Sunday Talk

I was asked to give a talk about filling our homes with light and truth.  The topic came from a talk given by Cheryl Esplin in April 2015.  I sat down to read the talk with my notepad ready to catch any nuggets of inspiration but the kids needed me and so I left and went and helped someone and wasn't able to come back to my talk for a couple hours.  When I came back, my notepad was filled with this drawing by Lucy of how much she loved her family.  I felt like the Lord was telling me that before we can fill our homes with light and truth, love has to be there.  Since I was speaking on Valentine's Day it was only appropriate to integrate love.  I also added prayer, scripture study and testimony.  

I feel like speaking is one of my weaknesses but one that I want to become a strength and so I put a lot of time into every talk and pick every word carefully.  I actually am so nervous I become immobilized until the time for the talk arrives.  Poor Neil.  I locked myself away for 3 days as I studied and pondered my topic.  I have a really hard writing and so I just couldn't get it together.  I was a basket case Saturday night and almost had Neil talked in to writing it for me.  I was such a mess, that we missed the stake Valentine's dance, something we look forward to each year.  I couldn't sleep so I got up at 4 am Sunday morning and was finally able to write it.  The great thing about speaking is that I learn so much.  I think I have a pretty good family but the Lord taught me some things that I need to do better.  Things I probably would have never learned, unless I had to give a talk and for that I am thankful.