Today I want to study more from the talk “On Being Genuine” by President Uchtdorf.
This is one of the quotes that sticks out:
The Lord’s prophets have ever raised a warning voice against those who “draw near [to the Lord] with their mouth, and with their lips do honour [Him], but have removed their heart far from [Him].”
Do I do this?
Have I done this?
Am I doing this now?
Who am I really trying to please when I do my dailies?
One of the best things I learned at the UCAP conference was about surrendering my will to God. The purpose of doing my dailies should be that I’m making efforts to connect with God and understand how His Son is and how I can be more like Him.
Is this happening for me?
I’m not sure. I’m trying. But I’m sure I fall short. This is where the Atonement comes in and helps bridge the gap between what I can do and where I lack.
I like this quote too:
The Savior was understanding and compassionate with sinners whose hearts were humble and sincere. But He rose up in righteous anger against hypocrites like the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees—those who tried to appear righteous in order to win the praise, influence, and wealth of the world, all the while oppressing the people they should have been blessing. The Savior compared them to “whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.”
I feel I’ve been in that place in the past and can have that tendency even now – to look down on others who I feel aren’t doing what they should be doing (Mandy, Matt, my parents, the kids, especially Caleb, even Becky in the past).
I want to be humble and sincere and I’m trying to be that way one day at a time.
This is a good assessment:
…if Jesus Christ were to sit down with us and ask for an accounting of our stewardship, I am not sure He would focus much on programs and statistics. What the Savior would want to know is the condition of our heart.
What is the condition of my heart today? What am I doing to have a pure heart and clean hands today? Am I willing to submit my heart and my will over to Him and let Him direct me?
I feel I am.
I feel I’m trying to surrender and love my family.
I feel I’m trying to have integrity and think of others before myself.
I will continue to watch this today.
He would want to know how we love and minister to those in our care, how we show our love to our spouse and family, and how we lighten their daily load.
How do I love and minister to those in my care?
Am I showing love to Becky and my family today?
I got a little snippy with the kids while I was on the phone earlier; I did try to apologize and explain afterwards that when I’m on the phone is not the right time to come and ask me to turn on a show.
Hopefully this was making amends and helped them know I love them.
I was a little late getting back from BNI because it went over today. I tried to explain to Becky why I was late and apologize. I’m sure she was worried and frustrated, and it could have even brought back feelings from the past when I was late all the time because I thought more about myself and my schedule than I did about others.
I don’t feel that was the case today, but I want to make amends and show her I love her and value what she does.
And the Savior would want to know how you and I grow closer to Him and to our Heavenly Father.
Today I’m trying to grow closer to them by reading this talk, writing out my feelings, and praying for deliverance. Today I want to be as close to them as I possibly can. Today I don’t want to waste any time, and I want to complete tasks that I’ve been putting of due to fear of failure or fear of success.
I really love this quote (it’s what I just mentioned to Becky the other day):
It is my conviction that if God can reach out and sustain a poor German refugee from a modest family in a war-torn country half a world away from the headquarters of the Church, then He can reach out to you.
God loves all of His children.
It’s hard to comprehend, but I have a small understanding because of how I love my kids.
He goes on to talk about why we go to Church:
We come to church not to hide our problems but to heal them.
Hiding is what Satan taught Adam and Eve to do. Hiding is a form of shame. Hiding is the opposite of what the Church and the gospel is all about.
I really like this final statement too:
I pray, brethren, that as we serve in our families, quorums, wards, stakes, communities, and nations, we will resist the temptation to draw attention to ourselves and, instead, strive for a far greater honor: to become humble, genuine disciples of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As we do so, we will find ourselves walking the path that leads to our best, most genuine, and noblest selves.
My service to my family, my ward, and to those around me is not to draw attention to myself; instead, it’s to become more humble and genuine and to follow the example of Jesus Christ.
I really love this talk and want to study it more.
Questions that come to mind:
1. How can I implement these ideas?
2. How am I doing at being genuine today?
3. Why do I do what I do?
4. Where can I start?
I look forward to a day in recovery. I look forward to submitting my life and will over to God today.
I look forward to surrendering and doing things for the right reasons.
Hasta luego!
Nate
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