Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide in Him always and feed on His word.
Make friends of God's children, help those who are weak,
Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.
Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;
Spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone.
By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;
Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.
During General Conference my favorite talk had to be from President Uchtdorf. He spoke about things that matter most and it reminded me of this song and about how I just need to slow down. I know, I sometimes run way too fast.
He starts out his talk with this:
"It’s remarkable how much we can learn about life by studying nature. For example, scientists can look at the rings of trees and make educated guesses about climate and growing conditions hundreds and even thousands of years ago. One of the things we learn from studying the growth of trees is that during seasons when conditions are ideal, trees grow at a normal rate. However, during seasons when growing conditions are not ideal, trees slow down their growth and devote their energy to the basic elements necessary for survival.
At this point some of you may be thinking, “That’s all very fine and good, but what does it have to do with flying an airplane?” Well, let me tell you."
For those of you who haven't heard of President Uchtdorf, he was a pilot for several years. Almost every time he speaks in Conference, he relates it to an airplane. This made me smile and everyone else who was listening.
This is where the talk started to go straight to what I needed to hear:
"Let’s be honest; it’s rather easy to be busy. We all can think up a list of tasks that will overwhelm our schedules. Some might even think that their self-worth depends on the length of their to-do list. They flood the open spaces in their time with lists of meetings and minutia—even during times of stress and fatigue. Because they unnecessarily complicate their lives, they often feel increased frustration, diminished joy, and too little sense of meaning in their lives."
"My dear brothers and sisters, we would do well to slow down a little, proceed at the optimum speed for our circumstances, focus on the significant, lift up our eyes, and truly see the things that matter most. Let us be mindful of the foundational precepts our Heavenly Father has given to His children that will establish the basis of a rich and fruitful mortal life with promises of eternal happiness. They will teach us to do “all these things . . . in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that [we] should run faster than [we have] strength. [But] it is expedient that [we] should be diligent, [and] thereby . . . win the prize.”
I was first given this scripture on my mission and didn't quite understand it.
"And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order." -Mosiah 4:27
I slowly began to understand this scripture when I became really sick on the mission. Be smart and just as in a race, each day you can go farther.
The basics for us to focus on:
1. Our relationship with God
2. Our relationship with our families
3. Our relationship with our fellowmen
4. Our relationship with ourselves
I'm working to get better on all of the above. However for all of these, take time. Time is very precious and important. I'm learning to slow down and turn off my cell phone. I'm learning to take the time to listen more and be there for people. Who do you need to spend more time with? Who needs your smile today?
Take time to holy, speak oft with thy Lord.
He'll tell you who needs you today.
To read Elder Uchtdorf's full talk, click here. This post is my personal opinion. The words of "Take time to be Holy" are by William Longstaff, 1882.
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