The "Busy" Syndrome

At the first of the year a member of our bishopric challenged us to become an "expert" at something new in the gospel. I loved this counsel!  I decided that I wanted to become an expert on General Conference by seriously studying the words of our living prophets.  We are so incredibly blessed to have modern day revelation from true prophets.
I have come to really love President Uchtdorf.  Ever since I was a little girl Henry B. Eyring was my "favorite" apostle (Be honest, you all have one!), but I feel like President Uchtdorf is crowding the "favorite" stand.  He's getting right on up there!  I feel like he just has such wise counsel for our every day lives.  I loved his talk last year counseling us to just "stop it" and to not judge others for "sinning differently" than us.  I know I still have a LONG ways to go, but I have really tried to apply that to my life.  And then last night, he hit me all over again with something so important.  Nate and I had reviewed this talk in our institute class last semester but I really loved reading it last night, it is titled "Of Regrets and Resolutions" and everyone should go read it right now. Seriously.  He talks about a nurse who cares for terminally ill patients and how she asks them what their regrets are in life.  There is much to learn from all of them, but one in particular stood out to me.
One of the most common regrets was "I wish I had spent more time with the people I love".  But the part I love is this, he goes on to say "Isn't it true that we often get so busy?  And, sad to say, we even wear our busyness as a badge of honor, as though being busy, by itself, was an accomplishment or sign of superior life. Is it?"  Wow!  Seriously, is it??  NO!  That brings to mind another talk from that same conference, "First Observe, Then Serve" by Sister Linda K. Burton.  She talks about a day when there were "too many to-dos on her list" and she felt too busy to attend the temple.  At the moment she had that thought she stopped everything and went to the temple and was blessed with a wonderful experience to serve (read the talk to find out what that was!).  She was 100% right to stop everything.  It is fine to be busy, but what are we busy with? Is it the things of the world, or eternal matters?
Are we too busy surfing the internet to spend time with our family?  Are we too busy watching TV to call up a friend?  After I read this talk last night, Nate and I got talking about the busyness of the world we live in.   We had tried to plan a game night with several friends and only Nate's brother was able to come.  Now I'm not saying they didn't have legitimate things to attend to, because I'm sure they did!  But what we were discussing is how times have changed.  When I was a little girl my parents had a group of friends that they had regular "Dinner Parties" with.  Then it just slowly fizzled away as everyone got "too busy".  In one of my classes we discussed a study that showed this exact thing.  Over the years, the amount of people engaging in dinner parties has declined dramatically.  Have things changed?  Nate and I decided that other things simply took their place. We now have a ton of electronic devices that can be entertaining so who needs people and games, right?  Wrong!  At least in my opinion.  I am a truly social being. I love being with people.  Especially my people (remember how we all have our own people?)
And then President Uchtdorf drives his point home even more.  He says this, "I think of our Lord and Exemplar, Jesus Christ, and His short life among the people of Galilee and Jerusalem. I have tried to imagine Him bustling between meetings or multitasking to get a list of urgent things accomplished.  I can't see it."  Well said, I completely agree.  Do you think the Savior ever rushed anything? No.  He took His time with everyone and let them know of their importance and His love for them.  In my quest to be better, I resolve to strive for that!  To not be "busy", but rather take the time every. single. day. to do those things of eternal importance.
I love this gospel and the wonderful things we learn from it!!  I am amazed that I still learn so much.
So, if anyone wants to get together for dinner, or games, or just to catch up, give us a call!!  I'm sure we would love to :)
And seriously, go read this talk!  Both of them for that matter, I love President Uchtdorf's so much, but Sister Burton offers an inspiring message as well!  And then tell me what you think, I'd love to hear your opinions!
Have a great day, and don't let it be "too busy"!