she said, He said

A She said, He said scripture study.

Heavenly commentary on my thoughts over the past couple of weeks:

she said:

 I'm still thinking about the struggle in my area with depression and suicide. My community, my best friends, and my husband are all continually dealing with it on a very intimate basis. I wonder how I can do more good around me. What should I know?

He said:

Alma 5:7-9

 7 Behold, he changed their hearts; yea, he awakened them out of a deep sleep, and they awoke unto God. Behold, they were in the midst of darkness; nevertheless, their souls were illuminated by the light of the everlasting word; yea, they were encircled about by the bands of death, and the chains of hell, and an everlasting destruction did await them.

 8 And now I ask of you, my brethren, were they destroyed? Behold, I say unto you, Nay, they were not.

 9 And again I ask, were the bands of death broken, and the chains of hell which encircled them about, were they loosed? I say unto you, Yea, they were loosed, and their souls did expand, and they did sing redeeming love. And I say unto you that they are saved.

she said:

1. I fell in love with a swimsuit, but said to myself $90 is a little outrageous. So I bought a similar one half the price instead and felt oh so much "better" about it. When it came, I went into my closet to put it away and as I started going through my drawer I discovered that I already own eight other swimsuits. EIGHT.

2. I was very supportive of a certain product and the principles the company stood for. Then ownership changed hands, and I've slowly watched their image morph into something very staged and unrealistic. I wanted to love it still but I just couldn't relate.

3. I downloaded an app called Moment which tracks the amount of time you spend on your phone throughout the day. After running it for a week and looking at my numbers, I thought to myself,  just what do you have to show for all that time spent?

I'm thinking a lot about how to refocus on the important and the genuine things in life, based on these three recent expeiences.

He said:

Mormon 8:39

Why do ye adorn yourselves with that which hath no life, and yet suffer the hungry, and the needy, and the naked, and the sick and the afflicted to pass by you, and notice them not?

And also this whole talk:

On Being Genuine- President Uchtdorf

"I pray...that as we serve in our families, quorums, wards, stakes, communities, and nations, we will resist the temptation to draw attention to ourselves and, instead, strive for a far greater honor: to become humble, genuine disciples of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As we do so, we will find ourselves walking the path that leads to our best, most genuine, and noblest selves."

she said:

I've been thinking a lot lately about baby #3....and 4 and 5 and 6 and 7 and 8...just kidding we won't make it that far. But seriously, about marriage and family and having babies and what to say to people who are scared to have children and what to say to people when I want lots more but the two I have are currently melting down in the backseat....
(No I'm not pregnant.)

He said:

Children- Elder Andersen

"Many voices in the world today marginalize the importance of having children or suggest delaying or limiting children in a family. My daughters recently referred me to a blog written by a Christian mother (not of our faith) with five children. She commented: “[Growing] up in this culture, it is very hard to get a biblical perspective on motherhood. … Children rank way below college. Below world travel for sure. Below the ability to go out at night at your leisure. Below honing your body at the gym. Below any job you may have or hope to get.” She then adds: “Motherhood is not a hobby, it is a calling. You do not collect children because you find them cuter than stamps. It is not something to do if you can squeeze the time in. It is what God gave you time for.”

Having young children is not easy. Many days are just difficult. A young mother got on a bus with seven children. The bus driver asked, “Are these all yours, lady? Or is it a picnic?”

“They’re all mine,” she replied. “And it’s no picnic!”

As the world increasingly asks, “Are these all yours?” we thank you for creating within the Church a sanctuary for families, where we honor and help mothers with children."