Julie B. Beck came to our stake today and spoke. Madison and I were able to go and listen. I loved listening to her speak. Sister Beck started off talking about the relief society not being a program but a way of life. Here are a few of the things that Sister Beck said that stuck with me.
1.We all know the Mary and Martha story. Some seem to say Mary was better than Martha. (Luke 10:38 "Martha received Him into her home"-She did welcome Him into her home which was good. Luke 10:40" but Martha was cumbered about much serving,"- Martha served Him which was good But in Luke 10:42, "But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."-That one part that was missing from Martha was -study my gospel with me and be my disciple. I took from this that we can choose good things but it is better to choose the best things like studying the gospel, increasing faith, making covenants, having personal scriptures, praying, and being a disciple of Christ. Lifting and building up His kingdom.
2.We need to be
Intentional and have
Precision in those things above not perfect. I love that. Intentional/Precision with prayer,
fhe, scriptures, etc..
3. There was a moment where Sister Beck took questions-One sister asked about how we can help Sisters be willing to have and be Visiting Teachers. Sister Beck asks the whole of us back why are we not doing our visiting teaching and why are we not allowing those to visit. (answers included-No time, house not clean, didn't need help, etc..)Sister Beck paused for a minute and then said "The Savior doesn't care about our
issues, He cares about His sheep." She said she was sorry if that was blunt but that that was the truth. We ought to be on our knees everyday asking what our Sisters need and how we can help. The Savior can help us also with what is stopping us either way.
4. One Sister asked Sister Beck what was her biggest concern with the Sisters of the church today. Sister Beck said that
we are not always aligned with the Lord. We needed to align ourselves with the Lord, check where our priorities were, simplify our lives, rid ourselves with less important things (She did say blogging was good if used in the right way:))fun should not take
precedence over essential.
5. She talked about anger, apathy, and entitlement-the lord owes us nothing. We owe Him everything.
6. She talked about how some don't feel like they ever feel the Spirit speak to them. She read D&C 11:12-13 put your trust in the Spirit which
leadeth to do good (if you have a feeling of helping someone-act upon it....that's the Spirit) yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously; this is my Spirit. 13)which shall enlighten your mind (do you ever have an idea /aha moment sometimes that's the Spirit)which shall fill your soul with joy( do you feel happy and are joyful.... sometimes that's the Spirit. Sometimes we may feel guilt and that may be the Spirit helping you to make a change.)
7.Sister Beck talked about a place where the sisters didn't want to send out there sons on missions anymore. They wanted their sons to go to school, have careers, etc... Sister Beck said she had to go and talk with these sisters. Through visiting teaching they shared her message and the sisters started sending their sons on missions again. She said "do you see the influence you sisters have. She encouraged us to teach our children (boys/daughters/future missionaries) the gospel truths-One sister asked how we which are so blessed with so much could help those sisters around the world with so little. Sister Beck said again "teach your sons/daughters/future missionaries the gospel so when they go out on their missions that they can teach these families.-(I have a work to do.)She also said to pay a generous fast offering and our tithing so we could help some of these sisters/families go to the temple more than once if even just once.(We have temples so close we should be going more. I want to go more often than I do.)
I was so grateful for the opportunity to listen to Sister Beck speak (Next
Saturday we get to go to Salt Lake and listen to the young
women's presidency speak). I was so impressed with her knowledge of the scriptures. In one of her messages in a recent Ensign article she asks us women to become
scriptorians and know the scriptures. I think that the better we know of the scriptures the better we can help others by sharing the scripture stories and bearing our testimonies of them.----I had an experience this last week where I had just finished reading my scriptures (Exodus-about Moses and the burning bush and how Moses felt inadequate in doing what the Lord had asked him.) I gathered the boys and went outside to go visit one of my friends down the street. When we went out there was a somewhat inactive sister from my ward walking in front of our house. We talked for a little bit and at one point due to the conversation I was able to share the same scriptures that I had just read that morning. She said she knew she needed to get out and was thankful our paths had crossed. I don't share this to say how awesome I am, I tell you because I'm thankful that I read my scriptures that morning and every morning. I'm thankful for the things I learn from them and hope I can become a
scriptorian, like Sister Beck, and can share them and my testimony with others.
Caught a snake in our garden. 
The boys with a gardener snake. 
Found some worms. 
Rented a u-haul and loaded sticks from our fruit trees and hauled 2 loads of turkey mulch to our garden. 
Played in some blow up balls. 
Ate pizza and watched movies. 
