m****a
发帖数: 9485 | 1 From latest Ensign Magzine
By President Thomas S. Monson--Prophet of the Church
Living the Abundant Life
At the advent of a new year, I challenge Latter-day Saints everywhere to
undertake a personal, diligent, significant quest for what I call the
abundant life—a life filled with an abundance of success, goodness, and
blessings. Just as we learned the ABCs in school, I offer my own ABCs to
help us all gain the abundant life.
-----Have a Positive Attitude
A in my ABCs refers to attitude. William James, a pioneering American
psychologist and philosopher, wrote, “The greatest revolution of our
generation is the discovery that human beings, by changing the inner
attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives.”1
So much in life depends on our attitude. The way we choose to see things and
respond to others makes all the difference. To do the best we can and then
to choose to be happy about our circumstances, whatever they may be, can
bring peace and contentment.
Charles Swindoll—author, educator, and Christian pastor—said: “Attitude,
to me, is more important than … the past, … than money, than circumstances
, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do.
It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill. It will make or
break a company, a church, a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice
every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.”2
We can’t direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails. For maximum
happiness, peace, and contentment, may we choose a positive attitude. | m****a
发帖数: 9485 | 2 ----Believe in Yourself
B is for believe—in yourself, in those around you, and in eternal
principles.
Be honest with yourself, with others, and with your Heavenly Father. One who
was not honest with God until it was too late was Cardinal Wolsey who,
according to Shakespeare, spent a long life in service to three sovereigns
and enjoyed wealth and power. Finally, he was shorn of his power and
possessions by an impatient king. Cardinal Wolsey cried:
Had I but served my God with half the zeal
I served my king, He would not in mine age
Have left me naked to mine enemies.3
Thomas Fuller, an English churchman and historian who lived in the 17th
century, penned this truth: “He does not believe that does not live
according to his belief.”4
Don’t limit yourself and don’t let others convince you that you are
limited in what you can do. Believe in yourself and then live so as to reach
your possibilities.
You can achieve what you believe you can. Trust and believe and have faith. | m****a
发帖数: 9485 | 3 ------Face Challenges with Courage
C is for courage. Courage becomes a worthwhile and meaningful virtue when it
is regarded not so much as a willingness to die manfully but as a
determination to live decently.
Said the American essayist and poet Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Whatever you do,
you need courage. Whatever course you decide on, there is always someone to
tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that
tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of
action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a
soldier needs. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and women to
win them.”5
There will be times when you will be frightened and discouraged. You may
feel that you are defeated. The odds of obtaining victory may appear
overwhelming. At times you may feel like David trying to fight Goliath. But
remember—David did win!
Courage is required to make an initial thrust toward one’s coveted goal,
but even greater courage is called for when one stumbles and must make a
second effort to achieve.
Have the determination to make the effort, the single-mindedness to work
toward a worthy goal, and the courage not only to face the challenges that
inevitably come but also to make a second effort, should such be required.
Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says, “I’
ll try again tomorrow.”
May we remember these ABCs as we begin our journey into the new year,
cultivating a positive attitude, a belief that we can achieve our goals and
resolutions, and the courage to face whatever challenges may come our way.
Then the abundant life will be ours. | m****a
发帖数: 9485 | 4 Teaching from This Message
Consider inviting family members to share personal experiences when a
positive attitude, belief in themselves, or courage helped them. Or invite
them to find examples of these three principles in the scriptures. You might
prepare to teach by prayerfully thinking of scriptures or experiences of
your own.
http://lds.org/ensign/2012/01/living-the-abundant-life?lang=eng | t*****l
发帖数: 5477 | 5 thank you for sharing!!!
they are very encouraging!! | t*****l
发帖数: 5477 | 6 thank you for sharing!!!
they are very encouraging!! | m****a
发帖数: 9485 | 7 中文翻译：
總會會長團信息----過豐富的人生
多馬•孟蓀會長---總會會長
新的一年開始，我要向世界各地的後期聖徒提出挑戰，請各位展開一趟自我奮發、深具
意義的探索，追求一種我所謂的豐富人生──一個充滿成功、良善和祝福的人生。就像
我們在學校裡學習基本法則一樣，我也要提出我的ABC基本法則，幫助大家獲得豐富人
生。
抱持積極的態度
在我的AB C 基本法則裡，A指的是態度（attitude）。美國先驅心理學家暨哲學家威廉
‧詹姆士寫道：「我們這一代最偉大的革命，就是發現人類可以透過改變內在的
心智態度，來改變外在的生命風貌。」
生命裡有太多事物取決於態度，我們選擇怎麼看待事物、怎麼待人接物，都會使一切為
之改觀。如果能全力以赴、盡其在我，然後不論環境如何，都選擇以快樂的態度面對之
，即可帶來平安和滿足。
查爾斯‧史溫道是一位作家、教育家和基督教牧師，他說：「態度對我而言，比&
#8943;⋯過去重要，也比金錢、環境、失敗、成功、他人的想法、說法或作法都
重要。態度比外表、天賦、或技能重要。態度可以使公司、教會、或家庭興盛，也可以
使之潰敗。最美妙的事就是：我們每一天都可以選擇抱持何種態度來面對那一天。」
我們不能改變風向，但是可以調整風帆。為了獲得最大的幸福、平安和滿足，願我們選
擇積極的態度。 | m****a
发帖数: 9485 | 8 相信自己
B是相信（believe）自己，相信周遭的人，相信永恆原則。
要對自己、對他人、對天父誠實。莎士比亞筆下的紅衣主教烏爾西就是一個對神不誠實
的人，他窮畢生心力服事三位君主，享盡榮華富貴，直到最後，他的權勢財富遭到一位
急躁的國王剝奪時，才知道為時已晚。
紅衣主教烏爾西哭喊道：
如果我以事奉國王的一半熱誠來事奉我的神，祂就不會在我如此年邁的時候將我赤條條
地交付敵人。
17世紀一位英國牧師兼史學家多馬‧傅勒曾寫下這句至理名言：「沒有按照信仰
而活的人，不是真正的信徒。」
不要畫地自限，也不要讓他人說服你，說你能力有限。要相信自己，然後據以行動，發
揮自己的潛能。
只要你相信自己的能力，你就可以做得到。要信賴，要相信，要有信心。 | m****a
发帖数: 9485 | 9 以勇氣面對挑戰
C是指「勇氣」（courage）。只要不把勇氣當成「要死得轟轟烈烈」的匹夫之勇，而是
當成「要活得正正當當」的決心毅力，那麼勇氣便是一種值得追求、有意義的美德。
美國散文家暨詩人愛默森說：「不論你做什麼，都需要勇氣。不論你決定要走什麼路程
，總有人告訴你：你是錯的。困難險阻層出不窮，誘使你相信批評你的那些人是對的。
要規劃出一張行動藍圖，根據這張路線圖一路抵達目的地；這需要具備如同士兵般的勇
氣。平安終能凱旋得勝，但唯有勇敢的男女才能贏得這樣的勝利。」
你不免有害怕膽怯、失意氣餒的時候；你可能覺得自己已潰敗，勝利的機會看似渺茫。
有時候，你可能覺得自己像是奮力迎戰歌利亞的大衛。不過，要記住──大衛真的贏了！
若想達成心中所嚮往的目標，需要勇氣去採取最初的行動，然而，跌倒之後要再接再厲
時，則需要更大的勇氣。
要下定決心好好努力，專心一志地朝著值得努力的目標前進，以勇氣面對勢必來臨的挑
戰，並且再接再厲。有時候，勇氣是在一天將盡的時候，氣力微弱地說道：「我明天還
要再試一次。」
在我們展開嶄新一年的人生旅程時，願我們都記得這些ABC基本法則，培養積極正面的
態度、達成目標和希望的信念， 以及面對一切挑戰的勇氣。這樣，我們必定能擁有豐
富的人生。
http://www.lds.org.tw/index.php/component/content/article/12/10 |
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