Read about this standard here.
Much of what I've learned about going forward with faith I will link to my post about Faith, value experience #1, as I ended up writing about both of these things in the same entry as my journal. But another thought came to me as I was reading the Book of Mormon this morning. As part of working on the Virtue Project, I have been trying to liken the scriptures to myself, and gain greater understanding and meaning from the Book of Mormon in my life.
I started reading this morning about when Christ visited the Nephites (begins in 3 Nephi 11). I was struck by 3 Nephi 12:45: ". . .for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good." This reminds me that we are ALL His children and He loves us all.
Each of us here were righteous in heaven - we each made a righteous decision and He wants us to follow Him so that we can return! We need to help our brothers and sisters along the way.
I know it can seem overwhelming in our busy, hectic and often troubled lives, but we are meant to help each other. The great thing? This light is naturally already a part of us - we just need to give it a small part of our time and it expands and we suddenly realize that we can be there for others and when we are, we have greater joy. Everything falls neatly into place as though that is where it always belonged.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Faith Value Experience 1
The first principle of the gospel is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Learn about faith from the scriptures and living prophets. Read Hebrews 11; Alma 32:17-43; Ether 12:6-22; and Joseph Smith-History 1:11-20. Read two general conference talks on faith. Exercise your own faith by establishing a habit of prayer in your life. Begin by regularly saying your morning and evening prayers. After three weeks of following this pattern, discuss with a parent or leader what you have learned about faith and how daily personal prayer has strengthened your faith. In your journal express your feelings about faith and prayer.
The talks from general conference I chose are: President Thomas S. Monson, Come Unto Him in Prayer and Faith (not actually from general conference, but it is from the Prophet, so I counted it); and Elder David A. Bednar, Ask in Faith.
As we make personal prayer a habit - a priority, we turn to our Heavenly Father throughout the day. Our thoughts turn to him more easily. Then He is able to strengthn our faith, in confirmations that cannot be denied come from Him. I tried to take my prayers to a different level, and to listen more during my prayers. I found myself praying more specifically about blessings and about particular needs - of mine and family members. Specifics I had not considered before.
I also found, that while I have kept a brisk pace at reading the Book of Mormon this time around, I had not focused a lot on likening the scriptures to myself. I found that as I have kept this little prayer in my heart, I have been blessed with greater inspiration in those pages. Things I need to learn, things I need to remember.
Many friends, mostly from work, marveled at my attitude and excitement in moving our family away to further David's education. A couple of them even went so far as to suggest I stay in Utah with the kids for 27 months while he finished school. This thought was so foreign to me I couldn't even wrap my mind around it. When I said to my friend that surely, if she were in the same situation she would not separate her family. She assured me that she most certainly would.
My cheerfulness about his stage in our lives brought about so many comments that I've thought a bit about it. Should I be feeling like I've been gypped and am going through a terrible sacrifice? I don't think so. On the contrary, I feel very blessed.
So what is it exactly? Is it just some gift, some added blessing? Well certainly it is an added blessing, but my point is this: it is not just something that was already a part of me, waiting to bloom at the right time. My key to finding joy in the journey is this: pray about the decisions you make in your life. When you have a confirmation that you are doing what the Lord would have you to, it is easy. Not that life is suddenly a breeze, but you have the strength to do what is needed because you not only know you aren't alone - you know you won't be left alone. And if you make prayer and scriptures a priority in your life, your day can be filled with moments of comfort, joy, strength, and faith. What you need when you need it.
The talks from general conference I chose are: President Thomas S. Monson, Come Unto Him in Prayer and Faith (not actually from general conference, but it is from the Prophet, so I counted it); and Elder David A. Bednar, Ask in Faith.
As we make personal prayer a habit - a priority, we turn to our Heavenly Father throughout the day. Our thoughts turn to him more easily. Then He is able to strengthn our faith, in confirmations that cannot be denied come from Him. I tried to take my prayers to a different level, and to listen more during my prayers. I found myself praying more specifically about blessings and about particular needs - of mine and family members. Specifics I had not considered before.
I also found, that while I have kept a brisk pace at reading the Book of Mormon this time around, I had not focused a lot on likening the scriptures to myself. I found that as I have kept this little prayer in my heart, I have been blessed with greater inspiration in those pages. Things I need to learn, things I need to remember.
Many friends, mostly from work, marveled at my attitude and excitement in moving our family away to further David's education. A couple of them even went so far as to suggest I stay in Utah with the kids for 27 months while he finished school. This thought was so foreign to me I couldn't even wrap my mind around it. When I said to my friend that surely, if she were in the same situation she would not separate her family. She assured me that she most certainly would.
My cheerfulness about his stage in our lives brought about so many comments that I've thought a bit about it. Should I be feeling like I've been gypped and am going through a terrible sacrifice? I don't think so. On the contrary, I feel very blessed.
So what is it exactly? Is it just some gift, some added blessing? Well certainly it is an added blessing, but my point is this: it is not just something that was already a part of me, waiting to bloom at the right time. My key to finding joy in the journey is this: pray about the decisions you make in your life. When you have a confirmation that you are doing what the Lord would have you to, it is easy. Not that life is suddenly a breeze, but you have the strength to do what is needed because you not only know you aren't alone - you know you won't be left alone. And if you make prayer and scriptures a priority in your life, your day can be filled with moments of comfort, joy, strength, and faith. What you need when you need it.
For the Strenth of Youth - Service to Others
Read about this standard here.
Yesterday started out as a really crummy day. I had slept horribly and wandered around with a terrible headache.
In my all-around gloominess, I became increasingly sad and I could not shake it. I felt uplifted when I read the Book of Mormon that morning, but by the time everyone was up and out the door to school, I could not shake this feeling. In my cloudy stupor, I became convinced that David had done something I should be upset about. Oh, what our family puts up with!
Each time I thought about confronting him, I felt like I should not. The more I tried to listen to that guidance, the more sulky I became.
Before long, David had to run an errand and once he left I was quite distraught. I knelt in prayer for strength. I didn't feel much better, but felt like I needed to call a certain sister in our ward and offer my assistance. I really did not feel up to this. Further, I was pretty sure she would not need my assistance, but I continued to feel impressed to call her.
So. . .finally. . .I put myself aside and called her up. I offered my assistance, she assured me she was taken care of, we spoke for a few short minutes, and that was that.
I was quite surprised at the miracle that occured in me however. I felt lighter than air! No more worries consumed me!
When I was grabbing the phone to call her, I noticed a book I had placed on the bookshelf the day before. It is a short little book called "The Remarkable Soul of a Woman" adapted from a talk that President Dieter F. Uchtdorf gave at the general Relief Society meeting on September 27, 2008 entitled Happiness, Your Heritage. I had not quite finished reading it, and failed to see how it could possibly cheer me up, but grabbed it anyways and then made my phone call.
Sitting there, post phone call, lighter than air, I picked up the book and within a page or two read this by President Lorenzo Snow, "When you find yourselves a little gloomy, look around you and find somebody that is in a worse plight than yourself; go to him and find out what the trouble is, then try to remove it with the wisdom which the Lord bestows upon you; and the first thing you know, your gloom is gone, you feel light, the Spirit of the Lord is upon you, and everthing seems illuminated."
This little miracle is certainly what happened to me yesterday and I am so grateful. As a side note, not long after this experience, David received news that caused him to have a long and stress-filled day. I am so grateful for that still small voice that earlier told me to hold my tongue. I was able to be the support I needed to be, instead of being the start of what turned out to be a crummy day for him.
Yesterday started out as a really crummy day. I had slept horribly and wandered around with a terrible headache.
In my all-around gloominess, I became increasingly sad and I could not shake it. I felt uplifted when I read the Book of Mormon that morning, but by the time everyone was up and out the door to school, I could not shake this feeling. In my cloudy stupor, I became convinced that David had done something I should be upset about. Oh, what our family puts up with!
Each time I thought about confronting him, I felt like I should not. The more I tried to listen to that guidance, the more sulky I became.
Before long, David had to run an errand and once he left I was quite distraught. I knelt in prayer for strength. I didn't feel much better, but felt like I needed to call a certain sister in our ward and offer my assistance. I really did not feel up to this. Further, I was pretty sure she would not need my assistance, but I continued to feel impressed to call her.
So. . .finally. . .I put myself aside and called her up. I offered my assistance, she assured me she was taken care of, we spoke for a few short minutes, and that was that.
I was quite surprised at the miracle that occured in me however. I felt lighter than air! No more worries consumed me!
When I was grabbing the phone to call her, I noticed a book I had placed on the bookshelf the day before. It is a short little book called "The Remarkable Soul of a Woman" adapted from a talk that President Dieter F. Uchtdorf gave at the general Relief Society meeting on September 27, 2008 entitled Happiness, Your Heritage. I had not quite finished reading it, and failed to see how it could possibly cheer me up, but grabbed it anyways and then made my phone call.
Sitting there, post phone call, lighter than air, I picked up the book and within a page or two read this by President Lorenzo Snow, "When you find yourselves a little gloomy, look around you and find somebody that is in a worse plight than yourself; go to him and find out what the trouble is, then try to remove it with the wisdom which the Lord bestows upon you; and the first thing you know, your gloom is gone, you feel light, the Spirit of the Lord is upon you, and everthing seems illuminated."
This little miracle is certainly what happened to me yesterday and I am so grateful. As a side note, not long after this experience, David received news that caused him to have a long and stress-filled day. I am so grateful for that still small voice that earlier told me to hold my tongue. I was able to be the support I needed to be, instead of being the start of what turned out to be a crummy day for him.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
