G. Sheldon Martin Be Still

Be still using gospel principle to lower anxiety.

-Don't think about a pink elephant, think about a brown monkey.

The best way to get rid of a thought is to replace it with a selected thought.

The Best Thought to Use:
Processes the thought of the Atonement. I can be made clean, whole, raised up.


True Doctrine understood will change our attitudes and behavior.
Understanding is thinking it over and using it.

Learn to identify distorted thoughts and replace them.

"What's not quit right"
Black and White-If I am not perfect in every way I am a failure.

The sacrament can give us great courage. Because of what he did sins can be washed away, we can renew that blessing when we take the sacrament in faith and with a repentant heart.

The sacrament is a renewal of the covenant of baptism, both should be proceeded by repentance.

Prophets have dealt with inadequacies. The Lord has strengthened them.

A correct thought:  The Lord in His Great Mercy will allow me to begin again next sunday.---process this thought

We can not change the past. We must focus on the direction.

We can only see the past from the peaks we have climbed. This is a distorted view.

Look up stream. What can you change? What can you control.

The Lord wants us to focus on the direction we are headed.

Elder Scott "I testify that when a bishop or stake president says your are forgiven, know your obedience has allowed the atonement to work on your behalf. Staying guilty is not accepting the power of the atonement.

A correct thought:  Repentance is a fresh view about God and self. Direction is the Essential Key.

If we look beyond the mark CHRIST we will not feel whole.  

Distorted Thought: Righteousness is achieved through accomplishing a set of check lists.

The aim of all we do in the church is Him.

Pharasees prided themselves on their strict performance of the law.

The law became unconnected from the Savior.

OCD hand washing has become a ritual to lower their worry about germs, it is not about removing germs.

Immerse yourself in the scriptures. When reading has nothing to do with Becoming more like the Son of God.

When the gospel becomes disconnected it becomes stressful, we feel we are not growing and not progressing.

We forget the reason "why" we are doing family prayer, worship, duty, service.

The Holy Ghost will help us know what the Savior would do if He were there.

Make the most of the sacrament and the most of study- How can I be more like the Savior?
Don't forget we are becoming as the Savior.

Be righteous and doing good is better than appearing righteous.

Honestly concerned about the lives and families of our home teachers.

Right Reason we feel encouraged and inspired.
Power Thoughts
We can be cleansed.
Direction is the essential key.
Be Righteous is More Important than Appearing Righteous

He is the Prince of Peace. He can calm the storms in our life.  Walk out on to the water.

Identify Thoughts that are not True. Replace with Truth.

Find Joy in the Journey-
138:50 looked at life as bondage

Lessons that distinguish what is important.

Bad Questions:
Wouldn't life be better if......

Don't let the stress of life get in the way of what is most important... what is most important is people.
There will come a time when i will miss this.

Correct Thought: I will someday miss this day so i must make the most of it. Making the most of today will lower anxiety. 

The Savior was perfect but that didn't solve His problems and didn't have an easy go.

The church is a learning ground. At some point you will be offended.

Man what is wrong with me? Mormon leading the troops compared to Moroni leading his troops.

Correct Thought:  I should be as Christ Like as I can. I will determine to Fear God more than Man for I can not control others.

We are power at predicting the future and horrible at connecting the dots.

Think of a negative aspect of your life. --I am not dating. Won't marry. Will leave church. Will get into drugs.

--I am not dating. I will get emotionally stable. I will be prepare to date. I will marry a gorgeous girl. I will have a happy life and marriage.

Run Both Scenarios reality will fall in the middle. 

A single event is not evidence of future events.

Repenting and giving control to the Lord will result in the best possible outcome.

Correct Thought: This single piece of evidence is not enough information to predict the future, there are multiple options possible and i must work toward the best one. 

Have you ever done something like this before? 

-I got through that pretty good. Looking back 5 years you will be surprised that stressed you out.

As we strive to be as Christ Like as we can that his blessing will shower upon us but it doesn't mean we will be absolved from struggle, failure, sorrow, and loneliness.

Ok this is something negative that has happened. This is one single event. What can i do to control the next step?

Process correct doctrine.

Recap- CD2 Track 12

Can't change past.
Don't look past the Savior
Joy in the Journey
Righteousness doesn't mean everyone will love you.
Don't Negatively Predict the Future
By Grace We are Saved.

Distorted Thought- His own efforts alone will merit exaltation.

The grace of the Savior is an enabling power to help us sustain and continue in the path of exaltation.

Perfect can only come in full after the Resurrection and only through the Savior.

-Without the atonement we would be become angels to the devil. Without Christ there is no hope.
We don't not realize we need the Atonement until we know why we need it.

We will always be hungry, and He will always fill us.
We seek Heaven to obliquely. True discipleship experiencing first hand the magic of His Touch.

Correct Thought- I know I must expend my own best efforts, and my own best efforts will not be enough. Only through the Savior can I be saved. 

Be content with what we have.

Distorted Thought- The external validation equals my worth. aka callings, degress, money, talents define worth. 

Husband, Father, Priesthood Holder are our most important titles and the ones that will be Jusdge by the Savior. 

He is pleased by the Noble Servant not the Self Serving Noble.

When we seek to serve others we are motivated by charity. This is how we must live. Do not value the honors of the world. 

Make time for the sick, sorrowful, and over looked. 

The Lord will be less concerned about the external and more about the internal. 

Do not process worth by external indicators. 

Measure like Alma.

-the Lord is not asking him to be an angel

-ought to be happy the Lord as given

-this is my glory that I might be an instrument

To be used in the Hand of Lord for whatever work He would have us do.

Be the instrument pencil not the author. Be the piano not the musician. Understand your role an place and expectations. 

What is our worth?

The worth is how much people are willing to pay. How much were we worth to the Savior? What did He pay for us? 

--

Correct Thought- One day  I will stand before the Lord and He will care about how I served. I know I am worth everything to the Lord because the price he paid for me. 

Our worth is great because he paid so much for us. As we strive to be instruments we will find great joy.

Distorted Thought- In order to be calm I need to know how everything will work out. 

We will never know the future. 

The Lord knows everything and we should rely on revelation and His knowledge and move forward in stillness.

God ordered all things before the world was. "The whole of the earth"

Seeking their guidance will lower our stress. 

Why are we so concerned about it? The Lord has it. Trust that the Lord will work it out. 

DC6:36 Look unto me in every thought. Doubt Not Fear Not. 

Correct Thought- God knows everything therefore I do not need to know how everything will work out. I know he knows how to best help. Therefore I need to seek His will. 

We don't know everything

The Lord does

Probably making the best decision we can. 

Doubt not Fear Not

The Lord will make will bless it. 

The external events do not indict our worth to the Lord. 

Seek revelation because he knows everything.

He have been bought for a great price. 

We find what we seek.

Distorted Thought-Some how the negative events in my life equal all the details of reality. 

There are positive and negative in every situation.

1ne 17:2 so great were the blessing of the Lord upon us. Good living in the desert. Finding the blessing in the situation. 

Issues difficulties are the raw meats. 

Correct Thought- There are positives and negatives in every situation. When I search for the positive I will be happier. 

Distorted Thought-If that person succeeds than I failed. 

Romans 8:17 Comparison

Heirs and Joint Heirs that we may also be glorified. How could we ever merit that? 

Utcdorf-

Our team is the brotherhood of man. Our goal is to learn to love god, and to extend that love to our fellow man. We are here to build up lift treat fairly.

The battle is between good and evil and not each other. 

Don't read minds. You don't know what they think, feel, and say. We are poor at interpreting. Sometimes we say things we don't mean. 

We don;t know every situation. When we fill in the blanks we can lead to very very bad situations. 

Find what they are looking for....create self fulfilling prophecies.... and finding evidence.

Correct Thought-We communicate in a variety of ways, be act a certain way for a variety of reasons and I am only able to gather a small fraction of information. 

We are probably not even correct in what we interrupt. 

Sleep 

Exercise

Diet

Serve the Lord with all of our mind. -get an education. don't let mind be idle. dont ponder on distorted thoughts.

Be still for at least 10 minutes a day. 

The Lord is on your side.

Leave to your God to order and provide. 

He is the Prince of Peace. 

When I started to ponder, reflect and pray about true doctrine I felt better. He can heal us. He is the Great Healer. There is no affliction He can not help. 

But the works of God made manifest, let him heal me, let me seek him, let me progress, let me grow, let me be soften, let me be strengthen, let me turn to him. 

Therefore let your hearts be comforted about Zion.

Be still and know I am God. 

Turn to the Savior who with His grace will help us be still and know He is God. 

Assume everyone has a difficulty, a heart ache. +

--Anxiety is a processing issue.

Therapy

I feel like i have a messy life right now. My mind is muddle, i am anxious, and paralyzed into inactivity. I feel ashamed. The shame i am carry for not being who or what i expected myself to be creates a tempest of self criticism, blame, and regret.

I find myself living on the scraps of others taking the bare minimum that life has to offer.

I feel very alone, lost, and hopeless.

I think it is the lack of hope that is cancerous to the soul. It slowly eats away at your life until you are alone with nothing.

This is a path that leads to a tragic end.

I don't like wallowing in self pity.

Take Upon Yourself the Whole Armor of God- Lavell Edwards

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=id-qndZ1Qm4

Thoughts for this devotional-

A truly humble man seeks truth, he does not create it.

The greatest will to prepare. Preparation equals success.

Hinckley- My life has been rich because it has been filled with problems to solve.

I will be ready for whenever you need me...... how great would it be to say that to the Lord.

Chose to do his very best. We are also choosing to do our best or not. The chose is ours. It will require our best to be able to receive the help and inspiration from the Lord to prepare to be at home in His Holy Home.

Tender Mercied

I am so grateful. I went to the bookstore to buy a book for my Mom and after looking for a long time I finally gave in and asked the girl at the counter to look it up. She informed me the book was not in stock and  that they had some on order.

I was so sad. I wanted to to something nice for my Mom and I knew she would love this book. I thanked her and headed toward the exit. On my way out I was thinking that good intentions only go so far. That some times we are left on our own.

Just in that moment in a section completely out of the way I looked over and saw the book. I have zero doubt that Heavenly Father granted me this simple yet meaningful act of kindness.

Anxiously Afraid....An Exposure of Lacking Faith and a Hard Heart

Why should I give space in my soul to fears and doubts. The Lord is my Keeper. I am in His Hands. I will not doubt His Power or Love. I will accept His promises and will work with zeal to create the life and future He desires.

Relentless A Portrait Of Christ's Love

One of the most wonderful books on Christ I have ever read. The simple clear and vulnerable testimony of a Healer, Brother, Redeemer.

I couldn't make it through a single chapter without tears streaming down my face.

I testify with a faithful heart the He is the Great I AM. Christ the Great Redeemer lives. His love is unending. His love ever reaching. His love is relentless.

Depression, My Mind is Killing Me

I have been struggling with depression and anxiety for years. Until recently I suffered in silence. Opening up and talking about it with a few people has helped. The subject is a source of great shame and embarrassment for me.

It doesn't have to be a bad thing. I can and should learn to better manage my condition, that being said it has made me much more empathetic, understanding, patient. Being depressed gives me time to be alone with my thoughts and pushes me to develop healthier habits. It gives me the chance to rely on God and be lifted by the strength of those around me.

I need to find the courage to go to counseling. I need to have the faith to believe I can improve and get better.

I find it challenging to feel like I would rather just cease. The thought of a tomorrow can be painful. When i read or hear of a suicide I honestly don't pity them. I am happy their suffering is over. It is incredibly sad, but I understand the fight they are fighting. I feel like I am losing the battle. Like I will only be able to cope and manage for so long on my own.

I have never seriously consider hurting myself. I have longed for the sweat release of nothingness daily. I have hungered for the taste of cold barrel. Once in a difficult moment I considered driving off the road. This was the only instance I ever could have actually pictured it happening. It was a scary realization that this daydream had progressed to a dangerous flirtation.

I don't like feeling weak. I don't like feeling ashamed. I don't like not feeling. I hate dredging everything. I hate the self pity. I hate being irritable. I hate feeling alone. I hate feeling broken. I hate how normal it feels now.

I know this suffering will make or break me. I believe that I learn to manage it better. Limit its harmful impact on my life. I believe that I will be able to be there for others, using what I have experienced to empathize and nurture.

Sunday Question

1 Nephi 3:29 Why do ye smite your younger brother with a rod? Laman and Lemuel were angry, hearts were turned from the Lord, they were sinning in their hearts. This distance caused them to lose sight of their identity and of their relationship and duty to their brother. They couldn't see the ways of the Lord. They couldn't see the eternal truth. They focused on a narrow bias view of the now. Their sins kept them from being rulers (do not my sins keep me enslaved to fear doubt). I currently have a roommate that gets under my skin, even when he is doing nothing wrong or intentionally attempting to annoy. How can I see him how the Father sees him? How can i focus on his positive traits? Here is a List of His Positive Qualities -fun -spontaneous -helpful -generous -good father -great knowledge of the scriptures -friendly -talented -active -tender heart I will try to focus more on these traits, build them up. I will not be fault finding, critical, or abusive with the stinging rod of hurtful words. I need to learn to love easier.

5 Life Regrets

We have all seen these regrets listed before. You only get one take at life. I have been intrigued by these regrets for a while now. As you have seen before I love questions and here are a few questions I am asking myself?

How do we avoid the pull of our consumer driven economy and not fall victim to these 5 Most Common Regrets?

What habits can I form that would limit these regrets?

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

Know what I want?! 

Plan out how to get it. 

Be friends with different types of people. 

2. I wish I didn’t work so hard.

Plan Fun Things Every Week.

Choose a person I like to spend time with

Set goals for the day track progress clear beginning and ending

3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.

Practice open communication

Ask others how they are feeling

Journal

Read Communication

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

Send one email a week

One call a week

One trip with the Gang a Year.

-Get in the details of their lives.

Pick 5 Close People

    Tyler Hall

   Justin Bergener

   Ace Sorenson

  Rob Wick

  

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

Mediate

Practice Gratitude 

Be Myself

Read More

Create

Be Repentant

Be Holy 

This is a work in progress. I will be working on this. I will do a weekly audit. 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10IDdOigQWbI1VyUZ9vO-wv3XBBjljzWLsFrLfdYnNMk/edit?usp=sharing

Thoughts from Reading Falling To Heaven Ferrell

Mind Blowing Book

My Summation-
When we mistakenly think we are righteous our misplaced pride causes us to down on others and directly at the Savior. When fall to heaven it is a humble recognition that we are in His Hands and in His Care. Instead of believing we are earning our way to heaven we recognize we are reliant on his Mercy. In the LDS Church I think we tend to favor works over grace even though well intended this over compensation leads to pride, discord, and shame.

Remarkable Quotes

" All are guilty under the law, a guilt that separates us from God. What does it mean to forgive ourselves when we are, in effect, "guilyt of all"? Clearly the power of such forgiveness is not within us; the guilty cannot render themselves innocent. Only the judge-in this case, the great and Eternal Judge- can do that."

Do not look within for healing and forgiveness. Look to the Lord. Same with forgiving others. 

"The deep scars we inflict on one another can be reached only by the One who has healing in his wings"

I thought this was a beautifully written expression of the human experience and condition. There are scars in my soul i believe will never heal but are made light with the healing balm of the Savior.

"We realize that innocence is not in us but in the Lord. With this understanding, we don't feel the need to hide our sins, challenges, or struggles. We similarly have no interest in, or need for, managing others' impressions of us, as our concern is not for ourselves."

Free yourself from the notion you are pure, clean, or near perfection. Live a confessional life. Don't fall into the charade of innocence.

"Sinning in the name of piety"

How often I have excused myself for the right thing in the name of church duty, obligation ect.

"Only One who has ever lived was entirely good, and I would be surprised if there has ever been one who has been entirely bad."

Perfection is not a prerequisite for love. Just as we free ourselves from the facade of perfection we can free others from the expectation of such and allow them their humanity and rightful use of the Atonement.

"...view others only with hope and gratitude? Or do we rather view others with a critical eye, demanding that they be different than they are? If like Oakley, we are filled only with hope, we will be able to feel gratitude for others notwithstanding their faults. If on the other hand we feel entitled, we condemn ourselves to a resented life and will feel embittered toward those whom we have been called to love and cherish."

I struggle with this. I just got back from a quick trip to the "Sev" with my roommates and one of them I have bitter feelings toward. I can hear the sting in my voice, feel the venom in my tone, and the coldness of my heart toward him. It is like everything he does is wrong. For some reason I have a tainted view of him, his motives, and speech. I don't know how to change it without help of the Lord. I need His healing wings to lift me from my prison of hate and disregard. I should focus on his strengths.

"It is so easy, isn't it, to spiritually hyperventilate ourselves to the point that we believe that any one sin puts our eternity at risk. But in our gasping for breath, we are forgetting the Savior. He knew we would fail. He knew we would transgress. His plans contains the solution for this."

Some of our crisis of identity following a sin major or small is the fact that we have "glorified" ourselves as righteous beings and trusted in the arm of the flesh. The reality is we are fallen beings at the mercy of a loving just God. When we recognize our true condition it strips us of pride and will draw us closer to the Savior in times of guilt and remorse rather than wallowing in self pity.

"Any need to love myself or to approve of myself or to think well of myself will finally and fully be melted away by the realization that he loves me despite all I have done and been. My smallness will be swallowed up by his wholeness, my self-concern consumed by his selfless love."

Our desire to be righteous comes when we feel his Love. It is feeling this love that opens us up to see our own nothingness and realize we are prized above the kingdoms of the world. This pure love melts away pride.

"Focus on our own sins and upon others' virtues. Do this, and our teaching, our thinking, our befriending, and our parenting will all be transformed for the better."

What a great way to live life and look at others. I would love to come up with a system to put this into practice. Seems like every time i catch my self critiquing others I can stop acknowledge 5 strengths and not 3 of my weaknesses. I will report how it goes.

Life Changing Questions for the Book of Mormon Thoughts

I recently finished Life Changing Questions for the Book of Mormon Thoughts, by John Hamilton III and Brad Wilcox. I was really intrigued by the title of this book as "questions" has always been a fascinating point of study. I read The Question Behind the Question years ago and it brings up some powerful points about asking the right questions.

-A question frames our reality
-A question directs our focus

Tony Robbins also offers so stellar insights on the power of questions and I would recommend you check this thoughts out. I am a quote hoarder. I love quotes. I love thoughts and find the ability to simply state an insightful observation about the condition of man hypnotic.

Sadly compared to questions a quote is the fast food of cognitive dieting. It requires little from you, it is quick, and cheap. A question on the other hand has the capacity to nourish your mind cultivating you facilities to make connections that will be forever imprinted on your soul. Like I said I have a thing for questions so back to the book. Below I will share some of the insights that I really like for this writing. I will also start sharing my answer to other questions found in the Book of Mormon on Sundays.

Why Should my Heart Weep? 2Nephi 4:26

"tests make us more dependent on the Lord."

It amazes me how perfect the test of mortality is, there have been more moments in my life than I would care to admit that have broken me completely. There are scars and wounds on my body and soul that will never be fully healed in this mortal probation. I am grateful for these trials. I am grateful they have helped me see my "nothingness" and forced me to rely on the Lord. The sufferings in this life both self inflicted and otherwise will be the fuel of an eternal happiness and the refining fire of our souls.

"...there would be a time of healing, whether in this life or the next. Finally, he promised, " If you endure this test with a humble heart, there will come a time when you wouldn't trade having the use of your hand again for the important lessons you have learned from being without it." Dr. Jeffery

What Teach Ye This People? Mosiah 12:27

President Boyd K. Packer " True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior. The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of the behavior will improve behavior. Preoccupation  with unworthy behavior can lead to unworthy behavior. That is why we stress so forcefully the study of the doctrines of the gospel.

Is the x factor to this behavior change the Light of Christ? Is if faith in Christ that brings us closer to our Celestial Nature? I am a self help junkie. I struggle with anxiety and depress and have sought healing more frequently from books, lectures, strategies, and "hacks" than the Lord. We would be wise to make regular passionate studying of the doctrines of the restored gospel a focal point in our lives. I believe this will give access to the spirit which will not only enlighten but also sanctify.

"To testify is to know and to declare. The gospel challenges us to be converted, which requires us to do and become." Dallin H Oaks

What a great follow up to the importance of studying. I often find myself in a trap of studying and not performing discipleship. Meaning I read and ponder but rarely but into planned deliberate action my studies. The wise and gentle Pres. Monson is the personification of the Gospel in Action. His life is one of dedicated love and service to others. I must strive to practice more doctrine principles than sit idly.

Are Ye Stripped of Pride Alama 5:28

Alma's questions about pride and envy can provide us with the opportunity to reflect on our lives and the degree to which we have eliminated pride. All of us struggle, to one degree or another with some aspect of pride.

I am under the current conclusion that pride is the driving force behind 80% of the actions we take in our lives. We are desperately trying to show off to be noticed to be appreciated. Debt, vanity, cheating, cruelty, gossiping, excess consumption are all red flags of a high level of pride. I find it interesting that the books talks about degrees of pride. It is not a simple yes, I am prideful or not I am not. We all have to seek out and eliminate the prideful parts of our nature. Such a cool way to look at pride.

What Evidence Have Ye That There is No God? Alma 30:40

Cultivate a diligent desire to know that God lives. This desire leads s to ponder on the things of heaven-to let the evidence of God all around us touch our hearts.

It is this very statement that inspired me to start this blog. The concept of cultivating righteous desires is simple and profound. What a great way to live our lives. Focusing on the wanting of Celestial Character, craving for spiritual growth and closeness with our Father. The "how" of cultivating these desire eludes me. I would love to hear others thoughts on this. Are you doing anything specifically to cultivate righteous desires? What is working? What is not?

Desires lead to actions sooner or later. I need to study this out further.

Summation questions are awesome and this book will help take your gospel study into the inner depths of the soul where the true religion dwells.

Happiness Audit

Found this cool idea from http://www.lifelisted.com/

I have a rough version of this i try to every monday. I am hoping keep tweak it and getting more consistent. 

1. Is your work contributing to a greater good?
2. Are your daily tasks making you a better entrepreneur?
3. Are your daily tasks making you a better person?
4. Are you inspiring others?
5. Are you still making enough business connections, where making the connections outweigh the cons of working at your position?
6. Are you making more money than you could at any other job that you could reasonably get?
7. Are you working hours that leave time for personal growth?
8. Are you able to make a name for yourself given your current position in the company? (Public facing position)

Thoughts from Spring Break

If my own life we a country it might be Mexico. I haven't flourished financially despite having all the natural advantages required to be a thriving success.

We often refer to the concept of being a child of god as a personal self inflating ideology. I matter because of this divine pedigree. Rarely do we consider that all others are children of god. Think of the special treatment we offer children of the rich famous and powerful. No greater compliment is given to a parent than when one takes a vested interest in the well-being of their children.

Phones for the most part are distracting mind numbing and isolating.

We are so fortunate to live in a place where people have access to food water jobs and freedom. #grateful

We don't need much to be happy.

People are desperate for approval/acceptance and the trappings of excess offer a fools gold reward for the unconscious seeker.