To Learn, to Do, to Be

My thoughts on Pres. Monson's talk "To Learn, to Do, to Be"

"How might we merit this promise?" he asks after quoting Ezekiel 36:26-28
How do we get a new heart? Of course President Monson tell us.
1. Learn!
Learn what we should learn.
I love the verses in D&C 88 (start with 70) as they tell us what our curriculum should be and in what order. The gospel should always come first (is that why we have scriptures first?) and then all the rest.
But President Monson doesn't talk about curriculum and such. No, he talks about learning our duty.

"He should think of his calling as though he were on the Lord's errand." he quotes President Lee.
"...when we are on the Lord's errand, we are entitled to the Lord's help. Remember that the Lord will shape the back to bear the burden placed upon it."

2. Do!
Do what we should do.
I think this is where Nephi's famous quote comes into play, "I will go and do the thing which the Lord commands..."
"Each priesthood holder attending this session tonight has a calling to serve, to put forth his best efforts in the work assigned to him."
Of course he is speaking to the brethren, but he also speaks to us. What callings has He asked of us?
I'm a mom.
I'm a teacher.
I'm a wife.
I'm a daughter.
I'm a pianist.
I'm a visiting teacher.
I'm a child of God.
I'm a member of the church.
I'm a member missionary.
I'm a leader.
I'm a citizen of the USA.
I'm even a soccer coach.
I have a lot of jobs, callings, and places where I have work to do.

"The old adage is ever true: “Do your duty, that is best; leave unto the Lord the rest.”"
There isn't much left to leave ~smile~.

3. Be!
Be what we should be.
I am a child of God. That is what I should be. I have taken upon myself the name of my Savior. I have a lot to be.

"Paul counseled his beloved friend and associate Timothy, “Be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”"
Am I that example? How do I drive. Try driving around a non-Utah town with a licence plate holder that reads BYU or some sticker in the window or on the bumper that has some Mormon type saying. It makes you think about how you drive. ~smile~.

I know I have to check my frustrated words during a soccer match. I am an emotional and passionate soccer coach and I have to think and check my words when I'm walking the sidelines. What words escape my lips tells buckets about my character. What kind of an example am I?

President Monson says this:
"I would urge all of us to pray concerning our assignments and to seek divine help, that we might be successful in accomplishing that which we are called to do. Someone has said that “the recognition of power higher than man himself does not in any sense debase him.” He must seek, believe in, pray, and hope that he will find. No such sincere, prayerful effort will go unanswered: that is the very constitution of the philosophy of faith. Divine favor will attend those who humbly seek it."

Do we seek for guidance in our callings? I sure hope so. But what about those mundane callings? Like pianist, Doreen, or Visiting Teacher? Who do we talk to about our callings? Our husbands, our neighbors, our friends, our Bishop, our Lord? Who is first on that list?

It is only through learning, doing and being that we get the blessings that wait in store for us.