"Broken Things to Mend"

For this month's First Ward's power Hour we had a service project called "Broken Things to Mend" inspired by a talk given by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the twelve. We were asked to bring things from our home that had to be fixed so we could share our talents and help fix those broken items. It was a very successful and inspiring activity. It is a reminder to us all to fix those broken things in our lives both spiritual and physical keeping in mind that we are not alone. We have the Lord, our family, friends, and church leaders to help us along the way. Elder Holland expresses:
"If you are lonely, please know you can find comfort. If you are discouraged, please know you can find hope. If you are poor in spirit, please know you can be strengthened. If you feel you are broken, please know you can be mended." -Jeffrey R. Holland

The Carpenter of Nazareth
By: George Blair

In Nazareth, the narrow road,

That tires the feet and steals the breath,

Passes the place where once abode

The Carpenter of Nazareth.

And up and down the dusty way

The village folk would often wend;

And on the bench, beside Him, lay

Their broken things for Him to mend.

The maiden with the doll she broke,

The woman with the broken chair,

The man with broken plough, or yoke,

Said, "Can you mend it, Carpenter?"

And each received the thing he sought,

In yoke, or plough, or chair, or doll;

The broken thing which each had brought

Returned again a perfect whole.

So, up the hill the long years through,

With heavy step and wistful eye,

The burdened souls their way pursue,

Uttering each the plaintive cry:

"O Carpenter of Nazareth,

This heart, that's broken past repair,

This life, that's shattered nigh to death,

Oh, can You mend them, Carpenter?"

And by His kind and ready hand,

His own sweet life is woven through

Our broken lives, until they stand

A New Creation—"all things new."

"The shattered [substance] of [the] heart,

Desire, ambition, hope, and faith,

Mould Thou into the perfect part,

O, Carpenter of Nazareth!"