kathyhmcbride – Page 3 – Scattering Inspiration

Count Your Many Blessings…

When you look around, what do you see? What do you focus on? I can’t think of a time when there was a greater need to focus on our blessings than there is right now. You may recall in general conference a few weeks ago, President Russell M. Nelson warned against near-sightedness. Life is full of challenges and changes. When we focus only on hardships, it is easy to become discouraged. He reminds us that to find peace, we need to keep an eternal perspective and “let God prevail in your lives.”1 Last week Elder Dale G. Renlund cautioned that being far-sighted can be equally troublesome. While near-sightedness blurs the big picture, far-sightedness blurs “important things that are close to us.”2 If we are far-sighted, “we sometimes fail to appreciate that which is closest to us.”2

So, in this crazy year of 2020, how can we make our vision 20/20? I think we can find the answer in the hymn, “Count Your Blessings.” Think about verses 1 and 3. “When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed, when you are discouraged thinking all is lost, count your many blessings; name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done. … So amid the conflict, whether great or small, do not be discouraged; God is over all. Count your many blessings; angels will attend, help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.”3 If our near-sightedness makes us only see the tossing tempest, we may not be able to see God’s countless blessings in our lives. If we are too far-sighted, we may not see the angels, both earthly and heavenly, who are near us and help us along our journey.

We really do have so much to be grateful for! And a grateful heart and a positive attitude can certainly help us see better. As we count our many blessings, I am convinced we will see those we love and the world around us with new eyes. We will have greater courage to face our challenges today as we “look to God and live,”4 knowing there is a glorious future ahead.

I hope you will join me in making November a month of gratitude. Every day I am going to choose to see through grateful eyes. To help me do that, I am going to keep a gratitude journal. I will also be posting gratitude quotes on Instagram. Look for a new one every day of November! I truly believe that looking at life through a lens of gratitude can improve our vision, allowing us to clearly see and then count our many blessings.

Imagine if we all choose to be more grateful! And we can always be more grateful!

References:

1. Let God Prevail – Russell M. Nelson

2. October 25, 2020 Instagram Post – Dale G. Renlund

3. Count Your Blessings – Hymn 241

4. Alma 37:47

Navigating the Journey

A few days ago, we were returning home from a long weekend away with one of our daughters and her family. They got on the road about 45 minutes earlier than we did. As is customary in our family, we call each other every now and again just to check in and see how things are going. With about an hour left on their drive, our daughter called telling us the traffic had gotten really bad. Only a few minutes later, she called back to tell us there was an accident a few miles ahead of where they were and that traffic was at a standstill. We quickly called one of our other daughters to have her check to see exactly where the accident was and if it would be possible to take another route to avoid the delay. She was able see where we were, where the accident was and where the traffic was again flowing at regular speeds. She guided us off the freeway, onto the frontage road, down a few side streets and then back on the freeway. Because of the warning from one daughter and the directions from another, we were able to avoid a 35-minute delay.

That experience is much like our mortal journey. Life can be full of uncertainty. There are unexpected stops and detours all along the way. But, as President Henry B. Eyring just told us, “God has the power to make our way easier.”1 Our loving Heavenly Father never intended for us to travel this journey on our own. Two of the great gifts He has given us are a living prophet and the Holy Ghost. We can be assured that our way will be easier if we will hear and heed the living prophet and recognize and respond to the impressions of the Holy Ghost.

Russell M. Nelson is God’s prophet today. He can see what we cannot see and can warn us of the dangers that lie ahead. He has given us guidance, direction, and warnings. If we listen, we can avoid many roadblocks and dangers along our way. Consider the counsel he has given us since becoming our prophet. It has been amazing! Perhaps his most often repeated counsel has been to learn to recognize and respond to the Holy Ghost. He warned, “In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.”2

On our trip home the other day, the warning that there was an accident ahead that was causing major delays would have done us little good had we not gotten further direction and guidance from another source. The prophet warns us and the Holy Ghost guides us. The scriptures teach us that “by the power of the Holy Ghost [we] may know the truth of all things”3 and that He can “show unto [us] all things what [we] should do.”4

As we navigate the challenging roads ahead of us, we can find great comfort in knowing that heavenly help is always available to us. President Nelson reminds, “Our ultimate security comes as we yoke ourselves to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ!”5

References:

1. Tested, Proved, and Polished – Henry B. Eyring

2. Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives – Russell M. Nelson

3. Moroni 10:5

4. 2 Nephi 32:5

5. Embrace the Future with Faith – Russell M. Nelson

I Can & I Will!

I absolutely loved general conference! It did my soul good! In President Russell M. Nelson’s opening message, he said, “Unusual times can bring unusual rewards.”1 And in his closing message he said, “Despite the world’s commotion, the Lord would have us look forward to the future ‘with joyful anticipation.’”2 I love the optimism in these statements. We can all agree that we have been living in unusual times. Have we taken the opportunity to consider the unusual rewards that have come to us? And are we looking with joyful anticipation to what lies ahead?

The words “can bring” really resonated with me. You will notice President Nelson didn’t say, “Unusual times do bring unusual rewards.” The “can” reminds me that both my actions and my reactions matter. I can choose to act or react in ways that will make life rewarding despite the commotion of the world. I can choose how I respond to the challenges that I am given. I can keep going, even when it’s hard. I can trust in good things to come. And always, I can trust in Heavenly Father and His promises.

Optimism coupled with faithfulness, obedience, perseverance, and patience will bring unusual rewards.

To me, one of the greatest blessings, especially during these unusual and chaotic times, is having a living prophet of God! I can choose to follow the prophet.

I can choose to follow Jesus Christ.

I can embrace the future with faith.

I can choose to let God prevail in my life.

I can keep an eternal perspective.

President Nelson encouraged us to do many more things during conference this past weekend. Those were just a few! May we take some time to carefully read through each of his talks, taking note of the things he is asking us to do and highlighting the promises for doing them. I am always amazed at the prophetic promises!

Yes, these are unusual times we are living in. But unusual rewards, even miracles, have been promised. There is so much to be grateful for! I can and I will look forward to the future with joyful anticipation!

References:

1. Moving Forward – Russell M. Nelson

2. A New Normal – Russell M. Nelson

Listen For His Message

I always love general conference, but I don’t recall a general conference I have looked forward to with such anticipation. President Russell M. Nelson’s invitation this year has been to hear the voice of the Lord in our lives. General conference is the wonderful time to hear His voice through His servants. President Henry B. Eyring has promised, “If you trust God enough to listen for His message in every sermon, song and prayer in this conference, you will find it.”1

Enjoy general conference! I will be posting new quotes daily. You can find them on my Instagram and in the General Conference section on the gallery page.

References:

1. Trust in God, Then Go and Do – Henry B. Eyring

Building Patience

Rarely does life go as planned. I am not sure any of us could have anticipated just how drastically different our lives would be this year. In what seemed an instant, everything changed. How we live our everyday lives has changed. Our interactions have changed. For a while, our ability to buy many of the things we use on a regular basis even changed. Although the store shelves have now mostly been restocked, there is one thing that seems to still be in short supply—patience.

At Russell M. Nelson’s recent birthday celebration, he gave his family the following advice, “Build into your character the quality of patience.”1 That really resonated with me! During these past several months as the world has been battling COVID-19, I have found myself feeling more impatient than I care to admit. What has become very clear to me is that, like all Christlike attributes, patience is an ongoing process. It is a journey, with bumps and turns and detours. How many times have we been told to find joy in the journey? Being impatient robs us of the joy and happiness we are meant to have all along our journey. We cannot afford to wait to be happy until this crisis is over!

Quoting from a scripture in Hebrews, Neal A. Maxwell wisely reminded us that “we are to ‘run with patience the race that is set before us,’ and it is a marathon, not a dash.”2

The current race we are running quickly turned from a dash into a marathon. And when this race is over, another one will be “set before us.” I am not a runner, but it would seem to be nearly impossible to run a marathon without checkpoints and aid stations all along the way. I definitely need to be stopping at the aid station to build up my supply of patience more frequently!

As I read the Beatitudes in 3 Nephi 12 during my study this week, I thought about how patience affects our becoming what the Savior asks us to become. Being meek, merciful, pure in heart, and peacemakers will be impossible without the Christlike characteristic of patience. Gaining and retaining a testimony, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, definitely takes patience. Without patience we would not be able to endure the persecutions that we know are part of a disciple’s life. Building patience into our character allows us to trust in God and in His timing, no matter what!

I love this quote from Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Patience means accepting that which cannot be changed and facing it with courage, grace, and faith.”3 May we continually strive to build the quality patience into our character. We have been promised our lives will be more blessed as we do.

References:

1. Church News

2. Endure It Well – Neal A. Maxwell

3. Continue in Patience – Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Discovering Humility

It is undeniable that we are living in a very contentious time. Criticism and comparison seem to have invaded almost every aspect of life. Harsh words have become the norm. The need to be right has superseded human decency. Hatred and intolerance are destroying neighborhoods and nations. The cause of all these troubles can be summed up in one word: pride.

We have long been warned just how destructive pride can be. Sadly, we are seeing many of its devastating effects today. Gratefully we have been taught how to counteract pride. Humility is the antidote to pride. Perhaps there has never been a greater need for humility than there is right now!

Some assume humility a weakness. How wrong that assumption is! It is a needed Christlike attribute we have been encouraged to acquire.

When we are humble, we trust in God and in His timing. We look to the Savior in every thought. We turn to Them to help us through every aspect of life, especially life’s adversities. When we are humble, we feel peace, we have hope, and we exhibit charity.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf once said, “We don’t discover humility by thinking less of ourselves; we discover humility by thinking less about ourselves.”1

When we think less about ourselves, we naturally will think about others more. When we are humble, we can celebrate the successes, accomplishments, and happiness of others, even when we are experiencing temporary failures or sorrows.

Humility is submissive, meek, kind, and charitable. Pride is controlling, aggressive, combative and selfish.

When we are humble, we seek forgiveness for those things we do wrong, we forgive those who have wronged us, and we overlook the mortal imperfections in others. When we are filled with pride, we hold grudges and point out the mistakes and weaknesses of others.

When we have humility, we are teachable. When we are full of pride, we think we know it all.

When we are humble, during the challenges and trials of life, we still recognize Heavenly Father’s goodness and the many blessings we receive from Him.

It is impossible to be grateful if we are not humble. And we can never truly be humble if we are not grateful.

In Alma 5:27 and 28, there are two powerful questions posed, ones we would be wise to ask ourselves frequently. “Could ye say, if ye were called to die at this time, within yourselves, that ye have been sufficiently humble?” And, “are ye stripped of pride? I say unto you, if ye are not ye are not prepared to meet God.”2

We cannot be sufficiently humble until we are stripped of pride. And that will not be possible without continual help from God. We truly need Him every hour of every day. As our loving Heavenly Father, He is anxious to bless us in our efforts to discover the Christlike attribute of humility.

References:

1. Pride and the Priesthood – Dieter F. Uchtdorf

2. Alma 5

Always Remember Him

After all these years, I finally convinced my husband to take me back to see his mission. Since he served in the United States, it probably shouldn’t have taken us so long. But it was definitely worth the wait! Although we weren’t there long enough to see everyone and everything, it was fun to see several of the places where he lived and served. We were able to share all our time with a couple he had the privilege of teaching and seeing join the Church. On Sunday, we had church at one of their sons’ homes. Their youngest daughter and her family also joined us, so there were fifteen of us there for church. That was the most people I have been able to attend church with for almost six months! It was such a special experience. My husband was asked to help with the sacrament. As he knelt down to offer the prayer on the bread, I was overcome with emotion. I was sharing this sacred ordinance with some of the people Dave had taught the gospel to almost forty years ago! I remember feeling something very similar several years ago when we were at Martin’s Cove and my husband and son were asked to help bless the sacrament. On that special occasion, I could not hold back the tears of gratitude and love. Just like my thoughts then, on this special Sunday I thought of the sacrifices that had been made so many years earlier that made it possible for me to be having such a sweet experience now. Dave had sacrificed to serve a mission. Ron and Susie had made incredible sacrifices to join the Church. They and their children have continued to make sacrifices to serve in the Church. Their three sons all served missions. All five of their children married in the temple. They have all remained strong and faithful.

As I have thought about these two occasions and the profoundly spiritual experiences they were, I realized that I should be having that kind of an experience every time I have the privilege of taking the sacrament. The sacrament is symbolic of the ultimate sacrifice made by our Savior Jesus Christ. Because of His sacrifice, it is possible for me to enjoy blessings beyond my comprehension!

President Russell M. Nelson reminded us, “Partaking of the sacrament is a sacred and sanctifying privilege.”1 He said this just a few months ago, during the time when we are only able to partake of the sacrament in our homes. That seems significant to me. We don’t always have to be in a chapel. Sometimes out of necessity church is at home or in a barn in the mountains. It is the ordinance not the place that makes the sacrament sacred and sanctifying. To always remember the Savior is a covenant commitment that comes with powerful promises.

Oh, how important it is to recognize and remember the sacrifices others have made to get us where we are today! Equally important is our need to make the daily sacrifices, ones that keep our testimonies strong and vibrant. That is how we always remember Him. And when we always remember Him, the sacrament truly becomes sacred and sanctifying in our lives.

Reference:

1. May 28, 2020 Instagram Post – Russell M. Nelson

A Gift From My Daughter

It’s hard to believe that Adrianne would be turning 35 years old today. For her birthday, I decided to share a talk she gave in church less than a year before passed away. Her words inspire me as much today as they did when I heard her share them all those years ago, perhaps more. I hope you will find inspiration in them as well.

“A few months ago, I started rock climbing. I am still learning many techniques and holds, and I still have much to learn. One of the first things I learned is perhaps the thing that I remember most: I will fall. Sometimes a hold is greasy because so many others climb the same route, and I have not sufficiently chalked up my hands. Sometimes I reach for one hold without having a steady grip on another. And other times, perhaps the most frustrating times, I am just not strong enough.

“When I’m climbing and I take a fall, I know I’m not going to get hurt, because my belayer is there to constantly catch me. But, the moment my fingers slip off the lip of a rock or my toe slides out of place and I fall, my heart sinks. Because I failed to secure my next hold, I have to reclimb a portion of the route. Sometimes, I take a fall in the same spot three or four times before I get it right. Many times, it feels superfluous and wasteful to have to retrace the sections that I climbed well before I fell. But, the moments in which I climb back up to my highest point are those that best prepare me for the remainder of the route. As I climb what I did well, I improve the fluidity of my footwork, and I chalk up my hands to prepare for a hand hold that I had no idea was greasy until I grasped it.

“My belayer, whose view is completely different from mine, can offer me beta, or advice, on what he can see. Often, he has already climbed that route, and he knows what to expect. He knows my skill level, my strengths, my weaknesses. He knows how to best guide me.

“The beauty of having a belayer is knowing that you are safe while you climb. When you fall, he can feel the rope slide and can quickly catch you. You share a rope with the belayer, and so you are attached to him; he cannot just up and walk away while you climb.

“Our Savior is our belayer and our guide. He has experienced everything that we could possibly experience. He has taken our falls for us, He knows how to guide us, and He will never walk away from us. When we fall, He, more than any other, knows how to assist us in regaining our path, and our eternal salvation relies on His assistance, which He offers through the Atonement.

“The word atonement means to reconcile. When we sin, we separate ourselves from our Heavenly Father. We lose control, we become weak, and we fall. As a result, we are imperfect and are no longer worthy to be in our Heavenly Father’s presence. Our Father knew that we would be imperfect, and so He sent His Son to reconcile our sins.

Alma, Chapter 7, verses 11 through 13 teach us:

And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.1

“Part of the purpose of Christ’s Atonement was to teach Him how to succor us in times of trial, suffering, and sin. The word succor comes from the Latin word succurrere, which means ‘to run to the aid of’. Our Savior’s perfect, infinite Atonement provides the necessary reconciliation that allows every single one of us to correct our mistakes and overcome our sins, and it allowed our older brother to understand what we are suffering so that He would be able to RUN TO OUR AID.

“Because Jesus Christ is perfect, His guidance will never fail us or lead us astray. Unfortunately, sometimes we deny Him the chance to help us because we are too lazy, too proud, or too discouraged. Each of these feelings is detrimental; yet, no matter how intense, each can be eliminated with prayer.

“First, we are too lazy. Some sins are comfortable. We may find it easy to neglect the spiritual necessity of daily prayer and scripture reading. Worse, we may blame it on being busy. No worldly responsibility, no matter how crucial to our physical well-being, can compensate for spiritual deterioration and neglect. The only cure for laziness is activity. Engage in prayer, and do so frequently. Praying invigorates our spiritual connection with our Heavenly Father, and we become stronger.

“Second, we are too proud. Some sins, like lying, give the illusion of power. A person who habitually lies is generally too ignorant to notice the shaky throne upon which they sit. They may not feel like admitting their lies because it would make them seem weak. No lie is more powerful than honesty. If we are feeling too proud to change even the smallest of sins, we must, once more, pray. When we kneel in prayer, we physically and spiritually humble ourselves to connect with our Heavenly Father, and we open ourselves to His will.

“Third, we are too discouraged. Sins, especially serious ones, are loaded with frustration and despair. Some are completely addicting, trapping us in a spiritual black hole in which we let no light and happiness in or out. We become miserable, murmuring, even malicious. Worst of all, we begin to believe that we are too far gone. President Boyd K. Packer said: ‘There is no habit, no addiction, no rebellion, no transgression, no apostasy, no crime exempted from the promise of complete forgiveness. That is the promise of the atonement of Christ.’2 Sincere prayer invites alleviation, healing, and comfort from our adversaries. When we pray, we allow ourselves the blessing of receiving the healing and comfort that our Heavenly Father waits to offer us if we sincerely strive to reconcile our sins and become whole through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

“None of these negative feelings come from our Heavenly Father, and none are worth sacrificing the healing and strengthening powers of the Atonement.

“I submit to you this suggestion: when you are struggling with ANY adversary of any magnitude, kneel down and pray without ceasing to our Heavenly Father. Pray for the strength to overcome whatever you are suffering. Do not expect that your burdens will be instantly lifted. The Atonement is not a spiritual ‘get out of jail free’ card. We cannot expect our Heavenly Father to let us bypass our trials, nor should we want Him to. Were we to float through life without spiritual opposition, our testimonies would shrivel, wilt, and diminish.

“Striving for cleanliness through the Atonement is not a one-time process. It is as constant as breathing – we must do it at all times in order to lead a strong, healthy spiritual life.

“I know the power of the Atonement is real and true. I have felt the palpable peace and comfort that come after I have worked to cleanse myself of sin. I know our Heavenly Father loved us SO much that He provided a path for us to continually cleanse ourselves of our sins, shortcomings, and temptations, so that we may have the opportunity to be with Him again, if we so choose.”

Adrianne’s testimony is a priceless gift to me! I love her so much and feel very blessed to be her mother! Together with hers, I share my testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ. I love Him! Words are not adequate to express my gratitude for the precious gift of His Atonement. Because of Him, I know I will be with my daughter again. That knowledge brings me so much peace. Dieter F. Uchtdorf said, “Because of Jesus Christ, we will rise from the despair of death and embrace those we love, shedding tears of overwhelming joy and overflowing gratitude.”3 I look forward to that day with sweet anticipation!

References:

1. Alma 7:11-13

2. The Brilliant Morning of Forgiveness – Boyd K. Packer

3. Behold the Man! – Dieter F. Uchtdorf

A Much-Needed Reminder

Anyone who knows me very well knows I love the temple! I have missed being able to go to the temple so much! I found great comfort in something Elder Dale G. Renlund said in a video he posted on his social media a couple of weeks ago, “The fact that we can’t go to the temple doesn’t change the impact that the temple can have on us in our lives. … Keeping covenants will bring the power of godliness in our lives whether we’re able to physically go to the temple or not.”1 I loved this tender reminder!

In his closing remarks in general conference in April, President Russell M. Nelson said something much the same, “During times of our distress when temples are closed, you can still draw upon the power of your temple covenants and endowment as you honor your covenants.”2 I remember hearing the prophet say this (and I loved it because it he said it just after he shared a part of President Wilford Woodruff’s dedicatory prayer of the Salt Lake Temple asking for Heavenly Father to bless us if a time should come when we were unable to attend the temple), but those encouraging words didn’t have quite the same impact on me when I heard them in April as it did when I read them the other day. In April, the temples had only been closed for a couple of weeks. Now we are getting close to six months!

It’s amazing what time and perspective do for us!

I remember when I heard D. Todd Christofferson say, “In times of distress, let your covenants be paramount and let your obedience be exact.”3 He said that only three months after Adrianne had passed away. Never before had I felt the power of godliness flow into my life with such power as I did during that time in my life! It wasn’t necessary for me to be in the temple to be able to draw upon the power of my temple covenants. Oh, how I needed and cherished that power!

Drawing upon the power of godliness is imperative in times of distress, but we need to be able to access that power every day. A definition I recently read that I especially like said that “the power of godliness is the power of righteousness, by which we come to know God and become like Him.”4 Elder Christofferson describes the power of godliness as Heavenly Father’s divine influence. He said that by keeping our covenants, that divine influence will “flow into our lives.”3

President Nelson once said, “Obedience allows God’s blessings to flow without constraint.”5 Remember what Elder Christofferson said about our covenants being paramount and our obedience being exact. I believe the two go hand in hand. When our covenants mean everything to us, being obedient will be an active part of our daily striving. Obedience is keeping covenants and keeping covenants is being obedient.

Imagine God’s influence and His blessings flowing into our lives! When I think about flowing without constraint, I visualize a mighty and powerful river. During the winters here in Utah, we usually get quite a lot of snow. As winter turns to spring, all that snow melts. The reservoirs fill up and the rivers and streams begin to flow. Some years we get so much snow that the runoff fills our rivers and streams to overflowing. (That’s as close to a mighty and powerful river as it gets here in the desert!) These last several months of being unable to go to the temple have felt a bit like the cold winter months to me. But spring will come! I’m not suggesting that while the temples are closed I cannot feel God’s influence or blessings in my life. Quite the contrary. I have felt inspired to research my family history. I have had new and exciting opportunities to study the gospel with some very dear friends. Those are just two things I would not otherwise have done during these past several months. And my life has been so blessed because of them! Most likely we are all being blessed more than we realize. But I do think that when the temples reopen, it will be like a beautiful warm spring after an unusually snowy winter. We will feel an undeniable outpouring of His influence and His blessings.

I absolutely miss attending the temple! But gratefully, as Elder Renlund reminded us, “keeping covenants will bring the power of godliness in our lives whether we’re able to physically go to the temple or not.” 1 May we always be obedient and keep our covenants so God’s influence and blessings can flow into our lives without constraint.

References:

1. August 3, 2020 Instagram Post – Dale G. Renlund

2. Go Forward in Faith – Russell M. Nelson

3. The Power of Covenants – D. Todd Christofferson

4. Doctrine and Covenants Institute Manual – Chapter 31

5. Face the Future With Faith – Russell M. Nelson

Small and Simple

In a recent social media post, President Henry B. Eyring said, “Do with determination the simple things that will move you forward spiritually.”1 A familiar scripture from the Book of Mormon reminds us that “by small and simple things are great things brought to pass.”2 Whenever I read this scripture, I think of my dad! He would smile and tell me it was one of his favorites. If you had known my dad, you would understand why. He was barely 5’4” and was raised on a farm. So, by the world’s standards, he was small and simple. But because my dad was determined to do the small and simple things of the gospel every day of his life, he became a spiritual giant with a profound knowledge of the gospel.

In order to become who God wants us to become, the small and simple things matter. Consistently doing things like saying our prayers every morning and night, reading our scriptures every day, quiet acts of kindness, and being honest really do keep us moving forward spiritually, even if we don’t recognize it. They are the needed drops of oil we add to our lamps of conversion.

David A. Bednar teaches that “conversion is an ongoing process and not a onetime event that results from a powerful or dramatic experience. Line upon line and precept upon precept, gradually and almost imperceptibly, our motives, our thoughts, our words, and our deeds become aligned with the will of God.”3

Of course the opposite is also true. M. Russell Ballard warned that “small and simple things can be negative and destructive to a person’s salvation. A series of seemingly small but incorrect choices can become those little soul-destroying termites that eat away at the foundations of our testimony until, before we are aware, we may be brought near to spiritual and moral destruction.”4

Little by little, day by day, the choices we make have a powerful impact. Are those choices drops of oil or destructive termites? May we be extra careful in the little things we do every day. Some of them will have eternal consequences. President Russell M. Nelson reminds us, “Each day is a day of decision.”5 The more focused we are on the small and simple things of the gospel, the easier it will be to walk the covenant path back home to our Father in Heaven.

References:

1. June 28, 2020 Instagram Post – Henry B. Eyring

2. Alma 37:6

3. Converted Unto the Lord – David A. Bednar

4. Small and Simple Things – M. Russell Ballard

5. Decisions for Eternity – Russell M. Nelson