It was the fourth Sunday again. I'm not sure what the Relief Society ladies got out of what I said, but I got a lot out of studying Elder Bednar's talk this month.
I started by reminding them of the allegory of the truck that Elder Bednar gave in conference--how it got stuck up in the snowy woods of the mountains and couldn't move until it was weighed down with a load of wood to give it traction. Then I told them about that jaw-dropping exercise class I went to that nearly killed me. The surprise about it (besides the dripping sweat only a quarter of the way through) was that I felt like it meant that I probably hadn't been working hard enough. I needed to increase my load. I felt like that was given to me because of this lesson.
Then we talked about our personal loads. I had them read the quotes from Elder Bednar's talk about how our personal loads are necessary and individual. I had a younger woman come up and put on a huge backpack which I proceeded to load down with filled water bottles and jugs to represent the "obligations and opportunities, demands and privileges, afflictions and blessings, and options and constraints" that we all face. She was actually a visitor who was here to visit a friend with some pretty visible burdens right now, so I listed some of those burdens out loud as I put the weight in the backpack. A newly adopted baby. Attending school to get an MBA. Teaching seminary. Having her wedding planning business take off. Driving her husband to work because he doesn't drive. Her friend started to stagger a bit under the weight. (She was really cute in her reactions. It made the visual display more fun and effective.) Then I had her take her burdens off for a while and enjoy the restfulness of the Sabbath while we discussed the remainder of the talk.
We talked about the scriptures that Elder Bednar used. Matthew 11:28-30. YOKE. We talked about yokes and what they are for (teaching the inexperienced one of two animals and spreading the work of the load). Mosiah 24:13 COVENANT. This is how we are yoked to the Lord. And is there anyone you'd rather be yoked with? Mosiah 24:15 STRENGTHEN. The Lord doesn't promise to take the burden away, but to strengthen you in your trials. Alma 7:11-12. MERCY. How the Lord knows and understands not only our sins, but also our weakness, our trials and our struggles. We read the quote from the talk that says that the atonement is not only for sin, but for faithful, obedient, worthy and conscientious men and women who are striving to become better. I asked them to think about HOW they have been strengthened by the atonement in their lives. I told them as I prayed about it I had thought of at least four specific ways I had been strengthened, but I didn't feel like I should share specifics except for the one scripture that kept coming to mind: "I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up." D&C 84:88. I bore testimony of the ministering of angels because I've been blessed with that at important times in my life. I told them to think of the backpack and to think of angels seen and unseen that are round about them to help them bear the burdens they bear.
Then we talked about the homework. This is homework from an apostle of the Lord, not me! Elder Bednar asked us to study, ponder and pray about two things: the atonement, and assessing our own loads. I bore testimony that we are blessed when we follow the things the Lord's servants ask them to do, and told them I already had been blessed as I have started doing this. Then I ended.
One of the great blessings of assessing my load was that I was actually able to have a flash of insight that helped me assess my load and what I do. When I was at that BYU Alumni conference, I realized that I only believe in a very few institutions and practices. I believe in families. I believe in the church. I believe in education and in BYU. And I believe in exercise. I was amazed to realize that I spend my time almost exclusively on things that I really believe in. It was empowering and comforting. So much of what I do seems small and ineffective. But now I am doing these small things with the knowledge that at least I am doing things that I really believe are important. It makes my days easier and happier, and that is a great blessing of doing some of the homework Elder Bednar asked me to do.
I started by reminding them of the allegory of the truck that Elder Bednar gave in conference--how it got stuck up in the snowy woods of the mountains and couldn't move until it was weighed down with a load of wood to give it traction. Then I told them about that jaw-dropping exercise class I went to that nearly killed me. The surprise about it (besides the dripping sweat only a quarter of the way through) was that I felt like it meant that I probably hadn't been working hard enough. I needed to increase my load. I felt like that was given to me because of this lesson.
Then we talked about our personal loads. I had them read the quotes from Elder Bednar's talk about how our personal loads are necessary and individual. I had a younger woman come up and put on a huge backpack which I proceeded to load down with filled water bottles and jugs to represent the "obligations and opportunities, demands and privileges, afflictions and blessings, and options and constraints" that we all face. She was actually a visitor who was here to visit a friend with some pretty visible burdens right now, so I listed some of those burdens out loud as I put the weight in the backpack. A newly adopted baby. Attending school to get an MBA. Teaching seminary. Having her wedding planning business take off. Driving her husband to work because he doesn't drive. Her friend started to stagger a bit under the weight. (She was really cute in her reactions. It made the visual display more fun and effective.) Then I had her take her burdens off for a while and enjoy the restfulness of the Sabbath while we discussed the remainder of the talk.
We talked about the scriptures that Elder Bednar used. Matthew 11:28-30. YOKE. We talked about yokes and what they are for (teaching the inexperienced one of two animals and spreading the work of the load). Mosiah 24:13 COVENANT. This is how we are yoked to the Lord. And is there anyone you'd rather be yoked with? Mosiah 24:15 STRENGTHEN. The Lord doesn't promise to take the burden away, but to strengthen you in your trials. Alma 7:11-12. MERCY. How the Lord knows and understands not only our sins, but also our weakness, our trials and our struggles. We read the quote from the talk that says that the atonement is not only for sin, but for faithful, obedient, worthy and conscientious men and women who are striving to become better. I asked them to think about HOW they have been strengthened by the atonement in their lives. I told them as I prayed about it I had thought of at least four specific ways I had been strengthened, but I didn't feel like I should share specifics except for the one scripture that kept coming to mind: "I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up." D&C 84:88. I bore testimony of the ministering of angels because I've been blessed with that at important times in my life. I told them to think of the backpack and to think of angels seen and unseen that are round about them to help them bear the burdens they bear.
Then we talked about the homework. This is homework from an apostle of the Lord, not me! Elder Bednar asked us to study, ponder and pray about two things: the atonement, and assessing our own loads. I bore testimony that we are blessed when we follow the things the Lord's servants ask them to do, and told them I already had been blessed as I have started doing this. Then I ended.
One of the great blessings of assessing my load was that I was actually able to have a flash of insight that helped me assess my load and what I do. When I was at that BYU Alumni conference, I realized that I only believe in a very few institutions and practices. I believe in families. I believe in the church. I believe in education and in BYU. And I believe in exercise. I was amazed to realize that I spend my time almost exclusively on things that I really believe in. It was empowering and comforting. So much of what I do seems small and ineffective. But now I am doing these small things with the knowledge that at least I am doing things that I really believe are important. It makes my days easier and happier, and that is a great blessing of doing some of the homework Elder Bednar asked me to do.
Sweetheart, you are inspiring! I could not carry your load. I was able to confess publicly that "I fall on my face almost daily. I want to be better. I try to be better." You do it regularly!!! Mr. Hugs
ReplyDeleteNow it's Mom again. Isn't Dad great to comment on blogs occasionally?
ReplyDeleteI yearn to be in your Relief Society when you teach. That was a fun way to illustrate burdens. Makes it so real! And it is especially inspiring that you apply the lessons to yourself. Elder Bednar really puts us to work, doesn't he? I like that.
You are true to your ideals. What an idealist. That the ideal way to live. You're wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI really want to be at your church on the fourth Sunday. I loved that talk by Elder Bednar. We keep a load of rocks beside our front door. After this talk, I wanted to engrave the bottoms of those rocks with some of our load that gives us spiritual traction, but the image in my head is enough of a reminder.
ReplyDeleteI loved the words you discussed and that scripture in D&C 84 is what pulled me through our move to Henderson. You have such a great way of seeing the divine in your life. I think it's because you consistently do things to invite that insight. Not everybody gets that.
Heather, each time I read what you gave in your lesson I wish I could have been there to hear it! There are definitely some not so great things about living soooooo far apart :( xo momw
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