Its Better to Look up!

This story/ talk speaks to me.

October conference 2011 -Carl B Cook. 

At the end of a particularly tiring day toward the end of my first week as a General Authority, my briefcase was overloaded and my mind was preoccupied with the question “How can I possibly do this?” I left the office of the Seventy and entered the elevator of the Church Administration Building. As the elevator descended, my head was down and I stared blankly at the floor.

The door opened and someone entered, but I didn’t look up. As the door closed, I heard someone ask, “What are you looking at down there?” I recognized that voice—it was President Thomas S. Monson.

I quickly looked up and responded, “Oh, nothing.” (I’m sure that clever response inspired confidence in my abilities!)

But he had seen my subdued countenance and my heavy briefcase. He smiled and lovingly suggested, while pointing heavenward, “It is better to look up!” As we traveled down one more level, he cheerfully explained that he was on his way to the temple. When he bid me farewell, his parting glance spoke again to my heart, “Now, remember, it is better to look up.”

Experience has taught me that if we, like President Monson, exercise our faith and look to God for help, we will not be overwhelmed with the burdens of life. We will not feel incapable of doing what we are called to do or need to do. We will be strengthened, and our lives will be filled with peace and joy. We will come to realize that most of what we worry about is not of eternal significance—and if it is, the Lord will help us. But we must have the faith to look up and the courage to follow His direction.

President Monson’s encouragement to look up is a metaphor for remembering Christ. As we remember Him and trust in His power, we receive strength through His Atonement. It is the means whereby we can be relieved of our anxieties, our burdens, and our suffering. It is the means whereby we can be forgiven and healed from the pain of our sins. It is the means whereby we can receive the faith and strength to endure all things.

The Lord is my light; then why should I fear?

By day and by night his presence is near. …

He is my joy and my song.

By day and by night he leads … me along. ( one of my favorite songs!)

There is more to this talk...LDS.ORG. 

so much truth! felt so good to read through this talk! 

What did you learn?`

"Self-Forgiveness requires a mature understanding of the purpose of life, which is not to get back to God in the same state of innocence and purity we were in when we left him. Rather our charge here is to learn the compassion, Humility, discipline and understanding of good and evil that come only with experience and risk, failure and resilience. Our charge is to get back to god much, much wiser and better than when we left him, something we can accomplish only through traveling the bruising roads of triumph, satisfaction and ultimate joy."

We all have our stories we all have a past we all have trials we all have experiences we are ashamed of or things we wish to take back.

That’s what makes us human, we are not perfect and we never will be perfect. We shouldn’t have expectations that are never attainable; having such high expectations will leave us with feelings of failure over and over. All we can DO is learn to be better, from our own stories and others shared.  

Depression, anxiety, shame, or anger can distort one's understanding of gospel principles, even if the calm, rational self knows better. The fearful or shameful part of you may periodically hijack the mature; capable you that usually runs your life. This fearful part may have different ideas about god and his plan than the rest of you. 

We attain perfection through experience with imperfection! 

"God tells us plainly that it will be hard and lonely here: that we will not be protected from struggle, loss, the sins of others, or personal failure: and that Christ is the great redeemer--not the Great Preventer. Still God promises that the plan of agency, error and redemption is worth both pain and failure. 

“The path toward grace and self-forgiveness starts here-with understanding that god’s plan is based on the expectation that each of us will be mortal, fallible, fallen. While he offers us the privilege of living his laws and rejoices when we do, He understands that learning to cherish what He cherishes takes experience. While he is delighted when we avoid sin and saddened by the harm that sinful behavior causes, He judges us less by the number of our misdeeds than by the depth of our repentance. We can trust Him to always be close at hand, gently whispering, “What did you learn?”

I learn more with each and every experience both the good and the bad experiences. Each have a purpose and each have had a way of blessing my life for the better. 

Our task must be to free ourselves by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty.
Albert Einstein

Men's Hearts Shall Fail Them

This message means so much to me

"Be Patient with yourself, perfection comes, not in this life, but in the next life. Don't demand things that are unreasonable, but demand of yourself improvement." As you let the lord help you, through that, he will make the difference" 

“I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” —Psalm 34:4 

The lord is always there, always. We have to do such a simple and easy thing.... that is to always keep him close to us, always seek him and always have a strong and ongoing relationship with him. His love is true happiness its what can make us whole. 

“Thoughts of doubt and fear never accomplish anything, and never can. They always lead to failure. Purpose, energy, power to do, and all strong thoughts, cease when doubt and fear creep in. … He who has conquered doubt and fear has conquered failure.” —James Allen, As a Man Thinketh,pp. 40–41

( this is so perfect)

“I know my Father lives and loves me too;

The Spirit whispers this to me and tells me it is true.

He sent me here to earth by faith to live his plan;

The Spirit whispers this to me and tells me that I can.”

—“I Know My Father Lives,”  

Fear not 

May be never forget our identity and our purpose

May we always be ready and calm to meet our maker.
( goodness I love this gospel)

2012.

Be 

Be real 

Be you

Be free 

Just Be 

                                   .......Be Happy

Excited for 2012