Things of the Spirit

Today was the regional conference held in the Dee Events Center. 9 Stakes were in attendance, and 75 other stakes participated in it remotely (watched it on close circuit TV). 84 Stakes. The mission has a total of 158 stakes. The area covered was from Riverdale northward. Amazing. Pres. Monsen presided, Elder Merlin Jensen conducted, Elder Anderson from the 70 was there along with a counselor from the general primary presidency, Rosalee Wertz?. I was sick so I stayed in bed, but Elder Lund attended. He reported to me that several of the talks spoke about how we should forsake the things of the world for the things of the spirit. It was discussed, "Are we teaching our children that the most important things to pursue are the things of the spirit" or are we helping our children to grow up feeing like they are "entitled"?  Like the stippling warriors, they were taught the important things by their mothers (and fathers, and aunts and uncles and grandparents). I have thought with our current economic situation in the world, are we helping our family members to seek for the spirit of the Holy Ghost, or to "kill pigs with angry birds" or text and surf and download their lives away? Are we trying to "do it all" "have it all" or seek after the best? Note: I am not pointing a finger at anyone but just reflecting on where our LDS society is at as a whole.

I must admit, I have been guilty of seeking after trivial things, but recently as I was reading in the bible, this verse in Hebrew really hit home to me.
        Hebrews 13:5 "Let your conversation be without covetness; and be content with such things as ye have."

Uncle Bob always said, "Life is not fair" and I think that also means that not everyone will have everything.  Now don't get me wrong, I don't think that striving to improve one's condition is wrong, but this mission has helped me re-define important things. I have been struck many times with how important it is to seek after, listen to, and then act on the promptings of the Holy Ghost. Every day, there are promptings that will come to us. Do we seek those promptings or run away from them? Or close our eyes and ears to those promptings? Do we spend too much time pursuing those worldly things that will give momentary pleasure or are we really trying to be better to return to Heavenly Father's presence? Are we teaching our children to seek after the Holy Ghost, to listen to the prophet and listen to what the Holy Ghost tells us as to what the prophets are teaching,  or turn the other way? I believe that the only way we are going to make it through this life is to seek for the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost as we see counterfeits in our daily life. That is the only way we can discern truth... by listening to the Holy Ghost. This blog is not a speech to you to call you to repent, but rather, it is what I am slowly recognizing. The things of this world may entertain and take away our attention for the moment, but in the end, it is on pursuing the things of the spirit which will bring us happiness. It is my pledge to you, that each day, I am going to try to seek the spirit of the Holy Ghost, that I will try to do better at listen to the promptings, and then live each day according to the Spirit. I am going to try to be "content with such things as I have."

By the way, Elder Lund told me of a verse they shared in the meeting that talks about our children today, and maybe even us, about feeling entitled. It is D & C 68:31. Very interesting.