Nine Questions for Self-Reflection

During his talk at the start of the April 2015 Priesthood Session of General Conference, Elder M. Russell Ballard encouraged the young adults to listen to his talk "as though we were having a personal video chat right now. Please look at me for a few minutes as though you and I were the only ones in the room" Then he asked nine questions which, while important to the future, current, and returned missionaries of the church, are also important to everyone else:

1. Do you search the scriptures regularly?

2. Do you kneel in prayer to talk with your Heavenly Father each morning and each night?

3. Do you fast and donate a fast offering each month—even if you are a poor, struggling student who can’t afford to donate much?

4. Do you think deeply about the Savior and His atoning sacrifice for you when you are asked to prepare, bless, pass, or partake of the sacrament?

5. Do you attend your meetings and strive to keep the Sabbath day holy?

6. Are you honest at home, school, church, and work?

7. Are you mentally and spiritually clean? Do you avoid viewing pornography or looking at websites, magazines, movies, or apps, including Tinder and Snapchat photos, that would embarrass you if your parents, Church leaders, or the Savior Himself saw you?

8. Are you careful with your time—avoiding inappropriate technology and social media, including video games, which can dull your spiritual sensitivity?

9. Is there anything in your life you need to change and fix, beginning tonight?

I'll admit, I wasn't happy with all of my answers to those questions, which I suppose gives me my answer to question nine. We could all stand to do better in at least a few of those areas, but I guess that's what discipleship is all about. We're all meant to continually look for ways in which to improve. Some of those ways involve doing better at things we do or should do regularly - the little things that reflect how much of an impact the Gospel has on our daily lives. Reading through this list of questions, I can clearly see that I need to become a better disciple. Thankfully the changes I need to make are small. The hard part will be in making those changes consistently every day.