Bishop Burton "Let Virtue Garnish Your Thoughts"

My thoughts on Bishop Burton's talk, "Let Virtue Garnish Your Thoughts"

I remember listening to this talk and it still brings a smile to my face as I reread it.

Because of the pain of cancer I have spent a good part of each day flat in bed. The pain is too much to let me sleep and my mind is too loopy to really concentrate on much so I have taken to watching a lot of TV. Because I'm not a good cook, I have been watching a lot of cooking shows. In fact I've ordered many from the library and netflix. One thing I have noticed is how they show the end product. All those messy pots are forgotten in the kitchen, but what shows up on the plate is totally different. (Of course I have a very hard time dirtying yet another dish that I have to wash just to present a pretty dinner--but that's me and maybe Bishop Burton's talk will change my mind.) They "plate" their dinner and add GARNISH. It is what makes it pretty and appealing to the eye.

I have kept that in mind as I have reread this talk again yet today. Do the things we say truly tell what is on the inside of us? I know a garnish on the plate will not make somethings taste better, but it sure will make them look better. I will still not like fish, but boy will it make it look good. Likewise do the words we speak tell what we truly are on the inside or are the a mask?

"Today I wish to speak about personal traits we call virtues. Virtuous traits form the foundation of a Christian life and are the outward manifestation of the inner man. ...I refer to the virtues ending in ity as the “ity” virtues. “Ity” is a suffix that means quality, state, or degree of being."

"We need only look around us to see what is taking place in our communities to realize that personal traits of virtue are in a steep decline."

"Brothers and sisters, we need not be a part of the virtue malaise that is penetrating and infecting society. If we follow the world in abandoning Christian-centered virtues, the consequences may be disastrous. Individual faith and fidelity, which have eternal consequences, will diminish. Family solidarity and spirituality will be adversely impacted. Religious influence in society will be lessened, and the rule of law will be challenged and perhaps even set aside. The seedbed for all that plagues the natural man will have been planted, to the sheer delight of Satan. "

Men are that they might have joy, and Satan love misery (paraphrased from Alma).
Are we so miserable? Is our society so miserably that we have taken to following Satan?

We need to start at home to teach the "ity" virtues. "A hypocritical example destroys credibility."

I am guilty of this. I am so guilty of this that it is time for me to stand up, admit I'm wrong and change! I will be a more virtuous person. I will walk the talk as well as talk the talk to my children. I will be honest. I will be full of integrity. I will. (The only lie I will tell is when someone who doesn't know or when I don't have time to explain asks how I am. Oh how hypocritical of me, but it is going to have to be my "cancer card" play for the day. Sometimes it is just too much to deal with and a lie will have to suffice. I'm sure my children will understand.)

Quoting Pres. Faust:
"'It is difficult for a person to display virtuous traits if he or she lacks integrity. Without integrity, honesty is often forgotten. If integrity is absent, civility is impaired. If integrity is not important, spirituality is difficult to maintain. In Old Testament times, Moses counseled the children of Israel that “if a man vow a vow unto the Lord, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth” "

"If virtues are lost, families will be measurably weakened, individual faith in the Lord Jesus Chris will soften, and important eternal relationships may be jeopardized." I have seen the fulfillment of such prophecies and I do not want them to be fulfilled in my family. I will fight to the end to be virtuous.