Week 26: Pass the P's Please

1000-Piece Puzzle

 It was a typical week with General Conference being the high light of the week. As Sunday draws to a close, I've wondered just what I could write this week that wouldn't detract from what we learned from Conference.  On a whim I decided to play around with one of my favorite letters: “P”.

Some of my favorite things start with the letter “P” – Popcorn, Pie, Peanuts, Peaches, Pioneers, Puzzles, Pearls, Prayer … just to name a few. 

Priesthood in our apt today: Elders Hadlock, Smith, Johnson

Today I shall start with two that were connected for me this weekend – Prophets & Puzzles.  You see, I decided to start a jigsaw puzzle while watching General Conference in our apartment.  It’s very relaxing for me, but I knew it would also help me stay awake (pay attention). I kept paper & pencil at hand so I could write down thoughts and impressions that came as Prophets spoke.

I suppose there’s an analogy here, and I could really go into depth. For now, I’ll keep it plain and simple. Life can be a perplexing puzzle full of uncertainty and challenge. How can we best put the pieces where they belong? What’s the secret to figuring it (life) out? Today—this weekend—we found help via Prophets (President Thomas S. Monson and the Apostles).

With Pretty awesome Sisters: Wilkinson, Jenkins, Walker, Noun

I heard them talk of Christ, rejoice in Christ, preach of Christ, prophesy of Christ, that we may know to what source we may look for a remission of our sins. (see 2 Nephi 25:16).   This life is our “ four-minute time to perform.” – a time to prepare to meet God. I liked Elder Bednar’s analogy with the truck:  It’s the “load” that provides spiritual traction in our progression.  

Conference weekend is always a time of evaluating priorities … and especially -- Do I practice what I preach and believe? I pledge to do better.

Well, with Van’s help, the puzzle is finished. It was fun and rewarding. So was General Conference weekend. So is life. But, life is not finished. I’m still trying to put the pieces together. I am so grateful for General Conference and the perspective gained by listening to Prophets. It gives us peace and a renewed determination as we continue to persist, persevere and “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, ….”  

Let Us All Press On …

I shall now proceed to pop some popcorn!