At this time I feel impressed to use this blog as a sort of diary. As I strive to make my house a home and become the wife and mother I feel my Heavenly Father wants me to be I have grown a lot as a person. One of the greatest things I can do in this life (aside from making the string of choices that will ultimately lead me back to my Heavenly Father) is to share the truth that I am blessed to have in my life. I'm the kind of person who, when I find something amazing, I want to share with EVERYONE! That's why I make a great Network Marketer (huge aspect in my business), although up until owning my own business and learning how to properly and efficiently run it did I realize many of the same principles applied to the Gospel. I have the gift of a strong testimony, I don't just believe the gospel is true, I know WITHOUT A DOUBT that it is true, even when I had small doubts along the way I could never fully deny it. As soon as I cast off all doubts and embraced the truth, I have changed...I no longer look for excuses, I am blessed and I am truly happy and content. I want to share this with others. I believe everything happens for a reason, every talent is given for a reason. In Sunday School last Sunday we were taught that each person is given a different talent so as to lift up and strengthen everyone else on earth. This blog is not just a journal to me, it is a way I can use my talents to share my daily spiritual experiences with everyone I can. It is a way I can be a missionary. It is a way I can touch lives who need the power of God in them. If you come across this blog, and you experience for even the slightest moment a desire, impression, or thought to share with someone, please do. Every GOOD desire, impression, or thought is from our Heavenly Father and you never know what the reason may be.
Today I was browsing pinterest skimming homemade chore charts to inspire my creativity to create something for Troah and I came across this blog: http://ayearoffhe.blogspot.com/ Weekly Family Home Evening has never been one of my strengths, though I have a great desire to follow the commandment to hold FHE every Monday night. As I read through the "getting started" section she asked her readers to begin by reading "More Diligent and Concerned at Home" by Elder David A. Bednar (http://www.lds.org/ensign/2009/11/more-diligent-and-concerned-at-home). As I read it certain paragraphs stood out to me so I shared them on Facebook (www.facebook.com/katierod), but I felt like that wasn't enough, so I pondered a moment and immediately resurrected this blog...and now we're here :) So for the rest of this entry I will be sharing the excerpts that stand out to me, my thoughts, impressions, and promptings...I aim to write as I would in my journal rather than to an audience. I would love to hear any thoughts, impressions, promptings you may have as well...after-all, we are all here to teach and learn from each other :)
Suggestion Number One: Express Love—and Show It
President Thomas S. Monson recently counseled: “Often we assume that [the people around us] must know how much we love them. But we should never assume; we should let them know. … We will never regret the kind words spoken or the affection shown. Rather, our regrets will come if such things are omitted from our relationships with those who mean the most to us” (“Finding Joy in the Journey,” Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2008, 86).We can become more diligent and concerned at home as we express love—and consistently show it.
Suggestion Number Two: Bear Testimony—and Live It
“That which the Spirit testifies unto you even so I would that ye should do” D&C 46:7
Thought: Am I living in a way that I can hear the Spirit testify what I should do? If not, what could be the consequences of not hearing specific and personal instruction?
Feeling the power, the edification, and the constancy of testimony from a spouse, a parent, or a child is a rich blessing. Such testimony fortifies faith and provides direction. Such testimony generates light in a world that grows increasingly dark. Such testimony is the source of an eternal perspective and of enduring peace.
Thought: What keeps me from bearing my testimony more to my family? I believe setting an example is a great way to bear testimony; however, there must be a great power in verbally conveying my knowledge of Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, and the whole of the gospel. If it "fortifies faith and provides direction" then what is keeping me back from talking about it? Perhaps a fear of rejection? Any reason to not bear my testimony revolves around some kind of fear...and that kind of fear only comes from Lucifer...which must mean that nothing positive can come from keeping it to myself. I MUST strive to share my testimony to my family more often.
Thought: What keeps me from bearing my testimony more to my family? I believe setting an example is a great way to bear testimony; however, there must be a great power in verbally conveying my knowledge of Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, and the whole of the gospel. If it "fortifies faith and provides direction" then what is keeping me back from talking about it? Perhaps a fear of rejection? Any reason to not bear my testimony revolves around some kind of fear...and that kind of fear only comes from Lucifer...which must mean that nothing positive can come from keeping it to myself. I MUST strive to share my testimony to my family more often.
We can become more diligent and concerned at home as we bear testimony—and consistently live it.
Suggestion Number Three: Be Consistent
Sister Bednar and I thought helping our sons understand the content of a particular lesson or a specific scripture was the ultimate outcome. But such a result does not occur each time we study or pray or learn together. The consistency of our intent and work was perhaps the greatest lesson—a lesson we did not fully appreciate at the time.
Thought:Consistency is key. I need to put this on my mirror as this is the biggest reason I fail to gather my family for regular scripture study, prayer, FHE is the doubt of if it is all worth the frustration and stress. It IS worth it!
“express love—and show it,” to “bear testimony—and live it,” and to “be consistent.”
Thought: The opposite of this counsel is hypocrisy. If I express love without showing it and bear testimony without living it, I am a hypocrite. I must be consistently striving to follow the teachings I have declared belief in to maintain my integrity as a true daughter of God.
“But be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4:12).
As we seek the Lord’s help and in His strength, we can gradually reduce the disparity between what we say and what we do, between expressing love and consistently showing it, and between bearing testimony and steadfastly living it. We can become more diligent and concerned at home as we are more faithful in learning, living, and loving the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.
Thought: I know that Elder Bednar is an apostle of God, he speaks truth and I know if I follow his counsel to express my love to my family more often and bear my testimony consistently, I will be given the promptings I and my family needs to follow the path back to our Heavenly Father. Acting on these teachings, even though they are hard, is what it means to be a mother, and there is truly nothing else I want to be more than the best mother for my children.
Until next time,
Katie, xoxo
Thank you for sharing this! I couldn't have read this at a more perfect time! I know my husbands testimony, verbal and by deed, always encourages, fortifies and directs me, I should strive more to bear my testimony verbally and by deed so that I can fortify and direct my children. I like the idea of "brush strokes" as a comparison to the effect of consistency. Too often I let little things slide thinking they are minuscule but those things can pile up. why not pile up the "little things" like consist ant family prayer, or singing hymns, or teaching Book of Mormon stories? Why not take the brief moments to stress those things and let THEM pile up?
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