My VT companion reminded me that since she made the appointments to visit our sisters I needed to share the message - I forgot!
I read the VT message in the Ensign but nothing came to me and I wasn't "feelin' it." (Click here to read the December VT message.) I started to write and it turns out that my message had nothing to do with the one I read.
December can be a hard month for people; a lot of them feel depressed amid the cheerfulness. I wanted to say that when we look on the bright side of situations we feel hope.
Here's my letter to my sisters:
December
2012
Dear Sister,
It's better to look on the bright side
of life rather than on the dark side. I love these truths: The cup is half
full, not half empty. Things are never hopeless because there's always hope.
Happiness rather than sadness. Good trumps bad. Right not wrong.
Nevertheless, everyone has agency and
can choose. Why not choose the good; the right; happiness; hope? Things don't
always go our way but we can choose whether or not to allow ourselves to get
down in the dumps. Sometimes we need a reminder to be grateful, or to count our
blessings, or to think positively because the world tends to be negative (and
take the path of least resistance) including being selfish, depressed, anxious,
rude, unkind, lustful, and greedy. We have to choose to serve, to
be kind, to love, to be happy, to have faith, to wait, and to give,
because the natural man naturally does the opposite. When we attempt to be
godly we combat the natural man.
A mom will do anything for her kids -
the best thing she can do is teach by example. All she can do is encourage,
inspire, teach, and pray. Sometimes all she can do is pray and put the
thing she prays for in Heavenly Father's hands. Maybe to her it seems like her
encouragement, inspiration, and teaching isn't working. A mom never gives up
hoping her kids will choose the right, but it might also increase her faith to
remember that her child is also Heavenly Father's child and He wants that person to
succeed too.
I'd rather say something nice than something derogatory about myself. I like, "I had to have a
handicap because I'm too cool; my handicap makes it fair for everyone
else!" Why not instill hope
rather than fear? I am reminded of the poem "Our Greatest Fear" by
Marianne Williamson.
Our
Greatest Fear
Our
greatest fear is not that we are inadequate,
but that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant,
gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.
It is not just in some; it is in everyone.
And, as we let our own light shine, we consciously give
other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.
but that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant,
gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.
It is not just in some; it is in everyone.
And, as we let our own light shine, we consciously give
other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.
We truly love you and are your friends.
