Sunday thoughts

While I didn't have an opportunity to take notes today, I still was able to retain some thoughts from my Sunday meetings.
(Maybe the journal writing via blogging is indeed having a positive effect on my memory?) It was High Council week in Sacrament Meeting, which, in our stake, is a good thing. I used to dread High Council speakers, but since we moved into this area, their talks are almost good. The subject for today's meeting was teaching the gospel in the home. He focused on the principle that by small and simple things, great things are brought to pass. This is always a comforting doctrine to me, since I tend to feel overwhelmed, but I feel like I can do small and simple things. He said he worked in construction as a youth and made an analogy with concrete: it is made up of many different components, each of which is relatively weak on its own, but when combined they form a substance strong enough to provide a foundation for a home. Yet, grains of salt can deteriorate it and begin to break it apart. Food for thought.

The bishop read part of a letter that one of the missionaries in our ward wrote recently. He only left the MTC 2 or 3 weeks ago and is serving in Yakima, WA, Spanish-speaking. He said he felt like one of the sons of Helaman because "his mother knew it". He said that all of the good things he had accomplished in his life were due to the teachings of his mother and that if he had only listened and obeyed to everything his mother had taught him, he would be unstoppable. It was so sweet.

In Gospel Doctrine, we had a new teacher, a humble man whom I really respect. He's not a religion professor, he's not a brilliant man, he's just a good man who is willing to study and think and learn from the rest of the class, as well. He has a great sense of humor and I found his teaching style very refreshing. (Incidentally, we do have two religion professors in our class, as well as several scriptorians, so I would find it a very intimidating calling.) We talked about the story of Ruth. A woman said she thinks it is there to teach women how they should treat their mothers-in-law (she has two recently married daughters). The teacher listened to her and then said that, to him, it is to teach us how we should treat our sons- or daughters-in-law. He was inspired by Naomi to develop the type of relationship with his sons- and daughters-in-law that would create those enviable bonds of love, friendship, and loyalty. We also talked about Hannah and her willingness to consecrate the son she longed for for so long to the Lord's service. Our teacher challenged us to examine the commitments we have made, including temple covenants, and how well we are living up to them.

In Relief Society we talked about President Monson's Conference talk about the maka-feke (did everyone have this lesson?). The teacher had asked four women to speak for a couple of minutes about each of the areas that Pres. Monson had addressed: immorality, pornography, drugs & alcohol, and excessive debt. One of my neighbors spoke about how her mother had been an alcoholic and died young because of it. She told us a little bit about how it was growing up under those circumstances. It was very genuine and touching. I enjoyed having an opportunity to think on this subject again (the maka-feke) and about what things in my life I might be clutching to, even as they are pulling me down.

All the women stayed after for 15 minutes to practice a song we will be singing on Father's Day. It is called My Father's Love, and one of the women in our ward arranged it for S SS A. It is a beautiful song, and it was just fun to sing, as it seems like I never do much anymore. So I feel like it was a pretty successful Sunday, especially considering that I was dealing with a very active baby who doesn't want to sit still for anything! Did you (re-)learn anything today?