Be Anxiously Engaged by Elder Ballard

Confession: We were on vacation during General Conference & missed it.  I truly, dearly missed it.  My efforts to faithfully study the conference talks have been spotty & I've missed a few.  Tonight, I finally read Elder Ballard's talk "Be Anxiously Engaged."  I LOVE it & am inspired by it.  As I read his encouraging words to do good, serve others, and to be truly converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ instead of just going through the motions I thought, "I want to do more.  How can I recognize needs and act on impressions?"  Then, I came to this part:

  

"How do we make this change? How do we ingrain this love of Christ into our hearts? There is one simple daily practice that can make a difference for every member of the Church, including you boys and girls, you young men and you young women, you single adults, and you fathers and mothers.

That simple practice is: In your morning prayer each new day, ask Heavenly Father to guide you to recognize an opportunity to serve one of His precious children. Then go throughout the day with your heart full of faith and love, looking for someone to help. Stay focused, just like the honeybees focus on the flowers from which to gather nectar and pollen. If you do this, your spiritual sensitivities will be enlarged and you will discover opportunities to serve that you never before realized were possible."

That is solid & concrete.  I can do that!  I preach it; I sometimes live it.  I want to live it every day!  I've resolved to have a monthly resolution each month of 2013 instead of one soon forgotten resolution set in January.  I think I just found my February resolution.

Praying to recognize those in need

"Before attending her sacrament meetings, Sister Bednar frequently prays for the spiritual eyes to see those who have a need. Often as she observes the brothers and sisters and children in the congregation, she will feel a spiritual nudge to visit with or make a phone call to a particular person. And when Sister Bednar receives such an impression, she promptly responds and obeys. It often is the case that as soon as the “amen” is spoken in the benediction, she will talk with a teenager or hug a sister or, upon returning home, immediately pick up the phone and make a call. As long as I have known Sister Bednar, people have marveled at her capacity to discern and respond to their needs. Often they will ask her, “How did you know?” The spiritual gift of being quick to observe has enabled her to see and to act promptly and has been a great blessing in the lives of many people."

Elder David A. Bednar, "Quick to Observe", December Ensign, 2006

The Abundant Life by President Spencer W. Kimball

“Service to others deepens and sweetens this life while we are preparing to live in a better world. It is by serving that we learn how to serve. When we are engaged in the service of our fellowmen, not only do our deeds assist them, but we put our own problems in a fresher perspective. When we concern ourselves more with others, there is less time to be concerned with ourselves. In the midst of the miracle of serving, there is the promise of Jesus that by losing ourselves, we find ourselves!

Not only do we “find” ourselves in terms of acknowledging divine guidance in our lives, but the more we serve our fellowmen in appropriate ways, the more substance there is to our souls. We become more significant individuals as we serve others. We become more substantive as we serve others indeed, it is easier to “find” ourselves because there is so much more of us to find!

Jesus’ teachings help us to have a correct view of life and our circumstances. Sometimes the solution is not to change our circumstance, but to change our attitude about that circumstance and its difficulties so that we see more clearly our opportunities for more abundant service.

God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other. There is great security in spirituality, and we cannot have spirituality without service!” (“The Abundant Life”, Ensign, October 1985)

Lifting Souls

"You cannot lift another soul until you are standing on higher ground than he is. You must be sure, if you would rescue the man, that you yourself are setting the example of what you would have him be. You cannot light a fire in another soul unless it is burning in your own soul."

"Stand Ye in Holy Places", President Harold B. Lee