Looking Beyond the Mark, Dean L. Larsen

This talk is challenging me a little more than the previous two talks. While the message is clear and well written, I find that I have to exercise a little more thought in discovering what I personally want to take away from this article. 

The scriptural focus of this talk comes from Jacob 4:14, "They despised the words of plainness, and killed the prophets, and sought for things that they could not understand. Wherefore, because of their blindness, which blindness came by looking beyond the mark, they must needs fall." The speaker then goes on to state, "I have wondered what was actually in Jacob’s mind as he wrote of 'looking beyond the mark' in describing a failing that was common to ancient Israel." For Elder Larsen, looking beyond the mark brought up memories of track and field. I then couldn't help but wonder what I see when I hear those words. For some reason I keep coming back to learning archery in middle school gym. It took a lot of discipline and focus to figure out how to get the arrow to not only be in the general direction of the target, but also have enough power to stick to the target. It was also interesting because it was at that point in time I learned that my left eye is dominant even though I am right handed. I then had to adjust everything, but once I figured out that small fact it became a lot easier to learn how to shoot. 

I liked the direction the talk then went to. The main point I think Elder Larsen was trying to drive home is that we cannot lose our faith in the details (you know, the whole seeing the forest through the trees concept). This isn't to say it's not good to ask questions or to learn more information, in fact it is IMPERATIVE that we ask questions and discover truths for ourselves. However, we must spend and equal, if not greater, amount of time strengthening the foundation of our testimony and understanding of basic elements of the gospel. My father always taught me that as a coach, he could always identify the strongest players on a team because they were the ones who regularly practiced and utilized the fundamentals. Over the years, I've heard about the many reasons people fall away, including those who have drifted away because of doctrinal or historical information. What I didn't understand is why I'm not in the same boat. I love reading about the doctrine and history of the church, good and bad. I found that the church's ban on African Americans having the priesthood through a large portion of church history particularly embarrassing and hard to understand, to be frank. I think this article helped me to see that because I understand and trust in the fundamentals of the gospel, I can objectively look at these items. If I were to allow myself to get caught up in just the details and forget the context and foundation, I'm sure I would end up far away from the church as well. (as a side note, my opinion is the people of the church were not mature enough to handle a higher law. After all, that happened a ton throughout the history of the world. Remember Moses and the Ten Commandments?)

I loved the last two paragraphs of Elder Larsen's talk. It's so good it deserves to be in its own font and bold type!

"Too often we permit the narrow demands of our daily routine to dull our appreciation of the beauty of God’s creations and the refining influences that are all about us. We fail to experience the fulfillment that comes from developing the gifts and talents with which we have been endowed. We do not draw close enough to the Lord to know him and feel of his redeeming love.

In today’s complicated world with its diversity of demands and sometimes distracting voices, it is so important for us to keep our eyes upon the basic things that matter most and that will have the greatest eternal consequence for us."

One of my goals for this year is to watch less TV so that I can spend more time on items I've always wanted to do like learn to play the piano, spend quality time reading a book, keeping this blog up to date and actively reading church materials, taking Jonah (my son) outside and let him discover all that is there, and maybe some not so great items like keeping a clean apartment and staying on top of the laundry. This isn't to say that all TV is bad, I'm just beginning to see how much of a distraction it can be in my life. That first paragraph really reiterated that happiness comes from expanding our talents and acting on opportunities presented to us rather than letting our daily routine dominate our existence. 

I guess I took more away from this talk than I thought I did. See, active reading at work! 

Never Give Up, Joseph B. Wirthlin - October 1987

I'm still working on the Federalist papers. It's a much longer read than I expected. Since it's been several months since my last post, I've decided to continue on with the conference talks.

The message of this talk is of great comfort. While Elder Wirthlin discusses the importance of perseverance and different examples throughout history of true perseverance, really what I drew from this talk was that all of the hardship that can come while persevering to do what's right is worth it, and, as the title suggests, we should never give up.

One point of interest came earlier in the talk. "The book (of Job) suggests that affliction, if not for punishment, may be for experience, discipline, and instruction." I've never really thought about my trials from this perspective before. There have been a few trials, one in particular, that I struggled to understand why I had to go through it. I never felt like I was being punished, but these trials were hard to bear and I couldn't see why I needed them. I may not completely understand the why behind these things, but now that I am able to look back instead of just forward, I can see how I have gained all three of these things Elder Wirthlin described.

Another point I appreciated is the following: "They succeeded not only because the Lord had endowed them with gifts, as He has each of us in varying degrees, but because they applied themselves steadfastly." My husband just started his PhD program at Wake Forest, and I know he has concerns about his ability to keep up with the coursework. It's nice to know that it's not just raw talent that enables someone to succeed, but rather the discipline to refine that talent and become better.

The last point I really took home was at the very end of the talk. "Probably few of us will face opposition and obstacles like those encountered by the great ones I have mentioned. However, we each have our own challenges and trials to overcome as we strive to keep on the right course. Often the most important trials are those we must face and subdue privately within our own hearts." I don't talk much about my trials, well, at least my really big trials. I've always felt as though my really big trials are internal struggles that creep on me day after day. I also felt silly for feeling this way because trials are supposed to be eventually overcome, and some items never seem to go away. Yet Elder Wirthlin is telling me that I'm not the only one to feel this way and that these truly are great struggles.

As I mentioned, this talk is one of comfort, but also I think it is one of hope. Elder Wirthlin is like a personal cheerleader, telling each of us that we can make it, that we should want to make it, and that we should do everything we can to make it. Or, as he put in a more straightforward way, "We must never give up, regardless of temptations, frustrations, disappointments, or discouragements." Sometimes it's nice to have a cheerleader on our side.