What I said stuck with me for a few days, and I shared that with a family in our ward while home teaching. I believe this statement applies to many of us. I can't speak for everyone, but from those I am close to, this seems to be the case. You have a few days, week or a month where you are relating everything to the gospel, studying for an hour a day, and doing good paying tithes and offerings.
Life always seems to get in the way. There comes a day when you are swamped at work, and you have the kids go to bed before you can read together. Then, it is your own scripture study that suffers. You know better. You can somehow justify that you are too busy, you know the gospel backwards and forwards, etc... Satan always tells us it is OK to put it off for another day, no one is perfect. The struggle I have is to not allow one day to break a habit; unfortunately, I normally allow it to.
Well, you go to church one day, and a talk reminds you of what your priorities should be and then you improve your habits. You don't allow the scriptures to slide, no matter tired you are or how late the hour. You are doing what you need to be doing, and your life improves. There is less stress, your kids seem better behaved.
I believe that there is power that is given to us when we do the simple things of the gospel. The other day I was stressed because I have a math final coming up, and I was trying to study for it. It's an online class, and the video's for it weren't loading no matter what I tried. I spent a long time searching online for the help i needed to make the material stick in my mind.
I decided I needed to stop studying math, and focus for awhile on the gospel. I have been reading a book, Christopher Columbus by Clark Hinckley, and I wanted to read some talks given by our church leaders on this subject. I found quite a few, and those I read were awesome. Many were given in the 1970's, way before I was born. Reading them gave me new understanding of Columbus and the importance he played in the restoration of the gospel.
The Book of Mormon foretold of Columbus, and how he would open the American Continents to European colonization. This colonization was key to the restoration, because the Book of Mormon needed to be brought forth in America where it had a chance to take hold. If it had come forth in another land or time, it would have failed.
President N. Eldon Tanner gave a talk entitled If they will but serve the God of the land that described this very concept. He said that there had been other people after the Nephites that had discovered America, but no colonization efforts were made or took hold. The timing simply wasn't right. Columbus had to be the one to open the doors to the Western Hemisphere for the Europeans. It had been foretold by a prophet.
I also wanted to know more about the Law of Moses, and why it was given to the Israelites. I've been reading Exodus to find out more. The Doctrine and Covanents tells us the reason why: it was a carnal law, one the people could understand. In the form given, it was to remind them of Christ and his coming. Unfortunately, the Jewish leaders amended and changed the Law to add burdensome requirements, and it changed over time. That is why Christ denounced the Law; it simply wasn't being practiced the intended way.
I would never have understood these if I had not taken the time to simply read a talk and study the scriptures. I have gained so much knowledge about history and the importance of eternal laws. I felt so much better after reading the scriptures, I began to study and actually understood what I was reading. Before reading the scriptures all I understood was that I dislike math with a passion as taught in schools, and am excited that after this class, I will no longer be required to take any ever again.
One other example I would like to share is the power of priesthood blessings. Cathy and I are taking an upcoming trip to California, and we were both stressed out about it. Allison is 6 months old, and just starting to not want to be seperated from us when she sleeps. We kept trying to put her to sleep, then put her in her crib and have her sleep all night. She was having none of that. She kept waking up and screaming and screaming until we picked her up.
Some might say we are allowing the baby to rule us, because we don't let her scream until she falls asleep. I hate doing that for longer than a few minutes, and we have upstairs neighbors who don't want to hear her scream at 11:30 at night. We kept trying and trying, but to no avail.
Well, Cathy received a blessing, and it was like all our stresses went away. We have been very worried for Alli, as she hates being in her car seat. We are taking a longer trip so that we aren't driving for 12 hours a day. We were worried because I am taking so much time off work. We had a lot of worries, to say the least.
Well, after the blessing, it seemed like we had nothing to worry about; that things would be alright. I know they will be, and now I can stop worrying about things I can't control right now. I know the Priesthood is God's power on earth, and it is here to bless his children.
