Becoming Our Best Selves

Before Sister LeAnn Rosaaen Risenhoover introduced the topic this morning, she asked each of us to go around and say our name and one thing about ourselves. I will do my best to remember them all so those not in Relief Society can learn about our sisters as well:

LeAnn Rosaaen Risenhoover--hates to cook but her hubby is an excellent one
Joanna Beck--loves chocolate (and makes incredible homemade ones)
Becky King--is 5'
Robyn Christensen Wilson--is known as the "crazy woman" at home
Trina Murphy--went on trek
Kim Easton--works out to Broadway music
Leslie Winward Wright--this week with her girls had fun making "diamond" art (something like that--none of us had heard of it before)
Donise Sarager Price--hates saying her name
Ellie Pace--from Maine
Jan Neering--has dined with the Queen's family
Mary Call--is British but has not dined with the Queen's family
Kathy Jones--knows how to milk cows
Kim Hoffman--has two older children that live away and her daughter will be with them this summer
Summer Heid (a NEW member of our ward--daughter-in-law of Brother and Sister Tracy Church Heid)--little guy is one so six more months until nursery!
Linda Mariner-is 5'1" so enjoys standing by Becky King
Tammy Knight--also likes chocolate
Vernita Granger--crochets beautifully
Vicki Ashton--was 5'4" but has lost 3" over last several years
Dana Sue Kast Janulis--is heading to Montana!
Gloria Murphy--LOVES to hike and would hike 7 days a week if she wasn't concerned she would break something hiking on Sunday :)
Jen Sharp--maiden name is "Barney" so was known as "The Barn" in college
Rachael Inman--became a grandma at 41! She has four grandchildren and loves this phase so much she thinks we should skip mothering and go straight to grandma! :)
Alicia Call Peterson--is Mary Call 's daughter
Jennifer Sears--drives to Surprise at 5:30 a.m. to work out
Jany Matson-- With her husband were dorm parents of 72 young women
Kristin Wonnacott--makes cakes and graduated in photography
Chrystalyn Jones Trimble--enjoys making healthy food and exercising

Sister LeAnn Rosaaen Risenhoover then asked us this question: How can you be your best self? There was lots of wonderful feedback and insights today. I know these posts get very long but I learn from all of them!

Rachael Bonnell Inman talked about her daughter, Cortney Inman, coming home from trek and telling her all the wonderful things from the four days. Rachael asked if there were no hard things and Cortney said there were but she didn't focus on those because of all the good things. Vicki Ashton said the Spirit can help us focus on the positive.  Jen Sharp was Cortney's trek big sister and she said Cortney was a great example of this because every night and every morning she would look over and see Cortney reading her scriptures which is why she could be so positive even when she was freezing at night and unable to sleep.  Chrystalyn Jones Trimble found herself changing her mindset during the sacrament. She began reviewing what she didn't do this week and then stopped herself and started thinking of what she DID do this week that was better than last week. Recognizing when we are giving our best efforts is very important.  Dana Sue Kast Janulis has been going to school and has done very well with all A's until her current Psychology class. She has really been struggling to get good grades in this class so asked a friend who IS a psychologist to help her with her last assignment. She got an F! That helped her to realize that she really is giving her best efforts and the grades are not a reflection on her. Linda Mariner confessed that she realizes she is her best self at church and in public but not always her best self at home. The struggle is real for all of us!  Alicia Call Petersonreminded us of Mosiah 3:19 where we learn the natural man is an enemy to God UNLESS he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit. We need Heaven's help to become our best self! I suggested that perhaps who we are at home is our current true self and who we are in public gives us a glimpse of our best self. When we are in public, we make a more conscientious effort.  LeAnn Rosaaen Risenhoover said she was once told when you walk into a dark room, you hesitate for a brief moment to decided if you need to turn on the light or if you can make it through without it. If we could all take a moment to hesitate before we act to think through our actions than we would probably be better prepared to act as we would like to.  Rachel Terry Thomas testified of the importance of becoming our best self so we can give our best self to our loved ones. Vicki Ashton echoed that sentiment with the quote "An empty well, can't give any water."  Chrystalyn Jones Trimble encouraged us to not be afraid of honest self-reflection. At trek, we were all asked to honestly reflect on where we are at and to write down one thing that we would like to eliminate from our lives and then we wrote those things down on paper and physically buried them "deep in the earth" (Alma 24:17). We then wrote down what we CAN do to help us achieve that goal. Perfection is a process that requires patience and perspective.  Rachael Bonnell Inmansaid as a young mother she often thought she was messing up her children when they acted like kids. Now as a grandmother she recognizes that more often than not, things will work out.  Mary Call shared how difficult it was with one of her little ones who had a difficult time potty training but how he, of course, got through that and is now a successful adult. The ability to be humble and teachable can help us become our best self.  Jen Sharp was told when she was 30 that she lacked a certain attribute. This bothered her and she decided to work on it. When she was 40 someone identified three characteristics she had and one of them was this very attribute she was told she was missing. Weak things really can become our strengths! (Ether 12:27). Kim Hoffman echoed that at times it is helpful to receive insight from others that we trust about where we are lacking.  Becky King had a personal experience with this and she was grateful that her friend knew her well enough to know she wouldn't hate her forever for speaking up!  Although critiquing has it's place, complimenting and encouraging is another approach to help each other become our best selves.  LeAnn Rosaaen Risenhoover was having a rough Monday when she received a call from Elliot Marks with kind and encouraging words that buoyed her up. There were several comments about being around those (including spouses) who challenge us to become better and the importance of not taking offense.  Alicia Call Peterson was reminded this week that just because we deal with things differently does not mean one of us is wrong. We need to be understanding and gentle with each other. The idea was suggested that perhaps that is one reason we often marry someone who is opposite of us. As we each work on perfecting the areas we lack we can together become more whole. This week Donise Sarager Price ran into the quote Leslie Winward Wright handed out at Women's Conference "See Yourself as Heavenly Father Sees You" and she smiled. As we go through the honest self-reflection process of perfection (which by the way Rachael Bonnell Inman reminded us will not be possible to completely achieve in this life) let us remember Becky King's thought "You are good enough" (see Elder J. Devn Cornish's Oct 2016 talk "Am I Good Enough? Will I Make it?). Sisters you are AMAZING! As you honestly self-reflect, be honest in realizing all the good things you are already doing. As we continue what we are doing well and strive to work on just one thing we want to do better today than we did yesterday than in a year's time, we will discover we really are making progress in becoming our best self!