Tuesday, July 30, 2013

First Things First

A few weeks ago in sacrament meeting, a member of our ward shared this story:
A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something.
As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door! He slammed on the brakes and backed the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown.
The angry driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up against a parked car shouting, "What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing? That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?"
The young boy was apologetic. "Please, mister...please, I'm sorry but I didn't know what else to do," He pleaded. "I threw the brick because no one else would stop..." With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed to a spot just around a parked car. "It's my brother, "he said. "He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up."
Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, "Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me."
Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out a linen handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything was going to be okay. "Thank you and may God bless you," the grateful child told the stranger. Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the boy push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk toward their home.
It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair the dented side door. He kept the dent there to remind him of this message: "Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention!"
The story keeps coming back to me--specifically as it relates to having kids. I don't want my kids to have to "throw a brick" at me to get my attention. It's easy to get sidetracked with other things.

There's a quote in the intro of Daughters in My Kingdom: "The average woman today, I believe, would do well to appraise her interests, evaluate the activities in which she is engaged, and then take steps to simplify her life, putting things of first importance first, placing emphasis where the rewards will be greatest and most enduring, and ridding herself of the less rewarding activities" (xiii).

So my questions for personal reflection are:
  1. What things are of first importance?
  2. What are the less rewarding activities that monopolize my time and attention?
Other good reading on this subject: http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2007/10/good-better-best?lang=eng.

[I'm teaching Relief Society on Sunday, and I'm debating between this and one other topic.]

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Pep Talks and "Go-to" Songs

Allison recently mentioned in a Music Moment comment that a certain song "is a go-to for me if I need to feel the peace of the Spirit."  I really liked the idea of having go-to songs and talks that help you feel the Spirit at a moment's notice.  I remember Emily similarly mentioning that she had a list of pep talks and quotes that helped her.  I love that idea and decided to start my own list, thus, starting my own "go-to" list of songs and talks that help me feel the peace of the Spirit.  

SONGS

I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus
Love at Home
Have I Done Any Good?
If the Savior Stood Beside Me (Same with Jess and Al)
The Light (as in Shine the light, Don't hide the light, We'll find the light, See the light, Be the light) 
Drop by Drop (Pretty much I love the Seminary video of the Ten Virgins that go with it)

TALKS
Come What May and Love It -Elder Wirthlin
Finding Joy in the Journey -Pte. Monson
The Best is Yet to Be -Elder Holland (Thanks to Em's recommendation)
Notwithstanding my Weakness -Elder Maxwell (Thanks to Al's recommendation)

DEVOTIONALS
Remember Lot's Wife -Elder Holland
His Grace is Sufficient -Brad Wilcox (Thanks to Kris's recommendation)
The Character of Christ -Elder Bednar (Thanks to Shan's recommendation)
Faith: An Essential Principle of the Gospel - Larry Howell

I'm sure my list is longer but those are the favorites of the favorites.  I'd be interested in hearing some of yours!   I just realized that a lot of my favorite talks were recommended by ya'll and I just want to thank you!  You are all amazing!  Any other "go-to" talks and songs?

Monday, July 22, 2013

Burying swords

At youth conference we had an activity where we buried swords to represent a commitment to give something up (or to do something good...one girl mentioned committing to marry in the temple; one leader committed to serve a couple mission with her husband where ever they would be called to serve).  We buried those swords and commitments deep in the earth on the stake center property.  

These swords had been made in advance and had been decorated in a class and many of them were pretty amazing.  I think it was difficult for some of the youth to part with theirs after constructing them and carrying them around for three days at youth conference.  And it really got me thinking about how incredible the physical sacrifice of their weapons was for the Anti-Nephi-Lehis.  These swords had possibly been in their families for generations.  They were likely very valuable in a monetary sense.  And they had probably saved their lives and the lives of their families and friends many times.  

It was really interesting to ponder the question: What did their swords mean to them? before pondering the question "What did their swords and the bury of them represent for them?"  It added greater appreciation to the sacrifice inherent in the covenant they made never to fight again.  

Monday, July 15, 2013

Faith and Hope

I am giving a talk in one of the families wards on Sunday, and my topic is the relationship between faith and hope.  I was wondering if y'all had any talks, scripture studies or other ideas or sources that you could share on the topic.  Thanks!

Humility

I need to set some humility goals. I know we have all read this talk but I didn't know it was delivered by Pres. Hinckley.

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1989/04/beware-of-pride?lang=eng


I also like Pres. Uchtdorf's talk Pride and the Priesthood.

What talks/thoughts about humility are your favorites? Any specific suggestions to reduce pride?

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Music Moment

So I was asked to give the Music Moment on Sunday.  I didn't really know what that was until they explained it to me but I'm excited.  So I've been thinking about some of my favorite hymns and realized that it was a pretty long list.  But I have narrowed it down to one favorite which is "Have I Done Any Good."  This is my favorite hymn because of the beautiful melody, inspiring lyrics, and mostly a personal experience.  I remember growing up in my teen years and often finding refuge from my parents at Grandpa's house.  I would go over there and complain that my parents were too strict and wanted to ruin my life.  I remember one specific day where I was complaining to Grandpa and he suddenly cut me off and started singing "Have I Done Any Good."  I was a little frustrated at first but then it made me laugh.  Ever since then, "Have I Done Any Good" has been my favorite!  It was a good lesson so that I should focus on serving others than complaining.

Does anyone else have a favorite hymn?

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Goals

Elder Ballard gave one of my favorite talks, Go For It! He discusses many valuable topics for me and my demographic. One subject he speaks on is self-discipline and goals. He says:


Benjamin N. Woodson had some good things to say about self-discipline:

“For my part, I have concluded that the quality which sets one man apartfrom another—the factor which lifts one man to every achievement towhich he reasonably aspires while the other is caught in the slough ofmediocrity for all the years of his life—is not talent, nor formal education,nor luck, nor intellectual brilliance, but is rather the successful man’sgreater capacity for self-discipline.”

Mr. Woodson offers a great suggestion:

“All you need to do is this: Beginning this very day, stop doing some onething you know you should not do.” After you have written this one thingdown, stop doing it!"

Now the second part of Mr. Woodson’s suggestion is this, “Start doing each day some one thing you know you should do!” Write down one thingthat you are going to start doing that you have been meaning to do for along time but that you just haven’t gotten around to. I don’t know what itmight be, but place into your life, beginning tonight, one thing that youare going to do that is going to make you a better person.



What do you think? What helps you stay committed to your goals?

https://www.lds.org/new-era/2004/03/go-for-it