Secure your own mask

There's an object lesson in every flight you take.

After rushing to the airport, checking bags, getting boarding pass, making your way through security and finally boarding the plane, you're settled in your seat with your personal item stowed under the seat in front of you. The flight attendant stands and demonstrates how to use the oxygen mask if the cabin loses pressure in an emergency.

The recorded voice says, "Please secure your own mask before helping another."

We'd do well to apply this in our own lives.

As mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, friends, and visiting teachers we want to be busy helping others. It's part of our religion, baked into each lesson and talk...serve one another, if you love me keep my commandments, charity never faileth and so one. And it's a good thing.

But every day we should secure our own mask, taking in the things that feed our own souls, that strengthen our spirits, that build our own reserves, that make it possible to give and love and serve one another.

This is not selfish, it's self-care.

The commandment is to love our neighbor as ourselves. Meaning we have to love and care for ourselves first before we are able to care for others.

The admonition to secure our own masks is even more important when "emergencies" come in our own lives. To have in place the habits of prayer, fasting, turning to the scriptures for answers and comfort, and relying on the atonement of Jesus Christ prepares us for those hard times, and it allows us to know how best to help others.

To take the metaphor a bit further, we can't breathe in the oxygen for another. Everyone needs their own mask, their own supply of hope and faith and healing.

That is found in Jesus Christ, His atonement and His gospel.

We can and should encourage all to come to Christ and find what they need.

This promise is to us all in our own hard times:

It is Jesus Christ who gave us breath and will hold our hand and keep us (Isaiah 42: 5-6).

It is He who is aware of our most difficult trials and is our greatest safety and hope (Cook, 'Hope Ya Know, We Had a Hard Time')

Let us secure our own masks before helping others. Let us remember who gives us breath and will hold our hand and keep us. Let us encourage others to secure their own masks.

Ellen

Photo credit: Craig Damlo

A Picture Story: On Carrying Your Burdens

Kim Aviles-Goodhines thought you'd like this. Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

We complain about the cross we bear, but don't realize it may be preparing us for the dip in the road that God can see and we can't.

Whatever your cross, whatever your pain,
there will always be sunshine, after the rain.

Perhaps you may stumble, perhaps even fall;
But God's always ready, to  answer your call.

He knows every heartache, sees every tear,
a word from His lips, can calm every fear.

Your sorrows may linger, throughout the night,
but suddenly vanish, in dawn's early light.

The Savior is waiting, somewhere above,
to give you His grace, and send you His love.

God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage.


Kim


[Good message. Would loved to have seen one more picture...and a second message of divine help when we need it. Thanks for sharing Kim. e]

"You Will Be Freed"

This great new Mormon Messages video goes so well with our recent discussions in Relief Society on addictions.  It beautifully portrays the hope and power that comes through the Atonement.



“For those of you who have fallen prey to any kind of addiction, there is hope because God loves all of His children and because the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ makes all things possible,” Elder M. Russell Ballard testifies. “It begins with prayer—sincere, fervent, and constant communication with the Creator of our spirits and bodies, our Heavenly Father. . . . Ask to be filled with the power of Christ’s pure love.”

I also think that this applies to any who have family members who have fallen prey to an addiction.  The Atonement truly can heal us all.

In addition to watching this video, you can read, watch, or listen to Elder Ballard’s October 2010 general conference address, “O That Cunning Plan of the Evil One.”

Devon

Video: Finding Hope

A man describes his journey from the tragedy and trauma of 9/11 to hope, healing, and renewal through Jesus Christ.

Motherhood: An Eternal Partnership

Very touching...enjoy!

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland shares an encouraging tribute to mothers who, through both challenges and accomplishments, work in partnership with God to raise His children. Read the entire talk here.

Video: Good Things to Come

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland recalls his days as a poor young father with a broken-down family car and testifies that for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, there are better days and good things to come. Read the entire talk here: http://bit.ly/9lZUYI

Orson Scott Card Address

Coming up in Book Discussion we are reading and discussing Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card.

Recently he spoke at a dinner in Washington:

“America has been a remarkably good and strong culture,” Orson Scott Card said at the 26th Annual Gala dinner of the Washington DC Chapter of the BYU Management Society this weekend, “but the Goodness of the culture has already been so damaged that it can barely be said to exist. And the Strength of the Culture is eating itself up from within.

 He goes on to talk about some of the destructive stories we've told ourselves over the years and how they affect society. He ends with a plea for us to speak up for what is good:

I think that for America to survive as a Culture Strong and Good, we must stop telling the stories that are destroying both our Strength and our Goodness, and work to combine the best parts of what’s old and what’s new into stories that will remake us, into not only a society that can last, but also one which should last.

The stakes are so high that it’s worth making the attempt, even if it turns out that it’s already too late to keep this culture from self-destruction. Even then, there would still be the hope of building something Good and Strong among the ashes.

Orson Scott Card on the Dismantling of America

Good article. It made me think. Thanks for the tip Devon.

e

Providing Stability and Hope

The last two things that followers need from their leaders is stability and hope. [Read part 1 and part 2 first.]

Stability

Providing a solid foundation, being someone others can count on in a time of need, provides followers with security, strength, support and peace. Let your core values be stable, to buffer for times of change.

Hooray for righteous fathers and husbands who give stability to our homes, good teachers who give our children constant support and encouragement, and great women like you who do what is right consistently in your lives.

Nothing creates stability like transparency or being open about where we are going and how we are doing. This applies in all types of organizations. Families who know a little of the family budget can help support financial decisions, vacation choices, and purchases large and small. Couples who talk openly and often about goals near and far, and even hopes and dreams will strengthen their marriage. Wards who pull together to support and help one another create a stabilizing unity.

Studying the scriptures daily, praying and holding family home evening and counsels give stability to our lives and our families. These small simple practices add up of the years and make us strong for times of adversity.

Sharing our lives with each other as sisters will strengthen and stabilize each of us. And we know that happens in Relief Society meetings, and visiting teaching and in service to one another.

Sister Beck as the leader of our Relief Society just reiterated:

This society has at its very core the responsibility to help sisters increase faith and personal righteousness, strengthen families and homes, and seek out and help others who are in need. Through Relief Society, sisters can receive answers to their questions and be blessed by the combined spiritual power of all the sisters. Relief Society validates the true and eternal nature of daughters of God. It is a sacred trust, a guiding light, and a system of watchcare that teaches and inspires women to be strong and immovable. Its motto, “Charity never faileth,” is embodied in all good women. April Conference link

And never failing is about as stable as you can get!

Hope

We want stability in the moment and hope in the future. Direction, faith and guidance too.

We find that in the doctrines of the gospel, in the words of our prophets, and in our experiences with the Spirit.

We can provide that for those who follow us, especially our families. In this world of chaos and complexity we need to share our testimonies with family and others as we have just been counseled to do. We need to initiate good things in our lives and families and not just react to immediate needs.

President Uchtdorf’s talks always speak of hope and something else closely related...

May we ever remember the lesson of Kirtland and hold on a little longer—even when things look bleak. Know and remember this: the Lord loves you. He remembers you. And He will ever sustain those who “endure in faith to the end”. January 2010

and this...

Love is what inspired our Heavenly Father to create our spirits; it is what led our Savior to the Garden of Gethsemane to make Himself a ransom for our sins. Love is the grand motive of the plan of salvation; it is the source of happiness, the ever-renewing spring of healing, the precious fountain of hope.

As we extend our hands and hearts toward others in Christlike love, something wonderful happens to us. Our own spirits become healed, more refined, and stronger. We become happier, more peaceful, and more receptive to the whisperings of the Holy Spirit. April 2010

and once again...

Love is the healing balm that repairs rifts in personal and family relationships. It is the bond that unites families, communities, and nations. Love is the power that initiates friendship, tolerance, civility, and respect. It is the source that overcomes divisiveness and hate. Love is the fire that warms our lives with unparalleled joy and divine hope. Love should be our walk and our talk. October 2009

Hope is directly tied to love, the Lord’s for us, as our ultimate leader, and ours for those who follow us. And that brings us back to the first attribute in what followers want, compassion. It is the most direct way we can be like our Savior.

Sisters, think about your leadership qualities, about those who follow you either in the home, extended family, at school or in the workplace.

Strive to the kind that builds the trust, compassion, stability and hope in others lives.

e

Photo credit

Are we there yet?

By Devon Linn

This probably won’t come as too much of shock to anyone, but I’m a still quite a few blocks away from perfection. I'm not expecting to be even close to perfect yet, but I keep hoping that I’ll see a sign somewhere that will tell me I’m at least getting a little closer on my journey (actually, something like the sign up above would be very helpful.) And luckily I don’t have to do it all on my own. The Lord helps continually by sending the Holy Ghost to let me know the ways I can improve in my life. But what can be frustrating at times is that I so often fail to follow these wonderful, divine promptings I receive that tell me what I need to fix. These promptings sometimes come to me while listening to General Conference, or a lesson in church on Sunday, or reading my scriptures, and then I usually do try to be better for at least a few days but then….*poof* they're just gone and I've forgotten the prompting and moved onto something else I need to work on. And I don’t think I forget because I’m lazy or don’t really want to be better, but it’s more because life just seems to get too darn busy and my brain just has too much going on to remember everything (or sometimes anything at all!)

I’m sure everyone has failed at least once or twice to follow a prompting (but just once or twice, right?). Usually for me, it begins with listening to a lesson or a talk and thinking, “Yes! I can do that and be better! I can improve in my efforts to ______________ (fill in the blank: pray more, work on family history, judge less, prioritize my time better, study my scriptures, etc etc etc).” But when it comes time to actually and consistently IMPLEMENT the change, I find myself too busy wiping peanut butter and jelly out of a 2 year old’s hair and simultaneously trying not to yell at my 3 year old who has just broken another lamp (true story) and I’m just so busy and exhausted that I’ve totally forgotten the prompting I received in the first place. Does this happen to everyone? Luckily the Lord knows and loves us, so he sends a lot of “reminder” promptings, because He just won't give up on us.

So when my wonderful visiting teachers came this week and read this quote from General Conference, it really hit home for me. It is from Sister Beck’s talk, and she said,

Good women always have a desire to know if they are succeeding. In a world where the measures of success are often distorted, it is important to seek appreciation and affirmation from proper sources. To paraphrase a list found in Preach My Gospel, we are doing well when we develop attributes of Christ and strive to obey His gospel with exactness. We are doing well when we seek to improve ourselves and do our best. We are doing well when we increase faith and personal righteousness, strengthen families and homes, and seek out and help others who are in need. We know we are successful if we live so that we qualify for, receive, and know how to follow the Spirit. When we have done our very best, we may still experience disappointments, but we will not be disappointed in ourselves. We can feel certain that the Lord is pleased when we feel the Spirit working through us. Peace, joy, and hope are available to those who measure success properly.

Oh, if I could only read this quote every day! Sister Beck’s words were exactly what I needed to hear to re-commit myself to try harder and keep working in the right direction. It’s not important to be hard on ourselves if we aren't perfect already, but it is important that we are trying to improve ourselves every day. I love that Sister Beck specifically mentions trying to develop attributes of Christ, because that goal seems to encompass all the other promptings I receive. I also love that she pointed out that doing our best still won’t keep disappointments away, because that’s just not how the plan works, but at least we won’t be disappointed in ourselves when we’ve followed the Spirit and done our best. I have felt the peace and hope that comes when we feel the Spirit working through us, and it is worth every effort I make to strive to feel that love and joy as often as I can while on this earth.

I love having the Gospel in my life, and I am truly grateful for promptings from the Spirit because I know I need to keep trying to be better. It can be hard to not let the world define success for us, but rather to let the Holy Ghost tell us when we have succeeded in our efforts to become more like Christ. I know that I won’t be able to reach perfection tomorrow or follow every good intention and good desire that I have, (in fact, probably by next General Conference time I’ll need another big kick in the pants to re-commit myself to implementing the promptings I receive again!), but I will keep pushing forward on my journey. Our Heavenly Father loves each of us, and He also NEEDS each of us to keep working hard to improve ourselves so that we can also help lift those around us. Women have the capacity to do so much good, and I am grateful to be surrounded by so many amazing women in the church, all who are on the same “road” so we can help each other on the journey!

If any of you has a suggestion on how you remember to implement changes you receive from promptings, feel free to use the comments portion to share your experiences. I'd love to hear other sisters' ideas on how we can be more successful in our efforts!

New Church Website: Combating Pornography

The Church has just released a new anti-porn website: Combating Pornography: Replacing darkness with light

If you or someone you love is struggling with pornography, there is hope. You’ll find articles and resources for five audiences: Individuals, Spouses, Parents, Youth and Leaders.

Each of those main categories carries four subcategories: Prevent, Recognize, Overcome and Support. Thus, each group gets individualized attention.

There is also a list of books and articles as suggested reading for pornography users and their spouses or family members.

In whatever way pornography or addiction to pornography may touch your lives now or in the future, I encourage you to take a few minutes to visit this new website and learn more about how to avoid it, how to heal from it or how to help others.

I'll post a permanent link to it in the right column of the blog.

e

P.S. If you or someone you know is addicted to pornography. Please join us on Sunday evenings for the Addiction Recovery Support group. Call Evone Pope, Deb Chiapelli or Ellen King.

The Power of Hope

See more videos like this at the Mormon Messages Channel on YouTube.

Finding Hope

Finding hope in Jesus Christ sustains us through times of difficulty and despair, teaching us
there is reason to rejoice even when darkness
seems to surround us.

The Church's new website Finding Hope encourages you to “never give in, never surrender, never allow despair to overcome your spirit.”

• Discover what hope is, how hope can help you, and what you need to do to have more hope.
• Find images, music and scriptures of hope including teaching about hope to our children.
• Read stories of hope from ordinary people like you and me.

“We learn to cultivate hope the same way we learn to walk, one step at a time.” Take those steps today. Start with this website.


(Elder Uchtdorf's video has a quick pic of Nie Nie with kids [before the plane crash], for those of you who follow her blog.)

Ellen

P.S. I've added the link in the right side bar under Official LDS Websites, for future reference.