Participate

Dear Sisters,

Happy Valentine's Week!  I hope you dear sisters know how much I love you!  You are a great blessing in my life!

I have such a cool Dad.  

He stopped by on his way through town this last week and brought me flowers.  He is an Artist, Professor and Floral Designer, in addition to being a great father.  My parents often text neat thoughts to ponder to my siblings and I throughout the week.  This was something my Dad said that stuck with me this week:

"It is important for us to willingly participate in the Gospel Plan if we want the benefit of the promised blessings.  It is not enough to just believe.  We need to participate.  Our participation in worship, just singing the hymns, for example, or just going to a ward or branch activity, even when we might have other things we would like to do, allows the spirit to interact with us in a way that might not otherwise happen.  Being a participant provides experiential learning, mentoring, and opportunities to share what we feel with others, which helps us clarify our understanding, and gain wisdom.  This leads to an increased confidence and ability to testify of truth--it is an upward spiral, a trajectory toward exaltation."

I appreciated his reminder.  Sometimes we may feel busy or burdened by all that is asked of us as members of the church, but it is good to remember the added light and knowledge that come from sometimes going the extra mile.

Elder Bednar has spoken a few times on the importance of "acting and not being acted upon" or showing our faith by practicing it.

“What we know is not always reflected in what we do.” 

 

But it should be, shouldn't it?  We know the right way, but sometimes we wander.

"The moral agency afforded to all of Father's children through the plan of salvation and the Atonement of Jesus Christ is divinely designed to facilitate our individual and independent learning, acting, and, ultimately, becoming.” 
― David A. Bednar

Take action today!  "Become" someone great!  Make a good choice to move your life in a positive direction.  Be a participant, and not just a by-stander.  We all committed at baptism to "Stand as witnesses and serve God."  Do your part, and receive the blessings that await as you faithful act.

Hope you have a wonderful week filled with lots of love!

Sincerely,

Lydia 

"Virtuous, Lovely, or of Good Report"

Dear Sisters,

I hope you are well and happy this lovely Sunday.  It's been nice to find the sun again.

Last Sunday, we had a great 5th Sunday lesson about technology.  We were tutored on how to use some of the Church produced apps like LDS Tools and the Gospel Library.  

We live in a miraculous time when a wealth of information and incredible resources are at our fingertips.  It is so important to use our electronic devices for good.  I'm grateful the church has come up with some amazing apps like these and family search, so that we can use to further our understanding of the Gospel.  

"We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things."

This is a neat video clip the church created about technology:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CstRqAlAZf0

I hope you will find some good ways use technology this week.  Study your scriptures, listen to some hymns, or watch some bible videos.  Fill your lives with good, up-lifting things.

Sincerely,

Lydia