Listening to Find the Answers

While I was studying at Utah State University I was taking a class in sociology twice a week. This class required us to take a quiz of about 6 questions on the previous weeks reading assignment every morning before we started. It was projected on the wall and the teacher would read the questions, the options from A to D, and then give us a little time to pick our answers on our electric test clicker. About two weeks into my class I started listening to how his voice fluctuated as he read the question and options out loud for those who had a hard time reading. I found it very interesting how his voice would change on certain answers as he read.

                                                     

One morning I hadn't done the assigned reading for the class. Knowing I would probably fail, I decided to close my eyes and listen to him as he read the options and make my guess off the fluctuation in his voice. Later that evening I got online to see what my score was; 100%! I about fell out of my chair. I decided to try it again 2 more times just to find the same results as the first.

After this experience I studied on my own time how we change the way we say things in our sentences according to how we feel about things. After lots of studies and listening to people talk, I realized the importance on saying a name. How we say it, bold, quiet, coughing, looking down, with a smile, fast, slow, it depicts how we feel about the individual.

Listening to myself, I realized how quickly I end my prayers. One of my biggest pet peeves is when others mumble through the name of Jesus Christ at the end of a prayer, so I decided to slow it down and say it with purpose. His name is sacred, and we should always keep it that way! I have noticed on a day to day basis that the way I feel about Jesus Christ has changed! I no longer refer to the Savior as "Jesus" but as "The Savior" or "Jesus Christ." who am I to think we are on a first name basis? My prayers have become SO much more meaningful as I respect the name of the Savior, and as I picture speaking with Him and Heavenly Father as I kneel.
There was a lady who was baptized in one of my areas that would lightly bob her head down then up as she said "Jesus Christ." She later explained that growing up she was taught to always bow her head
as she said his name out of respect. I loved that! We must hold his name and position sacred.

 

Elder Kevin W. Pearson of the seventy said,
"I have learned as a father, priesthood leader, and mission president that listening carefully to another’s prayers can reveal much about his or her relationship with God."

Let us all listen to ourselves that we keep safe from using his name with vain repetition, but with reverence and love.