Worthy of Our Promised Blessings

Worthy of Our Promised Blessings
Linda S. Reeves
"A vision of our Father’s incredible promised blessings must be the central focus before our eyes every day."

(link to talk)

(remember I am using the "language of faith" meaning I am wording the counsel and teaching "as if" I already believe or am already doing it. All bold type is my insertion.)

• I have a sense of the sacred and holy when holding newborn babies which possess celestial spirits.
• My body is a sacred gift from my Heavenly Father and is my personal temple which I keep clean through the Atoning Sacrifice of my Savior.
• I keep my temple clean and pure so I am worthy to help my Heavenly Father create bodies for His beloved spirit children.
• I know the commandment to multiply and replenish the earth is essential and is the source of human happiness.
• Through the righteous exercise of this creative power I come close to my Father in Heaven and experience a fulness of joy, even godhood.
• The power of procreation IS the plan, not just a part of it.
• I know true love requires reserving until after marriage the sharing of that affection which unlocks those sacred powers. 
• My happiness in this life, my joy and exaltation are dependent upon how I respond to these persistent, compelling physical desires.
• I watch and pray continually, that I may not be tempted above that which I can bear, that I may be lifted up at the last day.
• I am very careful not to play with or be burned by Satan's fiery darts.
• Virtue qualifies me for the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost more than anything else.
• I do not look for instant gratification or instant knowledge on the Internet, for it cannot promise answers or assurance.
• I exercise faith and patience and go to my Heavenly Father, the source of all truth, with my concerns. He blesses me exceedingly.
• I receive answers and assurance through daily searching and studying the scriptures and sincere and pleading prayer.
• The Spirit speaks to me of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be. It never lies.
• I do not watch, read, or experience anything that is below my Heavenly Father's standards; for that would weaken me.
• I turn it off, rip it up, throw it out, and slam the door.
• I am not perfect, but when I sin and repent, the Lord promises to forgive and remember them no more.
• I truly repent and the Atonement reclaims me and bears no scars, -  no matter what I have done, or where I have been or how something happened.
• I escape all guilt by repenting and accepting the Atonement; my heartaches turn to beauty and love and eternity.
• I find power to stay clean and virtuous through:
• the Atonement
• scriptures
• prayer
• the temple
• my covenants
• the Sabbath Day
• the Prophets
• virtue 
• the proper wearing of my temple garment
• Great blessings and promises are associated with the proper wearing of my temple garment, which is symbolically a royal robe given me by my Heavenly Father.
• it is a sign of my love and devotion to God which he recognizes.
• it is a sign of the covenants I have made with Him
• He is bound when I do what He says - He keeps the promises I heard when I received the garment.
• I know this life is the time to prepare to meet God, so I will have challenges to overcome even as I do all I can to keep the commandments. Some blessings are not to be received here.
• I know I am in the "Second Act" and that "they lived happily ever after" is never in the second act, but the third, when the mysteries are solved and everything is put right.
• A vision of my Father's incredible promised blessings and rewards is the central focus before my eyes every day.
• I am aware of the multitude of His tender mercies that I experience on a daily basis.
• No matter how great my trials, I know the reward is so great, so eternal and everlasting, so joyful and beyond my understanding that in that day of my reward, I may say to my merciful, loving Father, "was that all that was required?"
• I daily remember and recognize the depth of the love of my Father and His Son for me.
• I am willing to do anything to be back in Their presence again, surround by Their love eternally. 
• It will not matter what I suffered here, in the end, for those trials qualify me for eternal life and exaltation in the kingdom of God with my Father and the Savior where I will receive "all that my Father hath."
  
  Alma 13:27-29
  
  27 And now, my brethren, I ^awish from the inmost part of my heart, yea, with great ^banxiety even unto pain, that ye would hearken unto my words, and cast off your sins, and not ^cprocrastinate the day of your repentance;
   28 But that ye would humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, and ^awatch and pray continually, that ye may not be ^btempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be ^cled by the Holy Spirit, becoming humble, ^dmeek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering;
   29 ^aHaving faith on the Lord; having a hope that ye shall receive eternal life; having the ^blove of God always in your hearts, that ye may be lifted up at the last day and enter into his ^crest.
  CONFERENCE CHALLENGE:
  
  PRAY:
• to not be tempted above that which I can bear
• that I may be lifted up at the last day
• daily, and sincerely plead for answers and assurance
  
  ACTION:
• See my body as a sacred gift and a temple and treat is accordingly
• Do not play with temptation
• Seek the companionship of the Holy Ghost through virtue
• Seek truth, with patience and faith, from Heavenly Father and not the internet
• Daily search and study the scriptures for answers and assurance
• Trust the Spirit
• Live high standards in all I do, read, watch
• Repent when I sin, and then trust the Atonement
• Attend the temple
• Keep my covenants
• Believe the prophets
• Keep the Sabbath Day holy
• Respect my temple garment and trust the promises associated with it
• Keep eternal promises and blessings central in my focus each day
• Remember and recognize how much I am loved and let that knowing create in me a yearning and willingness to do all that is required to return Home.