Family By Divine Design:: Monday Musings: Too Many Blessings To Enumerate!

28 October 2013

Monday Musings: Too Many Blessings To Enumerate!

Yesterday in relief society the teacher asked what blessings we had received from being obedient. (insert cricket sound here) Eventually we got answers flowing, but the difficulty wasn't coming up with blessings (at least for me), but where to start? Which blessings didn't come from obedience?

I have good health because of following the Word of Wisdom and the law of chastity.

I have financial security because of adhering to the law of tithes and fast offerings and following the counsel of church leaders to be prudent with our income.

I have a bachelor's degree because I followed the counsel of church leaders to get a good education.

I have joy in family life because I try to follow the principles outlined in the family proclamation.

I have hope that my family (the one I'm raising, the one I married into, the one I grew up in, etc.) will be mine and I will enjoy relationships with them forever because I have made and strive to keep sacred temple covenants.

I have love in my heart because I do my best to serve the people I am called to serve in various callings.

I have peace as I strive to love my neighbor as myself, as Jesus taught. Holding onto anger and hate leaves no room for peace in a person's heart, so I'm blessed as I allow the atonement to heal my heart of any and all hurts.

I could list a lot more, but this will do for now. There is an LDS hymn that says, "Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven." Some would view obedience to the laws of the gospel as a large sacrifice, and as a loss of choice. But I'm choosing to be obedient, and the truth is that gives me more freedom. I'm not enslaved to any addictive substances. My health is not being jeopardized by any sexually transmitted diseases. I'm not suffering from ignorance because I have an education. I don't feel tied down by my family because I know the blessings of doing it the Lord's way and of having the right perspective about the precious stewardship I've been given as a mother. I'm not obsessed with my needs and my wants because I am aware of and try to help others. So I'll keep on doing what I'm told to do because the ensuing blessings are too many to enumerate and too wonderful to miss.

1 comment:

Celeste30 October, 2013 04:10
Here here!
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David's Bio

I grew up in southeastern Idaho moving at age one from the center of our town to the outskirts. This home had approximately ten acres and much of my youth was spent outdoors both playing and working with my grandparents on their farms. I enjoyed sports throughout my life and was active in wrestling and football throughout junior high and high school. My junior and senior years at high school a sweet young girl even convinced me to join the ballroom dance team. I graduated from high school and attended BYU where I earned my Bachelors degree in Biology in April 2007. Having been raised in the gospel it has always been an influence in my life.

Rachael's Bio

I lived in south central Idaho on a two-acre property in a three-story home until the fourth grade. We moved to Idaho's capitol where we lived until I was in eighth grade when we moved to south eastern Idaho. This move affected my life greatly. It helped me to gain and solidify my testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ as well as helped me decide how accurately I was going to live the gospel. This is also where I met David who was to become my best friend and husband. After graduating from high school in 2001 I attended BYU for four and a half years and graduated with a B.A. in Modern Dance, shortly before giving birth to our first child. Through all of my experiences my faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ and my dedication to living His gospel with integrity has increased. My greatest desire is that I will be able to help my children live and love the gospel.

Our Love Story

Rachael and David met first in their ward after Rachael moved in at the age of fourteen. Rachael's family had just moved across town to a home more suited to their needs than the original duplex. Both of their families were active in the church and Rachael and David both served in leadership positions of their respective YM/YW groups. With that constant exposure to each other was added the fact that they went to the same high school and were in the same graduating class. They found each other to be attractive and dated each other quite a bit near the end of their senior year and the summer afterward. After his freshman year at BYU David went on a mission to Russia - Rachael wrote him about every month and a half, just as an "interested" friend. Rachael was at home working for the summer when David returned from his mission and immediately felt that she wanted to date him again, so she asked him to go see the Phantom of the Opera in Salt lake City; thereafter followed about six months of courtship before they were married in Logan, Utah. Now they're both "the luckiest."