Personal Reflections: AARP

*Disclaimer: After a comment I realized this post might be misconstrued in me trying to be political. I am not in any way shape or form saying that we should support or not support the AARP. 
My apologies.
 

 

Saturday I went to do a session in the temple. It was great! I was sitting by a friend from the ward.
A couple that I've known since I was a child took me through to the Celestial Room.

 

I always pray before hand so I can understand things more clearly or so that I can learn what Heavenly Father would have me learn. Within 30 seconds of the temple session, I had learned something knew. Something I've heard tons of times, but for the first time it stuck out to me.

 

And in all honesty, it may be that I'm just a weirdo.

 

Does being "alert, attentive, and reverent please" ring a bell?
AARP

Alert

Attentive

Reverent Please

 

Doesn't this apply to life really? In our day to day activities we need to make sure that spiritually we are alert for opportunities to learn and grow, attentive to matters of service & sometimes.... just a little more reverent please.

 

1. Alert for opportunities to learn and grow- First of all, how tiring is life sometimes. Literally. I go to the temple and when they dim the lights, it's not that I'm not interested or ready to have a great experience, it's just that I become lethargic and ready for a nap. Quite the opposite, in D&C 127:11 it says, "I now close my letter for the present, for the want of more time; for the enemy is on the alert..."
The enemy is alert, am I?

Alert is defined as "quick to perceive and act".

 

When Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane He had asked His apostles to "watch". Some synonyms for alert include Argus-eyed (Percy Jackson shout out!), attentive, awake, observant, open-eyed, vigilant, wide-awake, on guard, on one's toes, on the ball. The opposite is "asleep". And what did the apostles do, they fell asleep. In no way am I judging them!! I just look at the experience and think how asleep I am when it comes to the gospel. Case in point. I've never been able to read through Jesus the Christ. I get to chapter 2 or 3 and I just can't handle anything anymore. However, 2013 is the year. I've actually gotten to chapter 5 and after pondering the meaning of being "alert" I had a great idea of how to make the words of the book become clearer... I read them with a British accent.

 

It may be just a dumb thought or it may be a loving Heavenly Father know how ADD I am and Him trying to help me. Either way I'm hoping to be more alert for opportunities to learn and grow.

 

2. Attentive to matters of service- I don't have a facebook account. I did. But I got tired of people's whining and cat stories. Plus it was a personal time waster. I get a lot more things done now. Although, pinterest is a whole different story. Why are you even reading this? I am so long winded!

Point. A definition for attentive is "heedful of the comfort of others".

Life is full of distractions.

If we think about it though, wouldn't it be awful if Heavenly Father wasn't attentive to us? In the scriptures, there are 3 verses that use the term "attentive" to beseech The Lord to be "attentive" to their prayers.

Heavenly Father is never distracted and He never leaves us comfortless.

John 14:18 " I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you."

We may think we're being ignored, but we're not. Are we ignoring opportunities to push ourselves further? To serve more? Obviously, I'm not saying go start a soup kitchen. But I know for me personally, there is at least 1 thing I can add to my day to be more heedful of the comfort of others.

 

3. Reverent Please- We just finished the Percy Jackson series. We loved loved loved the books. Rick better not die before House of Hades and I heart Leo. However, I just didn't feel right about some of the phrases in the book that used the term "god", even referring to mythological figures, so you know what. We just skipped right on over those phrases and didn't take a second look.

We play music too loud in our car.

Laman & Lemuel's party boat was severely chastened when they didn't show enough reverence.

Speaking with "exceeding rudeness" they were almost drowned in the depths of the sea.

I know it's OK to play my music loud.... sometimes. But even more important is to raise the type of children that speak kindly and lovingly to one another.

How do we foster an environment of kind language?

A. Use it ourselves and set the example

B. Remind! Remind! Remind each other to speak nicely!

C. Make sure anything that will sink the ship be tossed overboard! Don't let outside influences affect the family in a negative way.

 

AARP. 

Beloved Elderly or an Acronym for Success.

Either way both very valuable.

 

I know God lives. I know He loves us. Every day we can be better.

This I bear testimony of in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.