"O Remember, Remember."

 

So often in the scriptures we are reminded to remember. "O remember, remember, my sons, the words" of the prophets, "remember the Lord, thy God".  We are told this because we so often, and easily forget the hand of the Lord when a new trial comes. This Thanksgiving season I hope that we can all commit to remembering the Lord everyday, and not just during this Holiday season. I would like to share a few things that help me stay grateful all year round.

Reading the Scriptures Daily: In Psalms 77 it says, "I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old." We are told to remember the Lord in the present, and in the past. Heavenly Father has given us many tools so that we might feel his love, and feel remembered by Him. Elder L. Tom Perry said, "I guess one of the greatest mysteries of mortality is why mankind fails to learn from history." Heavenly Father has no doubt put obvious patterns of behavior in the scriptures for our benefit and learning, to help us avoid the same problems in our own lives. Through the scriptures we can find trials similar to ours and learn how others have over come their challenges. The scriptures remind us that Heavenly Father loves us, and we are reminded through them all the blessings he's given us. 

Keep a gratitude journal: President Henry B. Eyring, a member of the 12 apostles, shared the following experience: "I wrote down a few lines every day for years. I never missed a day no matter how tired I was or how early I would have to start the next day. Before I would write, I would ponder this question: “Have I seen the hand of God reaching out to touch us or our children or our family today?” As I kept at it, something began to happen. As I would cast my mind over the day, I would see evidence of what God had done for one of us that I had not recognized in the busy moments of the day. As that happened, and it happened often, I realized that trying to remember had allowed God to show me what He had done.More than gratitude began to grow in my heart. Testimony grew. I became ever more certain that our Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers. I felt more gratitude for the softening and refining that come because of the Atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ. And I grew more confident that the Holy Ghost can bring all things to our remembrance—even things we did not notice or pay attention to when they happened."

Give only thanks: Once a month say a prayer and only give thanks to Heavenly Father. You will come to find that you have so much more to be grateful for than you realize. Even in times when you are desperately seeking a blessing, there will always be something to be grateful for.


Keep perspective: President Eyring said, "The challenge to remember has always been the hardest for those who are blessed abundantly. Those who are faithful to God are protected and prospered. That comes as the result of serving God and keeping His commandments. But with those blessings comes the temptation to forget their source. It is easy to begin to feel the blessings were granted not by a loving God on whom we depend but by our own powers." Even when we feel like we are in control of our lives, and aren't needing for something, we must remember ALL comes from our Heavenly Father. 

Our Heavenly Father has given us so much to be grateful for, even the greatest gift of all, eternal life."If thou wilt do good, yea, and hold out faithful to the end, thou shalt be saved in the kingdom of God, which is the greatest of all the gifts of God; for there is no gift greater than the gift of salvation."

I pray that we will be able to follow the counsel of President Monson by developing an attitude of gratitude all year round. "Let us follow Him. Let us emulate His example. Let us obey His word. By so doing, we give to Him the divine gift of gratitude."

Seek things of real worth

Heavenly Father speaks to us in so many different ways. We know that we can feel the Spirit, and God's love through the scriptures, prayer, church attendance, and through the living prophets words at General Conference.  In addition, our loving Heavenly Father has given us other avenues to feel His presence in our lives.  Have you ever been hiking in the mountains, enjoying a day at the lake, looking at a piece of art and felt moved by the Spirit or felt God's love? This has happened to me multiple times in my life and noticing the Spirit, or recognizing that those feelings come from God, has increased my faith that God lives, he is aware of us, and loves us.
 One of my favorite scriptures in the Book of Mormon is in Moroni 7 which reads,

"Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God [...] that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God."

Elder Neal A. Maxwell  of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said:  

“We … live in a world that is too prone to the tasteless and we need to provide an opportunity to cultivate a taste for the finest music. And likewise, we’re in a world that’s so attuned to the now. We need to permit people to be more attuned to the best music of all the ages.”

I completely agree with the words of Elder Maxwell. Our Heavenly Father has given us so many beautiful, good, things of worth to enjoy like nature, art, music, and different cultures to enjoy and help cultivate and refine us. And from the scripture in Moroni we learn that all good things come from God. So then why do we waste our time with things that have no worth? John H. Vandenberg commented that, 

"The sad part of humanity seems to be the utter lack of desire, in the lives of many, to really do something about enlarging the vistas of their existence. A distinguished doctor made the observation that “for the great majority of people, the good life is identical with trivial entertainment, cheap music, superficial writing, and an unending stream of visual trash."  (Dr. E. A. Gutkind, Quote—the Weekly Digest, vol. 51, no. 4, quote 32.)

The world is filled with too many beautiful pieces of art, wholesome literature, and refined music to waste our time with things of no real worth. About a year and a half ago I was sitting in an Art History class and my professor projected  Michelangelo's Pieta and I was so overcome by the Spirit. Understanding the whole process of creating and sculpting this work of art moved me and noticing the details of this sculpture strengthened my love and appreciation for the Savior. I know he died for our sins, and lives again to help us on our journey back home to Him and our Father in Heaven.

Elder Douglas L. Callister said this, 

"If we could part the veil and observe our heavenly home, we would be impressed with the cultivated minds and hearts of those who so happily live there. I imagine that our heavenly parents are exquisitely refined. In this great gospel of emulation, one of the purposes of our earthly probation is to become like them in every conceivable way so that we may be comfortable in the presence of heavenly parentage and, in the language of Enos, see their faces “with pleasure” (Enos 1:27). President Brigham Young  said, 'We are trying to be the image of those who live in heaven; we are trying to pattern after them, to look like them, to walk and talk like them.'

Waterlilies by Monet

I love this mental image of our Heavenly Parents defined as "exquistitely refined." Christ said,  "We are to become ^"perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect." (3 Nephi 12:48)
So lets start appreciating things of real worth now, and strive to become like our Father in Heaven. Not only will this give added meaning to this life, but also the next. Like Elder Douglas Callister says, "There are those who speak of stirring ideas, compelling books, and inspiring doctrine; these are the few who make their mark in this world. The subjects discussed in heaven are not trifling or mundane; they are sublime beyond our most extended imagination. We will feel at home there if we are rehearsed on this earth in conversing about the refined and noble, clothing our expressions in well-measured words.

We can drawer nearer to Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ through all the good things They have provided us on this beautiful Earth. I am grateful Heavenly Father has given us so much to enjoy, and so much to help us prepare for our journey back to Him. Our souls will be touched as we draw nearer to things of real worth.  "Your Father in Heaven has sent you away from His presence to have experiences you would not have had in your heavenly home—all in preparation for the conferral of a kingdom. He doesn’t want you to lose your vision. You are children of an exalted being. You are foreordained to preside as kings and queens. You will live in a home and environment of infinite refinement and beauty, as reflected in the language, literature, music, art, and order of heaven.  I close with the words of President Young: “Let us … show to the world that we have talent and taste, and prove to the heavens that our minds are set on beauty and true excellence, so that we can become worthy to enjoy the society of angels.” (Our Refined Heavenly Home)

"Know ye are not your own?"

In 1 Corinthians 9: 19-20 we read:

 "Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s."

And in 2 Corinthians 6:16 we read again:

 "For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people."

Stop and think about that. Your body is where the Holy Ghost, a member of the Godhead, dwells."Ye are the temple of the living God."  Is it any wonder that Heavenly Father has given us guidelines on how to care for our bodies?

One of these commandments is called The Law of Chastity. Which means, "Our Father in Heaven has commanded that the sacred power and privilege of sexual relations be exercised only between a man and woman who are legally married. This is the law of chastity. It means that we must not have sexual relations before we are married, and after we are married we should have sexual relations only with our husband or wife." (http://mormon.org/faq/law-of-chastity)

Elder Bednar, an apostle of the Lord, recently said that,

"Our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son are creators and have entrusted each of us with a portion of Their creative power. Specific guidelines for the proper use of the ability to create life are vital elements in the Father’s plan. How we feel about and use that supernal power will determine in large measure our happiness in mortality and our destiny in eternity.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a single, undeviating standard of sexual morality: intimate relations are proper only between a man and a woman in the marriage relationship prescribed in God’s plan. Such relations are not merely a curiosity to be explored, an appetite to be satisfied, or a type of recreation or entertainment to be pursued selfishly. They are not a conquest to be achieved or simply an act to be performed. Rather, they are in mortality one of the ultimate expressions of our divine nature and potential and a way of strengthening emotional and spiritual bonds between husband and wife. We are agents blessed with moral agency and are defined by our divine heritage as children of God—and not by sexual behaviors, contemporary attitudes, or secular philosophies."

The power of procreation is sacred, and a gift from our Heavenly Father. When we keep this commandment we are blessed with health, stable and secure relationships, and the peace that we are following God's commandment. Think for a moment how many less broken hearts the world would have if people followed this commandment. I know this commandment is from our loving Heavenly Father. I have seen the blessings of peace, security, and self worth as I have kept this commandment.

The second commandment Heavenly Father has given us  that pertains to our bodies is The Word of Wisdom. The Word of Wisdom is a law of health that tells us what should and should not take into our body. Heavenly Father has asked us to refrain from: alcohol, tobacco, tea, coffee, and all  illegal drugs. He has also asked us to eat a balanced diet full of fruit, vegetables, meat, wheat, rice, and oats.

To those who keep the Word of Wisdom, the Lord promised:

“All saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones;

“And shall find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures;

“And shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.

“And I, the Lord, give unto them a promise, that the destroying angel shall pass by them, as the children of Israel, and not slay them” (D&C 89:18-21).

ALL of those blessings are promised to us if we take care of our bodies! Surely we can give up these addictive substances to "find hidden treasures", and be protected from "the destroying angel." Not to mention free from diseases, health issues, and slaves to an addiction. Read this article if you don't believe me that these substances are harmful.
President Packer, a member of the 12 Apostles, said this about our bodies:

"Guard [it] and protect it. Take nothing into it that shall harm the organs thereof because it is sacred. It is the instrument of your mind and [the] foundation of your character.” 

My life has been blessed as I have been free from addictive substances, and subject only to God, and no addiction. I know that as we keep the commandment to protect our bodies, we will be happier.

Above all, God is our loving Heavenly Father. "The commandments you observe were not given by a dispassionate God to prevent you from having fun, but by a loving Father in Heaven who wants you to be happy while you are living on this earth as well as in the hereafter." (Glenn L. Pace) The Word of Wisdom, and The Law of Chastity have been given to us not to prevent us from having fun, or to limit us. But rather to enhance our earthly experience, and provide us with true joy. God is kind, and He loves us. I invite each of  you to live these commandment, and watch the flood of blessings and happiness that will come your way.