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!

Sunday Thoughts

I had a great opportunity to go with Lori to a Tri-Stake fireside to hear Sister Beck speak last Tuesday night. It was held in a huge Stake Center (the same one Michelle and I went to hear April and her sister speak last year) but we still went almost an hour early to get a good seat. The place ended up being filled all the way to the back plus overflow into classrooms.


Instead of giving a talk, Sister Beck took questions from the audience, so each answer became a mini talk on its own. She is an amazing woman to be able to do this in front of a room of 500 people! She clearly knows her scriptures and is in tune with the Spirit.

Here are my notes (I couldn't decide what to cut out, so I included all of them.)

• We have a lot of things in common, but we're all having our own mortal experience. We can turn to the Lord for help, He is the only one who knows exactly what we're going through.
• Our Relief Society responsibilities are to 1. Increase Faith 2. Strengthen Home and Family 3. Help Those in Need
• We should be careful about what we read and watch so that we don't offend the Spirit. We need to have the Spirit with us in order to be our best selves and handle the challenges that come our way, so when we read or watch things that are offensive to the Spirit, we lose the privilege of having it with us always. (This answer came from the question "What book are you reading? What's on your nightstand? She also said she's able to get about 10 minutes of nonchurch reading in each night and that she's currently reading some comical stories.)
• Keep the commandments, spend time in the scriptures and on our knees each day. Fast with sincerity. Take time to be quiet and ponder in the temple.
• Commit to spend time in the scriptures each day. Eventually it will become delicious to you and not a task. (I love how it how she always says "in the scriptures" rather than reading the scriptures.)
  
• It doesn't matter if we have a set amount of scriptures (i.e., a chapter) we're reading or a certain schedule, the important thing is to study them daily and make them a part of who we are.
• All of these things are part of our spiritual training so that we are in good shape and can handle the tough times that come our way.
  
• The gospel isn't passive, there is a lot to do. We try to keep balanced and take care of our bodies, spirits and minds.
• She reviewed the importance of keeping in balance with the Essentials, Necessities and Nice-to-Do's. (I really believe that if we do these things we will be in balance in life and able to handle the things that come our way.)

• Alma 48:9--This scripture talks about the importance of fortifying our weakest areas. For some this may be family scripture study, Family Home Evening, or family prayer, but it hit me hard that our weakest area if family meal time!
• The Savior is the healer of all our losses and disappointments in this life. He makes us able to bear our mortal experience.
• We can call on the help of our Heavenly Father any time, any place.
• We can be changed through repentance and faith in the Savior.
• "If you don't have a testimony of visiting teaching, it's time to get one! Visiting teaching is your opportunity to find out how much the Lord loves you. If you give Him the chance He will let you serve those women. You're always going to have an issue with visiting teaching, so get over it! Seek the Lord's will and just do it! Report on how your sisters are doing temporally and spiritually. You are the the link to the bishop (through your VT Coordinator and RS President) regarding those sisters' well-being." (Of course I loved these thoughts! I wanted to stand up and cheer.)
• Visiting teaching is part of our defense as a ward family.
• The greatest danger facing young mothers is the desire to escape into hobbies, TV, blogs, friends and the computer. Heavenly Father is sending strong spirits to the Earth now, so it's no wonder that motherhood is so challenging. Mothers need to be on target and focused in their tasks.
• Only the Lord can tell you if you're doing well enough. Don't measure yourself against others, only against yourself.
• Listen to the Holy Ghost, other voices will lead us off the path.
• D&C 11:12--Put your trust in the Spirit that leadeth to do good.
• Align yourself first with the Lord (do the Essentials) then seek balance with the nice-to-dos.

**Thoughts??**

Comment Window Tidbit: I'm glad Youth Conference prep is only going to be crazy for a few weeks and then will be over 2 weeks from now!