Teaching Helps Save Lives

My thoughts on Brother Osguthorpe's talk "Teaching Helps Saves Lives"

OK, I have to tell this little funny about this talk. I have an iPhone and on it has the scriptures and other Church material. The conference talks are there as well. Yesterday in sacrament I went to read the next talk and it was titled as above. As I was reading it I was thinking, "This is the wrong talk. I don't remember this." Well, come to find out the title is wrong. I was reading Elder Uchtdorf's talk "The Love of God." But in all fairness it only took me about five lines in to catch the mistake. This talk is NOT on my iPhone at all. That's OK, because the Ensign is in my "reading room" and I was able to read it in there.

I am so thankful for men like Brother Osguthorpe's son! They truly save lives--not just physical but emotionally and spiritually. I know!

As a homeschooling mom I'm constantly teaching (as is everyone by their example). My job in the church isn't a "teacher" but I do teach. I teach by setting the tone in primary with my music so that those prepared can teach and the Spirit can pierce the children's souls.

I have thought about his/the three ways:

1. key doctrine
2. invitation to action
3. promised blessings

with Sister Matsumori's talk. They aren't all that different--just different words but the meaning is the same.

I've also printed out his questions and have been thinking about them.

As a teacher, do I view myself as a messenger from God?
Do I prepare and then teach in ways that can help save lives?
Do I focus on a key doctrine of the Restoration?
Can those I teach feel the love I have for them and for my Heavenly Father and the Savior?
When inspiration comes, do I close the manual and open their eyes and their ears and their hearts to the glory of God?
Do I invite them to do the work that God has for them to do?
Do I express so much confidence in them that they find the invitation hard to refuse?
Do I help them recognize promised blessings that come from living the doctrine I am teaching?

I think I fail on a few of the points, but I'm heading in the right directions. Right now I believe I'm in the teach "key doctrine" part of my life with my children with the other two sprinkled in heavily and purposefully.

That Your Burdens May Be Light

My thoughts on Elder Clayton's talk "That Your Burdens May Be Light"

Tears, tears and more tears run down my cheeks every time I hear or read this talk. I know what it feels like to be burdened down with cares. I don't know what it feels like when sin is the burden but I do know what it feels like to have other burdens.

"No matter the burdens we face in life as a consequence of natural conditions, the misconduct of others, or our own mistakes and shortcomings, we are all children of a loving Heavenly Father, who sent us to earth as part of His eternal plan for our growth and progress. Our unique individual experiences can help us prepare to return to Him. The adversity and afflictions that are ours, however difficult to bear, last, from heaven’s perspective, for “but a small moment; and then, if [we] endure it well, God shall exalt [us] on high.” We must do everything we can to bear our burdens “well” for however long our “small moment” carrying them lasts.

I always wonder what I'm to learn from the burdens I'm carrying (or have carried). I'm sure there is always a lesson I'm suppose to learn, but never sure if I did learn the right one.

"Burdens provide opportunities to practice virtues that contribute to eventual perfection."

If I take advantage of all the "opportunities" I should be perfect ~smile~

"Further, bearing up under our own burdens can help us develop a reservoir of empathy for the problems others face."

AMEN!

As Mother Teresa said, "I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much."

Now that I have finished discussing his talk I want to add this little insight and let you think about it.

This talk is titled "That Your Burdens May Be LIGHT" (emphasis added). If you want to do a little scripture chase go the the Topical Guide and look up the word "light". It might give a new meaning to why we have burdens. May I pose this thought: If we are to become God then maybe we have burdens to help us become Gods.

Some that I like:
"Whatsoever is truth is light" D&C 84:45
"Christ is the light of truth." D&C 88:6
and my favorites
"I am the law, and the light" 3 Nephi 15:9
"I am the light" 3 Nephi 18:16

What about the opposite of light--darkness. Our burdens can bring us to either darkness or light. We decide where our burdens lead us.

Helping Others Recognize the Whisperings of the Spirit

My thoughts on Sister Matsumori's talk "Helping Others Recognize the Whisperings of the Spirit."

I find it interesting that this talk follows "To Acquire Spiritual Guidance". So once you have acquired it, you have to help others. ~smile~

She outlines three "easy" steps.
1. Understand the Doctrine
2. Share Personal Testimony
3. Provide an Environment where the Spirit Can Be Felt

I don't think you are ever done with any of these and you are constantly doing them in some fashion. In fact in thinking about our primary, we have to do all three as all the kids are at different levels of recognizing the Spirit.

I don't want to pat myself on the back for fear of breaking my arm, but I do think that I do the first step well. I am constantly studying it and trying to figure it all out. The second one, I'm not to sure--at least to those who might need help. I think I "preach to the choir" way too often. But I'm so afraid of what might happen to my pearls if I put them forth. And the last one. OUCH! I'm not to sure how I fall there. My house if full of teens and sometimes the noise and contention fills it to the second story. I know I try but I often fall short.

To Acquire Spritiual Guidance

My thoughts on Elder Scott's talk "To Acquire Spiritual Guidance"

I have read (or listened) to this talk a few times and have to look at the title again and again to make sure I'm reading the same talk. New things jump out at me each time I read it. This time these things jumped out at me.

"Father in Heaven knew that you would face challenges and be required to make some decisions that would be beyond your own ability to decide correctly. In His plan of happiness, He included a provision for you to receive help with such challenges and decisions during your mortal life. That assistance will come to you through the Holy Ghost as spiritual guidance. It is a power, beyond your own capability, that a loving Heavenly Father wants you to use consistently for your peace and happiness."

So glad he knew and has given us a way to make them. I have relied on it many, many times. Just recently I had to know which course of treatment was right for me. Did I need to seek a second opinion or was what I was reading and hearing enough. There is no way I can make those decisions with KNOWLEDGE. I NEVER WENT TO MEDICAL SCHOOL. I had to depend on others to help me and ultimately myself (with inspirations) to come up with the correct decision. Not easy to do.

I also know that sometimes there isn't a right choice or even a better choice. Do I wear the red tennis shoes or the blue? Do I take the right fork or the left fork? Sometimes it does matter and sometimes it doesn't but we need to be in tune enough know when it does matter.

"Spirituality yields two fruits. The first is inspiration to know what to do. The second is power, or the capacity to do it. These two capacities come together. That’s why Nephi could say, “I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded.” He knew the spiritual laws upon which inspiration and power are based. Yes, God answers prayer and gives us spiritual direction when we live obediently and exercise the required faith in Him."

WOW! I just have to think on that for a few minutes.

His description of the two teachers made me stop and think. How do I teach?

Sort of goes with above:
"Impressions of the Spirit can come in response to urgent prayer or unsolicited when needed. Sometimes the Lord reveals truth to you when you are not actively seeking it, such as when you are in danger and do not know it. However, the Lord will not force you to learn. You must exercise your agency to authorize the Spirit to teach you. As you make this a practice in your life, you will be more perceptive to the feelings that come with spiritual guidance. Then, when that guidance comes, sometimes when you least expect it, you will recognize it more easily."

I have started running in preparation to run a half marathon and my legs are crying for mercy. They are so excited when it is a rest day. They rejoice. But in reading on how to work through the pain most everyone says that by the time you are ready to give up because it hurts so bad, it starts to feel better because you are use to the pounding and running. I kind of think this is like the spirit. Through practicing working with it, listening for it, we come to recognize it more easily. Eventually those hills will be a breeze for me and I won't even realize I climbed it until at the top looking down. My legs will just do it. When the spirit speaks to me I will just do it. I won't argue with it (like I do with my legs on 133rd St), I will just do it!

Welcome to the Conference

My thoughts on Pres. Monson's talk "Welcome to the Conference"

The numbers just keep on climbing! 130+16+5=151 and to think that 85% of the LDS population is within 200 miles of a temple. CRAZY!

This makes me want to get all the family history stuff done so that those who can go will have something to do.

The Enduring Legacy of Relief Society

My thoughts on Pres. Eyring's talk "Enduring the Legacy of Relief Society"

I love history lessons.
"Now it’s time to talk about what you must do to pass this marvelous and sacred legacy of Relief Society on to those who will follow you. It will take small and simple things. Just remember that the legacy is passed from heart to heart. Charity, the pure love of Christ, is part of the mighty change of heart which the Lord promises to His faithful disciples. So it is not hard to see what simple things you can and must do to pass the legacy along."
But we have to pass the history along. We do it by doing and being and sharing.

As the recipient of some wonderful acts of service I truly want to testify that what King Benjamin said is true. (Mosiah 2:17). Now this will totally be a different take on the scriptures. Most of the time we believe our service to be UNTO our God. "..when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." But let me shed a different light on it. One from someone being served.

I was diagnosed with NHL (cancer) and was able to everything for myself. The only true need I had was when Steve's dad died and I had a bone biopsy scheduled and I couldn't drive myself home (or to the soccer field) because I was doped up. That was the ONLY NEED I HAD! It was the only thing I couldn't do for myself or have a family member do for me. Everything else I could do for myself. I could cook for my kids, I could drive myself to doctor appointments, I could do it all. The Relief Society decided that they needed to drive me to all my radiation appointments and bring dinners in for me.

I felt so GUILTY! This is soccer season and my kids would have been eating sandwiches because I wouldn't get home to make dinner and here the ward is bringing in hot dinners. It just didn't sit right or well with me. But they insisted and would just drop by and load my freezer with food and come by and pick me up for my radiation appointment. I truly felt unworthy of their service because I did NOT need it.

One day as I was preparing for a scripture class I read the verse I quote above and totally have a new way of looking at the line "service of your God." I felt as if God himself was wrapping me in arms of love telling me that I was loved by him. I felt that he knew of my pain and although I was capable of doing everything for myself He wanted me to know that HE LOVED ME! The sisters weren't serving God, it was God serving me through them.

My friends the words Charity is the pure love of Christ is true. Those who serve with love and charity in their hearts are not just serving the Lord and Master, but they are serving as their Lord and Master would want them.

That is the legacy we need to pass on.