I just got out of Relief Society General Conference. It was an amazing experience. The last talk was given by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He used the metaphor of the Forget-Me-Not to teach five things we sisters should never forget.
The first was to be patient with yourself. The Lord is fully aware that we are not perfect, and doesn't expect us to be right away. We shouldn't compare our weaknesses to others' strengths. It gives us impossible expectations of ourselves. Eventually, the Lord will help us to turn all our weaknesses into strengths. If we stay on the path of discipleship and keep working towards perfection, one day we will reach that point. He told us to stop punishing ourselves. He commended us for being incredibly patient and compassionate towards others, but he reminded us to be patient and compassionate with ourselves. Our progress, no matter how slight, does not go unnoticed by He who created even the smallest flowers.
He reminded us to remember the difference between a foolish and a good sacrifice. He compared the sacrifice of losing sleep to comfort a small child who was wakened by a nightmare to the sacrifice of staying up all night to create intricate little handouts to distribute in Sunday's lesson. He told us to ask ourselves, "Am I committing my time and energy to the things that matter most?" We must keep an eternal perspective, and our priorities will fall into place.
We must not forget to be happy now. Recall the children's story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, when only five candy bars around the world had a golden ticket. People forgot about the simple joy of eating a sweet bar of chocolate and only focused on finding a golden ticket. If a candy bar didn't have one, it was a waste and a disappointment. The problem is when we put happiness on hold while we wait for something that we believe will bring us happiness. When you pin your hopes and happiness on one thing and forget to be grateful for the blessings you have, your unmet desires turn into bitterness and anger. If we spend our days waiting, we could miss the tender wonder of the small things in life. The message is not to abandon hope or worthy goals. But we must not close our eyes to each day's wonderful ordinary moments.
We need to remember the Why of the Gospel. Often we make a long list of tasks and turn gospel oriented activities into obligations. We know the what and how, but we forget the why. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a pathway, a pattern for living. When we embrace the eternal fire and majesty of why we should live a gospel-patterned life, it ceases to become a burden and becomes a joy. The what and how marks the way, but the why sanctifies our actions.
The last thing he reminded us was that the Lord loves each and every one of us. I can't really put into words how powerful and true his testimony of this fact was. He emphasized that You are never forgotten. We may feel small and insignificant, but we are precious daughters of the most powerful being in existence. It was a beautiful, sweet reminder that I desperately needed.
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