I just went to a seminary training meeting tonight. It was so good, so full of great insights, that I need a little time to process it I think. Our teacher talked about the temple quite a bit, and about the goals we have for our students this year.
3 practices he gave us, to get the students to incorporate into their lives:
Practice #1: Ask God for the Answers. We each have the right and privilege to receive direct communication from the Lord. He will teach us, if we can learn to receive it from Him.
Practice #2: Get Everybody to Say Something. Having the kids bear their testimonies will actually help them discover parts of their testimonies that they didn't know they had.
Brigham Young said: "Many may think they haven't any testimony to bear, but get them to stand up and they will find the Lord will give them utterance to many truths they had not thought of before. More people have obtained a testimony while standing up trying to bear it than down on their knees praying for it."
Practice #3: Record Your Questions, Answers, and Impressions. This one emphasizes journals, and how if you get a prompting, you may lose it if you don't write it down. The more you write your promptings, the more God is willing to give you more, further light.
I'm still trying to figure out the best way to keep a journal. Typing seems to be easier and more effective for me. But will I remember what I've written? It will be in chronological order, but maybe the Post Title should have more to do with what's in the journal entry.
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Patience
I
decided that a characteristic of Christ that I need to work on is
Patience. Thomas S. Monson gave a great
talk in General Conference back in 1995 (hey that’s the year you were born J
) about patience through tribulation, or hard things in your life. It is called
“Patience – A Heavenly Virtue.”
In his talk, Monson says:
"Life is full of difficulties, some minor and others of a more serious nature. There seems to be an unending supply of challenges for one and all. our problem is that we often expect instantaneous solutions to such challenges, forgetting that frequently the heavenly virtue of patience is required."
I think I need patience with an old house that has a never-ending "maintenance" list, other drivers on the road, and with being so distracted with little things, that I can't complete NEARLY all the things I want to!
Other hard things: learning a new language, learning to live 24/7 with someone else, learning to keep on going even when you might be very tired.
But I can do it! We all can! With patience, the blessings will come, I believe we'll even be blessed in OTHER areas, in addition to the ones we are working on.
"Life is full of difficulties, some minor and others of a more serious nature. There seems to be an unending supply of challenges for one and all. our problem is that we often expect instantaneous solutions to such challenges, forgetting that frequently the heavenly virtue of patience is required."
I think I need patience with an old house that has a never-ending "maintenance" list, other drivers on the road, and with being so distracted with little things, that I can't complete NEARLY all the things I want to!
Other hard things: learning a new language, learning to live 24/7 with someone else, learning to keep on going even when you might be very tired.
But I can do it! We all can! With patience, the blessings will come, I believe we'll even be blessed in OTHER areas, in addition to the ones we are working on.
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Proof of Heaven (Universe Insights)
I just finished reading a wonderful book called Proof of Heaven. It is the story of a neurosurgeon who went into a coma for 7 days. He had a near-death experience, journeying beyond this world and traveling into the deepest realms of super-physical existence. Before he had this extraordinary experience, he was one of the highly-trained scientists who argued that these kinds of experiences are impossible. Now he knows they are not only NOT impossible, but that God and the soul are truly real.
There were paragraphs of his story that touched me. They made so much sense, and went along so perfectly with what I believe already. The fact that it came from a brilliant scientist who months earlier was a complete non-believer... well, that only cemented for me my faith in these principles. I wanted to share those pieces here in my "To Live Deliberately" blog.
UNIVERSE INSIGHTS. p. 48. "...there is not one universe but many -- in fact, more than I could conceive -- but that love lay at the center of them all. Evil was present in all the other universes as well, but only in the tiniest trace amounts. Evil was necessary because without it free will was impossible, and without free will there could be no growth -- no forward movement, no chance for us to become what God longed for us to be. Horrible and all-powerful as evil sometimes seemed to be in a world like ours, in the larger picture love was overwhelmingly dominant, and it would ultimately be triumphant."
First, I have always believed that "we are not alone" in space. I believe there are countless planets with life on them...maybe not identical to us, but similar. And maybe some are, indeed, just like us.
I also believe God gave us free will and the power to make choices for ourselves, to learn and grow and become better people. God sees our potential, and what we can be. He knows us so well, so intimately, because he is actually a part of all of us. We are literally His spirit children.
The last part of that quote, that love is "dominant, and ...would ultimately be triumphant" is a great comfort to me. Sometimes in this world it is easy to focus on negative or evil things. The media shoves bad news in our faces constantly, and we might even think there is more evil than good in this world. There is NOT!!! There is so much good, being done all over the world. The media thinks sensationalism is what people want to hear and see. Only negative drama. But there is so much good being done every single day by good, solid people. It far outweighs the bad, in the grand scheme. And we already know who will 'win' between good and evil. Love will ultimately triumph.
There were paragraphs of his story that touched me. They made so much sense, and went along so perfectly with what I believe already. The fact that it came from a brilliant scientist who months earlier was a complete non-believer... well, that only cemented for me my faith in these principles. I wanted to share those pieces here in my "To Live Deliberately" blog.
UNIVERSE INSIGHTS. p. 48. "...there is not one universe but many -- in fact, more than I could conceive -- but that love lay at the center of them all. Evil was present in all the other universes as well, but only in the tiniest trace amounts. Evil was necessary because without it free will was impossible, and without free will there could be no growth -- no forward movement, no chance for us to become what God longed for us to be. Horrible and all-powerful as evil sometimes seemed to be in a world like ours, in the larger picture love was overwhelmingly dominant, and it would ultimately be triumphant."
First, I have always believed that "we are not alone" in space. I believe there are countless planets with life on them...maybe not identical to us, but similar. And maybe some are, indeed, just like us.
I also believe God gave us free will and the power to make choices for ourselves, to learn and grow and become better people. God sees our potential, and what we can be. He knows us so well, so intimately, because he is actually a part of all of us. We are literally His spirit children.
The last part of that quote, that love is "dominant, and ...would ultimately be triumphant" is a great comfort to me. Sometimes in this world it is easy to focus on negative or evil things. The media shoves bad news in our faces constantly, and we might even think there is more evil than good in this world. There is NOT!!! There is so much good, being done all over the world. The media thinks sensationalism is what people want to hear and see. Only negative drama. But there is so much good being done every single day by good, solid people. It far outweighs the bad, in the grand scheme. And we already know who will 'win' between good and evil. Love will ultimately triumph.
Sunday, January 19, 2014
What Would Jesus Do?
Another Sunday has come, and I had the opportunity, once again, to partake of the Sacrament and "renew my covenants." These would be the covenants I made when I entered the waters of baptism. What, exactly, did I covenant to do when I was baptized?s
I said that I would mourn with those that mourn. I would comfort those that stand in need of comfort. That I would take upon myself the name of Jesus Christ. That means I am willing to act as Jesus would act. That since he is not physically here, right now, that I will act as he would act, in any given situation.
Well, how do I know how he would act? One lesson at church today focused on our Savior, Jesus Christ. There is a saying that has come to be a little cliche, since you can find it on bumper stickers and t-shirts. "WWJD?" is short for "What Would Jesus Do?"
If we take away the "cliche-ness" of the phrase, we can honestly ask ourselves if we actually know. What WOULD Jesus do? To find this out, I must consider the stories of his life and ministry, recorded in the Holy Scriptures. Mostly in the New Testament.
Jesus acted in love. Always in love. He used caring, understanding words and actions, and showed people respect no matter who they were or what they had done. He did not condone sins, but he loved the individuals and showed them there was always hope. Hope for repentance, hope for forgiveness, hope for a brighter tomorrow. When others were downtrodden and felt like their world was crumbling, Jesus offered a listening ear, and sorrowed with people. He gave all glory to our Heavenly Father and worked to bring people closer to him.
So when I take my own day, in January of 2014, and go about the daily tasks that need to happen, I should ask myself, "What Would Jesus Do?" When Jesus was late for an appointment, and someone like my daughter asked him a question, he most likely would not snap at her and say "I don't have time for this." He probably would look at her directly, and listen. I suppose if he really needed to go, He would excuse himself with a loving promise to get back to her with an answer at a specific time in the near future.
Jesus did not drive in the first century A.D. But if He were driving a car in January of 2014, and another driver pulled in front of him and made him slam on the brakes to avoid an accident, I think He would not lay on the horn for a full 15 seconds. Maybe he would tap the horn, and pray that the other driver would stay alert and be aware of other cars he might encounter.
If I am consciously looking to act as I believe Jesus might act in this January of 2014, maybe I can also be aware of promptings that come to me from the Holy Ghost. I think that Jesus would act quickly when prompted to do something for somebody else.
What would Jesus do? In a broad sense, I think I know. But the more I study his life and ministry, the more I can steer my own actions to be like His.
I said that I would mourn with those that mourn. I would comfort those that stand in need of comfort. That I would take upon myself the name of Jesus Christ. That means I am willing to act as Jesus would act. That since he is not physically here, right now, that I will act as he would act, in any given situation.
Well, how do I know how he would act? One lesson at church today focused on our Savior, Jesus Christ. There is a saying that has come to be a little cliche, since you can find it on bumper stickers and t-shirts. "WWJD?" is short for "What Would Jesus Do?"
If we take away the "cliche-ness" of the phrase, we can honestly ask ourselves if we actually know. What WOULD Jesus do? To find this out, I must consider the stories of his life and ministry, recorded in the Holy Scriptures. Mostly in the New Testament.
Jesus acted in love. Always in love. He used caring, understanding words and actions, and showed people respect no matter who they were or what they had done. He did not condone sins, but he loved the individuals and showed them there was always hope. Hope for repentance, hope for forgiveness, hope for a brighter tomorrow. When others were downtrodden and felt like their world was crumbling, Jesus offered a listening ear, and sorrowed with people. He gave all glory to our Heavenly Father and worked to bring people closer to him.
So when I take my own day, in January of 2014, and go about the daily tasks that need to happen, I should ask myself, "What Would Jesus Do?" When Jesus was late for an appointment, and someone like my daughter asked him a question, he most likely would not snap at her and say "I don't have time for this." He probably would look at her directly, and listen. I suppose if he really needed to go, He would excuse himself with a loving promise to get back to her with an answer at a specific time in the near future.
Jesus did not drive in the first century A.D. But if He were driving a car in January of 2014, and another driver pulled in front of him and made him slam on the brakes to avoid an accident, I think He would not lay on the horn for a full 15 seconds. Maybe he would tap the horn, and pray that the other driver would stay alert and be aware of other cars he might encounter.
If I am consciously looking to act as I believe Jesus might act in this January of 2014, maybe I can also be aware of promptings that come to me from the Holy Ghost. I think that Jesus would act quickly when prompted to do something for somebody else.
What would Jesus do? In a broad sense, I think I know. But the more I study his life and ministry, the more I can steer my own actions to be like His.
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
New Year, Finding Direction
I have not posted on this blog for quite some time. I was trying to figure out the purpose, or put some meaning behind it. The very title of the blog, "To Live Deliberately," implies thought and careful consideration. Not haphazard flailing. Not frivolity. Thought. Deliberation. Meaning. Purpose.
I would like to join another blogger on her journey this year. I follow the blog Daily Closer to Christ, and Emily is exploring this year how to listen to and follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost. How to hear those things the Lord would have you hear. How to act when you feel inspired to do something. How to be of service to someone else when maybe you alone can help them in a specific way.
So this week's lesson talks about getting out of your comfort zone. If we are never uncomfortable, then we have no need of the Comforter. So doing something for someone else, that is perhaps outside of your comfort zone, can be a good thing.
I have been tutoring for 5 years at the same schools. I like the children, and many of the teachers. But I have been wondering if I should try to change jobs, just to shake things up some. I'll admit sometimes I let myself get a little bored. What I keep coming back to is, I have the perfect job. Part-time, close to home, it's just right for my current life stage. So maybe the "shaking things up" part can be me, opening up and looking around at the good people around me. How can my interaction with them make their lives better? How can I be a good influence and share a little more of myself with them? Then I can be more available to reach out when there is a need.
This week's lesson/reminder in Daily Closer to Christ is about listening to the Holy Spirit when he speaks to you. "Never Postpone a Prompting." You can be of service to someone. Now.
Since my neighbor's Christmas party (a month ago), I have been thinking of a story I wanted to send along to a few of the friends there. Nothing even spiritual or earth-shattering. Just light. But I've put it off. Today, I sent the story. I got a response from one neighbor who said "this reminded me that your daughter came up in a conversation with so-and-so..." and she asked if my daughter would be interested in babysitting for this other lady.
This was not life-changing or profound. But it does remind me that sometimes we may be inspired to do something and that something will make a connection for someone in a way we would never have thought of. It may seem completely unrelated. But the connection can be made.
The Lord knows the Big Picture. We can never see it: we have blinders on, just naturally. So we must rely on Him to lead us to the people we need to influence or interact with. Or maybe he leads other people to us.
I would like to join another blogger on her journey this year. I follow the blog Daily Closer to Christ, and Emily is exploring this year how to listen to and follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost. How to hear those things the Lord would have you hear. How to act when you feel inspired to do something. How to be of service to someone else when maybe you alone can help them in a specific way.
So this week's lesson talks about getting out of your comfort zone. If we are never uncomfortable, then we have no need of the Comforter. So doing something for someone else, that is perhaps outside of your comfort zone, can be a good thing.
I have been tutoring for 5 years at the same schools. I like the children, and many of the teachers. But I have been wondering if I should try to change jobs, just to shake things up some. I'll admit sometimes I let myself get a little bored. What I keep coming back to is, I have the perfect job. Part-time, close to home, it's just right for my current life stage. So maybe the "shaking things up" part can be me, opening up and looking around at the good people around me. How can my interaction with them make their lives better? How can I be a good influence and share a little more of myself with them? Then I can be more available to reach out when there is a need.
This week's lesson/reminder in Daily Closer to Christ is about listening to the Holy Spirit when he speaks to you. "Never Postpone a Prompting." You can be of service to someone. Now.
Since my neighbor's Christmas party (a month ago), I have been thinking of a story I wanted to send along to a few of the friends there. Nothing even spiritual or earth-shattering. Just light. But I've put it off. Today, I sent the story. I got a response from one neighbor who said "this reminded me that your daughter came up in a conversation with so-and-so..." and she asked if my daughter would be interested in babysitting for this other lady.
This was not life-changing or profound. But it does remind me that sometimes we may be inspired to do something and that something will make a connection for someone in a way we would never have thought of. It may seem completely unrelated. But the connection can be made.
The Lord knows the Big Picture. We can never see it: we have blinders on, just naturally. So we must rely on Him to lead us to the people we need to influence or interact with. Or maybe he leads other people to us.
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