After reading The Know-It-All: One Man's Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World by A. J. Jacobs,who took on the daunting task of reading the Encyclopaedia Britannica from A to Z. I took on a challenge of my own: to read all of the Ensigns available online. And thus, this blog began.
For more info about this challenge and for a review of the above book see my first post.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
There are too many great articles written by the brethren to limit myself just to the Ensign articles so as I come across these talks that really speak to me I am going to blog about them too!
I stumbled on this address by Elder M. Russell Ballard entitled: Go for It ! while helping Josh prepare for a Sacrament meeting talk.
I often struggle to know how best to fulfill the expectations that I have for myself and even more importantly the expectations that the Lord has for me.
Elder Ballard recommends we strive to develop the characteristic of a "positive attitude". He says," I am a great believer that what you and I think about will ultimately come to pass....I believe if we think about what it takes to be successful long enough and if we are willing to discipline ourselves to the principle of success, we will experience success."
So right off, I see I need to repent! I struggle to maintain a positive attitude! And so far success has eluded me but I have hope! I am going to immerse myself in the word of God and I am going to study success and think success. Hopefully someday I will be successful at accomplishing the work the Lord has sent me here on earth to do. I am going to do my best from here on out to think about life in positive terms. Elder Ballard believes we can train ourselves to be positive thinkers! Vaughn will be grateful if I can really do this!
Goal setting is important. Says Elder Ballard,"if we don't set goals in our life and learn how to master the technique of living to reach our goals, we can reach a ripe old age and look back on our life only to see that we reached but a small part of our full potential. When you learn to master the principle of setting a goal, you will then be able to make a great difference in the results you attain in this life." I don't want to vege any more in this life! I want to set goals and slowly but surely become the person God wants me to become. I want to reach my full potential!
The first step in the goal setting process is to write the goals down and put them in a prominent place like on the bathroom mirror or on the fridge. Then we must practice personal self-discipline.
Elder Ballard quotes Benjamin N. Woodson who said:
"For my part, I have concluded that the quality which sets one man apart from another--the factor which lifts one man to every achievement to which he reasonably aspires while the other is caught in the slough of mediocrity for all the years of his life--is not talent, nor formal education, nor luck nor intellectual brilliance, but is rather the successful man's greater capacity for self-discipline."
I am rather weak in self-discipline, but oh, how I want to get out of the slough of mediocrity! I am going to try to make self-discipline a strength in my life! With Heavenly Father's help I am sure I can do it!
Mr. Woodson gives this advice:
"All you need to do is this: Beginning this very day, stop doing some one thing you know you should not do" Elder Ballard said: "After you have written this one thing down, stop doing it"
So what is that one thing that I know I should not do? I can actually think of a few things that I do that I know I shouldn't: I need to stop over eating! I need to stop wasting our money on soda and junk food! And I need to stop letting corrupt communications proceed out of my mouth!
Will I be able to do it? Or a month from now we I still be letting these same bad habits hold me back from being my best self?
No I am really going to do it! I am going to discipline myself and get these problems out of my life!
But I can't just stop there Mr Woodson says: I must "start doing each day one thing I know I should do!" And Elder Ballard agrees, "Write down one thing that you are going to start doing that you have been meaning to do for a long time but that you just haven't gotten around to."
What should I be doing each day to make myself a better person? I need to improve my prayers and be more consistent in my scripture study! I need to exercise each day: walking and strength training! And I need to take that money I am going to save from not drinking Diet Coke and so much junk food and actually save it!
If I actually make these changes and make this a regular practice I will start to fulfill the Savior's teaching when he said,"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" (Matt. 5:48) Elder Ballard says, "Perfection is a process by which you and I learn to eliminate the things in life that are not good,and replace them with the things in life that are eternal in nature.
Let's do what Elder Ballard has taught! Let's go for our righteous goals! Let's pray for the inner strength to have the self-discipline that we will need to reach our goals! Let's have faith in God, faith in Jesus Christ, and faith in ourselves! Remember our ultimate goal is to inherit eternal life!
Remember we are trying to get to the celestial kingdom! Elder Ballard reminds us. Our "greatest thrust" should be to build upon the things of the Spirit. "We cannot ignore keeping the commandments of God. We cannot excuse ourselves or rationalize or justify even the smallest things in our lives that we need to master. We must work to overcome them. We can become the masters of our own destinies by practicing self-discipline and by setting worthy goals that will lead to higher ground so that we can become what our Heavenly Father wants us to become."
This talk really hit home for me. I haven't been the greatest at setting and accomplishing goals but I am going to make it an important part of my life from here on out! I really do want to overcome, with the Lord's help, my weaknesses and be a master of my destiny. I am going to be what Heavenly Father wants me to become!
I stumbled on this address by Elder M. Russell Ballard entitled: Go for It ! while helping Josh prepare for a Sacrament meeting talk.
I often struggle to know how best to fulfill the expectations that I have for myself and even more importantly the expectations that the Lord has for me.
Elder Ballard recommends we strive to develop the characteristic of a "positive attitude". He says," I am a great believer that what you and I think about will ultimately come to pass....I believe if we think about what it takes to be successful long enough and if we are willing to discipline ourselves to the principle of success, we will experience success."
So right off, I see I need to repent! I struggle to maintain a positive attitude! And so far success has eluded me but I have hope! I am going to immerse myself in the word of God and I am going to study success and think success. Hopefully someday I will be successful at accomplishing the work the Lord has sent me here on earth to do. I am going to do my best from here on out to think about life in positive terms. Elder Ballard believes we can train ourselves to be positive thinkers! Vaughn will be grateful if I can really do this!
Goal setting is important. Says Elder Ballard,"if we don't set goals in our life and learn how to master the technique of living to reach our goals, we can reach a ripe old age and look back on our life only to see that we reached but a small part of our full potential. When you learn to master the principle of setting a goal, you will then be able to make a great difference in the results you attain in this life." I don't want to vege any more in this life! I want to set goals and slowly but surely become the person God wants me to become. I want to reach my full potential!
The first step in the goal setting process is to write the goals down and put them in a prominent place like on the bathroom mirror or on the fridge. Then we must practice personal self-discipline.
Elder Ballard quotes Benjamin N. Woodson who said:
"For my part, I have concluded that the quality which sets one man apart from another--the factor which lifts one man to every achievement to which he reasonably aspires while the other is caught in the slough of mediocrity for all the years of his life--is not talent, nor formal education, nor luck nor intellectual brilliance, but is rather the successful man's greater capacity for self-discipline."
I am rather weak in self-discipline, but oh, how I want to get out of the slough of mediocrity! I am going to try to make self-discipline a strength in my life! With Heavenly Father's help I am sure I can do it!
Mr. Woodson gives this advice:
"All you need to do is this: Beginning this very day, stop doing some one thing you know you should not do" Elder Ballard said: "After you have written this one thing down, stop doing it"
So what is that one thing that I know I should not do? I can actually think of a few things that I do that I know I shouldn't: I need to stop over eating! I need to stop wasting our money on soda and junk food! And I need to stop letting corrupt communications proceed out of my mouth!
Will I be able to do it? Or a month from now we I still be letting these same bad habits hold me back from being my best self?
No I am really going to do it! I am going to discipline myself and get these problems out of my life!
But I can't just stop there Mr Woodson says: I must "start doing each day one thing I know I should do!" And Elder Ballard agrees, "Write down one thing that you are going to start doing that you have been meaning to do for a long time but that you just haven't gotten around to."
What should I be doing each day to make myself a better person? I need to improve my prayers and be more consistent in my scripture study! I need to exercise each day: walking and strength training! And I need to take that money I am going to save from not drinking Diet Coke and so much junk food and actually save it!
If I actually make these changes and make this a regular practice I will start to fulfill the Savior's teaching when he said,"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" (Matt. 5:48) Elder Ballard says, "Perfection is a process by which you and I learn to eliminate the things in life that are not good,and replace them with the things in life that are eternal in nature.
Let's do what Elder Ballard has taught! Let's go for our righteous goals! Let's pray for the inner strength to have the self-discipline that we will need to reach our goals! Let's have faith in God, faith in Jesus Christ, and faith in ourselves! Remember our ultimate goal is to inherit eternal life!
Remember we are trying to get to the celestial kingdom! Elder Ballard reminds us. Our "greatest thrust" should be to build upon the things of the Spirit. "We cannot ignore keeping the commandments of God. We cannot excuse ourselves or rationalize or justify even the smallest things in our lives that we need to master. We must work to overcome them. We can become the masters of our own destinies by practicing self-discipline and by setting worthy goals that will lead to higher ground so that we can become what our Heavenly Father wants us to become."
This talk really hit home for me. I haven't been the greatest at setting and accomplishing goals but I am going to make it an important part of my life from here on out! I really do want to overcome, with the Lord's help, my weaknesses and be a master of my destiny. I am going to be what Heavenly Father wants me to become!
Becoming a Better Teacher
This life is definitely not easy but the gospel of Jesus Christ can give us hope, and provide the key to happiness. Who wouldn't want that?! The key to happiness!
As Latter-day Saints we must rise to the challenge of these hard times by renewing our dedication to really know the gospel, live it, and teach it to others so we can all have this key to happiness!
The Church has four vital teaching forces: the Family Home Evening program, the seminary and institute programs, the Church schools, and the Church classroom.
Satan is doing all he can to undermine and destroy the family. Applying the gospel of Christ to family relations is the only way to stop Satan's destructiveness.
Seminary, Institute and Church schools are also very effective in teaching our children the gospel. According to the article 95% of those completing institute marry in the temple. (I wonder if this is still accurate?)
In the Church class room teachers are a great influence for good but have the responsibility of continually striving to be even better teachers in conjunction with the Spirit. Every teacher in the church must make the commitment to really teach.
At this time the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles had just created the Teacher Development Program which strives to combine teaching skills with spiritual principles.
As I ponder about the teachers of the church I think it is amazing how the Church takes ordinary members and trains them to become great gospel teachers. We all need to rededicate ourselves to improve as gospel teachers using the inspired Teacher Development Program that was introduced to the Church so many years ago. Now is the time to take advantage of this now not so new program. Now is the time to improve! This is how we defend ourselves and our children against the forces of Satan.
Hmm.... this causes me to reevaluate my performance as a gospel teacher especially in the home since I don't have a call to teach in the church class room at this time. Not more than an hour ago, Rebekah told Vaughn and I that we needed to make our Family Home Evenings more fun! Of course she was comparing what we do: a short lesson from The Friend supplemented with a family singing time to what her friends in primary said they do: Mason's family goes bowling and Lexie's family goes swimming! Yes, I can see where ours could be considered a little boring. I will have to see what I can do to remedy this. Unfortunately we won't be able to bowl or swim often but maybe if I spent some time planning and preparing for FHE I could make it more enjoyable, and more memorable for all of us. I am going to make FHE one of my priorities!
As Latter-day Saints we must rise to the challenge of these hard times by renewing our dedication to really know the gospel, live it, and teach it to others so we can all have this key to happiness!
The Church has four vital teaching forces: the Family Home Evening program, the seminary and institute programs, the Church schools, and the Church classroom.
Satan is doing all he can to undermine and destroy the family. Applying the gospel of Christ to family relations is the only way to stop Satan's destructiveness.
Seminary, Institute and Church schools are also very effective in teaching our children the gospel. According to the article 95% of those completing institute marry in the temple. (I wonder if this is still accurate?)
In the Church class room teachers are a great influence for good but have the responsibility of continually striving to be even better teachers in conjunction with the Spirit. Every teacher in the church must make the commitment to really teach.
At this time the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles had just created the Teacher Development Program which strives to combine teaching skills with spiritual principles.
As I ponder about the teachers of the church I think it is amazing how the Church takes ordinary members and trains them to become great gospel teachers. We all need to rededicate ourselves to improve as gospel teachers using the inspired Teacher Development Program that was introduced to the Church so many years ago. Now is the time to take advantage of this now not so new program. Now is the time to improve! This is how we defend ourselves and our children against the forces of Satan.
Hmm.... this causes me to reevaluate my performance as a gospel teacher especially in the home since I don't have a call to teach in the church class room at this time. Not more than an hour ago, Rebekah told Vaughn and I that we needed to make our Family Home Evenings more fun! Of course she was comparing what we do: a short lesson from The Friend supplemented with a family singing time to what her friends in primary said they do: Mason's family goes bowling and Lexie's family goes swimming! Yes, I can see where ours could be considered a little boring. I will have to see what I can do to remedy this. Unfortunately we won't be able to bowl or swim often but maybe if I spent some time planning and preparing for FHE I could make it more enjoyable, and more memorable for all of us. I am going to make FHE one of my priorities!
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Love Insurance
"A little boy asked one time, “Mama, why is it that you love me more in the morning than you do at night?”
So, I see by reading this that I am not the only parent who is frazzled by the end of the day! But who doesn't see the wisdom in having insurance: life, home, auto? Why should we not also have some of the most important kind of insurance: " love insurance"?! After all, aren't the greatest commandments of all to love God and to love others?Thursday, March 26, 2009
Oh, Choose Wisely, Holly!
The Sum of Our Decisions...
Richard L. Evans, “The Spoken Word,” Ensign, Jan 1971, 26
"...we, ourselves, must make our choices; ... we must decide, and take our share of responsibilities for our decisions.... Ultimately we become the sum of our decisions—the sum of what we decide."
“To every man there openeth …
A High Way and a Low.
And every man decideth
The way his soul shall go.”
John Oxenham, “The Ways.”
A message short and sweet but one I really like and need to remember: I am the sum of my decisions! Each little choice I make each day adds up to make who I am! Oh, Choose wisely, Holly!
Richard L. Evans, “The Spoken Word,” Ensign, Jan 1971, 26
"...we, ourselves, must make our choices; ... we must decide, and take our share of responsibilities for our decisions.... Ultimately we become the sum of our decisions—the sum of what we decide."
“To every man there openeth …
A High Way and a Low.
And every man decideth
The way his soul shall go.”
John Oxenham, “The Ways.”
A message short and sweet but one I really like and need to remember: I am the sum of my decisions! Each little choice I make each day adds up to make who I am! Oh, Choose wisely, Holly!
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Just What I Needed!
I was a little girl when this article "The Women’s Movement:Liberation or Deception?" was written by then Elder (now President) Monson. I didn't have much of an idea of what was going on in the women's movement. I do remember being shocked and very saddened when someone opposed President Kimball during a sustaining in General Conference and I believe it had to do with women's rights but I had no idea Satan had such power over people even back then.
President Monson quotes a magazine (and I quote him) "dealing with “The Motherhood Myth.” This article debunked the idea that there is anything particularly fulfilling and satisfying about being a mother. It quoted one psychiatrist who suggested that people should move from planned parenthood to planned unparenthood and that it would be more loving to children not to have them. The author of the article, a senior editor of the magazine, concluded: “If God were still speaking to us in a voice we could hear, even He would probably say, ‘Be fruitful. Don’t multiply.’ "
As President Monson put it what "idiotic and blatantly false philosophy!!!!"Thankfully God has spoken and still speaks and this is what He has said:
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. …”(Gen. 1:3, 6–7, 26–28.)
Again, in these latter days, the Lord counseled: “… marriage is ordained of God unto man. Wherefore, it is lawful that he should have one wife, and they twain shall be one flesh, and all this that the earth might answer the end of its creation.” (D&C 49:15–1)
It is quite different! The philosophy of man verses the truth of God! And yet this philosophy of man speaks very powerfully in the world today! I have often heard it, I still hear it even from active members of the Church! and yes at times even from my own thoughts and heart! Sometimes I find myself thinking: "It would be so much easier not to have a family, especially such a large one! It would be wonderful to have a career, and make lots of money, and be able to afford nice things, and have time and resources to have fun, to travel, to be free!" This is a philosophy that I must stand up against and fight!
President Monson went on to say, "Our interests are centered in ourselves. We are preoccupied with material things. Many of us are more concerned about conquering space than about conquering ourselves. We are more dedicated to material security than to inner purity. We give much more thought to what we wear, what we eat, what we drink, and what we can do to relax than we give to what we are."
This pierces my heart. I struggle with selfishness! I covet material things! I haven't tried too hard lately to conquer myself, I have neglected my inner purity! I have sought more for the comforts of this world than to become worthy to return to Heavenly Father! How carefully Satan has distracted me from what really is important and he was able to do it because I have not been feasting on God's word or clinging to the rod.
I don't want to be deceived anymore! I don't want to forget my true identity! I don't want to follow the "Pied Piper of Sin"! I don't want to fail at my divine role of womanhood!
I need to remember who I am and what God expects me to become! My "challenge is to bring all for whom [I am] responsible to a knowledge of this truth!"
President Monson said, I should remember that I have "been endowed by God with distinctive characteristics, gifts, and talents in order that [I] may fulfill a specific mission in the eternal plan." What are my gifts and talents? What is my mission? I need to find the answers to these questions!
I need to take on these three challenges given by President Monson:
first, "sustain your husband" I definitely fall short in this area, just ask Vaughn. Thankfully President Monson tells me how:
“Love your companion. Make him a part of all you do. Your husband is yours. Together you form a partnership with God. Your husband, as the priesthood bearer, is the head of the home. You, the helpmeet, are not the head, but just as important—the heart of the home.
Honor his priesthood, and he will respect your womanhood. Both husband and wife should appreciate that “woman was taken out of man, … not out of his feet to be trampled underfoot, but out of his side to be equal to him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be loved.” (M. Henry.)
Be patient, be tender, be loving, be considerate, be understanding, be your best self as you sustain your husband." I have some repenting to do and strivings for improvement to make!
second, strengthen your home. Once again President Monson gives wonderful advice: “Home is what the mother makes it.” I want to make my home better! I want to make it a little bit of Heaven on earth! "Well could you follow the formula given by the Lord: “… establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God.” (D&C 88:119.) " A lofty ideal! I will rededicate myself to this formula!
third, serve your God. "What miracles could be accomplished ... each wife resolved to love the Lord her God with all her heart, her might, mind, and strength, and her neighbor as herself. You cannot serve your neighbor without demonstrating your love for God. Your commission is to “Go, gladden the lonely, the dreary; Go, comfort the weeping, the weary; Go, scatter kind deeds on your way; Oh, make the world brighter today!” (“Make the World Brighter,” Deseret Sunday School Songs, 1909, p. 197.) Once again a high path to trod but I will commit to serving God by serving others.
It won't be easy to get out of the mud I am in and rise to these challenges but I am going to do it! President Monson has promised that as I do so "the blessings of heaven will attend [me]." I need and want those blessings!
President Monson quotes a magazine (and I quote him) "dealing with “The Motherhood Myth.” This article debunked the idea that there is anything particularly fulfilling and satisfying about being a mother. It quoted one psychiatrist who suggested that people should move from planned parenthood to planned unparenthood and that it would be more loving to children not to have them. The author of the article, a senior editor of the magazine, concluded: “If God were still speaking to us in a voice we could hear, even He would probably say, ‘Be fruitful. Don’t multiply.’ "
As President Monson put it what "idiotic and blatantly false philosophy!!!!"Thankfully God has spoken and still speaks and this is what He has said:
"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
“And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. …”(Gen. 1:3, 6–7, 26–28.)
Again, in these latter days, the Lord counseled: “… marriage is ordained of God unto man. Wherefore, it is lawful that he should have one wife, and they twain shall be one flesh, and all this that the earth might answer the end of its creation.” (D&C 49:15–1)
It is quite different! The philosophy of man verses the truth of God! And yet this philosophy of man speaks very powerfully in the world today! I have often heard it, I still hear it even from active members of the Church! and yes at times even from my own thoughts and heart! Sometimes I find myself thinking: "It would be so much easier not to have a family, especially such a large one! It would be wonderful to have a career, and make lots of money, and be able to afford nice things, and have time and resources to have fun, to travel, to be free!" This is a philosophy that I must stand up against and fight!
President Monson went on to say, "Our interests are centered in ourselves. We are preoccupied with material things. Many of us are more concerned about conquering space than about conquering ourselves. We are more dedicated to material security than to inner purity. We give much more thought to what we wear, what we eat, what we drink, and what we can do to relax than we give to what we are."
This pierces my heart. I struggle with selfishness! I covet material things! I haven't tried too hard lately to conquer myself, I have neglected my inner purity! I have sought more for the comforts of this world than to become worthy to return to Heavenly Father! How carefully Satan has distracted me from what really is important and he was able to do it because I have not been feasting on God's word or clinging to the rod.
I don't want to be deceived anymore! I don't want to forget my true identity! I don't want to follow the "Pied Piper of Sin"! I don't want to fail at my divine role of womanhood!
I need to remember who I am and what God expects me to become! My "challenge is to bring all for whom [I am] responsible to a knowledge of this truth!"
President Monson said, I should remember that I have "been endowed by God with distinctive characteristics, gifts, and talents in order that [I] may fulfill a specific mission in the eternal plan." What are my gifts and talents? What is my mission? I need to find the answers to these questions!
I need to take on these three challenges given by President Monson:
first, "sustain your husband" I definitely fall short in this area, just ask Vaughn. Thankfully President Monson tells me how:
“Love your companion. Make him a part of all you do. Your husband is yours. Together you form a partnership with God. Your husband, as the priesthood bearer, is the head of the home. You, the helpmeet, are not the head, but just as important—the heart of the home.
Honor his priesthood, and he will respect your womanhood. Both husband and wife should appreciate that “woman was taken out of man, … not out of his feet to be trampled underfoot, but out of his side to be equal to him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be loved.” (M. Henry.)
Be patient, be tender, be loving, be considerate, be understanding, be your best self as you sustain your husband." I have some repenting to do and strivings for improvement to make!
second, strengthen your home. Once again President Monson gives wonderful advice: “Home is what the mother makes it.” I want to make my home better! I want to make it a little bit of Heaven on earth! "Well could you follow the formula given by the Lord: “… establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God.” (D&C 88:119.) " A lofty ideal! I will rededicate myself to this formula!
third, serve your God. "What miracles could be accomplished ... each wife resolved to love the Lord her God with all her heart, her might, mind, and strength, and her neighbor as herself. You cannot serve your neighbor without demonstrating your love for God. Your commission is to “Go, gladden the lonely, the dreary; Go, comfort the weeping, the weary; Go, scatter kind deeds on your way; Oh, make the world brighter today!” (“Make the World Brighter,” Deseret Sunday School Songs, 1909, p. 197.) Once again a high path to trod but I will commit to serving God by serving others.
It won't be easy to get out of the mud I am in and rise to these challenges but I am going to do it! President Monson has promised that as I do so "the blessings of heaven will attend [me]." I need and want those blessings!
I Don't Want to be Spiritually Hungry Anymore!
Unfortunately I have been starving myself spiritually! I am not exactly sure why? I was sick and pregnant and now I am overwhelmed and busy...I am sure I could come up with many lame excuses... but no! I am going to turn over a new leaf! I am going to take care of those things that are most important. My top priority will be my spiritual nourishment so that I then can be lead and guided to fulfil my mission and responsibilities. Right now I don't feel that I am doing so well in doing the work Heavenly Father sent me here to do and I know it is because I am not holding firmly to the iron rod!
With that said once again I take up my quest to Feast upon the Words of Christ!
With that said once again I take up my quest to Feast upon the Words of Christ!
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