The Big "O"
How many of you have read your patriarchal blessing as of late?
I don't know that I have read it a great deal, but I have it on my mind. When things happen in my life, I wonder how that event pertains to my blessing and what am I supposed to learn from it. There is a passage that I have always wondered about. I read it and think, "what is that all about about?"
Have you ever had that feeling? I am basically told to follow the second great commandment. That is pretty simple right? That is what I have thought in the past. Unfortunately, I am struggling with it right now.
The problem is not that I don't love, but that I am having a hard time resisting the be "O". I never thought I would have a problem with it, but seem to be now. The more I reflect upon it, the more I worry about some of my own doing the same thing.
Friday, I was able to attend the baptism of a couple that has lived a long life. They have struggled in life and will probably continue to struggle. On Friday, they made a covenant with our Father in Heaven that they were willing to follow His son. They cried to the heavens above that they were willing to follow the counsel of Alma (Mosiah 18:3-) and join the church of Christ. They willing chose to follow him. The following day, I had the opportunity to attend the baptism of my niece. She too made those same covenants.
Yesterday morning, I was blessed to work along side the president of a deacons' quorum. We spent several hours picking up rubbish. Not long ago, he too had made the same covenants that were mentioned previously. Yet, on this day, he was questioning what he had covenanted to do. It was not convenient to be up. It was cold. The job we were doing was kind of gross.
There were several times throughout the morning that he looked for opportunity to be offended or even to offend others in hopes that he might be rejected, kicked out, and sent home to where he would have crawled back into his warm bed. I hope that now has he reads this blog, he does not continue in the same path.
With recent events in my life, I have reflected upon the experience. This young man endured. It was not always pleasant, but he continued. He was not always happy, but he moved forward. When it was all done, I was impressed that he made it. I compared it to another young man in similar circumstances.
In the other situation, the young man not only looked for the reason of offense, but took it. He was offended that anyone would even ask him to give accounting of his stewardship. He seemed to forget the covenant he has made many years earlier. Instead of carrying out his duty with a sour taste in his mouth, he lashed out at the one requesting the action of stewardship. It was painful to witness.
These experiences have given me reason to question. I question if I really understand what I have voluntarily committed to be, to do, or to go. Am I up to the task? Am I being, doing, or going?
I worry that those, like myself, who have made similar covenants will truly strive to understand them. Will they give themselves all to that which they have committed? Do they understand seriousness of such covenants? Are they as concerned about not living up to them as I am? How to I help them understand?
If you are one of those that find yourselves in the same situation, I pray that you do what is required to make the change. That you do not find reason to take offense. I hope that you do not worry about what those in the great and spacious building are thinking, saying or doing, but that you do what your Savior would have you do. I pray that you do it with the enthusiasm of that special day, many years ago, when you first made the covenant. I know that I seek to do so.
I don't know that I have read it a great deal, but I have it on my mind. When things happen in my life, I wonder how that event pertains to my blessing and what am I supposed to learn from it. There is a passage that I have always wondered about. I read it and think, "what is that all about about?"
Have you ever had that feeling? I am basically told to follow the second great commandment. That is pretty simple right? That is what I have thought in the past. Unfortunately, I am struggling with it right now.
The problem is not that I don't love, but that I am having a hard time resisting the be "O". I never thought I would have a problem with it, but seem to be now. The more I reflect upon it, the more I worry about some of my own doing the same thing.
Friday, I was able to attend the baptism of a couple that has lived a long life. They have struggled in life and will probably continue to struggle. On Friday, they made a covenant with our Father in Heaven that they were willing to follow His son. They cried to the heavens above that they were willing to follow the counsel of Alma (Mosiah 18:3-) and join the church of Christ. They willing chose to follow him. The following day, I had the opportunity to attend the baptism of my niece. She too made those same covenants.
Yesterday morning, I was blessed to work along side the president of a deacons' quorum. We spent several hours picking up rubbish. Not long ago, he too had made the same covenants that were mentioned previously. Yet, on this day, he was questioning what he had covenanted to do. It was not convenient to be up. It was cold. The job we were doing was kind of gross.
There were several times throughout the morning that he looked for opportunity to be offended or even to offend others in hopes that he might be rejected, kicked out, and sent home to where he would have crawled back into his warm bed. I hope that now has he reads this blog, he does not continue in the same path.
With recent events in my life, I have reflected upon the experience. This young man endured. It was not always pleasant, but he continued. He was not always happy, but he moved forward. When it was all done, I was impressed that he made it. I compared it to another young man in similar circumstances.
In the other situation, the young man not only looked for the reason of offense, but took it. He was offended that anyone would even ask him to give accounting of his stewardship. He seemed to forget the covenant he has made many years earlier. Instead of carrying out his duty with a sour taste in his mouth, he lashed out at the one requesting the action of stewardship. It was painful to witness.
These experiences have given me reason to question. I question if I really understand what I have voluntarily committed to be, to do, or to go. Am I up to the task? Am I being, doing, or going?
I worry that those, like myself, who have made similar covenants will truly strive to understand them. Will they give themselves all to that which they have committed? Do they understand seriousness of such covenants? Are they as concerned about not living up to them as I am? How to I help them understand?
If you are one of those that find yourselves in the same situation, I pray that you do what is required to make the change. That you do not find reason to take offense. I hope that you do not worry about what those in the great and spacious building are thinking, saying or doing, but that you do what your Savior would have you do. I pray that you do it with the enthusiasm of that special day, many years ago, when you first made the covenant. I know that I seek to do so.
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