What can I do TODAY to improve?

Last week I attended a forum at Sandy Institute and enjoyed a wonderful lesson from Colleen Terry. She teaches institute at UVU and was the forum speaker for the evening. I would like to summarize her talk.

To start off Sister Terry is 44 and single - never been married. And she has the utmost confidence she will be married. She said if you are living righteously it's not a matter of IF but WHEN. God blesses all his faithful children with their righteous desires - we just have to leave it to His timetable and not our own. She told us that though we are not yet married we can be preparing now - and I think this applies to any other aspect or desired blessing. Key words: CONSTANT PREPARATION. Ask yourself "What can I do now to become a better spouse/parent? What can I do this week/today?"

Our classroom is the human body. We learn so much from our experiences. Sister Terry is a cancer survivor. She related how she had lymphomic cancer and explained how difficult the radiation treatments were. One time she was at home and experienced so much physical pain she prayed to pass out but was not granted her request. She literally fell on her face. For a long time she didn't understand why she had to endure that pain.

Brigham Young once said "Every trial is necessary for your salvation."

Elder Richard G. Scott said "To exercise faith is to trust that the Lord knows what He is doing with you and that He can accomplish it for your eternal good even though you cannot understand how He can possibly do it. We are like infants in our understanding of eternal matters and their impact on us here in mortality. Yet at times we act as if we knew it all. When you pass through trials for His purposes, as you trust Him, exercise faith in Him, He will help you. That support will generally come step by step, a portion at a time. While you are passing through each phase, the pain and difficulty that comes from being enlarged will continue. If all matters were immediately resolved at your first petition, you could not grow. Your Father in Heaven and His Beloved Son love you perfectly. They would not require you to experience a moment more of difficulty than is absolutely needed for your personal benefit or for that of those you love." (Trust in the Lord, Ensign Nov95 - italics added).

Sister Terry taught that we must ask "what is the lesson I'm supposed to be learning?". Because as Elder Scott once said "He is preparing you to be a God." She then read Matthew 26:39:
"And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: neverthless not as I will, but as thou wilt." (bolding/italics added).

artwork by Derek Hegsted

She then showed us this picture that beautifully depicts what previous pictures have not.

Sister Terry then outlined 3 things we should be doing:
1) Learn to say with submissiveness "Nevertheless (as thou wilt)"
2) Luke 1:38 "And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word." Or in other words: I am they servant and will do as Thou wouldst have me to. Sister Terry pointed out that Mary too was submissive & put God's will first.
3) The principle of excavation.

"If endured well now, “all these things” can be for our good and can “greatly enlarge the soul,” including an enlarged capacity for joy (D&C 122:7; D&C 121:42). Meek suffering often does the excavating necessary for that enlarging! My admiration goes to my many spiritual superiors who so exemplify for us all. In the world to come, to these, the most faithful, our generous Father will give “all that [He] hath” (D&C 84:38). Brothers and sisters, there isn’t any more!" (Elder Maxwell, Apply the Atoning Blood of Christ, Ensign, November 97).

Our trials are not always consequences of sin but rather for our good and for enlarging our capacity for joy. President Benson once said "When you choose to follow Christ you choose to be changed." Change hurts, but it's always better than where you were.

Our Savior endured all our pains & trials already.

You get to choose your attitude.

Prepare for tomorrow but just LIVE today. A lot of your stress/worry is over what you can't change or control. The most control you have is in TODAY.



I really enjoyed the insights Sister Terry shared. I don't know if my notes here even did it justice. But I found the talk to be very uplifting and helps one have a better perspective about their own life & challenges. I'm grateful Sister Terry shared such wonderful gospel truths.