"The Lord is well pleased with you" How?


Anonymouse
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I recently received my patriarchal blessing! :D It started with the sentence: "The Lord is well pleased with you" :confused: How is this possible?

I rarely say prayers. They are impossible to remember even when I use the "prayer rock" because I will just lose the prayer rock.

I read the scriptures twice a week for about 1 hour each time, but only because I have to for a class. I would forget otherwise.

I have done the masturbation thing. I did it mostly because it is the only way to fall asleep sometimes. Didn't realize that it was such a bad thing (though I knew it was a sin, as I read the pamphlet they give you on that topic) until reading some posts on this forum. I pray for forgiveness each time (which is actually why I say prayers most of the time, :rolleyes: oh the irony). I also have never talked to a bishop about it, but my bishop has mentioned that everyone (male) has experimented with that kind of thing, and that if I ever have a problem with it and can't stop to meet with him. I don't feel that it has ever been a big enough problem to warrant a meeting with the bishop.

I also can never get to bed. Time disappears... literally. I sleep about 5-6 hours at night and 1 hour in classes and work during the day.

I am currently being diagnosed with ADHD and am battling depression and anxiety disorders at the same time.

My religion professor has taught that God possibly gives consideration to those with mental disorders, which would explain why my patriarchal blessing was so positive. The other scenario is that my patriarchal blessing was not divinely received. I am struggling with a testimony right now, so this could easily be a possibility.

Then I compare my woes and worries to those suffering in Japan right now. Why am I not grateful for what I have? I am not starving, I am not dieing, I am not dead, I am not in pain, I am not out of money, out of home, out of gas. Why do I have the right to complain? I don't.

Does anyone have a suggestion regarding ANY of this things, especially with gaining a testimony??? I have tried so many things that have failed. Life is miserable... but still worth living, as always. If you read through this entire post, sorry for making your life a little bit more gloomy then it was 5 minutes ago. Just remember that behind all the smiling faces you see and meet, there are people like me... who are struggling and confused. Because I guarantee, if you saw me in real life, you would see me smiling.

Edited by Anonymouse
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Look at it this way, the majority of people NEVER read their scriptures and are out their partying and doing immoral things that he told them specifically not to do. You are trying your hardest to do what's right within your means - if I was your father and you were my son I'd be well pleased with you too.

No one is perfect, all we can do is strive to be better than we were yesterday today and keep pressing forward with his help.

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Sounds like you have many struggles and trials in your life. Yet even with these struggles, you are trying to keep the commandments and be active. Of the 14 million members of the Church, only 1/2 attend Church regularly. Of those, only 1/3 pay a full tithe. Of the active, many do not live the Word of Wisdom.

So, given you are probably doing many things right, the Lord is correct in saying he is "well pleased" with you. You are still above most of the membership in means of obedience and in enduring your struggles and trials.

So, keep working towards improving, and the Lord will continue being "well pleased" with you.

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As I was reading the first couple paragraphs, I was thinking "sounds like a typical struggle of one with ADHD". Then I see the diagnosis comment. I lived with a spouse with ADHD for almost 15 years. It is a struggle to do the 'normal' things the likes of which most people simply can't comprehend.

I almost posted a link to this site last week about ADHD struggle and how it impacts a person's ability to carry through. I'll go ahead an slip it in here in case anyone wants to gain an understanding by reading about one person's struggle simply to get the laundry done for her husband. See: Dear my husband (a little long).

It does not necessarily require performance or perfection to please the Lord. Progress and effort are very pleasing. Imagine if you will a toddler who is learning to walk. Would you be upset at them for repeatedly falling down? Rather, I suspect that like me, you would be well pleased with them if they kept getting up after every fall and continuing to work and progress towards being able to walk. That is how the Lord is with us. He knows we are a work in progress. So long as we don't sit on our duff and take it easy, He most certainly can be pleased with us.

I doubt your insecurity of testimony would impact the Patriarch's ability to receive inspiration. :P

Seek medical treatment of the ADHD. You may be surprise how much life's possibilities can open up for you with the right medication.

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"The Lord is well pleased with you" :confused: How is this possible?

I rarely say

...

I read

...

I have done

Interesting thing about the Lord - He's not only aware of what you do in life, but why you do it. He is able to see into your heart and soul - He know more than what you do and don't do - He knows who you are.

Life is miserable... but still worth living, as always. If you read through this entire post, sorry for making your life a little bit more gloomy then it was 5 minutes ago. Just remember that behind all the smiling faces you see and meet, there are people like me... who are struggling and confused. Because I guarantee, if you saw me in real life, you would see me smiling.

I don't claim to see things as God sees them - but here's what I see:

* You bear a heavy burden, but keep going. (That's called enduring to the end)

* You struggle and often fail to be happy, yet you spend effort to appear happy for the benefit of others. (That's called selfless service)

* You come here for help and advice, but apologize in advance if you've made things hard on us. (That's called giving others an opportunity to serve, and also showing love and concern for people you've never met.)

Honestly Anonymouse, how much better would the world be, if everyone living in it had the qualities you are displaying here? (Hint: A heck of a lot better)

It's really not that hard for me to see why God would be pleased with you. Because even though you're a sinner like the rest of us, even though you are struggling under these burdens He knows you have - you are not giving up.

Welcome to the board.

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Thank you for all the wonderful, uplifting comments. All of you are eloquent writers who can touch people's hearts, such as mine.

I love the internet... you can be completely honest, and aren't any downsides... none (at least none that I know of).

As for ADHD, I'm going to the psychiatrist tomorrow. We will see how it goes. I've already taken quite a few tests, exams, and other things. I've tested positive with "Moderate to Mild" attention deficits, but they won't give me any treatment (whatever it may be) for ADHD because they think my emotions may be causing my attention deficit.

Personally, I thought it was the other way. ADHD causes anxiety and depression. I get depressed because it seems like my plate is always full of things to do - I just don't remember what they are. I get anxious for the same reason.

Remembering things gets harder and harder for me. I used to live with parents, then I used to have a roommate. Now that he is gone, thinking, remembering, and paying attention is up to my brain alone, which is a near impossible.

So while my mental health is under control... how about my spiritual welfare? How can I gain a testimony? How do I feel the spirit? I cannot live by simply faith alone, as it is quickly turning to hope. Those are not the same things.

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I have been struggling to gain a testimony for the last 2 years, however in the last 3 months my testimony increased 10 fold. I can't promise you anything, but the way I did it was by feasting upon the scriptures. Read every day at least 20 minutes in the Book of Mormon. In addition to that, I'd suggest going to the temple bookstore (if you have one in your area, otherwise go online) and pick up a book that interests you. A Marvelous Work and A Wonder is a great book that my wife and I are currently reading together after our 20 minutes of Book of Mormon reading and it is great.

Go to church every Sunday, to every hour. Meet people and make friends in the Ward. This part was hard for us at first, but the longer you go the more people will get to know you and the more friends you will have. If you have a hobby chances are there are at least one person in the Ward if not more that share the hobby.

When you do this, and you progress in your faith things will happen that will help solidify your testimony. I have taken part and seen wonderful things in the last 3 months that I couldn't dream of having seen. I saw my wife's burdens of an illness lifted by the power of the priesthood. In the last 2 years I have seen her go from a solid atheist to getting baptized and now loves the gospel. I have seen a change in myself and the way I live because of the greatness of the gospel.

One last thing that helped me is I started monitoring the media I took in. I quit listening to the rock music I use to love and quit watching TV shows that drive away the spirit. Doing all these things and these experiences have helped me tremendously and I hope they can help you too.

EDIT - As for the ADD, I do not have ADD or ADHD but I have the worst memory in the world. I can remember facts and things I've read, but things I have to do...ha, throw that out the window. Need to take out the trash before work? Yeah, forgotten in 5 minutes. What helps is writing everything down...I have no idea if this could/would help for you...but it's worth a shot? maybe get a little notepad or something to keep in your pocket? I have no idea, and I could be completely wrong - but it's worth a shot maybe?

Edited by blackknight5k
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ADHD and anxiety/depression are typically cyclical. Neither causes the other, rather, they each cause each other.

For what it's worth, I deal with ADD on a daily basis and have been treated for both it and mild depression. There is a similar statement in my patriarchal blessing, and at first, I also wondered about it. I stopped after a time, deciding that I didn't need to know why the Lord was pleased with me. Knowing that He was (is) is enough for now.

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Guest Alana

I'm well pleased with you and I don't even know you. We aren't asked to be perfect in this life. You have a lot of struggles, and you're struggling through them, but you're still going for it. You're introspective about your life and your place in the world.

You mentioned gaining a testimony. When I'm positive and focus on the good things I've done (even if they are marred by imperfections) it's easier for me to feel the Spirit and to feel Heavenly Fathers love. When I let negative thoughts of not being good enough or let life be overwhelming, then it's hard for me to feel the Spirit. You mentioned a lot of great things about yourself in your post. Focus on them.

I know that prayer and scriptures are hard to remember to do when you don't have the habit. Plus, habits are so much easier to break than to make. Keep at it. Focus on when you did read or pray instead of the times you didn't. If you ever have the thought to do either, don't put them off, do them right then. Little silent prayers throughout the day are a wonderful way to connect with our Father in Heaven.

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Personally, I thought it was the other way. ADHD causes anxiety and depression. I get depressed because it seems like my plate is always full of things to do - I just don't remember what they are. I get anxious for the same reason.

From my lay, self-educated understanding, I agree with you. There are many diagnoses that are comorbid with ADHD. It seems to me that whether there is an underlying cause that leads to all difficulties, or the comorbid diagnoses are the result of ADHD (or whatever the cause of ADHD is), there is little reason to not treat the ADHD. Having heard many personal stories where treatment of a spouse's ADHD resulted in the comorbid issues being resolved, I tend to believe that treating ADHD is necessary. It was definitely necessary for my ex to be able to gain advantage of her anxiety. For years, the Dr's only treated the anxiety, completely oblivious that ADHD existed. Only when the ADHD was treated was there truly progress in reducing anxiety.

So while my mental health is under control... how about my spiritual welfare? How can I gain a testimony? How do I feel the spirit? I cannot live by simply faith alone, as it is quickly turning to hope. Those are not the same things.

I know that at times when I have struggled with depression, I have not been able to feel the Spirit - or at least have not been able to recognize it. I definitely feel that our mental health can impact our ability to build a testimony. So, my fist suggestion is to actually get your mental health improved.

Have you tried keeping a 'testimony journal'? A place where you write only the sacred things? Often, I have found in my life, that it is all too easy to forget how many little pieces are daily being laid in continuing development of my testimony, simply because I can't keep it all in mind - and I don't always "feel" it. But, when I take time to record them, and look back at what I collectively know/feel, it is a bit overwhelming. It could be simply that you have all the pieces, but they are not visible because they have only been stored as memories (which, isn't functioning as well as you would like right now, is it? :D )

Edited by ryanh
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Thanks once again for the wonderful responses. The psychiatrist gave me two weeks worth of Adderall to see if there is any beneficial effect. I will take my first pill in the morning.

maybe get a little notepad or something to keep in your pocket? I have no idea, and I could be completely wrong - but it's worth a shot maybe?

I actually do keep a whiteboard full of tasks. It doesn't help much because I can't drum up the focus to do them until the pressure of a due date sets in. We will see what happens tomorrow.

Have you tried keeping a 'testimony journal'? A place where you write only the sacred things? Often, I have found in my life, that it is all too easy to forget how many little pieces are daily being laid in continuing development of my testimony, simply because I can't keep it all in mind - and I don't always "feel" it. But, when I take time to record them, and look back at what I collectively know/feel, it is a bit overwhelming. It could be simply that you have all the pieces, but they are not visible because they have only been stored as memories (which, isn't functioning as well as you would like right now, is it? :D )

This is a great idea. I actually just had a lesson on this in my D&C religion class. Journals have also been way to hard for me to keep track of. I will set a time aside to write in it. If I have a set time, maybe that will work.

Anyway, I will respond back to you all tomorrow and let you know how it goes. Wish me luck!

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Wow...

Completely different then expected. I could tell you all the things that are different, but it would take forever.

Instead I will tell you at least a couple of examples. I took a 5mg pill on Saturday afternoon, couldn't really tell whether the effect was placebo or not, as there were no side effects or anything.

My mind felt like it took all of my cluttered and confused thoughts and filed them in neat spaces. The end result was that my room was cleaned nearly instantly, and my shower took about half the normal time as usual due to a lack of daydreaming. I don't think I stared off into space at all during those hours.

I played a couple of video games with my old friends, and I actually did much, much better than I used to, even though I haven't played those games in forever.

After another 5mg pill this morning, I think I listened to my first entire sacrament meeting talk... ever.

I upped the dosage to 10mgs, as allowed by my doctor because drugs wore off so quickly (it felt like it was gone after 3 hours). I didn't feel a whole lot of difference, but I still think the drug wore off after 3 hours because I started getting very distracted again and staring off into space while reading D&C.

If there were any doubts in my mind that I had ADHD, they are gone. The ability to focus for extended lengths while on Adderral shows me the obvious difference from when I was not on the drug.

My only concern is that it feels like I am cheating the system. Everyone else struggles and tries so hard in their classes; that is how it was for me. Now it feels like college is going to be the biggest breeze in the world. Why do I deserve what could have been their grades in curved classes and alike?

I think I will ask my doctor for a XR (extended release) so that the effect is more even throughout the day and because it wears off so quickly due to high metabolism, in all probability.

Right now I am completely off Adderall since it is nearly night time. Luckily I am not really worried about school and everything, because that filing cabinet of tasks that my brain created is still intact, and I know that I can reassess my tasks tomorrow when I am back on Adderall.

Case solved? Maybe. Outlook is good. I'll have to try Adderall in a real school lecture tomorrow.

It feels like life just got approximately 30 times easier.

Edited by Anonymouse
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Brigham Young.

Does anyone know if serving a mission in a foreign country is allowed if one has ADHD or is taking Adderall? If this places any restrictions on where the Lord might want me to serve, I want to get off the medication ASAP. It is not worth it.

Side effects so far... none? Some jitters, maybe. But everything about this seems positive.

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What you may want to try is to take your dosage twice a day instead of one huge dose in the beginning. I had to do that with my Welbies because my body metabolized it so quickly. So I take one dose when I wake up and another one around 3-5:00 pm (depending on how early I take the am dose and how I feel). It's worked out great for me.

And don't you love that not-cluttered, able to focus feeling? Don't think you're cheating the system. Think of it as a medical miracle that God in this day and age has ordained on us. I'm permanently on my meds and I'm not ashamed of it at all. I'm tickled pink there's something out there that really helps.

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slamjet,

Thanks for the advice!

Sorry, I should have made it more clear in my post. I take two 10mg pills a day: One at 8am and one at 12am. Typically, Adderall dosed to 3 times a day, but for whatever reason, my doctor one prescribed two.

Everything logically is right and good with Adderall, but something feels wrong. My head says yes, but my heart says no. For some reason I want to get off Adderall, perhaps because of the mission scenario I described in my previous post. Whatever it is, the feeling is subconscious.

Edited by Anonymouse
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All of us who find that we need to take maintenance medications for the rest of our lives struggle with that at first. It takes time to come to grips with it. Very commonly, after a period of usage and finding all is well, we might begin to wonder if we are "cured", and try to wean off the meds. I did that at least 5 times in the first 10 years of taking maintenance medications.

Alas, with certain conditions, we are no more "cured" by medication than our poor eyesight is "cured" by prescriptions glasses or contacts. Thankfully, we live in a day when we have been blessed with corrective prescriptions for more parts of our temporal bodies than our eyes – including ‘out of focus’ brains.

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Brigham Young.

Does anyone know if serving a mission in a foreign country is allowed if one has ADHD or is taking Adderall? If this places any restrictions on where the Lord might want me to serve, I want to get off the medication ASAP. It is not worth it.

Side effects so far... none? Some jitters, maybe. But everything about this seems positive.

Requiring medications will of course limit where you can go, they won't send you somewhere you can't get your medications to you. That said, if without the medication you have trouble focusing on a single sacrament talk it sounds like you'd be much more effective on your medication than off.

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Requiring medications will of course limit where you can go, they won't send you somewhere you can't get your medications to you. That said, if without the medication you have trouble focusing on a single sacrament talk it sounds like you'd be much more effective on your medication than off.

I believe that I don't need them. In fact, I hardly notice a difference now, except that I don't fall asleep in classes.

I've gotten A's in all of my classes basically my whole life (Except for basketball and writing; both of those teachers promised me A's, but then they backed down on their promises). I need medication because I can't pay attention auditorily, unless it is very interesting. Visually, I am nearly photographic, as long as I am paying attention.

I am very sure that I will have enough motivation to pay attention on a mission. There is enough variety to keep it interesting.

The question is will they look at ADHD and automatically restrict certain missions regardless of medication? I know I shouldn't do this... but would it be dishonest to say that I never had ADHD? I wasn't exactly "diagnosed" with ADHD. The doctor said I "probably" had it, so he gave me medication.

Paying attention is a weakness, but not a disease.

On a mission, there aren't distractions. You study the Scriptures and teach; there aren't computers, YouTube, video games.

So... No, I don't believe I will take medication. My psychologist thinks all medications do is mask the real problem. He thinks he can teach me to live without them.

What do you guys think?

Wow, reading back through this message I wrote, I sound like a stuck-up little kid. Sorry about that.

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