Pure Religion: Recap

I am so thankful for the opportunity we had this month to focus on Pure Religion. It was really convenient to have planned activities and setups to make service easy, and I'm really thankful for all of the committees and people who took the time to make that all possible. However, the most meaningful experiences for me this month were the ones that just happened; possibly because I had a heightened awareness of the promptings of the Spirit that encouraged me to serve.

One of the ways that I served this month was by performing baptisms in the temple. My aunt had given me some family names to take to the temple months ago, and they had been sitting on my desk for all that time...just waiting to receive the ordinances. After our kickoff on March 2, I felt a very strong PUSH to go get those names done. So that Friday, I went with a couple friends in my chemistry class. As we were waiting in the temple chapel, I read the names of my ancestors on those little pink cards and thought about their lives, their stories. I also happened to be studying 3 Nephi chapter 11, where Christ introduces the baptismal ordinance to the Nephites. As I read about His doctrine, I felt the presence of my family members. I read Christ's words saying that "whoso is baptized, the same shall be saved, and they are they who shall inherit the kingdom of God." and I felt the joy of my family through a very thin veil. I knew that Grace and Marian and Elisabeth were celebrating because they had just come one step closer to Christ, through my service in temple. Brother Merrill has taught me this year that as we serve those across the veil, our bond is strengthened, and they will in turn serve us, helping us resist temptation, manage time wisely, or simply feel their love. I know that this is true.

Another way that I was able to serve this month was a couple Saturdays ago at Macey's. Our friend Alli was here from out-of-town, and since she has a car, we conveniently "used" her to get groceries. As we pulled into the parking lot, I saw a haggard man holding a sign that read "Struggling for work and food. Please help wife and kids." I was suddenly struck with the thought, "you MUST get him some food." The impression was startlingly strong and I immediately pulled out a pen and wrote it down on my shopping list, so I wouldn't forget while I was mindlessly shopping for my own groceries. 

I traipsed through the store, grabbing double of the non-perishable things on my list, with some extra produce and bread. While I was putting all these extra items in my cart, I thought about how much additional, unnecessary money I was spending...how my groceries this week would cost 5.6 hours of answering phone calls in the ASB, instead of the usual 2.7, and how I was a poor college student, what I am doing trying to buy food for another family. I was thinking about all of the other things I could buy with that money, but I checked out, looked at my receipt, and then it was too late. We drove out the way we came in, and I was praying the man would still be there. And sure enough, he was! We slowed to stop and rolled down a window. I said hello and gave him the heavy bag of groceries. He said a gruff "thanks," and that was that. We drove away. But then, I felt so touched by the love the Heavenly Father had for this man, that He nudged me SO hard just to get me to think outside of myself. 

When Bishop first told us about Pure Religion month, he gave us a devotional address given by Elder Don Clarke. In that talk, Elder Clarke promises a strengthening of the effectiveness of spiritual connections as we practice pure religion. I testify that I HAVE felt a stronger spiritual connection with my Heavenly Father as I look for ways to serve His other Beloved Children. I am so thankful to be part of this ward and associate with some of His choicest disciples here at BYU. I hope that we can all continue to let Pure Religion be a part of our everyday lives, and reap the blessings that are promised. I have a testimony that we will be blessed, and I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Obedience

Just read this talk by President Monson.

When Jesus was on the earth, a lawyer asked Him a question:

“Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

“This is the first and great commandment.

“And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

“On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:36–40).

From these scriptures we learn how important it is for us to love the Lord and our neighbors. But how do we show our love for the Lord?

Jesus answered this question when He said, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father” (John 14:21).

Each of us should ask ourselves why we obey God’s commandments. Is it because we fear punishment? Is it because we desire the rewards for living a good life? Is it because we love God and Jesus Christ and want to serve Them?

It is better to obey the commandments because we fear punishment than not to obey them at all. But we will be much happier if we obey God because we love Him and want to obey Him. When we obey Him freely, He can bless us freely. He said, “I, the Lord, … delight to honor those who serve me in righteousness and in truth unto the end” (D&C 76:5). Obedience also helps us progress and become more like our Heavenly Father. But those who do nothing until they are commanded and then keep the commandments unwillingly lose their reward (see D&C 58:26–29).

Diligence

This week we were asked to focus on diligence. I was grateful for the motivation to be more diligent in my scripture study and daily prayer. Preach My Gospel says that diligence is "steady, consistent, earnest, and energetic effort in doing the Lord's work." It also encourages me to focus on the most important things and stop wasting time. I have tried very hard for many years to use my time effectively- I live by a day-planner. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed because I am not able to check every box in a day. However, I've learned this week that as I do the important things [reading scriptures, praying, writing letters of gratitude] I feel less stressed out about my mundane assignments and am able to complete them in a more timely manner. I know that this is a small blessing for being diligent in completing the small and simple things, and I am grateful that I could experience those blessing this week. I hope to remember them as I am trying to decide between good, better, and best ways to spend my time.

Humility

We often see humility coupled with pride, especially in the Book of Mormon. For a long time, I think that I misinterpreted humility: I understood it as a low view of my own importance. Now I would say that having humility is having a modest view of my own importance.

"Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking about yourself less."

I believe that we are all children of a loving Heavenly Father, and each one of us are of utmost importance! However, we must remember that God is our Father and has given us everything. As we acknowledge His power and mercy, we are showing Him our love. We must be willing to submit to His will. 

"Humility is not a sign of weakness; it is a sign of spiritual strength."

My patriarchal blessing counsels me to be humble. It says that I must always give credit to my Heavenly Father for the gifts and blessings that I possess, for they are gifts of the Spirit that He has given to me. I am confident that I can do whatever the Lord requires of me, as long as I rely on Him. That confidence is in God (not in myself) and it enables me to do things far beyond my own capability.

Humility and gratitude bring some of the greatest happiness to my life. Bekah recently mused, "I definitely know that gratitude and happiness are inseparable. You can't be grateful and not be happy. That just is not a thing." I agree with her wholeheartedly.

I love this general conference talk given by Bishop Edgley in 2003: The Empowerment of Humility. It brought tears to my eyes as I thought of all the wonderful, humble examples in my life.

"They are consistently doing the unnoticed, the unspectacular, but humbly and righteously doing the important."

It brought tears to my eyes as I thought of the ultimate example of humility- my Savior Jesus Christ. I am so thankful for the love and mercy of my Lord that allow me to become a better person. Not in my own right, but to further His work and build His Kingdom. I am thankful for the gospel in my life and the many experiences I have that humble me. Sometimes it is hard to admit that while I am in the process of being humbled, but I know that it is for my good. I am humbled to know that I am a daughter of God and He loves me so very much. With that knowledge, I hope to help other people feel His love.