- Establishing the finest homes has everything to do with the personal qualities of the people living there.
- Is the image of Christ reflected in the people living there?
- We suck here.
- Residents in the finest homes make time to study the words of Christ and his servants every day.
- Fine homes follow the blueprint for the Lord house, the temple.
- This includes making use of the best knowledge available
- Fine homes are a refuge from the world.
What was the question he was inspired to ask the stake presidents?
“The restored gospel is the perfect blueprint for establishing the finest homes.”
The attributes of Christ are acquired in the “process of time” by intentional progress along the covenant path. Christlike attributes adorn the lives of those who strive to live with goodness. They fill homes with gospel light, whether the floor is mud or marble. Even if you are the only one in your household who follows the injunction to “seek after these things,” you can contribute to the spiritual furnishings of your family’s home.
Look for whether my life is adorned with goodness, regardless of those around me.
Second, residents in the finest homes make time to study the scriptures and the words of living prophets every day. President Russell M. Nelson has invited us to “transform” and “remodel” our homes through gospel study. His invitation recognizes that fine homes house the tender, vital work of personal growth and remodeling our weaknesses. Daily repentance is a transformative tool that enables us to grow a little kinder, more loving, and more understanding. Studying the scriptures brings us closer to the Savior, whose generous love and grace assist us with our growth.
I felt an emphasis this time in the fact that they make the time it study daily – it is intentional.
Third, fine homes follow the blueprint created by the Lord for His finest home, the temple. Building a temple begins with basic steps—clearing brush and leveling land. Those initial efforts to ready the ground might be compared to keeping the basic commandments. The commandments are the foundation on which discipleship is built. Steady discipleship leads us to become firm, steadfast, and immovable, like the steel framework for a temple. This steady framework allows the Lord to send His Spirit to change our hearts. Experiencing a mighty change of heart is like adding beautiful features to the interior of a temple.
As we continue in faith, the Lord gradually changes us. We receive His image in our countenance and begin to reflect the love and beauty of His character. As we become more like Him, we will feel at home in His house, and He will feel at home in ours.
We should expect to have a mighty change of heart multiple times as we add new features “here a little and there a little.”
Just as the last stake president was finishing his comments, a thought came into my mind: “Elder Clayton, ask them this question: ‘Presidents, of the members in your stakes who pay a full tithing, pay a generous fast offering, magnify their callings in the Church, actually visit their families as home teachers or visiting teachers every month, hold family home evening, study the scriptures, and hold family prayer each day, how many have problems they cannot address on their own without the Church having to step in and solve their problems for them?’”
Responsive to the impression I had received, I asked the stake presidents that question.
They looked at me in surprised silence and then said, “Pues, ninguno,” meaning, “Well, no one.” They then told me that none of the members who did all of those things had problems they were incapable of resolving on their own. Why? Because they lived in the finest homes. Their faithful living provided them the strength, vision, and heavenly help they needed in the economic turmoil that surrounded them.This doesn’t mean the righteous won’t become ill, suffer accidents, face business reversals, or confront many other difficulties in life. Mortality always brings challenges, but time after time I have seen that those who strive to obey the commandments are blessed to find their way forward with peace and hope. Those blessings are available to everyone.
- pay a full tithing
- pay a generous fast offering
- magnify their callings in the Church
- visit their families as ministers every month
- hold family home evening
- study the scriptures
- hold family prayer each day
How can I work on those 7 things?
Leave a Reply