How Can I Become the Woman of Whom I dream?

I recently read a talk by Gordon B Hinckley, taken from a General Young Womens' meeting back in 2001. It is titled 'How Can I become the Woman of Whom I dream?

This talk really hit me hard! Am I becoming the woman I dreamed I would be? If not, am I taking those steps necessary to become the woman I have always wanted to be? Here are a few excerpts from his talk, with commentary from me. (If anything I say offends anyone, I did not mean to!)

The best way [to the become the woman you dream of], the only way for you, is to avoid any entrapment with evil. You have within you instincts, powerful and terribly persuasive, urging you at times to let go and experience a little fling. You must not do it. You cannot do it. You are daughters of God with tremendous potential. He has great expectations concerning you, as do others. You cannot let down for a minute. You cannot give in to an impulse. There must be discipline, strong and unbending. Flee from temptation, as Joseph fled from the wiles of Potiphar’s wife.

Now,  I am married so I absorbed this part of the talk differently. We all have powerful instincts persuading us to let go and give into the natural man aka LAZY man. But we cannot give in. We must always be on guard!! Whether it is combating depression, fighting to stay happy when it feels like you are drowning in all your sorrows, or in your own negative thoughts. It can be fighting laziness, or not being snappy with your loved ones. But I realized that I need to be on my game every minute of everyday and never let down, I cannot give into my bad impulses. I always need to be conscious of everything I say, how I treat others and how I spend my time. 

There is not anything that you cannot do if you will set your mind to it. You can include in the dream of the woman you would like to be a picture of one qualified to serve society and make a significant contribution to the world of which she will be a part. For you, the sky is the limit. You can be excellent in every way. You can be first class. Respect yourself. Do not feel sorry for yourself. Do not dwell on unkind things others may say about you. Particularly, pay no attention to what some boy might say to demean you. Polish and refine whatever talents the Lord has given you. Go forward in life with a twinkle in your eye and a smile on your face, but with great and strong purpose in your heart. Love life and look for its opportunities, and forever and always be loyal to the Church.

I want the above paragraph to be my own life mission statement.  If I want to become the woman I dream of, the only thing standing in my way is me. I can be first class! I need to stop feeling sorry for myself, I need to respect myself by treating my body better. I need to stop dwelling on the unkind things people have said about me or what I 'think' they are saying about me. And lastly, I need to discover the talents god has given me and use them to benefit others and the church. And I need to put a dang smile on my face and love my life and this wonderful gospel!  I have every reason in the world to be the happiest person alive.

Never forget that you came to earth as a child of the divine Father, with something of divinity in your very makeup. The Lord did not send you here to fail. He did not give you life to waste it...[but] to teach you and lead you and encourage you, to bless you with eternal marriage, to seal upon you a covenant between you and Him that will make of you His chosen daughter, one upon whom He may look with love and with a desire to help. May God bless you richly and abundantly, His wonderful daughters.

I am so lucky to have such a wonderful husband who is always reminding me that I am divine and virtuous and nurturing, he never lets me forget my divine potential or the talents I do have. I am so proud to be a daughter of my Heavenly Father and I hope I can become the woman I long to be. I hope to be able to achieve everything I am supposed to in this life, I do not want to waste my life that was so freely given to me, it would be such a shame to waste my potential.

Thanks for reading my ramblings!!!

Click here to read "How Can I Become the Woman of Whom I Dream