The two gifts, time and freedom of choice must be accounted for. A consecrated life will be moving a person in the direction of God's life. The five elements of this life are purity, work, respect for one's physical body, service and integrity. Three things to repent of and what to replace them with:
Stubborness --- Submission
Rebellion --- Desire for Correction
Rationalization --- Acceptance of all the Lord may require
Regarding work and service, I loved the story of his grandfather and the sheep. It is still hard to picture shearing 287 sheep without electric clippers, especially when I can't picture the manual tool that must be used to do this.
I now know that moving towards the consecrated life will also bring the blessings of the Spirit in ways we do not understand or expect and some of the lessons will be very hard indeed.
I think Jim chose this talk because he said I yelled in my sleep last night, "Jim you're terrible!" We are reviewing and printing out different conf. talks but from my notes on Elder Christofferson's remarks I noted the following: "Honest toil gives...wholesome leisure." Our physical bodies are a gift...and that we should exercise moral agency in the form of the flesh and care for our body as best we can because it houses our Spirit. In regards to our service and work ethic we are accountable to God. Our consecrated life should benefit others.
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