Additional Sunday Insights

In the first church meeting today, one of the speakers talked about we need to focus on feeling the music of the gospel (probably alluding to this conference talk) in addition to focusing on the doctrinal dance steps. 

Taking it one step further and internalizing it, I had this thought:

I know all the steps... but I'm not a great dancer. I often get off track. But as long as I can still hear the music, I know that I can always join back in and start the steps again. It's only when I lose the music that I'm really lost: The spirit is more important than the letter of the law.

I sometimes have trouble focusing in church, my creative brain getting easily distracted and wandering on to other topics. When I have a secular song stuck in my head during an experience that is supposed to be sacred, I often try to turn the song on its head and find gospel connections. That's what led to my reinterpretation of this song from The Greatest Showman as Eve's story. Enjoy.

 

"Tightrope" from The Greatest Showman

Some people long for a life that is simple and planned

Tied with a ribbon (Satan's counterfeit, agency-less plan)

Some people won't sail the sea 'cause they're safer on land

To follow what's written 

But I'd follow you to the great unknown (The Earth, earth-life)

Off to a world we call our own

Hand in my hand and we promised to never let go (Adam and Eve, supposed to stay together)

We're walking the tightrope

High in the sky

We can see the whole world down below (Helped create the world)

We're walking the tightrope (Between the two contradicting commandments)

Never sure, never know how far we could fall (THE Fall)

But it's all an adventure

That comes with a breathtaking view (Eden was pretty)

Walking the tightrope

With you, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

With you, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

With you

Mountains and valleys, and all that will come in between

Desert and ocean

You pulled me in and together we're lost in a dream (Eve was created from Adam's rib)

Always in motion

So I risk it all just to be with you (Ate the fruit so that they could be parents)

And I risk it all for this life we choose (The choice to fall)

Hand in my hand and you promised to never let go

We're walking the tightrope

High in the sky

We can see the whole world down below

We're walking the tightrope

Never sure, will you catch me if I should fall? (Will you join me if I fall?)

Well, it's all an adventure

That comes with a breathtaking view

Walking the tightrope

With you...

This has been #hermanaEeninsights. Thank you and goodnight.

The Ultimate Veteran

 *overheard at church as I walked in with American Flag earrings*
"I wish I could be as passionate about something as Alayna is about holidays."
She's got a point. Holidays are a magical time where I wear my heart on my sleeves and ignore how loud or bright or crazy my outfits are. But the earrings and scarfs and stockings are just the outside manifestation of my deep love for these days, what they stand for, and the opportunities for unity they present us with.

This weekend, we observe Veterans Day. In order to honor something, we have to really understand it. While making a list of some of the qualities of veterans, I ended up with a really unique and meaningful conclusion that I'd like to share with you. Most of these are applicable to all Veterans who have served, but because I have a specific Veteran in mind please excuse my use of the masculine pronoun in my list.

The Ultimate Veteran

He served for those without the strength or power to save themselves.
He left his home to fight on foreign soil.
Some derided and devalued him; some esteemed him as a hero.
He willingly paid the ultimate price for many who will never really know him.
He didn't serve from a specific state (nation), but because he served, our state is forever changed.
He fought for our freedom....
...freedom from sin and pain and death.
His name is Jesus Christ.

This weekend, as we remember the veterans who serve and sacrifice with Christlike love, may we also remember Jesus Christ, the veteran of the world.
Veterans Day is a holiday.
But it can be a holy day, too.

Sunday Insights

In the mission I called them #HermanaEenTheories. Essentially, they are the little distilled "aha" moments of spiritual insight that come to me throughout the week and really should be shared so... enjoy these ones.

"Our lives are like a chessboard, and the Lord moves us from one place to another—if we are responsive to spiritual promptings. Looking back, we can see His hand in our lives." Ronald A. Rasband in "Divine Design"
Well, if life is like a chessboard, then I must be a knight because the moves are unpredictable and all avenues seem blocked and then hey! Suddenly I'm where I'm supposed to be.

Also, Ronald A. Rasband sounds like Dug, from Up. ( I think it's the roundness of his tone and the lack or contractions).

Sometimes I have to do FHME activities.

I want to have a knee-jerk reaction to the Spirit.

Other people's testimonies relating to the Reformers and another one including the seasons (we complain about the weather and the seasons--whichever ones we are in, we find something to complain about. We do the same things with the seasons in our lives. Let's not complain), I love to hear the different ways the gospel the truths are made manifest in the lives of others because I see them EVERYWHERE in mine.

Why did the early saints dedicate so much to the building of temples? It was the price of eternity.

The Gospel is the Golden Ratio of my life. I see it pieces and patterns in all aspects of life and creation.

Borrowed wisdom:
Elizabeth: Salvation is like a group project--you have to help each other out in order for your family to be together forever.
Eliza: If salvation is a group project, then Jesus is that person who will do all of the work and still let you get the good grade.

4th Nephi 1:17 "There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God." Many of them may have been Lamanites by birth, so it wasn't a change in their parentage... rather, a decision not to have that be their primary identifier. Instead, they chose to identify first as "the children of Christ." What are the "-ites" in our lives? (BYUites, Datingites, Singleites, Disneyites, Missionites, etc.) But if we take away the ites, if we focus instead on what we have in common, if we "un-ite" ourselves... we will be UNITED in Christ.
- I was really excited to share this in my portion of the Relief Society class today and it was incredibly validating to hear the shocked gasps and verbal ahas (it even got a few claps). So it wasn't just me that was weirdly happy about this nerdy connection (shout out to Elder Ryan Davis for the concept).