Our fireside speaker was
Rod
Jeppsen, a popular speaker at past Evergreen events. He is the
author of Turn Yourselves and Live and Line Upon Line – Precept
Upon Precept . Brother Jeppsen has recently written a new book for
spouses and family members who are seeking direction in dealing with this
issue in their families. It will be released in about two months. The title
is Lord I Believe: Help Thou My Unbelief.
The following are notes taken by an attendee:
Rod divided his talk into 3 areas:
1. Practical and Healthy Ways to deal with SSA
A. We tend to look horizontally (at others), and compare. For example,
people tend to envy those who seem to have more-- whether it be talents, or
whatever. Horizontal vision encourages despair and discouragement. With
vertical vision, we look upward, to God.
B. Quit listening to what the members of "the committee" tell you. The
committee is the list of rationalizations you use to act out. Write down
your rationalizations for acting out on Post-it notes, then come up with a
rebuttal to use with each one for when you need them.
C. We separate ourselves from God because of "our problem". (Imagine
yourself standing in front of God and holding up a sign that reads "my
problem", thus placing it between you and Him. Then turn around 180 degrees,
placing the "problem" on the other side of you, opposite God. Notice this
positions you on God's side. The idea is to enlist God's help, keep Him on
your side, in attacking your problem. "Cleave unto God as He cleaveth unto
you." Jacob 6:5.
2. Keeping an Eternal Perspective when we lapse
A. We joined a quartet when we came to earth, we didn't come here to do a
solo act. God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost, and you are the
quartet. "Why do we try to do this as a solo?" Enlist their help!
B. Life is not a dress rehearsal, this is the real performance.
C. A pianist does not stop a performance when he hits a wrong note and
berate himself, he keeps on playing. We, too, must continue with the "show"
when we commit an error. Don't stop playing!
3. Using the Atonement to Heal from SSA
A. He told a true story of a Bro. Anderson in Cedar City, Utah, who ordered
a truckload of topsoil for his back yard. The truck dumped the load in the
front yard by mistake. For most people, the solution would be to use a
wheelbarrow and take the dirt into the backyard one load at a time, but it
wasn't that easy for Bro. Anderson. He's blind. This man took 2 radios
outside. He placed one of them along the side of his home and the other one
in the back yard where he wanted the dirt in the first place. Then he'd fill
up a wheelbarrow and head for the first radio. When he got there, he'd head
toward the sound of the second radio. Just as Bro. Anderson used familiar
markers to arrive successfully at his destination, so we have familiar
markers to follow to return to Father.
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