A Full Day in Many Ways

Happy Easter everyone! We had a wonderful day today - we first went to the Rantoul branch of our church for our little niece's baby blessing. What a perfect way to start out the theme of Easter by blessing and honoring a new baby that has come into the world! I had the privilege of helping out with Nursery where they had 5 children (under the age of 3) in attendance (including Aedan). I say privilege because it really is a wonderful thing to be able to work in Nursery and I view Nursery calling as one of the most important. To be able to work with children who are learning basic gospel principles where most of it is so new to them is a huge responsibility when you think about it and it sets the stage for a lifetime of testimony and service to the Lord. It is a tiring calling and often times people serving in Nursery feel unappreciated but know that I am so glad for Nursery teachers and it has definitely made a difference in Aedan's little life thus far.

Well, back to my original train of thought... I (along with I'm sure so many others) have tried to focus on the Savior, his life and sacrifices made in our behalf, and his resurrection, the reason for Easter Sunday. I was reminded today of something I learned from our Stake President. Since I have had the chance to hear our Stake President's talk that he gives to all of the wards and branches multiple times already for the year, I have been curious about a speech he refers to, entitled Always given by Henry B. Eyring, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the LDS Church. Elder Eyring said, "The Savior has used the word always in two settings that must have caused you to wonder. The first setting is in every sacrament meeting. The word always is used in a covenant, a sacred promise with God, that you are making. This is what you hear, read by authorized servants of God: "That they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given them; that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen" (D&C 20:77; emphasis added)."

I've tried this past week to always remember him and I have found it is a hard thing to do, especially with all the activities we've had going on this week and all the commercialism surrounding Easter.

Elder Eyring continued,"I have learned from that journey again through the scriptures and my increase in love for Him something about always remembering. Fathers and mothers who love their children already know it. It is this: The child may be absent. The cares of the day may be great. Yet love for the child can be ever present in the heart of the parent, coloring and shaping every word, every act, and every choice."

From the last conference address he gave, Pres. Eyring spoke of how he had kept a gratitude journal and for a Stake Primary activity for 11 yr old girls/mothers we made ourselves some gratitude journals. I've been writing in mine and have found that this has helped me realize the Lord's hand in every aspect of my life and by conscientiously thinking about things I am grateful for throughout the day, I have been able to improve in always remembering Him in this context. But I love the example he uses and it is so true of my relationship with my own child and it is true of what my relationship needs to be with my Savior.

Certainly always remembering does not only apply to religious holidays, humbling times, life events, etc. Sometimes those are the easy times to remember our Savior. It is the in-between times, the post Easter effect, the times when I am doing my everyday things that seem to be where I need improvement.

Our Stake President's talk is mostly on being a covenant people and however overwhelming the responsibilities may seem, he advised us to focus on the blessings of being a covenant people. Elder Eyring outlined blessings/promises for always remembering, "Now for the sure promises. First, if you will let your heart be drawn to the Savior, to always remember Him, and to our Heavenly Father in prayer, you will have put on spiritual armor. You will be protected against pride because you will know that any success comes not from your human powers. And you will be protected against the thoughts which come rushing in upon us that we are too weak, too inexperienced, too unworthy to do what we are called of God to do to serve and help save His children. We can have come into our hearts the reassurance recorded in Moroni: "And Christ truly said unto our fathers: If ye have faith ye can do all things which are expedient unto me" (Moroni 10:23).
There is another sure promise. It is this: Whether or not you choose to keep your covenant to always remember Him, He always remembers you."

Easter is a wonderful time to remember our Savior and I hope I can continue my efforts of remembering always the things I know to be true.