Random Sunday Thoughts

Just a couple notes about this Sunday, and last, just little journal moments.

Last Sunday, during Gospel Doctrine class, I had an experience I hadn't had in a while. The teacher was talking about the First Vision, part of the first few lessons of the year, kicking off our study of the D&C. He's kind of a goofball, outspoken, and says funny outrageous things all the time. But he was bearing his testimony about the First Vision, approaching it from the angle of what the First Vision teaches us. Not to downplay the great the things about Joseph Smith, but the real miracle of the First Vision is what it teaches us about Heavenly Father and the Savior, that they are two separate beings, how much they love us, and that the heavens are open again. Modern revelation is really here, and we can speak to God, and he answers our prayers. There was testimony after testimony from the class members, many telling mission stories about how teaching the First Vision really brought the Spirit to them and to others, perhaps when other things wouldn't. I was in tears, and many in the class were the same. We were all feeling the Spirit, and I hadn't had that kind of group experience in a while.

It's something I want to remember, it taught me to have more faith in our Heavenly Father, that he really will send the Spirit, and touch others' hearts. I think we tend to have fear that other people will think we're so weird, our Mormon doctrine, that we don't speak up enough about our beliefs. But maybe it should be a relief, that you know what, we're not in charge. Our job isn't to convert people, it's just to open our mouths. The Spirit converts people, we don't. I want to do more of that, get over my insecurities, and just rely on the Spirit more, and my own understanding, less. I think I'm such a poor ambassador for the gospel, I'm not perfect, I'm not even half-way good sometimes, yelling at my kids, neglecting my duties, and more I don't even want to go into, that I let it get in the way of sharing the gospel. Maybe it's just getting over your issues, and letting the Spirit do his job, by creating an opportunity by opening your mouth. Food for thought.

And today, the Relief Society lesson was one given about Elder Wirthlin's talk this past General Conference, entitled "Come What May, and Love It", just about being cheerful, and using humor to get through the tough times. I'm going to rat out my teenage son, and tell a funny little anecdote, which I related in class today. Last night, he came home from his friend's house, where presumably it was cleaner than here, and he told us what a disaster our house was, and egged us on to clean it, telling us what a bunch of losers we were (let us oft speak kind words to each other...) to let the house get like that. He didn't get a lot of favorable response, so he got fed up and picked it up himself. He wouldn't quit needling us as he cleaned, and he was kind of getting on my nerves (how many hours do you sit on your can playing computer?), but when he told me I should be the Mom this coming week and keep the house clean, he officially ticked me off. I told him to take his self-righteous attitude away, and if he didn't like our house, he could leave and go live somewhere else! I was super-ticked last night, but it was a stress-reliever to turn it into a funny story today about clueless, tactless teenage boys. You know, using humor to get over the maddening things children say and do.

End Post #7, 2009