My concern generally boils down to the ways we try and control each other instead of loving each other and letting each other be. That is dominator culture, and that is something I will write about more.
I have mentioned before that I am going through old conference talks (currently in October 1988). Earlier this year as we started studying the Old Testament, I also kept remembering all of these great articles from 1990, so I started reading the old Ensigns from that year. I didn't find all of them, and then some were in 1994, but there was a time period where the church magazines seemed to offer a lot more depth. I have added going over the Ensigns for 1990, 1994, and 1998 for each month this year, and will then do subsequent cycles until we get around to the Old Testament again.
New Testament: 1991, 1995, 1999
Book of Mormon: 1992, 1996, 2000
Doctrine & Covenants: 1993, 1997, 2001
I am not reading every page, but most of the 1990 ones and then looking at headlines in the other two for which ones are more scripture specific or sound more interesting. Rarely the News of the Church, because that is old, but always the Mormon Journal.
I am finding a lot of what I remembered, which is good. What I may not have remembered but always comes through is the importance of home and visiting teaching, now ministering.
That is in the articles and personal stories and the conference talks, and I know that it was often not done.
That was what we needed all along. To take a role in caring for someone that you may not have a lot in common with, but that you get to know them, and that you think about their needs, and that you actively care about them.
I think so many of the changes that we make in programs are to try and get people to individualize more, and think about what is needed.
For example, there was a time when Homemaking was generally a different craft project every month. Then there was Home, Family, and Personal Enrichment so that you think more about what is needed in different areas, where maybe it is about dealing with stress or finding fun activities in the area. I once taught one on cooking with vegetables that was needed and great.
But we are not always great at listening to the Spirit, and we are not always great at love. That makes sense because they work together.
There was a time when I visit taught some sisters who were okay with the monthly lesson, and there was one who really needed it, but also my companion at that time always had a way of not being available because she kind of hated that sister (jealousy). I walked to her apartment and taught her alone, and we made that work.
I have had more sisters that had no interest in lessons, but sometimes we could do cards or phone calls or go out to lunch. I called one sister who was trying to make herself get to bed earlier every night for a few weeks to remind her to start ending her activities and get to bed. There were so many differences between them all, but I remember feeling love a lot, and feeling the Spirit. The Spirit made my love grow and helped me know how to help them, and the love made it easier to invite the Spirit.
It's much easier for hate to sink in when you haven't been touching base like that all along.
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