Today, I went out. It's been years since I did. I prepared by ensuring that my son was well-fed, bathed, and tucked in for a sleep. I asked my daughter to please be quiet and not make a sound. Her baby brother needs to be asleep at least until I get back. Although nearby, I've never been to that place. In fact, it's literally just across the street. I realized how I had never left the house for some time, indeed.
It was the missionaries who asked me to be there. I had to share my testimony. A testimony that I never knew I had. I had been ranting to my friends. Complaining about so many things, things I don't have, things I want, things I lack. Crossing the street taught me how comfortable my life is. I didn't appreciate how blessed I am until I saw how other people struggle. The gospel had blessed my life abundantly, more than I ever deserve.
I was often told not to mind others and to just focus. I was told to worry about my own. Now, I went out. I saw how others struggle. I am not left out. I am just on the same path as others. We are on the same journey. Each of us is on the same road.
The bible starts with the words "in the beginning". It seems to be a clear reminder that every thing will have to commence somewhere. But, if you feel like in the middle of something, where do you start? Do you need to reset? How? How do you really start living your life?
Ordo Ab Chao, a Latin expression meaning that order comes from chaos. It gives us an idea where to start, which is on th - on things that are out of order. Find something in your life that is out of order.
Ordo Ab Chao - it doesn't say anything about things that are lacking or missing. Chaos comes from things available which is out of order. There is where to start. The things around you. If that missing piece drives to order, that is when we have to carry it in our sphere. But if not, there is no need to look for those missing items.
Ordo Ab Chao - order happens after things appear to be out of place.
So, have you identified the parts of you that appears to be scattered all over the place? Do you now see the mess? Start there. Ordo Ab Chao. You don't need to look for things that is not present in your life. All you have to see are those that is there but seemingly out of place.
A life well lived. Everyone wants one. But how exactly do we live a life which we call "well lived"?
Three decades on earth, and I still have no idea. But lately, I have learned something. In everything, there is a season. We don't need to rush, there is no need to hurry. We just have to live one day at a time. We should trust that Heavenly Father knows us by name, and He has plans for us. These plans are greater than what we can ever imagine. Remember, His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. He is above all. Trust him. He knows the very desires of our hearts.
So, live your life one day at a time. Love. Pray. Repent daily. Trust that happiness is found along the way. This is how we can seek out sunshine every day. Who knows, we can stumble on that "life well lived" in the end.
Ecclesiastes 3
CHAPTER 3
To every thing there is a season—Whatever God does, it will be forever—God will judge the righteous and the wicked.
1 To every thing there is a aseason, and a btime to every purpose under the heaven:
2 A atime to be born, and a time to bdie; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to alaugh; a time to bmourn, and a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to aget, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 A time to arend, and a time to sew; a time to keep bsilence, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to ahate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he alaboureth?
10 I have seen the atravail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be bexercised in it.
11 He hath made every thingabeautiful in his time: also bhe hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the cwork that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do agood in his life.
13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the agift of God.
14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be aforbever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should cfear before him.
15 That which hath been is anow; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.
16 ¶ And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, thatawickednesswas there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.
17 I said in mine heart, God shall ajudge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.
18 I said in mine heart concerning the aestate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are bbeasts.
19 For that which abefalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
20 All go unto one place; all are of the adust, and all turn to dust again.
21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
22 Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own aworks; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
You've probably heard this from others and yourself. Everything seems broken and you simply are a mess. During these dark nights of your soul, what do you do? How do you hang in there to seek out sunshine? Here are some things I have learned and am learning so far.
1. Go Basic. When I say go basic, do the basic things that human beings need to do: eat and drink lots of water, exercise, and sleep. Just do the basics. Survive.
2. Pray. When you find the physical and mental capacity to move, pray. Pray for help. Pray for things that you need to go praying for.
3. Talk. Talk to your trusted friends. They know you and will love you. I say here friends because sometimes, we may have families but our family members are not our friends. We may not feel safe with them. We need safety and reassurance that things will be better.
4. Seek Help. Seek help from mentors, church leaders, and medical professionals. They know what to do.
After declining an invitation to
date, someone once wrote this for me, “love may be the most difficult
for you to comprehend or understand”. I then thought love shouldn’t be that
hard. It should be as easy as breathing air. But as I matured, I learned how love
can be a challenging principle indeed. If it is so easy, it wouldn’t be a
commandment.
In my attempt to meet people, I
realized that earth life has its trials and tribulations that can lead others to
find love difficult. In the scriptures, we learn that in our days, people will
harden their hearts and they will be contentious towards one another. Death,
separation, disappointment, and heartaches will tend to make people believe that
being past feeling and cold can define strength. Yet, the scripture teaches us
that real strength is in the capacity to love like the Savior.
But how do we love like the
Savior? I may never with my limited wisdom comprehend the extent of His
capacity to love, but here are some examples of his love where we may learn
more about him. My hope is that in learning we can exemplify the Savior and
thus help us learn to love like Him.
His love
sees beyond our faults. In John chapter 8 we learn of an adulterous woman
whom the Lord forgave. When people only saw her mistakes, the Lord acted as if
He heard nothing. He ignored what the crowd was saying. He even verbalized his
compassion by saying that He does not condemn her. He told her instead to sin
no more.
He loves us
first. In 1 John Chapter 4, we learn that he loves us first. His love does
not have any fear of us not loving him back. He simply decided to love us and
atone for our sins regardless of whether we followed him or not. He gave us a love that
is unconditional and without guile. Pure and free of fear from us choosing to
go the other way.
His love is
kind and full of understanding – In Luke Chapter 7, the Lord acknowledges a
woman who showed devotion towards her. She said that with her faith, her sins
which are many, are forgiven. He also said that for them whom little is
forgiven, the same loveth little. He understands our sins is kind enough to let
us repent and draw close unto him. He knows that if he accepts us and forgives
us for our mistakes, we will love him more as we repent.
His love is
full of hope – Most of the stories in the scriptures end with the Lord asking
to “go and sin no more” or “go thy way”. He asks everyone to continue and “go”.
He is showing trust. He is trusting of our capacity to be faithful and serve
him throughout our mortal journey. Such trust despite our imperfection shows
how much He loves us and believes in our capacity to follow and become like
him.
Loving like the Savior can not only help us love others but love ourselves as
well. His love is transformative that once we feel it, we are inspired to love
others too.
In my search for a companion, the
love that the Savior has for me has been my guide. Knowing that a person can
love me like the Savior loves me gives me a feeling of security that hope and
happiness can be found in our married life.
If you struggle to love –
remember the Savior and His examples. Then, it wouldn’t be so difficult once
you feel his atoning love for you. His grace is enough to restore our hearts
and heal our heartaches. We can love better than we had ever done before. If we
draw closer to the Lord, we will know how much He loves us - then loving others
wouldn’t be so difficult.
“The direction in which we are moving is more important than where we are at the moment.”
- Elder Marvin J. Ashton (1915–94).
Goals help us see the direction and set the course of our lives. These goals can be daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, and even eternally. Knowing how to set proper goals will help us achieve them, and thus give us fulfillment and joy. To help you start with your goal setting, here are steps and ideas on how to create worthwhile goals.
1. Find a time to seriously reflect and pray
Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught, “First, think about your life and set your priorities. Find some quiet time regularly to think deeply about where you are going and what you will need to do to get there. Jesus, our exemplar, often ‘withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed" (Luke 5:16).
Carefully considering the path you want to take, the life you want to have will help you set the course of actions you want to take. Prayer will help identifying the best path and the correct set of actions to take.
2. Write down your specific goals for every area of your life
President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994): “Every accountable child of God needs to set goals, short- and long-range goals. A man who is pressing forward to accomplish worthy goals can soon put despondency under his feet, and once a goal is accomplished, others can be set up. Some will be continuing goals. Each week when we partake of the sacrament we commit ourselves to the goals of taking upon ourselves the name of Christ, of always remembering him and keeping his commandments. Of Jesus’ preparations for his mission, the scripture states that he ‘increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.’ (Luke 2:52.) This encompasses four main areas for goals: spiritual, mental, physical, and social. ‘Therefore, what manner of men ought ye to be?’ asked the Master, and he answered, ‘Verily I say unto you, even as I am.’ (3 Ne. 27:27.) Now, there is a lifetime goal—to walk in his steps, to perfect ourselves in every virtue as he has done, to seek his face, and to work to make our calling and election sure”
Goals vary in focus and duration. In our lifetime, we will have short-term and long-term goals. Regardless of the time you have set for your specific goal, it should always point toward the Savior, Jesus Christ. Doing so will ensure happiness and satisfaction along the way.
3. Work out your goals and manage your time
Time is a valuable resource and work is honorable. These two principles work hand in hand in accomplishing our goals. Effective time management if accompanied by diligent work will help us ensure success in the life we choose.
President Thomas S. Monson said, “Our house is to be a house of order. … Let us provide time for family, time for work, time for study, time for service, time for recreation, time for self—but above all, time for Christ".
In Mosiah 4:27 we are also reminded to “see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order.”
There is a cost to care for others and it's not just time or money. Often, it is a part of our own selves - our soul, spirit, sanity. Sometimes, the cost of caring is too high, and we may feel stressed or burned out. During these times we need to ask: Am I still okay? Kamusta na ba ako? Kamusta na ba TALAGA ako?
Being mindful or practicing mindfulness ("kamalayan") helps us evaluate our own well-being. Am I full? Am I empty? Am I ready to give? Awareness of our OWN PRESENT STATE, not thinking of the past, or worrying about the future, helps us notice and accept what's going on with our feelings, body, and surroundings - without passing judgment or labels.
It is but normal to get tired, feel stressed, or burned out. It is all part of our life experience. And if you do feel that things around you are just too much to handle, here are some things that you can do:
Detach - (Psychological Detachment)
Reclaim your personal space. Get out of the battle zone. Retreat but not surrender. You can simply get a minute break and breath. Mentally disconnect from your stressor in whatever way you can for at least a few minutes or hours. Take your time and breath deep.
Relax - Take some time off
Everyone needs time off. A time where you can stop and smell the roses. Sleep if you want, take a vacation if you must, just rest and relax. Get a hot cocoa, a long warm bath, pick up your favorite snack and go watch that new K-drama. Do whatever you can to help your mind stop worrying or depressing over things you cannot change. Treat yourself. Often, you do deserve it.
Prioritize - What is most important?
Identify your priorities. What are your goals? Are you concerned about something that you really should be involved with? Identify if your actions are aligned with your goals. Is it really something important to you, or are you better without these matters you are holding on to? You might find that you might even be spending your efforts over something that doesn't really serve you or your purpose.
Practice Mastery - Get a new hobby or a skill, and master it.
You either grow or you die. Learning is a lifelong endeavor, and one cannot stagnate. So get that new hobby, learn that new skill, enroll in that new class. Divert your focus on a healthy subject you personally chose, and do it for fun. You need to grow, develop, and enjoy life.
Seek Spiritual Replenishment from the Lord
And above everything, you must pray. Seek strength from the source of it all - God. The Lord Jesus Christ said that he is the true vine. He is the fountain of living waters and you will not go dry if you seek out strength and replenishment from him. Learn of Him, hear Him, keep your relationship with Him strong. He will direct you and bless you with the light, strength, and grace you need to make it through.
"In today's rush, we all think too much, seek too much, want too much" - Eckhart Tolle. We all have something and someone we need to give ourselves to. We will run out dry if we aren't mindful. That's why: "Rest and self-care are so important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve others from the overflow - you cannot pour from an empty vessel" - Teacher Yumi Wada
Resources: Identifying Burnout, and Practicing Self Care - Karina Mayumi Wada (youandmetalks / teacheryumi@gmail.com)
One great blessing of the pandemic is the church's General Conference being watched at home. We are free to plan and create activities for our family to endure and enjoy the 2 days (up to 10 hours) of conference sessions. To help parents plan for this conference, here are some tools and ideas to help us make the most out of the General Conference Sessions for families with children:
Print some coloring materials to make toddlers and younger kids focused and busy. You can use the General Conference Squares for this. Here is a sample:
Help the children identify and recognize the General Authority so they know who is talking. They will appreciate it more if they know who the speaker is.
Give everyone a General Conference Notebook that they can use in recording thoughts and inspirations during the conference. You can use these templates or also make your own.
Go paperless and help your children to the Kid's Gospel App. Click on these links where you can download with your Apple Device or Android.
There are a lot of materials you can choose from to make it enjoyable, comfortable, and fun for everyone in your family. I personally make sure that there are some snacks for everyone 👌😅.
I pray that you get inspired as you prepare your family to receive special blessings and personal revelations.
It's the last quarter of the year again. For primary leaders, this is the time to prepare for the Annual Primary Sacrament Presentation. Here's a short guide on how to do it step by step ;)
1. PLAN -
The Ward Primary Presidency and The Music Leader will meet with the Bishopric assigned to the Primary to plan for the presentation.
2. CREATE THE PROGRAM FLOW / SCRIPT -
The Ward Primary Leaders and Music Leader create the flow of the presentation considering these guidelines:
"should allow the children to present what they and their families have learned about THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST FROM THE DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS at home and in Primary, including the Primary songs they have sung during the year"
Our Stake Primary Leaders encourage to compile one video for the Sacrament Presentation and present it in one Virtual Sacrament Meeting.
The video should be around 25 - 35 minutes only
Ward Leaders may assign children and their families to record a verse, testimony, or song.
3. GET APPROVAL-
The bishopric assigned to the Primary should approve the presentation.
4. START PRACTICE AND/OR RECORDING: Once approved, primary children and their families can start practicing and recording. Please note that:
Practices should not take unnecessary time away from Primary classes or families.
There are visuals, costumes, and media presentations that are not appropriate for sacrament meetings.
Prepare for any technical types of equipment and resources needed for the actual presentation.
5. END WITH A BISHOPRIC REMARK-
A member of the bishopric will conclude the presentation with a short remark.
