What I am learning from my calling

I received my first Christmas gift last night. It was sweet, thoughtful, something I can actually use, and probably from the dollar store.  It was heartfelt and sincere, and I was humbled by it.

A few hours earlier, a young man was posting hourly on our YSA FB page, "who is coming to Institute tonight?"
Time went by, and no one answered.  By 2 pm, I was worried it would end up being just him and I.
I also posted, requesting others to let us know if they were coming or not.
If no one else answered by 3:00, I would cancel.  Dad & I started thinking we could end up going to a movie.

There are two sweet girls in Pok 2 ward that are special needs of some sort. They are roommates, and one joined the church this past year, and one when she was 17. One has a 5 yr old child who lives with the father's mother.  Neither work, nor drive,  and I know they live in some kind of government assisted housing.
They immediately answered and said if they could get a ride, they would come.  They love coming. They called around their whole ward until they  found a ride.  Kevin would bring them, and I would bring them home.  They live in the center of the city of Poughkeepsie.
And so it was. There were now 3 'for sure'.
The young man, finding out it would now just be him and these 2 girls, wrote, and I quote, "well, since basically no one else is going, I probably won't come now."  I was floored.  These girls are not invisible. They deserve to be included, and feel the Spirit.
Jen, one of the girls, did not even notice the dis, and continued texting and calling others, hoping some of the local boys were home from college and could come.
I geared up my lesson for just them, (they both know very little about the Book of Momon or the Gospel)
Last week  I spent 1/2 hour with just them and we had  a great lesson about angels.
So, I get lazy, and it is super cold and snowy, and I ask dad, "since it is only a few people coming, do you think I can just wear jeans and boots and my warm sweater I had on?  Now, dad is over me, speaking in church language, and he gave me permission.
I head out the door with 10 wrapped, flavored chap sticks, lots of Christmas cookies, hot chocolate, and a good attitude, thinking how I will bless these 2 girls lives.
ha ha. and then The Lord says, Karen needs to learn something here.
I get to church, and there is Eric, a returned missionary from Brazil, and 2 new missionaries from the 2nd ward, sitting in the front row, ready for a deep, well-taught Institute lesson.  I sneak in, embarrassed to be in jeans, and my mind starts racing. I had to do some rearranging of my lesson, and quick.
The girls come, and, low and behold, so does this young man.
So I had 6, and we had a great class, and the Lord blessed me with some semblance of sanity, and we had a great discussion.

1. I will never wear jeans again
2. I will never cancel Institute due to how many respond on FB
3. I will always do  my best on my lesson, no matter who is attending
4. I will continue to learn real Christlike love for all, even the guy who faked me out and I judged him out and then he came through in the end
5. people are wonderful, and all have something to give 

The gift was from Jen and Nicole, along with a card that said they loved me.  And they really do. Not because I am a good teacher, or because I help them, but because they know how to really truly love people. And it is I who learn from them.