Attitude of Gratitude & Putting It Together & Thoughts on Obedience

Greetings and Salutations!

I will not pretend this has been an easy week. We lost my Uncle, suddenly and unexpectedly. It has pulled the rug out from under all of us.

Gratitude List

1. Pizza Hut
(It is just really nice to have the convenience of picking up dinner, already made, and knowing that you will have almost no clean-up to do afterwards. Simply put the glasses in the dishwasher and voila!)

2. Great Friends
(I am grateful to Aimee for listening to me and offering emotional support and a chance to have some escapism writing. I am grateful to Katie and Paul for making me laugh, when I hadn't laughed in awhile, with their amusing banter and commentary. I am grateful for the prayers offered on my behalf and the behalf of my family by the Gathering group on FB.)

3. Hand Cream
(Caring for Mom and a host of animals, I wash my hands a lot. With the harsh winter weather, my knuckles are splitting and cracking. They have been bleeding and, at times, I look like a boxer. I am grateful for hand cream and for those aloe vera gloves that keep your hands covered so the cream can soak in while you sleep. I recently got myself a new pair, as the ones Melodie sent me were packed away in our storage pod.)

4. Jersey Cotton Sheets
(I like being warm in the winter and jersey sheets are the best way to feel snuggly and warm. They are very comfortable and cozy, especially with a nice blanket or comforter on top of them.)

5. The Gospel
(The knowledge that there is an afterlife is immensely important and of great comfort to me, especially right now in this time full of sorrow. I deeply miss my Uncle. I have fond childhood memories of him and I cannot quite grasp that he is gone. I have not been able to say the word 'was' in application to him, as it still has not sunk in all the way yet. I really find myself clinging to the gospel truths that I will see him again and he will be well and whole.)

Putting It Together

I made it to the Gathering, which for me, was my 'productive thing of the day' (other than caring for my Mom's needs and the habits of the furry children). I had gotten through part of the scripture block and I will freely admit that my mind was elsewhere. My heart was heavy and I wasn't sure I was going to get through the next two hours without crying. (It may sound over dramatic, but that's just the way it was. I am not great at handling grief. I wear most of my emotions on the surface and when some of them weigh me down, I cannot just play it off and pretend I am doing alright).
Rick Graham was the lead student and he was dressed the part. He stood up and took charge of the class and began to ask us questions about what we had learned in last week's lesson. Lincoln pointed out that the last time he had read 3rd Nephi, his mind had drawn him towards how amazing it must have been to be there, among the Nephites, and meet the Savior. This time, he said his reading led him to think more about the Second Coming of Christ and what he, and the rest of us, need to do to prepare for such an event.

The Study Skill was Flag Phrases. It was presented with a handout that outlined what the different types of Flag Phrases are (words, similes, superlatives, absolutes, connecting words, repeated words, etc.) These phrases, such as: yea, behold, even, verily, wherefore, thus we see, therefore, because, and nevertheless, all serve to draw our attention, or 'flag' us towards the importance of the information that is being imparted directly after those key words. I anticipate using Flag Phrases throughout the rest of my studying of the scriptures. They point out concepts that are very important and highlight key ideas that I know I should pay attention to (and incorporate into my life).

For the Directed Study, I was paired with Paul and Katie. We were Group Four and we were given Option 3, Parts A and B. I worked on Part B, where I was instructed to make a list of characteristics of perfection that were demonstrated by the Savior towards the multitudes in 3 Nephi 17. My list included the following characteristics: compassion, care for the afflicted, mercy, aid in healing, and prayer for others. I also noted that the multitude showed gratitude to Christ and they were told they had sufficient faith to be healed. Part A wanted us to summarize the counsel that the Savior gave to the people in 3 Nephi 17: 1-3 and describe how that counsel can be applied to our church attendance or temple worship. The pattern of counsel can be summarized as follows: go home, ponder on what you have been taught (we likened this to marinating in what you've learned), ask Heavenly Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, if what you were taught was true, and then prepare your mind for the next learning experience. The last part can be done by listing any questions you may have on the topic and being as informed as possible (by studying beforehand if you know what you will be discussing). We can apply this counsel to ourselves by being in the right frame of mind to attend our church meetings, pondering the topics we are learning about (or hearing about from the speakers), pray to have the spirit with us at these meetings, and meditate upon the things we have learned and any questions we have for the next lesson that we attend (in terms of classes like Sunday School or Relief Society). You can do the same with your temple worship by making sure your home is a place you can feel the spirit and study out gospel topics. Pondering important questions before you go to visit the temple. Praying about your experiences there and meditating on what you have learned as you prepare for your next temple session.

I have really enjoyed reading about the Savior's interactions with the Nephites. I was really touched by the fact that he knelt and prayed for them. Think of that: the Son of God prayed for them! Not only was He showing them the example of how prayer should be done (In the name of Christ, with sincerity) but the fact that He asked the Lord to bless them. That their faith touched Him, Jesus, so very deeply. I made the connection that Jesus was showing the people how to practice obedience and that their faith and obedience moved Him. It made me think about how our obedience allows Heavenly Father to more fully bless us in our daily lives. That it puts us in a better place, emotionally, to be more fully aligned with His will. It helps to separate us from the things in the world that would distract us from Him and from our true purpose here. The rules and guidelines aren't there just to be mindlessly followed. They are there to help turn your hearts into something more ... to help you become something better than you were when you started out here in this world.

That is all I have for this week, folks. It has been one rough week. I hope you are all doing well, out there in the blogiverse! Any thoughts and comments are welcome. Much love to you and yours! Until next time ... 

Attitude of Gratitude & The Cycle of Pride

Greetings and Salutations!

As usual, here is my Attitude of Gratitude list:

1. Medical Technology
(With my Mom's hip surgery, I am really very grateful for the techniques that have been developed in modern medicine. First, being able to get a new hip. Second, having the surgeon who pioneered a safer procedure, with quicker recovery time, be able to perform that particular surgery. Third, all of the minor medical supplies that are offered to aid in the healing/recovery period ... ice gel packs, a collapsible walker, etc.)

2. My Husband
(I am really glad for his presence. He takes care of me, makes sure I eat, get some sleep, etc. This enables me to take care of Mom. I may not take decent care of myself when he's not around, but I do get watched over during the few days that he is here! I appreciate him trying to lighten my load a bit!)

3. BBC & Hulu
(Having a small bit of time to spend with my love, we were able to enjoy a program that was a miniseries on the BBC a few years ago. It was called 'Lost in Austen' and it followed the adventures of a woman who walks through a door from her bathroom and into Jane Austen's novel of Pride and Prejudice. Elizabeth Bennett is now in the modern world, as Amanda Price attempts to navigate the events of the novel, posing as Lizzy's friend. A lot of crazy mayhem ensues and, of course, she falls for Mr. Darcy. You'll have to look it up to see how it all ends, but it was fun to get lost in something that poked fun at Austen's characters and still managed to follow in her classic style).

4. (Re)Generation Who
(Seriously looking forward to going to the Convention next month! It is marked on our calendar and, we have the added treat of being able to offer tickets to some wonderful people who are new to the fandom! It is so fun seeing the universe of Who through the eyes of someone who has never experienced it before! I cannot wait!)

5. Writing with Aimee
(This proved to be some decent therapy for me, after a particularly trying day. I was able to work out some frustrations by penning some scenes where Stone got to knock in some heads and defend his wife from kidnappers!)

Moving on to The Gathering ...

I attended the gathering this Thursday, after several attempts, I managed to snag a ride to class. Having missed class on the week prior, I really was looking forward to seeing everyone again. Thankfully, Sharee brought donuts! (Valentine's heart-shaped ones, at that!) The one I chose was filled with cookie dough! (I seriously had no idea they made such things!) I snagged some of the refreshments and sat down, explaining to several people why I had missed the prior Gathering (My Mom had her hip replaced! I discovered I could not 'do it all' as well as I thought I could).
Sister Read shared a thought with us. She pointed out that 211 degrees is the temperature at which water is hot, while 212 is the temperature at which water boils. She spoke about the significance of a change in one little degree and how such a change can work in our own lives. That if we are able to jump up by one degree in our covenant keeping, our academics, our church callings, that it can make a major difference in our lives (and the lives of those around us). I thought this was a really neat idea.
Next, we talked about the Study Skill for the week. The Study Skill that was presented in class this week was Principles. These are defined by Elder Richard G. Scott as "concentrated truth, packaged for application to a wide variety of circumstances." Principles are unchanging truths, eternal laws, and fundamental beliefs. They are portable. (If you cannot lift a principle from a story, or if it is only applicable in one type of story or situation, then it is not truly a principle and does not meet the standard of portability). The Study Skill was presented with colorful definitions which were placed on the chalk board and read out loud by members of the class. I anticipate using this skill often in the coming week. The scriptures are loaded with principles for us to study and learn from. (One example is Helaman 12:1, where it states, "yea, we can see that the Lord in his great infinite goodness doth bless and prosper those who put their trust in him.")
For the Directed Study activity, we broke up into groups and my group worked on Option 1, parts B and C. For part B, we read Helaman 10:1-4, Joshua 1:7-9, and 1 Nephi 11:1 and we discussed the role that pondering plays in receiving revelation. Pondering serves to open your mind and clear away the distractions of the world. It helps you to focus inwardly and to seek God's will, instead of your own. It centers you in a state of mind that is prepared to receive revelation and divine inspiration. In short, pondering puts you in the right frame of mind to listen to what Heavenly Father wants to teach you and to take that knowledge and light and move forward with it, to guide your actions. For part C, we were asked to select a challenge we are currently facing, and set aside some time during this coming week to ponder this challenge and record any impressions that come to mind. I did not share my challenge, as we were not required to share it with the class, but I will share it here. My current challenge is finding a way to take care of everyone's needs and still find a way to meet my own. I find myself constantly in a crunch for time, exhausted from lack of sleep, and not always clear headed, as I try to take care of the needs around me. I tend to neglect my own needs (such as meals, etc.) in order to get every task done, and I do recognize that I cannot keep going like this. I will ponder and pray on things this week and hope that the Lord will help guide me in what steps to take, in order to accomplish all of my goals and care for the household (myself included).
We went around the room and presented our learning to the class, as a whole. We talked extensively about the Cycle of Pride that exists, and was currently being experienced at this point in the Book of Mormon. We concluded that there are steps you can take to avoid participating in this cycle. One of them is to retain your humility. We need to remember that we are 'less than the dust of the earth' because even the earth obeys the commandments of God. All of the creatures and the elements obey Him, their Creator, and it is only man who chooses to be puffed up in his own pride and not be obedient to Heavenly Father. If we work hard to 'retain a remembrance of the goodness of God', we will be better able to stay humble and to not fall into the trap of lifting ourselves above our fellow brothers and sisters. Another step to avoid pride is to educate yourself, read the scriptures and learn the words of the Prophets. Take them to heart, cherish what you learn and share it with others. This helps to prevent you from becoming wayward and following in the footsteps of the mistakes made by others who have come before you. A third step to bypass pride involves knowing of God's love for us and utilizing the Atonement in our own lives, seeking and receiving a remission of our sins. If we follow Christ's example, and constantly try to uplift our brothers and sisters, we will be less likely to succumb to the cycle of pride (and, therefore, less likely to face the punishments that befall those who are lifted up in the pride of their own hearts).
One of the statements that struck me during this class period was this: "We should pray only for the things that are in accordance to the will of the Lord." I am not sure who said it (or if they were quoting someone else) but I really liked the statement itself. That we need to pray and be mindful (and ponder on) the things that align with the Lord's will for us. (I have not always done this in the past but I will be more open in the future to look for such opportunities and to embrace them as they come my way!)

Attitude of