distractions.

i've been thinking a lot lately about distractions.

those things that take us away from more important things. things like television, music, fashion, social media, exhaustion. of course, none of these things are wrong. in fact, there are so many good things in each  "distraction" almost daily. (except maybe exhaustion.. that one is just annoying!)

but often, i worry my life is too consumed in trivial things. things of lesser importance. things that distract me from feeling the spirit.


i recently read a talk by elder paul e. koelliker from this last general conference. if you haven't read it - read it! he talks about love and how we can feel God's love. he said, "there is seemingly no end to the expansive capacity to love. the feeling of love from our Heavenly Father is like a gravitational pull from heaven. as we remove the distractions that pull us toward the world and exercise our agency to seek Him, we open our hearts to a celestial force which draws us toward Him... i am confident that our Heavenly Father's arms are constantly extended, ever ready to embrace each one of us and say to each one with that quiet, piercing voice, 'i love you.'"

isn't that what we all want? to feel our loving Heavenly Father's presence in our lives and push away the distractions? i know i do! and i'm going to try to use the distractions to my benefit. use them for good.

president uchtdorf says, “with so many social media resources and a multitude of more or less useful gadgets at our disposal, sharing the good news of the gospel is easier and the effects more far-reaching than ever before. … my dear young friends, perhaps the Lord’s encouragement to ‘open [your] mouths’ might today include ‘use your hands’ to blog and text message the gospel to all the world! but please remember, all at the right time and at the right place.”

* here's to taking his words - and applying them!

 {how do you balance the distractions in your life? how do you use them for good?}