To Be

One of the General Conference talks that stuck out to me was Elder Lynn G. Robbins talk "What Manner of Men and Women Ought Ye to Be." While listening, I made a big astrix at the top of my notes with a little note to myself to read and study this talk. There was much I didn't understand, but I knew it was a wonderful message that I needed to study, ponder, and apply.I choose to use this talk as a family home evening I would be giving to Nic's family. (We have FHE with them once a month. We all rotate teaching the lesson and use a recent conference talk.) As I studied the talk the only way I was able to really digest and understand it all was by making a chart, dividing "To Do" and "To Be." (I wondered if it would be kind of dorky to present it this way at FHE, but again, it was the only way I could really visualize the two concepts and explain them.)I love the concept of being. Although the 'to do's' are "important" the 'to be's' are a "weightier matter." Elder Robbins talked about how we often have "To Do list" but not "To Be lists." However our "be's" (what we what to become, our character, nature, and attributes) should be the motivating force behind what we "do" (what we want to accomplish, activities, or events).

As I read and studied I had a renewed testimony of the Young Women's Personal Progress program. This program has the "to do list" (the experiences and projects) that help us with our "to be lists" (faith, divine nature, knowledge, good works, virtue...) Although I am no longer of young woman age and I did the program when I was younger (although it has changed quite a bit!), I am currently working on earning the Personal Progress medallion again. I love using it as my scripture study; I love using it to help me "become." It is a program that we can ALL participate in and accomplish no matter what stage of life we are in. It helps us progress personally! And isn't that what this life is all about!?!Aside from this incite of the importance of Personal Progress, I also loved Elder Robbin's discussion on parenting: disciplining and praising, using these same concepts of "to do" and "to be." He said the words discipline and disciple come from the same root word. That through discipline our children learn consequences but they can also learn doctrine by the Spirit... that doctrine has the power to change their nature, their BE, over time. He said to focus our discipline and our praise on "be's" - on character and beliefs. For example when disciplining fighting or quarreling, talk about patience and being forgiving. When praising performance in sports, praise their energy and perseverance. When praising good grades, praise their diligence. Elder Robbins said we need to talk about attributes; they need to be taught and learned. But the most important way to teach to be is to be!

I have much to learning about being, much to learn about becoming and therefore, doing. I have much to learn about parenting and disciplining and helping my children to become. I am so grateful for modern day prophets, apostles, and church leaders who help us in that journey.