Last October during general conference for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Elder Utchdorf gave a really good talk about slowing down. I have read and re-read that talk MANY times. About a week ago I was searching through a file looking for something and found this written on a yellow sticky note:
“No wonder that one of the adversary’s favorite tactics among righteous LDS women is busyness-getting us so preoccupied with the flurry of daily life we fail to immerse ourselves in the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
-Sherri L. Dew (October 1998 General Conference)
Apparently the message was important to me 12 years ago (otherwise I would not have written it on a yellow sticky note). But perhaps not as important to me as it was this last October. For I am much busier now than I would have been then!!
Amazing how the message is the same. Given at different times, by different people, but the message is the same. We are here on this earth to be tried and tested and make it back to heaven with as many of our brothers and sisters we can take with us. We are here to be true to our divine nature and to raise a righteous posterity who know who they are. We are going to be tempted by satan and our job is to resist those temptations and press forward with a steadfastness in Christ believing in Him and His words.
I hope and pray that I can take the time now to do as the prophets and apostles and others of the general board have counseled us to do. Slow down. Take time for the important things of life. Read the scriptures. Pray more fervently. Attend the temple. Spend quality time with your children. Attend to church work.
Life is too short to waste on worldly pursuits.
I think that by choosing to homeschool your children you have taken a HUGE step toward defending yourself against the busyness. You have no idea how busy life can get when even one kid is in school and all that entails, much less six kids! Sure, you may feel busy as the mother in charge, but you are giving your kids your time. It’s ok to have a full schedule as long as it’s full of things that matter. I loved that talk too. We’ve been doing “trial run” homeschooling this week. So far I think it’s going okay, but there is definitely a learning curve! Miss you guys and we are thinking about milo as he gets ready to be baptized!! So exciting!!