With the End in Mind
Howdy Howdy Howdy,
Here we are at the end of another week. I hope that I can articulate my thoughts this week. Let's start with my verse of pondering; D&C 76:70. Yep, that is it, just one verse.
My thoughts have been a continuation of last weeks thoughts, this week's thoughts, and a bunch of other stuff, so let me catch you up. This week I have been reminded through by a movie and a couple conference talks about the importance of seeing one self with the end in mind. Today, in Priesthood, we talked about Spiritual Self-Reliance. The thoughts have all kind of melded. So let's see where it takes us.
First - Self-Reliance? When you hear this phrase used, what comes to mind? We asked that question this morning. The answer was pretty much the same - INDEPENDENT! But the more we talked about it the more thoughts filled my head and our conversation. Separate the two words SELF and RELIANCE. If we are to become Spiritually Self Reliant we need to understand that we, individually, must learn to rely on the Spirit, upon God the Father, and upon Jesus Christ. We cannot do anything alone. That does not mean that we should not be doing our part, but that we should be in partnership with them, fully carrying our end of the load in the process.
Second - D&C 76:70 - As I pondered this verse this week, my mind seemed to focus on "...These are they whose bodies are celestial...". Like I said, I had watch a movie this week that portrayed an individual who was not happy with themselves. They did not like their lives, the way the looked, the things they had, and the direction it appeared their lives were going. They spent a great deal of time comparing themselves to others. They were so unhappy and desperate that they ran outside in heavy thunderstorm to make a wish and toss a coin into a fountain.
How many movies or stories have we seen or heard about the same thing? Then something happens, overnight they are grown-up, transformed, given riches beyond their wildest dreams, or something like that? Well, in this movie, the only thing that changed was the way this person believed.
Ok, now back to verse 76. How many of us get stuck on this first line and immediately start saying to ourselves, "How can I ever get there? I have so many faults! I am not good enough. There are so many people around me that are more celestial quality that I am." Seriously, how many?
When we talk about it in church, FHE, or in other settings we always say that it is a goal. Yep, we say our plan is to make it to the Celestial Kingdom, but are we really working for it?
Why don't we see ourselves with the end in mind? Why don't we see ourselves in the celestial kingdom? Do we let our faults and weakness hold us back? Do we use our faults and weaknesses as justification as to why we aren't there? What is it?
In this movie, this person changed their entire life because they saw themselves differently. They believed in themselves and what they could do or become. So I started asking myself, what was it that they saw? Then I thought about this place where celestial bodies dwell, am I making the place I dwell in today a celestial dwelling place. Can I? What must I change?
So, there is the start of my questions? What do you imagine the Celestial Kingdom to be like? Don't think necessarily about the people, but the place, the community, the environment, the atmosphere. What is it that you see?
What kind of books are there?
What kind of music is there?
What movies are playing there?
What television shows are watched there?
What kind of work is done there?
What do the houses look like?
What kind of clothes are sold?
What things are studied there?
The list of questions can go on and on. Now my question is, are you reading those kind of books? Do you listen to that kind of music? Do you see those kind movies? What about the TV shows you watch? Is the work you do something that could be done there? Could you see your house there? What about the clothes you wear? or the things you study?
If you are answering no to any of these questions or the millions of other questions you could ask, what could you change? If you changed them here in this life, what do you think your life could be like?
Envision it!
Live it!
Tell me what a difference it makes. So before I go, remember, there are lots and lots of questions you could ask. As we ask them, we will all find things that we could change. That is what the plan is all about. We have to believe that we can be one of "These". We have to see ourselves there. We have to live as if we are. If we are not, then we need to start, one question at a time until we can say "YES".
Now think about all the changes of good that our actions would have on the world. Is that someplace you would want to be? Do it! Start with yourself!
Our week -
It seems that we are falling into the same routine of the year. The Queen was home all but 2 days before she headed back out for another assignment. While she was here, she did all she could to fill her time with catching up on things she felt were not getting done.
The Professor started her last semester of her masters program and ended the week with a small cold and tracking off for a season.
We didn't see much of Tall Man and Ehl-Bo. They joined us for dinner last weekend and let us know how much they are enjoying the Mer-Court. We look forward to hearing about this week's adventures.
Puddin and Lady Hawkins also started another semester. It has been a change to their routine that they need to adjust to and figure out. Even though Lady Hawkins has been battling a cold of her own, she has endured.
Snack Pack is doing the same it sounds like. I don't know how he keeps the pace he is running. He goes from class to homework to job class with a little sleep in the middle. It sounds like he does almost 40 hours of work on top of the full school load.
Me? Yep, I was right here in this chair, watching it all happen around me.
Here we are at the end of another week. I hope that I can articulate my thoughts this week. Let's start with my verse of pondering; D&C 76:70. Yep, that is it, just one verse.
My thoughts have been a continuation of last weeks thoughts, this week's thoughts, and a bunch of other stuff, so let me catch you up. This week I have been reminded through by a movie and a couple conference talks about the importance of seeing one self with the end in mind. Today, in Priesthood, we talked about Spiritual Self-Reliance. The thoughts have all kind of melded. So let's see where it takes us.
First - Self-Reliance? When you hear this phrase used, what comes to mind? We asked that question this morning. The answer was pretty much the same - INDEPENDENT! But the more we talked about it the more thoughts filled my head and our conversation. Separate the two words SELF and RELIANCE. If we are to become Spiritually Self Reliant we need to understand that we, individually, must learn to rely on the Spirit, upon God the Father, and upon Jesus Christ. We cannot do anything alone. That does not mean that we should not be doing our part, but that we should be in partnership with them, fully carrying our end of the load in the process.
Second - D&C 76:70 - As I pondered this verse this week, my mind seemed to focus on "...These are they whose bodies are celestial...". Like I said, I had watch a movie this week that portrayed an individual who was not happy with themselves. They did not like their lives, the way the looked, the things they had, and the direction it appeared their lives were going. They spent a great deal of time comparing themselves to others. They were so unhappy and desperate that they ran outside in heavy thunderstorm to make a wish and toss a coin into a fountain.
How many movies or stories have we seen or heard about the same thing? Then something happens, overnight they are grown-up, transformed, given riches beyond their wildest dreams, or something like that? Well, in this movie, the only thing that changed was the way this person believed.
Ok, now back to verse 76. How many of us get stuck on this first line and immediately start saying to ourselves, "How can I ever get there? I have so many faults! I am not good enough. There are so many people around me that are more celestial quality that I am." Seriously, how many?
When we talk about it in church, FHE, or in other settings we always say that it is a goal. Yep, we say our plan is to make it to the Celestial Kingdom, but are we really working for it?
Why don't we see ourselves with the end in mind? Why don't we see ourselves in the celestial kingdom? Do we let our faults and weakness hold us back? Do we use our faults and weaknesses as justification as to why we aren't there? What is it?
In this movie, this person changed their entire life because they saw themselves differently. They believed in themselves and what they could do or become. So I started asking myself, what was it that they saw? Then I thought about this place where celestial bodies dwell, am I making the place I dwell in today a celestial dwelling place. Can I? What must I change?
So, there is the start of my questions? What do you imagine the Celestial Kingdom to be like? Don't think necessarily about the people, but the place, the community, the environment, the atmosphere. What is it that you see?
What kind of books are there?
What kind of music is there?
What movies are playing there?
What television shows are watched there?
What kind of work is done there?
What do the houses look like?
What kind of clothes are sold?
What things are studied there?
The list of questions can go on and on. Now my question is, are you reading those kind of books? Do you listen to that kind of music? Do you see those kind movies? What about the TV shows you watch? Is the work you do something that could be done there? Could you see your house there? What about the clothes you wear? or the things you study?
If you are answering no to any of these questions or the millions of other questions you could ask, what could you change? If you changed them here in this life, what do you think your life could be like?
Envision it!
Live it!
Tell me what a difference it makes. So before I go, remember, there are lots and lots of questions you could ask. As we ask them, we will all find things that we could change. That is what the plan is all about. We have to believe that we can be one of "These". We have to see ourselves there. We have to live as if we are. If we are not, then we need to start, one question at a time until we can say "YES".
Now think about all the changes of good that our actions would have on the world. Is that someplace you would want to be? Do it! Start with yourself!
Our week -
It seems that we are falling into the same routine of the year. The Queen was home all but 2 days before she headed back out for another assignment. While she was here, she did all she could to fill her time with catching up on things she felt were not getting done.
The Professor started her last semester of her masters program and ended the week with a small cold and tracking off for a season.
We didn't see much of Tall Man and Ehl-Bo. They joined us for dinner last weekend and let us know how much they are enjoying the Mer-Court. We look forward to hearing about this week's adventures.
Puddin and Lady Hawkins also started another semester. It has been a change to their routine that they need to adjust to and figure out. Even though Lady Hawkins has been battling a cold of her own, she has endured.
Snack Pack is doing the same it sounds like. I don't know how he keeps the pace he is running. He goes from class to homework to job class with a little sleep in the middle. It sounds like he does almost 40 hours of work on top of the full school load.
Me? Yep, I was right here in this chair, watching it all happen around me.
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