Temple Trip and 2 quotes

On Saturday I went to the temple.  This is a big deal because I live at least 2 hours from the closest temple.  And I had never been to this temple before.  It's the Manhattan Temple.  And I had to go by myself.  I nearly had an anxiety attack.  That's just how I am these days.  I don't know what happened to me.

But I didn't chicken out and with only a few hiccups, I was able to get there, enjoy my temple worship, and get back to my family.

While riding the train there and back, I was listening to April General Conference.  This is the best thing about living so far from the temple.  Peaceful power-packed travel time.  As I listened to the talks, these two pieces of two great talks jumped out at me.  It was almost as if the words were in bold as they went into my ears.  Does that make any sense?


First, from Pres. Uchtdorf:
It has been my experience that some of the most powerful promptings we receive are not only for our own benefit but also for the benefit of others. If we are thinking only of ourselves, we may miss some of the most powerful spiritual experiences and profound revelations of our lives.

Then, from Sister Allred:

As we increase our own level of self-reliance, we increase our ability to help and serve others the way the Savior did. We follow the Savior’s example when we minister to the needy, the sick, and the suffering. When love becomes the guiding principle in our care for others, our service to them becomes the gospel in action. It is the gospel in its finest moment. It is pure religion.

Think about these two for a minute.  One says we can't think only of ourselves and the other says we have to start with self-reliance. That doesn't mean the two statements are contradictory.  Just that we have to think of ourselves for the purpose of helping others.  I've been thinking about this balance a lot for months--caring for me so I can care for them.  I think I will continue to work on it for years.  

Summary: A lesson I gave about LDS women

Today I taught in Relief Society.  The lesson was based on the talk by Elder Quentin L. Cook in the most recent General Conference, entitled,LDS Women are Incredible.

As I prepared and pondered his message, one thing I wanted each sister to hear is that this talk is about You.  It's not just about those other LDS women that you know.  You are incredible.  Why are you incredible?  Because of who you are.

And who are you?  You are a Daughter of God.  You are divine.  Heavenly Father has given His daughters gifts, roles, and responsibilities.  Elder Cook says, "God placed within women divine qualities of strength, virtue, love, and the willingness to sacrifice to raise future generations of His spirit children."

Our strength comes from unwavering faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His gospel. We learn from the example of our incredible pioneer forbears that as we turn to him in our trials, we are made stronger, and our sufferings are sanctified to us for our good.  

Elder Cook shares a wonderful example of a group of young women finding a handbag that had been accidentally left behind.  The items inside the bag told those sisters a great deal about who this woman was.  Likewise, we are often silent examples to others--our service and our kindness can tell others about who we are as women in this church. 

Elder Cook acknowledges that women face all sorts of difficult circumstances, but clearly reaffirms that the Lord needs his daughters to be nurturing their children in their homes where possible.  He says, "These are very emotional, personal decisions, but there are two principles that we should always keep in mind.

First, no women should ever feel the need to apologize or feel that her contribution is less significant because she is devoting her primary efforts to raising and nurturing children.  Nothing could be more significant in our Father in Heaven's plan.

Second, we should all be careful not to be judgmental or assume that sisters are less valiant if the decision is made to work outside the home.  We rarely understand or fully appreciate people's circumstances.  Husbands and wives should prayerfully counsel together, understanding they are accountable to God for their decisions."

As we strive to fulfill our purposes as women in His eternal plan, we will have his help.  He will make us even more incredible than we already are.  I love this promise from Pres. Ezra Taft Benson, "If you, as wives, mothers, daughters, take proper care of yourselves, your families, and your homes, and keep close to each other as sisters in the Relief Society, many of the problems of the day troubling youth and parents will pass you by."

There is so much more I can say--both doctrinally and from my heart about Heavenly Father's plan for his daughters, about how beautifully the home and the church function when men and women can unite in fulfilling their interdependent roles in this great work.  I love the gospel.

Pondering

I am teaching in Relief Society on Sunday, and my assigned talk/topic is LDS Women are Incredible! Great talk, but it's hard for me to know how to teach it to a room full of LDS women. "You are incredible! Amen!"  Probably not going to be enough. So I am pondering that this week.


But I also want to think about Moroni 9:25-26
25My son, be faithful in Christ; and may not the things which I have written grieve thee, to weigh thee down unto ^adeath; but may Christ lift thee up, and may his sufferings and death, and the showing his body unto our fathers, and his mercy and ^blong-suffering, and the hope of his glory and of eternal life, rest in your^cmind forever.

 26And may the grace of God the Father, whose throne is high in the heavens, and our Lord Jesus Christ, who sitteth on the ^arighthand of his power, until all things shall become subject unto him, be, and abide with you forever. Amen.

I love these verses. May the hope of his glory rest in our minds forever. May his grace abide with us forever. Here is a related thought from True to the Faith: A Gospel Reference: 

In addition to needing grace for your ultimate salvation, you need this enabling power every day of your life. As you draw near to your Heavenly Father in diligence, humility, and meekness, He will uplift and strengthen you through his grace. 

Grace. And meekness, from Bishop H. David Burton (who quotes Elder Neal A. Maxwell):

More meekness does not translate to weakness, but 'it is the presentation of self in a posture of kindness and gentleness.  It reflects certitude, strength, serenity; it reflects a healthy self-esteem and a genuine self-control.' More meekness will allow us to be tutored by the Spirit.

What a great piece of guidance for me as a mother, yes? And thinking of myself inside my home, I also need to ponder and remember two more thoughts. The first from President Spencer W. Kimball:

In our family circles, our children will learn how to talk to their Heavenly Father by listening to their parents. They will soon see how heartfelt and honest our prayers are. If our prayers are hurried, even tending to be thoughtless ritual, they will see this also. Better that we do in our families and in private as Mormon pleaded, 'Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart.'

And the last--with reference to my home and all my relationships--from Elder David E. Sorensen who said:

We must 'make full haste' to reduce arguments, eliminate ridicule, do away with criticism, and remove resentment and anger.  We cannot afford to let such dangerous passions ruminate--not even one day.

That's enough to think about for now.  Any responses?