Saturday, May 15, 2010

Week 1 of the Ensign Reading Challenge

Last week I challenged you all to read five minutes a day of the Ensign from now until May 30. So I'm doing my best to practice what I preach! This week, I have enjoyed reading one talk a day give or take. It's inspiring to me how the Spirit can teach us different things in different contexts... even from the same words! The ideas and inspiration I have gleaned from reading the Conference talks have been totally different from what I got out of the talks while listening to General Conference. And this week in particular, I really needed it! One of the talks I read was by Bishop McMullin, Second Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric. He used a quote from President Joseph F. Smith that I loved:

"We should honor God with our intelligence, with our strength, with our understanding, with our wisdom, and with all the power that we possess. We should seek to do good in the world. This is our duty.”

Did you catch that? Intelligence and understanding! That's what literacy and lifelong learning is all about. Not only does it benefit each of us individually, it honors our Creator. This does not have to be something we feel guilty about. It CAN be something we rejoice in. He created all of us with the ability to learn -- about so many different things! If you want to read the whole talk, click here.

Keep up the good reading!

1 comment:

  1. I LOVE that quote!!! I knew going back to school and working for my RN was the right thing to do to keep our family prepared for the future, and I knew that "the glory of God is intelligence," and I knew He approved of my goals and effort, but how sweet to read that what I have done in that vein has given honor to my Father!!! It is as good as a hug from Him for reaching those goals!

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