Last week I attended my little sister’s Evening in
Excellence. This is an occasion when the young women in the ward present
projects they are working on to achieve their Personal Progress award.
Just before the presentation of young women, one of the leaders spoke on what it means to choose
the right. She likened the color white to good and the color black to evil.
She then asked us if there are any gray areas. My first
thought was an affirmation, but I was wrong. She told us that white was white
and that any little evil entering into it, being ever so light gray, would
still spoil the white and it would be white no longer until repentance. She
mentioned that gray would always be on the same side as black.
She then asked us if there was somewhat of a line between
white and black where we could enter and be safe. I knew the answer would be no
for this one. There is no space between white and black, there is not a “kind
of good” or a “kind of bad.” There is just good and evil.
Obviously this is a very strict way to look at things. But
that is what exact obedience to the Lord is. This hearkens back to Alma 57:21
in talking about the army of Helaman. When they obeyed with exactness, they fought
a war against the Lamanities in which none of them were killed. Their faith in
God carried them. We should remember their valiance when faced with small or
big decisions about whether to choose good or evil.
However, for those who have scrupulosity or other
debilitating mental disorders, or even for those of us who aren’t sure how to
stay “white” without repenting for every single un-excellent thing we do, it is
helpful to remember Elder Dallin H. Oak’s talk entitled, “Good, Better, Best.”
He never says that it is okay to do evil, but he helps us understand in what
ways we can
improve in doing good and right things.
Here are some of my goals to trade the good things I do for
better or best:
Watch less television. Since we moved into my parents home
with working cable, it’s easy to turn on the television while I’m nursing or
bored. It’s only been a week, but I can tell that when I spend more than 30
minutes on the television, my mind and body start feeling sluggish and it’s
unlikely I will get much done the rest of the day unless I turn it off.
Eat healthier. I didn’t read this article, but I noticed
that on BYU’s homepage, it mentions that eating unhealthily leads to a decrease
in metabolism. L
I’m such a stinker when it comes to snack and treats. I have about 6x a fair
share a day.
Listen. It’s easy for me to jump in with my opinion about
each and every sentence a person says. I need to remember that a sentence is
only a small part of a major thought. I need to listen better. Like my Grandma
J advised when I was the R.S. pres in our married student ward, if you listen
for a long time, you will find that people open up to you more and you are
better able to help with their problems. I saw both of my bishops in the
married ward do this to me when I met with them and it did make me talk and
open up more.
Comment with ways you are trying to improve your life!
Love,
Mrs. Unbe
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