I am substitute teaching this Sunday in Relief Society and would like to pick your brains. It has been years since I taught R.S (since before we were called to the branch in 2003) and I am not accustomed to using a conference talk as my lesson material. So, I would love it if all my loyal followers (and you anonymous stalkers, too) would read President Uchdorf's talk from the April 2008 conference (you can find it on lds.org or in the May Ensign) and share your thoughts with me. The title of the talk is, "A Matter of a Few Degrees." I think it was given during the priesthood session.Any contributions are appreciated; your thoughts on the subject matter, personal stories, ideas on presenting the material, etc. We have terrific teachers in our RS and I don't want to let the sisters down! Thank you in advance...
So now you're giving homework assignments to your blog readers???
ReplyDeleteI'm only doing this because you're my mother :)
I read the article and I'm not sure I have any profound insights. I like what he said about making course corrections. I have found that our lives are full of these little course corrections. I think it's especially important to counsel with your spouse regularly about what goals you have for your family and ask yourselves if your current course will get you there. Throughout our marriage we have done this many times and have often had to make small changes to get us back on track (better Sabbath observance, paying a full and honest tithe/fast offering, media choices, etc.)
I think sometimes when we let things slip incrementally we don't even realize that we are off course. These regular "life audits" are often needed to just figure out where we are.
Good luck with the lesson. I know you'll do a fabulous job. I would expect no less from you.
I will find that article and read it. Hopefully I will have some insight for you. I will let you know. I am used to teaching three year olds so I will have to put my grown up thinking cap on.
ReplyDeleteI had not read this article until now. What a visual way of looking at our mortal life. How easy it is to be off course and perhaps you don't even realize you are off. I agree with Emily that you need constant self and couple evaluations. For me personally I have these little self/family checks at church. While I am listening to talks and lessons I am being reminded of what I need to be doing. The biggest challenge for most is to then do it. I often leave church with such a wonderful feeling and a conviction of things that I personally need to do improve upon and then through out the week the feelings sometimes fade. I think we must act quickly on our decisions for change because I have also experienced that, and what a much better more fulfilling out come that is. To know what must be done and then do it is very rewarding.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the lesson you will have to let us know how it goes.
thanks for reminding me to read the conference issue... since I don't watch it on TV (no way I can hear it with my 4 very small ones...) I try to read it. And I've been a slacker this go-around. Anyway, the article reminded me of a similar analogy using trains and railroad switches. A two inch switch can take the train from heading North, to heading due West in no time. It's easy to be off a few degrees here and there, and it's tragic to see it happen. From my high school days, modesty was something of an issue for me. I was allowed to wear short shorts and tank tops growing up, and then when I hit high school, my parents tried to make me wear more modest clothing. Well, I was rebellious and I thought, "Why is not okay all of a sudden to wear the clothes I've been wearing all my life? Whatever!" (I was a stubborn snot...) So I wore short shorts and tank tops through out high school. I got lots of attention (never good). And I believe it strongly influenced my choices and my spirituality. For the worse. Now that I'm "all grown up" and much, mush wiser (LOL) I have rule for my daughters. They wear modest clothing all the time. No tank tops. No sleeveless. No short shorts. (Number one reason I taught myself to sew clothing is modesty for my girls.) I look back at myself and know how a "few degrees" of immodesty (it's only a tank top! My shorts aren't too shirt!) can influence behavior. Which in turn influences choices. And spirituality. Hopefully, modesty will be a non-issue. I'm sure it will come up, and we'll talk about it. But I'm hoping it's not a battle, and that my girls can focus on more important things in those crucial years.
ReplyDeleteps- LOVE the "new" light fixture. Very clever- a great way to save money and be stylish!