Return and Receive ~ Part One

Good Morning or Good Afternoon or Good Evening, 

this post should take four minutes to read from start to finish. 

"What is your definition of return?" and "What is your definition of receive?" 

This post focuses on a April 2017 General Conference talk and it is called, "Return and Receive" by Elder M. Russell Ballard. This post is part one. I would like to share with you some highlights that stood out to me as I was reading the talk and I hope you will learn something new. 

Elder Ballard mentioned, "My brothers and sisters, it is now my assignment to speak to you, and your assignment is to listen. My goal is to finish my assignment before you finish yours. I will do my best.

Over the years, I have observed that those who accomplish the most in this world are those with a vision for their lives, with goals to keep them focused on their vision and tactical plans for how to achieve them. Knowing where you are going and how you expect to get there can bring meaning, purpose, and accomplishment to life.

Some have difficulty differentiating between a goal and a plan until they learn that a goal is a destination or an end, while a plan is the route by which you get there. ... Goal setting is essentially beginning with the end in mind. And planning is devising a way to get to that end. 

A key to happiness lies in understanding what destinations truly matter and then spending our time, effort, and attention on the things that constitute a sure way to arrive there. ... Wise goal setting includes the understanding that short-term goals are only effective if they lead to clearly understood longer-term goals. 

I believe that one important key to happiness is to learn how to set our own goals and establish our own plans within the framework of our Heavenly Father’s eternal plan. If we focus on this eternal path, we will inevitably qualify to return to His presence.

It is good to have goals and plans for our careers, for our education, even for our golf game. It is also important to have goals for our marriages, our families, and our Church councils and callings; this is especially true for missionaries. But our greatest and most overriding goals should fit into Heavenly Father’s eternal plan. Jesus said, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.”

.. The words are return and receive.

Return and Receive.

To return to His presence and to receive the eternal blessings that come from making and keeping covenants are the most important goals we can set. 

.. Because of his premortal choices, Satan can neither return nor receive. The only thing left for him is to oppose the Father’s plan by using every possible enticement and temptation to bring us down and make us miserable like unto himself. Satan’s plan to accomplish his diabolical goal applies to every individual, generation, culture, and society. He uses loud voices—voices that seek to drown out the small and still voice of the Holy Spirit that can show us “all things” we should do to return and receive." 

Stay Tuned until next time.