Our focus for literacy right now is how literacy can light up your life. Three weeks ago I challenged everyone to read at least five minutes each day of the May Conference issue of the Ensign. As it so happens, the last three weeks for me have been some of the most challenging I have seen in a while, and those five or more minutes every day ended up being my anchor to finding peace through it all. Who knew I would be the one to benefit the most?
One thing I was struck with was the beautiful pictures in this issue. I always love to study the faces in these conference issues, but this time around they were in color, and the people were so much more real to me. So many different walks of life, so many stories behind each of those smiles. It reminded me of how much we are loved by our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. How much they know who we are and what struggles we are facing. How grateful I was to be reminded of that! Truly, reading these talks lit up my life these past three weeks.
Now here's another amazing thing. Remember your brain only requires five minutes to start responding to new information? Well, on average it takes only three weeks to form a new habit. Put the two together and now you’ve started a new habit for reading and learning. Congratulations! And what better way than through the conference talks?
So now it's your turn. How was your experience reading five or more minutes each day? I'd love to hear from you. I know the other sisters in our ward would too. Leave a post and tell us how it went!
WOW!!! What a site!!! This is an extremely professional well done job. Many home done blogs are hard on the eyes with choices of bad color combos, or fonts/sizes. But you have done a wonderful job and I have just tipped the tippy-top of a very large iceberg! I am anxious to find more time to devote to absorbing and enjoying all you offer here. I also LOVE to see technology and media used to it's ultimate potential for what the Lord intended and to set an example to all of how to do it!
ReplyDeleteWell, to answer your question about your how the experience was of your five minute challenge: it is interesting, I had not seen or heard of your challenge, being in primary and then working full time, with limited time to conduct family "business" on facebook, email etc. having 10 kids spread hither and yon, media is the number one way we stay connected. So that is how I spend 99% of my time on the computer. When I began this new job in April and started the 40 minute commute each way (into the mountains against traffic, it is beautiful), I decided the best way to use that time alone (ALONE! oh what rare time that is!) I decided to download the Ensign onto MP3, or CD's and listen to it as I drove. But then when the Ensign came out for May, conference issue, you are so right, it is such a beautiful issue, I knew I wanted to actually feast on the words with my eyes, not my ears (which tend to miss a lot of the beauty of an article when you get to actually feast by sight), and so I decided to use it for my morning study time. I've been reading and studying out of Preach My Gospel, but am taking a side step to include a few minutes of reading each day from the conference issue. Some days it is five minutes some days 10-ish. I LOVE to start my day with the conference issue. Today, I was discombobulated for several reasons and left without reading for the first time since I began and boy things just were NOT right! It will NOT happen again! I also love hearing the Ensigns as I drive, I am able to formulate FHE off of different articles that our family needs, as well as take parts to include in letters to kids and grand kids. There is a lovely spirit that accompanies me on my drives to work and it makes it one of the choicest times of the day, coming and going. I appreciate all your hard work, inspiration, effort, prayer, expertise, etc you have put into this endeavor that is blessing many. And I appreciate the challenges even though I didn't know about them...as is usually the case, when I am in tune, I find my life in alignment with assignments for classes, challenges given, etc. I am so excited I "serendipitously" find myself part of it all! I passed up on taking chocolates when I visited RS with my daughters on Sunday, and now I do not even feel the need to have one....the deliciousness and sweetness is in the feast of words, ideas, knowledge etc. you provide here. Sorry this is so long but I am trying to express what is in my heart and even now it is dreadfully inadequate. Blessings on you and yours!