Encouragement Lesson

Okay,
So you know what bothers me about lessons?
Is when they're 'guilt' inducing lessons.

Lessons that just make you feel bad about yourself because you're not doing what others are doing, you're not being this, not remembering that, not helping those people etc.
Basically the lessons that remind you that 'you're far from perfect." and want you to focus on doing more.
When in reality you may not be able to do more at this point in time.

Today's lesson in Church was a bit like that.

The focus of the guilt?
Studying the Conference talks.
That we should be reading more of them, studying them more often.

And it was just a....downer.
You could totally feel the room getting more and more depressed.

I know the teacher meant well.
She was really passionate. Really wanted to show how much she loved reading conference talks and how we all should be studying them.
but the way she was going.
I felt was all wrong.

Telling people that they should be reading one maybe two or even three conference talks a day. Keeping the conferences constantly in their minds.

It was a bit much.

And I couldn't take it.
I mean.
I am one of those people.

Where I can read multiple conference talks a day.

But I didn't start out that way.
For one thing, its a choice you have to make.
A goal. Something that you want to do.
I started reading conference talks because I was looking for a different way to feel the spirit. Where I could hear the words of the prophets.
The inspiration came from Institute Council when I was one it. And we were doing a conference reading where we were doing an art contest where the artwork had to be based on a quote said in conference.
I started reading looking for quotes.
And found out I really liked reading them, that there were words of inspiration found within.
And I thought it would be a fun idea to read all the conference talks between the year of my birth and the current year.
It was a goal I meant to do within a year.
It ended up taking me 2 years and 2 months to read all those talks. Which involved reading 3 conference talks a day.

And once I was done....
I found it difficult to read the talks again.
Until this recent conference, where I was inspired to read them so I could place them on my Warriorofinspiration.blogspot.com blog.
Now, I'm reading just two talks a day and posting thoughts I like on my blog and twitter as well.

But again.
Its a choice I made. A thing that I want to do.
The key is wanting to do it.

Being told.
 Guilted.
Ordered.
To do something...
If you end up doing that thing....its not in the right mindset. And I doubt it would last for long.

Especially when its put in an 'overwhelming' way.
'READ this many talks in a day!" Do it! Do it or you're not doing good!

I didn't want to leave the room feeling that way.
I couldn't just sit there in silence.

And so I raised my hand.

And told the girls in the room.
That this isn't a Cookie Cutter church.
Everyone is different.
Everyone does things in their own way.
And the important thing to do is to do what they felt comfortable doing.
That each of us is different.
That we learn and get/give light in different ways.
So not to compare yourself to others.
One person may be able to read multiple conference talks in one day.
Another may only be able to find a phrase.

Either case, so long as you're trying, and that its not a hardship for you to do what you've decided to do. That was enough.

Basically I just gave the girls in the room encouragement.
To let them see that there was more than one way to accomplish a goal.
It's not a cookie cutter solution. What works for one won't work for another. Find what works for you and do it.

It was a relief really, to feel the tension and despair leave the room.
To give the others hope.

Really, that should be what these lessons are about.
To give hope.
Encouragement.
Uplift.

Because what uplifts is more likely to have a more positive impact on yourself and others than what doesn't

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi