Relief Society Lesson -- The Words We Speak

The Words We Speak

Rosemary M. Wixom

Primary General President

April 2013 General Conference

One of the greatest influences a person can have in this world is to influence a child.

Children’s beliefs and self-worth are shaped early in their lives.

Everyone within the sound of my voice has the power to increase a child’s confidence in himself or herself and to increase a child’s faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ through the words they speak.

How we speak to our children and the words we use can encourage and uplift them and strengthen their faith to stay on the path back to Heavenly Father. They come to this earth ready to listen.

To speak to a child’s heart, we must know a child’s needs. If we pray to know those needs, the very words we say may have the power to reach into their hearts.

Our efforts are magnified when we seek the direction of the Holy Ghost.

Unfortunately, the distractions of this world prevent many children from hearing encouraging words that could shape their view of themselves.

The answer to our prayer of how to meet our children’s needs may

be to more often technologically disconnect.

Precious moments of opportunity to interact and converse with our children dissolve when

we are occupied with distractions.

We can also influence our children through the words we write to them.

 “We labor diligently to write, to persuade our children … to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God.”-- 2 Nephi 25:23

Home Grown Pumpkins!

The fruits of our labors! This year we planted corn and pumpkins. We got quite a good harvest of corn despite the rocky soil and not fertilizing like we should. We are now using the corn stalks for fall decorations around our front entryway.

The pumpkins didn’t fare quite as well as the corn. We started in containers and transplanted a little too late. Dad worked hard hand watering the pumpkins all summer because the sprinkler didn’t quite make it to that corner of the garden.

But there is something quite spectacular about growing things from seed. So even though our pumpkins are small and perhaps not the prettiest around, we are very proud of them!

 

Stupid People

It seems like the only time I feel like putting forth the effort to blog anymore is when I’m having a bad day – which is the case today.

So therefore, be forewarned before proceeding to read the remainder of this post.

I’ve said it before but I really can’t stand stupid people. I don’t understand how so many people can be so ridiculously stupid. It really baffles me.

I’m just going to gloss over the whole Obamacare government shutdown debt crisis blame the good people praise the bad people thing. It’s really not worth my breath.

But what I would like to mention is people who claim to be good active members of the church who publicly go against church doctrine via media outlets presenting themselves as angels while doing the devil’s work.

Example number one: women who think they should receive the priesthood.

I read several articles about a group of women who are members of the church and claim to be in good standing with the church yet they have a website promoting their agenda that women should be ordained to the priesthood. --Which I don’t even think their terminology is correct. Isn’t the priesthood conferred and then you are ordained to specific offices within the priesthood? But I digress.

First of all, any woman who wants to, or thinks she should, receive the priesthood does not understand the doctrine. The priesthood is a responsibility given to men to serve others. Do we as women really need more responsibility than we already have? Women have access to all blessings available through the priesthood. So it’s really a nonissue. As members of the church women have many responsibilities in leadership positions. In God’s divine plan men and women are given specifically different roles to fulfill. If you don’t understand those, just go read “The Family a Proclamation to the World” where it is spelled out quite well.

I just don’t understand how self-proclaimed faithful members of the church could hold a protest outside the conference center during priesthood session and stand in the standby waiting line to try to get into a meeting for the priesthood brethren just because they want to make a statement. It’s ridiculously stupid. It really just shows how ignorant and uninformed they are about the church and its doctrine.

Example number two: members of the church who want the doctrine that homosexuality is a sin to be changed.

I read an article today about an LDS family who a few years ago went door-to-door for proposition eight in California – which upheld the fact that marriage is only between a man and a woman. – Anyway apparently their son who is now a teenager is suffering from same-sex attraction and considers himself “gay”. Now these parents are speaking out against the church doctrine that homosexuality is a sin and are hopeful that the doctrine will change to accommodate their son. They have changed wards and are still active members for now, according to the article.

Give me a break. Doctrine doesn’t change. It doesn’t take an Einstein to figure that out. You can still love people who struggle with sin without embracing the sin. People who struggle with same-sex attraction can still be faithful active members of the church. The same way that single heterosexual members of the church can enjoy full fellowship in the church as long as they don’t break the Lord’s law of chastity.

You don’t change the Lord’s Laws/Commandments to suit your lifestyle. You change your lifestyle to suit the Lord’s Commandments.

This is not an isolated case. I have read in the media of several members of the church, some well known, who are, outspokenly,  in favor of same-sex marriage – in other words they are claiming that homosexuality is not sinful.

I understand that they have close family members who struggle with same-sex attraction but, that doesn’t mean that you should use your fame to express your errant umbrance with church doctrine through media outlets.

It’s really oxymoronic for members of the church to disagree with and want to change church doctrine yet call themselves faithful members.

Giving them the benefit of the doubt I will assume they are moronically ignorantly stupid. Otherwise they are apostate – which is far worse.

That’s my two cents.