This was a great Sunday.
It started last night, when I went to bed with what I thought was the December issue of the Ensign (it was actually the September issue). I ended up reading the great First Presidency message by President Uchtdorf. My favorite part:
"Though we often speak of the influence of women on future generations, please do not underestimate the influence you can have today. President David O. McKay said that the principal reason the Church was organized is 'to make life sweet today, to give contentment to the heart today, to bring salvation today... Some of us look forward to a time in the future--salvation and exaltation in the world to come--but today is part of eternity.'
"May I invite you to rise to the great potential within you. Don't set goals beyond your capacity to achieve. Don't feel guilty or dwell on thoughts of failure. Don't compare yourself with others. Do the best you can, and the Lord will provide the rest. Have faith and confidence in Him, and you will see miracles happen in your life and the lives of your loved ones.
"Wherever you have been planted on this beautiful but often troubled earth of ours, you can be the one to 'succor the weak, life up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees' (D&C 81:5)."
This article on the influence of righteous women was just what I needed.
This morning, I crawled back into bed around 10:00 with the December issue and read President Eyring's Christmas message. I loved his thoughts about our longing for our eternal home, the joy of generosity and giving, and discerning and being blessed by the Light of Christ.
This afternoon, we went back to our ward for the first time since our return from Paris. It just felt so right. I love our ward family! We received a warm welcome on all sides, and many of the young women ran up and gave me a hug, even a couple that really surprised me. {sniff}
I love it when the choir does a whole Christmas sacrament meeting, as ours did today. And since I wasn't singing with them, I was also glad that we had several congregational hymns. I just love Christmas music! It was wonderful to have a Christ-centered day, again just what I needed.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
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6 comments:
oh my GOSH. you dropped the bottom out of my stomach (in a good way).
oh, how i need that President Uchdorf excerpt right now. need. need.
thank you!
i love the choir christmas meetings, too. they lift my soul :)
I wish I didn't need constant reminders about rising to my potential, but I do.
I'm so glad you guys got a great welcome back from everyone in your ward. You must have been particularly happy to be there after all those hard Sundays in Paris!
Thanks for sharing that message from Pres. Uchtdorf. It really resonated with me today!
What a great message. I wish our ward program would have included more congregational singing because I adore the Christmas hymns - never the less, the Christmas program is always a favorite:)!
'Make life sweet today,' hmm. I'm sure that this is true for me, and that if I looked for this evidence it would make my life even sweeter.
I really need to read President Eyring's Christmas message. I have heard so many good things about it from various people.
I'm glad you received a warm welcome! It's always so nice when to have those Zion-type moments within your ward family. Those experiences have shown me that it is possible for all of us to spend a happy eternity together.
wow....yes, christmas music at church is always sooo special...especially the christmas sunday....it was awesome we went to my parents ward, my dad spoke, and the music was just amazing.
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