5 lessons from this weekend

This weekend I had the opportunity to attend Spirit Conference.  

I learned quite a bit, so I'll summarize them in 5 lessons.
I hope I can adequately express my thoughts.
1. God always has a hand in our lives. In those moments of quiet reassurances it becomes more real to me that I am where I am supposed to be. I was born in the time I needed to be.  I am supposed to be at BYU-Idaho.  It's the perfect fit for me.  I was supposed to go on a mission at that specific time.  My life has been divinely directed by God. Easy? No. Worth it? Yes! 

2. We are to share what we know. "Touch for good the lives of people everywhere."

"We have an obligation to point the way." There is never a point in our lives where doing good or helping others should stop. Just because I am here at BYU-Idaho, a school full of Mormons, doesn't mean I can't have the opportunity to share what I know or serve them.  There is always a person that we can help.  Pray for the opportunity to share and help others during the day.  Heavenly Father uses us to be that "Angel" for someone else.  

The next three lessons are from the Spirit Challenge. I have done this activity before at Girl's camp. Every time, a unique perspective is developed.

 We were blindfolded and led to a field and sent through an obstacle course, representing our life here on earth.  

3.  Satan deceives us by telling us truths to fit in lies. 

After a long stretch of sliding my hands along a rope, I reached an obstacle.  A voice said to me: "You need to let go, you aren't on the right path.  This is a rope, not a rod of iron.  In the scriptures it says they held onto a rod of iron.  Is this a rod of Iron?" No.  "Here go under the rope and take my hand."  It was logical to me.  It made sense.  I thought it through and went under the rope.  No hand was there to guide me.  I had been deceived and that frustrated me! That was truth though! I am reading the Great and Terrible series by Christ Stewart, (blog coming soon about that) In the books he talks about the nature of Satan.  That's what he does.  He tells us truth to ultimately deceive us.  He will tell us whatever he can to have us follow him.  It became very evident to me in this exercise.  The consequences were immediate.  He was not there to help me.  I was left alone.  

4. We are never truly alone. 

After debriefing we were told that as we went through the course, there were people constantly watching us, around us, near us.  I never saw them or heard them, only a few times.  It made me realize that while we are here on the earth, we have people rooting for us. Unseen people.  Our Heavenly Father, Christ, our ancestors, family members and friends that have passed.  They are all there hoping we choose right, that we make it back.  It was also apparent that along with good there is evil forces watching us as well, hoping that we fail and become miserable like them.  

“There are others watching over you from the other side of the veil. We watch. We listen. And we understand. We never leave your side, Azadeh. Someone is always near, someone who knows you and loves you and wants you to succeed. You are never alone. There is always someone there. Think of that, remember, and it will give you the strength that you need.” - Chris Stewart.  

5.  We are bombarded with distractions every day.  

In the beginning, we were placed in a field and these speakers came on blasting heavy metal music, mixed with tragic news articles, and someone talking about how awful the apostles were.  My soul hurt.  It was all I could hear.  It was chaos and unnerving.  Maybe it was due to still trying to get used to music, after being home for only 3 months.  I did learn this, every day we are faced with distractions.  I open my computer and I am bombarded with depressing, tragic news that has happened in the world.  Are we letting the things of the world distract of things that really matter? 

Are we allowing ourselves to feel the Spirit? 

Are we constantly filling our time with plugged into music? 

Do we give ourselves some quiet, non-interrupted time throughout the day?

~Linz