Choice 3: 1 Thessalonians 3-5; 2 Thessalonians 3:1-6 11. Counsel for Members

I will first compile a list of various attributes that Paul counseled the members to improve upon. In 1 Thessalonians 3, Paul counseled them to increase and abound in love towards everyone. He say increase and abound even as he and his companions did towards them. In 1 Thessalonians 4, they were counseled to walk and to please God, they should turn away from fornication, to abound in sanctification and honor, to not “defraud” their brother, to increase in righteousness, and to work with their own hand and be honest in all things. Some things taught in 1 Thessalonians 5 are they do not need to be afraid of the Second Coming of Christ but be sober, that they need to put on the armor of God, that they should edify and comfort each other, to “pray without ceasing”, have a spirit of gratitude, obey prophecies, and “hold fast that which is good”. In 2 Thessalonians 3, members are counseled to follow the commandments given to them, let the Lord direct their hearts to the love of god, and to be directed into “the patient waiting for Christ”.

One thing I feel that I can work better on is that of increasing in righteousness. I feel that I still have various things in my life that are the best things…they may be good but they’re not the best. I have plans to continue to set goals in doing better at reaching those best things instead of remaining complacent with that which is just “good”, as Elder Dallin H. Oaks mentioned a while ago.

Another thing I feel that I can work on is that of abounding in love towards everyone, even those who are the nicest of people. There are people that I meet that I view in my thoughts as someone I don’t want to talk to or smile at because of the way they look or the way they act. I am striving and am determined to continue striving to smile at them and not just ignore them. I need to always strive to show kindness to them at all times.

The last thing that I will list here is to be patient and listen to the Holy Spirit as He guides me into patience. Sometimes I find myself becoming impatient and having a hard time waiting. Then the Lord comforts me in saying that I need to be patient. What will happen will happen when it needs to happen. My goal is to not forget that counsel/comfort…to always remember the virtue and attribute of patience.