Live up to your Privileges

Madrid Spain Temple

I went to the temple Friday morning. My heart was heavy with some sad news received a couple of nights earlier. 

“We have some bad news,” I heard my sister-in-law on the phone. 

My nephew was almost 37 years old with two little boys and his heart had suddenly stopped. No warning, no pain. He was just…gone. 

My heart has been tender thinking about just how fragile life is, how quickly any one of us can go. 

I’ve also been pondering the California fires. Not only thinking about our own level of preparedness in case such a disaster were to strike, but again, realizing just how easily all we think it’s important can be lost. 

I am pondering my own loved ones and the heartaches, joys, sorrows, pains, happiness, celebrations and transitions happening all around me. These last few days have been a stark reminder for me that we can feel both joy and pain in the same breath. 

I also attended the temple Friday morning with thoughts of the past year and what I hope the next year to be. Again, my mind filled with joys, sorrows, heartaches, celebrations, pains and tender experiences. The year started off very wrong. I don’t even know what happened to me, but my mental state seemed to collapse!  I was irritable, tired, stressed, worried — just plain grumpy. Seriously, I thought 2024 was going to be the worst year ever! And it was hard. But good things happened, too. By the end of the year I felt truly grateful and excited for 2025 to begin (if only to say goodbye to 2024!). 

The Power of…

One of my new year’s resolutions is read a book each month with “the power of…” in the title. 

Some of the titles on my list are: 

The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

Why we Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker

The Power of Time Perception by Jean Paul Zogby

The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay

The Secret Power of Yoga by Nischala Joy Devi

I’m excited for my course of study this year and I’m ready to harness more power in my life. 

The greatest power, of course, being the power of godliness, as spoken of in the scriptures.  In her talk from the most recent general conference, Sister Emily Belle Freeman spoke of this immaculate, God-given power through our priesthood covenants and ordinances. 

With my mind on goals and aspirations for the new year, two phrases became questions for me as I decided where to put my focus. 

Live up to your Privileges

Sister Freeman said, “Through revelation, Emma would learn about the inward sanctification and covenant connection that would increase the ability of those priesthood ordinances in her life. First, the Lord reminded Emma of her place in His plan…Second…the Lord gave her purpose (emphasis added).” 

Here came my questions: 

First, what has the Lord told me about who I am and what is my place in His plan? 

Second, what has the Lord asked me or told me to do, what is my purpose? 

These are beautiful questions we can each ask ourselves as we plan and prepare for 2025.  The answers to these questions can create deeper meaning in the goals we set. My immediate answers to these questions came from my patriarchal blessing. Further pondering took me to other blessings I have received and from kind words of others.  If I can hold to these two questions throughout the year, I believe I will receive many more answers along the way and opportunities will be presented to how I can fulfill my purpose and live up to my privileges.

I look back at the answers that came to me while attending the temple Friday morning. I was given some clear direction on who I am and what I am meant to do.  The answers that came to my mind were both comforting and daunting, as I’m sure Emma felt during that uncertain time of her life. 

Then, sitting in the temple with these thoughts in my mind, I was drawn to the scripture: 

“Fear not to do good [my daughter], for whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap; therefore, if ye sow good ye shall also reap good for your reward. Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let earth  and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail….perform with sober nests the work which I have commanded you.  Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not (D&C 6:33-36).”

Like Emma, we don’t just “have a front-row seat to the Restoration; [we are] an essential participant in the work taking place (Sister Freeman).” We have direct access to God’s power as co-creators with Him of our lives and His glorious plan.  

Yes, I hope to learn more about the power of habit and humility, yoga and stillness; but these tools can only be enhanced in my life as I bind myself to God and His power. Doing so will greatly increase my ability to live up to my privileges and reach my full potential!  “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:6).” 

With my heart both heavy and full, I am confident that 2025 is going to be a great year of glorious power, both in my personal life and for the world!

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If you live up to your privileges, 

the angels cannot be restrained from being your associates.  

—  Joseph Smith