Desirable Attributes

This week's assignment was a little more introspective in nature.  We are also skipping around a little in the New Testament, so the chapters include Acts 19-20, 1 Corinthians 1-3, 1 Thessalonians, and 2 Thessalonians.

More specifically, my assignment was about counsel that Paul gave to the Thessalonians in his letters to them.  He admonishes them to improve in quite a few areas, and the list I compiled comes from 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13; 4:1-12; 5:1-22; 2 Thessalonians 3:1-6, 11.  Please feel free to read through these verses and add any other attributes that you think are important!

This advice to the Thessalonians also applies to us.  We need to:

• Abound in love towards all men
• Abstain from fornication
• Keep our bodies clean and pure
• Not take advantage of others
• Work hard and be industrious
• Be honest and dependable
• Be watchful and vigilent
• Have faith, love, and hope
• Comfort and edify one another
• Be patient and peaceful
• Rejoice, pray always, and give thanks in all things
• Not hang out with the "wrong crowd"

These are all great pieces of advice, but they don't mean anything if we don't apply them to our lives!  The second part of my assignment was to pick three attributes from the list and write a plan for myself on how I can improve in those areas.  I would encourage you to do the same! :)

1. Work hard and be industrious.  I will improve in this area by focusing more on the way I take care of my home.  It's easy to fall behind on chores and let things slide, but we are all happier when our home is in order.  I have been meaning to make a chore chart for months now, but I keep putting it off.  This weekend I will make a chore chart, and we will work harder as a family to keep our home in order.  Once we have improved in that area, I will find ways to be more industrious. ;)
2. Comfort and edify one another.  I will improve in this area by taking a more active interest in the sisters that I visit teach.  It's hard for me to get to know new people, especially when I'm the one that has just moved to a new place, but I will make a more concerted effort to get to know others so that I can better comfort and edify them.
3. Be patient and peaceful.  Haha!  This is probably the hardest one for me!  I really struggle with being patient, and I wouldn't exactly call myself "peaceful" either.  I will search the scriptures and the words of the living prophets for ideas and suggestions on being patient and peaceful, and then I will practice those suggestions.