Sunday

I taught Relief Society today. The lesson was on President Monson's talk "Consider the Blessings" from General Conference, October 2012.

A few weeks ago, on a Sunday that I was "quarantined" to home, I listened to all the talks for the lessons I'll teach through June. They all really touched me. I remember crying while listening to this one and thinking to myself, "I'm glad I won't have to teach this talk." because the date of teaching coincided with another quarantined Sunday. But then the RS presidency let me switch weeks with another sister so that I could teach it today. Oh, the Lord works in mysterious ways. ;-)

I didn't want to teach this lesson probably because it touched me so much. I feel like I have been considering the blessings pretty well the last few months, but I also feel like I always need to consider them more.

These are the "talking points" from my talks. I made this little snazzy handout with quotations from the talk, key points I thought would be beneficial to remember.

Consider the Blessings, President Monson

October 2012 General Conference

“We live in a unique time in the world’s history. We are blessed with so very much. And yet it is sometimes difficult to view the problems and permissiveness around us and not become discouraged… rather than dwelling on the negative, if we will take a step back and consider the blessings in our lives, including seemingly small, sometimes overlooked blessings, we can find greater happiness.”

“…take an inventory of your life and look specifically for the blessings, large and small, you have received.”

2 Nephi 2:25 – Men are, that they might have joy. “I testify that much of that joy comes as we recognize that we can communicate with our Heavenly Father through prayer and that those prayers will be heard and answered – perhaps not how and when we expected they would be answered, but they will be answered and by a Heavenly Father who knows and loves us perfectly and who desires our happiness.”

D&C 112:10 – Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to they prayers.

“…the Lord’s purposes are often accomplished as we pay heed to the guidance of the Spirit. I believe that the more we act upon the inspiration and impressions which come to us, the more the Lord will entrust to us His errand.”

“I have learned never to postpone a prompting.”

“…our Heavenly Father is aware of our needs and will help us as we call upon Him for assistance… no concern of ours is too small or insignificant. The Lord is in the details of our lives.”

And now my font has changed. :) Well, anyway.... 

 I fixed it.

So that's what we talked about in Relief Society and what I've been thinking about this last week, especially. I also made a list in my journal of my blessings. It's a long list and ranges from simple things like the close proximity of our ward building to "deeper" things like the fact that our marriage is good, my family is healthy, the inspiration of the amazing doctors working with me right now, etc. 

I had my first "cancer card" thought this past week took. And it bothered me that I thought it. Since we found out about the cancer, when people have said anything like, 'oh you have cancer, why am I complaining?' or ANYTHING like that... I've always tried to reassure them that we all have concerns, issues, worries, etc. and they are a big deal to each of us, in our own ways. So what is a big deal/concern to you really is a big deal and it isn't diminished because you're talking to me, the cancer girl. But this week, I had the thought that this other person's issues were not as big of a deal as mine and that they shouldn't be complaining so much. And I felt awful for even thinking that! 

I have been working on being compassionate towards others, trying to understand them and the reasons they do things, rather than jump to conclusions about things and make assumptions. So why was I so annoyed? I still don't have an answer to this. 

Tonight, our Stake hosted a fireside. They're doing them every 3rd Sunday now - and I love that! Al Fox came. She has a {blog}, was on the cover of LDS Living, has a Mormon Message and has become known as "The Tattooed Mormon." Holy her message was amazing. Absolutely amazing. 

One of the key points I wrote down tonight is that we each choose... We choose to get mad, offended, bothered - or not. We choose to keep going, have faith, trust the Lord - or not. It always comes down to choosing God - or not. 

I love this. It's so true. We really do get to choose - the good and the bad. It's in our mindset and how we decide we are going to perceive the world around us and our experiences. We choose what will affect us, both negatively and positively. We even have to choose the good, it doesn't just happen. 

Some of the other things I wrote down are:

- The Spirit of the Lord makes you change. 

- The Spirit gives you happiness.

- If you've chosen Christ, your decisions are made - because you've made your decision already. 

- Your answer can come as a reoccurring thought. 

- Why is something so right so hard? (oh, how I love this! Isn't it true???)

- Have prayers of gratitude - the Lord knows what you need. Christ didn't ask, He had prayers of gratitude. (The Lord already knows what we need, so we don't need to focus on ask, ask, ask, instead we ought to have prayers of gratitude and tell Him what we are thankful for.)

- Pray with only gratitude - don't ask for anything (not every prayer, but definitely do this.)

- Keep going. Don't take a break - that's when fear, doubt, and temptation enter. (I LOVE this one too.)

- If Heavenly Father wants you do to something, He will show you how (she spoke about how she makes videos and how she didn't used to know how to do that). 

- It's not about what others need to overcome and conquer - it's about me, it's about what I need to overcome and conquer (it's personal, not about others - Love this one too!!!)

- As you follow the Lord and trust in Him, you'll find yourself in places you never dreamed of. 

- Heavenly Father is there, He is in everything (which was one of the points of my lesson today and something that I have grown to have a very strong testimony of - He is in the details of our lives, every single little detail). 

- Just try - regardless of what you think you're doing or who you're affecting.

- It will consistently be hard; that won't change.

- In all of her trials (and she had some pretty rough ones), not once did the happiness she felt leave. She was doing what the Lord wanted her to.

- You can and you will overcome absolutely everything (isn't that wonderful?)

- Hard times are there, but so is Christ. 

- Forget not whose hands you are in. Forget not that you have a God. Forget not that you have a God who is always there for you, individually.

- What we are doing is real. It is the greatest thing we will ever be a part of. (this gospel)

- She said she is so grateful to do as she is asked (by the Lord). (I want to feel this way, I want to follow the Lord and be grateful that I am.)

- Strength comes from the Book of Mormon.

- Put God first, no matter what, and things will always work out.

- If you feel like you don't fit in, you are wrong. You are a part of this. This is real.

- Alma 56:46. Our God is with us.

- What we do matters. It makes a difference.

- Your efforts don't go unnoticed. 

- Do not hold yourself back. (I love this one too!)

I just loved everything she said. The Spirit was so strong and I felt like one of my sisters was speaking to us - because she IS our sister. She was so real, what she said was so heartfelt, and it was all true. Every word she spoke was true. It was really beautiful and I'm so, so glad we attended. 

Chemo #8 tomorrow. PET scan next week. We're getting' there!