Grow Spiritually

By C. LaRene Hall

This is a good week for me to discuss what I’m going to do this year to become more spiritual. We just had stake conference and I find if I attend with an open heart, I gain an amazing new outlook on life. There are always some incredible ideas presented that if I follow them, it will change my life. Of course, there are the usual encouragements such as praying more, and studying your scriptures diligently. For some reason I always fall short with both of these principles, and every year I say I will do better. This year my goal is to read the entire Old Testament. It seems I always quit before reaching the end.

Sunday, when the stake president stood to speak, I had no idea the things he had to say would have such an impact on me. He warned us about taking cell phones with us to church. Many adults and teens use them as entertainment during sacrament meeting, such as texting back and forth, or playing games. My son had a good argument about this because he has his scriptures on his cell phone. He assured me that he keeps his phone silenced and only uses it to look up gospel related information during church time.

The stake president also warned us about addictions. Not the normal ones we talk about, but things such as pornography, facebook, and the internet. I know that many of my writing friends have encouraged me to use facebook and twitter more often than I do. I understand how they can be a good networking tool, but I can also recognize that a person can become so addicted to their use that they neglect important things. I know many people who have gotten so involved they neglect their families, their work, church callings, and scripture study. As far as I know, my writing friends haven’t been so involved that it’s an addiction.

Neither of these things is something that I indulge in, but I have a new understanding of why they are bad choices. I wish those people who take their cell phones to church or use facebook to excess had been there to hear the advice offered during our conference.

I use the internet to research many historical things for my writing, and I do try to network on facebook, although now I’ll be more careful so I won’t become addicted. We live in a wonderful world with lots of fantastic inventions that help us in our writing, but I’ll be cautious and watchful that I don’t abuse those things given to me. I’d be lost without my computer.