Virtue

I studied several different talks today. I started with a BYU devotional address the President Hunter gave many years ago, called "An Anchor to the Souls of Men." It was a great talk that really focused on the importance of not being fearful despite the world around us. Interesting that this talk was given in 1992 or 1993, and now here we are 16 years later, and I think the world has gone farther away from the truths that we know. His council is so applicable. As members of the church we need not fear. We should go forward and prepare for tomorrow, because there is much good in the church.
I then went on to read the Young Women session of conference. It ws such an inspiring session. I loved the following quote about 3 things that the YW general presidency would like the young women to set as daily goals;

"First, pray to your Father in Heaven, morning and night, every day.

Second, read the Book of Mormon for at least five minutes every day.

And third, smile! Why? We have the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, which brings us true happiness."

I love the last part. We should smile and be happy because we do have the gospel, we do know the truths and we do know that everything will work out and work out for our good. What a great reminder to smile everyday!

Here is another quote I really enjoyed:

"We must know and realize that, just as Winston Churchill said in a critical hour during World War II, “to every man [and young woman] there comes . . . that special moment when [they are] figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a special thing unique to [them]. . . . What a tragedy if that moment finds [them] unprepared or unqualified for [that] which [could have been their] finest hour” (see Jeffrey R. Holland, “Sanctify Yourselves,” Liahona, Jan. 2001, 49; Ensign, Nov. 2000, 40). This is a critical time. You are being tapped on the shoulder. You are preparing now for that work which will be your finest hour. You are preparing for eternity."

I have another quote on my refridgerator that says, "We must work at our responsibility as parents as if everything in life counted on it, because in fact everything in life does count on it. “If we fail in our homes, we fail in our lives." This is a great reminder to me of the great importance of the role that I have as a mother.

President Monson gave three great ways that the Young Women should have courage toady. They are;

• First, the courage to refrain from judging others;
• Second, the courage to be chaste and virtuous; and
• Third, the courage to stand firm for truth and righteousness.

These are all great. He then shared one of my favorite quotes by Mother Teresa, one of my personal heroes. She said, “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” How true that is. I know the truthfulness of this and the importance of truly loving others. I am striving to have as a goal to not speak ill of others no matter what. He also says, "True love can alter human lives and change human nature." One person can make a difference in so many lives. I have seen so many women who make all that are around them better. I want to be like that. I want to be the best servant of the Lord that I can be.

Finally, there was one more quote from this session. It was Sister Dibb who said the following, "Thinking back to when I was a young woman, I recognize that I did not understand the magnitude of what was happening in my life. I did not realize that my participation in each and every Church activity was helping me develop a lifelong pattern and commitment to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. I didn’t understand that I was being prepared for my future life as an individual, a wife, a mother, and a leader. I didn’t understand that as I tried to choose the right, I was honoring my baptismal covenants, exercising faith, increasing my virtue, and preparing to go to the temple. I couldn’t see all of this then, but in very small, increental steps, I was becoming a believer—and “an example of the believers.”

I love this quote. It truly is the daily small and simple things that make us who we are. I want to refocus to becoming more like my Savior and doing the simple things like smiling to live my life the way that He would have me too.

The ministry of Angels

I have been listening to Elder Holland's talk from last conference on the ministry of angels. I am struck by so many of his thoughts. No matter how many times, I listen to a talk, I pick up something different every time. I can remember the following thoughts. I love this first quote,

"I ask everyone within the sound of my voice to take heart, be filled with faith, and remember the Lord has said He “would fight [our] battles, [our] children’s battles, and [the battles of our] children’s children.”¹⁰ And what do we do to merit such a defense? We are to “search diligently, pray always, and be believing[. Then] all things shall work together for [our] good, if [we] walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith [we] have covenanted.”¹¹ The latter days are not a time to fear and tremble. They are a time to be believing and remember our covenants."

This whole talk is amazing, but I just love those words. We only have to search diligently, pray always, and be believing. Then, he will cause that all things will work together for our good. He will send angels to minister and help us.

I was reading earlier this week and found some scriptures that I hadn't thought in that way before. In Alma 34:31, it reads, "of ye will repent and harden not your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you." I was struck by the word immediately. How often so we hear that word in the scriptures? How often does the Lord make such a promise. In a world where everyone is so instantaneous and the gospel is about the long term and working towards a goal, the word immediately caught my attention. Verses 33 and 34 of this chapter go on to talk about how we have to improve our station in this life, that there is no time to procrastinate. I have always loved the thoughts in 34 that say that we are the same person in the next life as we are now. We will not wake up and be a different person.

In Saturday's Young Women's conference, a good friend of mine quoted the following:

Sister Dalton quoted Winston Churchill as saying the following:

"To every Young Woman there comes a special moment when they are figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered a choice to do a very special thing unique to them. What a tragedy if that moment finds them unprepared or unqualified for that which could have been their finest hour." Sister Dalton added: This is a critical time. You are being tapped on the shoulder. You are preparing now for that work which will be your finest hour. You are preparing for eternity."

What a great reminder that we must do our best everyday. We cannot wait for the end to be good. We must try hard and rely on the Savior to do our best today. I see the great blessings in our lives at times when I know that Drew and I were trying to do our best. I would hate to have passed those great blessings by. I hope that I can always strive to be on the right path, so that I can return to my Father in Heaven.