Improving Ourselves

This weekend is stake conference for my singles stake in Rexburg. I'll give you one guess as to what the main topic of the talks were to young singles in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. That's right: Marriage. I can imagine all the eye rolls that happened when the first speaker started to talk about the importance of marriage and having a family. As part of the LDS culture, marriage is a popular topic that we've all heard on many occasions. As singles, we are always being asked about when we are going to get married and start a family. It's not like we don't want that, it's just that we don't quite get the importance of it right now.

I had this thought while listening to the first speaker as he talked about his family and the love he expressed for them. "The leaders of our church know the joy from having families and they want us to have and experience that joy. That's why they push marriage and family so much."

My favorite thing was how they related having a family to us singles now. The Saturday evening session talked about strengthening ourselves now so we can be prepared for our families when the time comes. It was an answer to my prayers, on how to improve myself.

-Don't just say your prayers. Speak them to someone who is really listening. 

THINK about what you are saying.

-You cannot read the scriptures too much. Life changing statement right there. 

You can always read the scriptures, no matter if you've read them that day already.

-Give 10% of your time to the Lord. 

-Always attend church meetings.

-Go often to the temple.

-Take the time now to strengthen your testimony.

-Offer sincere prayers daily.

-Look for the Spirit to guide you.

Thin of the ancestors who volunteered in the preexistence to live during the periods of Earth's history when the gospel was missing.  Think of their willingness to suffer and have a hard life so you can have the gospel in your life. They only ask that you help them receive the gospel, too.