Happy Mother's Day!
Speaking of mothers, this week in one of my classes, my teacher had us draw family maps. These were a visual representation of our families and the relationships we had with them. For example, because my Dad and my Mom were always close and made decisions together while I was growing up, they would be placed close in proximity together and have a strong bond drawn around them.
I realized while I was drawing our my family, that we all had good relationships with each other and they were all pretty even. At least as far as I could tell. But interestingly enough I realized that my mother connected well with each of her children. This may be due to the fact that she only bore girls and girls tend to bond well emotionally through warm communication, but I think she was also a mother who always listened to the spirit. I will forever be grateful for that.
I remember many times where I would have a rough day and my mother would know just what to say at the right time. I remember, in some cases, I would resent what she said, because frankly, it was true. And the truth hurt. I would let the storm of my frustrations carry me to my room and I would try to disregard what she said. But then as the rain and lightning dissipated, I would inevitably realize that she was right. Every time. How would this be possible in all the episodes of my life had she not listened to the spirit? I am so grateful for my mother. I know that with her, I will Never be Alone.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Friday, April 8, 2011
Conference Weekend April 2011
I had the lucky privilege of singing in conference! The past several weeks we have been rehearsing hymns and arrangement of hymns in preparation for this extraordinary event. Though rehearsals were a taxing, it was worth the trouble.
We were bussed down early in the morning that Saturday and arrived in the middle of the first session. We did a warmup and were soon on our way! Once the choir was out of the conference center from the first session we were in. We were even being seated as some of the audience was still leaving. We did a few run throughs and were seated. All the while we had people working for the church running up and down isles making sure that our collars were up high enough, that shirts of the same color weren't grouped too tightly together, and that we were arranged in a way that was appropriate to our height. I was really impressed with how organized the church was. From the time or our arrival, everything was scheduled out for us. Even before we arrived we had workers attend our practices and make sure that we had the right kind of clothing (it had to fit a certain criteria), the music was sounding appropriate, ect. And we had to fill out all kinds of forms giving the church permission to use our image and such. So a lot of work went into us being there.
While seated on the stand I noticed a few things. For one, the stand seemed much smaller, and for another, the conference center was huge! I think we had the best seats in the house because we had this lovely panoramic view of the whole center. It was lovely and very architecturally impressive. As I watched the seventy make their way in, it struck me how much they loved each other. They really did! They were giving each other hugs and patting each other on the back. It seemed like they were in the middle of a family reunion.
I was also struck with another thought. As I was watching all the men enter and take their seats, I couldn't help but notice that they were all very human. This sounds silly because of course they are human! We all know that! But their demeanor, the way they interacted with each other, and even their execution of the tasks at hand was all very human. It seemed to me that this huge conference that we had had such trouble preparing for and getting to, was just another church meeting. Though a lot of work and prayer was put into it, it was simply a meeting with a purpose of declaring truth. It almost had a business feel to it, though it was distinguished by a very prevalent spirit. And the messages shared...ah...so amazing. In observing all of this I couldn't help but have the thought, "There is nothing to signify a distinction between these men up here on the stand and many righteous men serving within the church." There was nothing unusual about them - nothing to drastically set them apart from the rest of the fold. It struck me that there are many wonderful men that are bishops, teachers, advisers, etc. that are very similar to those serving in high offices. The difference -and there is one- is that the prophet of the church and the apostles wear the mantle of their calling. They are set apart in authority and the ability for them to receive revelation as it relates to their calling. They are distinguished because God distinguished them - not necessarily because they could do a better job than the ordinary man who are steadily and honorably serving in another capacity in the church - like my old seminary teacher, for instance. They are all men of God. They all serve a purpose. That much I do know.
As I watched the seventy, quorum of the twelve, and first presidency take their seats, my heart swelled with love and testimony for each one. They were called of God. They have a great responsibility placed on them and I hope that my prayers for them do touch them as well as many other prayers. The spirit whispered that these were prophets and apostles called of God for our latter days. They were about to share messages that would serve as a voice of warning for us as we struggle in a world that is filled with terror and heart ache.
I found myself very pensive as I sat, gazing across a vast crowd. There were so many people of great faith gathered together. I could feel that their faith brought the spirit into the meeting. Matthew 18:20 says, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." How much more glorious was the spirit when so many were gathered in his name!
Now, I do have to speak of the singing. We had rehearsed our pieces many times, but the sound that we produced in that meeting was nothing like what we had ever previously done. I think we had some major help. When we entreat the spirit, the spirit can perform miracles through us. I don't doubt that we were helped to sing the way we had been taught and that things were brought back to our memory. I also wouldn't doubt that other unseen voices were being heard as well. I would not be surprised to learn of this in the next life because I know we are Never Alone.
I am so grateful for the experience. I would be utterly selfish if I did not recognize that there may have been many people who would be envious of the opportunity we had. I hope that in my heart I do not take this for granted. This was probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Similarly, we live in an age of many technological advances. I have grown up hearing the prophet's voice through many outlets. The television, computer, DVDs etc. I feel that because these resources are so readily available, we are not as excited to put them to use. We may become a little more indifferent. Because of their availability we find it easier to "procrastinate the day of our [study]" (Alma 34:33). It is my plea (myself included), that we treasure up the words of the prophets as we would precious gems. Like Nephi, lets delight in the words given us and ponder them continually (1 Nephi 4:6).
We were bussed down early in the morning that Saturday and arrived in the middle of the first session. We did a warmup and were soon on our way! Once the choir was out of the conference center from the first session we were in. We were even being seated as some of the audience was still leaving. We did a few run throughs and were seated. All the while we had people working for the church running up and down isles making sure that our collars were up high enough, that shirts of the same color weren't grouped too tightly together, and that we were arranged in a way that was appropriate to our height. I was really impressed with how organized the church was. From the time or our arrival, everything was scheduled out for us. Even before we arrived we had workers attend our practices and make sure that we had the right kind of clothing (it had to fit a certain criteria), the music was sounding appropriate, ect. And we had to fill out all kinds of forms giving the church permission to use our image and such. So a lot of work went into us being there.
While seated on the stand I noticed a few things. For one, the stand seemed much smaller, and for another, the conference center was huge! I think we had the best seats in the house because we had this lovely panoramic view of the whole center. It was lovely and very architecturally impressive. As I watched the seventy make their way in, it struck me how much they loved each other. They really did! They were giving each other hugs and patting each other on the back. It seemed like they were in the middle of a family reunion.
I was also struck with another thought. As I was watching all the men enter and take their seats, I couldn't help but notice that they were all very human. This sounds silly because of course they are human! We all know that! But their demeanor, the way they interacted with each other, and even their execution of the tasks at hand was all very human. It seemed to me that this huge conference that we had had such trouble preparing for and getting to, was just another church meeting. Though a lot of work and prayer was put into it, it was simply a meeting with a purpose of declaring truth. It almost had a business feel to it, though it was distinguished by a very prevalent spirit. And the messages shared...ah...so amazing. In observing all of this I couldn't help but have the thought, "There is nothing to signify a distinction between these men up here on the stand and many righteous men serving within the church." There was nothing unusual about them - nothing to drastically set them apart from the rest of the fold. It struck me that there are many wonderful men that are bishops, teachers, advisers, etc. that are very similar to those serving in high offices. The difference -and there is one- is that the prophet of the church and the apostles wear the mantle of their calling. They are set apart in authority and the ability for them to receive revelation as it relates to their calling. They are distinguished because God distinguished them - not necessarily because they could do a better job than the ordinary man who are steadily and honorably serving in another capacity in the church - like my old seminary teacher, for instance. They are all men of God. They all serve a purpose. That much I do know.
As I watched the seventy, quorum of the twelve, and first presidency take their seats, my heart swelled with love and testimony for each one. They were called of God. They have a great responsibility placed on them and I hope that my prayers for them do touch them as well as many other prayers. The spirit whispered that these were prophets and apostles called of God for our latter days. They were about to share messages that would serve as a voice of warning for us as we struggle in a world that is filled with terror and heart ache.
I found myself very pensive as I sat, gazing across a vast crowd. There were so many people of great faith gathered together. I could feel that their faith brought the spirit into the meeting. Matthew 18:20 says, "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." How much more glorious was the spirit when so many were gathered in his name!
Now, I do have to speak of the singing. We had rehearsed our pieces many times, but the sound that we produced in that meeting was nothing like what we had ever previously done. I think we had some major help. When we entreat the spirit, the spirit can perform miracles through us. I don't doubt that we were helped to sing the way we had been taught and that things were brought back to our memory. I also wouldn't doubt that other unseen voices were being heard as well. I would not be surprised to learn of this in the next life because I know we are Never Alone.
I am so grateful for the experience. I would be utterly selfish if I did not recognize that there may have been many people who would be envious of the opportunity we had. I hope that in my heart I do not take this for granted. This was probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Similarly, we live in an age of many technological advances. I have grown up hearing the prophet's voice through many outlets. The television, computer, DVDs etc. I feel that because these resources are so readily available, we are not as excited to put them to use. We may become a little more indifferent. Because of their availability we find it easier to "procrastinate the day of our [study]" (Alma 34:33). It is my plea (myself included), that we treasure up the words of the prophets as we would precious gems. Like Nephi, lets delight in the words given us and ponder them continually (1 Nephi 4:6).
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Let's Be Chosen Vessels
We are still putting our noses to the grindstone! What can I say? School has taken a huge precedence over our life, as we just got through mid-terms and are trying to get through the remainder of the semester. But in being so busy we have not forgotten the important things like family scripture study and prayer and our "pillow talk."
Pillow talk is a term we once heard at a ward fireside describing how a couple would finally get into bed together and just talk about their day and tell each other they love the other - especially if they were busy during the day. My husband and I reminisce about how when we were single we used to stay up until odd hours of the night talking. Oddly, some things haven't changed (except that we do go to bed earlier)!
Recently I got called into my ward's Primary Presidency. We haven't had much time to do a lot together yet, because we had ward conference consecutively followed by stake conference, but we have met together and started making small changes to meet the needs of our student ward. Formerly, we trumped the larges nursery in our student stake (we happen to have a lot of older married couples in our ward), but now we have been encountering some changes that have reduced the size of the nursery (thus we are making some changes). I have been thankful for this calling, not only because children are so darn cute, but because I think the Lord knew that I needed to be involved more. This has been something I have been thinking about.
I tend to have a reserved personality and am content most of the time to only offer my assistance if I see a need. For some reason, I have to be certain that there is a need before I fulfill it. I don't normally assert myself if I don't think it necessary at the time. For example, we were sitting in church and a mother of two was struggling to keep both her children entertained during the meeting. I was sitting a few rows in back of her and observing her cute children, when to my (and the congregation's) dismay, her toddler fell over and hit the pew in front of him. The mother immediately picked him up and started rocking him. I know this child, and the boy is a tank. He can fall over steps of stairs and get up in a second. No problem. But this time he did start to cry and she rocked him back and forth. I observed that if she could not go out into the foyer with her child, because that would mean she had to leave her other baby unattended. But I wasn't sure if she wanted to go into the hall. I though about rushing up there and holding her baby for her, but it seemed that the boy was handling the fall pretty well. I thought I would offer my assitance if the child's crying didn't subside, or got louder. I was waiting for some sign that would compel me to act. Then a girl I know got up from her pew in front of the pew and did what I was considering. She just did it. And the mother was able to get up and carry her child out.
I felt very ashamed after this experience. I had let uncertainty dictate my choices, and I was waiting for something to necessitate my actions. I should have just risen to the occassion like the girl in front of me. This experience prodded some thinking on my part. I am reminded of the parable of the talents (Matthew 25: 14-30). Often we view this parable as a parable about talents, such as musical abilities, hobbies, athletic achievements, etc. All of these are good and commendable. I think we should develop all that God has given us. But this being a parable, I am not opposed to looking into multiple meanings. In Matthew 25, the Savior prefaced the parable of the talents by telling the parable of the ten virgins. We know that the oil that allowed the five wise virgins to light the way for them to join the wedding party was testimony. Spencer W. Kimball said of this testimony, "In our lives the oil of preparedness is accumulated drop by drop in righteous living" (Faith Precedes the Miracle, 256). We can gather from this that it is righteous living that our Heavenly Father cares about. It is through building his kingdom that our testimonies are strengthened and the testimonies of others are strengthened as well. Concerning talents, do we not have talents and abilities for the purpose of sharing them? They certainly are not for us to hoard away. They are for the building of His kingdom. I believe the message of the parable of the talents was to illustrate the statement, "to whom much is given, much is required" (Doctrine and Covenants 82:3). To name a few, I have been given the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have been given a wonderful family who raised me well. I have been given a wonderful husband who loves me and can support me in my achievements.
Could I really believe that all these things were given to me to benefit me alone? Surely not. These blessings are not mine to begin with. How would I face my God and tell him that the talents he gave me were spent on myself and that I did not invest my talents to the "exchanges" so the Lord could have received some "usury" (Matthew 25:27)? And I know that if I give of myself, I will be blessed with more ability to bless others more. If I fill my lamp, then I am prepared to light the way for others. We have all been given so much. If we do not develop what we have been given it can all be taken away. "For whosoever hath [developed his talents], to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not [developed his talents], from him shall be taken away even that he hath"(Matthew 25:29, Matthew 13:12).
At last, I have decided to make a better effort in sharing myself. I have already taken the initiative a few times this week, and I can promise, the spirit's influence in my life is even stronger. This perpetuates even more faith, which will allow me to build even more blocks of faith on these new blocks. I am overcome with gratitude for my testimony in my Lord, Jesus Christ, for making it possible for us to return to Him. A way for us has been provided. We must simply follow the path. I am thankful for the influence of the Holy Ghost which can help us fill our lamps and have the courage and insight to help those around us. Truly, we are Never Alone.
Pillow talk is a term we once heard at a ward fireside describing how a couple would finally get into bed together and just talk about their day and tell each other they love the other - especially if they were busy during the day. My husband and I reminisce about how when we were single we used to stay up until odd hours of the night talking. Oddly, some things haven't changed (except that we do go to bed earlier)!
Recently I got called into my ward's Primary Presidency. We haven't had much time to do a lot together yet, because we had ward conference consecutively followed by stake conference, but we have met together and started making small changes to meet the needs of our student ward. Formerly, we trumped the larges nursery in our student stake (we happen to have a lot of older married couples in our ward), but now we have been encountering some changes that have reduced the size of the nursery (thus we are making some changes). I have been thankful for this calling, not only because children are so darn cute, but because I think the Lord knew that I needed to be involved more. This has been something I have been thinking about.
I tend to have a reserved personality and am content most of the time to only offer my assistance if I see a need. For some reason, I have to be certain that there is a need before I fulfill it. I don't normally assert myself if I don't think it necessary at the time. For example, we were sitting in church and a mother of two was struggling to keep both her children entertained during the meeting. I was sitting a few rows in back of her and observing her cute children, when to my (and the congregation's) dismay, her toddler fell over and hit the pew in front of him. The mother immediately picked him up and started rocking him. I know this child, and the boy is a tank. He can fall over steps of stairs and get up in a second. No problem. But this time he did start to cry and she rocked him back and forth. I observed that if she could not go out into the foyer with her child, because that would mean she had to leave her other baby unattended. But I wasn't sure if she wanted to go into the hall. I though about rushing up there and holding her baby for her, but it seemed that the boy was handling the fall pretty well. I thought I would offer my assitance if the child's crying didn't subside, or got louder. I was waiting for some sign that would compel me to act. Then a girl I know got up from her pew in front of the pew and did what I was considering. She just did it. And the mother was able to get up and carry her child out.
I felt very ashamed after this experience. I had let uncertainty dictate my choices, and I was waiting for something to necessitate my actions. I should have just risen to the occassion like the girl in front of me. This experience prodded some thinking on my part. I am reminded of the parable of the talents (Matthew 25: 14-30). Often we view this parable as a parable about talents, such as musical abilities, hobbies, athletic achievements, etc. All of these are good and commendable. I think we should develop all that God has given us. But this being a parable, I am not opposed to looking into multiple meanings. In Matthew 25, the Savior prefaced the parable of the talents by telling the parable of the ten virgins. We know that the oil that allowed the five wise virgins to light the way for them to join the wedding party was testimony. Spencer W. Kimball said of this testimony, "In our lives the oil of preparedness is accumulated drop by drop in righteous living" (Faith Precedes the Miracle, 256). We can gather from this that it is righteous living that our Heavenly Father cares about. It is through building his kingdom that our testimonies are strengthened and the testimonies of others are strengthened as well. Concerning talents, do we not have talents and abilities for the purpose of sharing them? They certainly are not for us to hoard away. They are for the building of His kingdom. I believe the message of the parable of the talents was to illustrate the statement, "to whom much is given, much is required" (Doctrine and Covenants 82:3). To name a few, I have been given the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have been given a wonderful family who raised me well. I have been given a wonderful husband who loves me and can support me in my achievements.
Could I really believe that all these things were given to me to benefit me alone? Surely not. These blessings are not mine to begin with. How would I face my God and tell him that the talents he gave me were spent on myself and that I did not invest my talents to the "exchanges" so the Lord could have received some "usury" (Matthew 25:27)? And I know that if I give of myself, I will be blessed with more ability to bless others more. If I fill my lamp, then I am prepared to light the way for others. We have all been given so much. If we do not develop what we have been given it can all be taken away. "For whosoever hath [developed his talents], to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not [developed his talents], from him shall be taken away even that he hath"(Matthew 25:29, Matthew 13:12).
At last, I have decided to make a better effort in sharing myself. I have already taken the initiative a few times this week, and I can promise, the spirit's influence in my life is even stronger. This perpetuates even more faith, which will allow me to build even more blocks of faith on these new blocks. I am overcome with gratitude for my testimony in my Lord, Jesus Christ, for making it possible for us to return to Him. A way for us has been provided. We must simply follow the path. I am thankful for the influence of the Holy Ghost which can help us fill our lamps and have the courage and insight to help those around us. Truly, we are Never Alone.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Entreat the Spirit
I realize it has been a while since I have written about my husband and me. I suppose that is because there is not much to report. We are just enjoying our routine life. We are both taking classes, happy, and busy! But I guess that is normal. I wouldn't say our life it tedious, but it is regular, with a fixed schedule and routine.
I wanted just to say a few words about this life style, since it is typical of most people. We get into the "swing of things" and we are living the same day every day, week to week, month to month, (for us semester to semester). There is nothing wrong with this in of itself, but there is the tendency for us to think that our days are so familiar to us that nothing can change. Consequently, we let our guard down. If we have never been in trouble before then why would we get into trouble now? This is an association fallacy. Because we associate our day with the other days we have lived, we assume that this day will be no different than the others!
In Alma 15 we hear about a "great check" among the people (vs 17). What is a great check? It means the people checked themselves from time to time. They knew that over a duration of time their way of life could and would morph if they didn't keep it in check. It says that the people were "checked as to the pride of their hearts, and began to humble themselves before God."
I'd like to draw upon another example in the scriptures. In Helaman we read about the capture of Zarahemla. Now how does a Lamanite army manage to waltz into the center of the Nephite land and capture their capital city? It says in verse 18 that it was because the Nephites didn't have "sufficient guard in the land of Zarahemla; for they had supposed that the Lamanites durst not come into the heart of their lands to attack that great city Zarahemla." So it would seem that when they thought they were safe, they were the most vulnerable.
This is why we need to listen to the men in the watchtower (a.k.a. the prophets - past and present) and keep a constant watch on ourselves. We must vigilantly safegaurd ourselves by praying and reading the scriptures (Sunday School answers). We need to be doing these things regularly and with intent; exercising our faith. If we pray daily, we are promised eternal life. "...when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day" (Alma 37:37). We need that constant help. Just when we are too comfortable, we may think we don't need the help. Oh, but that is when we are most vulnerable to the most malicious of predators - those who wish to possess our soul.
Daily scripture study is also imperative to our personal defense. "It is certain that one who studies the scriptures every day accomplishes far more than one who devotes considerable time one day and then lets days go by before continuing. Not only should we study each day, but there should be a regular time set aside when we can concentrate without interference...The important thing is to allow nothing else to interfere with our study" (Howard W. Hunter).
In this wise, we will Never be left Alone to fight the battle - the battle that is ever present. In the armor of God there is only one offensive weapon: the sword. This particular sword represents the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17). When we read our scripture we are becoming familiar with the word of God and when we sincerly pray we are beckoning the spirit to be with us. This companion - this great gift from our Father - can help us discern traps, equipped with a single flaxen chord, before we walk right into them. This invaluable ally must be sincerely sought. David A. Bednar, in this last Conference said: "We more readily receive and recognize the Spirit of the Lord as we appropriately invite Him into our lives. We cannot compel, coerce, or command the Holy Ghost. Rather, we should invite Him into our lives with the same gentleness and tenderness by which He entreats us."
I testify that this is true. We need to be steadily aware of our weaknesses, our follies, and our character that is so often subject to error. If we are aware of these things we will be more dependent on Christ and our Heavenly Father. We will develop a close bond with him. We will be able to cultivate His Spirit in our homes. We will feel a closeness to our Savior. We will not doubt where we stand with God. I testify T\these eternal ties will lift us up at the last day.
I wanted just to say a few words about this life style, since it is typical of most people. We get into the "swing of things" and we are living the same day every day, week to week, month to month, (for us semester to semester). There is nothing wrong with this in of itself, but there is the tendency for us to think that our days are so familiar to us that nothing can change. Consequently, we let our guard down. If we have never been in trouble before then why would we get into trouble now? This is an association fallacy. Because we associate our day with the other days we have lived, we assume that this day will be no different than the others!
In Alma 15 we hear about a "great check" among the people (vs 17). What is a great check? It means the people checked themselves from time to time. They knew that over a duration of time their way of life could and would morph if they didn't keep it in check. It says that the people were "checked as to the pride of their hearts, and began to humble themselves before God."
I'd like to draw upon another example in the scriptures. In Helaman we read about the capture of Zarahemla. Now how does a Lamanite army manage to waltz into the center of the Nephite land and capture their capital city? It says in verse 18 that it was because the Nephites didn't have "sufficient guard in the land of Zarahemla; for they had supposed that the Lamanites durst not come into the heart of their lands to attack that great city Zarahemla." So it would seem that when they thought they were safe, they were the most vulnerable.
This is why we need to listen to the men in the watchtower (a.k.a. the prophets - past and present) and keep a constant watch on ourselves. We must vigilantly safegaurd ourselves by praying and reading the scriptures (Sunday School answers). We need to be doing these things regularly and with intent; exercising our faith. If we pray daily, we are promised eternal life. "...when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day" (Alma 37:37). We need that constant help. Just when we are too comfortable, we may think we don't need the help. Oh, but that is when we are most vulnerable to the most malicious of predators - those who wish to possess our soul.
Daily scripture study is also imperative to our personal defense. "It is certain that one who studies the scriptures every day accomplishes far more than one who devotes considerable time one day and then lets days go by before continuing. Not only should we study each day, but there should be a regular time set aside when we can concentrate without interference...The important thing is to allow nothing else to interfere with our study" (Howard W. Hunter).
In this wise, we will Never be left Alone to fight the battle - the battle that is ever present. In the armor of God there is only one offensive weapon: the sword. This particular sword represents the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17). When we read our scripture we are becoming familiar with the word of God and when we sincerly pray we are beckoning the spirit to be with us. This companion - this great gift from our Father - can help us discern traps, equipped with a single flaxen chord, before we walk right into them. This invaluable ally must be sincerely sought. David A. Bednar, in this last Conference said: "We more readily receive and recognize the Spirit of the Lord as we appropriately invite Him into our lives. We cannot compel, coerce, or command the Holy Ghost. Rather, we should invite Him into our lives with the same gentleness and tenderness by which He entreats us."
I testify that this is true. We need to be steadily aware of our weaknesses, our follies, and our character that is so often subject to error. If we are aware of these things we will be more dependent on Christ and our Heavenly Father. We will develop a close bond with him. We will be able to cultivate His Spirit in our homes. We will feel a closeness to our Savior. We will not doubt where we stand with God. I testify T\these eternal ties will lift us up at the last day.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
The Goldsmith's Face
Refinement is an interesting word. In society, when some one is "high class" they may be boast this quality of refinement (ok "refined lady" may be a little old-fashioned, but bear with me). They are in essence,getting rid of all that is not acceptable in such a society. They are not coarse or vulgar. They are genteel, elegant, and polite. They are subtle and discriminate (according to the dictionary). This could also mean that they are discriminate in what traits they should adopt. So, through their discrimination they are free from impurities, and they are purified.
Though, in the scriptures, refinement is symbolically represented by a purging of precious metals, the concept is the same. In the Bible, Book of Mormon and D&C, the refiner's fie is purging and making pure. As we are being purged, we are also setting at naught all those things that re not of God. We are being discriminate. But there is a process by which we do this. To be refined, it seems that we have to go through a lot of heat. In Isaiah 48:10, the scripture indicates that refinement may be brought about by affliction.
God knows that by trials we grow stronger. He wants us to return to him, so he sometimes allows trials to come upon us. Trials can do 1 of 2 things:They can bring us closer to God, or they can repel us further away. What distinguishes between the two is not the nature of the trial, but our own nature. We are the deciding factor. It is my hope that through our tribulation we would be brought closer to Christ. Through our trials, we may become stronger. This is illustrated in John 15:2. The branch that brings forth (good) fruit will be purged so that it may bring forth more fruit. There is a purpose in our afflictions. James E. Faust said, "There is a divine purpose in the adversities we encounter every day. They prepare, they purge they purify, and thus they bless." Through our trials we can bring forth more good fruit - more good qualities and refinement.
In this I do not meant to say that God will show forth his wrath in the attempt to purge us. No, He is not an afflicting God. President Joseph F. Smith taught that, "It is a feeble thought to believe that the illness and affliction that come to us are attributable either to the mercy or the displeasure of God." We see this illustrated int he story of Job int he Bible. Satan comes before the Lord and says that God has prospered Job for his obedience, but he suspects that if God did not "hedge about him" (shelter him from affliction) he would curse God. He proposes a plan: "But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face." Now read closely the Lord's reply: "Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand." See how the Lord did not curse Job? He merely granted permission to the dragon to -well- basically create havoc.
So it is with us. At times, the Lord will simply lift his arm of protection. But it will all work together for our good (D&C 122:7). Again, it is not the nature of the trial that brings us closer to God, but out nature. One great example of this is one of my favorite stories. One Sunday meeting, a group of people were criticizing the Martin and Willie Handcart companies because they left too late in the season. They seemed to think that because they left so late, they were responsible for the many deaths along the trail. One man in the back was quiet. Then he arose calmly, but with emotion in his face revealed that he had been a member of the Martin Handcart company. He proceeded to explain that through the hard times he had been a recipient of help from the angels. He had learned how to be stalwart. Then he said this: "Was I sorry that I chose to come by handcart? No. Neither then nor any minute of my life since. The price we paid to become acquainted with God was a privilege to pay, and I am thankful that I was privileged to come in the Martin Handcart Company." Wow. He just said that the price he paid was worth what he gained: to become acquainted with God. It reminds me of the King of the Lamanites that the missionary, Aaron taught. He said, "I will give all my sins to know thee. This brings me to my next point.
I personally think that the refiners fire is something internal, rather than external. I will explain further. Alma the younger had an experience with an angel and was "touched by an angel" (he he). He was unconscious for three days! But while he was still unresponsive to the world around him, his mother and father were rejoicing that their prayers were being answered! Why? Because his heart was being changed. He went through and internal battle. He saw the bitterness of his own sins. He realized he would rather cease to exist than to face God with all his impurities. But then he called on the name of Jesus. His heart was changed and he was forgiven. He had been through the refiner's fire. (see the story of Paul, Acts 22)
Take another example, Enos. In Enos 1:2, Enos explains that his experience was a "wrestle" that he had before God. He said his soul "hungered" (Enos 1:4) as he knelt down to pray. He prayed all day! a good 12 hours perhaps! And then his prayer was answered with a forgiveness of sins. And why did he receive a forgiveness of sins? Because of his faith on the Savior (Enos 1:8), he was purified.
I think we all have to go through our own internal struggles. This change may be invoked by our trials as we try to draw strength from them, but I believe the true refinement takes place in the deep chambers of our hearts. As we strive to know our Savior, we tend to become more like him, and we bring forth good fruit. Then we discover more impurities and allow God to purify us again. This pattern is a cycle we encounter until all of our dross is removed and all that is left is a pure metal. What happens at this point? The metal is so pure that the Goldsmith's face is reflected in us. We become so pure, that his continence shines in us. Our visage resembles his, so that the people who don't know Christ can know Him because they know us. It is an extraordinary thing. And all the while, the Goldsmith and master is keeping diligent watch over us and our progress. We are Never Alone in our refinement.
"That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:2). Let us seek to develop in us the gold that does not perish through the trial of our faith within ourselves so that we may be found pure at the appearing of Jesus Christ.
Though, in the scriptures, refinement is symbolically represented by a purging of precious metals, the concept is the same. In the Bible, Book of Mormon and D&C, the refiner's fie is purging and making pure. As we are being purged, we are also setting at naught all those things that re not of God. We are being discriminate. But there is a process by which we do this. To be refined, it seems that we have to go through a lot of heat. In Isaiah 48:10, the scripture indicates that refinement may be brought about by affliction.
God knows that by trials we grow stronger. He wants us to return to him, so he sometimes allows trials to come upon us. Trials can do 1 of 2 things:They can bring us closer to God, or they can repel us further away. What distinguishes between the two is not the nature of the trial, but our own nature. We are the deciding factor. It is my hope that through our tribulation we would be brought closer to Christ. Through our trials, we may become stronger. This is illustrated in John 15:2. The branch that brings forth (good) fruit will be purged so that it may bring forth more fruit. There is a purpose in our afflictions. James E. Faust said, "There is a divine purpose in the adversities we encounter every day. They prepare, they purge they purify, and thus they bless." Through our trials we can bring forth more good fruit - more good qualities and refinement.
In this I do not meant to say that God will show forth his wrath in the attempt to purge us. No, He is not an afflicting God. President Joseph F. Smith taught that, "It is a feeble thought to believe that the illness and affliction that come to us are attributable either to the mercy or the displeasure of God." We see this illustrated int he story of Job int he Bible. Satan comes before the Lord and says that God has prospered Job for his obedience, but he suspects that if God did not "hedge about him" (shelter him from affliction) he would curse God. He proposes a plan: "But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face." Now read closely the Lord's reply: "Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand." See how the Lord did not curse Job? He merely granted permission to the dragon to -well- basically create havoc.
So it is with us. At times, the Lord will simply lift his arm of protection. But it will all work together for our good (D&C 122:7). Again, it is not the nature of the trial that brings us closer to God, but out nature. One great example of this is one of my favorite stories. One Sunday meeting, a group of people were criticizing the Martin and Willie Handcart companies because they left too late in the season. They seemed to think that because they left so late, they were responsible for the many deaths along the trail. One man in the back was quiet. Then he arose calmly, but with emotion in his face revealed that he had been a member of the Martin Handcart company. He proceeded to explain that through the hard times he had been a recipient of help from the angels. He had learned how to be stalwart. Then he said this: "Was I sorry that I chose to come by handcart? No. Neither then nor any minute of my life since. The price we paid to become acquainted with God was a privilege to pay, and I am thankful that I was privileged to come in the Martin Handcart Company." Wow. He just said that the price he paid was worth what he gained: to become acquainted with God. It reminds me of the King of the Lamanites that the missionary, Aaron taught. He said, "I will give all my sins to know thee. This brings me to my next point.
I personally think that the refiners fire is something internal, rather than external. I will explain further. Alma the younger had an experience with an angel and was "touched by an angel" (he he). He was unconscious for three days! But while he was still unresponsive to the world around him, his mother and father were rejoicing that their prayers were being answered! Why? Because his heart was being changed. He went through and internal battle. He saw the bitterness of his own sins. He realized he would rather cease to exist than to face God with all his impurities. But then he called on the name of Jesus. His heart was changed and he was forgiven. He had been through the refiner's fire. (see the story of Paul, Acts 22)
Take another example, Enos. In Enos 1:2, Enos explains that his experience was a "wrestle" that he had before God. He said his soul "hungered" (Enos 1:4) as he knelt down to pray. He prayed all day! a good 12 hours perhaps! And then his prayer was answered with a forgiveness of sins. And why did he receive a forgiveness of sins? Because of his faith on the Savior (Enos 1:8), he was purified.
I think we all have to go through our own internal struggles. This change may be invoked by our trials as we try to draw strength from them, but I believe the true refinement takes place in the deep chambers of our hearts. As we strive to know our Savior, we tend to become more like him, and we bring forth good fruit. Then we discover more impurities and allow God to purify us again. This pattern is a cycle we encounter until all of our dross is removed and all that is left is a pure metal. What happens at this point? The metal is so pure that the Goldsmith's face is reflected in us. We become so pure, that his continence shines in us. Our visage resembles his, so that the people who don't know Christ can know Him because they know us. It is an extraordinary thing. And all the while, the Goldsmith and master is keeping diligent watch over us and our progress. We are Never Alone in our refinement.
"That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:2). Let us seek to develop in us the gold that does not perish through the trial of our faith within ourselves so that we may be found pure at the appearing of Jesus Christ.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Don't Let Virtues Be A Vice
This semester I have been sufficiently humbled. I struggled in my degree, I struggled in my relationship with God, I struggled in my marriage, I struggled in about every aspect of life. I do not say these things on an extreme level, as the connotation denotes, but in the sense that I have not met my own goals or ambitions to the extent that I would wish. By saying this I do not wish to discount everything I said in my last post, but only to say that I am capable of better, and I have not wholly done my best.
This semester I had to come to grips with reality. I can't do everything I want to do simultaneously. I need to focus on one thing at a time, line upon line. This is something I have had to relearn. Isn't it interesting that through our mortal probation and essentially, our "test in life" we constantly have to review what we have studied, or learned. At least this is the case with me. I suppose I am human enough that I need constant, repeated lessons.
This past semester I was focusing on many things at once, which is expected, since at the university we are supposed to be learning many things at once. I was focussing on being a good wife, trying to fit time into my schedule for my husband, trying to learn to be a good singer, trying to be a good student, good member of the church, good friend, good family member, and god intellectual. I was trying to capture the spirit of learning, maintaining a good spirit in our home, being on good terms with my teachers, trying to not get sick, and show my love for my husband. All these little things add up! And these things are good things, but I have come to conclude that I need to focus on one or two things in all these categories, not every aspect of every category all at once. This would only slow down the learning process.
This past General Conference President Uchtdorf spoke on this matter. He said that it is easy to get busy, and when tough times come, it is easy to speed up as opposed to slowing down. It is as if an increase of pace will fix the problem, or in more palpable terms, it will speed up the time or event to make it that much more bearable. What happens happens. But this simply is not the case, we will be more benefitted if we slow down to attend to our problems then running away from them. We will learn so much more if we slow down and wholly learn concept than if we are cramming for a test or lesson we have to pump out.
This is especially applicable to me as a student. Welcome to the life of a music major. Everyone wants to finish on time, but hardly any music major does because unless things are planned out perfectly and everything goes perfectly, it won't be the case. So every music major is trying to finish school as fast as they can. I can't debate with that. I understand the motives of trying to finish fast. In my case, I want to start a family, I want to finish around the same time as my husband, I don't want to be an eternal student (well, sorta, I still want to be learning eternally). Also, a music major's schedule consists of a lot of classes, all about 2 or 1 credits each. This is not simply because the classes are easy. No sir. They are challenging and time consuming. It is because a music major has to take so X number of classes and there is a credit limit for the degree. I typical music major will be taking 6-10 classes per semester, that is, if they want to graduate as soon as possible. A music major is well aware of their surrounding peers. We are a tight-knit group of sorts. Everyone knows everyone and everyone's story. We know that so-and-so has a full schedule. Wow. That is admirable that they can do so much! President Uchtdorf said something that was really significant, "Some might even think that their self-worth depends on the length of their to-do list. They flood the open spaces in their time with lists of meetings and minutia - even during times of stress and fatigue." The truth is that we should not be running faster than we have strength (Mosiah 4:27)
True, we should be anxiously engaged in good causes (D&C 58:27), but not to the point of fatigue. If we fatigue our bodies, we fatigue our mind and spirit. The three go hand in hand.
Some might think that it is a sacrifice that will be rewarded if they just keep going on the way they are for a period of time and then slow down at a later date. Sacrifice is the giving up of something for something better. The consequences of an unhealthily-busy schedule are not worth the end. It is not a true sacrifice, but a self-pillage of our resources: our time, energy, and capabilities.
This is not to say that we should slow down to the point of idleness. But only until we can substitute out anxiety with enthusiasm. In this life we have assignments. We may be a teacher, mother, father, student, employer, employee. Think about your assignment at this time. " Our assignments are varied and they change from time to time. Don't take them lightly. Give them your full heart and energy. Do them with enthusiasm. ..To do less than this will leave you with an empty feeling " (Marjorie Pay Hinckley). Please whatever you are doing in life, do it in wisdom. I know I am trying to do the same. And I am Not Alone. I know that I can turn to my God to direct my path and help me accomplish my goals, for they are His. I hope to accomplish what He would have me. I encourage the same.
This semester I had to come to grips with reality. I can't do everything I want to do simultaneously. I need to focus on one thing at a time, line upon line. This is something I have had to relearn. Isn't it interesting that through our mortal probation and essentially, our "test in life" we constantly have to review what we have studied, or learned. At least this is the case with me. I suppose I am human enough that I need constant, repeated lessons.
This past semester I was focusing on many things at once, which is expected, since at the university we are supposed to be learning many things at once. I was focussing on being a good wife, trying to fit time into my schedule for my husband, trying to learn to be a good singer, trying to be a good student, good member of the church, good friend, good family member, and god intellectual. I was trying to capture the spirit of learning, maintaining a good spirit in our home, being on good terms with my teachers, trying to not get sick, and show my love for my husband. All these little things add up! And these things are good things, but I have come to conclude that I need to focus on one or two things in all these categories, not every aspect of every category all at once. This would only slow down the learning process.
This past General Conference President Uchtdorf spoke on this matter. He said that it is easy to get busy, and when tough times come, it is easy to speed up as opposed to slowing down. It is as if an increase of pace will fix the problem, or in more palpable terms, it will speed up the time or event to make it that much more bearable. What happens happens. But this simply is not the case, we will be more benefitted if we slow down to attend to our problems then running away from them. We will learn so much more if we slow down and wholly learn concept than if we are cramming for a test or lesson we have to pump out.
This is especially applicable to me as a student. Welcome to the life of a music major. Everyone wants to finish on time, but hardly any music major does because unless things are planned out perfectly and everything goes perfectly, it won't be the case. So every music major is trying to finish school as fast as they can. I can't debate with that. I understand the motives of trying to finish fast. In my case, I want to start a family, I want to finish around the same time as my husband, I don't want to be an eternal student (well, sorta, I still want to be learning eternally). Also, a music major's schedule consists of a lot of classes, all about 2 or 1 credits each. This is not simply because the classes are easy. No sir. They are challenging and time consuming. It is because a music major has to take so X number of classes and there is a credit limit for the degree. I typical music major will be taking 6-10 classes per semester, that is, if they want to graduate as soon as possible. A music major is well aware of their surrounding peers. We are a tight-knit group of sorts. Everyone knows everyone and everyone's story. We know that so-and-so has a full schedule. Wow. That is admirable that they can do so much! President Uchtdorf said something that was really significant, "Some might even think that their self-worth depends on the length of their to-do list. They flood the open spaces in their time with lists of meetings and minutia - even during times of stress and fatigue." The truth is that we should not be running faster than we have strength (Mosiah 4:27)
True, we should be anxiously engaged in good causes (D&C 58:27), but not to the point of fatigue. If we fatigue our bodies, we fatigue our mind and spirit. The three go hand in hand.
Some might think that it is a sacrifice that will be rewarded if they just keep going on the way they are for a period of time and then slow down at a later date. Sacrifice is the giving up of something for something better. The consequences of an unhealthily-busy schedule are not worth the end. It is not a true sacrifice, but a self-pillage of our resources: our time, energy, and capabilities.
This is not to say that we should slow down to the point of idleness. But only until we can substitute out anxiety with enthusiasm. In this life we have assignments. We may be a teacher, mother, father, student, employer, employee. Think about your assignment at this time. " Our assignments are varied and they change from time to time. Don't take them lightly. Give them your full heart and energy. Do them with enthusiasm. ..To do less than this will leave you with an empty feeling " (Marjorie Pay Hinckley). Please whatever you are doing in life, do it in wisdom. I know I am trying to do the same. And I am Not Alone. I know that I can turn to my God to direct my path and help me accomplish my goals, for they are His. I hope to accomplish what He would have me. I encourage the same.
Semester's Events in Five Minutes
It is a new semester, and a long time since I have last written, I admit. My husband and I are at the beginning of a new semester. So I will focus on catching up on this last past semester.
A lot has happened. First off, and most importantly, my husband and I can't help but notice that over the semester we have grown more in love and understand each other more. Of course, we have had our share of miscommunication, disagreements, etc. But we have always grown closer for them - not further apart. Indeed, we are very happy and our love for each other grows daily.
I suppose the reason why I haven't written until now is that classes have been very busy. I was taking about 14 credits and was teaching at the university again. It was all a very enjoyable experience, just very eventful. Both my husband and I did well in our classes. I was taking seven classes and got A's in all save two. I would say that it was a successful semester for me. I rarely got anything but an A on my tests and I knew my material. I just love to learn!
It was also successful because I got better at teaching. I was more confident in front of my students and used the strategies I had experimented with the previous semester.
My husband's and my temple attendance was also good and we made time for each other. Life was great!
I also made choir again and sang at a few concerts. In one concert I was given a "half" solo, as I like to call it. It wasn't anything big, but it was a good experience and good practice for me.
I also have been blessed with a very good voice instructor. He is extremely interested in the individual. What I mean by that is, he will cater to their needs, he is encouraging (most of the time, as a music major, you only hear what you did wrong, rarely what you actually did right), and he personally advocated for me at least twice. He'll pull you into his office to talk to you if there is a concern. Keep in mind that this guy is busy all the time - but he takes the time to help the individual. Very Christ-like man. He was a good example for me in my teaching. I have always tried to cater to the individual in my class, but if it meant taking time out of my personal time, I was a little more reluctant to help, as I was very busy.
Even through all the stresses of the semester we have been carefully cared for by God. All our needs have been provided as we have been doing our best to live within our means and frugally. We have been well-provided for and cared for. Especially me because I have such a great husband!
Also this semester my husband and I were called into the nursery, but then released after a few weeks, so my husband could serve in the elders quorum presidency. Our had so many children that it actually took two nurseries to maintain an orderly class. Whenever the two were combined, it was very hard to control the kids. But all in all, it was a fun experience! I learned that my husband is very good with kids, even though he still doesn't think he is.
Consistently through the semester, we have held family/friend get-togethers on Sundays. We have held desert parties, dinner dates, and an appetizer social. These were just ways to get family and friends together that we hadn't seen for a while. We didn't do them every Sunday, but most Sundays we would try. It is kind of our way of carrying on the tradition of my brother-in-law and his wife before they left the university. We are excited to continue the tradition, especially since we have more family up here with us now!
Also, this year we passed our first date anniversary: Halloween day. We didn't get very many trick-or-treaters, and my husband and I didn't get to do much thanks to homework, but we did try to celebrate it a little. More than anything it was fun for us to share what has happened since then. We really have come a long way since then. As went over our favorite memories together, we concluded that there were many more to make.
I am so grateful that my husband and I have so much time left together. Even if something should happen to one of us, we take great peace and happiness in knowing that we have an eternity to live together. We are so happy for eternal families. It is good to know that we will Never be Alone in our endeavors. We have a partner and friend that will accompany us through eternity. I am grateful for my best friend who can sing me back our song when I have forgotten the words.
A lot has happened. First off, and most importantly, my husband and I can't help but notice that over the semester we have grown more in love and understand each other more. Of course, we have had our share of miscommunication, disagreements, etc. But we have always grown closer for them - not further apart. Indeed, we are very happy and our love for each other grows daily.
I suppose the reason why I haven't written until now is that classes have been very busy. I was taking about 14 credits and was teaching at the university again. It was all a very enjoyable experience, just very eventful. Both my husband and I did well in our classes. I was taking seven classes and got A's in all save two. I would say that it was a successful semester for me. I rarely got anything but an A on my tests and I knew my material. I just love to learn!
It was also successful because I got better at teaching. I was more confident in front of my students and used the strategies I had experimented with the previous semester.
My husband's and my temple attendance was also good and we made time for each other. Life was great!
I also made choir again and sang at a few concerts. In one concert I was given a "half" solo, as I like to call it. It wasn't anything big, but it was a good experience and good practice for me.
I also have been blessed with a very good voice instructor. He is extremely interested in the individual. What I mean by that is, he will cater to their needs, he is encouraging (most of the time, as a music major, you only hear what you did wrong, rarely what you actually did right), and he personally advocated for me at least twice. He'll pull you into his office to talk to you if there is a concern. Keep in mind that this guy is busy all the time - but he takes the time to help the individual. Very Christ-like man. He was a good example for me in my teaching. I have always tried to cater to the individual in my class, but if it meant taking time out of my personal time, I was a little more reluctant to help, as I was very busy.
Even through all the stresses of the semester we have been carefully cared for by God. All our needs have been provided as we have been doing our best to live within our means and frugally. We have been well-provided for and cared for. Especially me because I have such a great husband!
Also this semester my husband and I were called into the nursery, but then released after a few weeks, so my husband could serve in the elders quorum presidency. Our had so many children that it actually took two nurseries to maintain an orderly class. Whenever the two were combined, it was very hard to control the kids. But all in all, it was a fun experience! I learned that my husband is very good with kids, even though he still doesn't think he is.
Consistently through the semester, we have held family/friend get-togethers on Sundays. We have held desert parties, dinner dates, and an appetizer social. These were just ways to get family and friends together that we hadn't seen for a while. We didn't do them every Sunday, but most Sundays we would try. It is kind of our way of carrying on the tradition of my brother-in-law and his wife before they left the university. We are excited to continue the tradition, especially since we have more family up here with us now!
Also, this year we passed our first date anniversary: Halloween day. We didn't get very many trick-or-treaters, and my husband and I didn't get to do much thanks to homework, but we did try to celebrate it a little. More than anything it was fun for us to share what has happened since then. We really have come a long way since then. As went over our favorite memories together, we concluded that there were many more to make.
I am so grateful that my husband and I have so much time left together. Even if something should happen to one of us, we take great peace and happiness in knowing that we have an eternity to live together. We are so happy for eternal families. It is good to know that we will Never be Alone in our endeavors. We have a partner and friend that will accompany us through eternity. I am grateful for my best friend who can sing me back our song when I have forgotten the words.
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