A Lesson Learned From Grandma Sabin

As I laid awake last night, tossing and turning (I wish), I started thinking about this lesson I learned from Grandma Sabin. I thought I would share it with you today. Of my four grandparents, Grandma Sabin was the one I spent the most time with. Consequently, she is the one I felt the closest to, and learned the most from. She was always teaching. Whether it be life lessons, family history, etc.. She taught me many things and maybe in the future I will discuss a few of them but for now I want to discuss just one.

This lesson probably had the most impact on my life, of any of the lessons I learned from her. Surprisingly, or maybe not, it occurred when I was very young. I was perhaps six or seven years old. I don't remember the details very well, but I do remember the lesson. So I will do my best to explain what happened.

My mom and I, and probably my sisters- I don't remember them being there but I'm sure they were- went shopping with Grandma Sabin. I don't think Michael was born yet. Anyway, we were shopping at ZCMI in the children's section. Grandma was going to buy me a new dress. I don't remember the selection process but, it was narrowed down and I was given the choice of two dresses. I was to select one of them, which I liked the best, and grandma would buy it for me. Apparently, I was quite indecisive and would not make a decision for whatever reason. I don't remember. Grandma then proceeded to lecture me on being decisive and sticking to the decision. I imagine it went something like this, "Miss Tamara... being decisive is an important quality... and so forth." I think she mentioned something about weighing the pros and cons. (In six-year-old terms) Anyway, I don't really remember what she said to me during the lecture. But ever since then I have been a decisive person. Granted, I haven't always made the wisest decisions. But I have tried.

We are faced with many decisions every day. Most of them are mundane and unimportant. Such as which outfit to wear, what brand of milk to buy, etc. But, for those decisions which are important, such as whether to serve a mission, where to go to school, whom to marry, etc. we have been given a formula to follow to help us make that decision.

Doctrine and Covenants 9: 7-9
"7 Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me.

8 But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.

9 But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong; ..."

So let me just reiterate what we should do to make a wise decision.

1- Study it out in our minds. This is where we make the list of pros and cons. We ponder the list and come to a decision.

2-After making the decision we pray about it. We ask Heavenly Father if we have made a correct decision.

3-If it is the correct decision we will feel good about it, through the Holy Ghost. If it is not the right decision, we will be confused.

It is a fairly simple formula. Very easy to follow. Sometimes I think we want things our way. So even though we don't receive the warm feelings from Holy Ghost, and instead receive confusion, we ignore the Lord's answer and make the wrong choice.

We should not only use this formula for major decisions but also minor decisions which also have an impact on us. Things such as whether to go to a party or a dance, whether to hang out with your friends or stay home with your family, etc.. Of course, things like whether to read your scriptures or pay your tithing are hardly decisions you need to pray about because the Lord has already given his answer regarding these things. And of course we should not use this formula for deciding which outfit to wear or which can of peas to buy at the grocery store. The Lord doesn't really care whether you buy Green Giant or Safeway brand.

I do believe that being decisive is an important quality for us to develop. I'm thankful to Grandma Sabin for teaching me this lesson very early in my life. By the way, I think after the lecture I selected one of the dresses fairly quickly.

So go make a decision and stick to it!

That's my two cents.