Nothing of Consequece Happens By Coincidence

What an amazing week! It has been full of inspiring meetings and great counsel! What made them especially wonderful is that Timothy J. Dyches of the 70 presided and spoke at both our Zone Conference and Stake Conferences this week. Let me tell you a little about what I took away from them :)

Zone Conference was so powerful! The spirit was so strong and taught me a lot that day. There were many wonderful words given on how to receive and follow the guidance of the spirit, developing Christlike attributes, "treasuring up" the word of God, our purpose as missionaries, and how to improve our teaching. It was definitely like drinking from a fire hose. It made me very grateful for personal revelation, because that night as I was praying about the things I learned that day,  the Holy Ghost was able to show me a theme from all of that information:

My responsibility is to value the things that have worth to God.

That is something I felt inspired to share with you today. As I learn more and more about who I am as a child of God, His plan for us, and my potential, what is important to me changes. And let me tell ya, I am grateful for that! There are things that mean everything to our Father in Heaven, and one of the purposes of our lives is to realize what those are and learn to value them as well.  Some of these that were pointed out in the conference are:

1) Our relationship with Jesus Christ

          This life is a time to prepare to meet God, through Jesus Christ and His
          Atonement. We have the opportunity to follow His example and develop
          Christlike attributes.

2) Our own worth and potential

          When we understand our worth as a child of God and our divine
          potential, our perspective on life changes.  We will have greater
          determination to live God's commandments and follow His path for
          us. We will have a desire to endure to the end.

3) Our ability to rely on the Hoy Ghost.

          God has given us a wonderful gift of His companionship.  Seek for
          promptings and act on them!

4) The Gospel

          Treasure up the words of Christ. There is nothing worth more than these
           truths.  We each have a commission to share them!

This is what the Lord needed to teach me at this time, but definitely only a small list of the many things that matter to Him. I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who has given us these gifts, because He knows what will make us the most happy and successful.  His hope is that we come to understand them, act on them, and treasure them as He does. But nothing will ever happen in thought alone. Something that Elder Dyches said in Stake Conference has really stuck with me and motivated me. He said, "Nothing of consequence happens by coincidence."

God did not give us these things of great consequence by coincidence, and they will not become of worth to us by chance.

That being said, think of the things in your life that you are thankful for and value most. I would invite each of you to ponder, study out, and ask God what is important to Him. Do those lists match? 

I would assume that none of ours match as closely as they should.

Pray to your Father in Heaven to know what you can change in your life, to develop a plan to find value in the things that He treasures. I know He will answer your prayer as He has mine. Then follow that plan! 

I know that as we facilitate our own growth, not leaving anything up to chance or coincidence, God will fulfill our righteous desires.

I love you all, Just keep smiling! And have a happy Thanksgiving!

Things I am thankful for!

Fun pit stops to get AMAZING donuts!

A wonderful companion!

When it is warm enough

not to wear our winter coats!

Grahm!!!! and the Bevan's "Thanksgiving Tree"

Beautiful Ohio Sunsets