I was assigned to give a talk at church this morning and here is the text from it.
We all face times of trial and hardship in
our lives. Like many of you, our family and the individuals in it have faced their
share of personal trails. Sometimes I watch the situation develop over some
time; as I watch and react it seems things continue to degrade. It also looks
inevitable that things will get worse before they improve. I do not know how
much worse that things will get before the expected improvement, and sometimes
the situation has appeared nearly hopeless to me. Recently, I have noticed a
slight change in my personal prayers. I used to pray that the burden be lifted,
fixed, removed or erased somehow. . . Lately, I have instead been asking for
peace while our family faces this particular set of circumstances. The answer
to this latest version of my prayers came in the form of a phone call from Brother
Price on Monday evening- Quote "Maggie could you give a talk this Sunday
about Finding Joy Through Gospel Living. Maybe you could use the Beautiful
Mornings talk from last conference.
As an aside-
I actually remember listening to this talk during conference and getting that
earworm. . .I mean. . .song. . . stuck in my head for the rest of the day.
So here
goes. . .
“On a Thursday evening in Jerusalem, Jesus met with His
disciples in an upper room to observe Passover. The men who joined Him did not
know that this meal would someday be called the Last Supper. Had they known
this and what it meant, they would have wept.
Their
Master, however, perfectly understood that the ordeal of Gethsemane and of
Golgotha would shortly begin. The darkest hours in the history of the world
were imminent; nevertheless, Jesus said to them, “In the world ye shall have
tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world”
Elder Porter
goes on to say-
“Brothers
and sisters, we need not fear the future, nor falter in hope and good cheer,
because God is with us. Among the first recorded words of counsel that Jesus
gave to His newly called disciples in Galilee was the two-word admonition,
“Fear not” (Luke 5:10). He
repeated that counsel many times during His ministry. To His Saints in our day,
the Savior has said, “Be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with
you, and will stand by you” (D&C 68:6).
Every one of
us, and our families, can be armed with the power of God as a defense if we
will but remain true to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and let
the Spirit be our guide. Trials may come, and we may not understand everything
that happens to us or around us. But if we humbly, quietly trust in the Lord,
He will give us strength and guidance in every challenge we face. When our only
desire is to please Him, we will be blessed with a deep inner peace.”
Then Elder
Porter relates a story about his time as a student at BYU. He tells us-
“When I was
a student at Brigham Young University, I lived in a house with several young
men. My roommate, Bruce, was the most optimistic person I have ever known. We
never once heard him say anything negative about any person or any
circumstance, and it was impossible not to feel buoyed up in his presence. His
good cheer flowed from an abiding trust in the Savior and in His gospel.
One cold,
wintry day, another friend of mine, Tom, was walking across the university
campus. It was only 7:00 in the morning, and the campus was deserted and dark.
Heavy snow was falling, with a brisk wind. “What miserable weather,” Tom
thought. He walked farther, and out in the darkness and snow, he heard someone
singing.
Sure enough,
through the driving snow came our ever-optimistic friend, Bruce. With his arms
outstretched to the sky, he was singing a number from the Broadway musical Oklahoma:
“Oh, what a beautiful morning! Oh, what a beautiful day! I’ve got a beautiful
feeling, everything’s going my way” (see Richard Rodgers and Oscar
Hammerstein II, “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’” [1943]).”
It would be
awesome to have the gift of such faith and optimism. I understand WHAT is being said, I just am
not quite sure how to put the words into action for myself. Unfortunately, I
tend to be a bit of a pragmatist, and I may be even a little cynical at times. I personally find I need more concrete,
“cookbook-type” steps help me to get started in the right direction.
Elder Scott
asks- “Do you take time to discover each day how beautiful your life can be?
How long has it been since you watched the sun set? The departing rays kissing
the clouds, trees, hills, and lowlands good night, sometimes tranquilly,
sometimes with exuberant bursts of color and form. What of the wonder of a
cloudless night when the Lord unveils the marvels of His heavens—the twinkling
stars, the moonlight rays—to ignite our imagination with His greatness and
glory? How captivating to watch a seed planted in fertile soil germinate,
gather strength, and send forth a tiny, seemingly insignificant sprout.
Patiently it begins to grow and develop its own character led by the genetic
code the Lord has provided to guide its development. With care it surely will
become what it is destined to be: a lily, crowned with grace and beauty; a
fragrant spearmint plant; a peach; an avocado; or a beautiful blossom with unique
delicacy, hue, and fragrance. When last did you observe a tiny rosebud form?
Each day it develops new and impressive character, more promise of beauty until
it becomes a majestic rose. You are one of the noblest of God’s creations. His
intent is that your life be gloriously beautiful regardless of your
circumstances. As you are grateful and obedient, you can become all that God
intends you to be.”
Elder Scott
then reminds us that-
We “are here
on earth for a divine purpose. It is not to be endlessly entertained or to be
constantly in full pursuit of pleasure. . . .You are here to be tried, to prove
yourself so that you can receive the additional blessings God has for you. If
you question everything you are asked to do, or dig in your heels at every
unpleasant challenge, you make it harder for the Lord to bless you.”
-As a master
at digging in my heels, in hindsight, many times I can see how I have made
things harder than they needed to be.
Elder Scott also gives a little lesson in perspective that I have yet to
learn . . .though, I AM working on it.
He says-
“A pebble
held close to the eye appears to be a gigantic obstacle. Cast on the ground, it
is seen in perspective. Likewise, problems or trials in our lives need to be
viewed in the perspective of scriptural doctrine. Otherwise they can easily
overtake our vision, absorb our energy, and deprive us of the joy and beauty
the Lord intends us to receive here on earth. Some people are like rocks thrown
into a sea of problems. They are drowned by them. Be a cork. When submerged in
a problem, fight to be free to bob up to serve again with happiness.”
Now here
comes Elder Scott’s practical advice and a few concrete ideas for us to put
into practice. First he reminds us-
“Simple,
rejuvenating experiences surround us. They can be safety valves to keep the
tension down and the spirit up. Don’t concentrate on what you don’t have or
have lost. The Lord promised the obedient to share all that He possesses with
them. You may temporarily lack here, but in the next life, if you prove
yourself worthy by living valiantly, a fulness will be your blessing.”
Next, Elder
Scott suggests we-
“Attempt to
be creative for the joy it brings. Select something like music, (art,) dance,
sculpture, or poetry. Being creative will help you enjoy life. It engenders a
spirit of gratitude. It develops latent talent, sharpens your capacity to
reason, to act, and to find purpose in life. It dispels loneliness and
heartache. It gives a renewal, a spark of enthusiasm, and zest for life.
Willing
service to others is a key to enduring happiness. President Kimball said: “God
does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another
mortal that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each
other.”
Finally, Elder Scott advises us to-
“Make a list of things you can do for happiness,
such as:
·
Ponder
the scriptures to understand the plan of happiness.
·
Pray
with faith in Jesus Christ.
·
Love
and serve others.
·
Receive
the temple ordinances. Return to bless others.
·
Listen
to the prophet and obey his counsel.
·
Be
grateful for what you have.
·
Smile
more.
Your personal list will provide (your) keys
to contentment and joy.”
John Bytheway mentioned the importance
of the Temple last night at the fireside we attended. He reminded us that though we may not remember
those individuals we do the work for, they will remember us and be eternally
grateful for it. He also mentioned the
more time we spend in the temple, the more the temple is in us, and can provide
us with that sense of peace and joy we strive for.
I know “this too shall pass”, and I continue
to pray that I handle this current crisis and the ones that lie ahead with
grace and peace; not only for myself, but also as an example for my family and
friends. Maybe through me, someone else
may be led to the peace available to everyone by following the example of Christ,
and through Gospel living. I know that
Christ lives and loves us, that our Heavenly Father has our best interests at
heart and also that I need to get better at trusting them. I say these things in Jesus’ name- Amen.
I got the bread made, and laundry started for today and am currently avoiding the quilting-part of a quilt I made last week- I had better get back to it, because I already have plans for a new quilt top floating around in my head, begging for release. . .and I only have 3 hours before chauffeur duties resume for today.
%2B(Medium).JPG)
