True Loveliness

So, I've been studying the Book of Mormon, looking for little gems of advice for a new mom. I want to make sure my kids know all the important stuff. Today I got caught up on the phrase "vain imaginations" in 1 Ne 12:18. Elder Holland has given a few talks explaining his view of vain imaginations and I just had to share. Amazing insights.

"A woman not of our faith once wrote something to the effect that in her years of working with beautiful women she had seen several things they all had in common, and not one of them had anything to do with sizes and shapes. She said the loveliest women she had known had a glow of health, a warm personality, a love of learning, stability of character, and integrity. If we may add the sweet and gentle Spirit of the Lord carried by such a woman, then this describes the loveliness of women in any age or time, every element of which is emphasized in and attainable through the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ."  

"In terms of preoccupation with self and a fixation on the physical, this is more than social insanity; it is spiritually destructive, and it accounts for much of the unhappiness women, including young women, face in the modern world. And if adults are preoccupied with appearance—tucking and nipping and implanting and remodeling everything that can be remodeled—those pressures and anxieties will certainly seep through to children. At some point the problem becomes what the Book of Mormon called “vain imaginations.” 11 And in secular society both vanity and imagination run wild. One would truly need a great and spacious makeup kit to compete with beauty as portrayed in media all around us. Yet at the end of the day there would still be those “in the attitude of mocking and pointing their fingers” as Lehi saw, 12 because however much one tries in the world of glamour and fashion, it will never be glamorous enough."

- Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, "To Young Women" (2005).

"Someone or something is forever telling us we need to be more handsome or more wealthy, more applauded or more admired than we see ourselves as being. We are told we haven’t collected enough possessions or gone to enough fun places. We are bombarded with the message that on the world’s scale of things we have been weighed in the balance and found wanting. 6 Some days it is as if we have been locked in a cubicle of a great and spacious building where the only thing on the TV is a never-ending soap opera entitled Vain Imaginations. 7"

"No one of us is less treasured or cherished of God than another. I testify that He loves each of us—insecurities, anxieties, self-image, and all. He doesn’t measure our talents or our looks; He doesn’t measure our professions or our possessions. He cheers on every runner, calling out that the race is against sin, not against each other. I know that if we will be faithful, there is a perfectly tailored robe of righteousness ready and waiting for everyone, 14 “robes … made … white in the blood of the Lamb.” 15 

- Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, "The Other Prodigal," (2002).

Special

When Lance and I started teaching the 11-12 year old Sunday School class in our ward, we were told about a special member of our class. She always sat on the floor. She drew in her coloring books when she stayed in the class, but as time went on, she wanted to leave class more and more. Most of the time she wanted me to go with her to the bathroom, to the drinking fountain, or outside for some air. Then she started leaving a lot, so that Lance would take over if I was in the middle of teaching so I could go with her. I wished I could help her stay in class, but she didn't like that suggestion, and she didn't really like me! So I prayed that I would be able to really love her, and that she would be able to feel it.

When Lance and I were released from primary, I was called as the Beehive leader. I would still be working with my little friend, just during Young Women's instead of Sunday School. The whole Young Women's presidency and all the advisors had been changed and when we all went to YW for the first time, my little friend peaked her head in and didn't see anyone she recognized - except me. She came over and set up her coloring books and stuffed animals next to my chair. She wanted to sit on my lap and give me a hug. I was surprised that she actually wanted to hug me and talk to me, but grateful.

At mutual she stayed very close to me the whole night. The next Sunday she was excited to see me. A few weeks down the road, she said she wanted to talk to me "one-on-one." She said she wanted to get to know me better because felt like she could trust me. That night I realized that just how sweet and incredible she is. At church, she stayed in class the whole time because I was coloring with her. She told me what colors to use, and pointed where to color, and had a great time telling me what to do.

Last Sunday I spent a lot of time outside with her. She wanted me to help her pick berries from a the fern plants. We talked about Heavenly Father's love and fasting (it was fast Sunday) and how if she could fast for anything she wanted, it would be food. She's always eating.

Wednesday was Young Women's in excellence. Afterward, I walked in to the gym for refreshments, and she ran to me and jumped on me! "Sister Dyer! I just love you so much." She had a huge smile. She wanted to get cupcakes with me. Later on that night she said, "I can't believe I didn't like you before! I just love you so much now. I can't get enough!" I said, "I know you didn't like me in primary - what happened?" she said, "I don't know!"

We ran a couple laps around the church then packed up all her stuffed animals. She loves being outside.

Today I taught the lesson in Beehives, so I told my little friend I wouldn't be able to go outside with her at all. I wasn't sure how things would go, but another leader went with her to get a drink and go to the bathroom. Other than those two trips, she stayed in class the whole time. She wanted to hear my lesson, I was told me afterward. I am in awe! She never stays in class the whole time.

The Lord has blessed me with a special relationship with one of His precious children, and I am very undeserving. She told me today that she was in a terrible mood and only came to church because I would be there. What have I done to deserve the love of this little girl? I didn't do very much. Now she's my little friend and I really do love her. I kept praying to be able to love her, but it just took a little patience and time. My experiences with her have shown me how amazing Heavenly Father's love really is. It's a lot easier for me to love her now that she loves me, but Heavenly Father loves all his children, even those who do not love Him. How thankful I am for Heavenly Father's love.

Thankful

Thank you for bringing freedom loving people to this land.

"And it came to pass that I beheld the Spirit of God, that it wrought upon other Gentiles; and they went forth out of captivity, upon the many waters." 1 Nephi 13:13

Thank you for supporting them in our country's founding war.

"And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles who had gone forth out of captivity did humble themselves before the Lord; and the power of the Lord was ^awith them. And I beheld that their mother Gentiles were gathered together upon the waters, and upon the land also, to battle against them. And I beheld that the power of God was with them, and also that the wrath of God was upon all those that were gathered together ^aagainst them to battle. And I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles that had gone out of captivity were ^adelivered by the power of God out of the hands of all other nations." 1 Nephi 13:16-19

Thank you for teaching the principles of government to our forefathers.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." The Declaration of Independence

Thank you for creating the constitution of the United States of America.

"According to the laws and ^aconstitution of the people, which I have suffered to be established, and should be maintained for the ^brights and protection of all flesh, according to just and holy principles; That every man may act in doctrine and principle pertaining to futurity, according to the moral ^aagency which I have given unto him, that every man may be ^baccountable for his own sins in the day of ^cjudgment. Therefore, it is not right that any man should be in ^abondage one to another. And for this purpose have I established the ^aConstitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the ^bshedding of blood." Doctrine and Covenants 101: 77-80

Thank you for the freedom that I sometimes take for granted.

My country,' tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing;
land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrims' pride, 
from every mountainside let freedom ring! 

Thank you for letting me vote for honest and wise leaders.

"I, the Lord God, make you ^afree, therefore ye are free indeed; and the law also maketh you free. Nevertheless, when the ^awicked ^brule the people mourn. Wherefore, ^ahonest men and wise men should be sought for diligently, and good men and wise men ye should observe to uphold; otherwise whatsoever is less than these cometh of evil." Doctrine and Covenants 98:8-10

Thank you for letting me choose where I go to church.

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." The First Amendment

Thank you for letting the restoration of your church take place here.
"Our Father in Heaven planned the coming forth of the Founding Fathers and their form of government as the necessary great prologue leading to the restoration of the gospel. Recall what our Savior Jesus Christ said nearly two thousand years ago when He visited this promised land: “For it is wisdom in the Father that they should be established in this land, and be set up as a free people by the power of the Father, that these things might come forth” (3 Ne. 21:4). America, the land of liberty, was to be the Lord’s latter-day base of operations for His restored church." Ezra Taft Benson

Thank you for a continuing to lead our country.

"Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be ^afree from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but ^bserve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ, who hath been manifested by the things which we have written." Ether 2:12

Thank you for letting me make my own choices, even if they aren't always the right ones.

Therefore, ^acheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are ^bfree to ^cact for yourselves—to^dchoose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life." 2 Nephi 10:23

Thank you for freedom - when you created our country, but most of all when you created us.

"Wherefore, men are ^afree according to the ^bflesh; and ^call things are ^dgiven them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to ^echoose ^fliberty and eternal ^glife, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be ^hmiserable like unto himself." 2 Nephi 2:27