As Paul ministered to the Church during his missions, he grew to love the people and showed them how they should live the gospel. Later, he wrote letters and reminded them of the attributes to improve upon in the lives.
The list below is what I was able to come up with but I am sure there are more:
- Have a love of God and learn to do His will.
- Love one another, edify one another, be patient, and do good to all men.
- Keep the commandments.
- Know and live by the example given by church leaders.
- Pray for our leaders and don’t talk bad about those called to do the work.
- Abstain from sexual sin and avoid all evil. Separate from those things that are evil. Pray for protection from evil.
- Be honest to all men and in all things. Even if our untruth is never found out, God knows all.
- Learn and develop talents and skills.
- Learn the value of work and develop the love of work.
- Watch and prepare for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Be patient in the waiting.
- Share the gospel and pray for missionary work.
- Rejoice always.
- Pray always.
- Show gratitude in all things.
- Deny not the Holy Ghost.
- Build testimony of and hold fast to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
· As I look at this list, and even though it was for the
members of Paul’s time, I see things that I do well but many others that I still
need some work on. These things are just as applicable to our times as they
were of Paul’s time. Of the things I need to work on, the three I want develop and
continue to work on are to rejoice always, pray always, and to develop talents
and skills.
Many of my friends would probably tell you that I already
rejoice always. To me, rejoice always is being positive and always finding good
in things. For me, this is an everyday choice. Many years ago, I learned that
happiness is not something that happens to you, it is something you choose.
Only you can allow something to bring you down and make you miserable. Since
that lesson learned, I make it a matter of prayer to always see the good and be
happy regardless of what stress I feel. Some days, those prayers are much more
constant than others.
This brings me to my next attribute that is a constant thing
for me, to pray always. I know that speaking to my Heavenly Father is a good
thing and I do take many opportunities throughout the day to say quick little
ones here and there but I have always found it hard to get on my knees and pour
our my heart in prayer every morning and evening. To seek His strength and guidance
through the day and then to return and report in the evening, expressing gratitude
for all that He has done for during that day. I commit to making this a habit
because I know the strength that comes from daily communication with my
Heavenly Father. As I make this a goal for my life, it can only give me more
strength to endure the weight of the day.
My last attribute is one that I have already started to do
and that is to develop talents and skills. Heavenly Father has asked us to
increase our knowledge and never stop learning. As I have tried to pursue this
in my adult life, I have felt guided and prepared for many things in my life.
When I connected with the BYU Idaho Pathways program over a year ago, I knew
this was an answer to my prayers about finishing a degree. I don’t know what
the future holds for me but I do know that I will do everything I can to never
stop learning and to always seek opportunities to share the knowledge Heavenly
Father has blessed me with.
I know that I am not perfect nor will I ever be, but I can
always strive to improve. In Paul’s teachings to the Thessalonians, are many
things in which for me to work on. I know that as I continually work on myself,
that it can only bring blessings and bring me closer to my Heavenly Father.
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