I’m glad that ORDER was chosen to fill out the D&C Character Traits. (That was done so that with thirteen, the traits could be practiced weekly, four times a year.) Order has different meanings for us.
D&C 88:119
119 Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;
Later we’ll talk about “order” being the “Order of the Priesthood”. This week, I’d like us to think about the order in our lives. If we live to feel guilt, this is perhaps one of the best ways to do it. Just look around us and see the chaos. We imagine that we are the only ones who can’t “Get it all together.” Just remember when you visit someone’s home, you don’t see all the disorder. It’s hidden away, out of sight. They probably feel just like us, embarrassed to have people come see our home in such disarray. But they don’t see our little stashes of disorder so we look pretty good to them. I have a little trick - I’ll spend all day carefully organizing pencils and paper clips - putting everything is arranged in perfect order. So I feel that I’m making progress. (Remember, “It’s not where you are that counts, it is the direction you’re moving.”) And if that doesn’t give me a feeling of success, I’ll start a list of “ToDo’s” for tomorrow. Nothing can give you more confidence of success than a carefully planned list crafted for tomorrow.
To achieve order is to create a “pattern”. The Lord has depended upon patterns for teaching us many things.
D&C 94:2
2 And behold, it must be done according to the pattern which I have given unto you.
A pattern is the order in which we do things. The word pattern indicates consistency or regularity in what we are doing. We will never go wrong remembering to keep the Lord first in our lives. (Especially at this time of year.)
Matthew 22:38-39
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt alove thy neighbour as thyself.
Matthew 25:40
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
I hope you enjoy the story I have posted
ORDER
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4 comments:
I like the idea of order being a pattern. By definition, patterns repeat, so establishing a pattern of orderliness, I think, would mean that it would perpetuate continually. Linked to the idea of accomplishing great things through small means, a small and simple pattern could add up to great growth and development. Thanks for helping us to contemplate these things, Dad.
We are definitely your granddaughters! I think my sisters and I are all addicted to making "To Do" Lists. I'm sure I have said to most of you before that often times I make those lists just so I am completely aware of what I am NOT getting done. It gives me some sense of order and makes me feel like I have a little more control, even though I can't accomplish everything.
Also, I was just wondering where you found that Christmas story...it made me cry a couple of times.
Where did our updates go? Was this only for 2008? I know I don't comment much, but this was like my home teaching, because nobody ever comes to see us (which I am sort of okay with;)
Love you (and lists)!
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