1- The beginning Paper...an explanation, the motivation, and the "rules" or what to expect...
Hello Family,
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about my stewardship, and how I can better magnify where I am currently called to “stand”. My greatest stewardship has always been my family. Mama and I get sad very quickly when we stop to think about all our little ones who are growing up and leaving the nest. Yet at the same time we are so excited to see all that you are doing and becoming, and we feel so blessed as our little family continues to grow with new additions (love you Seth).
Anyway, these impressions and feelings led me to recently restudy The Family Proclomation (I’ve attached just a small portion below). Here we are taught by prophets and apostles what is most important regarding each of our responsibilities as part of a family.
As a parent, I have felt prompted recently to share with you all of you more frequently my testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and what I am learning or have felt strengthening to my faith as I study each week.
My thoughts have led me to try and do this through a weekly email. I’m not exactly sure how this will go or look, but I’m going to follow the prompting. Here are some rules I’ll try to follow :)
1) I will try to be concise and not make these too long
2) No response is needed - you are not going to hurt me feelings by not responding, nor will I do some weird quiz later to see if you actually read it :)
3) I’ll list references to what I’ve been studying in case you feel like diving in deeper yourself
4) All thoughts shared will come from what I am learning or studying and they are shared out of the crazy amount of love I have for each of you. Never will it be meant to be pointed, or serving some ulterior motive, so don’t be tempted to read into a topic some particular application to a specific family member, it will apply to all of us.
5) At the end of each email I will include invitations I have given to myself. This will be something that my study has led me to commit to, so I will simply share it and invite you to think about it if you choose
So here goes - Two thoughts from this week:
1) I’ve been waiting for the past couple of weeks for Elder and Sister Hollands’s talks given to the YSA’s of the church to come out in print. I listened a couple of times to Sister Holland’s talk and just loved it, so I was anxious to study it in print.
Here are the highlights from her talk that stood out to me
* “As I look back at my life, and if I could live any part of it over again, I would do one thing differently - very differently -simplify!” - Sister Holland
- she talks about simplifying everything we do, from the food we eat to our schedules - to the way we study gospel truths.
“I firmly believe that God intended such gospel truths to be plain enough for even a child to understand.” - Sister Holland
Here is a little sequence she gives to describe three simple principles of the Gospel.
Faith - is the conviction that there is a God
Hope - is trusting He will help us
Charity - is His love and ability working through us to bless others
I loved this! So simple, but so profound and powerful. Faith is what moves us to pray to Him. I have felt this week a greater desire to pray more earnestly, because I believe with all my heart that He is real, and cares what I am saying. I take this for granted so much of the time. I do have so much Hope, that He will help me with everything that I’m involved in, from work, to my calling, to being a better husband and father ….. as I strive to keep my covenants with Him. I know that these feelings of faith and hope lead me to be more charitable, as I really listen to what He is trying to convey to me through the Holy Ghost daily. He brings people to my mind, ways to reach out to love and support.
What a simple and beautiful pattern that we can all follow, no matter our circumstances. Faith, Hope & Charity
2) I’ve been trying to keep this quote on my mind (I had to go look it up, because I wasn’t sure who said it
“We are spiritual beings having a human experience.” French philosopher, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin.
I love the perspective this gives me when I feel myself getting my priorities out of line. Much like the Temple experience, it helps me see and remember the big picture and His plan
So here invitations I have extended to myself this week
1) What can I learn to simplify in my life?
2) Read and ponder The Family Proclomation
3) Remember the bigger picture when I get caught up in the grind of daily living
I love each one of you more than I can tell you. Love,
Dad
A little part of The Family Proclamation that prompted me in magnifying my stewardship
“Children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalm 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives, mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.
The family is ordained of God. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities.
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