Renewing Covenants

(image from bycommenconsent.com)

Yesterday I watched the talk, "As Now We Take the Sacrament" by Elder L. Tom Perry. I really loved it! He said, "Partaking of the sacrament provides us with a sacred moment in a holy place." I hadn't thought of it in those exact words before, but it's the truth! I love being able to partake of the sacrament every week.  It gives me the chance to take a moment and truly put my entire focus on the Savior. I love how strong the Spirit always is when I partake of those sacred emblems. I know that the Lord instituted the Sacrament because He knew we would need that weekly reminder and renewal of our baptismal covenants. How perfect that not only do we have the repentance process to be cleansed and draw closer to Him, but that we can also be made clean through the sacrament! One thing Elder Perry said was, "From the very beginning, before the world was organized, God laid out a plan whereby He would offer blessings to His children based on their obedience to His commandments. He understood, however, that we would be distracted at times by the things of the world and would need to be reminded regularly of our covenants and His promises." How right he is. That regular reminder of the covenants I made at baptism is the perfect way for me to draw closer to my Heavenly Father and my Savior, Jesus Christ. What a blessing! I love the Lord, and I love His gospel.

Kindness

(image from theemotionmachine.com)

I've already been sharing some of the talks I watch on my facebook, so it seemed like a great idea to just dedicate a blog to them! I am by no means articulate or eloquent. A friend told me she liked when I posted links to those videos, so I thought I'd try sharing my thoughts along with them :) 

       Today I watched "The Virtue of Kindness" by Joseph B. Wirthlin , and I absolutely LOVED it! One thing he said that I really took to heart was, "Kindness is the essence of a celestial life. Kindness is how a Christlike person treats others." It reminds me of one of my favorite scriptures, John 13:35 - "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." I want to live my life in a way that people come to know Christ through me. The absolute best way to do that is through love and service! Ghandi said, "I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ." Ouch - right in the heart! He raises such an excellent point. I do not want to be one who is a Christian in name only. I want to emulate Christ in every way I can, and I know I am not alone in this quest. Our words and actions have more consequence than we may realize - be they good or bad. It is rare that we realize how far-reaching those consequences are, so why risk it? Why waste our short time on this earth with ridicule or cruelty? We would do so much better to follow our Savior and take every opportunity to be loving and kind. When we're filled with kindness, we are not judgmental. I know when I foolishly use my words to put others down, it never makes me feel any better. However, when I do my best to lift others, it leaves both of us feeling a sense of warmth and happiness. This talk led me to ask myself, "How am I doing in supporting others?" I personally could be doing a lot better. I know that if we follow the Lord and listen to the Holy Spirit, our lives and the lives of those around us can be greatly enriched.