Amen, this is serving in its truest form. It is not an ox in a mire situation it is a period of time that we can set aside for others where they feel of our love and our support.

President Nelson very eloquently stated it as “Let God Prevail”. This was expounded upon so many times after giving more ways and reasons to Let God Prevail. Even when life drags you through the wringer, letting God prevail makes turning it around so much h easier. When we make bad choices and cause the consequences that we receive because of those choices, not blaming God and asking “What Now?l, or “What am I supposed to learn from this?“ Will make the truth around more aligned with God and Let God Prevail in your life. I know this from personal experience and testify that using those questions instead of blaming God makes a huge difference.

This seems like a bigger message is coming. Spending quiet time with God on a daily basis is a goal that a lot of people struggle with. But finding meditation and making it a priority is valuable. Carrying that spirit and quietness with you as you attend church is extremely helpful to your spirit and the others who are also attending.

This is harder than you make it sound. Which I don’t believe you are trying to make it sound easy. Satan knows how to use our inner critics against us and against God. One of the true ways of silencing the inner critic is to let God Prevail in our lives. This is also really hard to do. I reference back to the famous scripture, 3 Nephi 13:24. No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon. This and severe other scriptural references about not trusting in the arm of flesh and seek ye first the kingdom of God all teach us, like President Nelson taught in a General Conference session several years ago, paraphrasing ‘in the coming time it will be impossible to survive without the constant connection to the Holy Ghost’. Letting God Prevail is so hard yet so easy, are we saying our own prayers, are we reading from the Book of Mormon daily, are we attending our church services weekly. Start there, I will not promise that your life will flip and become easier the moment you start doing this. Remember the story of Alma and Amulek when they were cast into prison and spit on and humiliated? Amulek asked Alma if they could stretch forth their arms and save the people who were being burned alive. They were doing what was right and Alma told him “They are being received by God in glory.” We cannot save the world, but we can do a little at a time, and the first step is you, then your family, then, then, then. As we go on helping ourselves, we are in turn helping others and showing God our love for Him.

Shifting to fit in sounds an awful lot like having a bendy brain, which is good. It is always good to be different and hear other’s views, but it is also good to hold your own. Be true to yourself and to God and you will always convert people. Not just convert to the Gospel, but make them your friend. Love them and be there for them, but always be true to yourself first. Which means, honor the covenants that you have made and you will always be on the winning side.

@Laura Harris concur