Act in All Diligence

I read a talk by Elder Eyring today. He was talking to the Priesthood, but I feel like I can apply some of it to my own situation. I am finding it difficult this week to keep working when I am tired or bored or working. It has been hard for me to just do simple things like clean a dish after I use it or care to fold laundry and I have become obsessed with the book I am reading for fun, neglecting other basic tasks that need to be done. I can tell that it is stressing David out because he is so kind and picks up my slack, but then gets behind in his own responsibilities! I need to be more diligent and proactive about the way that I work and serve!

Elder Eyring said, "We are to learn our duty from the Lord, and then we are to act in all diligence, never being lazy or slothful. The pattern is simple but not easy to follow. We are so easily distracted. Studying the daily news can appear more interesting than the...lesson manual. Sitting down to rest can be more attractive than making appointments to visit those who need our...service.

When I find myself drawn away from my...duties by other interests and when my body begs for rest, I give to myself this rallying cry: “Remember Him.” The Lord is our perfect example of diligence in...service. He is our captain. He called us. He goes before us. He chose us to follow Him and to bring others with us."

I can do better.

In 3 Nephi, I was reading about the years when the people see the sign of Chirst's birth and endure many wars and much wickedness with the Gadianton robbers. I can't imagine how scary it would be to live in a time like that...or maybe I can. Maybe I do live in a time like that. What's worse: being struck down physically with a sword or having your mind rot from exposure to pornography? Maybe our times are not so different. Anyway, the Nephite army defeats the Gadianton robbers and every single Nephite repents and praises the Lord for how much he blesses them. It says that, "...there was not a living soul among all the people of the Nephites who did doubt in the least the words of all the holy prophets who had spoken; for they knew that it must needs be that they must be fulfilled. And they knew that it must be expedient that Christ had come, because of the many signs which had been given, according to the words of the prophets; and because of the things which had come to pass already they knew that it must needs be that all things should come to pass according to that which had been spoken. Therefore they did forsake all their sins, and their abominations, and their whoredoms, and did serve God with all diligence day and night." (3 Nephi 5:1-3)

So everything is great, right? Life is moving along nicely. BUT...pride seeps into the mix and people begin to fall away.

"And thus there became a great inequality in all the land, insomuch that the church began to be broken up; yea, insomuch that in the thirtieth year the church was broken up in all the land save it were among a few of the Lamanites who were converted unto the true faith; and they would not depart from it, for they were firm, and steadfast, and immovable, willing with all diligence to keep the commandments of the Lord."

"And thus Satan did lead away the hearts of the people to do all manner of iniquity; therefore they had enjoyed peace but a few years."

Only the ones who were truly diligent made it.

Confessions of an Unlikely Teacher

Most of the choices I have had to make in my life have been between right and wrong, or a selection of one option among many. I haven't often been required to make choices of elimination where I have two great things, but must sacrifice one in order to keep the other. When I made the decision to apply to BYU, it was an easy choice. I could choose any university I wanted, but that was the only one I had interest in. I had always wanted to go there. My best friends all wanted to go there. I applied early. I was accepted. It was great. I was anxious of course to know whether I would get in or not, but I never had to act on my back-up plans. My choice to go on a mission was a little more tricky, but still obvious. I had wanted to serve a mission from the time I was 15, and although other opportunities presented themselves along the way, like school and boys, when the time came, there wasn't much to think about. ...

Bearing Burdens

Insurance is really lame. I mean, it's awesome when you face a crisis, but most of the time it just really, really sucks. Especially if you are self-employed. We were notified that our premium would be going up (yet again) in January, and that our benefits would, of course, be going down. On a random, yet inspired stroke of circumstance, a friend recommended a program to us that replaces an insurance plan and allows people to help cover healthcare costs together. The mission of this group is to support Christ's teaching to "...bear...one another's burdens..." in a literal sense. I liked that idea. Mosiah taught the same principle to the people in the Americas nearly 200 years before Paul taught it to the Galatians . " And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people...

Steadfast & Immovable

Sister Beck is coming on Saturday to speak to our stake at the BYU-I center, so I thought I would start getting ready by reading some of the most recent Relief Society messages. I read a talk by Sister Silvia H. Allred called Steadfast & Immovable . I particularly appreciated these two quotes: "I know that each of us has a vital and essential role as a daughter of God. He has bestowed upon His daughters divine attributes for the purpose of forwarding His work. God has entrusted women with the sacred work of bearing and rearing children. No other work is more important. It is a holy calling. The noblest office for a woman is the sacred work of building eternal families , ideally in partnership with her husband." "We demonstrate our acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Savior when we place our faith in Him, repent of our sins, and receive the saving ordinances required to enter God’s presence. These saving ordinances are symbols of the covenants we make. The coven...

Pearls & Perfection Pending