A Better Me

These last 6 months have been enlightening for me. As the year started anew, so did my resolve to be a better follower of Christ. I feel that, most days, it gets easier and I am becoming better. I've been listening to General Conference talks and to the Scriptures daily. Listening to them has changed my world! My level of success in this has dramatically increased since starting this. It's the most successful I've been...EVER. And it shows. I feel like I've so much more internalized the counsel given and have felt an understanding beyond my norm. Scriptures and thoughts have been brought into remembrance, which has always been my struggle...remembering what I read. Applications to my current, everyday life are being made. Modern day miracle in the life of one Amy Jo! I know that my brain isn't getting any sharper or that I'm all of a sudden smarter. Promptings from the Spirit have been felt and recognized. I know that when we put the Savior first and make the connection between knowing and doing, we are blessed and our testimonies and faith strengthened.

I've been serving with the primary children for many years now. Looking back I can remember little moments that happened as I hear a song we learned, or an experience shared. Oh the power of music! It's amazing to me how quickly memories are triggered by song. Anyway, the theme in primary this year is

Choose the Right: "Choose you this day whom ye will serve; . . . but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15)

Raising little ones brings along the opportunity to teach about the gift of agency and the consequences that come from the decisions we make. I hear myself saying things like, "Is that a good choice or a bad choice?" or "Try really hard to make good choices" or "What happens if you make a bad choice?" It's comical to think of how many times these words make it out of my mouth in a single day. Then Sundays are filled with songs that remind us of the blessings that come from making wise decisions. It is clear to me that this gentle reminder that has come from merely serving where I've been asked is for me, if not for anyone else! It has caused me to think about my choices. And not the big, life altering choices, but the seemingly small day to day and hour to hour choices. We have a lot of choices to be made in a single day! Never before have I been drawn to think about my hourly choices, until now. This has made a huge difference in my life. By breaking things down, I feel like I've better used my gift of agency. I've chosen to make that phone call that has been weighing on my mind, to be the first to initiate a conversation with my neighbor, to take 5 minutes over breakfast to read scripture stories to my kids, to be more gentle in my responses to my family, to open the manual for Sundays' lessons, to get down on the floor for play time, to be more disciplined in my spending, to turn off the TV and get to bed earlier, to write that thank you note, to take bread to the sisters I visit teach, to put on a smile when my husband walks through the door, and to get on my knees to pray. Does this mean that I'm perfect? Absolutely not. Far from it. Mistakes are still made...daily. But it does mean that I'm trying harder and moving forward, while focusing on small victories that may not have been present before. I find that I am telling myself, "Now Amy...try really hard to make good choices." So what if I treat myself the same as a 4 year old! It seems to be helping. I love the words that come from our new primary song, "As a Child of God." These are the words that have helped me to do better in choosing the right, in making that connection between knowing and doing, and in turn becoming a better follower of Christ.

"I came to earth with power to choose. Good choices bless me and my family too. As a child of God I receive special light. The Holy Ghost helps me to know what is right."