Show Notes for Episode 4 of Teach Me to Walk in the Light Podcast. Learn a valuable gospel principle from the Tortoise and the Hare. Busyness vs Diligence. Learn how to teach this valuable principle to your kids and how to start meaningful dinner conversation by playing good, better or best.
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PERSONAL STUDY
I’m sure you are all familiar with the story of the tortoise and the hare. Today I want to share with you my favorite version of this story that is by Tess Fries. It goes like this:
Click HERE
In this fable, the hare and the tortoise both have the same goal – they are both working towards the same finish line. But the hare runs ragged while the tortoise moves along steady and slow.
Did you know that the tortoise and hare in this story are actually teaching us a very important gospel principle?
In the story, they are both reaching for the same goal. I think we could compare that to each of us reaching for the same ultimate goal of returning back to our Father in Heaven.
We could also compare this to how the Lord has commanded us to work. We can’t just stand around. We have got to be working and moving forward in order to reach the finish line. But I think the great comparison here that teaches us the most valuable lesson is that we should not confuse work with workaholism or a frantic compulsion to be constantly busy.
Mosiah 4:27 we learn –
27 And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order.
I love that. We learn that no, we should not be running faster than we have strength but we should be diligent. The hare was totally running faster than he had strength – he stops in the middle of the story to rest and he falls asleep. Who is the diligent one here in the story? The tortoise was. And who ended up winning the race? The tortoise did.
Another comparison we can make with the story, that I found interesting is that at the beginning of the story the Hare is soooo bragging to his friends about how fast he is – MAN, is he fast! But what if we substituted the word “fast” with “busyness”. It is so easy to get caught up in today’s fast-paced world that we sometimes find ourselves constantly just going, going, going and to some, the busier they are, the more important they feel.
Listen to what Elder Uchtdorf has said:
“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 a superior life. Is it? I think of our Lord and Exemplar, Jesus Christ, and His short life… I have tried to imagine Him bustling between meetings or multitasking to get a list of urgent things accomplished. I can’t see it.”
We are so blessed to live in today’s world where so much is available to us. We can do pretty much anything we want to – we can start a business, we can take music lessons, we can learn how to decorate cakes, we can volunteer, we can remodel our homes. The list goes on– anything we are interested in, we can pursue. How awesome is that! And what a blessing that is yet on the flip side, I think it can also be considered a curse.
With so much available, we want to do it all! And sometimes do try to do it all! Now, these things are all good worthwhile things to pursue, wonderful things to be anxiously engaged in – please don’t think I’m putting them down or saying don’t do them. I just think this is where the important lesson of don’t run faster than you have strength comes into play.
Yes it’s good to pursue your interests and your dreams but you also need to look at your life and figure out, how can I stay diligent in doing good but not overwhelm myself at the same time? It’s a balancing act for sure. It may even be called a sacrifice because in order to not be overwhelmed we often times have to give up or sacrifice certain things – very good things for the very best thing.
It goes back to Pres. Oaks classic talk he gave in October 2007 called Good, Better, Best. There are lots of good things out there and even better things, but we need to be sure and spend our time and energy on only the very best things.
Otherwise, like the hare, we get so exhausted from our busy lives that we are too burnt out to even care about much else than rest and sleep. How often do we put off going to the temple or reading our scriptures or even just spending quality time with our family because our day is so busy and by the end, all we want to do is crash into bed or unwind by watching TV or being on Social Media?
In my opinion, I think the Tortoise knew all along that going a rushed pace would only cause stress and unhappiness. I think that’s why he took on the challenge. He knew that the only way to win the race was to go steady and slow, diligently moving forward, until you’ve reached your goal.
In our lives, I think we would be wise to follow the Tortoise example. Stop and evaluate your life, and ask yourself, “What can I take out?”
Maybe it’s taking something out completely or maybe it’s just putting it on hold for another time and season in your life. I think that may be what the Lord could be referring to at the end of Mosiah 4:27 when it says, “All things must be done in order.”
If the Lord has given you the desire or interest to do something then I believe that you should pursue it. I think that’s part of developing the talents the Lord has given you. But at the same time all things must be done in order, one at a time, not all at once.
Taking things out of your life may seem like a sacrifice, but in the end, you will feel so much more in control of your life instead of your life controlling you.
There’s another quote by Elder Uchtdorf I love that says:
“Slow down a little, steady the course, and focus on the essentials.”
With the new 2 hour block and the goal to have a more home-centered church-supported gospel learning, now is a very good time to reevaluate our lives and be sure we are slowing down and making more time for our families and the gospel.
There is a quote from Pres. Oaks talk Good, Better, Best that goes perfectly with my message today and with the changes the church has made. Remember, this talk was given back in 2007.
He said:
“Suppose Church leaders reduce the time required by Church meetings and activities in order to increase the time available for families to be together. This will not achieve its intended purpose unless individual family members—especially parents—vigorously act to increase family togetherness and one-on-one time.”
I hope you’ll keep this in mind as you are making new goals for this year. I highly recommend rereading or listening to Pres. Oaks talk Good, Better, Best. To read President Oaks talk Good, Better, Best click HERE
There’s also an excellent podcast by Jody Moore, Better Than Happy episode 172: Editing Your Life. She talks a little more in depth of how she simplifies her life. Great episode – I totally recommend it. Perhaps it’ll help you get some ideas going on what you can do to simplify your life and start taking some things out and as Pres. Oaks said, vigorously act to increase family togetherness and one-on-one time.
FHE [13:33]
OPENING SONG:
Primary song Happy Helper pg 197
or
Hymn Today While the Sun Shines pg 229
ATTENTION GETTER:
Start off by sharing the poem OR if you have a book about the story The Tortoise and the Hare, read it.
Click HERE
Then talk about how we can compare our lives to the Tortoise and the Hare. Both are striving to reach the same goal but they are doing it in two different ways. One is hurrying super fast but then stops and rests and falls asleep while the tortoise goes steady and slow.
Ask, “Do you think Heavenly Father wants us to go through life super fast and constantly be super busy? OR do you think He wants us to be more like the Tortoise and go steady and slow?”
SCRIPTURE:
Share Mosiah 4:27
Talk about how the Lord doesn’t want us to run faster than we are able but to go steady and slow or in other words be diligent. Keep moving forward.
Sometimes in order to be more like the tortoise, we have to look at our lives and decide which things we should take out so that we have more time for the things the Lord wants us to focus on.
Share/Summarize the story of Mary and Martha found in Luke 10:38-42 (Click HERE for image)
Talk about who was being busy running around cleaning and cooking and who was slowing down and learning about the gospel from the Savior? Ask, “Which one did the Lord say was better?”
LESSON:
Show this video Good, Better, Best by clicking HERE
Discuss as a family what you can do to make more time for family activities, family scripture study, service and so forth. Or maybe what each of you can do individually to make more time for individual scripture study and/or more time for church activities. This is something you should definitely pray about before holding this discussion and ponder on what would be best for your family.
ACTIVITY:
Play Good, Better, Best
This is a fun way to categorize all of your favorites into Good, Better, Best. It’s also a fun way to get to know each other better. Start with a subject and go around in a circle and each person is to name what they believe to be Good, Better, and Best
For example:
Subject: Favorite Football Team
Dad might say, “Denver Broncos are Good, Dallas Cowboys are Better, but Pittsburgh Steelers are the Best”
Mom might say, “Green Bay Packers are Good, Arizona Cardinals are Better, but Denver Broncos are the Best”
Suzie might say, “New Orleans Saints are Good, Denver Broncos are Better, but New England Patriots are the Best”
Other Subjects You Might Use:
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor
Favorite Board Game
Favorite Movie
Favorite Thing to Do As a Family
CLOSING SONG:
Hymn Have I Done Any Good? pg 223 or watch a music video featuring Alex Boye and Carmen Rasmusen Herbert by clicking HERE
TEACHING TIP [16:11]
Now that we are vigorously spending more time together as a family – because that is the BEST thing to do 😉 my teaching tip for you today is to find ways to talk to your kids about the gospel. It doesn’t have to be planned. It can be in doing something ordinary with them like washing the dishes. While you’re doing the dishes together you could compare washing this dirty dish to the atonement and how it’s a lot like when you are baptized and every week when you renew your baptismal covenants. You have the opportunity like this dirty dish, to become clean again.
I think a lot of times we don’t think to talk about the gospel unless we’re doing family scripture study or FHE together. Don’t be afraid or shy away from bringing up gospel principles or how something reminds you of a scripture story. There are lots of ways to do it, you just need to look for them. If you’re prompted to say something, say it- not preachy but in a loving way.
I know I’ve said this before, but I truly believe some of the greatest natural teaching moments happen when we just spend time together. Doesn’t matter what it is we’re doing – teaching moments are everywhere. My challenge to you this week is to look for them and then act on them.
#taketimeforfamily [17:50]
The other thing I believe creates natural teaching moments besides spending time together is conversation – whether it be at the dinner table or in the car.
Today I want to suggest a Conversation Starter, kinda. It’s really a game you can play at the dinner table.
The game is called Good, Better, Best. It’s a very simple game where everyone takes a turn saying a good part of their day, a better part of their day, and the best part of their day. It’s a great way to start talking about everyone’s day and to look for the good in your day.
If you have any fun ideas that you like to do with your family in the winter time – I’d love to hear them. Simply email me at melanieslibrary@gmail.com and in the subject line put #taketimeforfamily and maybe I’ll share your idea on an episode.
Yours Truly,
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