Life, Liberty and The Pursuit of Happiness

This week I read, "Life, Liberty, and The Pursuit of Happiness (A Cautionary Tale)."  It spoke of the need that everyone has to achieve their goals and find happiness.  The older I get the more I feel like time is flying by, and I feel a greater urgency to make my mark in the world.  Instead of asking the question, "How Can I Be Happy?," we should be asking "How Can I Create Something Meaningful For Others?"  It is when we stop thinking of our own happiness, and seek to make others happy that we ultimately find joy.

I really loved the Buddhist quote to "Always act as if the future of the universe depends on what you do next, while laughing at yourself for thinking you can make a difference."  I don't yet know what my life calling will be, but I believe this life is a gift and my time here is limited.  My resolve is to wake up each day with the desire to seek out what I can do to make a difference in the world I live in.   I have unique talents and a hero's journey that only I can perform.  I will continue to develop my talents and pray to know how I can use them to bless others.

The Challenge to Become

This week I would like to focus on the talk we read in class this week from Elder Dallin H. Oaks, titled "The Challenge to Become."  In this talk he talks about how the Lord expects us to take the things we learn and instead of just knowing something, we need to become something.  This requires much more than reading a textbook and finishing an assignment.  It requires us to act on the things we learn so that we learn in our minds and in our hearts.

One thing in particular that he said really stuck with me, "Now is the time for each of us to work toward our personal conversion, toward becoming what our Heavenly Father desires us to become."  I realize that I have been taught the things that I need right now, which are the essential elements of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Now I need to be converted so that what I know is who I become.  This requires that I ACT on the promptings I receive to help and serve others.  It is only in the action that I will truly understand the lessons that I am being taught.

My studies this week focused on disciple leadership.  I was able to make connections between the things I was learning and other aspects of my life.  I was recently called to serve in the Relief Society Presidency at church.  I was initially terrified of this call, even though I have served as a Young Women president, and in numerous presidencies.  I think the difference is that I am now serving my peers, instead of youth and children.  

One thing I read this week has resonated with me, and given me a resource to help me become a better leader.  "A Message to Garcia," told the story of Colonel Andrew Rowan, who was given the task by then President William McKinley to deliver an important message to General Calixto Garcia. The point of the story was that when Colonel Rowan was given this task he didn't ask questions, he just acted and accomplished the task given to him.  The ability to execute a task without being told step by step instructions on how to do it is indeed a rare quality.  I have noticed, especially in my church callings, that not all actions have a guidebook attached to them.   Our Heavenly Father has given us the gift of reasoning and the gifts and talents to accomplish difficult things.  I will use those talents to start where I am so that I can act without having to be instructed in all things.

The theme of my assignments this week is perseverance in the face of sometime insurmountable obstacles.  I have felt the desire to quit many times since I made the decision to return to school and get my bachelors degree in business.  The reminder to look past the current crisis and focus on my goals gives me the perspective I need to keep moving forward.  I anticipate with the start of every semester that feeling of hopelessness that I will not be able to understand, or accomplish the required assignments.  But looking back I can reflect and see the hand of the Lord helping me and encouraging me to reach for my goals.

This week I read the devotional talk given by Elder and Sister Holland and was struck by something that Sister Holland said.  She said, "Sometimes we cannot recognize the real purpose and significance of the moment which is ours to experience.  That's because too many of us learn only through our head and not through our hearts!"  I felt like she was speaking directly to me.  I am a task oriented person and sometimes will focus more on the assignment than how I can apply that to my life.  I like to check things off a list, but realize that by doing this I miss out on some of the most important lessons in life.  It is my goal to live more in the moment and ponder the lessons I learn each day.