Sis. Hunt was our teacher today in RS and taught from Chapter 6 - Becoming Perfect before the Lord: "A little better day by day".
President Snow says, "In starting out in life you may set your hearts upon things very difficult to attain to, but possibly within your reach...This was a favorite theme of President Snow. He often reminded the
Saints of the Lord’s command to be perfect, and he assured them that
through their own diligence and with the Lord’s help..."
Sis. Hunt went on to explain she always knew that we needed to strive to be perfect but didn't realize it was a commandment.
The manual says, "The Lord proposes to confer the highest blessings upon the Latter-day Saints...we must prepare ourselves for them...We also are required to arrive a state of perfection before the Lord. So in reference to the Latter-day Saints; they could not possibly come
up to such a moral and spiritual standard except through supernatural
[heavenly] aid and assistance. Neither do we expect that the Latter-day
Saints, at once will or can conform to this law under all circumstances.
It requires time; it requires much patience and discipline of the mind
and heart in order to obey this commandment. And although we may fail at
first in our attempts, yet this should not discourage the Latter-day
Saints from endeavoring to exercise a determination to comply with the
great requirement.When we experience trying moments, then is the time for us to avail
ourselves of that great privilege of calling upon the Lord for strength
and understanding, intelligence and grace by which we can overcome the
weakness of the flesh against which we have to make a continual warfare."
Sis. Hunt asked, "What advice would you give to someone who is struggling with perfection or what it means?
I wanted to share a synopsis of several comments made:
Disgard the worldly meaning of perfection
Don't have to do it in one day
What is Heavenly Father's meaning of perfection?
Strive to be better everyday
Are you perfect in 1 thing or nearly?
Maybe being perfect means we never strop trying...
When we comply with a requirement from the Lord, we are perfect in that sphere.
Pres. Snow tells us, "A person may be perfect in regard to some things and not others. A person who obeys the word of wisdom
faithfully is perfect as far as that law is concerned. When we repented
of our sins and were baptized for the remission of them, we were
perfect as far as that matter was concerned."
Sis. Hunt asked, "have we ever failed?" Of course we all have.
There is a great example of trying to be a little better each day or realizing you may be perfect in 1 thing from the manual:
If
the wife can live with her husband one day without quarrelling or
without treating anyone unkindly or without grieving the Spirit of God
in any way, that is well so far; he is so far perfect. Then let her try
to be the same the next day. But supposing she should fail in this her
next day’s attempt, that is no reason why she should not succeed in doing
so the third day. … We should try to
walk each day so that our conscience would be void of offense before
everybody.
How can we rise above discouragement?
How can we help others who are discouraged?
There is no necessity for Latter-day Saints to worry over the things of this world. They will all pass away. Our hearts should be set on things above.
We cannot become perfect at once, but we can be a little better day by day. Do not expect to become perfect at once. If you do, you will be disappointed. Be better today than you were yesterday, and be better tomorrow than you are today.