Self Improvement

            Last week, I was asked to give a spiritual thought at ward prayer on Sunday. After saying I would love to give the spiritual thought, I prayed about what to share, but nothing really came to mind. A couple of days passed, and I realized I still hadn't thought if anything. I talked with my roommate and sister, asking them what they thought I should talk about. They both suggested that I should pray. Finally, Sunday morning, as I sat down to read my scriptures, I prayed to be inspired by something I would read. As I read through the chapter, I marked important verses and phrases, yet nothing really jumped out at me--until the very last two verses. As King Benjamin finishes his speech to his people in chapter 4, he urges his people to be careful so they do not sin. Mosiah 4:29-30 reads "And finally, I cannot tell you all the things whereby ye may commit sin; for there are divers ways and means, even so many that I cannot number them. But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not."

                I am really familiar Mosiah 4:30 since it is a scripture mastery—one of the few I still have memorized due to seminary. I have learned the importance of watching your thoughts, because thoughts lead to words and actions. However, as I contemplated the verse right before it, about the many ways we can sin, a few questions came to mind: How well do you know yourself? How well does Satan know you? How well does God know you? It is important that we all know ourselves—our strengths and weaknesses—in order to be able to watch ourselves. Satan at least knows are weaknesses, because that is how he tempts us. However, God knows not only our weaknesses and strengths, but also how to turn our weaknesses INTO strengths (Ether 12:27). He knows us perfectly—better than we know ourselves. Thus, we should all take personal inventories every week with ourselves and God, recognizing where we fell short and how to improve. Instead of brushing aside your sins and weaknesses, truly come to know yourself—what you struggle with, things you are tempted by—so that you can specifically pray for those weaknesses to become strengths. I know as we work on improving ourselves, we will come closer to God. As we turn to Him for strength and help, He will lead us on a path of self-discovery and make us stronger than we could ever be alone.