What a great month of lessons we have had! All who have taught have done such a wonderful job and I have learned so much each Sunday and always felt buoyed up as I have left.
Today during Sister Dutton's lesson I was reminded of a story Sheri Dew told. I have mentioned several times in young womens how much I admire Sheri Dew. I love to read her books, she speaks to me in ways that I understand and after listening to or reading her words I am always edified. I thought I would share a portion of something she shared.
In New York City for a work meeting, Sister Dew was sleeping in a hotel when she was woken up at 3:00 am by a fire alarm. As she sprung out of bed, she worried she might not be allowed back in her room and did not want to attend her meeting in sweats and no makeup and without her work. So she grabbed her suitcase and briefcase and ran out of the room to join the other guests as they made their way down the fire escape to safety. Sister Dew was on the 44th floor. She had recently had knee surgery and was still recovering, so her other knee took the brunt of the force as she carried 40 pounds of luggage and traveled straight down 1,232 steps. (Consequently her other knee needed surgery as well and the recovery was much slower...) Looking back on the experience she wondered why she hadn't just grabbed her laptop, phone and scriptures. She reflected on the experience and applied it to our mortal existence.
"... on this jaunt through mortality we've simply got to leave our baggage behind, because our spiritual joints can't take the pounding. When I speak of baggage, I'm not talking about burdens. Burdens are part of the mortal experience- the burdens that come with unfulfilled expectations, with disappointment and heartache, with affliction and wavering faith. Loneliness can be a burden. Emotional wounds can be burdens. Heavy assignments from the Lord can feel like burdens. And certainly, sin creates burdens. But the Savior atoned precisely so we wouldn't have to carry our burdens alone. He knew they'd be too heavy for us.
Thus His entreaty, "Come unto me, all ye that... are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."... When we cast our burdens upon the Lord, He sustains us either by helping us carry the burden or by ridding us of it entirely. Alma's people experienced this when their burdens "were made light; yes, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease." ... Baggage, however, is another matter entirely. Burdens have the potential to exalt us, but baggage just weighs us down and wears us out. When we don't repent, sin becomes baggage. Natural man-behaviors that we aren't ready to give up become baggage. Worry, jealousy, and guilt are baggage. An unforgiving heart, anger, regret, and pride are baggage. Resentment, the desire to retaliate, fear, and insecurity create unbearable baggage. We choose whether or not to pick up the baggage, and Satan loves nothing more than loading us down like pack mules. ... The best manuals on baggage disposal, as well as on learning how to cast our burdens upon the Lord, are the scriptures, which are filled with truth and light.
"And he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day" (D&C 50:24). ... Indeed the scriptures are a magnificent conduit of light, or personal revelation- which is why they are the ultimate latter-day survival manual. ... The scriptures can help us with both our burdens and our baggage if we'll learn how to mine them for answers to every life situtation."
Excerpts taken from, "If Life Were Easy, It Wouldn't Be Hard" by Sheri Dew, pages 27-31.
I always appreciate the wonderful comments you girls share. I am reminded of the young woman who shared that during volleyball practice, while in the bathroom, her and another young woman who had been "fighting" for years made up and apologized to one another. Definitely that baggage was lifted from both of them.
I often think of Sheri Dew's advice about baggage and have thought, "Life is already difficult enough, why would I want to try to add more problems that are unnecessary?" I try to keep this in mind, but often I must be reminded by a loving Heavenly Father to get rid of my baggage.
In these past lessons we have really had some great reminders about why we must pass through trials. And what a plethora of quotes to lift us up. Here is another, "All of us have problems. We face them every day. How grateful I am that we have difficult things to wrestle with. They keep us young, if that is possible. They keep us alive. They keep us going. They keep us humble. They pull us down to our knees to ask God in heaven for help in solving them. Be grateful for your problems, and know that somehow there will come a solution. Just do the very best you can, but be sure it is the very best. Then leave it in the hands of the Lord."
President Gordon B. Hinckley, February 7, 2003
A personal testimony of Jesus Christ and an understanding of the power that lies within His gospel will make it possible for us to do our best.
After the lesson today, Sister McDaniel remarked that often she doesn't know when other people are going through trials because so many people handle them gracefully. Perhaps the reason that they handle their trials "gracefully" is because:
1- They are seeking our Heavenly Father's guidance through personal prayer, scripture study, fasting, and church/temple attendance.
2- They are allowing our Savior to ease their burdens through his infinite atonement.
3- Their personal testimony of Jesus Christ and his gospel has burrowed deep within their hearts and they recognize that this trial has the potential to exalt them to godliness.
I have a testimony that trials are part of our Heavenly Father's plan for us and I am motivated after these lessons the past month to work harder to allow my Savior to ease my burdens and seek out my Heavenly Father for guidance and love.
How I love to learn from one another. Thank you all for sharing your faith-building experiences.
Love, Sister Chambers
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