Sunday's lesson.."Arrows"

Our lesson on Sunday was titled 

"Striving to be better when we're already pretty good!!!"

It came from this book by this cute lady.  It's a great read!!

She relates this story--Years ago I was asked to speak at a fireside, and the only person I really knew was the one who had invited me.  So I sat quietly and reverently at the back while I waited for her to arrive.  I was sitting behind two older women, and one turned to the other with a question.  "Who did they say was speaking tonight?"  Her companion responded, "It's Mary Ellen Edmunds, and I hear she's very religious."  I almost laughed out loud.  But then I began thinking about what that might mean--to be "VERY RELIGIOUS!"   I sat wondering about what would qualify me as a religious person.  

Her chapter called "Arrows" is where I took most of my information.

Let me explain...

Here is a homework assignment...

On the flat line you write all the things you are doing that you feel is good in your life.  This is the ACTIVE part of being a member of the church.  Example--attending meetings, pay tithing, do visiting teaching, read scriptures, pray, make good use of time, etc...

Downward line...Write all the things you are doing that we know are wrong, but we do them anyway.

Skip meetings, choose not to honor the Sabbath, maybe lie a little, take something that isn't yours, etc...

Our goal is to get to the upward line.  

Great quote...What's the least I can do and still get into the celestial kingdom?

The flat line is not a bad place to be but we can't camp there.  It's just the doing.  We want to get to the upward line because that's where we do the things we're doing for the right reasons.  

We do great things everyday and maybe you're already on the upward line in many things you're doing. 

But I know I lack the true motivation for some of the things I do.

Fasting---It is likely skipped altogether on the downward line.  One the flat line, fasting may mean just going without food and paying a little money.  But on the upward line, keeping the law of the fast could be something more meaningful and rewarding.

Scripture Study--Downward line--We read not at all.  Flat line--We read to just cover verses.  Upward line--There is a lot of feasting, searching, prayerful pondering and heading to the counsel there.

Visiting Teaching--Downward line--we may refuse to be a visiting teacher, or even choose not to be visited.  Flat line--Let's get it done and mark it off.  Upward line--We focus more on people and on watch-care, which can change the whole feeling and outcome of such important relationships.

Now you can see what we talked about.

Three things we discussed were:  Having real intent, having a Broken Heart and Contrite Spirit, and appreciating and using the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Great discussion!!!  If we focus on these three things and apply them in our lives, it can get us on the right path to being better and doing better.  There are many other principles that can help us along the way, but these were the three we discussed.

Hope you take the time to do the exercise and then evaluate yourself. 

Challenge yourself to do just a little better in at least one area of your life.

Remember, Good, Better, BEST!!