Merry Christmas Dad!
I think your idea of discussing a conference talk each week is a great idea, and will be valuable to all who participate! To start things off I have selected D. Todd Christofferson’s talk from the Saturday morning session of the October 2010 General Conference: “Reflections on a Consecrated Life”. You can watch the video below or read the talk here.
Elder Christofferson asks us to consider how we are using two of life’s great gifts: time, and the freedom of choice. What are we “purchasing” with our time? Thrills? Entertainment? Greed? Revenge? He explains that “every day, every hour, every minute of your span of mortal years must sometime be accounted for.” There is a real purpose for our being here on earth: to “walk by faith and prove yourself able to choose good over evil, right over wrong, enduring happiness over mere amusement.”
Christ is our example of how to allocate our time and choices. Like Christ, we will successfully manage our stewardship in life and accomplish our purposes for being here if we submit our will to God and consecrate our time and choices to His purposes. “In so doing, we permit [God] to raise us to our highest destiny.” So that when He appears, we will be like Him. (Moroni 7:48)
I really feel this is important. It is important not to waste our time on earth seeking after amusement or pleasure or less important things; and to regularly take an accounting of how we are using our time and choices. Satan does such a great job at distracting us from the really important. I know that we will have our greatest joy when we consecrate our lives to God and try to pattern our choices according to His will.
Elder Christofferson mentions five elements of a consecrated life:
1. Purity: someone who patterns his time and choices after Christ will undoubtedly seek to repent and be pure.
2. Work: Christ is a hard worker and we should be too. It builds self-worth, refines character, and creates beauty. Choose work that improves, orders, sustains, lifts, and ministers.
3. Respect for one’s physical body: “Our body is an instrument of our spirit…it is vital that we care for it as best we can. We should consecrate its powers to serve and further the work of Christ.”
4. Service: this is how the Savior spent his life.
5. Integrity: an important attribute of the Savior.
So my biggest take-away from this message was to re-examine my life and how I am spending my time. Am I spending too much time following sports (yes), surfing the internet (yes), or seeking after things that might not be of worth (like a new job? – maybe).
I have always wanted to achieve my potential in life, to be successful in the Lord’s eyes, and a careful examination of our choices and how we spend our time will keep us on the right path.
What have you all done to consecrate your lives? Do you have any advice on how to do this? What insights did you gain from this talk?
