"There is a German legend that just as God had finished naming all the plants, one was left unnamed. A tiny voice spoke out, “Forget me not, O Lord!” And God replied that this would be its name."
"The little forget-me-not flower prompt me to consider five things we would be wise never to forget."
1)
Forget not to be patient with yourself.
Being patient with yourself is more about gaining patience for situations but understanding that you aren't perfect and others who seem to be, aren't. It's about being patient with yourself as you progress in this life and travel through the hills of success and the valley's trials. Uchtdorf explains we all have strengths and weaknesses; while it's great to have strengths it is part of the plan of each of us being to here to turn out weaknesses to strengths with the help of the Lord.
"He wants us to become perfect,2 and if we stay on the path of discipleship, one day we will. It’s OK that you’re not quite there yet. Keep working on it, but stop punishing yourself." "Many of you are endlessly compassionate and patient with the weaknesses of others. Please remember also to be compassionate and patient with yourself."
Part of being patient is seeing the small and simple things that make each day wonderful and full of joy. Be thankful for the things in your life like your education, your health, your personal grow, your calling, or your family relations. These may seem tiny to you and unnoticed to others but not with God; He see's them and they aren't small to him.
" Our journey toward perfection is long, but we can find wonder and delight in even the tiniest steps in that journey."
2)
Forget not the difference between a good sacrifice and a foolish sacrifice.
An acceptable sacrifice is when we give up something good for something far greater in return; we may not see the benefit we are receiving when we give good sacrifices but they are there. Every one and their situations may be different and one's good sacrifice may be a foolish to another but the Lord knows our hearts and our desires of the sacrifice.
“Am I committing my time and energies to the things that matter most?”
How can we know the difference in our situation, ask that question. That will put things in eternal perspective and let the Holy Ghost guide you more fully.
3)
Forget not to be happy now.
Uchtdorf relates this to the story of Charle and the Chocolate Factory and how people began to earn only for the golden ticket for their happiness and being disappointed when it was only the candy bar. They began to forget to see the true happiness of today. They began to think almost, "I'll be happy when..." In this instance, I'll be happy when I get the golden ticket. Today, many people are waiting for their golden ticket and wanting everything to be perfect when receive it.
"There is nothing wrong with righteous yearnings. The problem comes when we put our happiness on hold as we wait for some future event—our golden ticket—to appear."
He tells a story of a woman who wanted to marry a worthy priesthood holder who will take her to the temple and they'd have a perfect family that was filled with loved and no bitter words; she was so focussed on this "golden ticket" that she began to become bitter and withdrawn when it was not appearing to her. The tragic ending of the story is that she may not had been married but as a teacher she had the ability to teach and change the lives of many childen like a mother. She failed to her blessings that surrounded her because she was holding out for an event to appear.
"The lesson here is that if we spend our days waiting for fabulous roses, we could miss the beauty and wonder of the tiny forget-me-nots that are all around us." "The happiest people I know are not those who find their golden ticket; they are those who, while in pursuit of worthy goals, discover and treasure the beauty and sweetness of the everyday moments."
4)
Forget not the "why" of the gospel.
Sometimes in the busyness of our lives we unintentionally overlook the aspeck of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We focus on completing the next task that is required of our calling and duties that we soon forget the reason why the Lord has commanded us to do things.
"We focus on what the Lord wants us to do and how we might do it, but we sometimes forget why." "The gospel of Jesus Christ is not an obligation; it is a pathway, marked by our loving Father in Heaven, leading to happiness and peace in this life and glory and inexpressible fulfillment in the life to come."
Let us not walk in the Lord's path with our eyes to the ground focussing on what we need to do next. When we walk up straight and focus on the what, how, and why of each task the Lord's gives us; He will help us competely all that we need to do.
"When we understand why our Heavenly Father has given us this pattern for living, when we remember why we committed to making it a foundational part of our lives, the gospel ceases to become a burden and, instead, becomes a joy and a delight."
5)
Forget not that the Lord loves you.
Everyone has those times in their lives when they ponder if they are forgotten by those who truely care for them. I am no different; I also know that as we grow older those questions relate to trials or hardships that we seem to go through. We are never forgetten.
"No matter how dark your days may seem, no matter how insignificant you may feel, no matter how overshadowed you think you may be, your Heavenly Father has not forgotten you. In fact, He loves you with an infinite love." "You are known and remembered by the most majestic, powerful, and glorious Being in the universe! You are loved by the King of infinite space and everlasting time!"
Just think of it, that great Being who created numurous worlds, who hears everything whisper you cry out loud or within your heart. He knows your name. He knows you, He loves you and He's watching you grow into something greater than you can imagine. You are closer to heaven than you; you always have a piece of heaven with you -- the Holy Ghost.
