I have a little journal I take to church on Sunday to write thoughts I hear and want to remember.
Here are a few current thoughts:
(from a youth speaker, Elliot Tidd)
* the gospel is always the second voice in my head.
*you cannot be a good example when you are making wrong choices.
***
"It may be safely assumed that no person has ever lived entirely free of suffering and sorrow, nor has there ever been a period in human history that did not have its full share of turmoil and misery. When difficulties come to us- we ask the question "shall I falter or shall I finish?"" Pres. Monson
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In answering the question "when was a life ah-ha moment" Lou Bonner shared a time when he wasn't living the way he should and couldn't go to the temple when his son was married. It was a turning point for him- he said, "It was the first time I couldn't buy my way out of (into) something."
***
"You express gratitude to the Savior by how you live."
service opportunities:
~watched Peyton, Ryker and Gehrig and treated Brooke and Mallorie to pedicures
~watched Gehrig for Sam could take Mal out for her birthday
~treated the girls to witchie days
~volunteered to make a big batch of bbq chicken for L.M. for her son's farewell. I never see Lisa anymore but I wanted to her know I still loved her.
~attended a childhood friend's sealing in the temple and did initiatory afterwards. It was a "God Gift" day. Because of this friend, Debbie (one of the Charm Girls)- my life is what it is. I'll be eternally grateful!
~volunteered to make a game for David's Sunday School class. I think he really appreciated it.
Testimony has "test" at the beginning. It is not something that easily comes but something to work for/to seek for. (Nate Morley's farewell)
Dick and Diane Emery are going to Perth, Australia. In Dick's talk, he talked about the spiritual gift of "exceedingly great faith."- how it is different from plain faith and about the things we can do to increase our faith. He shared a couple of stories about people with amazing faith. He told of a friend, a convert to the church, whose mother was taken critically ill and in a coma. They spent much time at the hospital and at some point the Dr. said that she wouldn't make it through the night. He called another friend to come and give her a blessing. In the blessing, his friend felt impressed to say that the mother would be completely healed and be able to carry on her service to a single daughter raising children. After spending time with his mom that evening at the hospital, the man started to go home and was stopped by the Dr. Perhaps he didn't understand. His mother would probably pass during the night. But the man said, "I believe in the promise that she'll be better." When he returned to the hospital the next morning, his mother was indeed better and lived a long life, able to help her daughter and grandchildren. This man just didn't have faith. He had exceedingly great faith.
***
One gal reported that she wasn't very happy when she fasted. In fact, she was hangry not just hungry. LOL
***
Part of our Young Women's lesson talked about the virtue of Patience and in part, a talk by Pres. Uchtdorf :
(there is a wonderful video that goes along with this talk)
In the 1960s, a professor at Stanford University began a modest experiment testing the willpower of four-year-old children. He placed before them a large marshmallow and then told them they could eat it right away or, if they waited for 15 minutes, they could have two marshmallows.
He then left the children alone and watched what happened behind a two-way mirror. Some of the children ate the marshmallow immediately; some could wait only a few minutes before giving in to temptation. Only 30 percent were able to wait.
It was a mildly interesting experiment, and the professor moved on to other areas of research, for, in his own words, “there are only so many things you can do with kids trying not to eat marshmallows.” But as time went on, he kept track of the children and began to notice an interesting correlation: the children who could not wait struggled later in life and had more behavioral problems, while those who waited tended to be more positive and better motivated, have higher grades and incomes, and have healthier relationships.
What started as a simple experiment with children and marshmallows became a landmark study suggesting that the ability to wait—to be patient—was a key character trait that might predict later success in life. 1
***
Brigham Young taught that when something came up which he could not comprehend fully, he would pray to the Lord, “Give me patience to wait until I can understand it for myself.” And then Brigham would continue to pray until he could comprehend it.
We must learn that in the Lord’s plan, our understanding comes “line upon line, precept upon precept.” In short, knowledge and understanding come at the price of patience.
Impatience, on the other hand, is a symptom of selfishness. It is a trait of the self-absorbed. It arises from the all-too-prevalent condition called “center of the universe” syndrome, which leads people to believe that the world revolves around them and that all others are just supporting cast in the grand theater of mortality in which only they have the starring role.
***
all good thoughts. I love Sundays and being filled.
