Maybe it’s all the Dr Suess books I’ve been reading lately and maybe it’s The Spirit working on me to speak up. Either way, the words from the book Horton Hears a Who have been ringing in my ears for months.
The Who’s were going to be boiled in beezle-nut juice! Boiled! It was an intense time for The Who’s. What did they do? The Mayor called an emergency meeting. Everyone was called on to make noise because if the monkeys and kangaroos heard them, they would believe they were there and then they wouldn’t boil their dust speck. So every Who was needed. They were all making a crazy ruckus and the monkeys and kangaroos couldn't hear them. Well, everyone was making noise but JoJo. He was just standing there bouncing his yo-yo without making a sound. The mayor of the town found him and gave him a pep talk as they climbed to the highest point in their town. Then all that little Who does is shout out, “YOPP!”
That one YOPP was the difference. They were heard. The Who’s didn’t get boiled!
Want to know what the Mayor said to JoJo in his pep talk?
“We've got to make noise in greater amounts! So, open your mouth lad, for every voice counts!”
Sister Eubank during last October conference said, “The Prophets are speaking about women”. She also closed her remarks with a quote by President Monson who said, “My dear Sisters, this is your day, this is your time”.
This has also been ringing in my ears. Why? Why women? Why now?
One thought I have is this: we live in a time when women have rights. We can speak and people will listen. We also have so many platforms. So. Many. Women have never seen a time such as this. It doesn’t matter where we live, what we do for work, our marital status or a plethora of other identifying characteristics. We can speak up!
You may be reading this and thinking, “I don’t have anything to say” or “I don’t know how to say it” or even, “who would listen to me?”, etc.
Well, what did JoJo say? :) Yeah, I’m pretty sure you and I can do better than that!
What are we spending our time on? Does the yo-yo matter? What are we defending? Who are we defending? What are we speaking about?
I find that as I am reading uplifting things...not the news, but good books, magazines, and of course, my core curriculum:conference talks and my scriptures (Bible and Book of Mormon); that inspiration comes. If I couple that reading with activity, the inspiration is greater. Activity is a broad word and that's the fun of it. It can be anything ACTIVE. Hiking, planting a garden, writing, sweeping my floor, crafting (not on a computer), serving...etc. There is something about doing SOMETHING that wakes up our minds and our hearts.
The more time we spend in mind numbing activities, the harder it is to have our minds and hearts work together. I'm pretty sure this is what the modern day mist of darkness is. I have this picture in my mind of the iron rod, the tree of life and the mist of darkness and everyone is holding their phones instead of the iron rod. It scares me. I am positive I am not the only one who has felt inspiration leave when I started mindlessly scrolling on my phone. As soon as purpose and self control leave, so does the Spirit.
Sisters, we have been called on! We have been asked to make noise in greater amounts! Don't take my word for it. READ THIS TALK given by President Russell M. Nelson, our current Prophet when he was the President of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles. I want to quote the whole thing here. It's that good. This talk thrills me to the bone. What a time we are living in!
Here is one thing that I will share: "Sisters, do you realize the breadth and scope of your influence as you speak those things that come into your mind as directed by the Spirit?"
In order for us to speak the words of the Spirit, we need to fuel the fire of our faith, increase our understanding and be AWAKE!
Sheri Dew said, " We are a sleeping giant ready to awake, for the sisters of Relief Society will increasingly become an anomaly in this world. And because of our cheerful and righteous differences, we will become a beacon and a magnet for countless good women everywhere who are looking for female role models who exhibit compassion and strength, charity and conviction—and who do so while remaining unsullied by the world.
Might we therefore covenant this very hour to work and watch and fight and pray. To work to strengthen ourselves spiritually every week of every month of every year. To watch over and fortify our families and our Church family so that within the stakes of Zion will exist the strength and unity to help us withstand Lucifer's minions. To fight the adversary in every arena. And to pray with increasing strength and confidence and faith. The Lord has never expected more of faithful women than He does now. But we would not be here if we were not up to the challenge."
Sheri Dew also said, "My Prayer tonight is that we can be..clear about our mission as women of God. This isn't just a really nice church that teaches really nice ideas so that we can live really nice lives. This is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, endowed with His power and charged with carrying His truth to the ends of the earth....May we lift our "voices as with the sound of a trump" (D&C 42:6). May we find joy as we stand tall and stand together. And may we "cheerfully do all things that lie in our power" (D&C 123:17), and then stand still to see the arm of God revealed as His work goes forward boldly and nobly until "it has...swept every county, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done."
My dear Sisters, my friends. This is our time! We are here now for a reason. YOU are here for a reason! Open your mouth! Do something. Say something. Now is the time.
EVERY VOICE COUNTS!
The Who’s were going to be boiled in beezle-nut juice! Boiled! It was an intense time for The Who’s. What did they do? The Mayor called an emergency meeting. Everyone was called on to make noise because if the monkeys and kangaroos heard them, they would believe they were there and then they wouldn’t boil their dust speck. So every Who was needed. They were all making a crazy ruckus and the monkeys and kangaroos couldn't hear them. Well, everyone was making noise but JoJo. He was just standing there bouncing his yo-yo without making a sound. The mayor of the town found him and gave him a pep talk as they climbed to the highest point in their town. Then all that little Who does is shout out, “YOPP!”
That one YOPP was the difference. They were heard. The Who’s didn’t get boiled!
Want to know what the Mayor said to JoJo in his pep talk?
“We've got to make noise in greater amounts! So, open your mouth lad, for every voice counts!”
Sister Eubank during last October conference said, “The Prophets are speaking about women”. She also closed her remarks with a quote by President Monson who said, “My dear Sisters, this is your day, this is your time”.
This has also been ringing in my ears. Why? Why women? Why now?
One thought I have is this: we live in a time when women have rights. We can speak and people will listen. We also have so many platforms. So. Many. Women have never seen a time such as this. It doesn’t matter where we live, what we do for work, our marital status or a plethora of other identifying characteristics. We can speak up!
You may be reading this and thinking, “I don’t have anything to say” or “I don’t know how to say it” or even, “who would listen to me?”, etc.
Well, what did JoJo say? :) Yeah, I’m pretty sure you and I can do better than that!
What are we spending our time on? Does the yo-yo matter? What are we defending? Who are we defending? What are we speaking about?
I find that as I am reading uplifting things...not the news, but good books, magazines, and of course, my core curriculum:conference talks and my scriptures (Bible and Book of Mormon); that inspiration comes. If I couple that reading with activity, the inspiration is greater. Activity is a broad word and that's the fun of it. It can be anything ACTIVE. Hiking, planting a garden, writing, sweeping my floor, crafting (not on a computer), serving...etc. There is something about doing SOMETHING that wakes up our minds and our hearts.
The more time we spend in mind numbing activities, the harder it is to have our minds and hearts work together. I'm pretty sure this is what the modern day mist of darkness is. I have this picture in my mind of the iron rod, the tree of life and the mist of darkness and everyone is holding their phones instead of the iron rod. It scares me. I am positive I am not the only one who has felt inspiration leave when I started mindlessly scrolling on my phone. As soon as purpose and self control leave, so does the Spirit.
Sisters, we have been called on! We have been asked to make noise in greater amounts! Don't take my word for it. READ THIS TALK given by President Russell M. Nelson, our current Prophet when he was the President of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles. I want to quote the whole thing here. It's that good. This talk thrills me to the bone. What a time we are living in!
Here is one thing that I will share: "Sisters, do you realize the breadth and scope of your influence as you speak those things that come into your mind as directed by the Spirit?"
In order for us to speak the words of the Spirit, we need to fuel the fire of our faith, increase our understanding and be AWAKE!
Sheri Dew said, " We are a sleeping giant ready to awake, for the sisters of Relief Society will increasingly become an anomaly in this world. And because of our cheerful and righteous differences, we will become a beacon and a magnet for countless good women everywhere who are looking for female role models who exhibit compassion and strength, charity and conviction—and who do so while remaining unsullied by the world.
Might we therefore covenant this very hour to work and watch and fight and pray. To work to strengthen ourselves spiritually every week of every month of every year. To watch over and fortify our families and our Church family so that within the stakes of Zion will exist the strength and unity to help us withstand Lucifer's minions. To fight the adversary in every arena. And to pray with increasing strength and confidence and faith. The Lord has never expected more of faithful women than He does now. But we would not be here if we were not up to the challenge."
Sheri Dew also said, "My Prayer tonight is that we can be..clear about our mission as women of God. This isn't just a really nice church that teaches really nice ideas so that we can live really nice lives. This is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, endowed with His power and charged with carrying His truth to the ends of the earth....May we lift our "voices as with the sound of a trump" (D&C 42:6). May we find joy as we stand tall and stand together. And may we "cheerfully do all things that lie in our power" (D&C 123:17), and then stand still to see the arm of God revealed as His work goes forward boldly and nobly until "it has...swept every county, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done."
My dear Sisters, my friends. This is our time! We are here now for a reason. YOU are here for a reason! Open your mouth! Do something. Say something. Now is the time.
EVERY VOICE COUNTS!
3 comments:
Thanks for your insight. I mentioned Horton Hears A Who in my Gospel Doctrine lesson today. ;) I love that book!
Ha! That’s so great! It’s the best when good books bring insight and motivation to our lives. Thanks for your comment!
Becca, I LOVE THIS POST! You are right, every voice counts! And there are so many voices on the side of darkness, we need MORE voices of light! Keep up the great work, my friend and fellow blogger!
Hugs!
Becky Edwards
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