Sunday, January 02, 2011

Sunday thoughts

These thoughts come from the last speaker we heard at Time Out For Women, Emily Freeman.

From 1 Peter 3:

10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.

Rather than doubt our selves and our abilities, we need to hope.
  • Laman and Lemuel came from the same family and had the same experiences as Nephi – but Nephi had a different perspective.
  • When we have an eternal perspective, we invite hope into our lives.
  • Are our thoughts filled with discouragement or with hope? Optimism is powerful.
  • The highest form of perception comes when we discern the good.
List what you love. Lists can be powerful. "This is my joy." (Alma 26:37)

Give your heart great experiences (Ecclesiastes 1:16). An understanding heart makes all the difference.

Remember the good days.
  • Moses wanted the people who had seen the mountain burning to remember that special day always.
  • How do we remember the special days?
  • As you contemplate these special experiences, do you not feel motivated to go forward in faith and hope?
Determine a reason for the hope which is in you.
  • In times of grief, we seek after the giver of every good gift.
  • "There is hope in thine end ..." (Jeremiah 31:17)
  • The Savior was anointed with an oil of gladness.
  • The Savior is the reason for the hope that is in us.

I am definitely prone to doubting myself and my abilities. I know absolutely that I need to replace discouragement with hope. The idea of giving my heart great experiences really speaks to me. Remembering the good days can only bring an increase of strength. But mostly, I love knowing that, no matter what our troubles and trials, there is always reason to hope because of the Savior. And hope is a beautiful thing!

**Today at church we found out that a woman in our ward suddenly died last week. She had just returned from serving a full-time mission with her husband. We all felt shock and loss. The prayers in all of our meetings asked for peace for her family. Her husband bore his testimony and praised God for his tender mercies. It was so powerful. Even in our deepest grief, there is reason to hope when we know the Savior and the Father's plan of happiness.

7 comments:

patsy said...

Beautiful Sunday thoughts.
Hope
That's a good word.
I enjoy yours & jill's Sunday thoughts so much. I have learned I'm not a very good note taker.
Your words of faith & encourAgement are surely more helpful than you could ever know.
Thank you

Anonymous said...

thank you for sharing your life on your blog! it is my favorite time of the day!!

Jill said...

These notes go so well with my notes today! I have always known that my attitude and perspective make all the difference to how I handle life situations, it just seems like sometimes are harder than others for me to talk myself up and out of. I would like to be more consistent about this and know that as I live closer to the Spirit my perspective is better and more consistently positive.

Marie said...

I always enjoy your Sunday thoughts, so much of what you've said here are things that have been on my mind lately. I need to go to Time Out for Women again, it has been too long!

Esther said...

Michelle your blog speaks to me in so many ways. I have been thinking about this and what are the changes that I need to make in order to have a better perspective on life, a better attitude and lastly more hope.

I have been praying about this and how just small changes would bring so much joy in my life.

Glad that I'm not alone in this....thank you.

Kelly said...

Thanks for sharing these thoughts. I just read an article (a sad article) about someone who needed hope and didn't have any. So grateful for that knowledge that gives me hope!

Rebekah said...

"When we have an eternal perspective, we invite hope into our lives."

When this idea finally sunk into my brain a few years ago it changed my life. It soothes my worries.

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