Happy birthday, Claudia

In honor of Claudia's birthday today, I share this tribute that originally appeared as a part of the preface to the book Claudia: An Elect Lady, which we published in May 2005. The sentiments expressed then are still every bit as true today.

The Lord blesses us, collectively and individually, with many gifts. The scriptures affirm that every person is given at least one spiritual gift (see D&C 46:11). Some receive many.

Some years ago Claudia gave a sacrament meeting talk on gifts of the Spirit. She quoted Elder Marvin J. Ashton of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (1915–1994), who pointed out some less con­spicu­ous spiritual gifts that we may enjoy: "The gift of asking; the gift of lis­tening; the gift of hearing and using a still, small voice; the gift of being able to weep; the gift of avoiding con­tention; the gift of being agreeable; the gift of avoiding vain repeti­tion; the gift of seek­ing that which is righteous; the gift of not pass­ing judgment; the gift of looking to God for guidance; the gift of be­ing a disciple; the gift of caring for others; the gift of being able to ponder; the gift of offer­ing prayer; the gift of bearing mighty testi­mony; and the gift of re­ceiv­ing the Holy Ghost" ("There Are Many Gifts," Ensign, Nov. 1987, 20). Just consider how many of these gifts Claudia enjoys.

Claudia is a genuinely gifted person. Chief among all her many spiritual gifts is the gift of charity. I have known few, if any, people who have more consistently felt for, reached out to, lifted up, and blessed the lives of those about her. She has been generous in shar­ing her means. She has been tireless in serving others, particularly her family, neighbors in the ward, children and adults who have been in classes she has taught, the numerous children she has tended through the years. It has been a blessing indeed to be the beneficiary of such Christlike love through so many years.

Just a single illustration of her Christlike thoughtfulness and charity. Last Saturday, between the morning and afternoon sessions of general conference, we learned that Pope John Paul II had died after leading the Catholic Church for some 26 years. She had plenty to do that afternoon, after the afternoon session of conference was over and before the family gathering she was putting together for after the priesthood session, but she took the time to go out and buy a nice picture book on the Pope, wrote a little note, and walked it down to express her sympathies to Stephanie Smith, our Catholic neighbor down the street. And spent an hour talking, crying, laugh­ing with her.

Another illustration. There is a couple in a neighboring ward in our stake who are mildly handicapped. They are the nicest people and do what they can to keep body and soul together. They sell Fuller products, brushes and cleaning supplies, things like that. Claudia tries single-handedly to keep them in business by regularly buying all sorts of products she’ll never be able to use in a dozen years.

It's the same with cub scouts selling Scout-o-Rama tickets. Or the girl scouts selling their high-priced cookies. Or the neighbor­hood school children selling their wrapping paper or greeting cards or tulip bulbs or whatever is the fund-raiser de jour.

"Charity," Mormon taught, "suffereth long, and is kind, and en­vieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but re­joiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—

"But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him" (Moroni 7: 45–47).