Come to the Temple

Our Stake President has been focusing on a couple of topics the last year or so. One is keeping the sabbath day holy and the other is temple attendance. As I was studying this week I enjoyed Elder Bednar's talk, "Honorably Hold a Name and a Standing". 

Elder Bednar talks about the sacrament prayer and how we are willing the take the name of Christ upon us and what that means, he said "As we partake of the sacrament, we look to the temple. We pledge to always remember the Savior and to keep His commandments as preparation to participate in the sacred ordinances of the temple and receive the highest blessings available through the name and by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, in the ordinances of the holy temple we more completely and fully take upon us the name of Jesus Christ." As we attend the temple we are better able to receive the blessings that we stand in need of.

Elder Bednar also talked about how as we attend the temple we are protected from the adversary. He said, "We should not be surprised by Satan’s efforts to thwart or discredit temple worship and work. The devil despises the purity in and the power of the Lord’s house. And the protection available to each of us in and through temple ordinances and covenants stands as a great obstacle to the evil designs of Lucifer." We all need as much protection as possible and as we attend the temple and keep our covenants we receive the protection we need. "Light is like a protective shield that can withstand the fiery darts of the adversary. To put on the armor of light is to put on the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the light and life of the world. This light—His light—forsakes the evil one." As we attend the temple we radiate with the light of Christ and this light protects us from the adversary.

True Womanhood Defined

I am not sure when it happened. When women began thinking that we are not enough. Or thinking that we don't need men. What does it mean to be a woman? Is womanhood defined by our bodies? Is it being able to bear children? Dr. Logan Levkoff said, "I believe that being a woman is a state of mind and a commitment to social action. We act as a moral compass and a sounding board for partners, friends and family. We believe in standing up for what’s right." 
I believe that being a woman is all those things and so much more. The following clip is Elder Holland on being a woman:

He went on to say, "A woman not of our faith once wrote something to the effect that in her years of working with beautiful women she had seen several things they all had in common, and not one of them had anything to do with sizes and shapes. She said the loveliest women she had known had a glow of health, a warm personality, a love of learning, stability of character, and integrity. If we may add the sweet and gentle Spirit of the Lord carried by such a woman, then this describes the loveliness of women in any age or time, every element of which is emphasized in and attainable through the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ." 

President Faust observed that femininity “is the divine adornment of humanity. It finds expression in your … capacity to love, your spirituality, delicacy, radiance, sensitivity, creativity, charm, graciousness, gentleness, dignity, and quiet strength. It is manifest differently in each girl or woman, but each … possesses it. Femininity is part of your inner beauty.”

Being a woman is something I am proud of. Being a woman is part of my eternal destiny and I pray that I might always remember the importance of these things. 

How to Find Happiness

As I did my studies this week, one thing really stuck out to me. According to the Harris Poll only 1 in 3 Americans are very happy, that's really quite sad!  In his talk "The Real Search for Happiness" W. Eugene Hansen said "Real joy and happiness come from living in such a way that our Heavenly Father will be pleased with us". Our lives are complicated and busy and we can lose our way. 
Jack H. Goaslind said "Our wise and loving Father in Heaven is concerned for the welfare of his children. He desires to see us happy. The very purpose of our lives can be defined in terms of happiness. The Prophet Joseph Smith said, 'Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it.' Our yearnings for happiness were implanted in our hearts by Deity. They represent a kind of homesickness, for we have a residual memory of our pre-mortal existence. They are also a foretaste of the fulness of joy that is promised to the faithful. We can expect with perfect faith that our Father will fulfill our innermost longings for joy. In fact, the plan he has given to guide us is called 'the plan of happiness'."
Sometimes we can sabotage our happiness by making bad decisions are going down the wrong path for a time. Jack Goaslind also mentioned, "Our happiness is diminished by at least two things: sin and adversity. The doctrine is concisely summarized by Alma: 'Behold, I say unto you,wickedness never was happiness'.  If we are not pure, we would be miserable in the presence of God and Christ, who are by their very nature happy and joyful and cannot look upon sin with any allowance."
In The Proclamation to The Family it says "happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord, Jesus Christ". I know this to be true and if we live a life pleasing unto God we will find peace and joy in this life and in the life to come.