Sunday Thoughts

I got to hear Sister Beck speak yesterday at a multi-Stake Relief Society gathering and once again came away feeling uplifted and motivated. She spoke for awhile and then took questions from the crowd (like she did when I heard her speak in January). She is so totally in tune with the Spirit that she is able to turn directly to the scripture she needs to answer the question and she is also able to reply to the question brilliantly despite being put on the spot in front of hundreds of people. I took 7 pages of notes, and even though she mentioned several things I've heard her mention before, I came away with a greater understanding of them.


Here are a few highlights from my notes (there are too many to post).

• We're ordinary people who have been given huge responsibilities and we have to figure out a way to do things.
• Relief Society isn't a program, it's a way of life.
• We teach each other how to live the gospel.
• Relief Society is an invitation to become disciples of Christ.
• We are expected to lead and to serve in the church.
• Our goal is a life of discipleship.
• We are here to take care of each other.
• The story of Mary and Martha is often misunderstood, Martha welcomed the Savior into her home and she served Him so she was still doing what the Lord wanted her to do.

One of the questions asked was "How can we help our sisters across the world who have less than we do?" Sister Beck gave so many fantastic answers and really changed the way I am going to think about teaching in my home and at church.

• We can help by raising up missionaries in our homes, primary classes and Young Women's organization.
• Every time a missionary goes out we are increasing faith in the world.
• Every time you go to the temple or prepare others to go you are helping the world.
• We can give to the Humanitarian Fund, pay our tithes and offerings, donate to the Perpetual Education Fund.
• All the ordinary things we do are actually big things.
• Blogging is an opportunity to share the gospel and what we know to be true.
• We can lead the women of the world in all that is good.

At one point she said that we should say to ourselves, "I will pray, I will read, I will seek the Spirit and I will get through this." That totally hit home with me and all I've been struggling with lately, it seems like it could be a mantra for all of us. We know we need to align with the Lord by praying and reading the scriptures daily, and that by doing so we are able to lie by the Spirit and better handle the things that come our way. Is just wish I didn't have to learn this lesson over and over and over again.

**Thoughts??**

Comment Window Tidbit: It was so nice to feel coherent and awake at church today, and it feels great to be able to do a Sunday Thoughts post again!