Influence

I found a neat blog on mormonmommyblogs.blogspot.com. It was about guilt that LDS women can feel as they try to raise their families. The author quoted some things she learned at a Relief Society Meeting with Julie B. Beck as the speaker. She asks Julie B. Beck this question:

"You’ve touched on this a little bit in some of your other answers, how we go to church and read scriptures and learn so many things we can do, and sometimes it’s overwhelming. I would like your insight on the role of guilt in an LDS woman’s life. I know there is good guilt and bad guilt, but what role should guilt play and what role should it not play?”

Julie responds

• Any thought that tells you “You are not good enough” is from Satan. If the thought tells you “You can do better, and I’ll help you,” it is from Heavenly Father.
• There will never be enough of you to do all your heart wants to do.
• Pray, eliminate your distractions, and follow the Spirit.
• We impose things on ourselves that the Lord would never impose.
• Be an example of joyful gospel living.
• Beg for miracles every morning. Recognize and give thanks for them every night.
• Navigate this experience you’ve been given with dignity, faith, hope and charity.
• She recommended a three-column to-do list every day: #1) The essentials (short list of things that are eternally important: Pray, read scriptures, maybe some days the list will include temple or service or family time), #2) Should do (feed children, clean clothes, go to work, etc.), #3) Nice to do (wish list). Whatever you do, make sure the essentials happen, and work hard on your should list, and you’ll be surprised how often you get around to things on your “nice to do” list. She also said that women cannot work all three shifts in a day. We can do one well, one pretty well, and we need one shift to rest and take care of ourselves. She recommended deciding which shift was the most important time of the day when we need to be at our very best (for her it was the afternoon into the evening when kids came home from school and prepared for bed, etc.), and then use the other shifts to help us prepare for and get ready for the important shift (maybe prepare dinner in the morning, rest well at night, etc.).
• Women are leaders. “Influence is ultimate leadership.”

I loved this article. It really spoke to me. It helped me realize that if I have thoughts that I am not good enough, then those are not good. It helped me know that if I take breaks during the day, that that's okay. As Mothers we have a very important job to do- to raise a family unto the Lord. Satan is there trying to dissuade us. May we all recognize Heavenly Father's hand in our lives and live gratefully.

This is my blog. My name is Megan Abbott.