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Archives for May 2015

Talents

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What are your talents?

When I asked this on Facebook the other day I got an amazing response. I was amazed at all the talents that were listed; the obvious ones as well as the not-so-obvious ones! You can’t put many of the talents listed on a stage for a talent show, but they are the kinds of talents that make our world rich and beautiful.

Here are the talents that people listed:

I am a piano teacher, educator, tap dancer, cross stitch like a crazy woman, compassionate, giver, and some times a time waster- Shannon

I am generous, can make people laugh and I’m a good nurse. I also think I’m a fun mom which I consider a talent smile -Brandi

I can see what others cannot and make ideas actually happen. I’ve realized it has been my greatest natural gift helping my clients and friends create plans, projects, and results from literally nothing.
– Brandon

I am considerate. When I see a need I try to attack it with all my might. I am a bank when it comes to others secrets. I am great with children… I am creative; you see a cardboard tube, I see a large downward tunnel contraption that launches cars into a container. I am emotional. I am able to feel such a wide spectrum of emotions. I have the highest of highs, and I wouldn’t trade it, even if it did mean not feeling the lowest of lows. -Apryl

I would say that I am a good teacher and a creative person. I am a good baker, and I like to serve others.- Kimi

I have a nice smile. I am really good at pulling things off at the last minute with pretty much little or no planning. I can sing. I always look on the bright side.-Laurie

I am good with organizing, budgeting, expressing myself with music, giving hugs, growing most indoor plants, being trustworthy and dependable. After many years of practice I am getting better at admitting when I am wrong, decluttering, being completely honest with myself and God, giving compliments, teaching, and being more accepting of myself and others.-Cheri

I am generally happy and love to laugh. I am a good person. I think outside the box, have faith in things unexplained, am adaptable and like to do things for other people (especially anonymously because then it forces them to realize they have too many friends to narrow down the suspect). I can pick up a tennis ball with my toes though I don’t put that on my resume (usually). I can write really long replies to simple questions and rarely run out of things to say… I’d list a few more but then I’d be late for my class on Humility -Stephanie

I am awesome at getting stains out.-Flora

I adore this list. I love that many were willing to break through their insecurities to share their talents. It can be a hard thing to tell people what your talents are… but it also feels amazing to do so!

Thanks for this. Sometimes we need to think about our talents and what we can/should be sharing with others. Also it is fun to see what others consider their talents to be.

That was really hard at first. Thank you!

It’s hard to be open about what you’re good at. I love hearing what others have said, but it is hard for me to be open about what I consider myself to be good at!

Thanks for the reminder that we’re all incredibly loved and blessed!

What are you talents?

Share your list in the comments below. Let’s grow this list! Feel the empowerment it will give you to be the best at what you do best!

“O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!

Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth.

But behold, I am a man, and do sin in my wish; for I ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me.” ~Alma 29:1

And yet, consider all that he did do. He had such an incredible reach and so much success in sharing the gospel. The Lord allotted him so many wonderful opportunities to share the gospel. Inspiring. 

Seek to Build 1, 2, 3

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I have a goal each day: To seek to build the kingdom of God in these 3 ways. I pray for help, of course.

1. In your home.

2. Online.

3. In person in the real world.

Sometimes it just comes naturally, sometimes I have to think a little harder. By far the hardest one for me is number 3 because I have a hard time getting out of the house with 6 kids, let alone get to talk to anyone. But it is a goal. When I do go out with the intention in my heart, the Lord always opens up the opportunity; often it is through a small, but kind act of service.

How do you seek to build the kingdom each day?

 

Gifts and the Gospel

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Seek to build the kingdom of God everyday. How do we do that?

By sharing our talents. (Click to see a list of talents that were shared with me.)

As we seek to increase and multiply our talents, our capacity to connect with others, to reach more people, increases and multiples.

As we use our talents in meaningful ways, as we use them to uplift and inspire others, as a way to serve others, we will build lasting relationships and meet people we would have never had the opportunity to meet otherwise.

Use your talents to build the kingdom. Why else did God bless you with such gifts and the gospel?

Seek Ye First

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One of my favorite scriptures is, “Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:” preceded and followed by other instructions given by the Lord on how to receive many more of his blessings. He ends it with this admonition and promise:

Matt 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

“I got this,” I say, “I am praying and reading my scriptures daily. I am teaching my family. I am attending church. I am totally being the best person I know how. I am connecting to Father each day. I am seeking the kingdom in my life in every way that I can.”

And then I read the Joseph Smith translation. I love the further clarification it gives. I love the deepened intention in the action God is actually calling for.

JST Wherefore, seek not the things of this world but seek ye first to build up the kingdom of God, and to establish his righteousness … (emphasis added)

So I ask myself, “In what ways am I helping to build the kingdom, not just seek the kingdom for myself and my family?” Many thoughts come to mind.

I am certain you are building the kingdom in your own way too, but doesn’t this clarification inspire you? It inspires me to pray for guidance on how to do build more purposefully.

Don’t just seek. Seek to build.

God’s Timing

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The house needed to be cleaned, the kids needed to be tended to and loved, and a funeral had to be planned, all while my husband was out of town. I felt like I was drowning. The kids wouldn’t help, my mom couldn’t help and the list was so long that I didn’t even know where to start if I were to ask for help.

So I prayed for angels to help me.

I had this overwhelmingly beautiful feeling come to my heart and so I thought, “God really is going to help me today.”

No one came, but I felt at peace and figured he had sent heavenly angels I couldn’t see to buoy me up and give me strength to get through the day. I know he did.

I still found myself dragging my feet at times during the day, the kids probably watched too much TV and I barely made a dent, but I didn’t feel desperate like I had been feeling when I prayed.

The next day came with the same to-do list and more. I rolled up my sleeves and was about to get to work when…

… the doorbell rang.

A friend was bringing me fresh homemade bread. She asked if there was anything she could do for me. Instead I gave her a list of all that I had to do. She picked one and started to doing it: the dishes.

Then a few minutes later another friend, who was so sick she should have been in bed, came over because she felt prompted to help me with the funeral programing for my dad. She couldn’t have known how heavy that was for me and that I really didn’t want to do it, and that I wouldn’t have sat down to do it until late in the evening after everything else was done. She helped me so much.

It was about 24 hours after I prayed for angels that God sent them. This was his army and it is no easy feat to move an army. There is preparation and planning; soft words spoken to their souls, time for making bread, for working up the energy to make the trek because they aren’t well and so on.

There is a reason for his timing. Sometimes I think everything should be instant because I figure God is God and can do all things, but it isn’t always the case and most of the time not.

If something appears to be instant, there was probably a thousand things working in the background beforehand to make it happen just when you needed it to.

I have learned to trust in God’s timing, to be patient when I have prayed because I know the answer is coming. I have learned to keep working until the help arrives. But above all, to not wait to pray for angels until I am in desperation mode.

Pray for angels. Trust God’s timing. Help is on the way. Believe it.

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