Resolution: Temple Worship

As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (that is, a Mormon), I believe that each of the 134 currently operating temples around the world is a "House of the Lord." A temple is a sacred building; it is a place of learning, a place for making covenants to serve Jesus Christ and humankind, a place of peace, a place for quiet contemplation.

At the end of 2009, my local ecclesiastical leader (that is, my bishop) challenged the members of our congregation to spend more time in the temple in the coming year. I took that challenge seriously and determined that I would sacrifice some of my leisure time to attend the temple more frequently. A typical frequency of attendance is monthly, but that didn't seem to require the level of "sacrifice" I desired to make (despite the fact that I've not always attended even that frequently). I decided that I wanted to attend as close to weekly as my schedule would permit.

When I completed a five-year work commitment on June 30, I analyzed my temple attendance frequency for the first half of the year, computing an average of 2.3 times a month. I decided that I wanted to work toward doubling that average over the next six months. I also wanted to contemplate and incorporate into my worship some of the "suggestions of how to gain more benefit from temple attendance" from Richard G. Scott in an address he gave in April 2009 entitled "Temple Worship: The Source of Strength and Power in Times of Need." My husband and I also determined that we wanted to complete a project we'd tentatively started, inspired by a friend who was doing the same thing, to visit each of the thirteen currently operating temples in Utah during this year.

As I've attended the temple in recent months, I've concluded that this goal of increased temple attendance is much more than an attempt to comply with a challenge from my bishop or to do something "fun" with my husband. The temple truly is a place for me to follow my Personal Commandments to "be still" and to "let go and let God." I am more peaceful when I visit the temple. I feel a sense of being part of something bigger than myself. I am empowered not only to cope with the realities of day-to-day life but also to stretch, to grow, so that I can become the person that I want to be. Being in the temple makes me happy.

My on-going resolution for temple worship includes visiting the temple an average of five times each month and rotating among the various activities of the temple.

Resolution: The Simple Woman's Daybook

I've decided that I'm going to participate in The Simple Woman's Daybook. I see this as a way to simplify, to be grateful, to be still, and to seek joy, while trying to blog more frequently.

I plan to post my daybook on my "regular" blog on a weekly basis, linking to the host site. My first post is here.

Quote of the Day

"They must often change,
who would be constant in happiness or wisdom."

~Confucius

Quote of the Day

"Do or do not ... there is no try."

~Yoda

From Beliefnet.com:

Eliminate "I'll try" From Your Vocabulary

When we say, “I tried,” in the past tense, it means we have failed at reaching a goal. Likewise, saying “I’ll try” is a way of excusing ourselves from doing the hard work of accomplishing whatever it is we are setting out to do. When you make a commitment or promise to yourself or others, say instead, “I will do it!”

Thinking about Priorities

Today in the women's meeting at church, the new organization president, Brittany, talked about priorities and about putting "first things first." She said it's really easy - as we all know - to get caught up in the daily tasks of life and to neglect some of the things that really matter.

I find time management to be an interesting concept. What we do with our time illustrates what we truly value. I know that no one can do everything - but I am certain that each of us makes time for the things that really matter to us. On a very basic level, we make time to shower, to eat, and to sleep (even if we don't eat as well or sleep as much as we ought to). Those things are obviously priorities to us, so we make time for them. We simply can't wait until we find time for the things that are truly important.

Here are some ideas about priorities that I like and want to consider further:

• "Good, Better, Best" by Dallin H. Oaks (October 2007).


• "Put First Things First," which one of Stephen Covey's "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People." (I particularly like the concepts of "urgent" vs. "important" and "Quadrant II Time Management.")


• "Focus and Priorities" by Dallin H. Oaks (April 2001).


• "Seek ye first the kingdom of God" (Matthew 6:33).

By the way, Brittany ended her lesson with one of my favorite scriptures, one that's actually part of my Guiding Principles:

"And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a [wo]man should run faster than [s]he has strength. And again, it is expedient that [s]he should be diligent, that thereby [s]he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order" (Mosiah 4:27).

Quote of the Day

"Your definition of happiness will depend upon who you are - but do you have a sense of peace in your heart, a feeling of security about your future, and a feeling of anticipation when you wake up in the morning? If we can call this happiness, then would you say that at this moment you are happy?"

~Masaru Emoto

Quote of the Day

"A part-time effort, a sorta-kinda commitment, an untested promise, won't suffice. You must know that you mean business, that you're going to jump into it up to your eye sockets and not turn back at the last minute."

~Gregg Levoy