Forget Me Not

So today I had a very uplifting day at church. Sadly these are few and far between for me. I struggle with the ward I am in and am trying to remove my annoyed feelings that get in the way of me learning from what is being taught. First, in Sacrament the topic was prayer. I have an unbelievably strong testimony of prayer and rely on it heavily in my life. The speaker talked about 2 things that I liked and will briefly share. She said, "Heavenly Father hears every prayer and answers every prayer." He doesn't have a silent button like our phones and He always answers them just not always in the time or way we hoped or planned on. I can truly testify that both of these statements are true and I hope that you rely on prayer as much as I do. It is truly a blessing. The next inspiring moment I had today was in Relief Society. We discussed the talk by President Dieter F. Uchdorf titled Forget Me Not. I am sure many of you remember this talk. I loved hearing it again today and hope that you will enjoy some of the things that I re-learned and will now share.
First, forget not to be patient with yourself. Something he say's in this I really like. He says, "Dear sisters, many of you are endlessly compassionate and patient with the weaknesses of others. Please remember also to be compassionate and patient with yourself." He continues on, "... these successes may seem tiny to you and they may go unnoticed by others, but God notices them and they are not small to Him. If you consider success to be only the most perfect rose or dazzling orchid, you may miss some of life's sweetest experiences." We need to realize that we are not perfect (don't worry a whole post dedicated to this coming soon) and that we never will be in this life. God is also fully aware of this. President Uchdorf says, "It's wonderful that you have strengths. And it is part of your mortal experience that you do have weaknesses." I know we all know this but I find it so much more powerful hearing it from an Apostle of God. We are here to learn and grow and to one day become perfect. That day is not today nor is it tomorrow.
Second, forget not the difference between a good sacrifice and a foolish sacrifice. This one is just funny. He talks about how getting up with a sick child in the night is a good sacrfice whereas staying up all night to make the perfect hair bow for your daughters dress might be a foolish sacrifice. Let's be honest, I've totally done this and the next morning is not enjoyable. Each one of us is in a different situation and therefore good and foolish sacrifices may differ from person to person. President Uchdorf gives a question that can be asked to make sure we are choosing a good sarfice. "Am I committing my time and energies to the things that matter most?" There are so many good things for us to be doing but sometimes there are better options. This one really strikes home to be right now because we are in a place in our life that some crucial decisions will be made in the next year. We have a few good options and it is hard to decide what is the best option even when the best option may not seem to be what we were planning on or even want to do. We will trust in our Heavenly Father and ask exactly what President Uchdorf suggested, "Am I committing my time and energies to the things that matter most?"
Third, forget not to be happy now. This is a big one for me, and possibly for you as well. I find myself waaay too often in life looking ahead. Well, when we're just out of school. Once we have a job. Once we are out of debt. Once my babies are no longer babies (I like toddlers more than babies ;). Once this addiction is not consuming my every thought. And the lists go on. This is something I have to consciously work on. So many happy things happen each day. I need to recognize them and enjoy them. If you really think about it, the list will get quite out of control and thats a good thing! I have a husband who provides for us. He is trying his best to overcome an addiction. He loves me and my children. I have healthy children (that are stinkin' cute might I add). I get to stay home and be a mom to them, such a blessing (sometimes in disguise). I have food on my table. I have a home and a car. I have the gospel of Jesus Christ and I have a firm testimony that carries me through the good and bad times. And the list definitely goes on.
Fourth, forget not the "why" of the gospel. President Uchdorf explains that sometimes we look at the gospel as a long list of things to do. Something that we have to fit into our busy schedules. He says, "We focus on what the Lord wants us to do and how we might do it, but we sometimes forget why." The gospel is not an obligation but a pathway to happiness. We need to know the what and how of the gospel but as we understand the why we will realize the joy and delight that comes from living the gospel. Watch this Mormon Message before continuing to read. This is an amazing story for many reasons but I want to tie it into the gospel as a blessing. This boy said that it felt harder to be pulling or pushing Dayton during the race but how great it was for him to have his friend along side him. At the end when he felt all his strength was gone Dayton started smiling and the boy was able to sprint to the finish. I think this can relate to the fact that sometimes the gospel may feel harder to pull along (seriously I know, sometimes I wonder why I bring noisy kids to church, etc.) But the gospel is our friend cheering us on. Making it so that we can sprint to the finish. What a blessing the gospel is in our lives. It's not a burden but a true priviledge to have such knowledge. And don't you just hope your child is as awesome as this young man? I certainly do!
Fifth, forget not that the Lord loves you. Basically you need to read what he says because it is powerful. We are not forgotten. No matter how miserable life is or how we may feel about our life and our circumstances Heavenly Father is aware. He loves us. He cares about us. He wants us to rely on Him and His gospel.
I hope that this message will touch you as it did me. So many important things to remember. These are just my thoughts on the things President Uchdorf talked about but here is a link to the full talk. I hope you will read, listen to the spirit, and choose something to work on this week to make yourself even better than the amazing person that you are.