20 May 2017
We loved getting
to talk or text with some of our family on Mother’s Day! Sometimes, it already feels
like we’ve been gone a really long time – although it’s only been 9 months.
This week we
sent in a short video we were asked to make by our home stake. So, those of our friends and family who are
in the Raleigh South Stake may catch a glimpse of us as part of a
combined video they’re preparing for stake conference in early June. (I assume
it will be shown at the Saturday night session, June 3.)
On Tuesday, we
attended our monthly mission conference and Elder J. Devn Cornish, of the
Seventy, was our guest speaker. Elder Cornish mentioned several things,
but, in part of his talk he said that although obedience is the first law of
heaven, it’s not the last. There is another, better way. He referred to John 8:
28-29. These verses describe how Christ was always obedient to the Father, and
that he also always did “those things that please Him.” (He also made this point in a talk a few months ago) There is such a
difference between doing things because we think we HAVE to — that we’re
compelled — and doing them out of love. If we love our Father in Heaven enough
that our desire (our behavior) is to please Him, we are living the law of
consecration.
Elder Cornish
gave an interesting example. Suppose we have a teenage daughter and she comes
downstairs ready to go to a dance, but is dressed in a way that does not
represent the best standards. If we approach her with something like, “Do you
think that’s the right thing for you to be wearing?” – we will likely end up in
what he called a “Law of Moses” discussion. (How many inches? How high is too high,
or low is too low? etc.) But, if, instead, we gently say something like, “Have
you and your Heavenly Father had a conversation about whether this outfit is
pleasing to Him?”, we would be encouraging her to act according to her
relationship with her Heavenly Father.
Of course, a foundation for that kind of
discussion would need to have been laid – but, if we act from a position of
love, and can teach our children to act based on their love for their Heavenly
Father (and His love for them) and their desire to please Him – rather than
just following rules — how much better than ending up in arguments about “how
many inches.”
We also got to attend a
special Family History Department Spring Devotional this week. Elder Ian S.
Ardern of the Seventy (from New Zealand) was the main speaker. He started out
by saying how glad he was to see that there was an interpreter there signing
for the deaf. He said he has a grandchild who was born deaf. Then he paused,
looked at the interpreter and asked, “Are you getting my accent?” (LOL) Of
course, he then gave an interesting and inspiring talk about baptism for the
dead. (Referencing 1 Peter 4:6 and John 5:25, among other scriptures.)
1 comment:
I love me some Elder Cornish! His talks always have something in them to help us move to a higher level of living. I still have my notes from when he spoke at stake conference years ago. Good man!
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