“Finding Joy Through Loving Service”

(find the talk here)

Let me tell you a secret. The first part isn’t so much a secret – I like to run. I have been running consistently for several years now, and I really enjoy it. It gives me a chance to get out and be on my own for a little while, and when I am running outside (my very favorite place to run) I get to see the beautiful reflections of God’s love for us, evident in this wonderful world He created for us.

The secret part is that when you see me with my headphones on while I’m running, don’t assume I’m listening to some 80’s rock (my favorite running music). More often than not (unless I’m running a race) I’m probably listening to General Conference talks.

What’s interesting is that I just listened to Elder M. Russell Ballard’s talk during my recent run – and I don’t remember any of it, except the story of the gold prospector, and the part about how we need to serve others in our community to help spread the gospel throughout the world.

So I was excited to read it. And then I read it. And nothing stood out to me. Which is weird, because usually when I read the talks from General Conference I love them. Not this one. Of course, I knew it was all true, and I kind of got excited when Elder Ballard started talking about how charity begins at home. But he only spent a few sentences talking about that, and moved on. It felt like he briefly touched on many different small “nuggets” of truth, and didn’t really expound on any of them. At first, I was disappointed, because I love delving into the doctrine of the gospel, especially when my study is led by a prophet and apostle. But then as I read Elder Ballard’s testimony at the end of his talk, I realized how appropriate it was for him to touch on all these nuggets, especially in light of how he told the story of how the young man panning for gold was looking for nuggets, and was missing all the flecks of gold.

I am like that a lot. I look for the nuggets and miss the flecks. I want to know the “big things” that will make me a good person. Especially in mothering. I feel guilty because I don’t do huge activities with my kids every stinking day. Half the time I don’t even really play with them one-on-one. I feel like I’m failing them. But then when I add up all the small “flecks” of fun things I do with my children, even just acknowledging them and the things they say, and including them in my activities as I clean the house and do chores, I know those things are adding up for my kids and their lives are being filled with all the flecks of gold that I can give them.

Elder Ballard spoke directly to my perceived dilemma right from the start of his talk, “Against this beautiful backdrop of spring and its symbolism of hope, there is a world of uncertainty, complexity, and confusion. The demands of everyday life—education, jobs, raising children, Church administration and callings, worldly activities, and even the pain and sorrow of unexpected illness and tragedy—can wear us down.” (emphasis added) I have felt the “uncertainty, complexity, and confusion” of this world all too well in the past few months. Just when I think I have things figured out, something goes “wrong” and I feel my life spiraling out of control. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Elder Ballard said, “Brothers and sisters, the gospel of Jesus Christ is simple, no matter how much we try to make it complicated. We should strive to keep our lives similarly simple, unencumbered by extraneous influences, focused on those things that matter most.” (emphasis added) You’d think that after President Uchtdorf’s talk last fall, we would have ‘things that matter most’ down to an art. For some reason, I keep forgetting, and I need to be reminded at every General Conference.

Like I said, Elder Ballard’s talk was a collection of gold flakes, and taken together, you can see the importance of the principle he spoke about – love and charity for one another. My favorite flake was a quote from the Book of Mormon about how to receive this gift of love and charity. “…pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love…” I don’t know any other way to receive spiritual gifts. We can’t just read a self-help book and suddenly have spiritual gifts. Really, we can’t do anything of our own power. Everything we have, and everything we are, is through the Savior, Jesus Christ. Why should being able to express love and charity be any different? We have to pray for spiritual gifts. Patience and love for my children and my husband are probably the number one topics of my prayers to Heavenly Father. Mostly because I struggle with the patience part, but also because I know where patience comes from. I don’t just work hard at it and have it. Sure, I should work at it, but unless I am blessed with that gift from Heavenly Father, all my hard work won’t be enough.

How do you receive spiritual gifts? Do you pray for the gift of charity in your daily prayers? What flakes of spiritual gold did you find in Elder Ballard’s talk?

Find more great comments on Elder Ballard’s talk over at the General Conference Book Club on Diapers and Divinity:

Establishing Eternal Families

(read the handbook here)

It has long been established that families are central to God’s plan. Even in the beginning, with Adam and Eve, they were commanded to have a family. Establishing a family should be the first priority of every faithful Latter day Saint man and woman.

The first element of that priority should be obtaining a temple marriage. You can read many recent talks by the General Authorities to understand just how important that is. The adversary is definitely working hard on this front.

I read an article recently that was published in 2005 which stated that the divorce rate was declining, but so was the marriage rate. Instead of getting married and then divorced, people are simply moving in together. Of course, people who just live together without getting married are also more likely to break up – so the “sociological” divorce rate is probably higher – since a live-in relationship that breaks up is probably almost as bad for all parties involved – including the children.

The article also stated an interesting trend that Europe has more live-in couples than the USA, but that couples with children in Europe usually live together, even if they aren’t married. So in the USA, we have single moms (or dads) who end up living with multiple “partners,” bringing their children into the mix, and then leaving when things don’t work out. And then in Europe, you have non-married biological parents of a child living together, but they stay together. It’s hard to tell which of the two are worse – children having to endure several messed up relationships, or children living with their parents who are unwed. I would say that of the two, the latter is less damaging for children. But both are perversions of the Lord’s way, which is exactly what Satan wants.

“Complete sexual abstinence before marriage and total fidelity within marriage protect the sanctity of this sacred responsibility. Parents and priesthood and auxiliary leaders should do all they can to reinforce this teaching.” This is a teaching which has gone the way of the world (literally). The whole meaning of sex and relationships has been completely corrupted by Satan. His influence can be seen all over society, and nowhere more prevalent than in the realm of sexual relations. We need to protect that. I don’t mean we need to never talk to our kids about sex. The complete opposite is true – from the time they are infants we need to teach them about the purpose of their bodies, the sanctity of their bodies, the emotions that we can feel, and the proper expression of the physical feelings they will have at some point.

After obtaining a temple marriage (which should be the first priority of every faithful Latter Day Saint man and woman), the next priority should be bearing and raising children. If bearing children isn’t an option (for whatever reason) then raising children can still be done. “By divine design, both a man and a woman are essential for bringing children into mortality and providing the best setting for the rearing and nurturing of children.” (emphasis added) Bearing children isn’t the end of it, and it’s not even really the beginning of it. The Lord’s Church is one of adoption so it makes sense that adoption is a very important part of the Lord’s plan. Especially when it comes to those who don’t have “the best setting” for rearing and nurturing. The Family: A Proclamation to the World says that “Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity.” To me this would also mean that children who don’t get that birth should be entitled to it by adoption. Of course, both how many children and when to have them (whether through bearing children or adopting them) is completely a personal matter between a couple and the Lord.

What principle of establishing eternal families is the most significant to you? Have you found different principles more applicable to your life over the years? How are you defending marriage and the family?

“More Than Conquerors through Him That Loved Us”

(find the talk here)

If you read our family blog, you’ll know that the past several weeks have been pretty trying for me. Which is probably why I haven’t been writing much over here (or on any of my blogs, for that matter). Writing is good for me, and somewhat therapeutic, and so when I don’t write, things have to be going really badly. But I’m back to writing again, which means things are getting better. I hesitate to say everything is good again, because I’m still not sure that is the case. It’s a lot of ups and downs right now, and I’m hoping that I can sort all this out soon, because I don’t really like ups and downs.

So this talk is actually perfect for me to read and study in my current situation.

Elder Paul V. Johnson’s talk about adversity, trials, and growth have helped clarify some things in my mind and I hope I can apply them to the trials and adversity I face daily. None of us is exempt from trials and suffering, and most of us encounter trials every day of our lives.

Recently I read an article about marriage that mentioned something that has kind of stuck with me. The author said, “The act of enduring difficult circumstances without feeling like a martyr, or without seeking reward or sympathy, can be a soul-expanding experience. It can bring new levels of character development attainable only when patience, tolerance, and a nonjudgmental attitude are practiced consistently over time.” The thing that struck me the most was when he suggested that we endure “difficult circumstances without feeling like a martyr.” Too often, when faced with trials and adversity, I find myself feeling like a martyr. Elder Johnson also addressed this, when he pointed out that “Some obedient Saints may ask, ‘Why me? I’m trying to be good! Why is the Lord allowing this to happen?’” I often feel this way – “I am trying to be a good person, I am doing my best! I am enduring trials because of the wickedness of others, and it’s not fair!” When instead I should be practicing patience, tolerance, and a nonjudgmental attitude. Elder Robbins reminded us that “If we handle these afflictions properly, they will be consecrated for our gain.” He then quoted Elder Orson F. Whitney who said, “All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable.” Notice that in both cases growth, character development, purification and soul-expanding only happen when we “handle [adversity] properly” and “patiently.” We cannot grow in our adversity and trials when we are acting like a martyr, taking one for the team, as it were. Elder Robbins also reminded us that “Since personal growth is an intended outcome of these challenges, it should come as no surprise that the trials can be very personal—almost laser guided to our particular needs or weaknesses.” Heavenly Father didn’t put us on the earth to become martyrs. He put us on the earth to grown and learn and become even as He is.

I love that Elder Robbins pointed out, “Even very rich ore needs refining to remove impurities.” The best among us have trials. Just to make sure we didn’t miss that point, Elder Robbins told a story about Elder Robert D. Hales, an apostle of the Lord, who endured difficult circumstances. “We don’t seek out tests, trials, and tribulations. Our personal journey through life will provide just the right amount for our needs. Many trials are just a natural part of our mortal existence…” Because this world is mortal and fallen, we are guaranteed to have trials and tests. But this is the reason we are here! We are experiencing this life so that we can practice patience, tolerance, and a nonjudgmental attitude in the face of adversity, so that we can become more like the Savior. It is a refiner’s fire we are in, not a trash incinerator. The Lord doesn’t intend for us to be burned to ash. He intends for the impurities to be burned away, leaving only the most precious metals behind. But if we don’t have the right attitude through our trials, we will feel like we are in a trash incinerator, instead of in a refiner’s fire.

My favorite part of the talk was this statement by Elder Robbins, “Sometimes we want to have growth without challenges and to develop strength without any struggle. But growth cannot come by taking the easy way… We must be careful that we don’t resent the very things that help us put on the divine nature.” Sometimes in the midst of my trials, I forget why we have trials. I want to be strong and mature and have a testimony – but I want it without the pain, suffering, and trials. Elder Robbins had a few words for me about that - “[The Savior’s] suffering was a prerequisite to the empty tomb that Easter morning and to our future immortality and eternal life.” In Doctrine & Covenants 122, even Heavenly Father reminded us of the fact that even the Savior had to endure trials on this earth, “The Son of Man hath descended below [all things]. Art thou greater than he?””

“Someday when we get to the other side of the veil, we want more than for someone just to tell us, ‘Well, you’re done.’ Instead, we want the Lord to say, ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant.’”

I want to endure my trials with patience and a good attitude – I want to be more than conqueror. I want to be refined and molded so that when I return to the Father I will hear Him say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.”

Find more great comments on Elder Johnsons’s talk over at the General Conference Book Club on Diapers and Divinity:

Returning to the Father

(read the handbook here)

This section of the Church Handbook of Instruction explains the plan of salvation in pretty basic terms. Helping members follow the plan of salvation, plan of happiness, plan of redemption, or one of the other names it has, is the main purpose of Christ’s Church on earth today.

But just like knowing that we want to get from point A to point B is only helpful if we know which roads to take and where to turn, knowing that God’s plan is that we all return to live with Him again is only helpful if we know how to get back to Him.

“We believe that through the atonement of Christ all mankind may be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinance of the gospel.”

That’s a start. So what are the laws and ordinances of the gospel?

“We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the gospel are: first, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, repentance; third, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

In addition to those first principles and ordinances of the gospel, we must also, “endure to the end by keeping sacred covenants.”

“As we come to understand and believe these truths and gain a firm testimony of Jesus Christ, we strive to obey His commandments and want to share our blessings with our family and others.” As we come to understand, and have a true, pure testimony of the plan of salvation, we will want to participate in the Church organization, because the purpose of the Church organization is to teach each other how to obtain eternal life, and help each other on that path. It’s like we’re all taking a road trip to the same place, and it makes a lot more sense for us to carpool or caravan, rather than all of us just take our own course. If we carpool and caravan, we can make sure we’re staying on the right path, and if someone breaks down, we can give them a lift.

The pioneers did it when they crossed the plains, and they were able to help and succor each other when family members lost loved ones, or when wagons broke or oxen died.

Working together, and helping each other, is definitely the Lord’s way – we will be safer on our journey back to Him.

“Each of us is accountable before God to learn and keep His commandments and to live the gospel. We will be judged according to our actions, the desires of our hearts, and the kind of people we have become.”

I love this part of the gospel plan – that we are each accountable for our own actions, and the desires of our hearts. Unfortunately I often do the complete opposite of what I want to do. I am working each day to be better, but sometimes it is really hard to do what I know is right, even when I really want to do what is right. “The natural man is an enemy to God.” And to us, as His children!

“As we live the gospel of Jesus Christ, we grow line upon line, becoming more like the Savior in loving and serving others.”

It’s also good to remember that learning and growth is a process. Nothing comes lightening fast. Even Alma the younger, who saw an angel, was basically in a coma for two days and two nights. And even after than, I’m sure his process was not finished. He just had a jump start. The distance between his first line and his second line was probably a lot farther apart than most of us, but even after his great conversion, he still grew in the gospel, line upon line, and precept on precept. It’s how the General Authorities learned, and it’s how we learn.

As members of the Church, it is our responsibility to:

“1. Teach and testify of the pure doctrines of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

2. Strengthen individuals and families in their efforts to keep their sacred covenants.

3. Provide counsel, support, and opportunities for service.”

I love the first point – especially that they specifically state “pure doctrines” of the gospel. We are not supposed to add our speculation, our opinions, or our personal issues. We are simply to “testify of the pure doctrines.” Elder M. Russell Ballard gave a wonderful talk on pure testimony several years ago in General Conference entitled just that – “Pure Testimony”.

He said, “Our testimony meetings need to be more centered on the Savior, the doctrines of the gospel, the blessings of the Restoration, and the teachings of the scriptures. We need to replace stories, travelogues, and lectures with pure testimonies. Those who are entrusted to speak and teach in our meetings need to do so with doctrinal power that will be both heard and felt, lifting the spirits and edifying our people.”

Of course, there are times for the personal conversations, the counseling together, the visiting with friends – and these are particularly important, and stated in the last two points.

I think that part of strengthening individuals and families in their efforts to keep their sacred covenants would be encouraging our friends to spend time with their families, attend the temple, and teach their children. We have been encouraging our friends to attend the temple by offering to watch their child while they serve in the temple. Such service blesses our lives, as well as their lives – and strengthens their family, helping them to keep their temple covenants.

What ways do you accomplish the three responsibilities listed here for members in God’s kingdom on earth? Do you feel a desire to share the gospel and your testimony with others when your testimony is strong? How do you support your friends and families in keeping their covenants?

God the Father's Plan for His Eternal Family

(read the Handbook here)

It is not surprising to me that the first chapter in the Church Handbook of Instruction is about the importance of families to the work of God. It has been known (at least since the 90s) that the Church places greatest importance on families.

In Doctrine & Covenants 138:55, we read that “even before [we] were born, [we]… received [our] first lessons in the world of spirits”. The family unit existed before this earth – with God as our Father, and all of the other future inhabitants of this world as sisters and brothers. Even our children were our sisters and brothers in the pre-mortal world. We have all been commanded to serve and love each other, and help each other back to live with Heavenly Father. Before we were born, He even taught us our “first lessons” so that we would be better prepared to help each other in this world.

“The purpose of God’s plan is to lead us to eternal life.” A long time ago I had a small square of green paper in my scriptures on which I listed all the things the were equivalent to eternal life. When I would read something in the scriptures that described eternal life or likened it to something else or described how to obtain eternal life, I would write it down on my little green sheet of paper. I’m not entirely sure where that piece of paper is now, but I remember feeling so blessed to read over and over again all the things that were necessary for obtaining eternal life. That Heavenly Father would make sure it was spelled out clearly for us was a blessing for me. He loves us and wants to make His plan plain and simple for us. I have a testimony that this is why we have the Book of Mormon. The instruction in it is plain and simple.

I love how simple the plan of happiness really is. With the fall of Adam and Eve from the garden, their mortality brought with it two obstacles – death and sin. “Because we cannot overcome either obstacle by ourselves, Heavenly Father sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to be our Savior and Redeemer.” The Saviors atonement made possible the resurrection from the dead – meaning that the obstacle of physical death had been overcome. And His atonement also made it possible for men to repent and overcome sin through the Savior. We cannot be perfect alone, and we cannot return to live with Heavenly Father on our own – but we can be perfect and return to Him through the atoning sacrifice of the Savior. With all my heart and mind I know this to be true.

“As part of our Heavenly Father’s plan, we were born into families. He established families to bring us happiness, to help us learn correct principles in a loving atmosphere, and to prepare us for eternal life.” (emphasis added) I think that sometimes we miss this part of the purpose for families – the loving atmosphere part. Most of the time I think parents understand their responsibility to teach their children – but I believe most parents misunderstand that to mean that is their responsibility to discipline, lecture, and correct their children. Teaching has an entirely different connotation – one that is more loving, less rebuking; more gentle and understanding, and less criticizing. Maybe it would help to remember that our children are also our brothers and sisters. Our positions could easily be turned around – our children, having been born before us, could be our parents, and we their children. And let us always remember that our children will be parents some day – as the words from a Primary song go, “How will they live when they at last are grown? What will they give to children of their own?”

So if we generally learn what we need to know in our families, what is the purpose of the Church?

“The Church provides the organization and means for teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to all of God’s children. It provides the priesthood authority to administer the ordinances of salvation and exaltation to all who are worthy and willing to accept them.”

I don’t want to say “that’s it” because these things are vital to our eternal progression – but at the same time, that’s it! That’s all the Church is for – it provides the organization and means for teaching the gospel – but we as members of the kingdom, as parents, teachers, brothers and sister – we are the hands. We do the work. The Church is just an organization, which, without the members, would be completely ineffective.

And so, it is important for us to learn about the organization of the Church, and more importantly, to learn about our duties as members of the Lord’s kingdom so that we can be effective members of this great work the Father has for us.

For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. (Moses 1:39)

What role do you see for the family in God’s work? How have families and the atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ worked in your life to bring you closer to Heavenly Father? Do you think the organization of the Church helps families accomplish the duties and commandments that God has given us?

Waiting on the Road to Damascus

(find the talk here)

I always love listening to President Dieter F. Uchtdorf speak. I don’t know if it is his German accent which reminds me of my days living in the German house and associating with native German speakers, or if it is his mastery of the English language, or his aviation stories, or his amazing testimony – probably a combination of all of the above.

With my love of listening to President Uchtdorf, you would think that I had heard this talk at General Conference in April. Well, I don’t really remember it. I remember maybe hearing part of it (the part about texting to people that he hadn’t given an aviation analogy in his talk) but other than that I was probably trying to keep the kids from fighting, or drawing on the walls, or spilling their snacks everywhere.

So I am very grateful to Steph at Diapers and Divinity for posting this talk for the General Conference Book Club this week. And I can’t wait to listen to this talk on my run (playlist of choice for my runs? General Conference – of course!)

President Uchtdorf talked about how some of us wait on the road to Damascus for a vision like Paul received, or like Joseph Smith received in the sacred grove. Instead of actively seeking the Lord, we wait for Him to come to us.

I don’t want to be waiting. I don’t want to wait for something spectacular to build my testimony – I want to be actively seeking the Lord.

I am reminded of the Primary song

“I’ll seek the Lord early while in my youth
and He will help me to know the truth.
I’ll search the scriptures and find Him there,
then go to our Father in fervent prayer.

I’ll seek the Lord early and I’ll obey
His living prophets in all they say
I’ll keep His commandments; His love will abound
I will seek the Lord early and He will be found.”
                                                  (here)

President Uchtdorf testified, “The truth is, those who diligently seek to learn of Christ eventually will come to know Him.” I am continually impressed with all of the doctrines that are taught in the Primary songs. And I first learned this Primary song when I was very very young – but the words have stuck with me.

I am glad that I was taught to seek the Lord in my youth, but I think that as I have grown, both in age, and in the gospel, I have not been seeking the Lord as diligently as I once was. I go through periods in my life when I am actively seeking the Lord, and then I have other periods in my life where I wait on the road to Damascus. And then I hear a talk like President Uchtdorf’s, and it kicks me in to action, so to speak.

I loved the following analogy by President Uchtdorf, especially because I was blessed to attend the Carl Bloch exhibit at Brigham Young University’s Museum of Art last month with my husband.

“[T]hose who diligently seek to learn of Christ … will personally receive a divine portrait of the Master, although it most often comes in the form of a puzzle—one piece at a time. Each individual piece may not be easily recognizable by itself; it may not be clear how it relates to the whole. Each piece helps us to see the big picture a little more clearly. Eventually, after enough pieces have been put together, we recognize the grand beauty of it all. Then, looking back on our experience, we see that the Savior had indeed come to be with us—not all at once but quietly, gently, almost unnoticed.”

Definitely my testimony of the Savior has come to me this way – quietly, gently, almost unnoticed. In fact, sometimes I forget that I even have a testimony of the Savior because it was built so quietly and so gently, and came in such small pieces. And, like a puzzle, sometimes some of the pieces get knocked off the table, or swept under the couch, and my portrait of the Savior has a few holes that I just can’t seem to fill in.

President Uchtdorf mentioned a few things we can do to move forward with faith and seek the Lord diligently. He mentioned that we should hearken and heed, serve, and share.

Among these, the hearken and heed is probably the hardest for me. I feel like I am not very good at understanding or hearing the promptings of the Spirit, and because of that, I don’t feel like I do a very good job heeding those promptings. I want to receive promptings from the Spirit, but sometimes I doubt that I will be able to recognize them, let alone follow the direction I might receive.

Perhaps I would be wise to follow the counsel of President Uchtdorf – “To better hear His voice, it would be wise to turn down the volume control of the worldly noise in our lives.” Anyone with one preschooler, let alone multiple preschoolers, will know that turning down the volume is hard, if not impossible. Of course, President Uchtdorf means more than just physical noise. He is also talking about all of the worldly distractions – books, TV shows, blogs, music, activities, even sometimes our thoughts can be distractions. One of the ways I get around this is by spending some quiet time by myself each morning studying the gospel, praying, and writing down my thoughts. I should incorporate more quiet time throughout the day, though. Too often I have my scripture study at the beginning and end of my day, but rarely do I take a few minutes to check in with Heavenly Father during the day. Mostly that only happens on the most trying days with my children when I am about to lose my temper and I give myself a little “count-to-ten” time out. Most of the time, while I am counting to ten, I am also praying for guidance and patience as a mother. I don’t always feel a strong impression about what to do, but the few moments of prayer always bring a better sense of calm to my spirit, and I am able to think a little more clearly. But I should try to have those quiet moments more than just at the craziest times of my day. I should frequently stop and check in. Perhaps that will help me turn down the volume on the worldly noise, and help me feel those promptings more frequently.

When President Uchtdorf spoke about serving, he quoted President Spencer W. Kimball who said, “God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other.” I love this, because I believe strongly that we are frequently the answers to each others prayers. I have had friends, family members and others be the answer to my prayers, and I have been in the position to be the answer to the prayers of those around me. There is nothing more touching than being the answer to someone’s prayers. We must serve each other and get to know each other and notice when people need helps because “It is usually through another person that [God] meets our needs.”

I loved when President Uchtdorf talked about how his family shared the gospel. He said that when their friends and coworkers would ask about how their weekend was, they would skip the usual details like events, activities, and the weather, and share some spiritual experience instead. They would talk about what a speaker shared in sacrament meeting, or a gospel principle that helped them with a challenge. I love that he added “We tried not to be preachy or overbearing.” I struggle with that a lot. I love to share my testimony and talk about the gospel and its application in my life, but I feel that often I come across as preachy and overbearing. This is another of my goals – to sound less preachy and overbearing.

In his closing remarks, President Uchtdorf quotes one of my favorite scriptures, “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” I want to believe. I want to seek the Lord, so that I can see Him piece by piece in my life. It won’t come all at once, I know, but if I can remember the words of the Primary song, “I’ll keep His commandments, His love will abound, I will seek the Lord early and He will be found” – I know that I will find him.

Do you seek the Lord? How do you recognize the promptings that you receive? Have you had a prayer answered by the service of others? Have you been the answer to someone’s prayer by your actions? Do you share the gospel with those around you? How do you try not to be preachy and overbearing? Have you found the Lord?

Find more great comments on President Uchtdorf’s talk over at the General Conference Book Club on Diapers and Divinity:

New Testament Lesson 17: “What Shall I do?”

The Young Rich Ruler and the Widow’s Mite

A young rich man came to Christ asking what he should do to obtain eternal life.

At first, Christ told the young man to keep the commandments. After the young man professed his obedience to the commandments, Christ told the young man that he needed to sell everything he had, give it to the poor, and follow Christ. They young man was unwilling to do this because “he had great possessions.” The Lord probably instructed this young man to give up his riches because He knew that the young man had set his heart on his riches – that the young man loved his riches more than he loved the Lord.

For us, perhaps it is not a love of worldly possessions that is keeping us from eternal life. Perhaps it is a love of TV shows, a love of good food, or a love of social media. These things in an of themselves are not particularly negative, but when we are unwilling to give them up (“I can’t go to my Relief Society meeting – I have to watch    (insert TV show)  “ or “I can’t fast today, my friend/family/neighbor is cooking the best Barbeque today!” or “I have to check my Facebook/Twitter/blogs on my smartphone during sacrament meeting – I’ll miss something important if I put it away!”, I’m sure you can think of some other examples) When we are willing to “give away all our sins to know [Him]” we are also willing to give away all worldly things to know Him, and only then will we qualify for eternal life.

In Mark 10, Christ mentions that it is hard for people “who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God.” It wasn’t that this young man had riches. It was that the young man loved his riches more than He loved God.

After this experience with the young rich ruler, Christ witnessed the widow who cast in her two mites at the temple.

And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called  his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all  did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, all her living. (Mark 12:41-44)

The poor widow was willing to give all she had to the kingdom of God. This is a stark contrast to the rich young ruler who loved his possessions more than God. The widow was willing to possibly not eat for days by giving all she had in an offering.

We shouldn’t look at the examples of the young ruler and the poor widow and think that Christ wants us to be poor and needy. In fact, in the Book of Mormon, Jacob even says that “after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them”. Of course, Jacob also adds a qualifier to that obtaining and seeking of riches by saying, “ye will seek them for the intent to do good”. Christ simply wants us to be willing to live the law of consecration. I enjoyed President Henry B. Eyring’s talk from General Conference about the Church Welfare program, which I will hopefully write about soon. I think that it really goes well with this topic.

President Joseph F. Smith taught, “God is not a respecter of persons. The rich man may enter into the kingdom of heaven as freely as the poor, if he will bring his heart and affections into subjection to the law of God and to the principle of truth; if he will place his affections upon God, his heart upon the truth, and his soul upon the accomplishment of God’s purposes, and not fix his affections and his hopes upon the things of the world”.

How often to we give all we have, or even part of what we have, to the building up of the kingdom? Are we more like the rich young ruler, or more like the widow? Do we have our heart set upon riches of this world? Or, having obtained a hope in Christ, do we seek riches with the intent to do good?

The Parable of the Rich Fool

And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

The thing I found most interesting about this parable was when the rich fool said to himself, “I have no room where to bestow my fruits… [Therefore] I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.” This reminds me of the mentality of those who get a new, better paying job and think that what they should do with their money is go out and get a better, more expensive car, house, stereo system, etc. There is no need for such things, but they think that more money means they should have more stuff. This parable, and the scripture about seeking riches with the intent to do good, makes me think of our family’s goals. We want to adopt and foster as many children as we can. We used to joke that we want to have a hundred children, but as we’ve become aware of the situation in the world around us (the number of children without parents) we are actually serious about it. We want to have a hundred children. Granted, having a hundred children means that we will need to be able to provide for those hundred children, so this means we seek riches. But we have obtained a hope in Christ (it is this hope in Christ that leads us to desire to be parents to a hundred children) so the Lord, I believe, will bless us in those efforts. He has so far, and I know that He will continue to bless us in our righteous desires.

Do you seek riches for the intent to do good? What do you plan on doing with your riches as you receive them? Do you intend to “pull down” your current house, cars, possessions to “build greater”? Or are you going to give away that excess, taking care of those who need your help? Are you going to consecrate your worldly possession and materials to the Lord? Or are you going to set your heart upon them?

The Parable of the Great Supper

16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: 17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. 18 And they all with one  began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. 19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. 20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. 21 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. 23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel to come in, that my house may be filled. (Luke 14:16-23)

This parable is really interesting to me, too, because I know that I have made excuses to get myself out of doing something I didn’t really want to do. But I hope none of those things were as important as being a follower of Christ. Christ teaches us over and over again that we must forsake everything to obtain eternal life. Not just money and wealth – we have to forsake our land, our animals, our spouses, even! The Lord goes on to say “If any  come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” Now, I think that we can be smart enough to understand the Christ does not mean that we need to hate our family. In fact, those may or may not have been the exact words He used. In Matthew, the wording is, “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” Either way – the point here is that we need to love Christ more than anything else in our lives, and that we need to be willing to give up everything – relationships, possessions, activities, habits, sins – to know Christ.

Do you make excuses for neglecting your devotion to the Lord? Do you make excuses for not studying the scriptures, not attending the temple, not accepting callings, not going to church…?

The Parable of the Unjust Steward

I won’t quote this parable, because it is a little awkward for me, and will probably be better read on your own. You can find it here.

The point of this parable is to show us that we should seek for spiritual wealth with as much determination and craftiness as the servant sought after material wealth.

We often spend a lot of time in the pursuit of material wealth. For example, job interviews (and preparing for said interviews), doing a “good job” at work, selling stuff, working extra jobs, etc. Maybe we don’t spend quite as much time on interviews with our Heavenly Father, or with our Priesthood leaders – and preparing for said interviews. Do we sometimes spend more time on our resume for work than we spend on our “spiritual resume”?

How much time, thought, and energy do you spend in the pursuit of material wealth? Is it more time, thought, and energy than you spend on the pursuit of spiritual wealth? What things do you do to pursue spiritual wealth?

GCBC and other plans

I think I will be joining Stephanie (of Diapers & Divinity) in her General Conference Book Club (GCBC).

I studied almost all of the talks from October 2010 General Conference, and I am looking forward to studying the talks from April Conference, but I haven’t actually started yet. I have been a little preoccupied with some other topics, and I have switched a little of my personal plans lately (with the exception of today – but I had to buy plane tickets, and then I got distracted…)

On Tuesdays and Thursdays I have decided that I will study my paper scriptures (gasp!) and write in my paper, metal spiral bound scripture journal. It’s really just a little green notebook that fits in my scripture case, but I use it to write basically what I write on this blog. Maybe I’ll start transcribing the entries in that little book onto this blog so when I print out the blog those posts will also be here.

Since I will be studying my paper scriptures on Tuesday and Thursday, I figured that would be a perfect start to a computerless day. I know, impossible, right? Well, I did it last Thursday (failed miserably today – but, I like I said, I had to get on to buy plan tickets, and then… it just sucked me in!)

Since on Sundays I post our Companionship Study, that gives me four other days of the week on which to study. Since I talked about studying the Church Handbook of Instructions, that will take up one day, then General Conference Book Club will be another day. My new schedule will look something like this:

Sunday: Companionship Study
Monday: General Conference Book Club (get me ready for FHE!)
Tuesday: paper scriptures
Wednesday: Church Handbook of Instructions
Thursday: paper scriptures
Friday: Gospel Doctrine Lesson for Sunday
Saturday: Relief Society Lesson for Sunday

For Friday and Saturday, I’ll probably just have to follow my own schedule, because I don’t go to Sunday School or Relief Society due to my Primary calling.

I’m excited to do the GCBC, and I think I may even follow Jocelyn’s example over at We Talk of Christ and start a book club in our ward!

The Sacred Mother

Recently I was chatting with a neighbor who dropped by to introduce herself. She is a young mother, like me, and had an adorable 15-month old baby girl. Our children played for a while, during which time my new friend and I got acquainted. As my new friend and her daughter got ready to leave, I mentioned to my new friend that I would really like to get to know more of the moms in the ward. She mentioned to me that she had been trying to get a play group together with the other moms, but she had realized that most of the moms with similar aged children were all working mothers. We both exchanged comments about how odd that seemed to us, since we live in a neighborhood of mostly established families – not families with husbands going to school or unemployed, but regular, mostly-well-employed, regular size families. In fact, my new friend had mentioned that her husband was currently in school, and yet she stayed home.

Later I mentioned this fact to my husband – that so many LDS mothers in our ward were working mothers. Most of whom work full time. My husband said something that hit me in the gut – “You and your friend are a rare find these days.” Really? In a neighborhood where our ward is less than a square mile, we are one of probably a hand full of stay-at-home moms?

I understand that there are good reasons for mothers joining the workforce, but I have a hard time believing that every one of these mothers has a good reason.

I have been reading the book American Grace (which I highly recommend) and was appalled to see that during the 1980s, religious women (read the book to find this specific definition of “religious” – but I think the definition is fitting) moved into the workplace at the same rate as secular women. At the turn of the century, religious women were working mothers at a higher rate than secular women had been working mothers at the beginning of the 1980s. This shocked me. I thought for sure as religious women, we would be more likely to hold staunchly to our beliefs that the mother is vital in the home. The most depressing statistic I found was how fast the idea became “old” (even among religious women) that mothers in the workplace had no negative effect on children. What a horrible untruth! As I said earlier, I know that there are good reasons for mothers to need to be in the work place, however I do not think, even under the best of circumstances and the most righteous of decisions, children are not affected negatively by their mothers being in the workplace. It is always ideal for mothers to be home with their children. In my opinion, the times when it is the least bad for the children is when the mothers readily and heart-breakingly admit that it would be better for their children if they were able to stay home with the children. When mothers start feeding themselves lies about their responsibility and sacred calling as mothers, they become disillusioned and are less likely to make (if able) the sacrifices necessary to stay at home with their children.

In one of the articles I have been reading, the author tells a story of a woman who was a working mother, and when working mothers were attacked in conversation, “she spoke up defensively, citing her need for intellectual stimulation, association with other educated adults, and the daily reassurance and satisfaction of a job well done.” This is exactly what I was talking about – none of these reasons are even close to good ones why a mother should be working outside the home – especially not full time. This mother goes on to talk about how she eventually realized the importance of her staying at home with her children, and stayed at home with her children.

My husband and I have discussed this at length, and I have constantly gone back and forth and back and forth between working and staying at home. I am gaining a testimony of the importance of my constant presence at home with my children. We have decided that unless we are unable to provide basic necessities for our family (very  basic – for example, bread, milk, fruits and vegetables – not steaks and hamburgers and dinners out and fancy meals) I will stay at home with the children. I will probably continue to tutor math occasionally, and I teach a few piano lessons in my home, but neither of these endeavors takes me away from my children – the math tutoring I do in the evenings after they are asleep, and the piano teaching I do in a group lesson which involves my children anyway. We will drastically cut our lifestyle before we send mother (me) back to work. Unfortunately, in society today – even among faithful Latter Day Saints – people are not willing to give up lifestyle choices simply to preserve the most sacred duty of their mother. If we are to raise up a family to the Lord, we know that we must do everything in our power to keep me at home, in the home.

Which brings me to my final point – that mothers who are in the home should learn to enjoy the sanctity of their job – and should learn to feel as if they have “intellectual stimulation, association with other educated adults, and the daily reassurance and satisfaction of a job well done.” If we as mothers are educated, and spend time with other mothers, we will be able to associate with other educated adults. Even if they are not formally educated, most mothers have the education of life. Mothers who read are even more educated, and most mothers I have met are avid readers. Caring for my children is the most intellectually stimulating (and emotionally exhausting) job I have ever done. I am constantly on my toes, constantly analyzing situations and circumstances to create a loving, spiritual atmosphere in our home. And trust me, I use every ounce of my college degree (in Math!) to be a mother.

It is interesting that most of the talks I read this weekend about motherhood were from the 1980s. Motherhood was under such attack back then, but really nothing has changed much. Motherhood is still under attack, and now it is under attack even among the ranks of otherwise faithful Latter Day Saints.

The most uplifting talk for me to read was this talk about spending quality and quantity time with your children. Perhaps one of my favorite quotes from this talk is this:

“These are quantity-time lessons that nobody can teach a child as well as a full-time mother. Seeing his mother do these things is much more significant to him than seeing a babysitter do exactly the same things.”

This article has helped me realize that just by being home with my children I am being a better mother than if I had chosen to be in the work place. I have been making myself crazy in the past few years because I feel pressure for every waking moment with my children to be “quality” time with them – but how blessed am I! Because I have so much quantity time with my children, really I do not need to spend every waking moment in quality time. There can (and should) be moments of quality time with each child each day, but I do not need to feel guilty for washing the dishes and doing the chores when my children are awake because they are learning from watching me (and at times helping me with these various household activities).

“As I am going about routine activities, my preschoolers, little as they are, are learning that a neat house does not appear by waving a wand. They are learning that playthings have a place where they belong and that among mommy’s priorities are things like cushions on the couch and not on the floor, and dirty clothes put in the laundry basket and not dumped where they were taken off. Apparently these are not easy lessons to learn, judging by the daily necessity to teach them all over again. But I am convinced that the baby trotting after me as I vacuum is gradually developing a preference for cleanliness.…

Quantity time is really the child’s glimpse into the life of his parent as a person, the person who existed before the child himself was born, and who will continue to grow and develop after the child has moved into independence.”

I really recommend this article as a good read to any mother, especially mothers who stay home with their children.

I have a testimony that it is more important for children to be raised at home with their mother than it is for them to have anything else other than maybe food, shelter, and clothing – but only the MOST basic of these things. If your family can fit in a $150,000 home, then mother needing to work to pay for a $300,000 mortgage is not the “necessities” of life. Mother needing to work to pay for rent or mortgage in a home barely big enough to house the family, that is a necessity. If your family can eat beans and rice and other cheap foods, then mother needing to work so that the family can go out to eat is not the necessities of life. I urge anyone who is thinking about sending mother to work look first at where they can cut expenses, where they can cut back, where they can move, what they can sell, etc before they make such a serious decision. I urge those mothers who do work to do the same – look at your budget, curb your spending, cut as many costs as possible. Get rid of cable television, stop eating out, stop buying new expensive clothes. Bring mother home. It is sickening to think that people would trade mother at home for anything other than the very basic necessities of life.

There is no other job as vital to life and spiritual survival than that of being at home.

What have you studied to help you make this decision? Have there been times in your life where you had to work in order for there to be a roof over your head, clothes on your back, and food in your bellies? Have you worked when you didn’t really need to? Do you trade mother at home for the “comforts” of life? Or do you value to the sanctity of mother and sacrifice some worldly comforts for the immense blessing of having mother in the home?

Talks I studied:
Working Double Time: The Working Mother’s Dilemma by Jan Underwood Pinborough
A View of the Eighties: What It Means to Be a Latter-day Saint Woman Today by Mary Alice Campbell
Mom – At Home by Derin Head Rodriguez
Giving Children Quantity and Quality Time by Beppie Harrison
Mothers Who Know by Julie B. Beck
To the Mothers in Zion by President Ezra Taft Benson

Study Together

My husband and I like to study gospel topics together, but we’re not always good at it, and we don’t always study the same material at the same time, so our discussions don’t always have the breadth and depth they could have. So we have come up with a new system. For our date nights, we already have a good system in place – we rotate weeks for the date planning. One week, he picks the date, finds a sitter, and makes all the plans, and the next week it’s my turn. So we decided that we’d do the same thing for our gospel study together, and the person not planning the date would pick the topic for gospel study.

We don’t have a lot of time during the week to study together, since my husband leaves for work early and by the evening we’re just about able to have family scriptures and family prayer and then hit the sack, so we have decided that Sunday afternoons when the kids are napping would be the ideal time for us to have a really in depth gospel discussion. During the week, we study individually (I have more time during the morning and afternoon to study, and my husband has more time in the evenings). We email our finds (articles, talks, scripture references) to each other so that individually we can be studying the same things. Then when we get together on Sunday, we can have an intelligent discussion about the things we have studied.

This week is the first week we’ll actually do it, and since this Sunday is Easter Sunday we decided to pick the topic of Easter.

How do you study with your spouse? Do you do some kind of companionship study? Do you both have the same amount of time to study?

The Best Night of the Week

Over at Women in the Scriptures, Heather has been running  a series about what Family Home Evening looks like in different families. She has had guest posts from several different ladies, and I have really enjoyed reading them. As a conclusion to her series, she has invited her readers to write about family home evening in their home, and link up on her blog.

Family Home Evening for us is a time for us to be together, sing (we are a very musical family) and talk about the gospel. Our oldest just started Primary this year, so we’ve been trying to rehash some of the things he is learning there.

Structure. Our Family Home Evening is on Monday nights, usually after dinner. Our Papai welcomes everybody to Family Home Evening “Bem vindo ao Noite de Familiar.” This is when you’ll notice that there is something different about our Family Home Evening. We have FHE in Portuguese. Papai speaks Portuguese in our home, and our kids speak Portuguese, and we attend a Portuguese speaking ward. We even sing the Primary songs in Portuguese. If I teach the lesson, I usually teach in English, since my Portuguese isn’t great – but sometimes I’ll try to say phrases or words in Portuguese.

Papai welcomes us to family home evening, then we sing an opening song (usually from the Primary song book, and usually the song that we are learning that month in Primary – I happen to be the Primary pianist, so I always know what’s going on in Primary). Then we have an opening prayer. Then either Papai or myself give the lesson. So far Papai and I have just switched off giving (really simple) lessons. They are either from the Nursery Manual, or the Sharing Time Outline. A lot of times we will try to do the same lesson that was taught the day before in Primary, just to solidify the doctrine and concepts for our oldest. Other times, we’ll just talk about something that we think is important. Before General Conference, we talked about how the Prophets speak for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Then we played the Prophet Matching Game (see picture above) and now our oldest knows a lot of the apostles and prophets when he sees them. I think knowing their names made General Conference a lot more meaningful for him, because he already knew them.

After the lesson, we sometimes have an activity, usually it is coloring something, or sometimes it will be playing a game, or playing with toys. Then we have scriptures and family prayer, and then it is off to bed for our little ones.

Tonight for FHE we are actually making a Family Home Evening chart (since our oldest is 4 and we hope to be adding to our family soon through adopting teens, we figured it is about time we have one). So basically our whole FHE is going to change, but not the important things.

 

Our youngest is just two, and she doesn’t sit still for really anything. Our oldest is four and he is actually very respectful and even adds to the conversation. Some days are better than others, but we try to always have Family Home Evening, even if it’s only two minutes long!

What does Family Home Evening look like in YOUR home? Go over to Heather’s blog and link up!

How Great Shall Be Your Joy

Last night I had a dream about a friend of mine who was recently baptized into another church. In the dream, he came to me and was very concerned that he was missing something. He kept telling me “But what if I am missing something?”

He is missing something, and I need to have the courage to show him what he is missing.

So this morning I went to LDS.org and chose “Study by Topic” and clicked on Missionary Work. Listed among the extra resources was an article by President Monson from back in the 90s. He told a story about sitting next to a woman on a plan, and that eventually he “mustered up [his] courage” to talk to her about the Church. If President Monson, who has been an apostle since he was 36, and has been the President of the Church for the last several years, once upon a time had to muster up courage to talk to people about the gospel, I suddenly don’t feel quite as bad for needing to do the same!

I love the scripture above from Doctrine & Covenants section 18. It has long been one of my favorites. For a long time I felt bad that I didn’t serve a mission, but as I have grown in motherhood, I realize that mothering is one of the most divine missions. I have the opportunity to bring souls into this world and bring them unto Christ. Children are born innocent, but they are not born with all of the saving ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ. As they grow, they need to be prepared to learn about the gospel, gain their own testimony, and receive those ordinances – and that is my job, as their mother. I am comforted that the Lord sees my work of raising and nuturing my own children as significant.

However, that does not mean that I get to rest from the labors of sharing the gospel with others. Paul taught us that we should “be … an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” And Elder Stapley (a Latter-Day Apostle) quoted Paul, who said, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation.” To which Elder Stapley added, “If we are not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, then we should not be ashamed to live it. And if we are not ashamed to live it, then we should not be ashamed to share it.”

And the Lord himself has said, “But with some I am not well pleased, for they will not open their mouths … because of the fear of man. Wo unto such, for mine anger is kindled against them.” So I do have a responsibility to share the gospel with everyone, really. And especially with those who seek it. I know that I can find those who seek the gospel by praying for guidance from the Lord through His Holy Spirit. He will guide me to those who are seeking the truth, and I believe He does just that.

“And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.”
Doctrine & Covenants 84:88

I know that the Lord will help me share His gospel. Why wouldn’t He? He has said, “For there are many yet on the earth among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness of men, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, and who are kept from the truth because they know not where to find it” (emphasis added). I know that this is true. I think that many people who would find converts to their church are not being completely deceptive – they truly believe that the members of their congregations and churches are saved. I think that many join other Churches because it feels better than nothing, but that righteous seekers of truth will indeed feel the truthfulness of the fullness of Christ’s gospel when they find it – and it is our job to bring it to them, or bring them to the gospel.

How do you share the gospel? Are you an “example of the believers”? Do you open your mouth? Are you ashamed of the gospel of Christ? Or do you share your testimony freely with those around you?

Church Handbook 2: Introduction

If you haven’t had a chance to look over the new Handbook of Instruction, it is readily available online here, and I think it is important that all of us as members of the Church (regardless of our callings) study its contents.

The introduction states that the purpose of the handbook is to help leaders understand their duties in the Church, but I think that as members of the Church we can also learn our duties as members by studying this handbook, not to mention prepare ourselves for opportunities to serve, since the handbook describes the responsibilities for every calling in a ward or branch.

The introduction quotes Doctrine & Covenants 107:99 “Let every man learn his duty, and to act in the office in which he is appointed, in all diligence.” This is the opening line of the handbook, and I think it is very appropriate. By learning our duty, we can act in all diligence.

I also reviewed Elder Dallin H. Oak’s talk at the worldwide leadership training broadcast (find it here). He suggests that we read the first three chapters of the Handbook – Chapter 1: Families and the Church in God’s Plan, Chapter 2: Priesthood Principles, and Chapter 3: Leadership in the Church of Jesus Christ. Elder Oaks states, "They are doctrinally based on the scriptures. They are extremely important.” Of the rest of the handbook, Elder Oaks reminds us that “handbooks do not have the same standing as the scriptures” but quotes President Thomas S. Monson who teaches us that “There is safety in the handbooks.”

I am looking forward to studying the Handbook in more depth this year. Hopefully my study will  lead me to other topics that I can study as well. I am also going to start reading Jesus the Christ by James E. Talmage (again) and include that as part of my study, along with a more thorough study of the scriptures.

I may even start taking the Women in the Scriptures challenge… we’ll see.

What things do you include in your scripture study? Do you simply read and study as you go, or do you pick out a specific topic? Or try to find an answer to a specific question that you have?

Further Light and Knowledge

These are the things that I would like to study more because of what I heard at General Conference. I’m writing them down here, because this is most likely where I will write about the things I study:

Study the direction to “be ye an example of the believers.”

Study covenants, covenant making and keeping, and Jesus Christ and covenants.

Learn more about the law of consecration, the United Order, and the Church welfare program.

Study the word “saint” and the history of the name of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Study about love and charity.

What I am Going to Do

These are the things that I decided to do while listening to General Conference. Goals I have made, new habits I want to form, areas of my life that I want to perfect.

- Wear our Sunday best on the Sabbath day to make sure we are acting in a manner acceptable to the Lord on His day. (this made me think of an article I read over at one my my favorite blogs)
-We need to be more purposeful, deliberate, and particular about the things we do on the Sabbath day.
-We need to sit down and decide what WE believe about and do on the Sabbath.
-We should be more like little children.
-Study covenant making/keeping.
-Give more to the poor and needy through the Church welfare program.
-spend less than we earn so that we can serve others
-SEARCH OUT THE POOR! and needy
-Meet both the temporal and spiritual needs of those we serve.
-I will respond promptly to the whisperings of the Spirit
-TALK about the gospel and gospel truths ALL THE TIME!
-Be the answer to someone’s prayer.
-Remember when it feels like I can’t cope with my trials, the means that Heavenly Father has something for me to learn and grow in that area.
-follow welfare principles more perfectly – be more thrifty, spend MUCH less than we make.
-do my visiting teaching!
-be less judgmental of the poor and needy. Give to the poor and needy regardless of why they are poor or needy.
-work harder to sustain our family so that we can help provide for others.
-give all that we have to those who need it more than we do.
-take care of those in need and listen to the promptings of the Spirit so that we can be the answer to the prayers of others
-keep on keeping on
-attend the temple more often
-when I am facing trials and tribulation, I will think about the covenants I have made in the temple.
-be more willing to give and not think of myself
-seek to serve others; pray for opportunities to ease the burdens of others.
-be willing to accept and conform to divine correction.
-do not resist or resent chastening. Look at it as an opportunity to repent and put on the divine nature.
-pray for Heavenly Father’s love inspired correction.
-be more prompt in praying our tithing.
-I will do more and be more like the Savior Jesus Christ
-ask the child what they learned from the misbehavior
-pray for Christ-like attributes for myself and for my children.
-I will refer to the Church by it’s full name all the time and will refer to myself and members of the Church as Latter Day Saints.
-I will BECOME a Saint – live worth of being referred to as a Latter Day Saint.
-consecrate my life to fulfill my callings and to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ.
-have faith and stamina like President Monson
-lighten the load of our prophet President Monson and help bear his burden.

The Instruction I heard at General Conference

These are the things that I heard at General Conference. Like I said, sometimes they are not the same as what the speakers actually said, but they are what I heard through the Spirit of the Lord.

Why do we worship on Sunday? Our attitudes and actions follow our dress. If we dress in our Sunday best on the Sabbath day, we will be on our Sunday best behavior.

Let us act on the Sabbath in a manner that would call down the blessings of heaven.

Children are the greatest example.

When little children come to us, they are thirsty for the gospel, eager to learn, and willing to be righteous.

Children are untarnished by the world.

“Behold your little ones.”

Followers of Christ are loving. Followers of Christ make and keep covenants. Following Christ may mean forsaking many things of the world. The Lord Jesus Christ made covenants with Heavenly Father. Jesus Christ needed baptism because He needed to make covenants with Heavenly Father that he would always remember Him and follow Him.

The power of our covenants is greater than any worldly trial or temptation.

Pain brings you an opportunity to ponder. Pain is everywhere in this mortal experience – sometimes it is simply because this is a temporal experience, sometimes because of the actions of others, sometimes because of our own actions.

There is relief for ANY and ALL pain – through Jesus Christ our Savior from our Father in Heaven.

Jesus Christ suffered ALL things so that He could understand us.

He could have known how to succor us by Revelation, but He chose to suffer all things so that He could understand us.

The United order = the Church’s welfare program.

When we work together, we build spiritual bonds.

Don’t miss out on collecting the little flecks because you are waiting for large nuggets.

The Spirit speaks to us in diverse ways.

God does notice us, and is mindful of us, but it is often through other people that He meets our needs.

The Lord sometimes reveals things to us that are for us only, but He entrusts us with a testimony of truth that we are to share with those around us.

The most effective way to share the gospel is through example.

“Preach the gospel at all times; if necessary, use words.”

This earth life is the perfect setting to experience and pass trials. Sometimes it seems that our trials are focused on the part of our lives in which we have the least ability to cope.

Being good is not enough. We want to be like the Savior.

It is our job as ward members to seek out those in our ward who are poor and needy.

Men and women work in a joint effort to serve the poor and needy.

The widow’s mite.

No man can receive the Holy Ghost without receiving revelation.

Light from a light switch vs. light from a sunrise. The sunrise pattern of revelation is more common in our lives.

As we honor our covenants and keep the commandments, we will gain confidence in the presence of the Lord.

The temple should fill us with the Spirit and with the covenants we have made there.

As we remember the covenants we have made in the temple, we will be better able to withstand the trials of this life.

A good marriage makes good children.

Heavenly Father is a God of high expectations. “Be ye therefore perfect.”

Divine chastening, repentance, and redirect our course. Divine chastening should give us cause to rejoice because it means we are worth correcting. The experience of chastening gives us more opportunity to help us put on the divine nature.

Parents and can must chasten their children.

Doctrine & Covenants – “when moved upon by the Holy Ghost”

One who does not chasten when he is in a position to do so is thinking only of himself.

Will a man rob God? In tithes and offerings.

The Lord’s richest blessings are spiritual – family, friends, and the gospel.

To be or not to be? What manner of me ought ye to be? Even as I am. To do without being is hypocrisy, to be without doing is void. Faith without works is dead.

Being is more important than doing. You can’t put a check mark on the “being.”

The name of the Church was not chosen by man, but was given by God. We are not “Mormons” – we are “Latter Day Saints”

The way is narrow and the path is laid strait.

God not only lives but HE SPEAKS!

General Conference is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.

The summit of gospel discipleship is be ye therefore perfect.

One way or another, the Lord will have His voice heard.

How I Learn from General Conference

What a wonderful conference! I really enjoy listening to the conference talks, and this weekend was no different. In fact, there are some talks that I am anxious to listen to again, and read as soon as the transcripts are available (which will be next Tuesday, according to LDS.org). I definitely can’t wait that long to listen to my absolute favorite talk, which ironically did not come from one of the apostles. It was a talk  by Elder Lynn G. Robbins of one of the quorums of the seventy, and it was perfect. If you missed it, I encourage you to listen to it. You can find it here.

I make three “lists” as I listen to or watch General Conference. They aren’t really separate lists, I just write things down in a little notebook. But I have developed little symbols to help me remember what goes on which list. The first symbol I have is a star. I draw a star when I am writing down the instruction I hear from the brethren. This is usually word for word what they say, although I have been known to write something down, and later when I listen, I can’t find that snippet of information anywhere. Usually, that means I was listening to the Spirit speak to me at that moment. The other symbol I have is an arrow. I draw an arrow when I am writing down what action I am going to take because of what I heard. The third list are things I usually write up in the heading of the note pages – and they are usually topics that I would like to study further in my own personal study.

I will post my three lists here in this order:

- the instruction I heard
- what I am going to do about it
- topics for further study

The Priesthood of Aaron

(find the talk here)

I am a woman, and so I will not hold the Priesthood of Aaron (or the Melchizedek Priesthood) but as a woman, I am charged with a great responsibility to prepare my sons to receive the Priesthood of Aaron, and then the Melchizedek Priesthood, and to prepare my daughters to honor the Priesthood and prepare to receive the blessings of those same Priesthoods.

In his talk, Elder L. Tom Perry gave this charge to parents:

Parents of these magnificent young men and women, we charge you with the sacred responsibility of teaching your children the doctrines of the holy priesthood. Your children must learn at an early age of the blessing of having the Lord’s eternal priesthood and what they must do individually to qualify for these blessings.

Whenever I hear or read talks that teach about preparing for the Priesthood, I am reminded of my responsibility to teach my children. I learned at a very young age the importance of the Priesthood. My father was an example of a worthy Priesthood holder, and my mother was always supportive of the Priesthood in our home. I had two older brothers who I watched receive both the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthood, as well as advance in most offices of the Priesthood.

This legacy of Priesthood preparation is one that I am anxious to pass on to my children. We are teaching them about the Priesthood when we give and receive Priesthood blessings, when we learn about prophets, and when we learn about the offices of the Priesthood.

Elder Perry listed four lessons that youth should learn to prepare them for the Priesthood. They were “to keep [their bodies] healthy and clean, develop [their minds] and become wise, be strong and resist temptation in a world filled with it, and trust in the Lord, especially when [they] need His protection.”

Elder Perry taught his grandson these lessons through the scripture studies and taught him that the scripture stories will always be exciting and will never get old. Thankfully, my husband has this same attitude, and enjoys telling our children stories of men and women from the scriptures who have great courage and are valiant in their faith. To my husband, the stories of the scriptures are exciting and relevant. Hopefully he can help our children develop the same love of the scriptures, so that they can learn together of the importance of the Priesthood.

How do you teach your children about the importance of the Priesthood? Do you teach your children through example? How do you teach your children to stay clean and prepare for the blessings of the Priesthood?

The Divine Gift of Gratitude

(find the talk here)

When I was a child, I was somewhat afraid of President Thomas S. Monson. He was a counselor in the First Presidency for as long as I can remember, but something about his face always made me think of a villain from a children’s story. Before you think I am being blasphemous, you should see a picture of him:

This is what I’m talking about! I’m not saying he looks evil – but he has that prominent nose and forehead that you usually see in villain characters.

Thankfully, the Spirit is a good testifier of truth, and when he was called as the prophet I was able to receive a testimony of his calling as prophet and President of the Church. It might also have something to do with his softened appearance as he has aged:

Doesn’t he look a lot more friendly now? I love this man. Even though I have never met him in person, I love him, and I know that he is a prophet of our Savior Jesus Christ. I know that he speaks the things that Heavenly Father would have us do, and I know that if we follow his teachings, we will be led closer to our Savior and to our Father in Heaven.

President Monson’s talk about gratitude was another of those that I really needed to read before I could understand what was in it for me.

Two Lines of Communication

(find the talk here)

I always enjoy Elder Dallin H. Oaks’ talks. I think I have enjoyed listening to him speak since I was a little child. He is definitely the Apostle I most distinctly remember, which may be why I enjoy his talks so much. That or I just really like the way he speaks – always very rational, to the point, and authoritative. He tells it like it is. And I like that.

This particular talk is very important to me, because I have such a strong testimony in this topic, and I see confusion about this principle everywhere around me – in and out of the Church.

Elder Oaks points out the two lines of communication with God – there is a personal line, and there is a priesthood line. The problem with most people is that they either believe and rely disproportionately on one or the other, or they completely discredit the one. More often in the Church, members simply rely too much on the one or the other, and fail to recognize the importance of the other.

For example, we have some LDS friends recently who underwent surgical sterilization for personal reasons (i.e., they didn’t want any more kids). The Church Handbook explicitly says in what conditions surgical sterilization should be considered, and personal preference is not one of them. At all. Our friends are righteous, active members of the Church. They are not apostate, they are not deliberately trying to ignore what the brethren have instructed us to do. Honestly I believe that they didn’t even know about this policy. Even if they did consult their bishop, he may not have known about the Church policy. However, in many cases, couples make decisions like this and will say that it was a personal decision between them and the Lord. In his talk, Elder Oak describes it this way, “Unfortunately, it is common for persons who are violating God’s commandments or disobedient to the counsel of their priesthood leaders to declare that God has revealed to them that they are excused from obeying some commandment or from following some counsel. Such persons may be receiving revelation or inspiration, but it is not from the source they suppose.” Many people will suppose that they can receive inspiration and make decisions for their family which are contrary to the laws of God. Not so. This is a serious misunderstanding of the personal line of communication – God will never inspire us to do something that is contrary to the laws He has given to us through His prophets.

On the other hand, though, some people misunderstand the place of the Priesthood line. I learned a good lesson about this when I was preparing to go to college as a youth. I had some great opportunities to attend a very good in-state university in Arkansas. I also had been accepted to BYU with a one year full tuition scholarship. I knew that I could get more than a full tuition scholarship to the University of Arkansas, and the school was just as good as BYU, as far as academics. Stuck in what decision to make, I went to my bishop, who basically turned me back to the personal line and said that both schools were great, and both would give me wonderful opportunities, and that I should attend which ever school I wanted to. At the time I was disappointed, because I thought for sure my bishop would know better than me which school I should attend – but it taught me a great lesson in the places of the Priesthood and personal lines of communication. If my bishop had weighed in on the matter (and he did give me some good counsel about general decision making), I would have gone back to my bishop to ask which boy in the ward I should marry, which classes I should take, what major I should pursue, when I should start having children, whether or not I should work outside the home – I could keep going. Instead, I had a great bishop who reminded me that these kinds of decisions are mine to make with the Lord, and that if He had a particular place for me to be, He would let me know. Sometimes the Lord does give us personal instruction through Priesthood authorities, but more often than not, it is up to use to make those personal decision for ourselves – as long as the decisions we make are in harmony with the Priesthood line.

Similarly, we are not expected to blindly follow what the Priesthood authorities tell us. I am always reminded of the book reviews from Reading Rainbow (remember, that PBS show about reading and books? Take a look, it’s in a book?). The host of the show says something about how you can learn about the topic in a book, but you don’t have to take his word for it, and then a bunch of kids give book reviews. The prophets and apostles do the same thing. When we listen to them speak in General Conference, or on any matter, they expect us to receive our own confirmation of their testimony. They don’t want us to take their word for it – they want us to receive our own testimony, our own revelation that what they say is the truth.

We must use both the personal line and the priesthood line in proper balance to achieve the growth that is the purpose of mortal life. If personal religious practice relies too much on the personal line,individualism erases the importance of divine authority. If personal religious practice relies too much on the priesthood line, individual growth suffers.

I am grateful for the priesthood line of communication, and for the personal line of communication, and I am so grateful for my knowledge of the two, and the place each has in my life. I hope that I can keep them in balance so that I can live the life Heavenly Father would have me live.

How do you balance the personal and priesthood lines? Do you sometimes find yourself using them out of place? Do rely more on one line than another? How can you grow in your personal testimony?