the fish decorations proved to be quite the challenge...as whoever came up with that planner...has obviously never been into a store to see the decorations in person before. 
Because it started out with like the first five decorations evenly spaced....and then like the last ten all squished together in a foot section. :S 
lol. Needless to say...that didn't work.
So we ended up having to fix the planner so that the decorations were evenly spaced out and didn't look like they'd all been shoved into a corner willy-nilly. 

In any case.
With the three of us for my department. (There were five other people helping out in the store as well, just not in my department. They were focusing on Cat/Dog food stuff) 
We were able to get the planagrams for my department knocked out rather quickly.
Which then allowed us to go through some pallets and overstock in the steel, where we could finally bring down product that now could go on the shelf, and make sure that our shelves were filled and such.

And it was just....rather satisfying to do.
Being able to make my department organized and neat looking....was great. Very satisfying.
Tiring work lol. 
Especially considering I have to come back in like...Five hours to open the store again.
But very satisfying. Worth not getting the full rest. 
Because at least...in my department...we're caught up now. :) 

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

She Seems Nice

So at work, we've been in the middle of a bit of an 'interview spree.' 
Where the managers have been interviewing people as potential new hires.
For which positions? No idea...I haven't gotten around to asking yet. Though I wonder if it's because we're approaching the holiday season, as we haven't really had anyone quit recently.... 

In any case, I happened to be in the office where the managers had all gathered, because I was looking for a missing set of department keys. (which I found.) When the managers got a phone call, from a potential hire. 
From the sounds of it, this person already works for a different Starsmet store and is looking to transfer to ours. 

And when my Head Manager hung up the phone, and told us it was a potential transfer, he added in "She seems nice." 

To which My Manager, (over my department) stated. "So does Sarnic." 

And the Head Manager was like: O.o "Is Sarnic not always nice?" 

To which I kinda jumped in and was like. "Well...I do have a dark side, it just doesn't come out often, I don't think you've seen it." 

But the Head Manager was like "Oh no, I've seen it once, and I don't want to see that side again, hence why I've avoided bringing it out since then." 

Heh... ^^;;; 
I'd thought he'd forgotten about that particular incident....

As he has seen my "Dark Side" once. 

And the fact that he still remembers it like nearly 3 years later....has to say something about how...poignant that experience was to him. 
Plus the fact that he doesn't want to 'trigger it' again also speaks loads about it.

Honestly, the fact that that particular incident where my 'dark side' came out is so memorable is that...well...I don't get upset. I don't get angry. 
I'm a very easy going person, happy, positive, all those 'light' descriptive words lol. 

I think I even posted about this incident....hard to say for sure. It's been a while.

In any case. 

The low down was this: 

It was a Wednesday Morning. 
We were preparing for our District Manager to come visit. (Much more of a big deal than it's been recently because the DM used to not come in as often. It was like 4 times a year instead of every other week.)  -Honestly it could have been somebody above the DM level coming as well...I don't know. I just know it was 'someone important.'
Which meant that the managers were stressing about how the store looked. Both inside and out. And were making sure the front of the store was clean, that product was on the shelves, that the floors were swept and mopped, etc etc. 

And then there was me. 
I was in my department that morning.
Trying to get it opened and presentable for the DM as well. 
Only...I was struggling.

Because that morning my manager had been scheduled to open with me and be my second opener. 
-Which this my...third Petcare Manager? And one that...hardly ever was in the department, because it was just after the Petcare Manager title had changed to be more Customer Service oriented. (Petcare duties are like a tacked on after thought in that.) And this manager was focused on making the front of the store look presentable. Aka the outside and such. 
And...this particular manager was fond of...telling people what to do but not helping people to do it. 

Which meant that if the manager was scheduled to open with me...I was basically opening the department by myself that day.

And that was exactly what was happening. 
The Petcare manager had vanished to go focus on other issues that they deemed more important than getting our department in order. 
Leaving me to work alone. 

And I was feeling the pressure.
I needed help.
Because there was no way I could get this all done on my own. 
-I could, but I think there had been other multiple drawbacks in opening that day that had put me a bit more behind than normal. 

I remember feeling stressed out, worried, wanting my manager to come participate in opening duties so we could get the department open....
Only I couldn't find them.

Feeling frustrated, I went to the Head Manager to ask Him if he had seen the Petcare Manager as she was supposed to be helping me open. 

Only....when I tried to bring up my concerns...the Head Manager just brushed me off.
I don't remember what words were said, but the general impression was "go do your job and stop bugging me." 
When I was trying to tell him . "I can't do my job because I NEED HELP."

I was already stressed out. Frustrated. And now very irritated that he'd basically ignored me.
So my Anger snapped.

My face went blank as I tried to hide my emotions. I turned away. Grabbed the cart that I'd had with me (as I think I'd been opening back rooms before that point.) And Shoved it. Hard. Sending it Zooming across the floor (from nearly the middle of the store to the front of the store) Where it hit one of our Tank Stands that was on display there. (there was no damage done, by the time it reached the front it was like a gentle tap when it hit) 
And I stalked away after the cart to take it behind the fish wall so I could work on bedding changes for the Small Pets. (Hence how I knew it was a Wednesday, because the Small Pet bedding changes used to be done Wednesdays) 
I remember the Head Manager calling my name.
I ignored him. 
I think he called it twice, maybe three times.
I didn't respond.
Because I was upset. Furious. That I wasn't being listened to, so I wasn't going to listen to him.

I stalked into the back behind the fish wall, and began pulling the bedding I needed off the shelf, and forcefully dropping it on the floor -blowing off steam.

And the Head Manager came into the back room. 
-Fuming himself because I'd ignored him after he'd called my name.

And probably said something along the lines of "You can't just walk away/ ignore me when I call your name." But what I distinctly remember is that he told me to go home. "You're not emotionally capable of working right now, and we don't need that. Go home." 

Which while I was furious...at least I was still thinking more clearly than he was.
Because if I went home....who would be opening the department? My Petcare manager? Who wasn't helping in the first place? No one was scheduled to come into my department that day until after lunch time, long after the DM would have come and gone....and what would that have shown? My department, unopened, and unpresentable. 
And that. I would not have. 

So I refused.

Yah. I flat out refused to be sent home.
Go figure. lol. 
I was like "I'm fine. I'm staying here. I don't need to go home." and continued pulling out supplies needed to get the Small Pet bedding change done. Because I may be upset, but getting the department opened was a higher priority than me wanting to get away from the situation. -because yes, I wanted to not be in the store at that moment. I wanted to leave. But responsible me was much more stubborn. 

Pretty sure I raised my voice back to the Head Manager when I was telling him that I wasn't leaving. 

Which...I never raise my voice, so the fact that I was raising my voice....yah I was pretty upset. 

In any case, Head Manager ended up storming away to eventually end up at the office.
While I continued to fume (and cry from frustration) in the back, gathering everything together etc. 

My mind definitely wasn't in a good spot at that point. I'm pretty sure I considered quitting then and there. (obviously I didn't.) But I was also trying to plot out a way to avoid the Head Manager for the foreseeable future and never talk to him again while still continuing to work at Starsmet. 

I'd barely started cleaning the cages, maybe done one and a half...when I decided.
That I really just needed to grow up. 
We were both in the wrong here in this situation.
And really the only way to diffuse the tension was to go apologize.
After all, I hadn't listened to the Head Manager when he'd called my name, and I had refused to go home, and I had shoved a cart across the store....

So. I went to the office -where the Stocking Manager (who'd been the Petcare manager before moving up to his current position -he recently rebecame the Petcare manager again.) and the Head Manager were chatting. 

And basically...when I get all emotional...my eyes water, my voice gets choked up and yah...it's not a pretty sight I'm sure. lol. 

But in my tear choked voice I apologized. 
And the Head Manager apologized. 

And we understood that both of us were under a bit of stress. 
And this time, the Head Manager asked me what was the issue I was having, so I told him. That I needed help opening because the Petcare manager was supposed to be helping me and wasn't.

Which lucky us, one of my Petcare coworkers happened to be in the store to help with stocking tasks that morning. So the Head Manager, sent her over to help me get the department opened for a couple of hours.

And basically we ended everything on a good note. :) yay.

Lol and since that point, we've done pretty well. Have had a couple other tiffs, mostly in policy changes that I didn't like (think are stupid) and such, but nothing that's been as major as me shoving carts across the store and yelling back at the Head Manager. ^^;;

Huh....I wonder if that's why my Petcare manager said "So does Sarnic," when Head Manager commented. "New Hire seems nice." 
Because he was there that day...so I wonder if he too remembers the incident, or heard of it, and so knows that I'm not always...sugar and rainbows. I can be pushed too far.

In any case.

Apparently that incident has stuck in the Head Manager's head, and he's been careful since then to not 'push me' to that point again. 
Good to know.

Though I do wonder what his side of the story is....like what does he remember of that incident? What in that whole situation stuck in his mind so firmly so that he stated today that "I saw it once, never want to see it again." 

*thinking face* *shrugs* I'll probably never know...because even though I desperately want to ask...it's probably best to let that particular memory remain a memory. 

Until you next read these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

Polite Discourse

We all do it. 
Assume things of each other.
Make judgements.
Decide that we know what's up and what's actually going on.
And then take action based off of those assumptions. 

...and sometimes our assumptions are proven right.
Other times they're proven wrong. 

*shakes head*
In any case. 
I had a bit of an experience on a different social media platform.
Where I tend to post more spiritual things. Quotes from General Conferences that I liked and such. 
Mostly because I'm still trying to decide on how to use that particular social media. Figuring out what exactly I want to post.
And for now. I thought it would be fun to post conference quotes. *shrugs* I find them inspirational, and I figured why not share it?

But sharing these quotes on that social media....
Can occasionally bring out interesting encounters.

I had one of those today.
When I logged into that platform, and saw that someone had commented on one of my conference posts. 

Basically saying "You know...there's more to God and spirituality than Conference Quotes. Just saying...try reading the Gospels." 

Which....Honestly. O.o 
I didn't quite know how to react.
Because....it's something I don't get when it comes to interacting with people on this social media site in regards to religion...it's that they assume because I'm posting only ONE thing....that I haven't ready ANYTHING else religious based. 

Like...I know that there are people who probably have limited their exposure to spiritual reading material. 
But...why would you assume that just because I'm posting Conference stuff...that I haven't read other materials? 
I admit, I haven't read widely of spiritual books. Mostly because I can't always stay focused with them. Fantasies/Mysteries are more to my enjoyment. 
But it's not like I'm unaware of different religions, different view points, different emphasis on which texts are 'right' and 'the best' and 'most correct.' etc. 

It's like...I wonder if people who have media accounts that focus on just one thing like "Writing tips." or "Gardening Tips." 
Ever get replies like that? 
"You should stop posting just writing tips and actually Write something." "You should stop posting writing tips and look into artist tips." "Gardening is more than just plants in a pot, you should look into pruning Orchards as well." 

Like...do other 'themed' accounts get this sort of response?
The responses of "You shouldn't put all your eggs in a basket, but should look into these other things too?"

Because it's just....interesting...that I get such a response.
I've gotten such comments before. "You shouldn't just rely on quotes from General Conference, you should read THIS spiritual text." 
And like....I have? I do? I just choose to focus on posting conference quotes currently. That's all.

I have a goal to read all the conference talks available on the LDS app. Conferences spanning from 1971-2017.
Soo...I'll be reading them for a while lol. 
(I've done other similar goals for the Book of Mormon and the Bible and such in the past, just wasn't as active on social media so it's not as documented. lol.) 

*shakes head*
So yah...
I basically responded that just because I'm currently posting from one source doesn't mean I haven't read from others. And that while everyone gains inspiration from different sources of religious text, that doesn't mean one is more right than the other, or that we all gain the same sort of inspiration from the same text. While one source could inspire one person, it may not inspire another person in the same manner. 
We're all unique individuals here, with unique likes and tastes and sources of inspiration. 

Thankfully, I feel we ended the discourse on a good note. ^^
So yay for that! :D It was a relief really. I like chatting with others when things remain cordial. It's fun to do so and see others viewpoints. :) 

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi