Top Ten Treasures I Have Learned

I got a call from my dear friend the first Saturday of 2007. He goes on to explain that as part of the FHE committee, they think of people to do the lesson and share things from their life that they have learned since we all have unique experiences. He then goes on to ask if I would be willing to do a FHE lesson sometime. Sure, why not...um, for that Monday! Wow, thanks for the advance notice! ;) I figured I would come up with something that Sunday. As always, I jotted all of my spider-webbey ideas down. Finally Monday, after the first day back at school it all came together. I decided on giving my Top Ten Treasures I have learned. Thanks Letterman. Now that I am a blogger, what better to blog than this. :)

10) Tithes: Cannot afford to NOT pay your tithes. Malachi 3:10 promises both spiritual and temporal blessings in paying full tithes. I know I am able to enjoy the blessings of the Temple because of tithes. I know I have never been without a job, and each job I get is better than the last one and I know this has happened in my life because I have faithfully paid my tithes. Because we are blessed according to our obedience to the commandment upon which the blessing is predicated, and I know to sin is to miss out on blessings, I know I have been blessed temporally and spiritually. And its fire insurance: Doctrine and Covenants 64:23!

9) Service: Do for others that which they cannot do for themselves. I know my Savior has done this for me and each and everyone of us. He satisfied the demands of justice, that we may be blessed with His mercy. In His example, we need to do what we can for others. We need to give loads of love, 2 Corinthians 9:7. Galatians 5:13 "By love serve one another." We are the Lord's tools/instruments to bless the lives of others, Doctrine and Covenants 35:14. It is important to serve, Doctrine and Covenants 81:5. I have had the opportunity to do family history, and temple work for my ancestors, and I know I am serving them and in return I am gaining blessings and a greater understanding of the blessings of the Temple and eternal families. We all need to ask, "How can I serve with Love and Compassion?"

8) The Law of the Harvest: You reap what you sow. Galatians 6:7-9, Doctrine and Covenants 130:20-21. Whatever I am in need of, I must do my part and I will be blessed. We all were given agency and talents and intelligence for the purpose to use them and develop them. The Lord knows what we are in need of, but we cannot be slothful; we must have works with our faith!

7) Scripture Study: Delight in the scriptures, 2 Nephi 4:15. We need to balance the loftyness of our branches by developing our roots through diligent scripture study, Jacob 5:48. Doctrine and Covenants 88:62-63, the Savior said, "I leave these sayings with you to ponder in your hearts, with this commandment which I give unto you, that you shall call upon me while I am near--Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you." I know that in times I was in great need of personal revelation and guidance from the spirit, I remembered that I needed to do my part and be obedient in my scripture study to be worthy of the blessings of the spirit to guide me, not just to read them because I was told to, but to be blessed. Reading and studying my scriptures was always a challenge for me, but I know that through diligence I was blessed not only with a greater understanding, but I was blessed to delight in the scriptures.

6) Power of Prayer: "Life is fragile, and, therefore, should be handled with Prayer," Harold B. Lee. Prayer will help in building testimony, overcoming negative attitudes, observing a meaningful fast, withstanding temptation, maintaining church standards, overcoming trials, improving one's self-image, keeping the commandments, developing good habits, overcoming weakness. Doctrine and Covenants 104:79, we are invited to pray. Promises given to us if we pray, Alma 37:37. An invitation to pray includes and RSVP, which means the person invited, each one of us, needs to decide if they will accept the invitation...Will you accept?

5) Faith and Trust in the Lord: I have seen the Lord's hand in my life. Ether 12:6 Hebrews 11:1.

4) Forgiveness: What a blessing, to be forgiven and to forgive. How powerful this is, and how forgiving other's allows the power of the Atonement to heal and bless our lives. If we don't forgive another, it will fester and decay and destroy us. Doctrine and Covenants 64:9-10, Doctrine and Covenants 58: 42-43, 3 Nephi 13:14-15. By His example, Luke 23:34.

3) Trials: "All these things shall give thee experience" Doctrine and Covenants 122:7,9. I highly, highly recommend Neal A. Maxwell's book of this title. We all have a loving Heavenly Father who allows us to struggle so that we may grow, allows us to taste of the bitter to better savour the exquisite nature of the sweet, that He may prove us in all things, Doctrine and Covenants 98:14, Abraham 3:25. I have a testimony the Omniscience of an Omnipotent and Omniloving God. The second estate is for chastening, suffering, serving, growing, praying, and following.

2) Great Eternal Principal of Agency: O Be Wise. Moses 6:56. 2 Nephi 2:27-29. We all have a choice not matter what happens. We can choose to not develop the negative in our lives, and choose to develop the positive. We need to be wise in using our agency with our families and loved ones, and in marriage.

1) Atonement: No matter what happens, the Atonement is enough!

I know these things to be true to the core of my being. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.