Increase my Productivity

I am reading a new book. It is: Emma Smith, an Elect Lady by Susan Easton Black. I personally LOVE Susan Easton Black. In college I never met any of her sons, but I wanted to marry one just so that I could be her daughter-in-law. Then I would also be "Sister Black." How cool would that be? OK- now you all know that I am psycho. But I'm not too worried- I only have about 3 readers :)

Below is a passage from the book, Emma Smith, An Elect Lady, by Susan Easton Black, of course:

David Whitmer remembered one morning as Joseph was preparing to translate passages from the gold plates:

Something went wrong about the house and he was put out about it. Something
that Emma, his wife had done. Oliver and I went up stairs, and Joseph came up
soon after to continue translation, but he could do nothing. He could not
translate a single syllable. He went downstairs, out into the orchard and made
supplication to the Lord; was gone about an hour- came back to the house, and
asked Emma's forgiveness and then came up stairs where we were and the
translation went on all right.

It seems more obvious that Joseph needed the spirit to do his work, but I know that I need the spirit to do my work well also. If I don't feel as if I have the spirit with me- I should spend an hour doing what I need to to get it, and then go forward and have a productive day.

The Way

Today I read "The Way"- by Elder Lawrence E. Corbridge Of the Seventy.

One part of his talk that really struck me was this:

John the Baptist said that while he baptized with water, Jesus baptized
“with the Holy Ghost.”12
Nothing
in this life is of greater worth than the supernal gift of the Holy Ghost. It is
the source of joy, peace, knowledge, strength, love, and every other good thing.
With the Atonement, it is the power by which we may be changed and made strong
where we are weak. With the priesthood, it is the power by which marriages and
families are sealed together eternally.13
It is the power by which the Lord makes Himself manifest unto those who believe
in Him.14
Every good thing depends on getting and keeping the power of the Holy Ghost in
our lives. Everything depends on that.
To that end, Jesus Christ entered a
garden called Gethsemane, where He overcame sin for us. He took upon Himself our
sins. He suffered the penalty of our wrongs. He paid the price of our education.
I don’t know how He did what He did. I only know that He did and that because He
did, you and I may be forgiven of our sins that we may be endowed with His
power. Everything depends on that. What then shall we do? We will “take upon
[us] the name of [the] Son, and always remember him and keep his commandments
which he has given [us]; that [we] may always have his Spirit to be with
[us].”15
Everything depends on that.

I have been thinking a lot about the covenant of the sacrament lately. I want to have a lovely atmosphere in my home all the time. With four little children, I sometimes get frustrated with them. I need to keep his commandments, and always remember him, because I know that I need his spirit to always be with me.

Everything depends on that.