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I guess I should mention what's going on in church. Tomorrow I actually have the lesson in Elder's Quorum. Last week I was in Ward Council and Merilee, a woman I was dating until about a month ago, announced that the sisters had conjured up a dating contest that would be starting that day. It was called the Tri-Valley 2 Week Triple P Blitzkrieg. She even wrote about it in her blog here.
Basically girls are trying to see who can get the most dates by either asking guys out or by being asked out since the Elders Quorum has been encouraged to have the same contest. Anyways, I was a little disappointed when I heard about it. Disappointed because I had already chosen dating as my lesson topic, and my lesson wasn't until the next week. My Elder's Quorum President asked me what my lesson was going to be on a few weeks ago. I told him that it would be better as a surprise. He said, "oh are you going to be calling the brethren to repentance about their home teaching?" I told him no, while thinking to myself, "it's even worse." I had known that many girls were frustrated at the lack of dating going on in the Ward due to the men not asking anyone out, so I was pumped for the opportunity to address the issue. Surprisingly, my feelings have changed this week. I actually think that the timing was perfect and has allowed me to think of some new ideas for the lesson.
It's interesting how you think about some people more once they're gone. One person I've been thinking a lot about is Dad. Tomorrow will be two months. At institute on Tuesday we were studying Romans and my corner of the room was assigned to read 8:14-18. I'm kind of a loner and was sitting in the back row so I just read it myself while the other two or three read over it together. I had had a train of thought going through my mind the past week, especially since Merilee posted a video on facebook. It was a Mormon Message titled Earthly Father, Heavenly Father. I had thought many times, while watching my brother Paul's kids, about the similarities between earthly parenthood and Godhood, and I really enjoyed the message. The part that "hit" me was a quote at the end from the Quorum of the Twelve that said "Of all the titles of respect and honor and admiration that are given to Deity, he has asked us to address him as Father." It made me reflect on my attitude towards God, especially while praying.
I've been praying for a lot of things lately. Thinking of God as my Father actually really helps me to have hope. That's what I felt in the five verses we read. I felt like sharing my thoughts when it was my corner's turn to share what we read, but I didn't. I just let the other guys talk. I'm really not used to sharing personal stuff in front of people and I also didn't want Merilee to think that I stalk her page everyday. But it was great thinking, or realizing rather, that my Dad, if he were here, would really be willing to give me anything as long as it was for my good. He would do it because he loves me and wants me to be happy. Even imperfect fathers know how to give good gifts to their children (Matthew 7:9-11), and I feel blessed to know that God is my Heavenly Father. I know it's something so simple and that it's so fundamental that it's the very first topic taught to investigators but it just was great to think about this week. I don't know why it takes a video on facebook or lessons at insitute for me to have these little epiphanies, but I'm grateful for them. I feel like I've had a lot of these kinds of experiences recently.
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