Sunday Thoughts

Today's lesson in Relief Society was all kinds of great and had me writing frantically. The lesson was about applying the Atonement in our lives, and was taught in such a thoughtful, personal-experience filled kind of way by our Relief Society President that I came away feeling fired up.

She started out by showing us a trophy and an old baseball mitt. She said, "Is the Atonement more like a trophy in your life or a well-oiled, well-used baseball mitt?" Or in other words, is the Atonement something you place up on a shelf and look at with reverence every now and again or is it something you can't play the game of life without? Because we need use the power of the Atonement in our lives every day.

She talked about the story of Moses and the fiery serpents and how all the people had to do was to look up to be healed, and how this is a type for all of us that all we have to do is look to the Savior to be healed. The really interesting part of this to example was that we all have our own versions of "fiery serpents" in our lives but that no matter what they are we just need to look to the Savior to be healed. Of course I know this and have learned this lesson many times, but it hit me right between the eyes today (where I needed to be hit) because of how much I've been wrestling with myself lately and seriously battling some inner negativity. I have prayed for help with my issues, but haven't been crying out to the Lord many times a day for help the way I could be. After sharing her own example (which was actually similar to mine) she said that she finally realized that she hadn't prayed to ask to be repeatedly reminded of what she wanted to change. But after she realized this and began actively prayed for help she is now able to change her thoughts when they come to her and she is breaking herself of a habit she has had forever! This is exactly what I need to do! I wanted to stand up and cheer.

• Grace is divine means of help or strength; it is the Lord's enabling power.
• Because of the Atonement we are entitled to divine help or strength to do and be more than what we can be by ourselves. We need to look to the Lord to be healed.
• We need to be humble, turn to Him and have the faith to ask for help, pray, read scriptures, give service and be obedient. 
• We need to do what we can do then He will do what we can't do.
• Life is full of "fiery serpents" we need to look to the Lord to be healed.
• Cry out to the Lord 100 times a day (as needed) for help, He will help you every time!
• Pray for help to have the reminder of what you're trying to do come to your mind, and you will change.
• We are often so focused on self-discipline, self-mastery, and self-improvement that we don't ask the Lord for help.
• The Lord works from the inside out, the world works from the outside in.
• If you want to eliminate the darkness in your life you need to increase the light.

**Thoughts??**

Comment Window Tidbit: I came home from church and found Claudia and a friend sitting in the Adirondack chairs in our front yard!