So today in Relief Society we had a lesson on "hope". We listened to President Uchtdorf's talk from October of this year regarding hope. He gave a very touching example when he talked about his family during World War II. It really drove his point home and I enjoyed his talk immensely.
After the video presentation, the sister in our ward giving the lesson attempted to open up some discussion regarding the video we had just seen. She told about a personal experience of her's when she was diagnosed with cancer and then went on to say that possibly the reason for all these talks on hope (evidently the last General Conference had an underlying message of hope) was that we were about to face some really, really hard times and we needed to hear this.
Are you kidding me? We have been told that hard days were coming. We have been taught as long as I can remember and before, no doubt, that we need to prepare for hard days. "Get your food storage beefed (pardon the pun) up." "Prepare your families spiritually." "Pay off all your debt." So on, so on, so on.
Now, I'm not saying that all of this is not good cousel because it is! It most certainly is. The point I'm about to make is this . . . if we spend so much energy preparing for "hard times" then, yes, hard times are coming. They most certainly are! And how could they not? We think about it, we obsess about it, we expect it so it natually must happen. That is the law of the universe!!
I have another angle. How about we go against the grain and focus on good times. How about we focus on how wonderful the future is. What if we focus on abundance? Abundance of love, money, food, resources and health. What if we try to feel what that would be like? What if we close our eyes and imagine that it is here. Good times are ours to enjoy. "Man is that he may have joy." Right? Let's be joyful and positive and optimistic.
It's just a thought.
4 comments:
I taught that lesson today in my ward. :) It was an amazing talk, I love Elder Uchdorf! I hope you guys had a great Christmas, thanks for the digital frame, I have wanted one for years! You are the best! I'll call you soon to thank you in person. :) Love you!
okay but like, it's coming more faster and more faster and like, we don't know when um like, it's coming, if it's tomorrow or whatever but like, any day, right?
Lol. Um, no not necessarily. We can change the momentum of the "thing" if we change our thoughts about the future, duh!!!
I guess, "I don't get it." Hard times are coming? If hard times are coming, then certainly the root cause of these times to come is humanity focusing on hard times. But to assume that hard times are coming seems to focus energy in a way that will only insure hard times will come. Is this not another example of a self fulfilling prophecy?
I agree with your perspective. By focusing on the good, rather than the bad, we form an intention to bring forth beauty rather than negativity. This is not to say that bad things won't happen; for that is the nature of living in a free will environment. But by focusing on the positive, we may find the peace of mind to find meaning in hard times. They thus become life lessons that enable us to help others rather than personal tragedies.
Of course, this is an easy perspective to have when one is happy, healthy and full of life. When hard times strike it is much more difficult to taste the icing on the cake. But by focusing growth rather than decay, we prepare ourselves for such times.
So if we are to prepare for hard times, the prescription I would offer would be one of positive growth, nourishment and sharing.
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