Today in church the talks were about the Three R's, I will share my notes on it and hopefully they will make sense to you .
Every single day we are called upon to make choices of some sort. Some are far-reaching while others may be trivial. Some will make no difference in the eternal scheme of things, and others will make all the difference. The Three R's that were talked about were...
Right of choices
Responsibility of choice
Results of choice.
Right of choice is given to everyone, we all have agency to choose for ourselves. It seems like the messages of the Adversary are all around us, as a Mother I am very aware of how hard and how fast these messages are coming to not only me, but to my children and grandchildren. I am sure all of you have heard them, they go something like this....Don't worry; no one will know." "You can stop smoking or drinking or taking drugs any time you want." "Everybody's doing it, so it can't be that bad." "Come on, just this once.", sound familiar? These are coming at us at an alarming rate from the TV, Internet, movies and papers.
Next is Responsibility of our Choices...
If and when we make the wrong choice, we need to blame ourselves not others. In the New Testament we read what the Apostle Paul said about this very subject..."There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye my be able to bear it." ~ 1 Corinthians 10:13
Next the speaker read these words from a talk by Thomas S. Monson...
"Although in our journey we will encounter forks and turnings in the road, we simply cannot afford the luxury of a detour from which we may never return.
Let us not find ourselves as indecisive as is Alice in Lewis Carroll’s classic Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. You will remember that she comes to a crossroads with two paths before her, each stretching onward but in opposite directions. She is confronted by the Cheshire cat, of whom Alice asks, “Which path shall I follow?”
The cat answers, “That depends where you want to go. If you do not know where you want to go, it doesn’t matter which path you take.” 7
Unlike Alice, we all know where we want to go, and it does matter which way we go, for by choosing our path, we choose our destination.
Decisions are constantly before us. To make them wisely, courage is needed—the courage to say no, the courage to say yes. Decisions do determine destiny."
Then the last R was the Results of our Choices... Every single choice that we make has consequences, some good and some bad. We need to be well aware of the effects and results of our choices, they not only effect us alone but all those that are around us. When we have to stand up against something that is wrong, we need to remember that we are never alone in doing what is right! Our Heavenly Fathers stands by, to bless us for those good choices that we make. We need to go to Him in prayer for strength and courage to make the right choices, because it will make all the difference in the world to do so!
I hope these notes made sense to you, I was writing pretty fast. You can read the talk that the readers were referring to, by going here...http://lds.org/general-conference/2010/10/the-three-rs-of-choice?lang=eng
It was a great reminder to me to be grateful for my ability to choose, to be responsible for my choices and to be aware of the results of my choices! Neat topic, one we can all benefit from. Have a great Sunday!
“Next to the bestowal of life itself, the right to direct that life is God’s greatest gift to man.” ~ David O. McKay
"The road signs of life enticingly invite every traveler: This way to fame; this way to affluence; this way to popularity; this way to luxury. Pause at the crossroads before you continue your journey. Listen for that still, small voice which ever so gently beckons, "Come, follow me." This way to Jericho." ~ Thomas S. Monson Ensign, May 1977
I first heard this story when I was 22 years old and serving a mission for my church. We had been invited to dinner, at a sweet young family's home. Afterwards they asked us to stay while they read a Christmas story to their kids. They had flannel board cut outs to help the little ones understand it better. The children loved it, and I thought is was one of the most beautiful Christmas stories I had ever heard. I now have the book and read it my kids and grandkids. Hope you enjoy it!
Good night!
The Three Trees
Once upon a mountain top, three little trees stood and dreamed of what they wanted to become when they grew up. The first little tree looked up at the stars and said: " I want to hold treasure. I want to be covered with gold and filled with precious stones. I'll be the most beautiful treasure chest in the world!" The second little tree looked out at the small stream trickling by on it's way to the ocean. " I want to be traveling mighty waters and carrying powerful kings. I'll be the strongest ship in the world! The third little tree looked down into the valley below where busy men and women worked in a busy town. I don't want to leave the mountain top at all. I want to grow so tall that when people stop to look at me they'll raise their eyes to heaven and think of God. I will be the tallest tree in the world.
Years, passed. The rain came, the sun shone and the little trees grew tall. One day three wood cutters climbed the mountain. The first wood cutter looked at the first tree and said, "This tree is beautiful. It is perfect for me." With a swoop of his shining ax, the first tree fell. "Now I shall make a beautiful chest, I shall hold wonderful treasure!" the first tree said.
The second wood cutter looked at the second tree and said, "This tree is strong. It's perfect for me." With a swoop of his shining ax, the second tree fell. "Now I shall sail mighty waters!" thought the second tree. " I shall be a strong ship for mighty kings!"
The third tree felt her heart sink when the last wood cutter looked her way. She stood straight and tall and pointed bravely to heaven. But the wood cutter never even looked up. "Any kind of tree will do for me." He muttered. With a swoop of his shining ax, the third tree fell.
The first tree rejoiced when the wood cutter brought her to a carpenter's shop. But the carpenter fashioned the tree into a feed box for animals. The once beautiful tree was not covered with gold, or treasure. She was coated with saw dust and filled with hay for hungry farm animals. The second tree smiled when the wood cutter took her to a shipyard, but no mighty sailing ship was made that day. Instead the once strong tree was hammered and awed into a simple fishing boat. She was too small and too weak to sail to an ocean, or even a river, instead she was taken to a little lake. The third tree was confused when the wood cutter cut her into strong beams and left her in a lumberyard. "What happened?" The once tall tree wondered. " All I ever wanted was to stay on the mountain top and point to God..."
Many days and nights passed. The three trees nearly forgot their dreams. But one night, golden starlight poured over the first tree as a young woman placed her newborn baby in the feed box. "I wish I could make a cradle for him." Her husband whispered. The mother squeezed his hand and smiled as the starlight shone on the smooth and sturdy wood. " This manger is beautiful." She said. And suddenly the first tree knew he was holding the greatest treasure in the world.
One evening a tired traveler and his friends crowded into the old fishing boat. The traveler fell asleep as the second tree quietly sailed out into the lake. Soon a thundering and a thrashing storm arose. The little tree shuddered. She new she did not have the strength to carry so many passengers safely through the wind and the rain. The tired man awoke. He stood up, stretched out his hand, and said, "Peace." The storm stopped as quickly as it had begun. And suddenly the second tree knew he was carrying the king of heaven and earth.
One Friday morning, the third tree was startled when her beams were yanked from the forgotten wood pile. She flinched as she was carried through an angry jeering crowd. She shuddered when soldiers nailed a man's hand to her. She felt ugly and harsh and cruel. But on Sunday morning, when the sun rose and the earth trembled with joy beneath her, the third tree knew that God's love had changed everything. It had made the third tree strong. And every time people thought of the third tree, they would think of God. That was better than being the tallest tree in the world.
The next time you feel down because you didn't get what you wanted, sit tight and be happy because God is thinking of something better to give you.
"I seldom end up where I wanted to go, but almost always end up where I need to be." ~ Douglas Adams
"I have no regrets in my life, I think that everything happens to you for a reason. The hard times that you go through build character, making you a much stronger person." ~ Rita Mero
It was an inspiring movie about unity, forgiveness and faith. It isn't that often that you finish a movie or leave a movie and feel inspired, it was nice. The poem that the movie was named after is here below. It was another reminder to me that we are in control of what we do, say and think. Many times I think we might forget that. What a powerful movie!
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate;
I am the captain of my soul. ~by William Ernest Henley; 1849-1903
"IF MEN DO NOT COMPREHEND THE CHARACTER OF GOD, THEN THEY DO NOT COMPREHEND THEMSELVES" ~ Joseph Smith
"WATCH YOUR THOUGHTS, FOR THEY BECOME WORDS.
WATCH YOUR WORDS, FOR THEY BECOME ACTIONS.
WATCH YOUR ACTIONS, FOR THEY BECOME HABITS.
WATCH YOUR HABITS, FOR THEY BECOME CHARACTER.
WATCH YOUR CHARACTER, FOR IT BECOMES YOUR DESTINY." ~ Unknown
Yesterday was the first day of Autumn and for us in Seattle, it was HOT! But still the nights and mornings there is a snap of cool air. I really love Autumn, maybe because of all the Seasons that come with it and also because of the brilliant colors that seems to be everywhere! I read this quote and thought it went perfect with today's post...
"EVEN IF SOMETHING IS LEFT UNDONE, EVERYONE MUST TAKE TIME TO SIT STILL ANS WATCH THE LEAVES TURN" ~Elizabeth Lawrence
I looked on my calendar this morning to see what all I needed to do today and saw that it is the 23rd. I then remembered that it was exactly 21 years ago today that we moved here from West Virginia. We just had 2 kids then, but we knew that we needed to raise them some where, other than West Virginia so that is what we did. We took everything we owned and moved here without a job or anything. Jeff came first and after 2 LONG months secured us a place to live and a job. I can still remember the kids and I that morning, Amy was 5 and Brad was 2. They had their little back packs ready to go the night before. My mom bought them new little sweat suits to travel in and after tearful good byes to my mom and dad, we were on our way. They were excited about the new adventure and plane ride but the real excitement was seeing their dad again. I was never so glad to have my family reunited, 2 months apart was too long! We also had my brother, sister-in-law and 3 nieces and nephews waiting for us too, so to say the least we were ready to go and excited.
That was a huge decision that Jeff and I made, quite a daring one too! Now that I am a little older and a grandmother ( nana) I realize why my parents were so concerned about us. The problem is we were young, full of hope and didn't realize how many chances we were taking. We just knew that we needed a change and a big one at that and it felt right. I love living here, I wake up every day thankful for the opportunity to live here and raise my family here. I love the rain, the clouds, the mountains and the water here. We are truly blessed. So today I will remember to count my blessings more and especially the day 21 years ago, when we moved out little family clear across the United States to Seattle!
"DREAMS ARE LIKE STARS...YOU MAY NEVER TOUCH THEM, BUT IF YOU FOLLOW THEM THEY WILL LEAD YOU TO YOUR DESTINY."
"IT IS YOUR MOMENTS OF DECISION THAT YOUR DESTINY IS SHAPED" ~Anthony Robbins
"ACTIONS ARE THE SEED OF FATE, DEEDS GROW INTO DESTINY" ~ Harry S. Truman
