Most Important in Life

The most important thing we can do in this life is come to know God's way of living (indeed to know Him), and to get our lives, through the atonement of Jesus, in line with that way of living. This will bring peace in this life and eternal life in the world to come.

Living the law of consecration

I wanted to pass on a few points from Elder D. Todd Christofferson, talk in the October 2010 Conference entitled “Reflections on a Consecrated Life.”

“…the consecrated life is a pure life.” “Consecration therefore means repentance.”

“A consecrated life is a life of labor.” “By work we sustain and enrich life. It enables us to survive the disappointments and tragedies of the mortal experience.” “Work builds and refines character, creates beauty, and is the instrument of our service….”

“A consecrated life respect the incomparable gift of one’s physical body, a divine creation in the very image of God.” “As our body is the instrument of our spirit, it is vital that we care for it as best we can.”

“…a consecrated life is a life of service.” “Those who quietly and thoughtfully go about doing good offer a model of consecration.”

“A consecrated life is a life of integrity.” “One who lives a consecrated life does not seek to take advantage of another, but, if anything, will turn the other cheek…”

“A consecrated life is a beautiful thing.” “…future generations will take courage from your consecrated life….”

“May we consecrate ourselves as sons and daughters of God, ‘that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope,’ I pray….”

This is what is meant by living the law of consecration and is my hope also.

Sleeping habits

On the Morning of the First Resurrection, some of you may miss it, because you will be sleeping in, since your body isn't used to anything else!

"Teaching" each other a lesson

I would be very careful about, and even avoid "teaching your spouse a lesson." That also goes for siblings too. You probably do not see the collateral damage you may be doing. More than that, it is likely the beam is in your own eye. Find and first cast that out before taking the mote out of your spouse's (sibling's) eye!

Developing self

In all our getting and doing, have we taken inventory of how we are doing with our greatest responsibility? Our greatest responsibility in this life is to develop ourselves, academically, physically, socially, and spiritually. We can't help others until we have something to give. We can't be without becoming. This life is our university for eternity. Are we organizing, planning, working, and evaluating our progress in our greatest job here in mortality? And this doesn't end at 18, graduation, mission over with, getting married, after having children, or retirement. Keep learning and developing yourself as long as you live!

Repent!

Please be humble enough to repent regularly. We all need it often to repent of our pride, things we say, or do, of weaknesses we want to justify or pretend we don't have. We need repentance as long as we live. Thank goodness, despite the terrible price paid, for the soap to clean our souls as they collect spots from the world we live in.

To my opinionated family

I am concerned, given the volatile political time we are in right now, with how we push our opinions and where. I see all these discussions on facebook, blogs, and emails, and even just conversations (gossip?). It is soooo easy to spout on the computer a thought, a current opinion, or present belief, that we would never do to some one's face. Sometimes too we MIGHT spout right to the person, because we believe we are right and truth justifies our saying it right out.

The scriptures say to, "Agree with thine enemy while thou are in the way with him...." I don't think that means give up our beliefs. It may mean partly to find some area of agreement. Try to be agreeable whenever we can. We don't have to share every opinion. We don't have to right every wrong with our tongue.

Sometimes it is better to hold our tongues. Let others have their freedom. The Lord lets us have that freedom! When we speak out prematurely or forcefully (and there are times to be forceful, but they are rare), we can damage relationships long term or even permanently. Those relationships are usually more important than the words we think MUST be spoken right then. And sometimes we are not completely right. Sometimes we don't know where the others have been that form their opinions. We may even change our opinion a little later on. Maybe they are wrong, but need time or other ways to realize that. Other times we merely make ourselves a lightning rod, when we don't need to be.

I speak from experience here, having been guilty at one time or another, of most of what I've just explained. The Lord made us so we can't read each other's thoughts, even our spouse's, for a reason. There have been many times when I was sure I was right and justified in saying something, but a little pause or discretion kept me from embarrassing myself or hurting someone else.

Please be careful in your opinions, especially online. Consider carefully how, what you very much want to say, will come across or be taken. Let some time pass before responding. Let some things go. Don't be lily-livered, but be thoughtful in how much and how we say opinions. Be very careful to discern between fact and opinion. (It is NOT a fact that BYU is the best school. It is an OPINION, which I believe!)