Attitude Adjustment

{Image from September 1999 "Friend" Cover}

This morning I am flipping through a notebook that I keep with me to take notes. I have it when I am listening to conference, firesides, church....it is basically a little spot for me to write down feelings, thoughts that people share that I love or promptings I might receive and need to act on. This morning I ran across this little journal entry that I wrote on March 28, 2010. I am glad I wrote it down. It is a good reminder to me.

March 28, 2010

Today we are in Dan & Carrie Norris' ward in a Las Vegas/Henderson ward. I am, I hate to admit, in a critical and bad mood. It is Fast & Testimony meeting. There was a rush on the stage as children ran to bear their testimony. Its almost the end of the meeting and I have been thinking, "these parents need to get their kids to stop. No adults can get up." Sad right?! I know!

Well the Stake Presidents wife got up to bear her testimony in tears. She said this was the sweetest testimony meeting she has ever been in. She talked about the looks on the kids faces. I immediately felt a need to repent. We are both in the same meeting and I am having the exact opposite feelings. It is my fault! We choose what we will get out of something, based on our attitude!

She also spoke of a Salt Lake City, UT testimony meeting she was in where a branch of Latin people rushed the stage. The people had literally ran and filled the choir seats for the opportunity to bear their testimonies. They stood as husbands and wives...together, to bear testimony. The spouse standing to support the other as they bore testimony to the ward and their spouse.

The Presidents wife had called her husband to come stand by her. She bore testimony that he was a man of God.

It was such a beautiful moment. It was so powerful and profound.

I really need to make sure that I focus on my attitude. I could have gotten so much more out of this meeting!

The last few wards we have been in have had a Spanish branch. This ward does not. Instead we have a different sort of branch. We have a handful of special needs people. A few men and a few ladies. They bear their testimonies at ever Fast & Testimony meeting. Some you can understand what they are saying and some you cannot. The thing that I am certain no one in the room misses is the spirit. It is a familiar spirit to us, because of our Dawson! It is a gift and a privilege for us to sit and listen to them bear sweet and pure testimony of how much they love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

I am grateful that I learned that lesson in Henderson that day. Otherwise, I am afraid that my judgemental attitude would rob me of the sweet spirit that is in our meetings here, as these sweet spirits bear their testimonies.

Isn't it interesting! How many times do we stand in our own way of receiving personal revelation or feelings from the spirit because we can't get out of our own way to receive them?! I am glad I read this! What a great reminder to myself!