Loving Each Other On The Road To Perfection

I believe that we are all on the road to perfection.  Sometimes we are going forward, and sometimes maybe backwards, and some people may not recognize which road they are on, but we are all on the road to perfection. 

If I feel like I am farther down the road than most people, I might actually ruin my progress by not listening to counsel and by not realizing there is more to learn.  Then I make it worse by looking down at those who haven't reached my more exalted state!

I have, on occasion,found myself feeling like I was farther down the road to perfection in some area, and looking down at others who weren't as awesome as me in that area.  How foolish!  There are so many areas to perfect, who is to say I'm actually farther down the road -- especially because we can't really see the end of it?

 I have found that often the very people I was feeling superior to were loving, caring people who do all they can to lift those around them.  We are all on this road, and none of us are ever going to get anywhere near perfection without Jesus, and He loves everyone, even those who may not be doing as good of a job as we are in any given area.

I am responsible to make the best choices I know how make for me, to teach my children to make the best choices they can for them, and I am responsible for loving everyone no matter what choices they choose to make for themselves as they travel the road to perfection.

Happy People Remember -- and Forget

Everyone remembers and forgets things -- right?  I think the trick is focusing on the things that are good to remember, and letting go of the mistakes that we have already done our best to correct.  But what if I don't have a good memory?  Well, that is what journals are for -- or blogs, or videos, or pictures.  I admit to having an advantage because I love to write.  I have a gratitude journal, a prayer journal, a happiness / trust notebook, a notebook for taking notes at church meetings, a blog, and a journal for spiritual experiences.  This doesn't even include the emails I write, and the stacks of printed poems or songs that I have written, and other things that I have just typed into the computer because I want to remember!

Why write things down?  Well, I have a tendency to remember the wrong things!  I remember all of the mistakes I made, and all of the things I think I said wrong, and all of the things I "should" have done.  These things are especially likely to come to mind when I am tired.  When I am tired, and all of the negative memories start scrolling through my head, I can turn tragic really quickly.  I can feel like I haven't progressed ever and I am always going to be doomed to saying and doing the same wrong things over and over and over.

Thankfully, I can pull out my journal (usually the spiritual experiences one) and start reading.  Almost always, as I read, a surprising calm settles around me, and I can see that I am not hopeless.  I can remember that Heavenly Father is aware of me, that He sent His son for me, and that neither Heavenly Father or Jesus think I am doomed or worthless.  I can see that, even if it is ever so slowly, I have made progress over the years.

If you look for the word remember as you read the scriptures, you might be surprised how often if shows up.  Heavenly Father wants us to remember that He loves us.  That He sent Jesus to help us.  That even with all of the mistakes we make, we are valuable.  So, when the going gets rough -- try to remember those good things, which will help push out those feelings of gloom and distress so that you can forget them -- at least for a while!