She taught a couple of Relief Society Classes this
week. One class went really bad, she
couldn’t get out of there fast enough.
There are those moments when you think you are prepared and it won’t
work. She got home and begged the Lord
to forgive her. It was the sweetest
experience. He came down and put his
arms around her and told her to not live there.
As women we carry that with us for years. That isn’t the purpose. We all bomb experiences...in marriage, in
callings, etc.
President Spencer W. Kimball “My Beloved Sisters”
SLC: Deseret Book 1979 pg 37 “In the
world before we came here faithful women were given assignments while faithful
men were foreordained to certain priesthood tasks. While we do not now remember the particulars,
we are accountable for those things which long ago were expected of us.”
Women were foreordained to be mothers to raise
these children. We were foreordained to
some of our callings as well. In that
moment we knew that it would be hard. We
knew in our head it would be hard, but we hadn’t experienced it yet. We were also told that we would be prepared
and equipped.
“And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my
father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know
that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare
a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.”
2 things in this scripture…Go and do (willing
heart) and The Lord has given you exactly what you need to prepare to go and
do.
Our primary responsibility is to nurture. Women were given that responsibility in the
pre-existence. Then the Lord sent them
to earth with the gifts to be able to nurture.
These are innate.
You already have them. You have
been given them. These are
personal. You can put your name in front
of it. Some of the natural gifts are compassion,
understanding, tenderness, sensitivity to spiritual things, a heart of being
self sacrificing, the ability to know where your children are, the ability to
see a big picture, faith, trusting, ability to uplift and bring happiness to
other people.
“I do not believe that God’s purposes on earth
will ever be achieved without the influence, strength, love, support, and
special gifts of the elect women of God. They are entitled to our deepest
veneration, our fullest appreciation, and our most profound respect. I believe
angels attend them in their motherly ministry.”
James
E Faust “The Highest Place of Honor” April 1988
You are not devoid of any of them. You may have squelched some of them.
You have the right to expect angels to attend you
as you seek to fulfill your responsibilities.
Some of you are in trial and have children that need extra help. If you are doing it the best you can, you can
expect intervention of angels. They may
come and simply nurture those you are trying to help or they may comfort
you. If you are doing all that you can
you have that right.
M
Russell Ballard “Women of Righteousness” April 2002 “Never doubt that your influence is
absolutely vital to preserving the family and to assisting with the growth and
spiritual vitality of the Church. This Church will not reach its foreordained
destiny without you.”
Don’t undermine what the Lord has asked you to
do. In your corner of the world you are
the only one that can do what needs to be done by the mother. It can’t be delegated to the school, YW, or
your husband.
M
Russell Ballard “Women of Righteousness” April 2002 “Every sister who
stands for truth and righteousness diminishes the influence of evil.”
That is in your sphere (your home) or your ward or
community. Dark and light can’t be in
the same place.
Why don’t we feel like that? Most of you it’s like receiving praise. You start saying “you don’t know me. You should see what I yelled to my
kids.” Why do we hear that everyone else
is important?
How many of us looked in the mirror this morning
and said, “You are one great lady.” How
many smiled in the mirror?
Moses 4:21
“ And I will put enmity
between thee and the woman, between thy seed and her seed; and he shall bruise
thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”
The Lord cursed Lucifer for what he had done and
would place enmity between him and the woman.
(President
Ezra T. Benson talk on Pride) Enmity is hate…impatience, dislike, feeling
inadequate…all those things that keep us from the Lord.
Satan can have no power over you except you choose
to give it to him. There is a plan the
question is “Whose side of the line are you going to be on?”
Story of the Alamo
Story of the Alamo
|
Satan
|
The Lord
|
|
Fruits of
discouragement: depression (not clinical depression), hopelessness, idleness,
fear, discouragement, anger, jealousy, entitlement, judgmental, pride,
selfishness, self pity, easily provoked, offended, resentment
|
Fruits: the
spirit, gratitude, joy, patience, charity, having companionship of Holy
Ghost, peace, recognizing inspiration, faith, hope, empowered
|
The line is enmity. Satan cannot cross the line. The Lord will not cross the line
“And it came to pass that Adam, being tempted of
the devil—for, behold, the devil was before Adam, for he rebelled against me,
saying, Give me thine honor, which is my power; and also a third part of the hosts
of heaven turned he away from me because of their agency;”
Give me thine honor (Satan) which is mine power
also 1/3 part he turned away from me because of their agency.
Give me honor….my power…your agency.
We cross the line.
To give honor to someone is to follow them. When we give honor to Satan it is to
entertain the ideas he puts into our mind.
That is how we honor him. As we
do that we give him power over us. It’s
all predicated on our agency. We are the
ones who choose.
Many of you feel hopeless. You are so in
discouragement that you feel helpless.
When you are on the Lord’s side of the line you have hope and you feel
empowered.
As you look at this line, you are the one because
of agency who crosses the line. You
choose to cross the line. The Lord
doesn’t cross the line. He always offers
you those fruits. Satan cannot cross the
line, but he is always the author of those fruits. If you find yourself feeling one way or the
other you are the one who chose it.
“I feel this way because…” You are choosing to
live on which side. 1st
Nephi, he enjoyed the journey in the wilderness. Laman and Lemuel murmured and they were in
the same experience.
D&C 6:36
“Look unto me in every thought; doubt
not, fear not.” (look unto me in every thought)
D&C
88:69 “Remember the great and last promise which I have made unto you; cast
away your idle thoughts and your excess of laughter far from you.” (Cast away
idle thoughts)
D&C
46:7-8 “But ye are commanded in all
things to ask of God, who giveth liberally; and that which the Spirit testifies
unto you even so I would that ye should do in all holiness of heart, walking
uprightly before me, considering the end of your salvation, doing all things
with prayer and thanksgiving, that ye may not be seduced by evil spirits, or
doctrines of devils, or the commandments of men; for some are of men, and
others of devils. Wherefore, beware lest ye are
deceived; and that ye may not be deceived seek ye earnestly the best gifts,
always remembering for what they are given;
(Do all things with prayer and thanksgiving)
“But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch
yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the
commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning
the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And
now, O man, remember, and perish not.”
(FORMULA) Positive Thoughts=Positive Feelings=Positive Actions=Positive
Habits=Celestial Character
You
sitting in your chair feeling discouraged.
We sincerely don’t want to be there. We think to get out of it that the situation
has to change. Our husband has to
change. We have to get a raise.
In Alma…the people had been brought into
bondage. They left because they wanted
to serve the Lord. They have burdens
placed on their backs. The Lord didn’t
take away the problem, but eased their burdens.
The situation did not change, but they changed.
When you want to change something (better wife,
better mother), we start with actions.
“I will read my scriptures every day.
I will not yell.” You can’t
change this formula in the middle of the formula. Long term it will not work.
Example: I
am really angry at my husband. He never
comes home on time and never helps with the kids. I feel like I am doing it all myself. That’s not right. I hate it.
Go to class. I repent. J I need to do kind things for my husband. Go home and make an apple pie. I just need to be a better person. Your house smells great. He comes home and goes off with his friends
to play video games. I wasted all
afternoon to make a pie he was so ungrateful.
You tried to change it at the action level. You didn’t change your thoughts. Even though you may do an act if you don’t
change your thoughts (keep replaying).
What does that do to your feelings.
It’s like adding oil to the fire.
We keep adding these negative thoughts.
If you want to change anything it starts with 2 things…on your knees
seeking diving help and how you think about it.
If your thoughts are on Satan’s side you have to
change your thought to the Lord’s side.
As you pray you ask…How can I be a better wife? It’s what can I do instead of what do I get?
Then the Lord can walk beside you and help you.
The Lord isn’t willing to take it away.
“Where art thou?”
Where are you? Which side of the
line are you on?
Sheri
Dew “Are You The Woman I Think You Are?” 1997 November Ensign “This is a
day when the adversary has launched an all-out attack against womanhood,
because he knows—he absolutely knows—that the influence of a righteous woman is
enormous and that it spans generations. He would have us be disinterested in
marriage and motherhood, confused by the world’s view of men and women, too
harried by the pace of life to really live the gospel and to let it penetrate
our souls.”
It doesn’t have to be a divorce. He can keep the spirit out of your home. Your children have to be saturated with the
spirit at home so they know what it feels like and they want to come back.
Gene R Cook “The scientists tell us that if you
start thinking about something negative or wrong, it only takes about 8 seconds
for that thought to be played in your entire body.”
You have 8 seconds to change that thought before
it becomes a feeling. That is where
agency comes in.
“He didn’t bring the garbage cans in.”
OR
“I am so grateful that he took the garbage cans
out.”
“I can’t do it alone.”
OR
“I am so grateful the Lord will help me.”
A tool that Satan uses to drag you over the line… Elder
Henry B Eyring “Remember
Remember” or Elder David A Bednar “Tender
Mercies”. In a lot of cases we
notice them and we see the Lord’s hand.
We acknowledge and give thanks to the Lord and appreciate the things he
does for us. You do not notice when
Satan is in your life. When he is there
tempting you and putting thought in your head.
You say instead “I am a bad person.”
Satan is real and he is at war with you every
day. He doesn’t want you to know it’s
him. He would rather you think it’s
you. They you will give up. I have power and can say “Get thee
hence”. You can cast him out of your
life by not giving him power, by not giving him honor, by not staying
there.
Number 1 tool: To keep you self
focused. We went through list of attributes,
they are all emotions. Your job is to
nurture. That is an emotional
assignment. You are given emotional
gifts. If you use those gifts to serve
out they magnify you and celestialize you.
Satan gets you to take the same gifts and turn them in to you then he
can destroy you.
Being self focused means you are focused on
yourself. You are taking your own
temperature. You are only thinking about
you. “Poor me. This is awful.”
Neal A Maxwell “But
for a Small Moment” BYU Speeches, 1975 pg 445 “We may at times, if we are not careful, try
to pray away pain or what seems like an impending tragedy, but which is, in
reality, an opportunity. We must do as Jesus did in that respect—also preface
our prayers by saying, "If it be possible," let the trial pass from
us—by saying, "Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt," and
bowing in a sense of serenity to our Father in heaven's wisdom, because at
times God will not be able to let us pass by a trial or a challenge. If we were
allowed to bypass certain trials, everything that had gone on up to that moment
in our lives would be wiped out. It is because he loves us that at times he
will not intercede as we may wish him to. That, too, we learn from Gethsemane
and from Calvary.”
Satan: Why
are you always so crabby?
Lord: How
can I help you be happy?
Satan: If you really loved me you would….(pick up
your toys, be home for dinner)
Lord: What are your goals and how can I help?
Happiness is a choice. Being unhappy is self focused. Being happy means looking out and sometimes
beyond. When you make that choice tell
your face. Your face needs to
smile. Don’t be afraid to laugh and get
on the floor and play with them.
Are you living by principles or emotions?
Number 2 tool: Busyness.
We become so busy
Richard G Scott… “There are so many exciting
things to do. It is hard to keep focused
on that which is essential. The wrong
things take priority. Satan has a
powerful tool to use again good people. It
is distraction. He would have good
people fill life with good things so it isn’t filled with essential things.”
Example:
Balloons…family, church, community…keeping them all up in the air at
once.
You can’t do it all.
As we keep up with those things (none of them are
bad) there are essential priorities…personal prayer, personal scriptures study,
FHE, temple attendance. Those need to be
in line. (Four legs of the table)
Richard
G. Scott “First Things First” May 2001 Ensign “Are there so many
fascinating, exciting things to do or so many challenges pressing down upon you
that it is hard to keep focused on that which is essential? When things of the
world crowd in, all too often the wrong things take highest priority. Then it
is easy to forget the fundamental purpose of life. Satan has a powerful tool to
use against good people. It is distraction. He would have good people fill life
with “good things” so there is no room for the essential ones. Have you
unconsciously been caught in that trap?”
Number 3 tool: Comparison and criticism. We feel life is a ladder. Someone is better than…someone else. Was your heart willing? Did you do it with a good intent? Satan teaches us to complain and find fault.
D&C
88:124…Cease to find fault. (no
exceptions)
This doesn’t mean you have to correct
children. We have to teach and train
them. There is a difference between
teaching and criticizing and finding fault.
It is the condition of your heart.
It’s how you say something. It’s
not what you say.
You have been given a spiritual gift. So you can
serve other people.
D&C 46—Spiritual
gifts.
Usually it is your gift and it doesn’t come
easy. Sister Tanner has good common
sense and Brother Tanner has no common sense.
You have to be careful. That is
not his gift. She had to help him see things
in a bigger picture. She just thought
everyone could.
Spiritual gifts…There are hundreds of them. If you have a spiritual gift and don’t
acknowledge it then Satan wins. It
doesn’t matter what you gift is. You
have to acknowledge it, but then you say, “That’s prideful”. It’s not.
If I say, “Teaching is my gift.” With that gift it comes with a
responsibility. He didn’t give it to me
to for me. He gave it to me to share
with you. When you acknowledge the gift
you acknowledge the giver. Not to make
me better, but to give me a responsibility.
You have been given more than one.
Write down on your paper something you are
fabulous at.
Some of us couldn’t do it. You spend too much time focusing on your
weaknesses and faults.
Spiritual gifts…
Listening
Teaching
Wisdom
Knowledge
Work with little children
Work with teenagers
Good wife
Faith
Faith on the words of others
Sensitive
Cry
Compassion
HOMEWORK:
Figure out your gift and what you are going to do to magnify it. Sit down with your children help them figure
out their gifts and what they will do to magnify it.
Movie…17 Miracles.
Neal
A Maxwell CES Fireside June 4, 1995… “If you are faithful, the day will
come when those deserving pioneers whom you rightly praise for having overcome
the adversities in their wilderness trek will instead praise you for having
made your way successfully through a desert of despair, for having passed
through a cultural wilderness and having kept the faith. … And yes, you will
rightly go on praising them for what they did in their days, but one day
[they,] including some of your ancestors, will praise you for having come
safely home”
Satan wants you and is fighting every day to get
you. Through you he wants to get your
families. We have the choice to stay on
the Lord’s side of the line. He will
rush to your aid to succor you whenever you have a need and call on him. He is there.
He will send angels to watch over you and your little ones.
