We had a really great Spring Break and I completely spaced posting about all the fun we had and all the pictures. We must have actually been having fun :). I will get to that in a minute, I mostly wanted to post about some of the talks I've been watching during my workout. I feel like Heavenly Father is totally guiding me lately. It's been really fun actually, to feel the Spirit prompt me to make a different choice than the one I have been and then to see how much it benefits me and my family and realize that that was what Heavenly Father wanted. I LOVE knowing what he wants me to do. I think I'm adicted to the feeling in fact. If that's possible. So anyway, I know I've talked enough about the whole waking up early and working out thing, but it really has transformed my life. And more than just adding a little tiredness. I feel like a different person. It's been awesome. When I first started I thought it was pretty cool that one of my all-time favorite shows Law and Order SVU was on at the time that I was working out and I was able to watch an episode while I worked out. Mainly it was a good way to get my attention off working out and it made the time go faster. Once that was over I would switch over to the BYU channel and catch a short talk before changing to the news. It was a pretty good system I had going on :). So I think it was a week or so ago, as I was watching Law and Order I got the feeling that maybe it wasn't the best show for me to start my morning out with. If you've seen it, I'm sure you could imagine what I"m talking about. And I thought about it.... justified it.... and continued watching it. Then during conference I had the same feeling again (random right?) and I of course acknowledged it, wrote it down, and then went right on watching it. So a few days later, I caught a glimpse of someone else's tv as I was watching SVU, and saw that they were watching a conference talk and I saw that it was Elder Bednar. I really like to listen to him. Then the Spirit whispered to me that I should change the channel and watch it. I was sold. I totally changed the channel and wouldn't ya know, he was talking about Parenting. The perfect talk for me to listen to. He talked a lot about setting examples and the whole time I just kept feeling like I wouldn't want my kids to watch Law and Order every morning, and that if they had the choice to watch talks from General Authorities, that I hoped they would choose that instead. And I decided right then, to start watching the talks every morning instead. It wasn't a hard choice, believe me, I love to listen to those talks, but it for some reason took me a long time to settle on this decision. I know that this isn't for everyone, and frankly I feel a little nerdy when I turn it on, but it's been SUCH A HUGE BLESSING!!!! Even just in the few days that I have done it. I can't believe how much the talks feel like they were made especially for me. Every single one strikes a chord with me and really resonates in my heart. It's made such a huge difference in how my day goes as well. One thing I heard today from Sister Samuelson (Elder Samuelson's wife), in a talk given a few years ago, was to cherish everyday. She talked about how when they first got married, she was teaching, he was going to medical school, and they hardly ever saw each other except on the weekends and she mentioned that she would just live for the weekends. She was constantly wishing the rest of the week away. She said that she learned to focus on each day and make each day count and what a difference that made. I TOTALLY do that. Where I just wish everything away. And I do live for my weekends. I decided I"m going to stop doing that. Nate and I have talked a lot about how this time in our life, where things seem a little bit drab, nothing big and exciting happening, just kind of waiting for that day when we can finally buy a house, is a time that we can either wish away, and hate, or a time that we can prepare, and make the most of it. Prepare is a big word that Nate has used and I really like it. We need to use this time to prepare. Prepare for the next thing. Just like childhood was a time to prepare for adolescense, and adolescense was a time to prepare for adulthood. We are really at what feels like a standstill. May or may not be as much as we think it is, and with a family of 8 a standstill still feels a little busy, but it's just so mundane and so not where we pictured ourselves to be at this point. We're not planning any big moves, not planning for any new baby, not really looking forward to whole lot in the very near future besides our trip to Yellowstone :). So anyway, we're thinking that we have this down time to help us become better people. A time to focus on others, a time to build up some new strengths, get rid of some weaknesses, a time to create new and lasting habits, and develop some new talents and accomplish some of the goals that have been on the back burner for us during the last few years. It's really very exciting actually. It turns this waiting period into a really useful and productive one. I'm sure I've blabbed on about this enough, it's just so awesome. I love the feeling I have when I think about it, and I love the motivation it fills me with. It's fun to feel the Spirit through it all and feel like we are pointing ourselves in the right direction. I know Satan knows what I plan to do and I have felt his presence a lot too. Hopefully we can overcome him and his temptations though and carry on as if he didn't exist. I know it's easier said than done, but I'm feeling very optimistic tonight :).
One more thing I heard the other day, from Elder Bednar that I wanted to get down was bearing unscripted testimony to my children at times other than organized meetings. He spoke about sharing your love for a principle of the Gospel at random times during the day. When appropriate and making it a simple, upbeat, testimony that could be heard and felt by the children. He said that this will stick with them better even than the testimonies born at Family Home Evening or any other organized setting. And it will teach them that they can feel the Spirit and look for it in their everyday lives. Pretty cool and something I wanted to focus on. Thought I'd share that.
Oh, sorry, ONE MORE. Someone quoted Harold B. Lee saying that those who seek after easy things will become weak. Those who seek after hard things will become strong. (Or something to that effect, it was very straightforward) I love that. I love that it can be spelled out so simply too. I have thought about this concept a lot in my own life and Nate and I always say, "just because it's hard doesn't mean you can't or shouldn't do it" and I think it's been the backbone to a lot of the decisions we have made for our family, and I just loved hearing it from one of our beloved Prophets. Makes it ring even more true in my heart. I like when Heavenly Father sends in reinforcements.
I'm sure I"ll keep you all updated on every little thing I hear and think about while I'm enjoying these talks. Helps me to solidify them in my mind.
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