A week ago, ok, maybe by now it was two, I gave a talk in church. The last time I spoke in church I was weeks away from having Max. I actually got asked again to speak when I was 3 or 4 weeks away from having Davis but couldn't for some reason. What is it with people wanting me to talk when I'm super prego? Who does that? No me gusta. Anyways, they finally caught up with me and so I did it.
First of all I am not a huge fan of speaking in public, I get nervous and usually feel pretty dumb at the end of it all. Ask me to do a solo, I'm usually good to go. Teach a class? No problem. Do singing time in front of 50 kids? Love it. But speaking to a huge audiance where I don't get to interact is not my favorite. But everyone's got to do it some time I suppose.
This was actually the first time I ever wrote out my talk. I have always done it outline style like I learned in school when you're giving a presentation but for some reason I decided to write it all out, probably to make sure I would say everything I wanted to. Also it's not like if you write it out your bad. My grandpa (who was a patriarch, ex bishop, high council member and spoke a lot) did it for all of his. The prophet and apostles do it, at least for some things.
Over all it went really well and I felt pretty good about it. Jason was sick and so was Davis so he didn't get to hear. But the boys did and loved that I talked about them. In the beginning as I was going up my mom told me they waved at me and at the end both stood on their chairs to give me a thumbs up. I am not sure if I stayed on the topic they wanted me to or did it in a way that worked with all the other talks but everyone said they enjoyed it.
Oh. Also I am glad I wrote it out because I did get pretty choked up towards the end and shed some tears. But I am very proud of myself for not freaking out. I was terrified I would cry because 1.) It's not pretty at all. 2.) I lose all sense of composure and forget what I want to say and rush to the end to get it all over with. But when I got teary and choked up I just stopped wherever I was at, pause several moments to catch a breath and go on. I did that a 3 or 4 times. I was very glad I wrote it out because I was actually able to finish and say what I wanted to say without freaking out.
So here it is:
“Power in Priesthood Ordinances & Covenants”
Primary is a wonderful place to be in the church, at least in
my opinion. I had the opportunity to
attend all growing up. I don’t remember very many things that happened there
specifically, maybe because it was so long ago but probably because I have a
terrible memory. But one of the things I do remember is the music. I remember almost
all the songs and most especially I remember the articles of faith because we
learned them as songs. Growing up my mom was the primary music leader for most
of the time I was there and so I always made sure I knew them all. I did this
because loved music but it was also partly because she wore bright red lipstick
and anyone caught not singing was threatened with a big kiss. They were not
empty threats either, she gave them out liberally much to the dismay of the
older boys who got a good portion of them.
Fast forward to today and now I am the primary music leader and one of the first things I wanted to do when I was called was to make sure we learned was the articles of faith because, thanks to primary I was able to learn them and take them with me the rest of my life, through high school, collage, as a missionary, as I later taught missionaries at the MTC and now as a mother I have them available to use and apply in life any time because they are there in song.
This month in primary we are working on the 3rd
article of faith and we are actually going to be passing it off in the Jr.
Primary today. Do any of you know what the third article of faith is? You primary kids should! 3rd Article of Faith: We believe
that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved. By obedience to
the laws and ordinances of the gospel.
As we are learning it and as I have been teaching it to my
own children I have had to define what the atonement is and what laws and ordinances of the gospel are because
they are big words with big meanings. Teaching a child is tricky business
because you have to take these huge ideas and concepts and break them down into
something simple that a child can understand
and relate to.
Several weeks ago my boys, Levi who is 6 ½, Max almost 5 and
Davis who is 4 months, and I were in the van and I was working on teaching them the 3rd
article of faith because they are my guinea pigs so that I can practice singing
and explain things to them before I
have to get in front of a much larger audience.
So we talked about the 3rd article of faith and
what the Atonement is and how Christ paid for our sins. We talked about how he
is our brother and that we are all children of God. (Side note. Overall I love
having time with my boys in the van. They are strapped in and make a captive
audience. I have had some of my most spiritual discussions with them while
driving from place to place.) As we drove along we pointed out different people
who were driving, people who were out and about or people that we knew and we
would talk about them. We talked about how everyone is our brother or sister.
Even someone who might bug us or not be very nice to us is a brother or sister
and we should treat everyone with love and kindness because that’s how we should
treat our own brothers and sisters. (On a funny note my 4 year old suddenly
began making connections and said, “Wait, that means you are my mom, but you
are also my sister. That is weird. But cool”. I love to see their minds work.)
I will always remember those moments I had with my boys
teaching them about how we should show love and kindness to everyone.
As part of the 3rd article of faith it says….we
may be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel. Now ordinance
is another big word to understand as a kid and so we talked about that on a
number of different occasions.
Other ordinances, such as naming and blessing children, consecrating oil, and administering to the sick and afflicted, are also performed by priesthood authority. While they are not essential to our salvation, they are important for our comfort, guidance, and encouragement.
Ordinances and covenants help us remember who we are. They remind us of our duty to God. The Lord has provided them to help us come unto Him and receive eternal life. When we honor them, He strengthens us spiritually.
One of the ordinances and covenants most of us here have made is at
baptism. This is also one that for those I teach, in jr primary, will soon make
with in a few short years.
In the Book of Mormon Alma talks a little bit about part of the
covenant we make at baptism. Mosiah
chapter 18:
“And
now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his
people, and are willing to bear one
another’s burdens, that they may be light;
“Yea,
and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that
stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in
all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, … that ye
may have eternal life—
“…
If this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in
the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a
covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he
may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?”
In this scripture it tells us that part of
the covenant we make at baptism is how we treat others. It is how we can keep
our covenants every day as we are kind, as we show love, and take care of each
other.
There are many different ways to take care
and show love to someone. It can be an expression of gratitude for a job well
done. It can be taking the time out of your day to sit and listen to someone.
It can be helping someone when a need arises. It can be thinking of another and
letting them know you care about them. There are about as many different ways
to show love to someone as there are people.
In my own life
It is my mom taking time out of her busy schedule to babysit three
crazy boys so I can go out on a date with my husband even though she might be tired and have other things to do.
It is my husband who sees me stressed, takes control, does the
dishes and tells me I’m doing a good job.
It is my friends who took time out of their busy lives to give me a
baby shower even though it was baby boy #3 probably not knowing this was actually my first baby shower.
It is my grandma who does laundry or watches my boys so I can go to
a doctor’s appointment in peace.
It is numerous friends who I know if I ever need anything I can ask
and they will do everything in their power to help.
It is those who I know when they come into my crazy messy boy
filled house there is absolutely no judgment but love and understanding.
It is the wonderful teachers my boys have who take time and put thought into their lessons so that my sons might better learn and love the gospel.
It is my visiting teachers who come over and talk me not knowing
that I really needed to have a
conversation with someone over the age of 6.
“Sister
Eliza R. Snow … gratefully acknowledged sisters’ efforts to strengthen one
another. … She told them that although the Church did not keep a record of
every donation they made to help those in need, the Lord kept a perfect record
of their saving work:
“‘…
President Joseph Smith said this society was organized to save souls. What [are
we doing] to win back those who have gone astray?—to warm up the hearts of
those who have grown cold in the gospel?—Another book is kept of your faith,
your kindness, your good works, and [your] words. Another record is kept.
Nothing is lost.’”11
In the Book of Mormon, Ammon speaks of the great reason we
have to rejoice. He says: “And now, I ask, what great blessings has [God]
bestowed upon us? Can ye tell?”
In
his excitement, Ammon doesn’t wait for an answer. He says, “Behold, I answer
for you; … this is the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that we have
been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work.”
We
are covenant children in the Lord’s kingdom, and we have the opportunity to be
instruments in His hands. As we participate in the work of salvation each day
in small and simple ways—watching over, strengthening, and teaching one
another—we will be able to join with Ammon, who declared:
“Behold,
my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God.
“Yea,
I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not
boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all
things.”
I love the gospel, I am thankful for all those in my life
who continually show love for me and know that they are blessings from above. I
know that God loves each one of us and that we can be blessings to others and
answers to prayers. In the name of Jesus Christ.
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