Understandings of the Heart ~ Part Two

Good Morning, Good Afternoon, Good Evening,

this post should take five to eight minutes to read from start to finish.

This post focuses on BYU Devotional in March 1988, and it is called "Understandings of the Heart" by Presiding Bishop Robert D. Hales. This post is part two. I would like to share with you some highlights whilst I was reading the Devotional. I hope that you would be able to learn something new while reading through this post. 

Presiding Bishop Hales has mentioned the following; 

"... Our hurts, as difficult as they are to endure and as unbearable as they may seem to us in the present tense of time, are, in the Lord’s eternal perspective, but “a small moment.” The test is whether we endure the adversity and affliction well, without losing our faith and breaking commandments. ... How important it is during troubled times, when we are tested, that we do not do anything to lose the Holy Ghost’s gentle persuasions, comfort, and peace that will give us assurance to make the correct choices in life in order to weather the storm and bring us closer to God’s ways not man’s ways. 

... Our friends are important at all times, especially in times of need when we are depressed with feelings of loneliness and despair. Choosing our friends wisely is important. In times of trouble, do your friends stand by you? What kind of a friend or companion are you?

Often we choose our friends by their physical appearance and personalities. ... The first test of friendship and companionship is knowing that in their company it is easier to live according to the commandments you have been taught and know are important to happiness. The second test of real friendship and companionship is whether you are asked as a condition of their friendship or companionship to choose between their way and the Lord’s way. ... 

When we are marred spiritually or physically, our first reaction is to withdraw into the dark shadows of depression, to blot out hope and joy the light of life that comes from knowing we are living the commandments of our Father in Heaven. This withdrawal will ultimately lead us to rebellion against those who would like to be our friends, those who can help us most, even our family. 

But worst of all, we finally reject ourselves. Those who are alone and lonely should not retreat to the sanctuary of their private thoughts and chambers. ... What can you do to prepare yourself during your college years for the tests and trials of your life?

1. You must learn to work hard toward your goals, to pray for strength and guidance in your daily decisions, always acknowledging “Thy will be done.”

2. Study the scriptures, history, biographical literature, and psychology to give you an insight into how others have met life’s challenges and, with a testimony, endured to the end.

3. Select friends and an eternal companion from whom you can seek counsel and who will lift you and make it easier to live the commandments by just being together.

4. Learn to be of service and of help to others in their tests no matter how busy you are or how much you are hurting from your own tests and trials of faith.

5. Learn that even in a perfect life the tests and trials will come, but remember that you can bring affliction upon yourself and those near you through your own actions. Be willing to accept the consequences that come and don’t blame them on God.

6. Learn that when you have made a mistake, regrets are not enough. Feeling sorry is not enough unless your sorrow brings about a remorse of conscience and a change of heart resulting in true repentance.

7. Learn that true education is not only test scores and grade point averages, but also gaining wisdom through life’s experiences, listening to sound counsel, gaining an understanding in your heart, and caring for others less fortunate. Then, no amount of temptation, testing, trials, or coercion can make you depart from the straight and narrow path that leads to eternal life.

8. Learn that in mortal probation you are here for tests and trials even though you live a perfect life.

9. Learn to know yourself while you are at the university. You are in a laboratory that simulates the world with individual competition and the inner stress of learning. There will never be a better time in your life to have the contemplation and introspection needed to know yourself. Take time to ponder who you are and act accordingly. 

General education requirements are given not only to give you a well-rounded education, but also to give you an opportunity to assess your intellectual and spiritual strengths and weaknesses. What are your God-given gifts and talents? (see D&C 46)

Elder Bruce R. McConkie, ... has said: Spirits developed an infinite variety and degree of talents while yet in preexistence. Being subject to law, and having their agency, all the spirits of men, while yet in the Eternal Presence, developed aptitudes, talents, capacities, and abilities of every sort, kind, and degree. During the long expanse of life which then was, an infinite variety of talents and abilities came into being. As the ages rolled, no two spirits remained alike. 

... The Lord endowed us all with agency; he gave us laws that would enable us to advance and progress and become like him; and he counseled and exhorted us to pursue the course leading to glory and exaltation. He himself was the embodiment and personification of all good things. Every desirable characteristic and trait dwelt in him in its eternal fullness. 

All of his obedient children started to become like him in one way or another. There was as great a variety and degree of talent and ability among us there as there is among us here. Some excelled in one way, others in another. The Firstborn excelled all of us in all things. [Bruce R. McConkie, The Mortal Messiah, Book 1

(Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1979), ... see also D&C 46]

Have you given yourself an honest chance to develop your natural skills, or are you limiting your development to the requirements for graduation or a profession without assessing how you will make the greatest contribution and be the happiest during your sojourn on earth? ... Your university educational experience should be a microcosm of life. 

For this reason, if the opportunity presents itself, serving on committees in student government, social committees, or interacting with the faculty and university administration will simulate civic involvement in your future life. Your social committees and social awareness and interactions are all part of the laboratory in which you are privileged to participate.

... Dr. Edwin A. Lee said: ... You are here for the eternal perspective of learning, to enable you to stand on higher ground to lift, to serve, and to care for those in need around you, both in your family and in the communities in which you reside. “Thee lift me and I’ll lift thee, and we will ascend together.”

Please remember to give before you leave this unique institution of learning appreciation and deserved praise to members of the faculty and staff for their dedication to the eternal principles of learning. Sincere recognition of your teachers’ contributions to your life is small payment for their sacrifices in sharing their gifts and talents with many who pass through without acknowledgment of their service.

Stewardship

... Let me assure you, Brethren, that someday you will have a personal priesthood interview with the Savior, Himself. If you are interested, I will tell you the order in which He will ask you to account for your earthly responsibilities.

First, He will request an accountability report about your relationship with your wife. Have you actively been engaged in making her happy and ensuring that her needs have been met as an individual?

Second, He will want an accountability report about each of your children individually. He will not attempt to have this for simply a family stewardship but will request information about your relationship to each and every child.

Third, He will want to know what you personally have done with the talents you were given in the pre-existence.

Fourth, He will want a summary of your activity in your Church assignments. He will not be necessarily interested in what assignments you have had, for in his eyes the home teacher and a mission president are probably equals, but He will request a summary of how you have been of service to your fellowmen in your Church assignments.

Fifth, He will have no interest in how you earned your living, but if you were honest in all your dealings.

Sixth, He will ask for an accountability on what you have done to contribute in a positive manner to your community, state, country and the world. [From Notes of Fred A. Baker, Managing Director, Department of Physical Facilities]

May we be able to meet these tests with affirmative answers and receive a loving welcome home from the Lord, who we hope will say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” It is my fervent desire that each of us will use our God-given intelligence to gain the knowledge, wisdom, and understanding in our hearts to meet life’s tests and trials and to endure to the end. ..."

Feel free to read the whole devotional either now or in your own time. Here's the link to the devotional below.

https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/robert-d-hales/understandings-heart

Stay Tuned until next time.

Understandings of the Heart ~ Part One

Good Morning, Good Afternoon, Good Evening,

this post should take approximately five minutes to read from start to finish.

This post focuses on BYU Devotional in March 1988, and it is called "Understandings of the Heart" by Presiding Bishop Robert D. Hales. This post is part one. I would like to share with you some highlights whilst I was reading the Devotional. I hope that you would be able to learn something new while reading through this post. 

Presiding Bishop Hales has mentioned the following; "... The Purpose of Life

You are preparing to meet the tests of mortal life. We voluntarily came from the presence of God the Father to this mortal probation with free agency, knowing we would have opposition in all things (2 Nephi 2:11). Our objective is .. to endure to the end, and to be worthy to stand and live in the presence of God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ for all eternity to achieve what is called eternal life.

Preparation for the Tests of Life

Most of you are in your third decade of learning. The first two decades were years of development and growth in preparation for this third critical decade of learning. This is a period of your life to prepare for the tests of future years. How do you prepare for the tests to come? 

“With All Thy Getting Get Understanding” ... We are taught that basic intelligence (which is innate) and worldly knowledge (which is learned) are the beginnings for our attainment of wisdom. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom [and knowledge]. [Proverbs 9:10; see also Proverbs 1:7] .. From wisdom, if we will listen to wise counsel and take the teachings to our hearts, we will gain an understanding in our hearts. To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding. [Proverbs 1:2] 

... The difference between intelligence and knowledge at the lower end of the hierarchy of learning and wisdom which comes through life’s experiences ... There is a great deal of difference between raw intelligence, knowledge, wisdom, and finally, the understanding with which the Lord established the heavens. ... It recognizes knowledge through your courses of study and then the attainment of wisdom recognizing obedience to laws, ordinances, and commandments ultimately leading to an understanding in your hearts of true gospel principles that far exceed the teachings of men. 

This education leads us to use our gifts and talents in selfless service by helping others and caring for the needy. The importance of understanding in one’s heart is that our faith in believing becomes a full knowledge of understanding, and it causes us to control our actions. In three decades of counseling I have become aware of many ways we may be tested. 

Here are but a few tests that those assembled here today may have to face in their lives. Will you be prepared? How will you respond?

1. The test for some will be being single and lonely. Are you prepared to be self-sufficient and productive, and are you prepared to be of help to others?

2. The test for some will be being married to the wrong person, resulting in abuse and divorce. 3. Then, the test may be to provide for a family without a partner’s support.

4. Some will have the test of not being able to have children. The test may come even when you have lived faithfully, abiding by moral laws and commandments of chastity, faithfulness, fidelity, and love to an eternal companion. ... Do not base your testimony on one goal and allow bitter disappointment to prevent you from enjoying your companionship and the greater goal of eternal progression.

5. The test for some will be having the children who can both be the joy and the trial of your life.

6. Some will have the test of being widowed or will experience the death of a loved one. Do not become angry and blame your departed loved one for leaving you alone. Do not blame God for allowing it to happen or yourself for having done something to cause the death.

"We must listen to understand, not
just to reply."

7. Some will have the test of illness and poor health. 8. Some will have friends and companions betray their trust. 9. For some the test will be having financial woes of employment failure, economic depression, or unwise investments.

Invulnerability Wouldn’t we all like to avoid the tests and trials of this mortal probation? ... Wouldn’t every mother like to find the secret of protecting her children, making them invulnerable from the fiery darts of the adversary?

Unfortunately, we cannot protect ourselves from the slings and arrows of misfortune. In fact, we are told to carry the shield of faith to protect us from the fiery darts of the adversary. 

... A basic reason for our learning experiences in this life is to enable us to endure to the end. Our challenges, learning experiences, and the opposition we come up against are supposed to strengthen us, not defeat or destroy us."

Stay tuned until next time.

How Can I Understand ~ Part Two

Good Morning, Good Afternoon, Good Evening,

this post should take three to five minutes to read from start to finish.

This post focuses on a April 2019 General Conference talk, and it is called "How Can I Understand?" by Elder Ulisses Soares. This post is part two. I would like to share with you some highlights whilst I was reading the talk.

Elder Soares has mentioned the following; 

"Brothers and sisters, that doesn’t happen by chance. Attuning ourselves to the highest influences of godliness is not a simple matter; it requires calling upon God and learning how to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to the center of our lives. If we do so, I promise that the influence of the Holy Ghost will bring truth to our heart and mind and will bear witness of it, teaching all things. 

The Ethiopian’s question, “How can I [understand], except some man should guide me?” also has a special meaning in the context of our individual responsibility to put the principles of the gospel we have learned into practice in our lives. In the Ethiopian’s case, for example, he acted upon the truth he learned from Philip. He asked to be baptized. 

... Brothers and sisters, our actions must reflect what we learn and teach. We need to show our beliefs through the way we live. The best teacher is a good role model. Teaching something that we truly live can make a difference in the hearts of those we teach. 

If we desire people, whether that be family or not, to joyfully treasure up the scriptures and the teachings of living apostles and prophets of our day, they need to see our souls delighting in them. ... As the well-known American saying goes, “Actions speak louder than words.” 

Maybe some of you are at this exact moment asking yourselves, “Elder Soares, I have been doing all these things and have been following this model both individually and as a family, but unfortunately, some of my friends or dear ones have distanced themselves from the Lord. What should I do?” 

"I can explain it to you but I
can't understand it for you."

For those of you who are right now experiencing these feelings of sadness, agony, and maybe regret, please know that they are not totally lost because the Lord knows where they are and is watching over them. Remember, they are His children too! It is hard to understand all the reasons why some people take another path. 

The best we can do in these circumstances is just to love and embrace them, pray for their well-being, and seek for the Lord’s help to know what to do and say. Sincerely rejoice with them in their successes; be their friends and look for the good in them. We should never give up on them but preserve our relationships. 

Never reject or misjudge them. Just love them! The parable of the prodigal son teaches us that when children come to themselves, they often desire to come home. 

If that happens with your dear ones, fill your hearts with compassion, run to them, fall on their neck, and kiss them, like the father of the prodigal son did. Ultimately, keep living a worthy life, be a good example to them of what you believe, and draw closer to our Savior, Jesus Christ. He knows and understands our deep sorrows and pains, and He will bless your efforts and dedication to your dear ones if not in this life, in the next life. Remember, brothers and sisters, always that hope is an important part of the gospel plan.. ..."

I would like to encourage you to watch the whole talk either now or in your own time. Here's the link below.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2019/04/11soares

Stay Tuned until next time.

How Can I Understand? ~ Part One

Good Morning, Good Afternoon, Good Evening,

this post should take approximately three minutes to read from start to finish.

This post focuses on a April 2019 General Conference talk, and it is called "How Can I Understand?" by Elder Ulisses Soares. This post is part one. I would like to share with you some highlights whilst I was reading the talk.

Elder Soares has mentioned the following; 

"... Our purpose as we seek to learn and to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ must be to increase faith in God and in His divine plan of happiness and in Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice and to achieve lasting conversion. Such increased faith and conversion will help us make and keep covenants with God, ... This transformation will bring us a more happy, productive, and healthy life and help us to maintain an eternal perspective. 

Isn’t this exactly what happened to the Ethiopian eunuch after he learned about the Savior and was converted to His gospel? The scripture says that “he went on his way rejoicing.” The commandment to learn the gospel and teach it to one another is not new; it has been constantly repeated from the beginning of human history.

"Sometimes the only person that 
understands you is yourself."

... God’s prophets have consistently instructed that we need to raise our families “in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” and “in light and truth.” 

... Brothers and sisters, the warning of our beloved prophet is a further reminder of our individual responsibility to seek to learn and to teach our families that there is a Father in Heaven who loves us and who has developed a divine plan of happiness for His children; that Jesus Christ, His Son, is the Redeemer of the world; and that salvation comes from faith in His name. 

Our lives need to be rooted upon the rock of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, which might help us individually and as families to have our own spiritual impressions engraved in our hearts, helping us to endure in our faith ... 

Likewise, when we accept the Savior’s invitation to “come and see,” we need to abide in Him, immersing ourselves in the scriptures, rejoicing in them, learning His doctrine, and striving to live the way He lived. Only then will we come to know Him, Jesus Christ, and recognize His voice, knowing that as we come unto Him and believe in Him, we shall never hunger nor thirst. We will be able to discern the truth at all times, as occurred to those two disciples who abode with Jesus that day."

Stay Tuned until next time. 

Earning the Trust of the Lord and Your Family

Good Morning, Good Afternoon, Good Evening,

this post should take three to five minutes to read from start to finish.

In what ways that you can think of that you CAN earn the trust of the Lord? 

In what ways that you can think of that you CAN earn the trust of your family? 

This post focuses on October 2017 General Conference talk. and it is called "Earning the Trust of the Lord and Your Family" by Elder Richard J. Maynes. I would like to share with you some highlights whilst I was reading the talk, and I hope that you would be able to learn something new while you're reading this post. 

Elder Maynes has mentioned the following;

"... perhaps there is no greater compliment we could receive from the Lord than to know He trusts us to be worthy priesthood holders and great husbands and fathers. One thing is for certain: earning the Lord’s trust is a blessing that comes through great effort on our part. Trust is a blessing based on obedience to God’s laws. 

Earning the Lord’s trust comes as a result of being true to the covenants we have made in the waters of baptism and in the holy temple. When we keep our promises to the Lord, His trust in us grows. ... Men who have “integrity

of heart” are men to be trusted because trust is built on integrity. Being a man of integrity simply means your intentions, as well as your actions, are pure and righteous in all aspects of your life, both ... 

With each decision we make, we either merit more of God’s trust or diminish His trust. ... As husbands and fathers, we have received a divine charge from modern-day prophets, seers, and revelators in the document “The Family: A Proclamation to the World.” This document teaches us that (1) “fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness,” (2) fathers “are responsible to provide the necessities of life,” and (3) fathers are responsible to protect their families.

For us to earn God’s trust, we will need to accomplish these three divinely appointed responsibilities to our families in the Lord’s way. As further stated in the family proclamation, the Lord’s way is to fulfill these responsibilities together with our wives “as equal partners.” To me, this means we do not move forward with any significant decision regarding these three responsibilities without total unity with our wives. 

"Trust is earned when actions meet words." 
- Chris Butler.

The first step in our quest to earn the Lord’s trust is to place our trust in Him. ... Nephi was fully committed to doing the Lord’s will. ... Because Nephi first trusted in God, God put great trust in Nephi. 

The Lord blessed him with great outpourings of the Spirit that blessed his life, the lives of his family, and the lives of his people. Because Nephi presided in love and righteousness and provided for and protected his family and people, he records, “We lived after the manner of happiness.”

In order to represent a woman’s perspective on this subject, I asked my two married daughters to help me. I asked if they would provide a sentence or two on how they viewed the importance of trust as it affects their marriage and family life. ...

First, Lara: 

“One of the most important things to me is knowing that as my husband goes about his day, he is making choices that show respect and love toward me. When we can trust each other in this way, it brings peace to our home, where we can enjoy raising our family together.”

Now Christina’s thoughts: 

“Having trust in someone is similar to having faith in someone. Without that trust and faith, there’s fear and doubt. For me, one of the greatest blessings that come from being able to fully trust my husband is peace - peace of mind knowing that he actually does what he says he will do. Trust brings peace, love, and an environment where that love can grow.”

... It is so interesting to me that both of them independently considered the blessing of peace in the home to be a direct consequence of having a husband they could trust. As illustrated by my daughters’ examples, the principle of trust plays an extremely important role in the development of a Christ-centered home.

I was also able to enjoy that same Christ-centered culture growing up in a home where my father honored his priesthood and gained the trust of the entire family due to “the integrity of his heart.” ... Brethren, it is my prayer this evening that we might all first place our trust in the Lord, as Nephi exemplified, and then, through the integrity of our hearts, earn the trust of the Lord, as well as the trust of our wives and children. ... We will also succeed in presiding in our families with love and righteousness, providing the necessities of life, and protecting our families from the evils of the world. ..."

If you would like to read the whole talk either now or in your own time, here's the link below.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2017/10/earning-the-trust-of-the-lord-and-your-family

Stay Tune until next time.

Trust in God, Then Go and Do

 Good Morning, or Good Afternoon, or Good Evening, 
this post should take approximately five minutes to read from start to finish. 

This week focuses on two different topics; the first topic is Trust and the other topic is Understanding. 

This post is focuses on October 2010 General Conference talk and it is called, "Trust in God, Then Go and Do" by Henry B. Eyring. I would like to share with you some highlights while I was reading the talk and I hope you will learn something new. 

Elder Eyring mentioned, "Your needs are great and varied. Each of you is a unique child of God. God knows you individually. He sends messages of encouragement, correction, and direction fitted to you and to your needs. To discover what God would have me add to this conference, I read the messages of His servants in scripture and in past conferences. 

I am to build trust in God and His servants enough that we will go out and obey His counsel. He wants that because He loves us and wants our happiness. And He knows how a lack of trust in Him brings sadness. That lack of trust has brought sorrow to Heavenly Father’s children from before the world was created. 

We know through the revelations of God to the Prophet Joseph Smith that many of our brothers and sisters in the premortal world rejected the plan for our mortal life presented by our Heavenly Father and His eldest Son, Jehovah.

We don’t know all the reasons for Lucifer’s terrible success in inciting that rebellion. However, one reason is clear. Those who lost the blessing of coming into mortality lacked sufficient trust in God to avoid eternal misery.

The sad pattern of lack of trust in God has persisted since the Creation. I will be careful in giving examples from the lives of God’s children since I do not know all the reasons for their lack of faith enough to trust Him. Many of you have studied the moments of crisis in their lives.

"Trust in God, then go and do" - Henry B. Eyring.

The young Nephi in the Book of Mormon stirs in us a desire to develop trust in the Lord to obey His commandments, however hard they appear to us. Nephi faced danger and possible death when he said these words of trust that we can and must feel steadily in our hearts: “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.”

That trust comes from knowing God. More than any other people on earth, we have, through the glorious events of the Restoration of the gospel, felt the peace that the Lord offered His people with the words “Be still, and know that I am God.” My heart is filled with gratitude for what God has revealed about Himself that we might trust Him.

... It was in the depths of what we now call the Great Depression. Thousands were out of work and homeless. ... The Lord did not run the city, but He changed a part of it for the better. He called one tiny woman alone who trusted Him enough to find out what He wanted her to do and then did it. Because of her trust in the Lord, she was able to help in that city hundreds of Heavenly Father’s children in need.

That same trust in God can bless nations. I have come to know that we can trust God to fulfill the promise of Alma that “behold, the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation and tongue, to teach his word, yea, in wisdom, all that he seeth fit that they should have.” God does not rule in nations, but He is mindful of them. He can and does place people in positions of influence who want what is best for the people and who trust in the Lord."

I encourage you to read the whole talk in your own time. Here's the link below.

www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/10/trust-in-god-then-go-and-do