January 6, 2011

Tonight I read a beautiful talk from the last General Conference by Elder Per G. Malm called Rest Unto Your Souls. Finding this rest includes a "peace of mind and heart, which is the result of learning and following the doctrine of Christ, and becoming Christ's extended hands in serving and helping other." I can say with total honesty of heart that I do feel such a constant daily peace in my soul. I feel such calm and comfort and I know it is a gift from God as a result of my willingness to be obedient to His commandments. I am so grateful for this gift of peace when there is so much confusion, worry, doubt, fear and calamity swarming around on every side. I know this is a gift I've received because of my faithfulness and obedience and I want to always be worthy of it. I want to spend the days of my probation being productive, improving upon my weaknesses, working hard, showing faith and diligence, and serving others. I am grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It truly does give me "the strength to stand tall and strong and to have [my] soul filled with light, understanding, joy and love." This is a wonderful, beautiful place to be.

December 28, 2010

I read Elder David A. Bednar's talk from Conference called Receive the Holy Ghost. He emphasizes that the gift of the Holy Ghost isn't just something we are entitled to always as members of the Church, but that we truly must receive it. To do so he suggests we must "sincerely desire to receive the Holy Ghost, appropriately invite the Holy Ghost into our lives, and faithfully obey God's commandments." In each of my prayers I always ask the Spirit to be with me. It is something I truly do desire every moment of every day. To "appropriately invite the Holy Ghost into my life," this quote stood out to me of what not to do: "Casualness about or the breaking of covenants and commitments, failing to pray and study the scriptures, and inappropriate thoughts, actions, and language cause the Spirit to withdraw from or to avoid us altogether." I think it's especially easy to fail to pray and study the scriptures, and it is absolutely critical to my spiritual well-being. I am striving to be vigilant about that simply because I want the companionship of the Spirit with me always. I am so thankful for that wonderful gift and all that the Holy Ghost does. 

Joseph Smith was quoted in this talk saying that the Holy Ghost "will whisper peace and joy to [our] souls, and it will take malice, hatred, envying, strife, and all evil from [our] hearts, and [our] whole desire will be to do good, bring forth righteousness, and build up the kingdom of God." I am so thankful to truly feel the absence of "malice, hatred, envying, strife and all evil" from my heart. It brings so much peace and calm to my soul and my relationships with others are blessed. I am so thankful for the companionship of the Holy Ghost. It is a wonderful feeling I always want to be worthy of.

November 14, 2010

Today I finished reading the rest of the Conference Ensign from May, earlier this year. There were about three or four talks that I read, and my favorite, by far, was President Uchtdorf's talk from the Young Women's meeting called Your Happily Ever After. He related life and the plan of salvation to the common fairy tale stories of "once upon a time" that are so familiar in our culture. I love the plan because of all that it offers. I have always had the sense that I can have a "happily ever after" ending by following the plan and being obedient. He pointed out that the hero or heroine in every story always has some sort of adversity they have to endure and overcome before they can reach their happily ever after, and so it is with us on this life's journey. In fact, "adversity helps to develop a depth of character that comes in no other way." We are allowed to experience "challenges, and trials so that we, through opposition, can learn wisdom, become stronger, and experience joy." That's how it's done, and that's why I am so grateful for adversity... because by going through it, it enables me to grow, develop, recognize, and experience true joy on the other end. I really loved his reminders of our precious divinity throughout this talk. I felt loved and treasured, prized, as I read. I am absolutely committed to "following [my] Heavenly Father's map" because I am hoping and dreaming for my own happily ever after. I love this statement: "You are truly royal spirit daughters of Almighty God. You are princesses destined to become queens. Your own wondrous story has already begun. Your 'once upon a time' is now." What a fantastic talk. It really is one of my, if not the number one, all time favorites! I am so thankful to know of my divine worth and the reward of eternal life that is laid out for me if I but choose to follow the path that leads to it. That's where you'll always be able to find me, is somewhere on that road to eternal life, to my mansion in my Father's kingdom.

August 28, 2010

Tonight I finished up Alma chapter 29 and I was especially struck by one of the ways Alma described the joy that he felt. He said that "so great is [his] joy, [his] soul is carried away, even to the separation of it from the body." What in the world? That is an expression of immense joy? What would that feel like? Why is that a response to such great feelings of joy? Does that still happen to people today? All this I wonder...