The Things of My Soul ... #8, 9, and 10

By Brother Powell

A poster highlighting a "Thing of Elder Rasband's Soul"

During the most recent General Conference, Elder Rasband shared "The Things of [His] Soul." He related that youth often ask what he believes and why he believes it. One young woman asked him, "What are the most important things I should know?"
Elder Rasband shared his list of seven things of his soul:

1. ​Love God the Father and Jesus Christ, our Savior.
2. Love thy neighbor.
3. Love yourself.
4. Keep the commandments.
5. Always be worthy to attend the temple.
6. Be joyful and cheerful.
7. Follow God's living prophet.

At the end of his talk, Elder Rasband closed with an invitation. "I invite you to identify your own eight, nine, and ten. Consider ways you might share your heartfelt 'things' with others and encourage them to pray, ponder, and seek the Lord's guidance." It is in response to that invitation that I wish to outline three things of my soul. I invite all who would like to comment on this post to share things of your soul (your 8, 9, and 10) as well.​​

8. Ponder the scriptures. I've previously shared my testimony of searching for answers to questions in the scriptures. I have several books of questions (such as The Book of Mormon Made Harder) that don't spoon-feed spiritual insights; they cause me to dig into the scriptures using cross-references, the Bible dictionary, the topical guide, and other Internet resources to better understand the principles that led to a prophet's words or actions. This type of scripture study isn't easy and doesn't guarantee a rewarding insight every day. However, I am blessed with the peace of the Holy Spirit as I seek to understand and harmonize the teachings in the scriptures.

9. Listen to and participate in uplifting music. Sometimes when we go to the temple, we are treated to quiet organ music. We spend a quarter of Sacrament Meeting singing hymns. God has declared, "The song of the righteous is a prayer unto me" that will be answered with a blessing (D&C 25:12). I sing with the ward choir not because I have a beautiful or well-trained voice, but because I am affected positively when I participate. On more than one occasion, I've caught myself humming a choir number while walking down a hallway at work, sometimes three or four days after singing in the choir. There is significant power in music, which can be used for good or for bad. I seek music that has a wholesome and uplifting message, and hymns are a favorite source of mine.

10. Choose to be grateful. Gratitude is another principle with a promise. "And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more" (D&C 78:19). I believe it is important to acknowledge God's hand in our lives. Don't be too quick to pass off our fortune as good luck. Even our trials are designed to humble us and bring us closer to heaven. I like to make sure my prayers are not just a list of requests, but an acknowledgement of God's hand and love in my life. One of my repeated thanks and acknowledgements is for the members of the Mt. Fagan Ward. Thank you for your service and testimonies!