Charity Thinketh No Evil

Thinketh No Evil

This was the topic to shoe-horn in some things that had to be said, for example...

 

Act so that others do not misunderstand  (be aware of the effect of your actions, don't give others reason to "think evil" of you, act like a representative of the Lord and the Church at all times)

 

Stagecoach Story (you all know the stagecoach story, right? about not driving near the edge of the cliff but staying as far away from the edge as possible. Don't try and get close to the line (commandments/mission rules) Keep yourself firmly on safe ground.

 

Interactions with Elders (no flirting, no condescension, etc)

The alternate title of Thinketh No Evil is

No Judging

Which brings us to President Uchtdorf again and his famous two-word sermon

 

Had to throw in that clip! Another alternate for Thinketh No Evil is
 

Assumes the Best

We really need to assume the best about other people. Most people are not out to harm you, insult you, or make your life miserable (and if they are, see Elder Bednar again)

 

Assumes the Best about Companion

 

Assume the best about your companion--she isn't out to make you miserable, either. If she is out to make you miserable, call President Hall :)

Give her the benefit of the doubt--can you suspend judgement of why she did that annoying thing? Can you accept that you are going to clash sometimes? After all, would you want to live with YOU?

Assumes the Best about Yourself

 

Charity is Not Easily Provoked

Not Easily Provoked

I didn't "translate" Not Easily Provoked into 2013-ese at the beginning of the discussion. I felt it was exactly the point I wanted to get across--that we should not be easily bothered, angered or upset I did this segment more as help for getting along with your companion.

When we believe or say we have been offended, we usually mean we feel insulted, mistreated, snubbed, or disrespected. And certainly clumsy, embarrassing, unprincipled, and mean-spirited things do occur in our interactions with other people that would allow us to take offense.

True? True. Continue quote, next slide.

However, it ultimately is impossible for another person to offend you or to offend me. Indeed, believing that another person offended us is fundamentally false.

Uh oh, that quote started out so reasonable and now you're telling me this? Seriously? Fundamentally false? What kind of nutjob said this quote? Next slide

To be offended is a choice we make; it is not a condition inflicted or imposed upon us by someone or something else.

Elder David A. Bednar

Thwarted by an Apostle. Here's the talk, if you are tough enough to take it (and I know you are :) And Nothing Shall Offend Them  And for a second witness, here's Elder Robbins Agency and Anger

A cunning part of [Satan’s] strategy is to dissociate anger from agency, making us believe that we are victims of an emotion that we cannot control.

                                                          Elder Lynn A. Robbins

We had a good discussion on this topic. We talked about Elder Bednar's quote in context of "she made me so mad" and similar expressions. Personally, I think this is one of the most diffficult concepts to learn--it is completely opposite Natural Man. I took some of the coping devices from Family Services Strengthening Marriage manual.

Coping Statements

•I’m not going to gain anything by getting mad.

•If I get angry, I’ll pay a price I don’t want.

•I can’t assume the worst or jump to conclusions.

•I can reason this out.

•Anger doesn’t solve anything. It builds nothing, but it can destroy everything. (Thomas S Monson)

Once we went through all of the Not Easily Provoked aspect, we turned it around to Forgiving (which is also anti-natural man) And of course, no discussion on forgiving is complete without President Uchtdorf. I used a clip from his conference talk instead of reading it because I am just that cool. She says humbly. Since it is not a youtube Mormon Message we'll see if I can get it on the blog. If not, you can watch the whole thing at lds.org The Merciful Obtain Mercy

Forgiving

 

 

 

Charity Seeketh Not Her Own

Seeketh Not Her Own

[because we spent a considerable amount of time on Humility we used the Seeketh Not Her Own less in the prideful way and more on being Focused on Other]

Focused on Others

Who do you worry about the most? Who do you pray for the most? As we focus on others, our companions, our investigators, etc., we look for ways to bless their lives. We are not seeking what they can do for us--for what we feel we are owed. Full-time missionary service is a unique time in your life. Everything from the time you wake up til the time you go to bed is not about you. Even prayer and scripture study are focused on someone else's needs, someone else's questions. Take this opportunity as a full-time missionary to completely "lose your life." The Lord promises that those who do, will find it.

 

Charity is Not Puffed Up

Is Not Puffed Up

Sometimes we think we are pretty hot stuff. Sometimes we can see that we are better than someone else at x, y and z. So what? King Benjamin lays it out plainly that we are ALL unprofitable servants--that we cost more to the master than we are worth. In Helaman it is clear that the dust of the earth is better than we are. Pride is destructive from top down or bottom up. Sometimes we get all puffed up with our trials and misfortunes--very Mrs Bennet (nobody knows what I suffer with my nerves) if we are not puffed up then what should we be? Humble

Humble

We need to seek the will of the Lord not the will of the Insert-Your-Name-Here. Does the Lord want us to be the shade tree or the currant bush? What if we don't want to be the currant bush?

 

Charity Envieth Not

Envieth Not

 

What are we envious of? Talents? Possesions? Dress size? Opportunities?

How do we not be envious of each other?

We don't envy others when we are grateful for our blessings.

 

 



 



Grateful

 

 

Charity is Kind

Kind

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•Kindness is the essence of a celestial life.

•Kindnessis how a Christlike person treats others.

•Kindness should permeate all of our words and actions at work, at school, at church, and especially in our homes.

•Jesus, our Savior, was the epitome of kindness and compassion.

Elder Joseph B Wirthlin

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Ephesians 4:32

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

 

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Be Nice

Even though Kind sounds positive, how do we become Kind? Let's start by simply Being Nice to our fellow travelers. Even if it means being nice to your companion :) Even if you don't feel like it. Even if you are tired. Even if they are never nice to you. Be Nice.