I don't know why I'm always so amazed at the talks during General Conference. We are, after all, listening to the Lord's Prophet, Apostles and leaders in His church. Why wouldn't we expect to hear the greatest words of wisdom and counsel?!
Here are some quick summaries of some of the talks that touched me most:
Elder Robert D. Hales talk on becoming Provident Providers- I loved it when he gave us this great question to ponder "Is this benefit temporary or will it have eternal consequences?" I love his counsel to think about whether we really need something or if our desire to buy something is to prove something to the world.
Margaret S. Lifferth- Teaching respect & reverence by example. Another good reminder!
D. Todd Christofferson- Strength through covenants. I loved the way he emphasized the need for us to be "strong Christians" and the fact that making and keeping covenants with God gives us power and strength. Obedience gives us greater control over our lives.
Henry B. Eyring- One challenge we all have in common is adversity! A trial is an invitation to grow.
Quentin L. Cook- Stumbling blocks to faith. Another reminder that when we don't live the teachings of the church we may be stumbling blocks to someone else.
Rafael E. Pino- The only true source of comfort is God. There is no tragedy in death, only in sin.
Richard G. Scott- Temple attendance. Set specific goals to attend the temple, attend it as a couple, and rotate the ordinances you do on your visits.
Dieter F. Uchtdorf- Discipleship. The gospel can unlock the door to true happiness. The gospel is not a quick fix. This is a race of endurance, not a sprint! Start where you are- it's never too late!
Steven E. Snow- Change is a natural part of our earthly experience. We can prepare for change by 1) Following the prophets 2) Keep an eternal perspective 3) Have faith 4) Be of good cheer.
Jeffrey R. Holland- His account of the Savior's atonement, crucifixion and resurrection were the most moving of all the talks. I really wish everyone in the world could listen to this talk and feel the spirit touching their hearts. Absolutely incredible.
President Monson- Turn our thoughts away from our troubles and focus on our blessings.
Dallin H. Oaks- Getting something for nothing is against the gospel law of the harvest. We are happier from what we give, not what we get.
David A. Bednar- The importance of the Temple and it's blessings. We get protection through temple attendance.
These short summaries can't even come close to sharing the feelings of encouragement, hope, comfort, and strength that each of these talks gave me. At the end of Conference I was feeling renewed and re-energized, ready to step up and be more diligent in living the gospel every day. My testimony is stronger and I am filled with gratitude for the great blessing of being able to hear and watch every session. What a great weekend!!
Monday, April 6, 2009
Friday, April 3, 2009
What Would Jesus Do
I know that a lot of people look at Mormons and their lifestyle and the seemingly rigid standards and think that we are chained down by these guidelines or are somehow missing out on things in life. I don't think that could be further from the truth. And I can speak from experience on this.
Although I grew up in the church I rebelled as a teenager and turned away from many of it's teachings. I started to smoke, drink, and become sexually active. As I continued my downward spiral I was consumed with depression, suicidal thoughts, and extremes in my moods and thinking. It took years to undo many of the habits I picked up and I still carry many scars from the choices I made back then.
I think about how differently things could have been for me if I had just understood the teachings of the church and the true freedom they aim to give us. I was looking for freedom in things that could never give it to me. If I had known how much alchohol affected my thinking and how addictive cigarettes were, would I have been so eager to use them to "escape?" In reality I wasn't escaping anything. I was just adding links to the chains of addiction, sin and depression that kept me from even trying to reach for my full potential.
As I look around at how common it is now to smoke, drink coffee, tea and alchohol and to disregard God's teachings on chastity I am saddened by the amount of pain I see. Most people haven't been taught about the effects these things have on their spirits as well as their bodies. They often don't even see the chains that are binding them until they've broken free of them. It's amazing to hear someone's account of how they didn't know what life was like without these substances until they gave them up. And not once have I heard someone say that their life was really better because of any of these things.
As I hear stories of people's addictions and the havoc it wreaks in their lives I keep coming back to the popular phrase "What Would Jesus Do?"
Think about it. Could you picture Jesus sitting down and smoking a cigarette and drinking a beer? Or how about hanging out at a bar and drinking shots? Would Jesus have needed a cup of coffee to get Himself moving in the morning? I can't even imagine the Savior of the mankind putting things into His body that would leave His mind or body open to addiction. His entire mission on this earth was to free us from the chains of sin. He lived a life that was pure and clean. He had to. He couldn't let Himself become subject to anything but God because that would have opened the door to sin.
I think it works the same way for us. Although we are "just human" we are still taught to follow Jesus' example and I think that includes the way He treated His body. As I have left behind cigarettes and alchohol and have turned my life around I have found more peace and joy than I thought possible. I have clearer thinking and am able to make much better decisions. I don't have to worry about headaches or grouchiness in the morning if I don't get a shot of caffeine right away. I'm careful to not use anything that would create a habit that I can't quit at a moment's notice. I am in control of my body, not outside substances.
My point in all of this is that the "Mormon" lifestyle isn't strict or restricting. It's a way of living that protects us from the bad effects and addictive behaviors of harmful substances. It helps us become more like Christ as we learn to deny ourselves of those things that are popular or easy in favor of things that will be of a more eternal benefit to us.
So What Would Jesus Do? Are we wrong for wanting to keep our bodies and lives as pure as possible? Or are we just deluded robots who unthinkingly follow the rigid standards of a "strange" religion? I'll let you be the judge of that. But from my own personal experience I'll take the Mormon way of life over the popular way any day of the week. I'm living proof that it changes lives for the better.
I know there could be some controversy about what I say because Jesus was known to drink wine and I'll be the first to admit that I don't have all the answers to that. I do know that in our society drinking wine often leads to drinking stronger beverages and to making poor choices. There are also a lot of people that struggle with knowing when they've had enough. It's a much bigger danger to us today than I think it was back in Jesus' time. So I don't have any problems knowing that Jesus drank wine but we've been counseled not to. I'd rather err on the side of caution than open myself up to the possibility of addiction and lose my freedom to choose what's right.
Although I grew up in the church I rebelled as a teenager and turned away from many of it's teachings. I started to smoke, drink, and become sexually active. As I continued my downward spiral I was consumed with depression, suicidal thoughts, and extremes in my moods and thinking. It took years to undo many of the habits I picked up and I still carry many scars from the choices I made back then.
I think about how differently things could have been for me if I had just understood the teachings of the church and the true freedom they aim to give us. I was looking for freedom in things that could never give it to me. If I had known how much alchohol affected my thinking and how addictive cigarettes were, would I have been so eager to use them to "escape?" In reality I wasn't escaping anything. I was just adding links to the chains of addiction, sin and depression that kept me from even trying to reach for my full potential.
As I look around at how common it is now to smoke, drink coffee, tea and alchohol and to disregard God's teachings on chastity I am saddened by the amount of pain I see. Most people haven't been taught about the effects these things have on their spirits as well as their bodies. They often don't even see the chains that are binding them until they've broken free of them. It's amazing to hear someone's account of how they didn't know what life was like without these substances until they gave them up. And not once have I heard someone say that their life was really better because of any of these things.
As I hear stories of people's addictions and the havoc it wreaks in their lives I keep coming back to the popular phrase "What Would Jesus Do?"
Think about it. Could you picture Jesus sitting down and smoking a cigarette and drinking a beer? Or how about hanging out at a bar and drinking shots? Would Jesus have needed a cup of coffee to get Himself moving in the morning? I can't even imagine the Savior of the mankind putting things into His body that would leave His mind or body open to addiction. His entire mission on this earth was to free us from the chains of sin. He lived a life that was pure and clean. He had to. He couldn't let Himself become subject to anything but God because that would have opened the door to sin.
I think it works the same way for us. Although we are "just human" we are still taught to follow Jesus' example and I think that includes the way He treated His body. As I have left behind cigarettes and alchohol and have turned my life around I have found more peace and joy than I thought possible. I have clearer thinking and am able to make much better decisions. I don't have to worry about headaches or grouchiness in the morning if I don't get a shot of caffeine right away. I'm careful to not use anything that would create a habit that I can't quit at a moment's notice. I am in control of my body, not outside substances.
My point in all of this is that the "Mormon" lifestyle isn't strict or restricting. It's a way of living that protects us from the bad effects and addictive behaviors of harmful substances. It helps us become more like Christ as we learn to deny ourselves of those things that are popular or easy in favor of things that will be of a more eternal benefit to us.
So What Would Jesus Do? Are we wrong for wanting to keep our bodies and lives as pure as possible? Or are we just deluded robots who unthinkingly follow the rigid standards of a "strange" religion? I'll let you be the judge of that. But from my own personal experience I'll take the Mormon way of life over the popular way any day of the week. I'm living proof that it changes lives for the better.
I know there could be some controversy about what I say because Jesus was known to drink wine and I'll be the first to admit that I don't have all the answers to that. I do know that in our society drinking wine often leads to drinking stronger beverages and to making poor choices. There are also a lot of people that struggle with knowing when they've had enough. It's a much bigger danger to us today than I think it was back in Jesus' time. So I don't have any problems knowing that Jesus drank wine but we've been counseled not to. I'd rather err on the side of caution than open myself up to the possibility of addiction and lose my freedom to choose what's right.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
My Top 3 Entertainment Picks
Here are my top picks for entertainment lately:
Monster Mini Golf in West Chester. It's an indoor mini golf that's all in black with blacklights and cool decor. We were able to get 8 rounds of golf for the price of 4 at halfpricecincy.com. We headed over there last Saturday thinking it would be something fun to do on a lazy Saturday. Wrong answer!! It was extremely crowded so we left. We decided to give it another try on Monday evening for Family Home Evening and that turned out to be the perfect time to go! We had the place basically to ourselves (one other couple started playing a round while we were still there.) Although we had to drag Aimee along, by the end even she was enjoying herself. I don't know if it's the usual policy, but apparently if you make such a wild shot on the last hole that the ball flies past the attendant (almost hitting him!) he'll hand you a card for another free round! David was the one who managed that last one, btw.
Videos to rent:
Bolt. My family really thought this was going to be lame. I don't know why they didn't put better ads on for this movie when it was in the theater. I decided to torture my family anyways- and we all LOVED it! It's a cute, pretty predictable plot but the characters are great. We were laughing through most of the movie. Aimee's favorite character was the hamster "Rhino" while I couldn't help but appreciate the cat "Mittens."
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Another film that didn't get much media attention when it came out in theaters but is well worth watching. If you are looking for a film that explores many of the facets of the holocaust through the eyes of two young boys this will be a must-see for you. All three of us agreed that this movie is fantastic. It sparked some great conversation afterwards. Warning-- have a box of kleenex handy at the end!!
Monster Mini Golf in West Chester. It's an indoor mini golf that's all in black with blacklights and cool decor. We were able to get 8 rounds of golf for the price of 4 at halfpricecincy.com. We headed over there last Saturday thinking it would be something fun to do on a lazy Saturday. Wrong answer!! It was extremely crowded so we left. We decided to give it another try on Monday evening for Family Home Evening and that turned out to be the perfect time to go! We had the place basically to ourselves (one other couple started playing a round while we were still there.) Although we had to drag Aimee along, by the end even she was enjoying herself. I don't know if it's the usual policy, but apparently if you make such a wild shot on the last hole that the ball flies past the attendant (almost hitting him!) he'll hand you a card for another free round! David was the one who managed that last one, btw.
Videos to rent:
Bolt. My family really thought this was going to be lame. I don't know why they didn't put better ads on for this movie when it was in the theater. I decided to torture my family anyways- and we all LOVED it! It's a cute, pretty predictable plot but the characters are great. We were laughing through most of the movie. Aimee's favorite character was the hamster "Rhino" while I couldn't help but appreciate the cat "Mittens."
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Another film that didn't get much media attention when it came out in theaters but is well worth watching. If you are looking for a film that explores many of the facets of the holocaust through the eyes of two young boys this will be a must-see for you. All three of us agreed that this movie is fantastic. It sparked some great conversation afterwards. Warning-- have a box of kleenex handy at the end!!
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
More Spring!
This post is for all those poor people for whom spring has not yet sprung in their area.
Just a preview of what's in store for you sometime soon!
I love this time of year!!
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