I love to go to church because I love to feel the spirit and it really helps me throughout the week. Church keeps me humble and helps me become a better person. Personal prayer keeps me grounded. Scriptures are a great reference to things I need to work on. Every time I go to church I always learn something new that really applies to me.
When I was pregnant the first couple of months I never went to church and that just turned into a bad habit because I missed more Sundays than I attended last year. I am trying really hard to start going consistently again and I have come to realize that I really missed relief society. Mike and I attend a married student ward and I love it because everyone is basically in the same situation. Recently married, a spouse or both spouses attending school, no kids or young kids and everyone is broke.
I am a convert to the church and I was baptized in 2005. While I was growing up I attended church with my neighbors for many years but I eventually fell away from the church. When Mike and I got married I had really high expectations. I love attending church and Mike isn't as enthusiastic as I am to say the least. I want to have family home evening every Monday, scripture study, family prayer and most of all I wanted Mike to want it as much as I wanted it. I would get so frustrated and upset with Mike because I always have to wake him up to go to church or I would always be the one to bring up family home evening and I usually have to bring up family prayer or scripture study. I basically want Mike to share some of the responsibility in keeping the gospel in our lives and I could never figure out why he didn't want to do it. I assumed he was just lazy which is terrible on my part.
A few weeks ago in relief society the teacher used the "Eternal Marriage Student Manual" to teach her lesson. One particular section really touched my heart. President Howard W. Hunter stated "I suppose you would say it is a man's viewpoint to throw a burden upon a woman to maintain the stability and the sweetness of marriage, but this seems to be her divine nature. She has a superior spirituality in the marriage relationship, and the opportunity to encourage, uplift, teach, and be the one who sets the example in the family for righteous living. When women come to the point of realizing that it is more important to be superior than to be equal, they will find the real joy in living those principles that the Lord set out in the divine plan. (Teaching of Howard Hunter, 139)
After reading this quote it helped me realize that I need to stop expecting/hoping Mike to do these things first or as much as me and accept the fact that it is in my nature or my strength to want to do these things. I shouldn't feel bad about always wanting to do these things and I should stop nagging Mike about it because sometimes I can get really fanatical about making it to sacrament meeting on time etc. All my assuming was bringing contention into our home and I was the one who was causing it.
Mike and I have a long way to where I want to be but the little small steps of reading one chapter a night from the Book of Mormon and family prayer in the morning has really helped in our daily lives. I feel the spirit more in my life and surprisingly I enjoy bearing my testimony. I love the Ensign too because there are always articles that I feel were written especially for me.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
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5 comments:
this was fun to read sandy. i didn't know that you got baptized in 2005. how great is that! i wish that i was better at all of that stuff too, all we can do it try and strive and it will all fall into place. keep up the great work.
Loved this Sandy! I've been exactly where you are now...Mike will come around! I'm glad you love your student ward--we loved ours too. We were so sad to leave it and go to a family ward, but Easton really needed to be in a bigger Primary. Man, the things we do for these kids!! j/k
I love that you wrote exactly what you were feeling. I didn't know you were a convert. That is great. I am sure you guys are doing great, and keep at it!! I have a hard time with all of that as well, so I thank you for reminding me of what's important!!
Thanks for posting this Sandy. I needed to be reminded of this myself and to be better and follow my promptings to do these things as a family. I'm not very good at them and needed to hear your testimony!
This was a wonderful post to read. Thanks for reminding me of the spiritual uplifting I can receive at church when I open my heart and try to ignore the stressfulness of being there with children. Thanks for posting that quote, too. Kit and I have been married almost 8 years...this is the first year HE has pushed us reading the scriptures as a couple and couple prayer. They can change and grow. Just persevere! :)
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