… the continuation of review part 9, and final in this review series.
The next part of Sheri Dew's presentation was a highlight. She illustrated a few of the tactics Satan uses on us. This was such a highlight for me, because for the past year I have been doing a lot of research on Satan. I’ll let you know when the book is out.
Candid Camera clip
Watch this.
This is a funny clip, experimenting with people and illustrating that they so easily conform to the behaviour that is around them. Is it showing us peer pressure, and the oh-so obvious influence of others? We all have influence. Who are you influencing? And who is influencing you? Do they have the ideal goals; are they heading in the right direction?
That actually reminds me of another talk by John Bytheway entitled No Brainers. ‘Choose your friends wisely’ was no-brainer number one, something I’d love to explore more about another time. He said this: if someone asked you “do you want a ride?”, you typically ask back “where are you going?”. It’s the question parents ask teens as they leave the house: where are you going and who are you going with? This is a great question to ask with an eternal perspective. Think big, and ask yourself where to you want to go? Heaven? Some place with maximum happiness? Maximum freedom? Alright then, how are you going to get there? Are you with people that are going that direction?
Note: once you get in the car, you’re going where they’re going. You become the ‘passenger’ to your peers. Fill in the blank: If your friends are doing _____, then chances are you are doing _____. If your friends compromise their standards, then chances are you are too.
Dove commercial
Watch this.
A lot of the world we live in is an illusion.
The words in the clip are spot on: “No wonder our perception of beauty is distorted”. We are so tempted every day to question our body and image, but the model doesn’t even look like that!
Sheri quoted Temple President Douglas L. Callister of the Bountiful Utah Temple: “When we enter the temple, we leave the world of make believe.” How do you think this is so? Have you ever been past a Mormon temple? They will be different designs in terms of architecture, but their design will always exude symmetry and order. They will always be white; a constant beacon to all of purity and cleanliness. The gardens will always be structured and tidy. And all this reflects the inside of the temple – clean, orderly, pure, calm, and holy.
Last month’s theme in Primary was My Body Is a Temple. I saw how simple illustrations of how we can keep our bodies clean and healthy taught the children that they were just as holy as the nearby temple. Of course, it helps if we are taught from a young age the important of showering, eating fruit, saying no to smoking and tattoos, and humming a favourite hymn to wipe bad thoughts away. Yet as we grow up, it is so hard not to feel influence from peers, magazine covers, and colourful fashion trends.
Sheri asked us: “Are we taking influence from the world? At some point, that’s a problem.”
President George Q. Cannon was pretty clear when he said we were reserved for this day. This brings to mind my absolute favourite talk ever, by a man named Hyrum Smith (not that Hyrum Smith, this Hyrum Smith). He spoke at Ricks College (now Brigham Young University Idaho) about the apostasy, and his testimony as to why the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored when and where it was restored. Seriously brilliant. Gosh I love the apostasy (another research project of mine). At the conclusion of Elder Smith’s remarks, he tells us listeners that the cosmos didn’t just blimp, and out we came when we were born. No! We were born when we were born because that is exactly when we were meant to be born.
He then reiterated a story: President David O. McKay was not busy one Sunday evening, and so he and his wife went to a local stake centre and found a stake president speaking to a group of youth. He came in, sat down in about the eight row, and the stake president almost died. Or as Elder Smith said “he about swallowed his tie”. The stake president continued speaking, and then some time during his remarks, he stopped. And said, in Elder Smith’s paraphrasing words: “You know, young people, I feel impressed to tell you that before the world was; you were all captains and generals in the Lord’s army.” And then he continued on with his talk, it had nothing to do with his talk. Afterwards, the stake president felt President McKay’s eyes drilling him, and so he approached and asked if he had said anything that was inappropriate. “You were just inaccurate. There were no captains here tonight. They were all generals. And don’t you forget it.” President McKay then walked out and left.
What is my point? My point is that we were somebody before we got here (hence being reserved for this day) and we are somebody now.
We are here now because we are meant to be. And the Lord knew we could do what He wants us to do. Therefore, we need to keep FOCUSED. Make sure you are concentrating. No illusions, no distractions.
Why not go and ask Him to turn your weaknesses into strengths?
End of Time Out For Women 2011 review.
