Sister Jamie Johnson lead the discussion we had today in Relief Society based on the talk given by Elder Bednar from this last Conference.
We first discussed the question that was posed last week ~ What have you done this week to bring you more unity with Christ this week? Several sisters commented on how they have been working on praying with a more intent and being less apt to pray with repetition. By doing this they felt like it was helping them to build their relationship with our Savior. Other sisters said they were working on being more spiritual to become more unified with Christ.
Then discussion began pertaining to the talk by Elder Bednar. At the beginning of his talk, Elder Bednar stated, "One of the greatest challenges each of us faces every day is to not allow the concerns of this world to so dominate our time and energy that we neglect the eternal things that matter most. We can be too easily diverted from remembering and focusing upon essential spiritual priorities because of our many responsibilities and busy schedules. Sometimes we try to run so fast that we may forget where we are going and why we are running."
The question was posed; how do we as women seek to slow down? It was discussed that we need to look for more alone time and also to seek to be more in tune and listen to the Spirit. One sister then said, "as a young mother, sometimes we lose or forget who we are because of all of the demands of others on our time and energies." Comments were made suggesting that as women young or old, we need to remember to take time to find and remember who we are and to take the time to build and refill you spiritual well often. It was mentioned that sometimes routines can help, as being structured can help us to make sure that we take time for those things that help us build our spirituality. (i.e. set a reminder on your phone for prayers or scripture study, etc.)
Our discussion moved on to the part of Elder Bednar's talk that had to do with the Sabbath day. In his talk he said, "Please note that the Sabbath day and the temple, respectively are a sacred time and a sacred place specifically set apart for worshipping God and for receiving and remembering His exceeding great and precious promises to His children." That "leaving our homes to spend time in Sunday meetings and to enter the sacred space of a temple is vital but insufficient. Only as we bring the spirit and strength derived from those holy activities back with us into our homes can we sustain our focus upon the great purposes of mortal life and overcome the corruption that is in the world."
Many sisters commented on how just having the Sabbath and Church helps build them and help them to get through the struggles of each week. It helps to buoy and lift us spiritually. It was also mentioned that we need to be present and in the moment. We have to be aware to receive promptings. Take time to be there and do not become distracted. The sabbath is God's time. It is a sacred time, a time for Him to teach us and we shouldn't cheat Him of that time. We are here at church to remember God.
To quote Elder Bednar again, "The gospel is so much more than routine checklist of discrete tasks to be performed; rather, it is a magnificent tapestry of truth, "fitly framed and woven together, designed to help us become like our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, even partakers of the divine nature." To this sister Jamie Johnson had a visual aide of a check list vs that of a beautiful tapestry that was beautifully inspiring. The gospel is a beautiful tapestry and the Holy Ghost is the one that helps us weave a beautiful tapestry of our lives.
And lastly, "As we are wise and invite the Holy Spirit to be our guide, I promise He will teach us what is true. He will testify of Christ, [and] light our minds with heaven's view as we strive to fulfill our eternal destiny and become partakes of the divine nature."
In summary, we as sisters can be blessed by seeking to do those things that will add to our spirituality through being present, being covenant keepers, and taking and making time to be taught by the Holy Spirit. Through these things we can be partakers of the divine nature that is promised us.
