Signs
of the Times
By Carolyn Allen
Author’s note: Today's article is directed
to those of us with weight management issues that are resolved with the principle
of "eat less, move more." If you have medical and health issues
that prohibit weight loss, I encourage you to read my previous
article, "But if not".
Our attendance at the leadership training seminar broadcast was doubly-blessed by a follow-up broadcast from Salt Lake City for stake conference last Sunday, February 17, 2008. We learned that our stake (Annandale, Virginia) was one of 42 stakes in the Chesapeake region receiving messages directly from church leaders in Salt Lake City via satellite. What a thrill to hear President Monson and President Uchtdorf speak to us for the first time in their official capacities.
Several times in the talks we heard an important message: Yes! These are troubled times, but that is nothing new since “troubled times” began when Adam and Eve were cast out of the garden.
Yes! These are the last days where calamities will abound, yet an often forgotten sign of the time is a vast missionary force to gather the elect. (See D&C 29).
As we learned that our stake conference was being broadcast simultaneously to 42 other stakes, all within a few short hours’ drive from our home in Virginia, there was no denying this sign. Weekly reports from my own two missionaries confirm that the field is white, all ready to harvest!
How easy it is to forget, with our disturbing news reports and headlines, that these are marvelous days and times in which to live! How easy it is to forget to be of good cheer and to rise to our potential as witnesses and key participants of the last days.
Today’s Scripture: “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. (I Corinthians 6:20)
With wars and rumors of wars, strange weather and the world in constant turmoil, how easy it is to feel powerless and small. After reading the newspaper or listening to the news of the day, our personal efforts for self-improvement may seem inconsequential. Why should losing weight (or maintaining what we’ve lost) even matter during these, the last days?
Shouldn’t we just go ahead and enjoy the donuts? Take the easy way? Enjoy the abundance of delicious foods and leisure pursuits that require nothing more than a comfortable seat? Surely these are signs of the times too, as the adversary who knows with uncanny accuracy how to hinder our potential, encourages us to become smaller in our thinking than in our clothing sizes.
Limiting beliefs about our desire and ability to change (or the strength of our personal power and worthiness to do so) are the donuts and chips for hearts and spirits. Like junk food, they are always tasty, available, inexpensive, easy to grab and dispose of, and usually irresistibly enjoyable while going down. That potato chip ad with its slogan “Bet you can’t eat just one” is right on the money for not only potato chips, but negative self-thoughts and conversation.
To counteract these worldly influences, we have been blessed with the scriptures, and even more personally, our Patriarchal blessings. These words by author Marianne Williamson echoes that which we have each been told in quiet ways when the Spirit is near: She writes:
We ask ourselves, “Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?” Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightening about shrinking (other than clothing sizes) so that others won’t feel insecure around you. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
Back to today’s scripture: “Therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
Did you read that? “… which are God’s.” Our bodies and spirit belong to God! We are born, live and eternally exist with power beyond measure to live, to love, to lift and to bless ourselves and every other life that comes our way today.
As the missionaries reach out to the world with the restored Gospel, they take a disarmingly powerful tool for self-mastery and achievement: The Book of Mormon.
As a young single, I was blessed to associate with a marvelous young man that the missionaries had baptized while he was attending college and taking some rigorous engineering and competitive math classes. I will never forget his conversion story and his discovery that, “Every day I read the Book of Mormon, I was empowered. Though I was not spending any more time on my schoolwork, my test scores improved. I even tested it out. Without fail on days that I didn’t read, I did not do as well in my classes. This was one of the turning points of my testimony!”
Recently I was reminded of that power with a letter from Cathi Hoffman of the Buckley 2nd Ward in the Maple Valley Washington Stake. After President Hinckley’s passing, she joined the online challenge to read the Book of Mormon in 97 days. Here is what she says:
The more I read, the less temptation I will have to snack! Snacking is my downfall and the Book of Mormon helps me in remarkable ways!
It is amazing to think that we, with our many mortal shortcomings, could even consider that our lives and how we care for our bodies might glorify God. Yet bringing to pass our immortality is his work and his glory, so our efforts, even those that seem “small” (i.e. limiting snacking) to improve our mortal bodies and master our earthly appetites, truly count.
Yes! These are the last days and signs of the times, as well as donuts/junk food, abound. Perhaps the overabundance of donuts and junk food are even among the signs of the times! Yet we need not indulge ourselves with thoughts that another time will be better or easier to establish healthy living!. We can move forward and include every effort to eat right/exercise today as “doing our part” to help build the kingdom.
And in so doing, we glorify Him. I am awed and amazed, and quite sure that all of this is of far more value and interest than the donuts, don’t you agree?
Today’s Empowerment: Nutritious thoughts fed my spirit. Nutritious food feeds my body. Since both my body and spirit belong to Him, I am worthy of physical health and an appropriate weight. I have the power and desire to create great beauty, health and strength today.
Today’s Journal Prompts/Discussion Starters:
Today’s Recipe:
Mexican Fiesta Skillet Supper
Serves 8 at 252 calories
1 pound ground turkey breast or extra lean ground beef
1 envelope taco seasoning mix
2 cups salsa
4 cups tomato sauce or juice
1 15-oz. can black beans, drained
2 cups instant rice1. Spray a large Dutch oven with Pam.
2. Cook the turkey and taco seasoning mix together in the prepared pan over medium heat until fully cooked.
3. Add the salsa, tomato sauce and black beans. Bring to a boil.
4. Add the rice, making sure the rice is covered with liquid. Add a bit of water if necessary.
5. Turn off the heat and stir.
6. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes.
Enjoy with a salad and a bit of sliced fruit.
(4 g Dietary Fiber; 252 Calories; 1 g Fat; 55 g Carb)
As a follow-up to your responses from the “Return and Report”
article several weeks ago as well as the requests of individuals at the classes
I teach, you may be interested in the personal weight loss coaching services
I am now offering. Click HERE
for more information.
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