Self-help book!!

Maybe 11 years ago, or was it 12?  Might have been 10.  somewhere in that realm!...  I was visiting with a woman, not of my generation, much younger than me.  She had a young family and my family were all grown and gone.  She caught me off guard, completely, when she said...I'd like you to be my mentor.  My co-dependent nature sprung forth and I was back pedaling with thoughts of...whatever you are thinking that is good about me, I'm not...you don't know me... If you knew how I really am you wouldn't like me...I have nothing to share...I know nothing...all that sort of nonsensical thinking, that makes sense to a wacky Co-d person, were whirring through my thoughts like a roadside reader board.  I asked her what a mentor would do.  What was she wanting from me?

Just tell me what you have learned about life in life.  How you have handled things.  Share your life experience with me. That is so encompassing but actually it made me relax and stop faulting my imperfect mortal self.  I realized, if all she wanted to know was my take on something, I was willing to answer her questions. Plain and simple...she'd ask & I'd share.  I wouldn't be directing her like a business mentor with coaching and meetings.  Just my own take on how I felt or what I thought or what worked for me--when she asked.  I didn't have to initiate anything.  And that is exactly how it turned out!

Our contact is email so distance is not a problem.  I have found it to be a beautiful confidential friendship, built on trust and respect, and I really care about her and love her and want her to be happy and enjoy the Gospel and love it (because I do!)   I can't imagine her not being in my life after all these years.  I guess when she stops asking questions then I'm not her mentor any longer!

Mentor- noun - a trusted adviser

We all have mentors don't you think?  Christ is our #1 mentor.  He has His Apostles that mentor us on how to follow His directions.  They each share what they have learned about living life according to His precepts.  These living Apostles are mortals.  They have not been exempt from anything that is common to mortality.  They understand the difficulties and struggles of our individual treks.

Each of us have Apostles that are special mentors to us.  They share what they have learned and what they did in handling their life situations.  I love the Apostles.  I loved listening to the late Elder Neal A. Maxwell. His poetic thoughts had such resounding truth.  There are so many current Apostles that speak and my spirit resonates with understanding. 

Elder Bednar will speak at an April Conference and then in the October Conference he will give the rest of the information.  He speaks as though we had just had a class the week before.  sometimes an Apostle will say...last time I talked about such and such and I want to continue. I love the familiarity.  They each develop their style and they each have their personal assignment, from the Lord, on what they need to preach.

I absolutely love General Conference talks.  They are Gospel truth to me.  The Apostle that has impacted my life on so many levels, because I feel his encouragement and desire to help me is Elder Scott.  He is so generous in all that he shares.  He was the first one that ever spoke on how he receives personal revelation!!  The actual process!! I was stunned that he would tell us that.  He just shares it all.  Evidently he has gone through lots of pain & is empathetic towards suffering because his talks focus on the teachings of the Gospel, living as the Lord would have us live, is the way to alleviate pain and suffering (no matter the cause).  He understands so much and when he speaks I feel the Spirit and know he is speaking truth. He is very specific in his counsel and gives steps of how to proceed to accomplish the aid he is sharing for our personal use.

He is my tutor and my mentor.  He knows the Savior and loves Him and helps me to do the same.  I appreciate him so much.

Just looking at the titles of a few talks, over the years, is a telling story of his loving and kind desire to help us all....To Acquire Spiritual Guidance/Trust in the Lord/To Acquire Knowledge & the Strength to Us it Wisely/The Sustaining Power of Faith in Times of Uncertainty & Testing/To be Free of Heavy Burdens/Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer.  These are a few that I printed because I enjoyed them so much.  Not even a fraction of what he has spoken but so powerful and helpful to me personally.

So....I'm stunned!  He wrote a book that is just such a gift to all of us trying to overcome weaknesses, desiring to draw closer to the Spirit, figuring out our life path--actually I guess that covers everyone ever born!  My book just came in!!  I've not even read it yet!!  If I was moneyed I'd buy each of you a copy!  Sorry.  You will have to order your own from Dessert Book.

A beautiful little book that appears to be a compilation of some specifics he's learned.  At least by the title--

21 

Principles 

~~~~~

Divine Truths

to Help You Live by the Spirit 

 ~~~~~~ 

You want to see a picture??  He even painted the cover himself.
(Oh, yes!- I am so happy he wrote this book!!)

It's cold outside and I'm going to snuggle in my robe and read the words of my/your/our
mentor!!  I so want to live by the Spirit and love the thought of being taught by an Apostle.  I'm going to have hot chocolate also.  Bliss.  sigh.

PS- sitting here leafing through the book and I see Principle 9 is about mentoring!!  no way!  but yes...read this!---

...To serve and to intentionally reach out to help each other is a great blessing.  When you can become a mentor for another because of personal experience you have gained, do it.  Age does not matter; experience does......  

I have been mentored by so many people, almost all women, that have shared their how-to-do whatevers!!  love and thanks!!!  Most appreciated! 

Exercise of Faith...

I have read Elder Scott's talk here  a lot more than once.  I love the title...

Make the Exercise of Faith Your First Priority

That pretty much sums up what I'm after.  Anyhow it seems to me that way from my viewpoint.

I'm a believer in daily scripture study.  I don't have little ones needing attention or older kiddos needing endless taxiing/errands/meals/physical care and watchfulness.  There is nothing in my life, at this point, that puts anyone at peril if I really dig into the scriptures and don't carefully tend to those that are under my roof.  When I did have those necessary pulls on my time, I still loved, on a pretty regular daily basis, getting into the scriptures and General Conference (GC aka Scriptures.  Not the Standard Works but still Scriptures).  

Now my waking time, beyond keeping our cave bat free, is mostly used up watching out for my sweet Hubby.  Another blood test and that means half a day used up with waiting and waiting and waiting (yawn).  Then home for a rest from doing nothing but waiting!! and then it's time to fix something for dinner  (I was raised calling it supper.  when did I change to dinner?  Then- Breakfast/lunch/supper. Mother calling out the back door.  loudly-- Girls!  Suppertime!!  Stop playing and come on in!  Now!   and we'd holler back in our pleading voices-- Just a few more minutes???  Please!!!???  She would say--No!!  I said now!  Supper is ready!! )  Now it's Breakfast/lunch/dinner and you can throw in Brunch or Snack at times also.  Do any Mother's still call, out the door, for their children to stop-- playing/get out of the tree/building the fort/swinging/riding bike/putting on a play? 

I digress.  Maybe I am more of a digressor than a procrastinator?

Anyhow as I was saying.  I absolutely loved Elder Scott's talk and the power of it.  It's a very simple talk but there is such promise to it.  Apostles have the power/authority to pronounce blessings.  They can do it for individuals as in a Priesthood blessing but that somewhat limits who receives the blessing.  Not being rude but sort of like if someone were Catholic and kissed the Pope's ring then they are blessed but the millions that saw that don't get that specific privilege.  during Conference, apostles sometimes will bestow an Apostolic blessing on the Church membership and anyone else that cares to take the challenge given.  I can receive that blessing when I hear it or see it or read it.  I can claim it for my own.  whether I'm there or not.  I can choose that blessing for my life!   Elder Scott gave an Apostolic blessing on those that read the Scriptures daily!!  don't push folks.  don't shove.  We can all receive it.  We just do as he says and what he has said will transpire.

Here is that promise....

  There are many prophetic promises of the blessings of daily studying the scriptures.⁶

I add my voice with this promise: as you dedicate time every day, personally and with your family, to the study of God’s word, peace will prevail in your life. That peace won’t come from the outside world. It will come from within your home, from within your family, from within your own heart. It will be a gift of the Spirit. It will radiate out from you to influence others in the world around you. You will be doing something very significant to add to the cumulative peace in the world.

Another amazing strengthening fortifying promise of blessings, for reading daily, is found in that  goldmine of that itty bitty little blue 6 by the word scriptures.    right here---- scriptures.<sup>6    Just hovering up here so innocent and un-pretentious and then you hit it and strike pure gold!!!

You then uncover 8 more Apostles statements with their promises about daily scripture study.  not only for you but for your family!!  My favorite over the years, one that I know to be true is President Kimball's.  We can hold on to what these Apostles have said and know, at some point, we will feel and realize and enjoy these blessings and that will be such a blessing!!!!</sup>

Make the Exercise of Faith Your First Priority  (love it!!)

Daily Scripture Study for sure!!!!   YES!!!

<sup>He talked about the basic 4...prayer/scripture study/ FHE/ attend Temple 

I have a testimony about each of them and the one that Terry and I are weak in is FHE.  We are going to consciously focus on FHE.</sup>