We are forgetful beings

Today at church I managed to take notes all three hours. Something I've been trying to do consistently and have been very hit and miss. I had to chuckle as I read through last years notes, I noticed that I had written a date, the meeting, the speaker and the topic, and that was it..... I chuckled, cause I remember wanting to hear that speaker, and her husband, as they were new to our ward and we had really connected and I looked forward to getting to know them better......

I remember that our younger two boys had a challenging sacrament meeting that Sunday and I wasn't destined to take any further notes. I chuckled because I know it's life with young kids and that it will pass. They won't always be this young, and some days that's a sad thing, and some days that's a really , really good thing!!!

But I've gotten off track. One of the notes I read was on a talk given by Elder Snow. In the talk he stated that we are forgetful beings. That the scriptures exhort us to remember and they do it repeatedly. That was such a relief for me to hear!! I'm so hard on myself, something I'm working on, and it was like he was giving me permission to forget!!!

As I read over the things that struck me today out of the meetings, I kept thinking.... hello, these aren't new things, what is your problem that you can't seem to keep track of these!! And then I flipped through my older notes and THERE was the answer. We're forgetful beings.

He's not saying it's ok for us to forget on purpose, but that if we do slip, as long as we're doing the best we can, it's ok. And if we are reading our scriptures and attending our meetings, we'll be reminded! Over and over again.....thank goodness.

Elder Snow talked about the need to record our experiences so that we could look back at our spiritual experiences and draw strength from them. I'm so grateful for the repeated reminders of this! I know I need to do it, and yet I let it slip to the bottom of my priorities. So the repeated reminders keep encouraging me to do it. And that is one reason I'm so grateful for this list. It's a prod to keep me at it.

I'm also grateful for this list for the spiritual boost it is to me. I treasure all the insights that are passed along and yes for all the reminders that happen as I read of others experiences. Thank you so much for your generous sharing of your experiences and insights.

The Inspiration of a Family Record
By Elder Theodore M. Burton
Of the First Quorum of Seventy

"Your personal history may be one of the most persuasive witnesses of the gospel your family will ever hear.

Let us respond to the plea which has been made of us by our leaders to write our personal histories and thus pass on to future generations our own resolve to stand steadfast before God because we know and love him. Our descendants, feeling our love for them, will stand firmly and steadfastly in their places as sons and daughters of God. In this way we pass on the torch of faith and love for God and feel in turn his love for us and for those who will follow us. "

Helaman 5:6
Behold, my sons, I desire that ye should remember to keep the commandments of God; and I would that ye should declare unto the people these words. Behold, I have given unto you the names of our first parents who came out of the land of Jerusalem; and this I have done that when you remember your names ye may remember them; and when ye remember them ye may remember their works; and when ye remember their works ye may know how that it is said, and also written, that they were good.

a thought from stake conference

We had Elder Christofferson speak at our stake conference in March. And while he had many wonderful and enlightening things to share with us. What I remember most and what gave me the most hope was this sentence. "All you have to do is pray, read and serve." It was such a light bulb moment for me! Like a lifting of a weight.

It simplifies it all for me. Boils it all down to three parts. Pray. Read. Serve. It just hits such a cord with me. If I do these three basic things, all else will follow. I don't need to stress, or worry or fidget. What I am to do will come to me. I will learn it through reading, praying and serving others.

All else are to be done after these things. These are my priorities to focus on and let the other parts of my life fall in line. The dishes, the laundry, the schooling of the boys, the animal care, everything. If I am in tune with the spirit, he will guide me in what I need to be doing. If I am serving others, I will loose myself, to find eternal life and THAT is why we are here. Not to gain earthly glory, but to attain eternal glory.

I find that it's been easier to take a breath and stop the worry and redirect my thoughts, now that I'm focused on prayer and reading. I've got a ways to go in regards to serving, but I am trying and perhaps one day I will feel like I am truly focused on serving, instead of being hit and miss with it. I do feel that I am serving on a daily basis within my family, but I could be doing much more.

And for that additional more, I'll rely on the spirit to help me see ways that I can serve. I know that if I continue to try, it will come.

Autn:reference - Magazine_2734b5658af22110VgnVCM100000176f620a____

Daughters of Heavenly Father

Susan W. Tanner

Often the Spirit speaks to us when we pray, read the scriptures, ponder upon the Lord’s mercies to us, receive priesthood blessings, serve others, or feel loved and affirmed by others.
Ensign, May 2007

Autn:reference - http://scriptures.lds.org/2_ne/32/8#8

2 Nephi 32:8

For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray.

2 Nephi 32: 3

3 ^aAngels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, ^bfeast upon the ^cwords of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will ^dtell you all things what ye should do

Mosiah 2: 17

17 And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn ^awisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the ^bservice of your ^cfellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.

remembering and renewing spiritual experiences

I finally found a format that really appeals to me for getting my spiritual experiences written out. They are called Life Lessons and you write out the story and then you tie in two scriptures and a quote. I love it.


You can learn more at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Lessons-of-Life/