General Relief Society Broadcast Fall 2009

There were GREAT things that took place both in the meeting as well as in my own heart. My mind has just been flooded with thoughts about this Relief Society meeting that I am anxious to get them in writing.

The General President, Sister Beck, made an announcement about the name of activities in the Relief Society. In my lifetime it has been Homemaking Meeting, Home, Family, and Personal Enrichment, and Enrichment Night. They have now changed it to the name, "Relief Society Meeting" with an emphasis of what you are focusing on that night! I love that! Go back to the basics, simplify, don't make it sound so foreign. I love how the church leaders really look into what is happening even in an "un required" activity in the Relief Society and then they bring that vision to us.

All the teachings were heartfelt, inspired, and touching to me but in this blog I am going to concentrate of the talk that stuck out the most with me and then end with a quote by President Eyring.

I bet you can't guess the one I am going to talk about? I will give you a hint...it was given by a sister that COMPLETELY understands the stage of life that I am now in, Sister Barbara Thompson, who has Enjoyed her Journey a lot longer than I have and has stayed POSITIVE in the midst of being single! I love seeing woman who are older than me and still practicing that positive, hopeful attitude. That is the way I hope I will be.
Sister Thompson, taught about a really neat principle "Mind The Gap". I really connected with this strongly. This caution, "Mind The Gap" is found in London subways. She taught that this helps people realize that there is "danger", a gap between the train and the loading dock and the sign "Mind The Gap" reminds people not to let their foot get caught in the gap or not to drop anything in gap cause it will go under the train and be lost. I loved that she taught this. Isn't there so many "gaps" in our lives that if we don't heed or are not worthy of the promptings of the Spirit we too may find ourselves in danger or under that train lost without realizing how it happened or how we got to that point.
She taught us, " that sometimes it is the difference between what we know, and what we actually do. Or the gap between our goals and what we actually accomplish. These gaps can be reminders of ways that we can actually improve or if ignored can be used as stumbling blocks in our lives."

She gave some great examples as to what some of those gaps can be. I have seen some others in my own life or in lives of people that I truly love and hope that this talk can help us to improve and narrow the gap so that we can be safe from letting ourselves fall under the train.

We are in a time where it is getting more and more confusing. The voices of opposition are becoming louder and louder. The world welcomes things in which I know are not right, in fact, I find them really wrong and yet so many of us who "know" seem to get caught up in them without even remembering what our main objective is in this life, our goal. Before you know it you have a gap that is getting further away from eternal things and closer to things of the world. I am not immune from the gap and neither is anyone else. But if I listen the caution given to "Mind The Gap" in all the choices that I make, I will be a lot closer to making choices with eternal value, then making choices that can ultimately lead me to danger or even worse being lost without direction.

She reminds us that the "IF'S" sometimes get in the way. Oh do they ever! If God loved me than why would he ____? If God loved me, wouldn't I get the chance to ______? She taught, "There is NOTHING that can separate you from love of God. We are all children of God and we should never doubt it and be assured that he loves us dearly and we are his precious children."

I am going to stand a little taller. I am going to proceed with caution the gaps that may come into my life and remember that I have a legacy to live up to, a legacy to fulfill. That I don't just have the responsibility to mind my gaps solely that I have the responsibility to remind those I love, to caution them when I see them heading toward that gap. We need each other to make it through these times, we need each other accomplish our goals, we need each other to keep this great legacy going!

"Just remember that the legacy is past from heart to heart. Charity, the pure love a Christ, is part of the mighty change of heart which the Lord promises to his faithful disciples so it is not hard to see what simple things you can and must do to pass the legacy along." -President Henry B. Eyring-

I am going to try everything in my power to keep the faith, to spread the love, and to be an example of the believers by showing that I believe and listen to the cautions myself!

My heart has been changed and my mind has been spiritually fed. I am so thankful for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the leaders that have been called of God to caution me and counsel me in the things that need to be focused on in my day. We live in a world that is loud with opposing voices, and because of the teachings of Men and Women of God, I still hear!

Thankful Thursday: Thankful for a prophet of God

The Call for Courage

Of course, we will face fear, experience ridicule, and meet opposition. Let us have the courage to defy the consensus, the courage to stand for principle. Courage, not compromise, brings the smile of God's approval. Courage becomes a living and an attractive virtue when it is regarded not only as a willingness to die manfully, but also as a determination to live decently. A moral coward is one who is afraid to do what he thinks is right because others will disapprove or laugh. Remember that all men have their fears, but those who face their fears with dignity have courage as well."

Thomas S. Monson, "The Call for Courage," Ensign, May 2004, 54-55.

I don't know about all of you but I love the first weekend in April and October! I love knowing that those weekends are going to be opportunities to rededicate myself, to make sure my heart and mind and self have my doors turned "toward the temple" and that I can be sure that what I am going to be counseled and instructed to do is coming from God, my Heavenly Father.

As a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we believe that the Lord continues to call prophets on the earth today and they give us the word of God and the counsel that we need in our ever increasingly troubled world. Every six months we gather together as saints in what we call General Conference and renew ourselves spiritually by the words of the prophets and apostles and also the words that the spirit speaks to our own minds as we are listening, we are taught. There is a peace that fills my soul during Conference time as questions to the troubles of my soul are answered or at least better understood.

For those of you that are familiar with this very thing in which I speak, you know that peace and calm that I am talking about. For those of you who may not be as sure you too can know that peace. Our conference sessions are available via TV and satellite and anyone is invited to watch and participate. I know that most cable stations carry BYU-TV in which it is available on as well as you can click on this link and find it here http://www.lds.org/broadcast.

There is a man of God that I would like to pay tribute to today. His name is Thomas S. Monson and he is our prophet. He is called of God and I trust him and know that the words that he speaks are what God would have him speak. I know that he receives revelation and that he has nothing but love and charity in his heart and that his life is dedicated to the service of God.
His life is an example of faith, strength, love and gentle charity. I am thankful to know that in a world of troubling times I can find peace and hope because I know that through a prophet of God I am not left alone to figure out things on my own. I have guidance and wisdom and clarity to the things that I need to be armored with and protected by, the spiritual things, and this is what I receive through the words of a prophet and through personal study and revelation.

President Monson has the neatest zeal for life. He makes you laugh and is so loveable and real. I loved this picture of him with his pigeons, showing that he is a real person too. Of course his most important calling is that of a prophet called of God I know this with all my heart, mind and soul! I love him. I am anxious to hear the things that he speaks this weekend and know that they will be just what I need.