I gave a talk in the YSA Branch this last Sunday on this topic. I write out my talk and as I give it in Sacrament Meeting I add more personal things as I feel the Spirit directs. So this is the written version but not exactly as I gave it.
How Do I Offset
Negative Influences in My Life?
Talk given by Linda on March 18th, 2012
YSA
Branch
A worker was
leaning far out over the edge of a high building in the middle of a crowded
city. Unfortunately, he slipped and fell. Fortunately, there was a hay wagon
proceeding slowly down the avenue just below him. Unfortunately, there was a
pitch fork sticking, prongs up, in the middle of the load of hay. Fortunately,
the man didn’t hit the pitchfork. Unfortunately he didn’t hit the hay wagon
either.
Do you ever feel
something like that? You’re going to school, working, living life and things
seem to be going fine then “bam” something happens and you feel like your
falling. Then after a bit you level again and “bam” negative influences slam at
you again. It’s feels like a roller coaster. Up, down, up, down.
We chose to come
to earth and receive a body. Which was an excellent choice by the way. By
choosing to come to earth we knew that good and bad would be presented to us as
we as we went along our earth’s journey. 2 Nephi
2:16 “Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for
himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was
enticed by the one or the other.”
I googled “How do
I offset negative influences in my life and lots of different site links came
up from… negative influences of drugs, alcohol, advertising, caffeine, people
you surround yourself with, your friends, work atmosphere, television, music,
media in general, divorce. As you heard this list I just read I can tell you
that you have heard similar list before. What rings familiar here? Simply…Satan
wants us to fail so you and I are being attacked. There is a war. We know the
final outcome for God’s kingdom in this war. It will be victorious. What about
each of us individually? Will we be victors?
“He who stands
in the middle of the road is in a dangerous position; he gets knocked down by
the traffic from both sides.” Matthew 6:24 “
No Man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one, and love the
other; Or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve
God and mammon.” We have a choice.
In Family Home
Evening a few weeks ago you were given a new For the Strength of Youth book. I
believe that no matter what our age is when it comes to the gospel principals
taught in this book it is beneficial to us. By being obedient to these
principals we will be standing in holy places. We will have the spirit with us
to help guide us in the choices and decisions we make. Remember the google list
I shared earlier? 1 Corinthians
10:13 “There hath no
temptation take you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will
not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the
temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” Heavenly
Father has given us ways to escape. I’m just going to share a few with you.
For the Strength of Youth- pg. 2 Agency
and Accountability- 2 Nephi 2:27 – “Wherefore men, …are free to choose
liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose
captivity and death.” Heavenly Father
had given you agency, the ability to choose right from wrong and to act for
yourself. Next to the bestowal of life itself, the right to direct your life is
one of God’s greatest gifts to you. While here on earth you are being proven to
see if you will use your agency to show your love for God by keeping His
commandments.
Pg. # 11 Entertainment and the
Media-Article Faith #13- If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of
good report or praiseworthy we seek after these things- Choose wisely when using the media, because
whatever you read, listen to, or look at has an effect on you. Select only
media that uplifts you.
Pg. #16 Friends – Everyone needs
good and true friends. They will influence how you think and act, and
even help you determine the person you will become.
Pg. #25 Physical and Emotional
health- Doctrine and Covenants 89:18-19
– All saints who remember to keep and do these sayings…shall receive health in
their navel and marrow to their bones; and shall find wisdom and great
treasures of knowledge. – Your body is a temple, a gift from God. Choose to
obey the Word of Wisdom. When you are obedient to this law you remain free from
harmful addictions and have control over your life.
We cannot sit
idly by and hope that nothing negative will come our way. We must take action.
Leonardo da Vinci said, “I have been impressed with the urgency of doing.
Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do.”
We must be
actively alert in fighting for the light in choosing the right. I have a
scripture chain I’d like to share that would help you in keeping the
commandments.
Matthew 4:1-4 “ Then was Jesus
led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when
he had fasted forty days and forty nights he was afterward an hungred. And when
the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these
stones by made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that
proceedeth out of the mouth of God,” So ‘Live God’s word’
Alma 13:28 “But that ye would
humble yourselves before the lord, and call on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not be tempted
above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the Holy Spirit, becoming
humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering:” – ‘Watch and Pray’
1 Corinthians 10:13 “There
hath no temptation take you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful,
who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation
also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” ‘Escape temptation’
Doctrine and Covenants 10:5 “Pray always, that you may come off conqueror; yea,
that you may conquer Satan and that you may escape the hands of the servants of
Satan that do uphold his work.” ‘ Pray always’
3 Nephi 18:15-18 “ Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always, lest ye be tempted by
the devil, and ye be led away captive by him. And as I have prayed among you
even so shall ye pray in my church, among my people who do repent and are
baptized in my name. Behold I am the light; I have set an example for you. And
it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words unto his disciples, he
turned again unto the multitude and said unto them: Behold, verily, verily, I
say unto you, ye must watch and pray always lest ye
enter into temptation; for Satan desireth to have you, that he may sift
you as wheat.” ‘Watch and Pray always’
Genesis 39:8,9,12 “But he refused,
and said unto his master's wife, Behold, my master wotteth not what is
with me in the house, and he hath committed all that he hath to my hand; There
is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing
from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this
great wickedness, and sin against God? And she caught him by his garment,
saying, Lie with me: and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out. ‘Refuse and Run’
I can’t promise you that everything in
your life will be wonderful all the time. It won’t we live in an imperfect
world. But I can promise that as you steer clear of the negative influences in
your life you will be blessed in this life and especially the next.
I’m so thankful to be serving with Larry
amongst you. I have become a better person for knowing each of you. The gospel
of Jesus Christ is God’s true church on this earth. I know the prophet Joseph
Smith was God’s instrument in restoring the gospel in these Latter Days.
President Monson in the prophet today. Your Branch President loves and cares
for each of you. I see it. You’re in our prayers. I love you. We love you.
Heleman 5:12 “And
now, my sons, ( my YSA’s) remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our
Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation;
that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the
whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it
shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless
wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a
foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.”
I say these things in the name of Jesus
Christ. Amen.
