The Education of my Desires

www.kevinhinckley.com

Overheard at BYUGirl 1: okay, so on a scale of one to ten, how

attractive is he? Girl 2: let's just say...he knows ALL his scripture mastery.

guy on the phone: "The class has like, 1000 students in it. Hopefully the planets will align and I'll see her again. Alright, I'll let you know how it goes. Bye, Mom“

 girl 1: he's cute. what's his last name?girl 2: *some awkward last name*girl 1: yeah.... I wouldn’t marry him.......

At the BYU Football broadcast there was a tv commercial for an online dating service. The ad stated that 1 in 5 relationships start online.....Guy 1: 1 out of 5!? Really? I dont think I can date online.Guy 2: No it really works. That's how I met my First wife.....

Announcement on the church program: 'September 22nd: Frodo and Bilbo Baggins' birthday! Celebrate with a Lord of the Rings marathon and high-fiving short people'

Children of Israel

Pres. Joseph F. Smith…the education of our desires is

one of far-reaching importance to our happiness in life.

God’s ways of educating our desires are, of course, always the most perfect…

And what is God’s way?Everywhere in nature we are

taught the lessons of patience and waiting. We want things a long time before we get them…

In nature we have our seed-time and harvest; Nature resists us and keeps admonishing us to wait; indeed, we are compelled to wait…

Gospel Doctrine, p. 297

The Education of your desires includes developing a sense of history so that you will see nonsense for what it is…

We may one day find that our desires are truly our own and cannot be wholly implanted from outside by anybody—even God—without dishonoring our individual moral agency.

Therefore, your deepest desires will control your choices, and your choices will then control the consequences to be felt both in this life and in the life to come.(The Education of Our Desires, UofU Institute, Jan 1983

Neal A. Maxwell

D&C 18: 24-38

Desires

Desires

Choices

Desires

Moses 4:1Desires

Elder C.S. Lewis The prayer preceding all prayers is: May it be the real I who speaks. May it be the real Thou that I speak to.’

Infinitely various are the levels from which we pray.

Every idea of Him we form, He must in mercy shatter.Letters to Malcolm, Chiefly on Prayer.

If we are not careful, we will worship Gods of our own making….

CS LewisEvery idea of Him

we form, He must in mercy shatter.

These Two QuotesJoseph F. Smith…the education of our desires is one of far-reaching importance to our happiness in life.

Romans 8:26(Reverse Order…)

Desires and Prayers

Repeat from yesterday:President Eyring

Like you, I have felt what King Benjamin meant when he said that we could become like a little child before God. I have prayed, as you have, to know what to do when choices that I faced would have eternal consequences. Over many years I have seen a recurring pattern in the times when the answers to such a prayer have come most clearly.

Once, for instance, I prayed through the night to know what I was to choose to do in the morning. I knew that no other choice could have had a greater effect on the lives of others and on my own. I knew what choice looked most comfortable to me. I knew what outcome I wanted. But I could not see the future. I could not see which choice would lead to which outcome. So the risk of being wrong seemed too great to me.

I prayed, but for hours there seemed to be no answer. Just before dawn, a feeling came over me. More than at any time since I had been a child, I felt like one. My heart and my mind seemed to grow very quiet. There was a peace in that inner stillness.

Somewhat to my surprise, I found myself praying, “Heavenly Father, it doesn’t matter what I want. I don’t care anymore what I want. I only want that Thy will be done. That is all that I want. Please tell me what to do.”

In that moment I felt as quiet inside as I had ever felt. And the message came, and I was sure who it was from. It was clear what I was to do. I received no promise of the outcome. There was only the assurance that I was a child who had been told what path led to whatever He wanted for me.

30 Day EMD Challenge“Educate my desires”

1- Express gratitude, but ask for very little.

2- Explain, “All I Want is What You Want”

3- Ask, “What would you have me do?”

4- Listen for promptings or needs