Opening Our Hearts

My thoughts on Elder Lund's talk "Opening Our Hearts"

I testify that you “feel” the Holy Ghost more than you “hear” him. Although on occasions I have heard him.

“The heart is a tender place. “
“It can be softened by love”
Elder Lund then talks about the fences we build around them. As someone who has studied a lot of defenses fences (notice the word fence in defenses—yes spelled a bit different), it pains me to see people put up stone walls 10 feet high around their heart. Because of abuse, life happenings, pains, or rebellion and sin they become higher and thicker, harder for the love to find them, but try we must.

“We must, of our own free will, open our hearts to the Spirit, for He will not force Himself upon us.”
I think we have to remember this when dealing with our children as well—especially our teens. You can lead a horse to water…

But where is my heart? What kind of fence or wall does it have surrounding it? “Purity of heart is certainly one of the most important qualifications for receiving inspiration from God.” (What am I going to be working on this month, year, decade, life-time?) I can either have this blessing “O, all ye that are pure in heart, lift up your heads and receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love.”

OR
“The Lord noted there natural consequences of having one’s heart set on the things of the world: First, we seek to hid our sins instead of repenting of them. Next, we seek to gratify our pride and vain ambitions rather than seeking the things of God. Finally, we begin to exercise unrighteous dominion over others.”

Gut check time! Where is my heart? Where are my thoughts, my actions, my words? And how do I teach this to my children without pointing fingers (even the three pointing back at me)?

“Pride quickly desensitizes our hearts to spiritual promptings.” We see this in almost every civilization on earth that fell or is falling. What about our country, our state, our county, our city, our school, our home, our family, ourselves? Are we desensitized? Are we so proud that we can not receive the promptings and comforting of the Spirit?

“I say again, the condition of our hearts directly affects our sensitivity to spiritual things.” “We choose what we let in or hold out.”

And as the scripture says, “As for me and my house, we will choose the Lord.” I just pray that my children are doing the same thing. That their fence is short, approachable, with a welcome sign on it and that they eagerly allow the Spirit in.