From the Archives: "To Be Healed"

In the May 1994 Ensign there is a talk given by Elder Richard G. Scott entitled "To Be Healed". I think that all of us could stand some healing in one way or the other--whether it is physical, mental, emotional, or social. We all have issues and problems and trials of various kinds. Sometimes we cause our own problems and sometimes they come from outside sources over which we have no control.

I was interested to see that Elder Scott made a point of saying that we have to do our part to be healed. At the very least, we need to exercise faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and humbly ask to be healed. Something else he pointed out is that the healing may or may not mean a cure of what ails us--it may mean the strength to carry on and to learn whatever lessons we can from our trials.

You may need to seek help from a trusted friend, associate, or professional, or you may just need to seek to draw closer to the Lord and ask Him to help you learn what you need to learn. You may need to put more effort into serving others, reaching out to others who need help. You may need to spend more time in the scriptures, learning to know the Lord better and to better understand His dealings with His children. Forgiving others may also be something for you to work on.

There are a number of things we can do to seek help and healing. I felt that Elder Scott's talk gave a good overview of those things and also gave hope for us that we will not seek healing in vain, even though the healing may not be what we would expect or prefer.

I linked to the talk rather than quoting from it because I think it will be most helpful to read all of it and to refer to the scriptures linked in the talk.

To me, this is an example of how the Lord works through the leaders in His church to give us useful, practical counsel that will help us live our lives better and to make our way back to Him.

Reflections on a New Year

With all the concerns we have in our lives, a new year is a good time to regroup and make plans. Everyone is worried about the economy, energy, health, politics, and numerous other issues. Instead of worrying yourself sick, think of things that you can control and make changes that will improve your life. This is, of course, easier said than done, but it is worth the effort. I'm certainly not perfect at making needed changes, but at least I keep trying! And instead of thinking of this post as the same old, same old, think of it as a reminder of your possibilities.

Regarding the economy, this is a good time to make needed personal changes. We all have places we can cut back on our spending and start saving a little more. Opt for free or low cost entertainments. Spend more time at home with the family. Cook at home instead of eating out. See if you can store a little extra food (rotating it so it doesn't get too old) and other household items. Try to drive a little less to cut gas expense. If you have debts, work a little harder at paying them off. Discuss these changes and enlist your family's support. You can let the kids have some input, but remember that you're the parents and can set the limits and guidelines. If it's just you, well, your inner parent will just have to be firm with your inner child!

As for health, if we can make changes that will improve our health, we'll have fewer medical expenses down the road. Many types of exercise are free--walking, riding bikes you already have, using exercise equipment you already have, working out with videos/DVDs you already have, etc. For nutrition, we can cook more of our meals to cut back on salt, fat, and calories. Buy fewer processed foods and cook more "from scratch". Again, enlist the family in your efforts. Teach the kids to cook. Teach them about nutrition. You can still eat your favorite foods, just make little changes to make them a bit healthier.

Spend time improving your spiritual life, too. This can go along way in supporting your efforts in other areas. Keep an eternal perspective and remember that this life isn't all there is and material items aren't all that important in the grand scheme of things. Pray and read the scriptures daily to keep close to God and to remember what life is really all about. You'll also get a lot of inspiration for handling your problems.

You'll be able to think of many more areas of life that you can improve. Make it fun and interesting. Look on changes as opportunities and adventures, rather than punishments or deprivations. Set priorities so that your time, effort, and money is going for things that are important to you and your family. Don't neglect service and charity. Even if you have to cut back on those things that cost money, do what you can to help others. This will help your own perspective and will help you look outward as well as inward.

You don't necessarily have to make a list of new year's resolutions, or start things on January 1 (good thing, too, since today is the 2nd!). You also don't have to overwhelm yourself by trying to work on everything at once. You could choose one thing to work on in January, then add another in February, and so on, through the year and beyond.

I'm writing this post as much for myself as for others, so I have my work cut out for me. I hope we can all look at each day as a fresh start. President Hinckley always encouraged us to be a bit better each day. That is very much within the grasp of each of us, no matter what our circumstances are. Happy New Year!

Thoughts on Life

It's definitely fall here in Oklahoma. I actually had to turn on the heater! Still, it feels so much better to me when it's not so hot.

So much is going on in our world today. I imagine the economy is on everyone's mind these days. I don't have any earthshaking advice, and you can find articles on personal finance all over the internet if you need some advice. The thing I think we should do, if we haven't done it already, is put the counsel of our prophets into action. Work on getting out of debt, cut back on spending, and save money and food and other items for the future. What is that old saying? "Use it up. Wear it out. Make it do or do without." We don't have to deprive ourselves of the occasional treat, but perhaps we could treat ourselves in ways that don't cost money or don't cost as much money. Pay tithes and offerings, then put something into a savings account. As the Scouts say, be prepared!

As for the upcoming election, read, read, read! Educate yourself about the issues and the candidates. Pay attention to local contests as well as national ones. Don't neglect the national races for the Senate and the House of Representatives. And, of course, use your best, thorough thinking to choose a president.

On other notes, I think it is good to make changes in our life that need to be made. Study the scriptures and pray. Exercise. Eat right. Learn new skills. Take a class. Do things to improve yourself and also to fulfill yourself. Find joy in life. Look at changes you need to make as challenges or opportunities instead of glumly viewing them as punishment or deprivation. Be optimistic!

Life is what you make it. We all have trials and problems and issues, but we are smart and resourceful and the Lord can guide us in the right direction. Carry on!!!!

Some Thoughts About Living the Gospel

I have been thinking about what it means to live the gospel. I don't have any hard and fast rules for such a thing, but I will share some of my thoughts.


Obviously, one has to know the gospel in order to live it. That does not mean knowing every detail and nuance, but it does mean knowing generally what the commandments are and what the covenants are. It means daily scripture study in order to understand how God deals with His children and to understand what is right and what is wrong. It means daily prayer--thanking God for His blessings and taking your problems and concerns to Him. As you do this, as you talk to Him and listen to Him, you will find that you understand more and more about what His gospel means and what He would have you do. You will also learn, as Sheri Dew has said several times, how He talks to you. You will learn what to listen for, what to look for, so that you feel more comfortable about when you've received an answer, or if it is just your own feelings rising up.


Those are basic things, along with meeting attendance and, if possible, temple attendance, that can give you what you need to live the gospel--knowledge, inspiration, encouragement. Add to that paying attention to our Prophet and other leaders and praying to understand what they've said and what you need to do. It takes patience and practice to do all of the above, but as you do them, you learn more and more and understand more and more, giving you confidence to feel in tune with the Lord as you live the gospel.


There is a lot more I could say about the basic things--developing humility, being obedient, having faith and hope and charity, and so forth. We all understand that there are a lot of areas we should develop concurrently and that it takes time to do so.


Among subjects I have been thinking about lately are things like applying compassion and charity in my political views and what I believe our government should be doing. I wonder if I am being too uncharitable when, for example, I believe that illegal immigration has got to stop. I can understand those who think we should let anyone and everyone in and help them, but I believe that is foolish in the extreme in this day and age of terrorism. It is also economically unfeasible. So do we let all in, even at the eventual cost of our country? Then where would people go?


We know that God wants us to be good stewards of the earth, but I do not believe that means putting animals and plants above humans. I do not believe that means we cannot use the earth's resources. God put them here for us to use. We are getting ourselves into an untenable position with regard to energy because we have overemphasized environmental concerns based on uncertain science.


I believe that God wants us to be charitable to people and to help those in need. I do not believe that such charity consists of hand-outs, except in emergencies or in the case of those who are elderly or disabled and will not ever be able to support themselves. What I believe is charitable is to temporarily help people with money or food, but to spend time and effort in finding out what they really need and help them overcome the problems that keep them from being self-sufficient. That can be education or training, sorting out legal problems, or simply learning how to manage their lives better. Those things aren't always easy, but they result in a person who can go on successfully with his life and, in turn, be charitable to others.


These are some of the issues I think about. What is it that God would have us do? Is it different in one situation than in another?


And so I meditate on these things and pray about them and look for things in the scriptures that apply to them. I try to exercise patience with myself because I realize that living the gospel is something that we learn to do better over time. We aren't perfect at it immediately upon deciding to live the gospel. I try not to think I have to be perfect before I can say or do anything. I try to be as merciful and longsuffering to myself as I believe God is toward me.


It just isn't always easy.


Thoughts?

Just Be a Little Better Than You Were Yesterday

One of the things that President Hinckley would sometimes talk about was being just a littler better each day. He would encourage us to stand a little taller, be a little kinder, and so forth. That approach appeals to me a great deal, as I tend to overwhelm myself with overly ambitious plans.

It isn't that we should not have plans and goals, but rather that we should find an opportunity each day to be a little better in order to strengthen ourselves and build up our stamina in every area. Can we be a little more patient and understanding? Can we be a little more persistent and diligent? Can we be a littler kinder and more considerate? Can we work just a little harder and complete one more small item on our to-do list? Can we spend a little more time with a loved one, listening and comforting and encouraging? Can we perform one more small act of service? Can we make our prayers and scripture study a little more meaningful?

There are so many things that we could do just a little better each day and, in the process, improve not only our own lives, but the lives of those around us. To me, this view of improvement breaks things down into bite-sized pieces that are more easily managed than the sometimes grandiose schemes we formulate in our minds. God is long-suffering and patient with us. We should be the same with ourselves.