institute

one of the reasons i love my institute class so much is that i learn how to apply the scriptures to my everyday life. each invitation to incorporate what i've been taught motivates me to do and to become better. i love that.

today i was reminded that there are three different levels of keeping the commandments:

1. the TELESTIAL way: you dont keep them
2. the TERRESTRIAL way: you keep them
3. the CELESTIAL way: you love to keep them

we were invited to pick a commandment in our lives that we currently obey at a telestial or a terrestrial level and to move it up a level. i was inspired so im gonna do it. and for those of you who are gonna do it too, remember this:

"Whatever you're working on,

take small bites.

The task will not be overwhelming

if you can reduce it

to its smallest component."

- Richard Russo

we also talked about ending conflicts in our lives. remember the story about moroni and zerahemna (alma 44)? zerahemna wanted to keep fighting but moroni was the better man and wisely said, "Behold, we will end the conflict." (v.10)

so what can we learn from moroni?

we too, can (and should) choose to end the conflicts in our lives--not necessarily the stereotypical type of conflicts in terms of its literal definition, but any and all conflicts, both internal and external: weaknesses, bad habits, challenges, attitudes, etc. in doing so we allow ourselves to grow and become more like christ.

"Your living is determined not so much by what life brings you

as by the attitude you bring to life;

not so much by what happens to you

as by the way your mind looks at what happens."

- Lewis L. Dunnington

another cool principle we discussed was the power of repentance. in alma 48:17 we read about moroni. we all know this scripture:

"Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men."

but did you ever notice the next verse, and more importantly, its implication?

"Behold, he was a man like unto Ammon, the son of Mosiah, yea, and even the other sons of Mosiah, yea, and also Alma and his sons, for they were all men of God."

ammon and the sons of alma (aka the once-were-terrible-sinners) were just compared to moroni (aka the man who can shake the powers of hell). how's that for the power of repentance?

amazing. :) here's a reminder for us all:

"There are no such things as limits to growth,

because there are no limits on the

human capacity for intelligence, imagination and wonder."

- Ronald Reagan

the last principle we discussed was taken from the story about the title of liberty (alma 46). in verse 22 it says,

"Now this was the covenant which they made, and they cast their garments at the feet of Moroni, saying: We covenant with our God, that we shall be destroyed, even as our brethren in the land northward, if we shall fall into transgression; yea, he may cast us at the feet of our enemies, even as we have cast our garments at thy feet to be trodden under foot, if we shall fall into transgression."

the connection: the power to "end the conflict" comes from making and keeping our covenants. and the power to make and keep our covenants comes from being our best selves.

If you can't be a pine on the top of the hill
Be a scrub in the valley, but be
The best little scrub by the side of the rill.
Be a bush if you can't be a tree.

If you can't be a bush, be a bit of the grass,
And some highway the happier make.
If you can't be a muskie then just be a bass,
But the liveliest bass in the lake.

We can't all be captains; there's got to be crew.
There is something for all of us here.
There are great things to do, there are small things to do,
And the thing you must do is the near.
If you can't be a highway, then just be a trail.
If you can't be a sun, be a star.
For success is not measured by how large or how small;
Just be the best of whatever you are.

- Douglas Mallack