Kirk Ouimet

The things we fill our minds with will come to us - both good and bad.

“There is no friendship greater than your own, clear conscience.”

- Thomas S. Monson

“We see ourselves in terms of yesterday and today. Our Heavenly Father sees us in terms of forever. Although we might settle for less, Heavenly Father won’t, for He sees us as the glorious beings we are capable of becoming.”

- Joseph B. Wirthlin

• When you walk into a room where you will be conducting/teaching/leading smile and introduce yourself to as many people in the room as possible. Be sure to get people’s names and repeat them back to them so you won’t forget.
• Ask for people to share some news from their life at the beginning of the meeting to facilitate openness and sharing from the beginning.
• Acknowledge the presence of any other authorities in the room.
• Stress/emphasize the value of everyone’s involvement in the meeting.
• Reward comments with candy if appropriate.
• Be confident with your body language and in everything you say. Nobody likes to listen to someone who isn’t sure themselves.
• Use names as much as possible. If you don’t know them, ask.
• When people are commenting maintain eye contact with them.
• Show excitement when a good comment or point is raised.
• If someone is reading from some type of source material ask them about a portition of what they read immediately after they finish. e.g., “Tell me how you feel about [section of text].”
• When a topic is covered sufficiently/beat to death say “Let’s move on to [new discussion topic].”
• Ask questions to specific people in addition to asking the group in whole.

Sacrifice is giving up something good for something better.

“A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation; for, from the first existence of man, the faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation never could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things.” - Joseph Smith

1. When is your birthday? How many brothers and sisters do you have? What are your parents’ occupations?
2. Where did you grow up? Have you lived anywhere else for longer than one month?
3. Where do you work at? If you don’t have a job now, what was your last job? Did you like it?
4. What is your major? If you don’t have one, what would you like to do?
5. What classes are you taking in school now? Who is your favorite teacher and why?
6. What type of music do you listen to (what’s on your iPod)? Do you have a favorite band? Do you have a favorite song that you’ve been listening to a lot lately?
7. Are you dating anyone right now? If so, what is your favorite thing about the person you are dating? If you aren’t dating anyone, what quality do you look for the most in a person? (personality, sense of humor, etc.)
8. What is your favorite TV show? If you don’t currently watch TV, what is your favorite TV show from back in the day? Who is your favorite character in that TV show?
9. What is your favorite movie? If you can’t think of a one, what is your favorite movie from your childhood?
10. When you don’t have to work or go to school, what do you do with your time? Why?
11. If you could travel to anywhere in the world for a month where would you go and why? Who would you take with you?
12. What is your favorite store to visit? What do you usually buy there?
13. What website do you visit the most? Why do you like that website?
14. What is your ultimate dream job? Why do you want to do that so much!?
15. How long have you been a member of the church? If you parent are members, when did they join?

To be tempted is to be seduced or led toward evil. Something that is evil is anything that will cause harm, either to ourselves or to others.

Everyone is tempted. When we resist temptation, it builds our moral character and helps us to make better life decisions. If we succumb to tempation we will inevitably regret our actions, either because we have hurt ourselves or hurt someone else.

Some tips to resist temptation include:

• Pray
• Avoid being in a position where temptation will be strong
• Have the courage to stand up and walk away from it
• Understand why you shouldn’t do it
• Weigh the consequences and make decisions based on the best outcome
• Fill your life with many good things, leaving little time and opportunity for temptation
• Learn from the mistakes of others so you don’t have to go through them yourself

God has told us that He will always provide a way for us escape from any temptation.

I ran across this thought from one of my favorite motivational speakers, Tony Robbins:

To make your relationship work, give what you most want to receive in that relationship. If you want respect, then give respect. If you want love, then give TONS of love. If you want passion then give TONS of passion. Don’t say “Well if they would be passionate with me, then I’d get excited about my relationship.” Be passionate first!

If you are willing to come from the place where your job is to give that what you want, you are going to find that you will receive back in your relationship all the things you want. Stay out of the trap that says “Well you do it first and then I’m willing to commit as well.”