Last Sunday, in the combined Priesthood and Relief Society our bishop gave a lesson based on the talk “Journey to Higher Ground” by Joseph B. Wirthlin. This is an excellent talk about the choices that we make each day. Elder Wirthlin talks about the importance of making choices every day that will lead you back to Heavenly Father. Elder Wirthlin concludes his talk by saying:
“How do we know which direction we are headed? When the Savior walked the earth He was asked to name the greatest commandment. Without hesitation He said: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
‘This is the first and great commandment.
‘And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
‘On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40)
In these verses, the Lord offers a clear way of knowing if we are on the right path. Those who journey to higher ground love the Lord with all their hearts. We see in their lives manifestations of that love. They seek their God in prayer and plead for His Holy Spirit. They humble themselves and open their hearts to the teachings of the prophets. They magnify their callings and seek to serve rather than be served. They stand as witnesses of God. They obey His commandments and grow strong in their testimony of the truth.
They also love Heavenly Father’s children, and their lives manifest that love. They care for their brothers and sisters. They nurture, serve, and sustain their spouses and children. In the spirit of love and kindness, they build up those around them. They give freely of their substance to others. They mourn with those that mourn and comfort those that stand in need of comfort.”
My bishop then suggested that we should each look at the way that we are spending our leisure time. That this is a true reflection of where our priorities are. This really hit home to me. All this week as I have gone about my day, I have had this in the back of my mind. Are the activities I choose to be spending my time on a reflection of what I truly feel is the most important? Am I making an effort to accomplish the goals that I have set for myself?
This week I have seen the areas that I need to work on. I have found areas that I can really focus on to improve my relationship with my Savior. I have seen areas that I can improve my family relationships. It has been a good experience for me. Now I just need to make sure that I begin to make the changes that I need to.
It is important to step back, every so often, and evaluate where you are headed and to make sure you are still going down the path that you want to be on. It is so easy to get caught up in the day to day rush that you can lose track of what is really important. Have you had any similar experiences in which you have been able to refocus on what is most important?