Inclinations, Feelings, and Behaviors

Visual of part of Elder Oaks' explanation on newsroom.lds.org

I recently read through the LDS Church's explanation of their position on and beliefs concerning same gender attraction. The article is great - I recommend it for everyone's review and consideration for two reasons.

Willingness to Receive Gifts

Seasonally, we're about as far away from Christmastime as you can get. So let me take the downtime to talk about what usually gets talked about at Christmas but perhaps gets overlooked (or "underconsidered") even then because of the hustle and bustle.

How do you feel about receiving gifts?

We often say it's better to give than to receive. My feeling is that we may say that so much that we could possibly begin to dislike receiving gifts, even emotionally "deny" them.

How do you feel about receiving gifts from heaven? How willing are you to receive? I think this question helps us understand the attribute of humility.

Do you deny them? Do you receive them grudgingly? Do you receive them with thanks? Do you ask for them regularly? Do you rely on them to get through the day?

These questions seem to represent a continuum between the proud and the humble. To be humble is to recognize your ultimate reliance upon the gifts from heaven (Moroni 10) and to ask for them regularly.

Formula for Success

Last month I referred to President Monson's "Formula for Success," primarily the first of his three suggested steps. I thought it would be worthwhile to speak to all three of the steps more explicitly, and share some of the thoughts I've had this week while I've been considering them.

The three steps President Monson recommends are

1. Fill your mind with truth
2. Fill your life with service
3. Fill your heart with love