Thoughts on Conference Talk - "I Have Given You an Example"

Love this article entitled "I Have Given You an Example" by Elder Richard G. Scott.

After reading it several times, I have been contemplating the many examples I have had in my life that have helped me become a stronger person.

Elder Scott said, "... I have reflected on loved ones whose tender influence helped me find the divinely appointed path that aided my spiritual progression.  At vital times in my life, Father in Heaven blessed me with someone who cared for me enough to help guide my choices in an appropriate direction."

I appreciate those people in my life (and there are many) who have loved me, trusted me, taught me, encouraged, provided questions, shared principles, testified, served me, etc.  I want to be the type of person who can be a positive influence on others and I know the Lord puts people in my path who help me and that I can help.

I am compiling a list of people who have been an example to me and influenced me for good.  This list will keep growing.  I know it is important to see the tender mercies in our life when people teach us things and love us.

By sincerely loving each other, we can help them feel God's love which is the most important thing, right?

Things Always Work Out

I've been thinking about adversity and challenges lately. While hardships will always be a recurring part of our lives, I think the important thing is how we face them.  Everyone has their own set of problems.  The severity of our adversity tends to ebb and flow.  The truth is, we never really know what another person is struggling with.  But we all are struggling each day with something, rather big or small.  And if we think we have no struggles, then we have the struggle of pride, right?

Here are some of the ways I personally deal with challenges.

Have faith and hope, not fear and worry.  Our natural-man tendencies lead us to fear.  Having faith instead of fear is a choice and must be worked for.  Everyday.  Try to look at things optimistically instead of focusing on the negative.  Think about all the wonderful things in your life and all the wonderful things yet to be.  Don't allow yourself to mope, stay in bed, wallow in self-pity, or embrace depression.

Trust Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  They love us and wants to help us.  They will never abandon us.  Unfortunately (or fortunately), humility is key to learning to trust Heavenly Father.  I attempt to be one of those people who chooses to be humble, but it is really hard to keep pride out of our lives.  Challenges compel us to be humble and therefore should be valued.  Humility leads to trusting God and increasing faith.

Pray, pray, pray.  Pray for patience and to be faithful.  Pray for the Lord's will to be done.  I have the tendency to be bossy and have to be careful when I am praying that I don't try to tell the Lord exactly how to answer my prayers.  I am constantly facing the battle of "MY will be done" versus "THY will be done."  This concept has changed the way I pray.  Life experience has taught me that I don't have the full picture.  He does.  It seems logically smart to listen and be guided by someone who knows what I need and when and how I need it. 

Seeing the Blessings in Trials

Our good friends were in a bad car accident on their way home from visiting us a few months ago.  She had just texted me when they were finishing up dinner and said things were going well.  I had a bad feeling when the phone rang about 10 minutes later.  My hubby answered and his expression said it all.

I am so grateful our friends lives were preserved.  Click HERE to read the whole story and see how there are indeed tender mercies to be seen even in the midst of trials.

(Thank you to Stephanie for allowing me to share your story)

Thought of the Day - Yield our Will to God

President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve described his decision to yield his will to God and the freedom that decision gave him: “Perhaps the greatest discovery of my life, without question the greatest commitment, came when finally I had the Confidence in God that I would loan or yield my agency to him—without compulsion or pressure, without any duress, as a single individual alone, by myself, not counterfeiting, nothing expected other than the privilege.  In a sense, speaking figuratively, to take one’s agency, that precious gift which the scriptures make plain is essential to life itself, and say, ‘I will do as you direct,’ is afterward to learn that in so doing you possess it all the more”. (Obedience, Brigham Young University Speeches)

 

You may not be able to change some things in your life, but you can change your willingness to trust in God and obey Him.  As you learn to trust Him, you will see that His plan is for you to follow what Alma called the “great plan of happiness, (Alma 42:8). You will learn that even in affliction and difficulty ALL things work together for good to them that love God and keep His commandments. You can accept with serenity the current reality of your condition when you TRUST in God’s ability to help you. If you trust God, you must also trust his TIMING.