Seek Him with All Your Heart
Open talk in Gospel LibraryContents
Topics
Prioritize Spiritual Nourishment
Bishop Budge highlights the necessity of nourishing our spirits just as we nourish our bodies. He shares an analogy from President Nelson, comparing spiritual nourishment to physical sustenance, and warns against the spiritual consequences of busyness.
I would ask if they were too busy to eat lunch that day and then teach them that they have both a body and a spirit, and just as their body will die if not nourished, so will their spirit if not nourished by the good word of God.
Being too busy to nourish our spirits can lead us to die spiritually.Key Points:
- Spiritual nourishment is as essential as physical nourishment.
- Busyness can lead to spiritual death.
- Returning and resting in the Lord is crucial for salvation.
- Reflect on a time when you felt spiritually malnourished. How did you address it?
- Share an experience when prioritizing spiritual activities brought peace to your life.
- Discuss a moment when you realized the importance of balancing physical and spiritual nourishment.
Embrace Stillness and Meditation
Bishop Budge discusses the concept of being still as an act of faith and mental exertion. He emphasizes the importance of meditation and focusing on the Savior to strengthen our spiritual connection.
Being still, however, requires more than just making time for the Lord—it requires letting go of our doubtful and fearful thoughts and focusing our hearts and minds on Him.
Meditation is one of the … most sacred doors through which we pass into the presence of the Lord.Key Points:
- Being still involves mental exertion and focusing on the Savior.
- Meditation is a sacred practice that enhances spiritual awareness.
- Letting go of doubts and fears is essential to being still.
- Describe a time when meditation helped you feel closer to the Savior.
- Have you ever struggled to find stillness? How did you overcome it?
- Share how practicing stillness has impacted your spiritual growth.
Seek the Lord with Full Purpose of Heart
Bishop Budge encourages us to approach our spiritual practices with devotion and intent, similar to how Sister Wada approached her calligraphy. This heartfelt devotion transforms our worship into an expression of love for God.
God desires that we approach our time with Him with the same kind of heartfelt devotion.
When we do so, our worship becomes an expression of our love for Him.Key Points:
- Heartfelt devotion transforms worship into love.
- Approach spiritual practices with mindfulness and intent.
- God yearns for us to commune with Him.
- Reflect on a time when you felt your worship was an expression of love for God.
- Share an experience where you approached a spiritual practice with full intent.
- Discuss how sincere devotion has changed your relationship with God.
Integrate Mindfulness into Sacred Practices
Bishop Budge suggests integrating mindfulness into daily prayers, scripture study, the sacrament, and temple worship to enhance our covenant connection with God. He encourages savoring scriptures and preparing mindfully for sacred ordinances.
What if we were to take these sacred opportunities off our to-do lists and put them on our "non-doing" lists?
When our focus is less on doing and more on strengthening our covenant connection with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, I testify that each of these sacred moments will be enriched.Key Points:
- Mindfulness enhances sacred practices.
- Savoring scriptures and preparing for ordinances enriches spiritual moments.
- Focus on covenant connections rather than tasks.
- Describe how mindfulness has enriched your scripture study.
- Share a time when you prepared mindfully for the sacrament.
- Discuss how focusing on covenant connections has impacted your worship.
Find Rest and Strength in the Lord
Bishop Budge emphasizes the importance of finding rest and strength in the Lord by slowing down and seeking quiet moments with God. He reminds us of the Savior's example in seeking solitude for prayer and reflection.
Paradoxically, helping God hasten His work of salvation and exaltation may require that we slow down.
As we concentrate our hearts and minds on Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and listen to the still, small voice of the Holy Ghost, we will have greater clarity about what is most needful.Key Points:
- Slowing down can help us find rest and strength in the Lord.
- The Savior sought solitude for prayer and reflection.
- Quiet moments with God provide clarity and guidance.
- Reflect on a time when slowing down brought you closer to God.
- Share an experience where you found strength in quiet moments with the Lord.
- Discuss how following the Savior's example of solitude has impacted your life.
