Priesthood Session, Talk #7 - Elder Patrick Kearon
"Come unto Me with Full Purpose of Heart and I Shall Heal You."
Sisters, I am grateful for the gentle prodding I received to choose this week's blog talk. I hope that you will benefit from the wisdom of Elder Kearon's talk. In this talk I am strengthened by the directive that when I use my energies fully to follow the words of God, I am blessed. Conversely, any inclination to withhold a modicum of myself from him is to cheat myself from his greatest gifts and forgiveness.
I hope that you will all enjoy a very Merry Christmas.
Wow! Was that a long Christmas Holiday Break or what!??! OK who is with me in getting back to this and enjoying the spirit of learning together? Can I get a witness?!?! C'mon - let's feel it feel it (a little Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch is always a good idea to get motivated back into a good Spirit filled Conference Chat!) Truly though - glad to be back and hopefully you ALL can join me back in the joy of learning!
ReplyDeleteSo I have listened to Elder Kearon's talk bunches of times in hopes to do this write up and each time I just have to say I LOVE HIS ACCENT! OK Good - got that out in the open! Truly though I did love his voice - but even more than that - ok well maybe right on the same level - but truly I loved the message that he shared to ALL of us - especially those of us who aren't perfect. Who have once or twice been lazy or willfully rebelled.
It is a mystery why after all I have been given and all the knowledge bestowed to me, I am still not perfect. (Yes it is true - I am not - sorry to burst anyone's bubble out there! ... hee hee) But truly I struggle with 'why am I so lame sometimes and get lazy and willfully rebel against those things that I have been taught or that I know to be true ... I take comfort in four things - a) Our Father in Heaven has put us on this Earth to learn thorough our experiences .. the good and the bad b)We can repent, He encourages repentance, in fact He sent His son to atone for my and all of our weaknesses, mistakes, sins, and learning challenges; c) He is a patient and loving Father in Heaven - who knows and loves us more than we know and He will patiently await our growth as He teaches us and gives us opportunities to improve; and d)Even the wonderful Nephi experienced this kind of challenge when he questions how after ALL he had been given and all he had gone through - how after all that he could still struggle and still be weak - love that in 2Nephi! So real and so comforting to see him even struggle with trying to be better in this mortal world!
I very much agree with Elder Kearon when he says 'that disregarding what we know to be right, whether through laziness or rebelliousness, always brings undesirable and spiritually damaging consequences.'
I am re-commited and inspired by the New Year and this talk - to 'serve Him with “all [our] heart.” {... so that I can qualify for} The promise that we “may stand blameless before God at the last day” and return to His presence.' ... and additionally live in more peace and confidence!
Being obedient - truly allows us to stand with our heads high and to have that full Peace granted to us ONLY from our loving Savior ... a Peace that fill every ounce of our soul and that is when I feel the most Joy when I am truly filled with that Peace.
So if the formula is obedience - count me in! Thank you Liz for this talk! I love you all so very much - and I look forward to reading your comments and then continuing on our journey with a new talk on next Monday!
Cecia is a rock star. Can we all just agree on that one? Thank you Cecia for always being the one takes the initiative. I love that about you.
ReplyDeleteSorry about the LOOOONG break. Things have been a little crazy around here. We are moving home...can't wait. I have actually read/listened to this talk a bunch of times, but I kept forgetting to comment.
My favorite line in this talk...
"No one can find peace in a minefield."
I love this for two reasons. #1: I grew up in a family of very strong personalities. Although everyone was fairly consistent in their efforts to live the gospel, there was a lot of "debate" and contention going on. I think that it was easily justified, because we were all going through the motions of keeping the commandments. That has continued into our adulthood and the older I get, the more uncomfortable it makes me. Even if I feel like I am "right", I have learned that the only way I can truly feel peace is to just avoid the debate and focus on the positive.
Reason #2: Raising 4 boys can sometimes feel like a minefield. I spend a lot of time being a referee and trying to make sure that Miles doesn't kill himself. I have found that if I focus on creating a peaceful environment in our home, and encouraging everyone to continually express love and enjoy each other's company...our home is filled with peace (even with 4 extremely energetic boys).
I also love when he is talking about the Anti-Nephi-Lehies. That is one of my favorite stories in the Book of Mormon.
"When they laid down their weapons of rebellion, they qualified themselves for the Lord’s healing and peace, and so can we."
They weren't expected to be perfect right away. It was THE ACT of burying their weapons that qualified them for the Lord's healing power. We don't have to do everything perfectly, we just have to have the desire to change and the Lord will heal our hearts. I love that.
"“When obedience becomes our goal, it is no longer an irritation; instead of a stumbling block, it becomes a building block."
This is so true! I usually spend a lot of time thinking how hard it will be to give up something that I am doing that isn't bringing me closer to the Savior. Once I quit whining, and decide to be obedient I remember that “… Obedience leads to true freedom. The more we obey revealed truth, the more we become liberated.”
I have really enjoyed the lessons in RS lately that have focused on the basics. I loved the lesson about the sacrament. That lesson and this talk have helped me to re-focus on that covenant and use it every week to apply the atonement in my life. We are so lucky to have a loving Heavenly Father that will forgive us EVERY TIME we mess up. I don't think I have a big problem with rebellion, my problem is LAZINESS. I get so frustrated with myself when I become lazy and don't do all of the things that I know will bring me the most joy. This is a great talk to start out the year and focus on change and claiming mercy.
.. and this is why I absolutely love this forum! Thank you Kenon for teaching me this morning! I found myself in a 'debate' of sorts - a mild one but still a debate with a loved one ... and thank you for speaking to that - so that the Spirit could burn with in my heart that indeed I need to be more loving and focus on the positive - thank you for that! Additionally getting my three kids ready this morning - wasn't necessarily a model example of peace and love ... it wasn't as bad as it has been (eeks) - but thank you again for the nudge to be the model of enjoying everyone's company in my home!
ReplyDeleteLove you sweet Kenon!!!!
Yes I know I am late on commenting on this one but I have thinking about it for a long time...and I felt this strange urge to step out of the darkness... :)
ReplyDeleteI loved the story of the scorpion what a great message. Although I feel like I am not at a point in my life where I will make drastic decisions that will drag me from the path I know that sometimes I don't do all that I can. this quote summed up my feelings a bit.
"We refuse, sometimes willfully, to be “exactly obedient” 1 —as it says in Preach My Gospel—and we hold back a portion of our hearts from the Lord. And then we get stung.
The scriptures teach us that “the Lord requireth the heart,” 2 and we are commanded to love the Lord and serve Him with “all [our] heart.” 3 The promise is that we “may stand blameless before God at the last day” and return to His presence."
I know what my Heavenly father requires of me but I don't always put him first. for many reasons that are ridiculous. I know I am happier when I am doing every little thing I can to be nearer to my savior. what a great reminder.