Exert yourself Mentally

A week has gone by and what a week with the end of summer and shopping and preparation for school. I know that I have been much drained with all the demands. But I have tried to take time to read and to continue in learning how to draw upon the powers of heaven to help me. I can report with all that going on that I have actually been able to talk with my children about their goals, their desires on what they would like to achieve in all areas of their lives, and it has been rewarding to do so. I want them to begin to learn how to draw upon the powers of Heaven to become what they desire, to realize that those desires are very powerful first steps in becoming who they will be.

I have been reading on page 34 about exerting yourself mentally. It is eye opening to me to realize how our thoughts are such a power of good or evil to our lives. "The thought process itself is the key to exercising faith. ...it will mold your attitude and determine what you will accomplish during your life." It goes on to talk about how if we don't have our desires in our thoughts preoccupying them that they really are not a desire. But to have a true desire is to think upon that thing often and with a positive attitude. Placing things around our home, work, in the car, or where we can see these reminders will help to bring to our mind that desire.

I believe that distractions in our lives are in full intent to defeat our thoughts from staying focus on our desires. Satan does a good job of this. How often have you gotten up from your knees determined to be single minded in one thing that day, or to concentrate of accomplishing one thing, or to not do a certain thing. I think of the times in my life that dieting was that thought, that desire, and yet so very hard to accomplish. It still is. I have a desire to eat more health, I know it is a commandment, I know that physical and spiritual benefits that will come from it. I know that I am weak and must have the Lord to help me. However I fail over and over again to control that. I wonder if I am truly keeping that in my thoughts the way I should. I know that the distractions of raising a family, working outside the home and trying to keep my home clean is enough to make me feel overwhelmed and defeated at times, but is that what is defeating my positive thoughts and therefore my true desire from being manifested, thus a change to happen?

On page 35 "do not confuse the preoccupation of worry and anxiety with the preoccupation involved in exercising faith. When your mind is prone to dwell on the adverse consequences of events which you assume you have very little control over, that is worry. In contrast, if your mind dwells on the possible consequences of various course of action which you will control to a great extent, you are exercising faith."

Worry and anxiety is such a taxing and exhausting to us spiritually and physically.

My sister in law has been in the hospital on life support this last month. She is at home now, but recovery is slow and will be a long process. I was not aware how the worry and anxiety was so taxing upon my physically. Her sweet husband was nearly beside himself for the first few days. But after help from friends and family he was able to let the negative feelings go and come to peace that if the Lord took her than he would be willing to let her go. Once that thought replaced the great anxiety of his heart, a peace came over him that lasted for the next week until she came out of her comma and began to recover. Her recovery was a miracle and the ICU nurses and staff commented on how they just wanted to just watch her, because it was something they did not get to see often.

My brother in laws desire to conform to the plan that Father had for them, was the key to his peace. His spiritual health has greatly increased and his love for his wife has manifested itself like never before. The power of prayer was called upon by our stake and the desire and pleading to have the father help us was heard and granted. If the outcome would have been different, would we have increase in faith?

Lastly if this controlling our thoughts is so important what do we do to measure that this is happening? Mental exertion involves 1. Being conscious of our thoughts. 2. Scrutinizing our thoughts, 3. Replacing negative one with possible thoughts. If we can not allow our minds to wander and learn to concentrate on one thing at a time, while we pray for instance, than we are gaining control over our thoughts.