This document is a talk given by Renée Packer to the women of her stake about finding balance. She discusses how it is easy for lives to become imbalanced by focusing on unimportant things. She encourages focusing on spiritual priorities like scripture study, prayer, and family time. Packer shares ways to find fulfillment, like serving others, spending time with loved ones, and going to the temple. She testifies that striving to be more like Jesus Christ through holiness will bring balance to all areas of life.

1. Richness, Rewards &
Well-Being Expo
Finding Balance Through
the Lord
Renée Packer
August 16th, 2014

2. Welcome sisters! What a wonderful
and unique meeting we have today. It
is such a fabulous fit for the busy
women of our day.
My thoughts will focus more on how
we might find balance in our lives as we
navigate between the spiritual, physical
and mental needs of our lives.

3. In the demanding and chaotic life that
we live in, it would be quite easy to
allow our lives to become out of balance
and to stop caring for the things that
matter most. Pres. Monson once said,
“[If we] were to step back, however, and
take a good look at what we're doing, we
may find that we have immersed
ourselves in the “thick of thin things.”

4. I trust that the women in this Stake would
know if they were climbing down the
wrong mountain, or chasing the wrong
rainbow, but do we really know when our
lives are out of balance in the simple and
mundane things of life? Do we recognize
the “natural man” that can creep in?
Perhaps we do get immersed at times in
the “thick of thin things?” I know I do!

5. How often do we feel like we never accomplish
anything, yet we’ve been busily running around all
day long? Do you find yourself looking for a quick
pick me up, just to help you get through the
rigorous and hectic schedule you face, yet finding at
the end of the day, an empty and battered soul?
What is on your list of things that help pick you up?
Perhaps it’s your diet drink, snack foods, or maybe
those coveted, mouthwatering chocolates that
might help to fulfill a needed lift, believing
somehow those famous chocolate quotes would
really do as they say, “You know the ones I mean.”

6. “Keep Calm and Eat Chocolate”
“Sisters and chocolate
make life bearable”
“Never under-estimate the power of chocolate”
“Chocolate is the answer,
who cares what the
question is”

7. But in the end, even chocolate can’t
seem to fulfill the spiritual gaps in our
lives. Believe me, I love chocolate too!
~~~~~~~~
Perhaps you have found the
solution, as I have.

8. As I look at the wide expanse of sisters in our
Stake, each have unique challenges, and specific
strengths to help you through your present
circumstances. I have learned so much from you.
We may not all be strong in all the same areas,
but together we can bless one another as sisters
in the gospel, through visit teaching, as great
neighbors, serving one another, meeting together
in various Relief Society functions, as we learn
and draw strength from one another
and our families.

9. Perhaps as we invite continued growth
in our own lives, we will be able to share
our own light and knowledge with those
around us, as we strive to become more
like the Savior. When we do, we are
strengthening our FAITH, fortifying our
FAMILIES and giving much needed
RELIEF.

10. If you are ever feeling a bit worn out, beat
down or drained to the max, and needing a
real pick me up, you might find more
strength by listening to beautiful and
uplifting music, pondering, reading your
scriptures, reading an Ensign magazine,
listening to Mormon messages, serving
others, praying, going to the temple, spend
quality time with a child, visiting loved ones,
and maybe even share some chocolate to lift
a dear friend.

11. In January of 2012 at our Stake Women’s
conference, I briefly discussed Julie B. Beck’s
“Essential,” “Necessary,” and “Nice to Do”
priority lists. What a beautiful and simple
formula, as we strive to put our lives in
balance. How often do we forget the
“Essentials,” and instead plug in the “Nice to
Do’s,” before even the “Necessary” lists?
There isn’t a sister here who isn’t striving to
put balance in their lives.

12. Perhaps we may go to the extreme, and find
ourselves thinking if we ran faster, accomplished a
little more in each hour, and put our children in
every extracurricular activity possible, that it will
save them and us from the ills of the world, often at
the expense of leaving “First Things” last and
affecting our spiritual, physical and mental well-being!
As we daily put the Lord first, while striving
to find balance in our lives, all else will fall into
view, with a greater understanding
of the Lord’s plan for us.

13. Sister Linda S. Reeves shared in our last April 2014 General
Conference these words.
Some of you have heard me tell how overwhelmed my
husband, Mel, and I felt as the parents of four young
children. As we faced the challenges of parenting and keeping
up with the demands of life, we were desperate for help. We
prayed and pleaded to know what to do. The answer that
came was clear: “It is OK if the house is a mess and the
children are still in their pajamas and some responsibilities
are left undone. The only things that really need to be
accomplished in the home are daily scripture study and
prayer and weekly family home evening.”

14. We were trying to do these things, but they were not
always the priority and, amidst the chaos, were
sometimes neglected. We changed our focus and tried
not to worry about the less-important things. Our
focus became to talk, rejoice, preach, and testify of
Christ by striving to daily pray and study the
scriptures and have weekly family home evening.
A friend recently cautioned, “When you ask the
sisters to read the scriptures and pray more, it
stresses them out. They already feel like they have too
much to do.”

15. She then said, “Brothers and sisters, because I know
from my own experiences, and those of my husband,
I must testify of the blessings of daily scripture
study and prayer and weekly family home evening.
These are the very practices that help take away
stress, give direction to our lives, and add protection
to our homes.”
I too would like to testify of these truths.
Before finishing the remainder of this message, next watch a
special video of “The Empty Pickle Jar” – Relief Society Style

16. I love the story of the Jaredites found in the Book of
Mormon. In the 2nd chapter of Ether, the people had
been directed to build barges so that they could journey
to the land of promise, specifically preserved for a
righteous people. They were given a promised land and
that whosoever would possess it should serve God.
Because the Brother of Jared had not remembered to
call upon the name of the Lord, the Lord was
displeased with him and spent three hours chastising
him. After his repentance and that of his people, being
promised that the Lord’s spirit would not always be
with them if they did not remain faithful, they set forth
again to do as they had been told.

17. Do we often find ourselves like the Brother of Jared,
being promised great blessings, with freedoms in a
choice land and prosperity in the things of the Lord,
only to forget and get off course, or lose sight of
what matters most? After diligently obeying the
Lord, he was taught a great lesson of the importance
of building barges “Tight Like Unto a Dish,” so as to
keep them from sinking into the depths of the
ocean or being dashed by raging waters. Are we
building our personal lives, homes and families
“Tight Like Unto a Dish?”

18. Could the waves and storms of life enter into our
lives, or are we building our personal lives and
families with spiritual, physical and mental
structures to withstand the storms that could break
us into pieces? My husband would use this analogy
and story of the barges often while our children
were growing, and how we too needed to build our
lives and homes to be “Tight Like Unto a Dish.” He
would hold his fingers so tightly together that water
could not penetrate, giving our children a personal
object lesson for them to remember.

19. As we seek personal revelation from
the Lord on how to best balance our
lives, since life is a balancing act, I’m
reminded of the next lesson we learn
from the brother of Jared of how he
sought for help from the Lord.

20. As each of us may go to the Lord, seeking answers to
vital questions in our lives, the brother of Jared also
sought answers with the Lord concerning a few
important matters as the barges were being built.
They needed air and light and had no idea how to
achieve either one. The Brother of Jared sought
help from the Lord how they might obtain air in the
barges. Knowing that air is life sustaining, one that
could not be trifled with, the Lord directly gave an
answer how they could receive air.

21. Remember, the boat was “Tight Like Unto a
Dish.” The Lord instructed them that they
would need to make a hole at the top and the
bottom of the barges and then tightly seal before
going under water. This also tells me that
perhaps they didn’t know if they would be
upside down or right side up
Perhaps that may sound a bit like
our lives at times.

22. There was also a great need for light in the barges.
The Brother of Jared again went to the Lord with a
question concerning light. What was the Lord’s
answer this time? Did the Lord quickly reply with
an answer as he did concerning the need for air?
No, this time the Lord replied by asking a question,
“What will ye that I should prepare for you that ye
may have light when ye are swallowed up in the
depths of the sea?” We too need to continually seek
for answers from the Lord.

23. The Brother of Jared acknowledged how merciful
the Lord had been, and recognized that the Lord
could do all things, and so he asked the Lord to
touch the stones with his finger so that they could
bring forth light in the darkness. The Lord did in
fact stretch forth his hand and touched each stone
with his finger. Because of his faith and diligence
in the Lord, the Brother of Jared was given more
light, light of assurance and knowledge of essential
truths, principles and doctrine. Sisters, we cannot
do our life’s journey without the Lord.

24. Each of us are capable to receive truth
and light as we seek to put First Things
First. By so doing, our light will
increase. With this increased light, we
also receive peace and reassurance on
our path.

25. As I attend the temple, I have gained a
greater insight on how to obtain balance
in my life. I love mother Eve, and how
obedient she was. She had no other
desire than to be obedient, in order to
be exalted and return to live with our
Father in Heaven. I want to be more
like mother Eve.

26. In the temple I have also gained a
greater understanding of the
importance of good health, which
ultimately may also affect our spiritual,
physical and mental well-being. I’ve
learned the importance of service and
to glorify God and so much more, all of
which helps me keep my
life more balanced.

27. As you continue to attend the
temple, you too may find how the
Lord is teaching you about balance or
keeping your priorities, with eternal
truths to be used here on this earth,
with promises of eternal blessings.

28. Studying my scriptures and prayer has been a reassuring
way to know how to sort through my hectic schedule. I
am more able to receive personal guidance in my life,
learn valuable doctrine and principles, and glean
unlimited examples from righteous lives or learn from
the wayward examples of those who chose a path away
from the light of Christ. We can’t afford not to have this
direction in our lives. The winds are too strong and will
blow us off course, finding us way off balance in the end.
When we put the Lord first each day, we are inviting
more holiness in our lives.

29. In the hymn, “More Holiness Give Me,” we are taught
how to receive more holiness, and the importance of
increase, the Lord’s increase… Seeking for more of the
Savior’s influence in our lives, in being more Holy, to
be more patient, to repent, to have more faith, to care
more, to have more joy in service, to have more
purpose in prayer, to have more gratitude, to have
more trust in Him, to have more pride in His glory, to
have more hope in His word, to have more
compassion, to have more meekness, praise, purity
and strength. Simply more blessed and holy,
more like the Savior.

30. Sisters, it is when we are striving to be
more like the Savior, becoming holy
in all we do, that everything else in
our lives will find balance in its
rightful place.
To this I testify, in the name of Jesus
Christ, Amen.
Please continue to the last slide for further links on YouTube on this
final message of More Holiness Give Me.

31. If you wish to view two different
YouTube videos of the Hymn, “More
Holiness Give Me,” by Jenny Phillips,
type these URL into your browser.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HsDIf_h5qU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvibFgWs_Ow