Focus Desires...Simplify Life...Become Better

Yep...so that is what has been on my mind lately.  Cutting things out.  Adding things in.   Intentionally noticing where improvements are needed. 

I've started to realize that although I do many good things some of them aren't necessarily the best or take time away where it is more importantly needed.  I've been letting some things start to slip from my routine or at least not be so high on my list.  It has been good.  I am looking forward to a continued journey of simplifying.

This all started from this talk - Desire by Elder Dallin H. Oaks.  I actually sat down and started writing down what my desires are and then I realized that what I was really writing down was what my desires SHOULD be.  Some of them match the actions that I take and some I realized I am not truly following through with.  I realized that some of the ways I was using time showed that different desires were somehow eeking up on my priority list.  Not good.

So of course while I was thinking on what I desired most and what I desire to BECOME I thought back to another one of my favorite Conference gems:  What Manner of Men and Women Ought You to Be? by  Elder Lynn G. Robbins. 

My brain and my heart and my spirit have been churning with all of these ideas of simplifying, righteous desires, and becoming who I can become.  It has turned into a mush of goodness and still has me making changes and pondering and trying to grasp what needs to be done and what needs not to be done, and where things need to slip and where things need to expand or be emphasized.  I sense a great push to simplify life and yet a great push to expand spirtual things and be more intentional and present at each stage of rearing my children.

After much of this reading and thinking and pondering was done I went and read this talk - Daughters of God by Elder M. Russell Ballard.  So good.

It is time to focus my desires, simplify my life, and strive to become better in very specific and intentional ways.  Off to work (well, off to bed of now but you know what I mean). 

Counsel from the Saturday Afternoon Session - April 2011

Saturday Afternoon Session

Boyd K. Packer

·    “Obedient to revelation, we call ourselves The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints rather than the Mormon Church. It is one thing for others to refer to the Church as the Mormon Church or to us as Mormons; it is quite another for us to do so.”

·    “We ask that when we refer to the Church we use its full name wherever possible…When referring to Church members, we suggest ‘members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.’ As a shortened reference, ‘Latter-day Saints’ is preferred.”

·    “Everyone is tested. One might think it is unfair to be singled out and subjected to a particular temptation, but this is the purpose of mortal life—to be tested. And the answer is the same for everyone: we must, and we can, resist temptations of any kind.”

·    “A Latter-day Saint man is a responsible family man, faithful in the gospel. He is a caring, devoted husband and father. He reveres womanhood. The wife sustains her husband. Both parents nurture the spiritual growth of their children.”

·    “If you are carrying some burden, forget it, let it alone. Do a lot of forgiving and a little repenting, and you will be visited by the Spirit of the Holy Ghost and confirmed by the testimony that you did not know existed.”

Russell M. Nelson

·    “You parents bear the primary responsibility to strengthen their faith. Let them feel your faith, even when sore trials come upon you. Let your faith be focused on our loving Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Teach that faith with deep conviction. Teach each precious boy or girl that he or she is a child of God, created in His image, with a sacred purpose and potential.”

·    “Teach of faith in God’s plan of salvation. Teach that our sojourn in mortality is a period of probation, a time of trial and testing to see if we will do whatever the Lord commands us to do.”

·    “Teach of faith to keep all the commandments of God, knowing that they are given to bless His children and bring them joy. Warn them that they will encounter people who pick which commandments they will keep and ignore others that they choose to break.”

·    “Teach of faith to know that obedience to the commandments of God will provide physical and spiritual protection. And remember, God’s holy angels are ever on call to help us.”

·    “To develop enduring faith, an enduring commitment to be a full-tithe payer is essential.”

Richard J. Maynes

·    “Learning, teaching, and practicing the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ in our homes helps create a culture where the Spirit can dwell. Through establishing these celestial traditions in our homes, we will be able to overcome the false traditions of the world and learn to put the needs and concerns of others first.”

·    “The responsibility for establishing a Christ-centered home lies with both parents and children. Parents are responsible to teach their children in love and righteousness. Parents will be held accountable before the Lord in how they perform their sacred responsibilities. Parents teach their children with words and through example.”

Cecil O. Samuelson

10 Observations regarding our testimonies:

·    “First, everyone has worth because we are all children of God. He knows us, loves us, and wants us to succeed and return to Him. We must learn to trust in His love and in His timing rather than in our own sometimes impatient and imperfect desires.”

·    “Second, while we believe fully in the mighty change of heart described in the scriptures (see Mosiah 5:2; Alma 5:12–14, 26), we must understand it often occurs gradually, rather than instantaneously or globally.”

·    “Third, we need to remember that a fundamental purpose of life is to be tested and stretched, and thus we must learn to grow from our challenges”

·    “Fourth, we must learn to trust the things that we believe in or know to sustain us in times of uncertainty.”

·    “Fifth, as Alma taught, gaining a testimony is usually a progression along the continuum of hoping, believing, and finally knowing the truth of a specific principle, doctrine, or the gospel itself.”

·    “Sixth, teaching someone else what we know strengthens our own testimony as we build that of another.”

·    “Seventh, we must do the little but necessary things daily and regularly. Prayers, scripture and gospel study, attendance at Church meetings, temple worship, fulfilling visiting teaching, home teaching, and other assignments all strengthen our faith and invite the Spirit into our lives. When we neglect any of these privileges, we place our testimonies in jeopardy.”

·    “Eighth, we should not have higher standards for others than we do for ourselves.”

·    “Ninth, it is good to remember that being too hard on yourself when you make a mistake can be as negative as being too casual when real repentance is needed.”

·    “And tenth, we must always be clear that the Atonement of Christ is fully and continuously operative for each of us when we allow it to be so.”

Dallin H. Oaks

·    “Readjusting our desires to give highest priority to the things of eternity is not easy. We are all tempted to desire that worldly quartet of property, prominence, pride, and power. We might desire these, but we should not fix them as our highest priorities.”

·    “We should remember that righteous desires cannot be superficial, impulsive, or temporary. They must be heartfelt, unwavering, and permanent. So motivated, we will seek for that condition described by the Prophet Joseph Smith, where we have ‘overcome the evils of [our lives] and lost every desire for sin.’ That is a very personal decision.”

·    “To achieve our eternal destiny, we will desire and work for the qualities required to become an eternal being.”

·    “All should desire and seriously work to secure a marriage for eternity. Those who already have a temple marriage should do all they can to preserve it. Those who are single should desire a temple marriage and exert priority efforts to obtain it. Youth and young singles should resist the politically correct but eternally false concept that discredits the importance of marrying and having children.”

·    “Let us remember that desires dictate our priorities, priorities shape our choices, and choices determine our actions. In addition, it is our actions and our desires that cause us to become something, whether a true friend, a gifted teacher, or one who has qualified for eternal life.”

M. Russell Ballard

·    “We should strive to keep our lives…simple, unencumbered by extraneous influences, focused on those things that matter most.”

·    "There are myriad ways and circumstances in which we can serve and love others. May I suggest just a few.

·    “First, charity begins at home. The single most important principle that should govern every home is to practice the Golden Rule—the Lord’s admonition that “all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them” (Matthew 7:12).

·    “Another place where we have ample opportunity to serve is in the Church…By treating each other kindly, speaking words of support and encouragement, and being sensitive to each other’s needs, we can create loving unity among ward members…Ward members, both adults and youth, can unite in meaningful service to bless the lives of others.

·    “A third area where we can serve is in our communities. As a pure expression of our love and concern, we can reach out to those who have need of our help.”

·    “Another way we can serve Heavenly Father’s children is through missionary service—not only as full-time missionaries but also as friends and neighbors. The future growth of the Church will not happen through just knocking on strangers’ doors. It will happen when the members, along with our missionaries, filled with the love of God and Christ discern needs and respond to those needs in the spirit of charitable service…Then and only then will the Church expand to fill all of the earth. This cannot be accomplished by missionaries alone but requires the interest and service of every member.”

·    “In all of our service, we need to be sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Ghost. The still, small voice will let us know who needs our help and what we can do to help them.”

Happy Pioneer Day!

Boring Church Meetings

You know those Sundays that seem to just drag on. The speaker is boring because they are reading their talk with their head down. The Gospel Doctrine teacher hasn't prepared well. And then in Relief Society/Elder's Quorum there is no class involvement. If you notice when reading these statements they are all focused on someone else and what they did or did not do. Well I have been thinking a little bit about my attitude towards Church meetings and my role in what I get out of them.

Does it Say More About the Teacher-or About You?

As I have been thinking I found this great quote: "Now I would ask you to think about...your own ability to have great spiritual experiences as you attend a class or a sacrament meeting on Sunday. What is your role in creating the environment in which the Spirit can teach you the things you need to know? If you find a Church class or a sacrament meeting boring, does that say more about the teacher—or about you?"

What great questions to ask ourselves. What a great way to check our attitudes and the roles we are taking in our meetings. They have me thinking.

“What do you do if you find yourself caught in a boring sacrament meeting?”

The quote continues, "Consider the response of President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) when someone once asked him, “What do you do if you find yourself caught in a boring sacrament meeting?” President Kimball thought a moment, then replied, “I don’t know; I’ve never been in one.” With his long years of Church experience, President Kimball had undoubtedly been to many meetings where people had read their talks, spoken in a monotone, or given travelogues instead of teaching doctrine. But most likely, President Kimball was teaching that he did not go to sacrament meeting to be entertained; he went to worship the Lord, renew his covenants, and be taught from on high. If he attended with an open heart, a desire to be “nourished by the good word of God” (Moroni 6:4), and a prayer—rather than judgment—for the speakers, the Spirit would teach him what he needed to do to be a more effective and faithful disciple. President Kimball was teaching the principle of learning by the Spirit" (A. Roger Merrill, “To Be Edified and Rejoice Together,” Ensign, Jan 2007, 64–69).

I love the statement that sacrament meeting is not to entertain us but we attend Church to worship, renew covenants, and to be taught. So if we stop looking for the speaker or teacher to entertain and start listening to the Spirit then we will be taught and edified. The teacher/speaker still holds a role but we must do our part and so importantly we must pray for those who teach and not judge them. I loved that.

Losing our Lives in Service to Others

Finally I love this last quote and example given by Elder Oaks in General Conference, "Each of us should apply that principle (losing our lives in service to others) to our attitudes in attending church. Some say “I didn’t learn anything today” or “No one was friendly to me” or “I was offended” or “The Church is not filling my needs.” All those answers are self-centered, and all retard spiritual growth.

In contrast, a wise friend wrote:

“Years ago, I changed my attitude about going to church. No longer do I go to church for my sake, but to think of others. I make a point of saying hello to people who sit alone, to welcome visitors, . . . to volunteer for an assignment. . . .

“In short, I go to church each week with the intent of being active, not passive, and making a positive difference in people’s lives. Consequently, my attendance at Church meetings is so much more enjoyable and fulfilling.”

All of this illustrates the eternal principle that we are happier and more fulfilled when we act and serve for what we give, not for what we get."

Our Job is to Seek to Learn and to Serve

What a powerful example. I love that. I think so often we think "what's in it for me" or "I didn't get anything out of that." But if we were to change our attitudes and focus on our own role as learners and attend Church to be taught and uplifted by the Spirit we would be there for the right reasons; we would be there to worship the Lord.

So first thing I've determined is that we need to focus on our role as learners...so this is more about us and our experience. Then on the total flip side we need to think of others as we attend Church. We need to actively seek out and serve others while we attend. Notice those that may be sitting by themselves, sign up to help out with something that maybe you normally wouldn't, or say hello and smile at someone in the hall. Simple things can make a big difference, a big spiritual difference in our own and other's Church going experience.

It Begins Before Sunday

I often do not prepare myself adequately for this day and consequently we are running around on Sunday mornings and rushing in just a few minutes before the meeting starts. I often feel frazzled and much less than Spirit-filled before the meetings begin. This makes me think of this wonderful primary song:

Saturday is a special day.
It’s the day we get ready for Sunday:
We clean the house, and we shop at the store,
So we won’t have to work until Monday.
We brush our clothes, and we shine our shoes,
And we call it our get-the-work-done day.
Then we trim our nails, and we shampoo our hair,
So we can be ready for Sunday!

If we prepare ourselves and get ready for Sunday our meetings will be far more spiritual and no where close to boring. If we do our part, we may not be entertained socially but we will be entertained spiritually. Let us go to Church as prepared learners and students. Let us go to Church to uplift and to serve others. Let us prepare ourselves for the special and sacred sabbath day.

The Name of Christ

This quote by Elder Oaks has peaked my interest and overtaken a few study sessions. I don't fully understand these deeper meanings of taking the name of Christ upon me but I hope to. Please read and share your thoughts and feelings about this wonderful quote.

“We see that we take upon us the name of Christ when we are baptized in his name, when we belong to his Church and profess our belief in him, and when we do the work of his kingdom. . . .

“There are other meanings as well, deeper meanings that the more mature members of the Church should understand and ponder as he or she partakes of the sacrament.

“It is significant that when we partake of the sacrament we do not witness that we take upon us the name of Jesus Christ. We witness that we are willing to do so. (See D&C 20:77.) The fact that we only witness to our willingness suggests that something else must happen before we actually take that sacred name upon us in the most important sense.

“What future event or events could this covenant contemplate? The scriptures suggest two sacred possibilities, one concerning the authority of God, especially as exercised in the temples, and the other—closely related—concerning exaltation in the celestial kingdom. . . .

“Willingness to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ can therefore be understood as willingness to take upon us the authority of Jesus Christ. According to this meaning, by partaking of the sacrament we witness our willingness to participate in the sacred ordinances of the temple and to receive the highest blessings available through the name and by the authority of the Savior when he chooses to confer them upon us. . . .

“. . . Our willingness to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ affirms our commitment to do all that we can to be counted among those whom he will choose to stand at his right hand and be called by his name at the last day. In this sacred sense, our witness that we are willing to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ constitutes our declaration of candidacy for exaltation in the celestial kingdom. Exaltation is eternal life, ‘the greatest of all the gifts of God’ (D&C 14:7)” (Dallin H. Oaks, in Conference Report, Apr. 1985, pp. 102–3, 105; or Ensign, May 1985, pp. 80–81, 83).

Again I would love to hear your insights and thoughts on this topic. Thanks for reading.

This particular quote was found in the Book of Mormon Student Manual.

Pictures Courtesy of LDS.org

Family Meal Time

So I was asked/volunteered to teach a Meal Planning Workshop at an Enrichment activity tonight. While preparing I decided to focus a portion of my workshop on the benefits of meal planning. The number one benefit I thought of is that when you plan meals you are more likely to sit down as a family and eat together. It hit me pretty hard how important it is to do this. It is amazing to me how significant the consequences are of both eating or not eating together.

I am so grateful that I grew up in a family where meal-time was an important time. We all gathered for scripture study and family prayer and then immediately following we all ate dinner together. I think it brought us closer as a family and helped all of us children to stay out of trouble and to succeed in many areas in our lives.

Elder Oaks shares this about eating together as a family, "The number of those who report that their “whole family usually eats dinner together” has declined 33 percent. This is most concerning because the time a family spends together “eating meals at home [is] the strongest predictor of children’s academic achievement and psychological adjustment.”3 Family mealtimes have also been shown to be a strong bulwark against children’s smoking, drinking, or using drugs.4 There is inspired wisdom in this advice to parents: what your children really want for dinner is you" (“Good, Better, Best,” Ensign, Nov 2007, 104–8).

Good, Better, Best

Sometimes our to-do lists can be overwhelming. Do the laundry, weed the garden, change that diaper and that one and that one, make dinner, go to work, do visiting and home teaching, fulfill other callings, clean up that spill, pick up that pile, call so-and-so, make that appointment, run kids to this and that, etc. You get the point! I loved this talk. It simplifies our to-do lists by knocking many things off or at least moving the most important things to the top of the list. Quite often I do the things that sound the easiest or the funnest first not necessarily the things that are best or most important. It is time for us all to check our priorities and cross some things off, move some things up, and maybe jot a few new "betters" and "bests" down.

Click on the title below to read the whole talk or watch the videos below.

Good, Better, Best
Elder Dallin H. Oaks
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

We should begin by recognizing the reality that just because something is good is not a sufficient reason for doing it. The number of good things we can do far exceeds the time available to accomplish them...We have to forego some good things in order to choose others that are better or best because they develop faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and strengthen our families.

Some young people are amusing themselves to death—spiritual death.

Good, Better, Best - Part 1

Good, Better, Best - Part 2

Obedience

I was asked to give a talk this last Sunday and I thought I would just share a portion of it here.

5 Aspects of Obedience that Will Bring Blessings When Applied in our Lives

1 - Be Quick to Obey:

David A. Bednar - Sister Bednar and I are acquainted with a returned missionary who had dated a special young woman for a period of time. He cared for her very much, and he was desirous of making his relationship with her more serious. He was considering and hoping for engagement and marriage. This relationship was developing during the time that President Hinckley counseled the Relief Society sisters and young women of the Church to wear only one earring in each ear.

The young man waited patiently over a period of time for the young woman to remove her extra earrings, but she did not take them out. This was a valuable piece of information for this young man, and he felt unsettled about her nonresponsiveness to a prophet’s pleading. For this and other reasons, he ultimately stopped dating the young woman, because he was looking for an eternal companion who had the courage to promptly and quietly obey the counsel of the prophet in all things and at all times.

Elder Wirthlin - Jesus is our perfect example of obedience and in this case our perfect example of prompt obedience. Learn to do as He did when Satan tempted Him in the wilderness. Even though He was weakened by fasting, His answer was quick and firm: “Get thee behind me, Satan.” 19 Elder Neal A. Maxwell said this of the Savior’s example in resisting temptation: “Jesus noticed the tremendous temptations that came to Him, but He did not process and reprocess them. Instead, He rejected them promptly. If we entertain temptations, soon they begin entertaining us!” 20 When Satan comes calling, cast him out as quickly as possible. Do not let temptation even begin to entertain you.

Elder Wirthlin and Maxwell allude to the idea that even a slight hesitation or a momentary consideration may lead to our downfall. We must be quick to observe the commandments of God.

2 – Willingly and Cheerfully Obey:

D&C 123:17 Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us acheerfully bdo all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the csalvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.

1 Nephi 3:7 –Nephi’s Courage:

The Lord commanded Nephi to go and get the plates
From the wicked Laban inside the city gates.
Laman and Lemuel were both afraid to try.
Nephi was courageous. This was his reply:

Chorus
“I will go; I will do the thing the Lord commands.
I know the Lord provides a way; he wants me to obey.
I will go; I will do the thing the Lord commands.
I know the Lord provides a way; he wants me to obey.”

3 - Be Steady in Obedience:

This is an experience from Elder Wirthlin’s youth that taught him the importance of constant obedience.

Our university [football] team faced the University of Colorado in a contest for the conference championship. We were well coached and really well prepared. The star of the Colorado team was Byron “Whizzer” White, an all-American who was a tremendous athlete. He was a fast and powerful quarterback.

Our wise coach was Ike Armstrong. His warnings before the game included two simple instructions: one, do not kick off or punt the ball to Whizzer White, and two, never let him get past the line of scrimmage.

We followed his instructions and held Colorado scoreless throughout the first half. Early in the second half, however, Whizzer White kicked a field goal. We answered with a touchdown and kicked the extra point. We were ahead seven to three at the end of the third quarter.

On the second play of the fourth quarter, we punted. The ball sailed deep into the corner of the field, near their end zone. Whizzer White plucked the tumbling ball out of the air at his fifteen-yard line and dropped back to his five-yard line to evade the first of our tacklers. Then with the speed, strength, and agility that had built his reputation, he started upfield and sidestepped every player of our team. I managed only to touch him with my little finger. He ran the entire length of the field for a touchdown—thrilling for Colorado, but disappointing for us.

Later in the fourth quarter, Whizzer dashed around his own right end and beyond the line of scrimmage and ran fifty-seven yards for another touchdown. The game ended with a score seventeen to seven. Colorado won the game and the conference championship.

Though we lost, I learned the importance of constant obedience to detailed instructions of our leader. Failure to obey our coach’s two pregame warnings for just two plays—two brief lapses in an otherwise outstanding effort—cost us the game and the conference championship. That is all it took for us to lose something we had worked so hard to achieve.

Just like Elder Wirthlin and his team we can’t afford to have even brief lapses in our obedience. We need to be constant and steady in our obedience.

4 - Obey with Exactness:

2,000 Stripling Warriors: Alma 57:21 - Yea, and they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness;

1 Samuel 15 - Saul commanded to smite and destroy the Amalekites and all that they have. 9 But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them (so that they could give sacrifice): but every thing that was vile they destroyed utterly. The Lord said, “he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments.” Later Samuel tells Saul, “Behold, to cobey is better than dsacrifice.”

Elder Glenn L. Pace. - There are some of our members who practice selective obedience. A prophet is not one who displays a smorgasbord of truth from which we are free to pick and choose. However, some members become critical and suggest the prophet should change the menu.

Elder Wirthlin: Some people choose to follow the teachings of the Lord and of his living prophet only when convenient, but reject them when sacrifice or deeper commitment is required.

We should be exactly obedient in all things.

5 – Selflessly and Lovingly Obey: Our motivation for obeying should not be to merely gain a blessing or reward.

Dallin H. Oaks - in ascending order from the lesser to the greater reasons for [obedience].
1 - Some may [obey] for hope of earthly reward or blessing.
6 - The last motive I will discuss is, in my opinion, the highest reason of all. In its relationship to [obedience], it is what the scriptures call “a more excellent way.” (1 Cor. 12:31.) It is the pure love of Christ.” (Moro. 7:47.) Our [obedience] when motivated by our love of the Lord is the highest reason of all.

John 14: 15 - If ye love me, keep my commandments.

President Monson - When faced with the agony of Gethsemane, where He endured such pain that His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground, He exemplified the obedient Son by saying, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42).

He demonstrated his love for his Father and for us by his willingness to do something that was so difficult and painful that it lies beyond our comprehension. He suffered for our sins without having committed any sins himself.