This week's article comes from the April 2002 General Conference. It was reprinted in the December 2008 Ensign so I apologize to those of you who just read this article a month ago.
The talk is entitled "Consecrate Thy Performance" and was given by Elder Neal A. Maxwell. Elder Maxwell was an apostle from 23 July 1981 until he passed away 21 July 2004.
I love reading Elder Maxwell's talks; he is a phenomenal speaker and this article is no exception. I really enjoy how he explains exactly how consecration can and will bless our lives. One main thing that I got out of the talk is that the small and almost simple things are what help us the most in our journey to perfection.
Personal highlights:
I love the term "divine discontent." Go a head and apply that how you will.
"Spiritual submissiveness is not accomplished in an instant, but by the incremental improvements and by the successive use of stepping-stones."
"A stumbling block appears when we serve God generously with time and checkbooks but still withhold portions of our inner selves, signifying that we are not yet fully His!"
"Ironically, inordinate attention, even to good things, can diminish our devotion to God."
"The first commandment is not suspended just because of our vigorous pursuit of a lesser good, for we do not worship a lesser god."
"Are we really willing to submit to that process? Yet if we desire fulness, we cannot hold back part!"
Pray and carefully study the words of Elder Maxwell so that you may know how to apply his words to your lives, for these words are indeed the words of the Lord himself. Perfecting ourselves, or allowing the Lord to perfect us is a hard process, one to which we must willing submit. But all the "sacrifices" that we make will, in the end, be worth the effort and we will find that they are not sacrifices at all. The Savior set the example, now we must follow.
Jeremy
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