Giving Our Spirits Control over Our Bodies — M. Russell Ballard
When we minister to one another, we love each other! When we love each other, we enjoy the time spent with each other and miss each other. When sickness, tragedy or death befalls someone we minister to, we mourn with those who mourn because we love them too!
“Thou shalt live together in love, insomuch that thou shalt weep for the loss of them that die.” – D&C 42:45
Our loved ones need to know we love them! Make sure they know it! If it helps, use words, but make sure they feel your love by how you treat them!
“Please do not miss an opportunity to look into the eyes of your family members with love.” – M. Russell Ballard
We will be reunited with our families – past, present and future! We already have a huge cheering section in Heaven, our family that has passed is watching and cheering us on. We will be with them one day! We will be reunited with loving Heavenly Parents who are also completely invested in our well-being and growth! What a grand reunion it will be!
” The word that keeps coming to my mind now when I consider the plan is “reunion.” It is a plan, designed by our loving Father in Heaven, that has at its center the grand and glorious possibilities of family reunion—of eternally reuniting husbands and wives, parents and children” – M. Russell Ballard
I think we forget that anyone who has ever lived, chose Jesus Christ once before. In the Pre-Earth life, when receiving a mortal body was in its planning stages, we chose to follow Him. If we can remember that, and help others to remember that, it should make all our other decisions much easier. It’ll help us to maintain an eternal perspective.
“Every person who has ever lived or ever will live on this planet made an essential decision to choose to accept Heavenly Father’s plan for our salvation.” – M. Russell Ballard
Never forget where you came from! Before you were a nationality, or had city or school pride. Before you worried about what anyone thought, you were a beloved child of God who chose to come and be tested in mortality! Our Heavenly Parents love you and are hopeful you will remember your spiritual nature! Look to Them and live!
“Think about that for a moment. This is who you and I really are and who you have always been: a son or daughter of God, with spiritual roots in eternity and a future overflowing with infinite possibilities.” – M. Russell Ballard
Don’t delay! Take 5 minutes out of your day to tell your parents you love them! Now, take 5 minutes every day to tell your children you love them! You will never regret telling your loved ones how you feel about them!! Why are you still reading this? Go and do it!
“Children and parents, reach out to each other and express your love and appreciation.” – M. Russell Ballard
Look to the source of all truth to truly understand your rights and wrongs! God has given us scriptures, prophets and revelation to help us discern truth. Make sure you’re utilizing the gifts He has given to help keep us on the straight and narrow!
“Today, ‘living right’ can be a pretty confusing concept, especially if you spend much time on social media, where any voice can declare real truths or false concepts about God and His plan for His children.” – M. Russell Ballard
Life is not easy, in fact it’s a battle, especially if you strive to do what’s right and follow Jesus Christ, but I promise, it’s much easier once you commit to following Christ and remove the distractions from your life. Those distractions are baggage that weighs you down as you strive to be better! Commit to Christ, lose the distractions and your climb while get easier!
“The greatest conflict that any man or woman will ever have … will be the battle that is had with self,” – Melvin J. Ballard, quoted by M. Russell Ballard
This is a deep thought! You could probably write a whole talk on what it means and how to apply it. But what it boils down to is, will we get distracted by things of the world, or stay focused on becoming better in the eyes of God? Each person must answer that question for themselves but gentle persuasion doesn’t hurt to help each other along.
“Man’s earthly existence is but a test as to whether he will concentrate his efforts, his mind, his soul, upon things which contribute to the comfort and gratification of his physical nature, or whether he will make as his life’s [purpose] the acquisition of spiritual qualities.” – David O. McKay, quoted by M. Russell Ballard
One of my favourite scriptures. It’s a constant reminder that unless I strive to live with the Holy Spirit, I am at odds with God, which means, anytime I offend the Spirit, I step away from Him.
“the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord.” – Mosiah 3:19, quoted by M. Russell Ballard
I could not love this scripture more! It very much captures the natural man! We are what we strive after! Don’t get distracted by things of this world, especially when pure joy of the Lord is so freely given!
“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” – Romans 8:5-6, quoted by M. Russell Ballard
Our lives are the time to prepare to meet God. He will not be impressed with our Pokémon collection, our sports knowledge, or the places we travelled. Not that we can’t enjoy those things, but our main focus needs to be on our eternal growth, which comes from study, prayer, service and focusing on things that bring us closer to Him.
“One of the most important things we can learn in this life is how to emphasize our eternal spiritual nature and control our evil desires.” – M. Russell Ballard
You are eternal and glorious in nature! Never forget who your Heavenly Parents are, for They will never forget you! Even now, They are cheering your triumphs and urging you forward!
“You are—first, foremost, and always—a spiritual being.” – M. Russell Ballard
We can keep our focus razor sharp by not being distracted by that great and spacious building! There is nothing in that building that will benefit us in any way! Focus on the scriptures and your relationship with your Saviour!
“when we choose to put our carnal nature ahead of our spiritual nature, we are choosing something that is contrary to our real, true, authentic spiritual selves.” – M. Russell Ballard
Agency is such an important factor in life that God wouldn’t allow us to remember our pre-earth life. It makes it challenging to remember why we are here. Fortunately God has not left us alone. We have been given the light of Christ and the Holy Ghost to help us to do better and be better and ultimately remember who we are!
“With a veil of forgetfulness drawn between the premortal spirit world and this mortal world, we can lose sight of our relationship to God and our spiritual nature, and our carnal nature can give priority to what we want right now.” – M. Russell Ballard
That is the test! The exact reason we are living life! Will we choose the higher road, one that is better for us, without fully understanding why, but trusting in our Heavenly Father and the plan He has for each of us! It’s an easy choice in theory but we’re living this life to prove ourselves!
“Learning to choose the things of the Spirit over the things of the flesh is one of the primary reasons why this earthly experience is part of Heavenly Father’s plan.” – M. Russell Ballard
The road we take can often be long and windy, but as we strive to stay close to our Saviour, He will ease the way, and make our burdens light! This doesn’t mean it will be easy, but thru Him, it will be easier than if we continually get distracted and choose other paths!
“The plan is built upon the solid, sure foundation of the Atonement of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ so that our sins, including the errors we make when we yield to the flesh, can be overcome through constant repentance and we can live spiritually focused.” – M. Russell Ballard
We can’t afford to delay being better! We need to repent and align ourselves with the doctrine of Christ! Not doing so puts our spiritual selves at risk!
“Now is the time to control our bodily appetites to comply with the spiritual doctrine of Christ. That is why we must not procrastinate the day of our repentance.”
Repentance isn’t a bad thing, not remotely! It’s a huge part of the Plan of Salvation because our Heavenly Father knew we’d make mistakes. He knew it because He lived! He was right where you are today! He chose repentance because He knew that’s how He would progress. Look at your path of progression and choose to be better, then go and do!
“Repentance is an indispensable weapon in our battle over self. ” – M. Russell Ballard
Choose to repent! Choose to Change! Choose to become the best version of yourself! Choose to grow and receive joy! Choose to become more like Jesus Christ! Choose today to become better and then do it!
“When we choose to repent, we choose to change! We allow the Savior to transform us into the best version of ourselves. We choose to grow spiritually and receive joy—the joy of redemption in Him. When we choose to repent, we choose to become more like Jesus Christ!” – Russell M. Nelson, quoted by M. Russell Ballard
None of us are perfect and need to reflect with the Lord on how we can become better. Open and honest prayer with the Father will allow Him to speak to us. Speak to Him in the name of Jesus Christ and tell the Father of your Spirit everything that is going on. He wants to hear from you and wants to help you grow, so pray on!
“Every night as I review my day in prayer with my Father in Heaven, I ask to be forgiven if I did anything wrong and promise to try to be better tomorrow. I believe this regular daily repentance helps my spirit remind my body who is in charge of me.” – M. Russell Ballard
We can all be better. We can all improve. We don’t need to be constantly reminded of our shortcomings. We need to celebrate our victories. But we can also take time to slow down, hit the pause button and reflect. We need to set goals that help us to be better. Our loved ones need us to and when we reunite with them in the world hereafter, we’ll be grateful we did.
“Slow down a bit and think about where you are now in subjugating your carnal nature and empowering your divine, spiritual nature so when the time comes, you may pass into the spirit world to a joyful reunion with your loved ones.” – M. Russell Ballard
~ Todd Bruce
Recent Comments