"The day obedience becomes a quest and not an irritation is the day you gain power."
Monday, June 21, 2010
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Is My Line of Communication Open?
In RS today our cool teacher, Sis. P. Heilig, asked us at the end of a great lesson (of a lesson on the life of Christ) to do some word association. She said "My Beloved Son" and asked,"what does this make you think of?"
I thought of something that I've learned lately. Throughout the last 20+ years of raising our 5 children, I've noticed that when they are making really good choices, I can "feel" or receive pretty constant promptings as to what they need or how they are doing. I can understand quickly in many instances what to say or do for them to best take care of them in any area of their lives.
But sadly, when a child has made a negative or sinful enough choice to block the Spirit from their lives, it puts up a wall for me, too. I find this devastating. I love the Spirit working in our lives to teach us, build us up, protect us, and nurture us. With one child for almost 6 months I couldn't figure out why we couldn't "connect" in our communications. This son is by nature so kind and good. When on track, he's an amazingly intuitive person, hard working and social. But with his sins came this negative, argumentative, reclusive side that I couldn't work through. For a Mom who has relied with great success on the Spirit working miracles in our home, I really didn't find this fun at all! I did all of the things I could think of. I talked to him, prayed for him, fasted for him and worked to watch closely for hints of what might be wrong.
Once my son took steps to repent, that barrier lifted. I couldn't believe the difference!!! I had never felt this as a parent-the stark contrast of having and not having ability to use the power of the Spirit in our home.
Sadly I thought of a year in my life when I chose out of righteous living. At the time that I went through repentance, I felt my own distance from Heavenly Father and the struggle to enjoy the Spirit again. I felt the rush of peace when I had received forgiveness and the commitment to work from that point on to live in a way to never lose the Spirit again.
I have now felt the pain that my very good parents must have felt. I openly apologized to my Dad when he was in town last week in front of some of my siblings at the temple for creating this kind of a barrier. It pains me now to know that I was capable and selfish enough to do that to such great people (parents of 10 children). I had had no idea the pain that a parent could feel in this way.
So when I heard the words, "My Beloved Son", I immediately thought of the gratitude and overwhelming (if anything for our Father is overwhelming) or fully encompassing joy that our Heavenly Father had to have felt when His Son followed through on the plan from so long ago in the pre-existence. When He could say that everything was done completely on track with all of the covenants and events happening in line with His understanding as our Father. How much more trusting I am now of our Savior's love for us.
He did EVERYTHING "right" thereby not blocking the relationship with our Father in Heaven. We can trust everything that he did because he never lost the Spirit. By so doing, He really was one with the Father. He knew exactly what was needed and acted completely in tune with The Great Plan of Happiness.
What a glorious Brother we have. What a great example. How he loves us to be so unselfish for 33 years of mortal living as well as in the time before and after his earthly life.
It's motivating for me to try to do better and to learn from the scriptures more of what Heavenly Father would like for me to learn and be.
I thought of something that I've learned lately. Throughout the last 20+ years of raising our 5 children, I've noticed that when they are making really good choices, I can "feel" or receive pretty constant promptings as to what they need or how they are doing. I can understand quickly in many instances what to say or do for them to best take care of them in any area of their lives.
But sadly, when a child has made a negative or sinful enough choice to block the Spirit from their lives, it puts up a wall for me, too. I find this devastating. I love the Spirit working in our lives to teach us, build us up, protect us, and nurture us. With one child for almost 6 months I couldn't figure out why we couldn't "connect" in our communications. This son is by nature so kind and good. When on track, he's an amazingly intuitive person, hard working and social. But with his sins came this negative, argumentative, reclusive side that I couldn't work through. For a Mom who has relied with great success on the Spirit working miracles in our home, I really didn't find this fun at all! I did all of the things I could think of. I talked to him, prayed for him, fasted for him and worked to watch closely for hints of what might be wrong.
Once my son took steps to repent, that barrier lifted. I couldn't believe the difference!!! I had never felt this as a parent-the stark contrast of having and not having ability to use the power of the Spirit in our home.
Sadly I thought of a year in my life when I chose out of righteous living. At the time that I went through repentance, I felt my own distance from Heavenly Father and the struggle to enjoy the Spirit again. I felt the rush of peace when I had received forgiveness and the commitment to work from that point on to live in a way to never lose the Spirit again.
I have now felt the pain that my very good parents must have felt. I openly apologized to my Dad when he was in town last week in front of some of my siblings at the temple for creating this kind of a barrier. It pains me now to know that I was capable and selfish enough to do that to such great people (parents of 10 children). I had had no idea the pain that a parent could feel in this way.
So when I heard the words, "My Beloved Son", I immediately thought of the gratitude and overwhelming (if anything for our Father is overwhelming) or fully encompassing joy that our Heavenly Father had to have felt when His Son followed through on the plan from so long ago in the pre-existence. When He could say that everything was done completely on track with all of the covenants and events happening in line with His understanding as our Father. How much more trusting I am now of our Savior's love for us.
He did EVERYTHING "right" thereby not blocking the relationship with our Father in Heaven. We can trust everything that he did because he never lost the Spirit. By so doing, He really was one with the Father. He knew exactly what was needed and acted completely in tune with The Great Plan of Happiness.
What a glorious Brother we have. What a great example. How he loves us to be so unselfish for 33 years of mortal living as well as in the time before and after his earthly life.
It's motivating for me to try to do better and to learn from the scriptures more of what Heavenly Father would like for me to learn and be.
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