Unwearyingness

For various reasons, recently I've been thinking a bit about weariness, about joy, about service, about purpose, about authenticity, about motivations, about why we do things.  I think sometimes I turn life into a checklist and my calendar into a puzzle trying to fit in as much as I can.  I like to be productive, and accomplish good things, but sometimes the checklist leads to weariness and I lose the joy and the love and the reason I'm doing any of it in the first place.

We recently had a discussion in Sunday School about the scripture from Doctrine and Covenants 64:33-34, "Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great.  Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind; and the willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days."

I love this verse.  I think it's encouraging.  The Lord loves us.  He wants to bless us.  He knows our hearts.  That's what He requires from us - our hearts and minds willingly given to Him.  To do His will.  It doesn't have to be anything larger than that.  It's simple and small, really.  I think we (or at least I) sometimes get overwhelmed creating a much larger checklist of unreasonable expectations.  For the first time ever, I think I realized that here the Lord was teaching us how to not be overwhelmed.  He wants us to be engaged in His work, and in doing good, but most importantly He wants our hearts.  If our hearts are His, if we simply LOVE, He will lead us to what He needs us to do, and we don't need to worry about the rest.  If we truly love Him, if we love others, if that love is our focus and motivation behind anything on our checklist, we will not be weary.  He's not only inviting us to do good, but to find the joy in doing it because our hearts will be set on Him.  Whatever trials, responsibilities, opportunities to serve, and anything else that comes will not make us weary, because our hearts are His.  And He will help us do His will and His work.... however large or small that is.

Listening to President Nelson speak at President Monson's funeral yesterday, I made another connection about the importance of unwearingness.  The Lord tells Nephi in Helaman 10:4-5, "Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments.  And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will."

Nephi and President Monson were "not weary in well-doing."  They gave their hearts and their lives to the Lord, and spent their time blessing others.  We are blessed by their examples, by what they did, and how they did it.  We might serve in different ways, but like them, we can't give up.  We keep going.... with love and enthusiasm and joy.  We do what we can do and what the Lord asks.  We love the Lord; then we will be able to serve Him with unwearingness in whatever capacity He asks us to.  As one of President Monson's favorite songs teaches.... 

If the way be full of trial, weary not  :) 

If the way be full of trial, weary not; If it’s one of sore denial, weary not;

If it now be one of weeping, There will come a joyous greeting,
When the harvest we are reaping, weary not.
Do not weary by the way, Whatever be thy lot;
There awaits a brighter day, To all, to all who weary not.

If the way be one of sorrow, weary not; Happier will be the morrow, weary not.
Here we suffer tribulation; Here we must endure temptation;
But there’ll come a great salvation. Weary not.
Do not weary by the way, Whatever be thy lot;
There awaits a brighter day, To all, to all who weary not.

If misfortunes overtake us, weary not; Jesus never will forsake us, weary not.
He will leave us never, never; From his love there’s naught can sever;
Glory to the Lamb forever, weary not.
Do not weary by the way, Whatever be thy lot;
There awaits a brighter day, To all, to all who weary not.

Why am I here?

Even with all the joy and hope that I've found in the scriptures and life lately, there are still hard days and I wonder sometimes - Why am I here?  What am I doing?  Particularly lately I've felt like maybe I could and should be doing something more somewhere else?  This is mostly in regards to my ward and Church service, but a few others things might fall into the category.

That's why I was SOOOO grateful for a very sweet testimony today that helped me understand my place now a little bit better.  ;)  A guy in our ward talked about serving his mission in Tonga.  He served for a time on a very small island where he knew everyone's name and no one was interested in listening.  He loved being a missionary, but wondered if his time might not be better spent somewhere else.  Why had the Lord sent him there?  Surely there were other places he could be making more of a difference.  As he thought and prayed and worried about this he received an answer from the Lord who said, "I brought you to this island, without other distractions, so that I could spend time with you!"  :D  How sweet is that!?  ;)

I believe that wherever we are the Lord truly does want to spend time with us, but the bigger issue (and as this brother pointed out since returning from his mission) is us making time for Him!  I think this is always important, but there may be certain times in our life when we either need a little more time with the Lord or He is specifically inviting us to not worry about a lot of others things and just spend time with Him!  I feel like I've had a lot of time on my hands lately - some I've used well, some less well, but my great desire truly is to spend this time with Him (whether that be in the scriptures, in prayer, in the temple, in service, in His beautiful creations, with His other children...)!  I know this brings the greatest happiness and direction and purpose and I'm very grateful for the reminder....that that's why I'm here.  ;)

May Christ Lift Thee Up

"My son, be faithful in Christ; and may not the things which I have written grieve thee, to weigh thee down unto death; but may Christ lift thee up, and may his sufferings and death, and the showing his body unto our fathers, and his mercy and long-suffering, and the hope of his glory and of eternal life, rest in your mind forever." - Moroni 9:25

I love the Book of Mormon!  I know it's the word of God - an important record of ancient prophets written for our day that brings us to Christ!  As I finished reading it again today in a special place I was reminded of this verse.  I love Mormon and Moroni and their examples of faithful service, commitment, and goodness during a time of great wickedness....even when they were alone they focused on what was most important and found HOPE in Christ!  What a necessary example for us today and just the reminder I needed in my life!

It seems somewhat related to this article I read recently - Faith as a mustard seed

Also very related and connected - I love the temple!  It is full of so much peace and clarity and light and truth and blessings and joy and perspective!  I found that again tonight and I'm grateful!  It's good to make the effort to go (even and maybe especially on a cold, snowy night)!  I was also reminded of what a beautiful pattern the temple is for our lives and homes.  It's clean and uncluttered, it's simple, it's beautiful!  There is light and peace.  I think some of this comes from the fact that there are no distractions - the only thing you will find really to pick up or look at are scriptures!  And I don't think there's much else that you need.  ;)  It made me think about my home and how I organize it and make it beautiful and create it as a space to focus on what's most important - a comfortable place to read the scriptures and have my mind opened up to the blessings of heaven!  In the temple it really feels like we can be uncovered from any barriers and the blessings and direction come right down to us!

Just after learning and thinking about these things, someone at Church shared Alma 8:14-15 which gives similar hope:  "And it came to pass that while [Alma] was journeying thither, being weighed down with sorrow, wading through much tribulation and anguish of soul, because of the wickedness of the people who were in the city of Ammonihah, it came to pass while Alma was thus weighed down with sorrow, behold an angel of the Lord appeared unto him, saying:
"Blessed art thou, Alma; therefore, lift up thy head and rejoice, for thou hast great cause to rejoice; for thou hast been faithful in keeping the commandments of God from the time which thou receivedst thy first message from him. Behold, I am he that delivered it unto you."

Christ lifts us up!  He sends angels and blessings and comfort and direction and peace....even when we are weighed down with trials and sorrow, and especially when we are working to serve Him and His children.  He is there watching over us.  "With blessings unmeasured my cup runneth o'er." (See "The Lord is My Shepherd")

Must Go THROUGH!

I remember hearing a song when I was growing up about something being too high that you can't go over it, too low that you can't go under it, too wide that you can't go around it, so you have to go right through!  I don't think I understood the song at the time, but I have been thinking about this concept A LOT lately.

It seems like every other article, blog, scripture, and talk I've read lately says something about the importance and necessity of going THROUGH something.  Each of these experiences is for our learning and progress and ultimate happiness, but they are often the very things that we pray away and just want to be over!

Someone pointed out this blog post.  I love this child's question and the discussion that follows and what it got me thinking about - Why didn't the angel just take him out?

While preparing a Sunday School lesson about agency I was searching through some of Elder Bednar's talks about acting and not being acted upon.  I came upon a few great thoughts:

Bear Up Their Burdens with Ease (April 2014)

The Atonement and the Journey of Mortality (April 2012)
"Nephi is an example of one who knew, understood, and relied upon the enabling power of the Savior. Recall that the sons of Lehi had returned to Jerusalem to enlist Ishmael and his household in their cause. Laman and others in the party traveling with Nephi from Jerusalem back to the wilderness rebelled, and Nephi exhorted his brethren to have faith in the Lord. It was at this point in their journey that Nephi’s brothers bound him with cords and planned his destruction. Please note Nephi’s prayer: “O Lord, according to my faith which is in thee, wilt thou deliver me from the hands of my brethren; yea, even give me strength that I may burst these bandswith which I am bound” (1 Nephi 7:17; emphasis added).

Do you know what I likely would have prayed for if I had been tied up by my brothers? “Please get me out of this mess NOW!” It is especially interesting to me that Nephi did not pray to have his circumstances changed. Rather, he prayed for the strength to change his circumstances. And I believe he prayed in this manner precisely because he knew, understood, and had experienced the enabling power of the Atonement.

I do not think the bands with which Nephi was bound just magically fell from his hands and wrists. Rather, I suspect he was blessed with both persistence and personal strength beyond his natural capacity, that he then “in the strength of the Lord” (Mosiah 9:17) worked and twisted and tugged on the cords, and ultimately and literally was enabled to break the bands.

The implication of this episode for each of us is straightforward. As you and I come to understand and employ the enabling power of the Atonement in our personal lives, we will pray and seek for strength to change our circumstances rather than praying for our circumstances to be changed. We will become agents who act rather than objects that are acted upon (see 2 Nephi 2:14)."

Then Elder Bednar discusses Mosiah 24:14-15 and Alma's experience when his people are being persecuted by Amulon.

"What was changed in this episode? It was not the burden that changed; the challenges and difficulties of persecution were not immediately removed from the people. But Alma and his followers were strengthened, and their increased capacity and strength made the burdens they bore lighter. These good people were empowered through the Atonement to act as agents and impact their circumstances. And “in the strength of the Lord” Alma and his people were then directed to safety in the land of Zarahemla."

In the Strength of the Lord (October 2001)

These thoughts remind me that life is all about what we're becoming.  If life were easy and happy all the time we wouldn't grow.  This ties right into the another Sunday School lesson (The Fall of Adam and Eve and the need for opposition).  I also love this quote President Faust shared in October 2004:  "Dr. Arthur Wentworth Hewitt suggested some reasons why the good suffer as well as the wicked: “First: I don’t know. Second: We may not be as innocent as we think. Third: … I believe it is because He loves us so much more than He loves our happiness. How so? Well, if on a basis of strict personal return here and now, all the good were always happy and all the bad suffered disaster (instead of often quite the reverse), this would be the most subtle damnation of character imaginable.”"

Relatedly, Brigham Young taught, "Instead of searching after what the Lord is going to do for us, let us inquire what we can do for ourselves." 

And Elder L. Tom Perry said, "I have sometimes wondered what would have happened if Nephi has asked the Lord for tools instead of a place to find ore to make the tools. I doubt the Lord would have honored Nephi's request. You see, the Lord knew that Nephi could make tools, and it is seldom that the Lord will do something for us that we can do for ourselves."

So, life is kind of all about "going through."  That's where we'll grow and learn what we can and need to become and that is why we're here - to become something more.  Neat!

Prayer

Today I'm grateful for prayer and answers and direction and peace.  Although answers don't always make sense, He knows what's best and I'm grateful.

A few other helpful insights:

• Elder Christofferson Answers 4 Questions about Prayer
• The Art of Authentic Prayer
• Elder Bednar said:  "I have found that the most spiritual part of prayer often comes when I say "amen” and I begin laboring on the thing about which I was praying.  Meaningful prayer requires both holy communication and consecrated work. Blessings require some effort on our part before we can obtain them.  After we say “amen,” we should press forward and persevere in the consecrated work of prayer by acting upon the things we have expressed to Heavenly Father. We have a responsibility to not merely ask—but to “ask in faith” (James 1:6)..... We should remember that most typically revelations are “conclusions” and not “explanations.” When we receive revelation for ourselves, we discover what God would have us do. He rarely provides a reason for why we should do what was revealed. Rather, He trusts us to be obedient to the revelation He has given us."
• I love this lesson from the Gospel Principles manual - Praying to our Heavenly Father - and all that I learned studying it (what is prayer; when, why, and how do we pray; and how are we answered).  What a blessing to be able to speak with our Heavenly Father.  He listens, He cares.  We can receive answers, but we must work, ask, move!  As we do what He directs we will be guided further.  What a blessing!

Become acquainted with the One who understands

I love this talk by Sister Carole M. Stephens - The Family Is of God.  We studied it today in Relief Society.  I know that families are so important, today and eternally.  They truly help us become more what we need to be, to become like God and prepare us to return to Him.  I'm grateful for this reminder.

Today I was particularly touched and inspired by the idea that although we may not understand personally the trials others go through our Savior does and it is our job to reach out in love to bless and support.

"In the premortal life, we learned that we would need a period of mortality. We 'accepted [Heavenly Father’s] plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize [our] divine destiny as heirs of eternal life.'  

"Elder Richard G. Scott explained that 'we were taught in the premortal world that our purpose in coming here is to be tested, tried, and stretched.' That stretching comes in as many forms as there are individuals experiencing it. I’ve never had to live through divorce, the pain and insecurity that comes from abandonment, or the responsibility associated with being a single mother. I haven’t experienced the death of a child, infertility, or same-gender attraction. I haven’t had to endure abuse, chronic illness, or addiction. These have not been my stretching opportunities.

"So right now some of you are thinking, 'Well then, Sister Stephens, you just don’t understand!' And I answer that you may be right. I don’t completely understand your challenges. But through my personal tests and trials—the ones that have brought me to my knees—I have become well acquainted with the One who does understand, He who was 'acquainted with grief,' who experienced all and understands all. And in addition, I have experienced all of the mortal tests that I just mentioned through the lens of a daughter, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend.

"Our opportunity as covenant-keeping daughters of God is not just to learn from our own challenges; it is to unite in empathy and compassion as we support other members of the family of God in their struggles, as we have covenanted to do.

"When we do so, we also come to understand and trust that the Savior knows the difficulties of the way and can guide us through whatever sorrows and disappointments may come. He is true charity, and His love 'endureth forever'—in part through us as we follow Him.

"As daughters of God and disciples of Jesus Christ, we then 'act according to those sympathies which God has planted' in our hearts. Our sphere of influence isn’t limited to our own family members."

Studying this talk in a singles ward brought up the expected comments about how this lesson on family applies a little bit differently to us currently.  It was still mostly positive, but focusing on this specific section of the talk helped me remember that everyone has trials - we all face different things that are hard.  Although I don't think we need to compare, I think it is so important to give others the benefit of the doubt and remember that we don't know their struggles.  Hopefully our trials, as Sister Stephens mentions, make us humble and help us turn to the Lord for help...and also help us think of others and how we might be able to reach out to those around us.  

This article from the April 2011 Ensign, Trust, Patience and Endurance:  My Lessons from Infertility, helped me think about that - we may have different trials, but everyone has something they are dealing with.  We can turn to the Lord.  He understands.  Because of our trials and coming to know Him and His power to bless we can then also seek to strengthen and uplift and bless others.  I'm grateful for our Father's plan and for His perfect  love and understanding.

"He is building quite a different house"

I've been thinking quite a bit about this quote the past month or so and I heard it again tonight....I think it's important for all of us, but seems particularly applicable and helpful to me now for more than one reason:

“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”  - C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity