I like weekends. They make sense to me. Saturday is usually full and busy and ideally, we get a lot done. My favorite Saturday is when a big task is tackled and accomplished followed by something fun. My favorite Sundays are more relaxed. We go to church where there's usually something inspiring said or felt and then there's rest--reading, napping or both.
This weekend wasn't one of those weekends. Savannah and I drove to Idaho Falls on Friday for a book signing event on Saturday. We arrived back home Saturday evening. Sunday morning, we got up at 4 a.m. and the family drove to Twin Falls for Skyler's mission farewell. We were tired by the end of the day and the last part of the trip, we felt the effects of a small, uncomfortable car and lack of sleep.
But let me tell you, it was worth the drive.
Skyler is Bruce's good friend and college roommate. We've loved and enjoyed Skyler for many years now and today I felt so proud of him. In spite of challenges that would make staying home easy to justify, he's going and today he shared with us some of the reasons why as he told of his experiences with the promptings of the Holy Ghost over the past year.
And then his bishop spoke. He put aside his prepared remarks and spoke on selfishness. It was powerful and courageous. He shared a quote, "Selfishness is self-destruction in slow motion." He quoted Elder Maxwell that selfishness doesn't need moderated, it needs annihilated.
He spoke of what selfishness does to our marriages and our families, how it keeps our young men from serving missions and how it's the cause of broken families and broken hearts.
He spoke of the world we live in, where we talk and talk and it's usually about ourselves. We give the world our status updates and it's all about me, me, me. Our lives need to be focused outside ourselves to be happy.
I'm so grateful for the reminders in those two talks. If we'll allow ourselves to be guided by the spirit, the spirit will guide us outside ourselves and we'll conquer our selfish impulses.
Thanks Skyler, for being worthy and willing to serve. You are going to be a fantastic missionary. And thanks to Skyler's bishop who reminded us of what it all boils down to--losing ourselves so we find what matters.
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