Turning AWAY from Bad Habits

"Do you find yourself hating what you are doing but not able to find the willpower to turn away from it? Then reach out and humble yourself. The Lord's enabling power is sufficient to change your heart, to turn your life, to purge your soul. But you must make the first move, which is to humble yourself and realize that only in God can you find deliverance."

—M. Russell Ballard, "Be Strong in the Lord"
Topics: Humility, Repentance

Sometimes that "hating what you are doing" is actually "hating yourself" and even the bad habits you turn to when you are depressed. I've already blogged about what my depressive habits are and you can read about those in this blog post ). When you are depressed it is hard to be "able to find the willpower to turn away from [whatever it is that you find yourself hating what you are doing]."

It may be hard, but the only way to receive help is through God's divine help. He will empower you to overcome anything. 

You will receive the ability 
                                              
                                         and power through HIM who 

                                                                                 is mighty to save.

What do You Spend your Time On?

I was asked to read this quote during Sunday School or Relief Society, I can't remember which, but I loved it so much that I kept the little piece of paper it was typed up on and I wanted to share.

"Purity,
             virtue,
                        fidelity,
                                     godliness 

                                      must be sought 

                      AMBITIOUSLY, 

or the crown cannot be won. Those principles must be incorporated with[in] ourselves, woven into our constitutions, becoming a part of us, making us a centre, a fountain of truth, of equity, justice, and mercy, of all that is good and great, that from us may proceed the light, the life, the power, and the law to direct, to govern and assist to save a wandering world..."

I'll look to see who is this quote is from since I can't remember that either! But the message is so great. If you want to be a better person, a better parent, friend, or family member then AMBITIOUSLY seek after all things that are pure, virtuous, full of fidelity and godliness. Weave them into your very CHARACTER. You become the person you are as an accumulation of the what you seek, what you spend your time on.

Q:Where do you spend your time?
What choices do you make to be a person of virtue and fidelity?
What are some examples of things you spend your life, your time, with...things that are pure?
What traits are you weaving into your character to become more like God? 

***Leave comments below!***

HE is perfectly loving, perfectly understanding, perfectly patient and more. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ I can become more like my Father in Heaven. What a great promise!!!

It is impossible for me to achieve immortality AND eternal life if I procrastinate and waste my life spent on things that have no worth, things that detract and repel the Holy Ghost. The Crown cannot be won under those circumstances.

But if I ambitiously Seek after those four things, weaving them into my character until they become a part of me then I succeed in being worthy of God's greatest gift, eternal life, to be able to live in HIS presence, to be worthy to be there and stand before HIM because I have repented and used the Atonement daily in my life. Immortality is given to everyone who has lived on this earth through Christ overcoming death. But I also want to go home, my real home, with my perfect Father in Heaven. I yearn to hear HIM say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Enter into my glory."

God's Character and Forgiveness

I love the part in this video where it shows the woman taken in adultery because it offers a glimpse of how God forgives. Christ didn't condone her sin, He told her to go and sin no more. He showed love, tender mercy and grace. When we turn to God in prayer with a true and repentant heart, do we imagine a God with stones in hand (like the Pharisees and scribes) or do we imagine a loving Father who runs toward us and celebrates our return just as the father did in the parable of the prodigal son? 

I KNOW we have a loving Father in Heaven who celebrates each and every time we repent and draw closer to Him. 

God's grace through His Son Jesus Christ truly is amazing.

You can read more about the woman taken in adultery here. You can read the full account of the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32.

The Sacrament and a Mighty Change of Heart

This past conference, Elder Robert D. Hales said,

"I testify that the sacrament gives us an opportunity to come to ourselves and experience ‘a mighty change’ of heart—to remember who we are and what we most desire. As we renew the covenant to keep the commandments, we obtain the companionship of the Holy Ghost to lead us back into our Heavenly Father’s presence. No wonder we are commanded to ‘meet together oft to partake of [the] bread and [water]’ and to partake of the sacrament to our souls."

—Elder Robert D. Hales, "Coming to Ourselves: The Sacrament, the Temple, and Sacrifice in Service", General Conference, Apr. 2012

I've been praying for a "mighty change of heart" and for a strong desire to take better care of myself starting with getting enough rest. I had an "Ah-ha" moment when I read this. I never thought of connecting the sacrament with receiving a change of heart. It's only through the help of my Heavenly Father that I can obtain this blessing. Next Sunday while I take the sacrament I will remember the desire and change of heart I am praying for.

I think that I will need this weekly reminder and in the words of Elder Hales,

"No wonder we are commanded to

‘meet together oft to partake of [the] bread and [water]’

and to partake of

the sacrament to our souls."