Trivial knowledge, did you know he’s a retired AF Fighter Pilot? With that, on to the words of counsel!So again I kind of went just to go and get out of the house; I’m trying to give everyone associated with the YSA Outreach Center a heart attack by showing up basically 3 times in a week.
HOW TO ALWAYS STAND FAITHFUL AND TRUE
-We are only able to stand faithful and true as we seek spiritual ‘high grounds’ in which we rise about the world and temptations
-Not only do we need to seek high grounds but we also need to maintain the high ground we achieve while working to go higher.
--Elder Hales told the story of Amalakiah and Lahonti. Lahonti had a fortress and was in prime position on a hill to be able to see Amalakiah’s men and army’s every move. Amalakiah wished to have Lahonti come from the fortress to overtake him; being a smart man Amalakiah sent a messenger to Lahonti asking him to come just outside his fortress so the two of them could talk. Lahonti refused the first time and remained in charge of his army and land while still on the high grounds. Amalakiah however would not give up and asked again and again. Finally Lahonti agreed and met with Amalakiah just outside his fortress.
It was here that Amalakiah offered Lahonti use of his armies if Lahonti would make Amalakiah second in command to him. For a while Lahonti continued to rule steadfast and strong but little by little he was dying off. Amalakiah was having one of his servants poison Lahonti until he finally died. It was at this point that Amalakiah gained control of all the Lamanite armies and land.
---In this story Lahonti is us and Amalakiah is Satan.
----Succumbing to the will of Satan may give us peace at first but it is only short lived and eventually will be the cause of our own destruction. We will constantly be tried and tempted to break the commandments but all these things are meant to strengthen us and will be for our own good. When we fall it afflicts others; not only ourselves.
SO MANY DEPEND ON US TO BE HONEST AND WORTHY AND CHASTE
-Keep in mind this was a fireside meant mainly for YSAs so Elder Hales went on to say, “CHOICES WE MAKE NOW WILL DETERMINE IF WE ARE WORTHY OF OUR FUTURE COMPANION AND CHILDREN.” Yeah, ouch, as if that didn’t hurt!
STAY WORTHY AND IT WILL NOT MATTER IF WE ARE MARRIED OR NOT IN THE AFTER LIFE (I think that goes back to a previous post of mine and the comment Sis Oaks made about having a mission and purpose to being single. The Lord will use you if you are worthy.
-If present friends are taking you from the strait and narrow do not remain close to them. Do not allow the mocking of those that chose the great and spacious building to deter you from the path of righteousness.
STAYING ON HIGH GROUND REQUIRES DESIRE AND STRENGTH
-How can I achieve this?
--Have the desire to gain that status
--Cultivate an atmosphere of spirituality
--Read your scriptures to help strengthen yourself and future home and family
--Faith in the Lord: Exercise it
---As we exercise our faith in the Lord we will mature and grow.
--TRUST in the Lord
--Maintain a close relationship with the Holy Ghost. He will give you strength, revelation and guidance to stay on that high ground
---DO NOT DO ANYTHING TO LOSE THE GUIDANCE/COMPANIONSHIP OF THE HOLY GHOST
HIGH GROUNDS REQUIRE OBEDIENCE
-With the Spirit comes light. Satan is the Lord of Darkness and cannot stand where light is.
Elder Hales then made an unexpected turn if you ask me and started focusing on repentance. He said, “You do not want to live your life with regrets of disobedience.”
OF ALL THE WORDS IN THE WORLD, THE SADDEST OF THESE ARE: IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.
The Fourth Step of Repentance is to FORGIVE OURSEVLES and the Lord, God, will not call it to mind.
-We cannot progress through this life and into the next if we do not forgive ourselves (but man, it’s just SOOOOO HARD!)
Elder Hales then shared thoughts with us that being the youngest in the family made it easy for him because he learned from his older siblings and was able to see the wrong doing and consequences and tell himself, don’t want to do that one! That thought brought out this thought from me: DO I DO THINGS IN MY LIFE THAT CAUSES MY SIBLINGS TO SAY: I DON’T WANT TO DO THAT OR BE LIKE HER? Wouldn’t that be the biggest slap in the face? The answer to the question regarding my siblings is probably YES which causes for a great desire to be better.
Elder Hales pointed out some things we need to work on now before we get in that situation of a couple and having to think/worry about others in our life.
REFRAIN FROM GAINING DEBT
-When we become indebt we give up our sense of Free Agency having to make decisions or cut backs to repay those debts.
--Of course he echoed the churches standings on education debts being the only debts you should be ok with incurring; that too though requires management and needs to be used for the bettering of yourself and education.
--When you finally have reached that point of marriage and companionship it is important to express those words of endearment, I love you, but also the four words of love, we can’t afford it.
We need to be self-disciplined in order to better our future families, we must raise ourselves up to high grounds so that we may reach down and lift others up without allowing them to pull us down.
PROVIDENT LIVING
-Temple is the HIGHEST ground we will be able to reach while in this life.
-At the temple:
--What is written on Earth is written in Heaven
--What is sealed on Earth is sealed in Heaven
--What is made covenant on Earth is made covenant in Heaven
--It is a place we can ponder and pray
--It is a place we can pour out our desires and cares to receive spiritual guidance.
BLESSINGS OF A FAMILY WILL COME TO ALL THE FAITHFUL, WETHER IN THIS LIFE OR THE NEXT
-Successful Couples:
--Know WHO they are and set goals to return to God
--Know DOCTRINES of GOSPEL and Keep COVENANTS
--CHOOSE to REMAIN SPIRITUAL and seek to become less worldly
--Know that they have been SEALED for ETERNITY and they need NOT look FURTHER
--Think of OTHER before SELF. Keep COMMUNICATION lines OPEN.
--Speak KIND WORDS and work to not hurt the ones they love. Successful couples KNOW that they will not be nicer in Heaven.
1 comment:
Another great post. These really uplift me Sara, so thanks again for taking the time to go and write it all up. It helps to sort it out as we write and evaluate ourselves against it. You will be blessed because you are doing everything right--seeking uplifting things to help you through this difficult time. I think our emotional selves and spiritual selves are closely tied together. When we are going through grief or struggles emotionally it is easy to confuse it with spiritual things--I think that is a tool Satan uses to cause people to stumble. Just keep doing what your doing. You will get the a place of comfort again!
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