General Conference

"Decisions determine destiny." - Thomas S. Monson

Conference was great, as it always is. I really tried to listen to every talk given and write at least one thing down that impressed me. And there were many, many things that impressed me. Things about obedience and rejecting anything that doesn't conform to our standards. Things about helping others in need. Things about repentance and promptings from the Holy Ghost. Things about managing time and using it wisely (ahem...Michelle...ahem...Facebook)!

I especially appreciated two things. First, I appreciated what Elder Uchtdorf had to say about who we are. "Compared to God we are nothing; yet to Him, we are everything." He then went on to discuss how Satan deceives us into believing that we are forgotten, insignificant and unknown. How many times have I felt that way in the past year, and in particular in the past few weeks. But the message of his talk helped me to see that even if we recognize our own insignificance, we can also recognize our divinity, as well. God created us to do good things and to become as Christ. The universe may be expansive and incomprehensible so that we recognize the greatness of God, His glory and power, and His love for all of us. But what really hit me was this...the idea that what we experience now is not what we will feel in eternal life. Sometimes I get so caught up in my own unhappiness because I am considering what I do not have that I start to believe something that is a lie. I start to believe that I have always felt this way and that I will continue to feel this way forever. It's simply untrue. I have not always felt any particular way. My emotions change like the tide. And I won't feel that way forever.

Second thing...is all about how decisions determine destiny. I've wasted a lot of time this past year. Even before that, the signs of procrastination have been rearing their ugly head. I remember my last year teaching at Annandale. I would let the grading pile up until I had to spend entire weekends grading papers. I just couldn't bring myself, I would say, to face it. It was too much. A new semester would start, and I would be determined to do better. So to say that it just started this year would be a lie. The truth is, I'm a natural born procrastinator. But the second truth is that it does not have to be this way. My decisions determine my destiny. And it is true that I can decide to spend my time wisely. That is something that is in my power. People have all sorts of negative proclivities towards unhealthy or addicting behaviors. And people overcome those behaviors every day. I need to stop telling myself that it is all too much and start telling myself that we are going to take this ride one day at a time, one decision at a time.

So General Conference was a blessing, as always. It gave me plenty to consider, as always. And now it's time to put the things I gained into practice.