"Lose Yourself and Go to Work"

Many know that this is the phrase that Gordon B. Hinckley's father wrote him while he was serving a mission.

This is a lesson that took me quite a while to learn while I was on my mission, and even near the end, I wasn't perfect at it.

As I pulled out the letters back and forth to Pres. Wirthlin today, I realized how nervous I was about doing everything right. I wanted to make sure I didn't mess up. I wanted to make sure that no one thought ill of me. I was so worried about being perfect, that I got caught up in myself.

As President Benson says in his talk "Beware of Pride" : "Fear of men's judgment manifests itself in competition for men's approval. The proud love 'the praise of men more than the praise of God.' (John 12:42-43.) Our motives for the things we do are where the sin is manifest. Jesus said He did 'always those things' that pleased God. (John 8:29.) Would we not do well to have the pleasing of God as our motive rather than to try to elevate ourselves above our brother and outdo another?"

I was guilty of pride. And that's ok. I look back and think "how many times were we encouraged to read that talk?" So many times! And all of us were! Because all of us deal with pride. It is such a common sin. And all of us are guilty.

As I lost myself in God's work and didn't worry about what others thought, I was able to be so much happier. When all I cared about was what God thought of me, I performed so much better. And perhaps on the outside to others I didn't perform better, but on the inside, I did. My motives were pure. My desires were aligned with God, and even if I messed up, my desires had been in the right place.

As I continued through the letters I wrote President, I noticed that they became less focused on myself and more focused on the people and my testimony of the gospel. My emails were much more light and happy, filled with joy and the spirit. I know that when I aligned my will and my motives with God's, every day became brighter.

This relates to the self-love post I put on beexceedinglyglad last week. When I didn't care anymore about what others thought of me, I loved myself more, and found peace.

I am grateful that God has taught me so much and has helped me to become the person He needs me to be. I am grateful as well that I am not perfect, life would be boring if that was the case. I learn so much every day because of the Lord. I know He lives. I know He loves us perfectly.