Sharing my list....

I'm still on personal Liahona's.  This should be a PS to my last post!  Today I was re-reading President Nelson's talk at October General Conference at the Women's session and I was struck by the entire talk and this little bit below really stood out to me in line with my thoughts on the subject of  personal Liahona/compass.

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Oct 2019 President Russel M. Nelson  Spiritual Treasures here

From the dawning of time, women have been blessed with a unique moral compass—the ability to distinguish right from wrong. This gift is enhanced in those who make and keep covenants. And it diminishes in those who willfully ignore the commandments of God.

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Then I decided to list below, in order of year given, the talks that I so enjoyed.  Just wanted a record of them all together.  Thinking that you might like this also so I'm sharing it!

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Oct 1976  President Spencer W. Kimball --Our Own Liahona  here

President Thomas S. Monson taught: “The same Lord who provided a Liahona for Lehi provides for you and for me today a rare and valuable gift to give direction to our lives. … The gift to which I refer is known as your patriarchal blessing” (Thomas S. Monson, “Your Patriarchal Blessing: A Liahona of Light,” Ensign, Nov. 1986, 65).

In the October 2005 general conference, Elder Lowell M. Snow of the Seventy said: “This very general conference is a modern Liahona, a time and place to receive inspired guidance and direction that prospers us” (“Compass of the Lord,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2005, 97).

Elder David A. Bednar taught: “The Holy Ghost operates in our lives precisely as the Liahona did for Lehi and his family, according to our faith and diligence and heed” (“That We May Always Have His Spirit to Be with Us,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2006, 31).

BYU speeches  1/16/2007  Boyd. K. Packer --Lehi's Dream & You  here

3 Personal Liahonas

I'm enjoying the Come Follow Me program so much.  I have so much freedom in my life to do what I want with my time and I'm just so into Scripture study... I use up time to read how much or whenever or whatever and I'm in Heaven!!  So thankful for today's technology that allows me access to my hearts content!

Maybe you saw this...BUT then again...maybe you didn't!

These 3 talks are so interconnected about each of us having a Liahona personal guidance, in 3 ways, through the Holy Ghost and General Conference and our Patriarchal blessings!  This was in my teachers manual.  I enjoyed each talk so much!!  I hope you enjoy them also!

Speaking of scripture study...I'm all excited because I found a new-to-me study guide that has the Book of Mormon and then Quotes down the sides of the pages!!  My dream come true...hopefully  mostly Conference talk quotes applicable to the Book of Mormon.  All together!  If it's all I hope it is...that will be what I use for this year of study.  I admit...I'm a General Conference nut!!

my new book should be here soon!!

  

Our “Liahonas.”

Elder David A. Bednar taught: “The Holy Ghost operates in our lives precisely as the Liahona did for Lehi and his family, according to our faith and diligence and heed” (“That We May Always Have His Spirit to Be with Us,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2006, 31).

In the October 2005 general conference, Elder Lowell M. Snow of the Seventy said: “This very general conference is a modern Liahona, a time and place to receive inspired guidance and direction that prospers us” (“Compass of the Lord,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2005, 97).

President Thomas S. Monson taught: “The same Lord who provided a Liahona for Lehi provides for you and for me today a rare and valuable gift to give direction to our lives. … The gift to which I refer is known as your patriarchal blessing” (Thomas S. Monson, “Your Patriarchal Blessing: A Liahona of Light,” Ensign, Nov. 1986, 65).

My One Act!

My life is a series of One Act plays!  Every time I get my act together...the curtain closes and it's over!  Time to clear the stage and rid myself of everything except the memories.  Memories filled with laughter and sadness and all sorts of tension and perplexities and solutions and scenarios solved/unsolved/unresolved-- that make for keeping me riveted on that One Act until I realize it's had it's last run...with no Revivals!

As a newness of challenges and players enter for a new One Act, I find it intriguing, and am in need of figuring out, how to re-use some of the props from past plays.  Things that have become an integral part of who I am.  Much like the very old Alfred Hitchcock movies, where he always featured himself in a very brief profile.  Fans would watch for that moment of him surfacing in a crowd somewhere.  I have things that are a signature for myself.  Don't you?  Don't we all?

My main thrust in life is the Gospel.  At my core is my absolute love of the Gospel.  That love impacts every single aspect of my life and every single relationship.  Do people see that in me?  I'm not certain.  I don't love the Gospel for others to notice but I do know if they get to know me, and my realness, that fact would surface at some point.  Sometimes that love of the Gospel and my desire to CTR and actually do the right don't match up.

Nevertheless...I am always striving and trying and regrouping.

The last while has really been a lot of introspection and self-evaluation as I/we move to what appears to be a new One Act for us.  I don't say Final Scene or Curtain.  I'm just saying a shuffling perhaps or a rewrite of the current scene.  It seems to fit the Playbill more to call it a rewrite.

Yes!!  I am currently in a rewrite!  I closed the current One Act and am keeping our cast of 2, using the same stage and set decorations but changing the Star role!  Casting myself as Star!  A Director's privilege, right??

Giving myself permission to change to be a better fit for my reality.

It has boiled down to better self-care.

All life stages end up with routine to make it work.  I have ended up with endless lists and goals that I put myself in bondage to and that would be fine IF I accomplished those things!  I feel to do other things beyond the list but I keep myself with feet to the fire and do not grant myself permission to deviate.

Crazy?  Certifiable perhaps!

Anyhow...my/our desire is to live independently in our own bitty house until we simply can't.  You know that from past blogs. 

My overall health is key...physically...mentally...socially...spiritually.  Unless I am as balanced as I can be?-this boat ain't a gonna float!!  Do not get me wrong...I am not talking perfection by any measure.  Enough balance to keep me sane and satisfied and spiritually okay.

Enjoyment!!

We shouted for joy in the previous life for the chance, the opportunity, the blessing of the freedom to choose!!  The very thought of freely choosing and creating our earth life was the supreme delight!

I find that with my own expectations of what I need to do as the Leading Lady, I've put myself in a bondage of sort and have blocked some of those feelings that should be joyous!

This is way to long.  I'll leave it anyhow!  This is how my cookie is crumbling!  (anyone remember that saying?)

Carrying on...

No matter the age or phase or time or situation or circumstance in our lives...nothing stays in a holding pattern.  We may get used to things and feel that this is the way that things will be forever.  And then...something unforeseen happens and the rug is abruptly jerked out from under us and we have to regroup.

I've been in a regroup mode and I withdrew and dropped a lot of things including just totally neglecting this blog.  I've done my blog for 10 years!  It's gone from long essays and soapboxing my personal opinions to dribbles and even no post at all.  As I thought about this blog, and how my original purpose was to share my love of the Gospel, I do think that I have done that.  The thing is I'm not sharing it anywhere!  It's just here.  You know what????  It's staying here.  There are pazillion blogs...beautifully done with lots of white space and brilliantly presented inspirational, inspiring quotes or whatever.  Mine is wordy and mostly black and white overload.  I told Terry...I'm going to stop blogging.  I'm done.  He said...Why would you do that?  That set me a pondering!

Am I thinking that Elder Ballard will somehow or other get word that I'm not doing an LDS Woman's blog up to par???  After all he gave me courage to act on my desire.

Am I thinking I'm not measuring up?  etc. etc.

I went down a rabbit hole for sure BUT I came up out of it and thought...

I am me.  I love to write.  I love to share my thoughts and life journey as I feel a connection to others endeavoring to walk that same covenant path.  I love to maybe help someone by remembering a talk or a quote or my take on life or a life experience.

Good grief!!!  what sort of ridiculous thinking is this??!  Just do it!  And hush up!  Who cares about your big decision??  

I'm just going to carry on.

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There is so much information available on the Book of Mormon to enhance and educate and remind us and educate us about whatever we are studying.  This week is Lehi's dream and I'm so happy I get to teach it (they haven't yet called a new teacher for 3rd week).

3 of my favorite things ...

1-the spacious building is up in the air.  No foundation.  It will eventually collapse.

2-the rod of iron is along the bank of the river 1 Ne. 8:19  It's not a far distance from the peril of the river.  It's right by it.  along the bank!  Protection?  Caution?  

3- my most favorite thing to contemplate is a paragraph from a talk that was given 13 years ago by Elder Packer.  It was true then and don't you think it's way over the top true now???  He mentioned TV...look at what we live with now!  Such a powerful little paragraph!  LOVE it!  

Largely because of television, instead of looking over into that spacious building, we are, in effect, living inside of it. That is your fate in this generation. You are living in that great and spacious building.   
Lehi's Dream and You by Boyd K. Packer -2007   here  

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I just read this...

The dangers Lehi saw in his dream are just as serious now as they were anciently. Elder Neil L. Anderson recently warned,

In our world today, the adversary’s construction crews are working overtime, hastily inflating the large and spacious building. The expansion has spread across the river, hoping to envelop our homes, while the pointers and the scoffers wail day and night on their internet megaphones . . . . Let us remember Lehi’s words: “We heeded them not.”

Sometimes it may be difficult to risk the disapproval and ridicule of others.

Although we need not fear, we are to be on guard. At times, little things can upend our spiritual balance. Please don’t allow your questions, the insults of others, faithless friends, or unfortunate mistakes and disappointments to turn you away from the sweet, pure, and soul-satisfying blessings that come from the precious fruit of the tree. Keep your eyes and your hearts centered on the Savior Jesus Christ and the eternal joy that comes only through Him.9

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Have great day!!

What next??

This is amazing!  That invitation today from President Nelson about getting ready for April 2020 Conference totally caught me off guard!  An interactive mobile app to experience the Tree of life???  here   I hope hope hope that my tablet will work for this.  I cannot believe all of the happenings!!!  so exciting! 

The videos from the Church History Department are putting new light and perspective on the First Vision.  I'm prepared to absorb some new facts.  I'm still trying to absorb that the Ask of God-the First Vision video does not have Joseph Smith asking which Church to join. 

Today I learned that the pictures portraying the sacred grove are not of the right season vegetation wise!  The current depictions are summer and not spring.

I really want to experiment that interactive Tree of life!!!

life

years ago in Homer, maybe 40!, there was a Missionary that served there and he was amazing!  One of those that you never forget and keep in touch with.  He was from Florida and most recently from Tennessee.  A knock on the door yesterday and voila!...there he stood with his wife!!  It was so wonderful to see him and visit!!!

Again the importance of making the best memories that you can popped into my mind.  Our association with him was the best so our shared memories are awesome.

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I'm really enjoying working on the challenges and projects that I've selected for myself.  I feel happy and peaceful about moving ahead incrementally over this entire year.  The online Cooking/Eating course I signed up for is 16 weeks and not 12!  I am loving it.  I'll let you know at the completion how I fared!

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There is so much available for reading/studying the Book of Mormon!  We are sorting out what works for the two of us to do together.

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I just want to share an experience that I recently had.  Last year after Christmas I put all of the Christmas things in one spot in the garage so they were super easy to get the few things that I put up this year.  I had a large tote for the take-apart Christmas tree and then two boxes for the Nativity and for the winter scene.  When I was ready to take things down and put away...I saw the tote but the 2 boxes were not to be found.  I looked everywhere.  Jeanee had put the tote and boxes out there so I was hoping she'd know where they were and decided I'd give her a call when I was beyond ready and was actually going to do it.  Came the day and I checked one more time and thought...well, I'll take the tote in and call her about the two boxes.  At that point a prompt came and I heard...the boxes are in the tote.

I opened the tote and yes!...the two boxes were there.

That reminds me of the time about the voice prompt to look in that purse I took to the theater that had my drivers license in it.

The fact that these events have no bearing on serious things in my life and they are not emergencies and in the long run, at some point I would have found the drivers licence and as soon as I would have opened the tote , I would have seen the two boxes...it just touches my heart.  Touches my heart that things like that happen.  It also increases my faith that my needs are known...large/dramatic or small/seemingly insignificant...and personal prompts come.

I'm thankful for experiences like this.

2020 Vision

I am so excited for 2020!!!