The importance of leading by example

This last week I have read about King Benjamin and also King Noah. Two completely opposite leaders in the Book of Mormon.

King Benjamin loved those whom he served. He thought of their welfare and how he could serve. he knew that as he served them, he was serving God; and that was his biggest desire. He worked along side them. He took care of himself and others around him. He taught those around him of Jesus Christ and of his atonement. He prayed for them and he listened to the spirit and taught then the will of Heavenly Father. He called them together, to the temple, to inspire and instruct them and to feed them spiritually. His love of God was evident by how he loved those he served.

King Noah was completely opposite. He chose to not follow the commandments. He was very selfish. He had everyone work and took part of their profits to live by. He did not teach the people to walk in the ways of the Lord or anything about Him. In fact, when Abinadi teaches them the people are honestly confused why he is saying that what they are doing is wrong.  They haven’t been taught what is right. His heart was hardened to righteous ways. He only cared for himself, which is evident when the Lamanites attack and he encourages those with him to leave their wives and children.

Does it matter how we lead ? Absolutely!  Does it matter how we serve? Absolutely!   Will we be held accountable for what we teach or do not teach those around us?  Absolutely!

That can be very overwhelming and can create guilt, and that is the plan of the adversary, to discourage and to make us feel less than. But, as members of the Church of Jesus Christ, we have the knowledge of our Savior Jesus Christ. We have been given the gift of the Holy Ghost to assist us in this work here on the earth.  Each Sunday as we partake of the Sacrament, we have the opportunity to have Christ’s spirit with us. There is power in that. He knows we are not perfect and that we are trying our best to remember who we are and how to serve and to love those around us.

There is power when we remember that. I could think of the last 23 years as a mother, and it is really easy to see what I could have done better. And it is destructive to my spirit to go there. There is nothing I can change. Except my knowledge to see what worked and what didn’t work. And now to do a little better and be a little better. When I encourage myself this way, the spirit can be with me more to assist me in doing my Father’s will today.

I am grateful for the Book of Mormon and for the opportunity this week to read, study and ponder about the importance of how I lead. I am so grateful for our prophet in these latter-days, President Russell M. Nelson. He is like King Benjamin, a loving, joyful and righteous leader that shows his love for his Father and Savior, by loving those he serves. And challenging us to become whom the Lord needs us to be.

Temple and Book of Mormon reading

One of the invitations President Nelson gave was to establish a pattern of regular temple attendance. He said, "More regular time in the temple will allow the Lord to teach you how to draw upon His priesthood Power with which you have been endowed in His temple." "For those not near a temple - Study prayerfully about temples in the scriptures and in the words of the living prophets.  Seek to know more, to understand more, to feel more about temples than you ever have before."

The last part of his challenge that I want to work on is as I regularly go to the temple to...seek to know more, to understand more, to feel more about temples that you ever have before.

As I have read the Book of Mormon, I have noticed a pattern.  When Nephi wanted to receive instruction, he went to the temple often.  When the people during Jacob's reign wanted instruction or inspiration, they went to the temple.  When Jacob and King Benjamin needed to teach the people, they invited them to come to the temple.  I didn't recognize how often they went to the temple, until this time reading the Book of Mormon.  It is another witness to me of the importance of President Nelson's invitation.

If I want to be instructed and receive inspiration, I need to go to the temple.  And establish a pattern of regular attendance.

I read this on Sunday, "You CAN NOT be mentally passive in the temple, and expect to learn the mysteries of God."  This really hit home to me.  I know that I can step it up with how I prepare as I go to the temple.  Physically, mentally and spiritually.  I am finding it is beneficial to write down questions before going to the temple.  It keeps my mind focused.

There was a time where I went to the temple each week, to just receive strength and peace so that I could get through the trial I was experiencing.  It seemed when I would go, I could make it a few more days.

Now I am in a different place.  I have established a pattern of regular attendance, but I need to do more.  I need to make it more meaningful.  I need to open my heart and soul to receiving more. I love how the Book of Mormon is awakening this recognition and desire in me. 

I know that there is peace and power in the temple.  The last five years, I have been able to go each week...except for this last May.  I wasn't able to go for a 3 weeks, and I noticed a lot about me.  I was quicker to anger, I stressed more, I didn't feel like I was handling things as well as I normally would...as I pondered these observations I paused and asked, "Does the temple help me with all of this."  The answer I received was YES absolutely.

The temple brings tangible peace.  Two of my favorite quotes are:

"As we attend the temple, there can come to us a dimension of spirituality and a feeling of peace which will transcend any other feeling which could come into the human heart.  We will grasp the true meaning of the words of the Savior when He said, 'Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you...Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.'"  President Monson

"Temple attendance has a calming, settling, consoling influence that distills peace and contentment.  The accompanying family history work to identify ancestors to receive those ordinances yields similar blessings."  Richard G Scott

"Promised blessings include healing within our families, protection from temptation, power to overcome life's challenges...more love, joy, self-mastery, peace and meaningful moments."  Russell M. Nelson

I have so many more...but today will share these.  Isn't that amazing?!  Every challenge can be overcome as we attend the temple.  Does that mean that our lives will be easy, absolutely not.  What I have experienced, is that when trials come, peace comes as well.

When Jacob had to go to the temple and bring the fathers and men to repentance, even though it was difficult for the wives and women to hear, I have no doubt that they received peace and comfort at that moment.  The Lord loved them so much, that he sent Jacob to call the men to repentance, to awaken them to their covenants and responsibilities.

My testimony has been strengthened of the temple as I read the Book of Mormon and recognize how often the temple was the center of the lives of those that loved the Lord.  

O be wise, what can I say more?

These 8 words have so much meaning to me.   Here is Jacob and he has taught all that he knows and that he has been inspired to share, and as a final plea he says, in verse 12 of Jacob 6,  "O be wise; what can I say more?"

I love to do vinyl lettering and above my front door as you are leaving the house, it says "Have Courage & Be Kind."

O be wise....that would be another good one to vinyl somewhere.  This is advice I could give a family or friend that doesn't want religion to be a part of their life.  This is good advice to think about before I speak, to say to children as they go to hang out, to share with someone choosing hard things etc.

It is just good!  It is good because it leaves agency in tact.   As much as I as a parent want my children to make good choices and avoid heartache, it is part of this "temporal experience" to not always be wise. 

I know often times I repeat the same "weakness" and think to myself, "Oh Natalie, when are you going to learn?'  but, guess what....eventually those weaknesses will become strengths.  And no matter the choices I or those around me are making, there is a constant.  We all have loving Heavenly Parents and a Savior that are creating paths and opportunities for us to grow and succeed. 

I heard someone once share that we are spirit beings having a temporal experience.  And this experience is all about learning to be wise, but we are not perfect.  And so that wisdom also comes with forgiving ourselves and loving ourselves as we are, weaknesses and all. 

Can't you just imagine our Heavenly Parents sending us here to earth to gain a body and they had already taught us all we needed to know and then them saying,   "O be wise; what can I say more?.....but, know that we have a plan and we will send a Savior to help you on those days that you aren't as wise."

That is how loving our Heavenly Parents are.  They never will distance themselves from us, it is us that distance ourselves from them by our choices. 

But every day is a new opportunity to follow our Savior and choose to be wise. It is an incredible gift we have because we are loved.  No matter where we are on the covenant path, there is always a plan to assist us to get back to Them.  I know it!  I love it!  

10 day Media fast - what I am learning

Yesterday I finished the 10 Day Media Fast that President Nelson asked us to participate in. Here are the things he asked:

• Pray to know which influences to remove during your fast
• What do you notice after taking a break from perspectives f the world that have been wounding your spirit?
• Is there a change in where you now want to spend your time and energy?
• Have any of your priorities shifted --just a little?
• Record and follow through with each impression

A week before conference, as I was praying and thinking about what the Lord needed me to improve upon, I regularly ask "what lack I yet?"  What is keeping me from receiving constant revelation?  What is keeping me from having the spirit with me constantly?

  As I was pondering these questions, I distinctly felt impressed to delete some groups from my facebook feed.  These were good groups.  One was for primary presidencies and the other was about gospel topics, drawing nearer to Christ.  So, I did.  I deleted them and also went through all the groups I followed and deleted A LOT.  And you know what happened, my feed cleaned up.  When I went onto facebook, within a few minutes I could scroll through and see what I wanted to see and be done.  Normally, I would see a post and read it and all the comments and BAM, 20 minutes later....I would remember that I got on my phone to send an email or to look up something.... I was guided by good things...but away from the best things.

As I was getting ready to delete them, the scripture, Doctrine & Covenants 6:36, came to mind, my sister had recently shared it with me.  It says, "Look unto me in every thought.  Doubt not.  Fear not."  And the impression I got was, anything you need to know for your calling or your family or anything,  I will tell you.  I realized I had been seeking what others shared and posted, before I was seeking the Lord's counsel.

What I noticed from this fast, is it what easier than the first one President Nelson asked us to do.  Or for the youth to do.  I wanted to that one as well, and I noticed that every time I picked up my phone, I went right to safari and then to facebook.  I did it without even realizing what I was doing.

So, this time, I deleted apps and put safari and other apps into a folder that was NOT convenient to get to.  And it worked.  And instead of having my phone near me, I have had the Book of Mormon near me.  It is amazing how much you can get read when you use your "free time" to do so.

I did notice a change in my countenance.  How I felt and how productive I was.  I recognized that the more time I spent on social media, the more down I got.  The less motivated I became.  Now, my goal is to go on for a purpose.  To inspire, to meet needs, to reach out.  But, I also realized I can do that just as easily, more personally than on social media. 

But what I noticed during these ten days was I had so much more interaction one on one.  Instead of texting, I went to homes or called.  I LOVED THAT!  I would say yes, my priorities have shifted.  I feel I am more present in the home and with others.

This fast reminded me of the most important things, which are, my Heavenly Parents and my Savior and the importance to connect with them each day, through prayer and scripture study.    Still a work in progress :),   The most important work I will ever do is in my home, with my family.  And that I must record my impressions.

That is partly why I started this online blog.  I have so many notebooks, where I write down impressions, but I felt prompted to write it in a format that could be printed out and shared if I felt prompted.  And I could keep my thoughts in one spot. 

When I did open social media again, I did have a few minutes where I just started the scrolling, and I felt myself detach physically from those around me, my family.  I got irritated more quickly. I wouldn't "hear" as others were speaking to me.. And then I recognized what was happening and I thought about Nephi and felt connected to him when he said in 2 Nephi chapter 4:

"Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great ^agoodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O ^bwretched man that I am! Yea, my heart ^csorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities."

How often am I sucked right back into the world.?!  It is a battle every day.  The adversary is very sly and clever at distracting me from the best things.  I am in a battle every day, but, this is one battle I will win.  Because I know whom to look to for strength and guidance.

I am excited to continue to listen for revelation and guidance as the Lord assists me in becoming the daughter I have always been.  We are stronger than we realize and the Savior's power will always overcome evil.  This gives me hope and strength.

the voice of the Lord came into my mind...

I have always loved reading Enos. It is a short chapter packed with the power of prayer and answers. As I was reading verse 10,  these words pierced my heart and soul. It states: "And while I was thus struggling in the spirit, behold, the voice of the Lord came into my mind.....”

I have experienced this in my life. It was a Monday morning, I had learned some news and I heard “I will take this, IF, you will let me.”  Right as I heard those words, I accepted them and I felt a great weight leave me immediately. I let my Savior take again what He had already taken.  And then I immersed myself in the best things and I felt the most immense JOY I had ever felt in my life.

In wordly views, I should have been devastated, but, through my Savior, I received the PEACE that passeth all understanding and I was blessed to feel IMMENSE JOY.  The kind of JOY that makes you smile and it is hard to stop.  The kind of JOY that you feel like you are floating on air.  IMMENSE JOY!

I know that when we receive instruction from the Lord, it comes through the Holy Ghost and it can come to my mind.  It is different than just a thought.  As it comes it creates a connection between my mind and my heart.  So that I KNOW without a doubt that it is revelation for me. 

Following the Lord, even when it is hard

In chapter 2 of Jacob,  in verse 2, Jacob tells how he is on his way to the temple to instruct the people. How they have gathered to hear the word of God. And he tells how he would love to just encourage and uplift, but that it grieveth his soul, but the Lord has told him the thoughts of the husbands and fathers and instead of uplifting, he must call them to repentance. 

Here is a part:

And it supposeth me that they have come up hither to hear the pleasing word of God, yea, the word which healeth the wounded soul.

Wherefore, it burdeneth my soul that I should be constrained, because of the strict commandment which I have received from God, to admonish you according to your crimes, to enlarge the wounds of those who are already wounded, instead of consoling and healing their wounds; and those who have not been wounded, instead of feasting upon the pleasing word of God have daggers placed to pierce their souls and wound their delicate minds.

And then he goes on to talk first about pride and having more than others in way of riches to talking about their immorality and how it is destroying the hearts of their wives and children.  

As I read this chapter, I thought of how of how often when the apostles and prophets are preparing for conference and how many times this may happen to them. A lot of their talks are uplifting, and some may be harder to hear, because they are commanded of the Lord to speak hard things. As I read how This grieveth his soul. It created for me a different perspective and understanding for those that may have to deliver those more difficult talks. 

Verse 10 & 11:

10 But, notwithstanding the greatness of the task, I must do according to the strict commands of God, and tell you concerning your wickedness and abominations, in the presence of the pure in heart, and the broken heart, and under the glance of the piercing eye of the Almighty God.

11 Wherefore, I must tell you the truth according to the plainness of the word of God. For behold, as I inquired of the Lord, thus came the word unto me, saying: Jacob, get thou up into the temple on the morrow, and declare the word which I shall give thee unto this people.

And then verse 35: 

35 Behold, ye have done greater iniquities than the Lamanites, our brethren. Ye have broken the hearts of your tender wives, and lost the confidence of your children, because of your bad examples before them; and the sobbings of their hearts ascend up to God against you. And because of the strictness of the word of God, which cometh down against you, many hearts died, pierced with deep wounds.

Can you imagine the impact this had on them. As he says he have done greater iniquity than the lamanites. I think That is a very strong statement that I am sure caused them to pause and reflect. 

I am so very grateful for our leaders and for the love they have for the Lord to deliver His words and counsel to us, especially when it sometimes “grieves their souls”. 

Go to the Mount oft - Temple

I am loving the Book of Mormon challenge. So many things I loved today... here is one.

The temple is often called “the mountain of the Lord”.   I often look for references to those going to the temple within the scriptures.  This was when Nephi was building a ship, he leaned on the Lord to gain strength and instruction in this task. Such an example and great wisdom in this verse. If we go to the temple often and pray often, the Lord will show us great things. ALL things we need to know. ❤️