2.17.2009

Remember Lot's Wife

No, I do not attend BYU. However, I came across this talk given by Jeffrey R. Holland at a BYU devotional and fell in love with it. I just felt like sharing some of my favorite parts from it.

"So, as a new year starts and we try to benefit from a proper view of what has gone before, I plead with you not to dwell on days now gone, nor to yearn vainly for yesterdays, however good those yesterdays may have been. The past is to be learned from but not lived in. We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the ashes. And when we have learned what we need to learn and have brought with us the best that we have experienced, then we look ahead, we remember that faith is always pointed toward the future. Faith always has to do with blessings and truths and events that will yet be efficacious in our lives."

...

"When something is over and done with, when it has been repented of as fully as it can be repented of, when life has moved on as it should and a lot of other wonderfully good things have happened since then, it is not right to go back and open up some ancient wound which the Son of God Himself died trying to heal. Let people repent. Let people grow. Believe that people can change, and improve."

...

"Now, like the Anti‐Nephi‐Lehies of the Book of Mormon, bury your weapons of war, and leave them buried. Forgive, and do that which is harder than to forgive: Forget. And when it comes to mind again, forget it again. You can remember just enough to avoid repeating the mistake, but put the rest of it on the dung heap Paul spoke of to those Philippians. Dismiss the destructive and keep dismissing it, until the beauty of the Atonement of Christ has revealed to you your bright future, and the bright future of your family and your friends and your neighbors. God doesn't care nearly as much about where you have been as He does about where you are, and with His help, where you are willing to go."

...

"Faith is for the future. Faith builds on the past but never longs to stay there. Faith trusts that God has great things in store for each of us and that Christ truly is the 'high priest of good things to come.' ... Keep your eyes on your dreams, however distant and far away. Live to see the miracles of repentance and forgiveness, of trust and divine love that will transform your life today, tomorrow, and forever."


If you should feel to inspired to do so, you can read the whole talk HERE.

3 comments:

Brooke said...

oh my gosh yes I LOVED this talk so much, it's amazing! Thanks for putting it up it's just as good the second time

The Scott's said...

okay - you are so cute!! I'll be reading this talk again and I love all of the pictures. You are beautiful.

Tara said...

I found your blog! Yes, I am a stalker. It was fun seeing you the other night! We'll have to all get together again:)

Tara