Where are your strengths?

[Fether]

What aspects of the gospel do you find easy? Or do you find have very strong testimonies of? How did you get to where you are?

Ill go first.

Blind obedience was my jam back before my mission. I had always found following and obeying the words of my parents very easy. And they never once steered me wrong. That trust in them translates quite nicely to the trust and faith I have in the prophets of God today. When trying to learn about the gospel or when studying difficult topics, I always resort back to “what have the prophets said”. With every view I hold, I compare it to the view of the prophets of God and I seek to make my thoughts, ideas, and opinions in line with the teachings of the prophets. I guess you could say I am still pretty good at that blind obedience stuff, but I see that as a blessing, not a naiveity (is that a word??). It allows me to accept words spoken and quickly discover for myself why it is so.

[JohnsonJones]

Well, one can never tell what the morrow will bring.

Thus far, I find that I can consistently obey the word of wisdom in not drinking Coffee, Tea, or Alcohol.  I can say prayers regularly and read regularly.  I can go to church and strive to have perfect attendance each year (some years success, other years, not...so not entirely perfect in that arena yet).

Small and little steps for me towards trying to be perfect.  Hopefully by stating what I did above, it doesn't open up a whole new bunch of temptations and trials to try to stop me from doing those things I listed above.

Edited May 22, 2018 by JohnsonJones

[Guest]

6 hours ago, Fether said:

What aspects of the gospel do you find easy? Or do you find have very strong testimonies of? How did you get to where you are?

Ill go first.

Blind obedience was my jam back before my mission. I had always found following and obeying the words of my parents very easy. And they never once steered me wrong. That trust in them translates quite nicely to the trust and faith I have in the prophets of God today. When trying to learn about the gospel or when studying difficult topics, I always resort back to “what have the prophets said”. With every view I hold, I compare it to the view of the prophets of God and I seek to make my thoughts, ideas, and opinions in line with the teachings of the prophets. I guess you could say I am still pretty good at that blind obedience stuff, but I see that as a blessing, not a naiveity (is that a word??). It allows me to accept words spoken and quickly discover for myself why it is so.

If you're talking about actual execution, I don't find any aspect of the gospel to be easy.  I have faith.  I have a testimony.  And I'd daresay there are some things that I absolutely know.  But to actually be obedient?  Well, I have absolutely no temptation to smoke.  That's about it.

I am a man riddled with faults.  I suppose another strength is that I have the ability to be honest with myself and with the Lord regarding those faults.  I know where my faults are -- most of the time.  And when people point them out very clearly, I will usually admit them.

And I continually work on them.  In one way, that's good -- I'm inching my way to the promised land.  But in a way that's bad.  I actually know better and I just keep failing.  But since the gospel of Jesus Christ is all about repentance, I suppose I could say I'm an expert in the gospel because I'm constantly repenting.

[seashmore]

9 hours ago, Fether said:

What aspects of the gospel do you find easy? Or do you find have very strong testimonies of? How did you get to where you are?

Going to Sunday meetings.  Since April 2006, only once have I missed three consecutive sacrament meetings.  The vast majority of those I also attend 2nd and 3rd hour, even while traveling.  (Honestly, sometimes I like that.  It's like being in an online forum; you get uplifted by strangers who share your beliefs, you can share things you might normally not because these people  are unbeknownst to you, and sometimes it's fun to see how other wards do things in terms of classroom set up or opening exercises in RS kinds of things.)  My dad says "If God gives you seven days a week, surely you can give Him an hour on Sunday." 

I have a very strong testimony of God's love, as well as the love of our Savior.  It started off with a testimony of divine love for me personally, but has grown into a testimony of love of all mankind.  Most of the latter was gained through service in the temple.  Seeing sessions being held with just one patron as well as sessions that were overflowing (bringing in folding chairs) were when I felt this the strongest. 

I guess I have a strong testimony of temple and family history work, as well as scripture study.  I say "I guess" because when I'm good with those things, I'm good, but it becomes very easy for me to let them slip down a couple notches in my priority list.  A couple of years ago, my roommate was transferred at work and moved out.  I could have gone with her, but had puffed myself up with pride.  I would be changing jobs to something I expected to be more profitable (wrong) and was living in my dream apartment.  This is my kitchen, literally three times as large as my previous one.  Plus washer and dryer.  PLUS a dishwasher so new it still had the tags in it.  All this, plus a garage, for $625/mo.  Plus, all my stuff was here.  Including a beautiful beast of a dresser that I did not want to move again.  It doesn't seem like much to be proud of, but maybe that's why I clung to it.  And I had to work hard to keep it.  So hard that I couldn't afford time off to go to the temple.  And I worked so hard at achieving some worthwhile goals (crocheted 16 blankets in one year) that I neglected my scripture study.

 

 

As I'm working this week on downsizing so I can move from a spacious 2 BR by myself (my yarn had it's own room, believe it or not) into a small bedroom in a house with three other roommates (who have already been living there for two years), I'm realizing just how proud and not humble I've been.  And maybe I could hack it where I'm at if I didn't have the Gospel in my life.  Because of the testimonies I've gained, it's not that I "feel like something is missing from my life," it's that I know what that something is: temple work and scripture study.  I've been shown in the last couple of years that I'm not as strong or self-sufficient as I thought I was.  So, I'm moving back, physically closer to the temple than I've ever lived before.  In some of the most humble circumstances I've lived in since college. 

[BJ64]

I think my strengths are Church attendance, word of wisdom, scripture and gospel study, personal and family prayer, payment of tithes and offerings, magnifying my church callings. 

My weaknesses would be home teaching, Temple attendance, and family home evening. 

[Anddenex]

When I think upon the concept of something being "easy" in its relation to the gospel I find it strongly correlated with my personal desires, or what I find most important in life. What I find easy are those things that I have no temptation for. It is not that temptation is not all around me, it is simply I do not give heed or pay attention to the potential temptations to avoid or not participate in. 

Here are verses of scripture that changed my life from, a trust in my teachers/ministers (i.e. parents, leaders, school teachers, etc..) to a knowledge for myself:

1) 1 Nephi 10: 17, 19
2) Helaman 3:35
3) Moses 6: 60 (due to my Mission President)
4) 2 Nephi 33: 6
5) Matthew 6: 21

I, personally, am not a big fan of the term "blind faith" as to how often this term is used to bludgeon people, or to minimize the importance of trust.  When I tell my three year old not to run into the street without looking, at first they have to trust (blind faith/obedience) in my words, until they experience for themselves and gain knowledge.

What I find easy? Anytime I have had a confirmation from the Holy Ghost, that is what I now find "easy," so to speak. Easy is a matter of personal desires and the treasures of our hearts. And yet their are doctrines which for some would not be easy knowing they are still without despite all their prayers and possibly fasting.

I find it easy to listen to our prophets voice, for I know they are the Lords servants and they have all the keys, power, and authority to move the Church in a direction the Lord sees fit. I do not assume God will reveal something different to me than he has those he has called to run the Church, while he still is at its head.

I find it easy to keep the word of wisdom (the known abstain from). The Spirit and mortal experience tells me the world would be better without these addictions. Life would not be lost through tragic accidents that should have never happened. I don't ever remember these being a temptation except for possibly wine.

I found the concept of Home Teaching trying (due to people's perception and willingness to let you in), but never found it hard or difficult. It was an opportunity to meet someone new I would have never been acquainted with if not for the assignment. This I found to be a bonus, a blessing.

What I find difficult? When something occurs in my life I do not understand. When something in my life that happens that contradicts spiritual witness. If I were to place what I find difficult in a nutshell -- it would be "lack of knowledge." I have noticed, for myself, when I have a confirmation accompanied with experiential knowledge I no longer find that thing difficult. It has become easier and my shoulders can bear it.

[Lost Boy]

My strength.....   Understanding the logic behind the gospel...  why it makes sense.

Weakness....   Everything else.  I can improve everywhere in life.  I mean I don't view me as a failure, just as a master piece in process...   More like the first stages of the process, but we'll get there.

[Vort]

My strength: Quoting relevant scripture. I'm a veritable scripture-quoting machine. I can always come up with an appropriate scriptural quote. For example:

• Moderation in all things.
• God helps those who help themselves.
• My strength is as the strength of ten, because my heart is pure.
• This above all: to thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.

My weakness: Kittens.

[zil]

Robert Oster Blue Denim (look at the shading and sheen!)

[Guest]

20 minutes ago, Vort said:

My strength: Quoting relevant scripture. I'm a veritable scripture-quoting machine. I can always come up with an appropriate scriptural quote. For example:

• Moderation in all things.
• God helps those who help themselves.
• My strength is as the strength of ten, because my heart is pure.
• This above all: to thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.

My weakness: Kittens.

All those are scripture, are they?

[Vort]

1 minute ago, Carborendum said:

All those are scripture, are they?

It's my strength.

[unixknight]

Where are my Strengths?

I dunno.  Haven't seen them since I moved.

[mordorbund]

2 hours ago, Vort said:

My strength: Quoting relevant scripture. I'm a veritable scripture-quoting machine. I can always come up with an appropriate scriptural quote. For example:

• Moderation in all things.
• God helps those who help themselves.
• My strength is as the strength of ten, because my heart is pure.
• This above all: to thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.

My weakness: Kittens.

You forgot "come as you are".

[mordorbund]

My strength is.... well... the same as Leviathan's. 

[classylady]

My strengths: 

Desire to be spiritually inclined. I’ve always had a desire to know spiritual truth.  I read the Old Testament and the other Standard Works as a young teenager. I’ve read my scriptures and said my prayers consistently since then except for a few years right after getting married. My husband didn’t read the scriptures or say his personal prayers and I decided if he didn’t I wouldn’t also. Well, he never has read the scriptures or said personal prayers on a consistent basis, and I decided my testimony depended on me, not him, so I went back to my regular daily scripture study and prayers about 30 years ago. 

I see the positive in people. I rarely see negatives in people until it’s pointed out to me. Then, I wish I wasn’t told because now I see their negative points. There are very few people I don’t like. It takes a lot for me to not like someone. I genuinely love people and I love to see them succeed.

My testimony! I’ve had a sure witness from the Holy Ghost and cannot deny it. 

I’m not afraid to get in front of people and give talks or teach. I think I’m a good teacher. My favorite calling is as a Relief Society teacher.

I did my VT on a regular basis and enjoyed it.

I have no problem with the hierarchy of the church. I sustain my leaders and pray for them. 

 

My weaknesses:

I tend to want to be lazy and procrastinate. I put off preparing my SS or Primary lessons until the last minute.

I don’t volunteer to bring in meals or other service projects like I should.

Sometimes I question if the Savior can really understand the emotions of women. And, I have questioned Heavenly Father on how men have treated women throughout the ages. I have come to my own conclusions that seem to follow the Gospel plan. But, it is scripture according to Classylady, not revealed doctrine.

[Traveler]

My greatest strength without any doubt is my beloved eternal companion – followed by my children, my grandchildren, my parents, my siblings, then my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, then ancestors and even distant relatives (I am currently on a quest to contact living relatives of my home land that did not immigrate to “Zion”)

My greatest weakness is thinking I am smarting than someone else.

 

The Traveler 

[anatess2]

My strength:  My willingness to embarrass myself.  (You can assign me to give a talk or give a lesson on any topic while Opening Hymn is starting and I’ll gladly take it.  I even volunteered to be the piano accompaniment when I suck at playing the piano.).

My weakness:  Barbecue flavored Clover Chips

Edited May 29, 2018 by anatess2

[zil]

6 hours ago, anatess2 said:

My weakness:  Barbecue flavored Clover Chips

The proper way to phrase this is, "Barbecue flavored Clover Chips are my one weakness."

[anatess2]

59 minutes ago, zil said:

The proper way to phrase this is, "Barbecue flavored Clover Chips are my one weakness."

Come join the dark side of the chips force: