Yep, Receiving still requires effort on our part
Greetings All -
I hope your week has been filled with fun and adventure. Ours has been kind of slow, but we made the best of it.
I am still trying to process all that happened in conference this weekend. I look forward to spending the next 6 months reviewing, listening to, studying, pondering, and hopefully applying the principles and messages that have been taught.
This week my ponderings have been mixed. I am not sure where to begin. I have spent a great deal of time on my knees, but probably not enough time listening after words. I am always ready to ask, but not so good at receiving. I guess that is why this week's scripture verses have been hanging over me. Then I was asked to attend a special baptism yesterday. It has slowly come together.
Let's start with the baptism. Several years ago, a struggling couple moved into our ward. I was assigned to be their home teacher. I think I only visited them 2 when I was asked to help move the brother to his own apartment on the far south side of the valley. Then I continued visiting the sister and her young son.
After being their home teacher for a little over a year, my assignment was changed, but I continued to keep in touch. With my last calling as ward mission leader, I was asked to visit the home more regularly. The sister had started dating a brother who was doing his best to return to the church. Over the past several months I have had the opportunity to get to know them and understand some of their challenges. They married and are doing their best to return to a covenant path.
I was released from my calling and have been struggling to keep up with things as my new calling takes me away from the ward quite often. Well, this week, I received a text asking if we would be willing to attend his baptism.
It was a wonderful opportunity. I am glad that I was invited to share my testimony. As I stood to share, my mind was filled with this week's verses of pondering...D&C 76:82-85.
I was reminded as I stood there that this brother was coming before the waters of baptism again, hoping to be better, do better, and make better on the covenants he was going to be making. I felt impressed to remind him that he was being given a gift, but what he did with it would make all the difference.
Was he going to receive it or just put it on a shelf. These verses talk of a people who more than likely were or will be given a gift, the gospel of Christ, but they did not or will not receive it. Neither will they receive the testimony of Jesus.
Being members of Christ church is a gift. Being born into mortality is a gift. Having the opportunity to associate with family, friend, neighbors, ward, stake, and more is a gift. Together, we have the opportunity to share and RECEIVE talents and resources that will help us be better people. Are we receiving? Are we sharing?
It requires work and effort on our side. We cannot expect to just be given things and reaping the benefits of the gift unless we do something with it.
These people chose not to do anything with the gifts they were given, whether that be association with family, friends, neighbors, ward members, brothers or sisters and more. I suddenly see some of these people just sitting around waiting for something to happen. The were given the gift, so now they expected it to work for them. Because they have it, life will be different.
I don't think that is how it happens. We have to open the box, read the instructions, put it together, provide power for it, then use it/share it with those around us. Not only is the gospel that way, but life in general. Just because we have life does not mean that it will be effortless, we are required to do something with it.
These people described were not bad people per say. They just did not seem to do anything with what they had/have/or will have. They did/do not do anything. It is almost as if they are idly waiting for things to happen for them instead of because of them.
They felt prompted by the Holy Ghost, but did not act upon the promptings.
They did not take care of the body they have been given.
They did not use the talent and resources they were given to build, improve, or make the gift they had been given better.
As I looked into this brother's eyes, I saw myself have been given to reflection. I am committed to do better. I need to start receiving and doing more with what I have been given. If not, I will be among these described. What I have been given, will be taken away. I will find myself tormented until the last resurrection, only to rise to place just slightly better than the place I am currently in. I hope to make and receive better, but then again, that is all up to me.
Those are my thoughts for this week. I am sure you can point me to several talk recently given that will help me receive.
Our week -
Like I said, it has been kind of slow. The Queen and I have been on almost opposite shifts. I get up early, she stays up late. We have both been in the house, but not able to spend much time together.
The Professor has been busy, busy, busy. If she is not teaching in the classroom, she is learning in the classroom and then filling any extra time with homework outside of the classroom. She is counting down the days.
Tall Man and Ehl-Bo stopped by today. They are plugging along. Ehl-Bo started training for her newest assignment and had a private gig as a mermaid this week. They are taking life one day at a time.
Puddin and Lady Hawkins are doing the same. School is in full force. Work is crazy. They are doing their best to see each other in between it all.
SnackPack started the new job this week. It is new and exciting. He is changing the routine, but glad that it does not always start at 3 a.m. When he is not in the classroom, he is in the library, at work, sleeping, or looking/hoping for adventure.
I hope your week has been filled with fun and adventure. Ours has been kind of slow, but we made the best of it.
I am still trying to process all that happened in conference this weekend. I look forward to spending the next 6 months reviewing, listening to, studying, pondering, and hopefully applying the principles and messages that have been taught.
This week my ponderings have been mixed. I am not sure where to begin. I have spent a great deal of time on my knees, but probably not enough time listening after words. I am always ready to ask, but not so good at receiving. I guess that is why this week's scripture verses have been hanging over me. Then I was asked to attend a special baptism yesterday. It has slowly come together.
Let's start with the baptism. Several years ago, a struggling couple moved into our ward. I was assigned to be their home teacher. I think I only visited them 2 when I was asked to help move the brother to his own apartment on the far south side of the valley. Then I continued visiting the sister and her young son.
After being their home teacher for a little over a year, my assignment was changed, but I continued to keep in touch. With my last calling as ward mission leader, I was asked to visit the home more regularly. The sister had started dating a brother who was doing his best to return to the church. Over the past several months I have had the opportunity to get to know them and understand some of their challenges. They married and are doing their best to return to a covenant path.
I was released from my calling and have been struggling to keep up with things as my new calling takes me away from the ward quite often. Well, this week, I received a text asking if we would be willing to attend his baptism.
It was a wonderful opportunity. I am glad that I was invited to share my testimony. As I stood to share, my mind was filled with this week's verses of pondering...D&C 76:82-85.
I was reminded as I stood there that this brother was coming before the waters of baptism again, hoping to be better, do better, and make better on the covenants he was going to be making. I felt impressed to remind him that he was being given a gift, but what he did with it would make all the difference.
Was he going to receive it or just put it on a shelf. These verses talk of a people who more than likely were or will be given a gift, the gospel of Christ, but they did not or will not receive it. Neither will they receive the testimony of Jesus.
Being members of Christ church is a gift. Being born into mortality is a gift. Having the opportunity to associate with family, friend, neighbors, ward, stake, and more is a gift. Together, we have the opportunity to share and RECEIVE talents and resources that will help us be better people. Are we receiving? Are we sharing?
It requires work and effort on our side. We cannot expect to just be given things and reaping the benefits of the gift unless we do something with it.
These people chose not to do anything with the gifts they were given, whether that be association with family, friends, neighbors, ward members, brothers or sisters and more. I suddenly see some of these people just sitting around waiting for something to happen. The were given the gift, so now they expected it to work for them. Because they have it, life will be different.
I don't think that is how it happens. We have to open the box, read the instructions, put it together, provide power for it, then use it/share it with those around us. Not only is the gospel that way, but life in general. Just because we have life does not mean that it will be effortless, we are required to do something with it.
These people described were not bad people per say. They just did not seem to do anything with what they had/have/or will have. They did/do not do anything. It is almost as if they are idly waiting for things to happen for them instead of because of them.
They felt prompted by the Holy Ghost, but did not act upon the promptings.
They did not take care of the body they have been given.
They did not use the talent and resources they were given to build, improve, or make the gift they had been given better.
As I looked into this brother's eyes, I saw myself have been given to reflection. I am committed to do better. I need to start receiving and doing more with what I have been given. If not, I will be among these described. What I have been given, will be taken away. I will find myself tormented until the last resurrection, only to rise to place just slightly better than the place I am currently in. I hope to make and receive better, but then again, that is all up to me.
Those are my thoughts for this week. I am sure you can point me to several talk recently given that will help me receive.
Our week -
Like I said, it has been kind of slow. The Queen and I have been on almost opposite shifts. I get up early, she stays up late. We have both been in the house, but not able to spend much time together.
The Professor has been busy, busy, busy. If she is not teaching in the classroom, she is learning in the classroom and then filling any extra time with homework outside of the classroom. She is counting down the days.
Tall Man and Ehl-Bo stopped by today. They are plugging along. Ehl-Bo started training for her newest assignment and had a private gig as a mermaid this week. They are taking life one day at a time.
Puddin and Lady Hawkins are doing the same. School is in full force. Work is crazy. They are doing their best to see each other in between it all.
SnackPack started the new job this week. It is new and exciting. He is changing the routine, but glad that it does not always start at 3 a.m. When he is not in the classroom, he is in the library, at work, sleeping, or looking/hoping for adventure.
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