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Our church publishes a monthly magazine that is sent to member's homes all over the world.  It is called the Ensign.  In it are inspiring articles from church leaders and members alike.  I read it every month and enjoy it.

But one article in our latest issue has become one of my new favorites…I loved the insights it gave.

In it, Douglas Callister (a General Authority of our Church) spoke of the need for refinement in our daily lives and the departure of such attitudes in our modern culture.  He speaks of heaven as being a place of refinement…and if we are to someday be comfortable in heaven we will want to cultivate heaven's attitudes and culture into our everyday life.  And while we of course will never feel completely comfortable in the presence of God in our earthly state without the necessary cleansing power of the Atonement, I found it enlightening to think of ways that I can come closer to experiencing heaven on earth in my own home.  Here are some of my personal highlights from the talk:

"If we could part the veil and observe our heavenly home, we would be impressed with the cultivated minds and hearts of those who so happily live there. I imagine that our heavenly parents are exquisitely refined."

Refinement in language

"God speaks all languages, and He speaks them properly. He is restrained and modest of speech…Refinement in speech is more than polished elocution. It results from purity of thought and sincerity of expression…Refinement in speech is reflected not only in our choice of words but also in the things we talk about."

Refinement in literature

"My wife and I recently spent four years on Church assignment in Eastern Europe. We often traveled on the Moscow underground subway, called the Metro. We noticed the bowed heads of the Russian passengers, for they were reading Tolstoy, Chekhov, Dostoyevsky, or Pushkin—and, sometimes, Mark Twain. The people were poor, but they were not obsessed with their poverty. They possessed the rich tradition of Russian literature, art, and music.

President McKay noted: “As with companions so with books. We may choose those which will make us better, more intelligent, more appreciative of the good and the beautiful in the world, or we may choose the trashy, the vulgar, the obscene, which will make us feel as though we’ve been ‘wallowing in the mire.’”

Refinement in music

"If we could peek behind the heavenly veil, we would likely be inspired by the music of heaven…

Elder Neal A. Maxwell (1926–2004) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said: “We … live in a world that is too prone to the tasteless and we need to provide an opportunity to cultivate a taste for the finest music. And likewise, we’re in a world that’s so attuned to the now. We need to permit people to be more attuned to the best music of all the ages.”

Refinement in art, appearance and attitude

"What I have shared about bringing great language, literature, and music into the home may be said with equal truth of great art—perhaps tastefully displayed in our heavenly home. It may also be said of our physical appearance and manners, the order of our homes, how we offer our prayers, and how we read God’s word.

I once visited briefly with the great actress Audrey Hepburn while she was making the movie My Fair Lady. She spoke of the opening scene in the movie in which she depicted a modest, unpolished flower girl. Her face had been besmirched with charcoal to make her seem part of her surroundings. “But,” she said with a twinkle in her eye, “I was wearing my perfume. Inside I still knew I was a lady.” It doesn’t take expensive perfume to make a lady, but it does require cleanliness, modesty, self-respect, and pride in one’s appearance.

Many years ago an associate of mine decided he would please his wife by sharing with her a specific compliment each night as he arrived home. One night he praised her cooking. A second night he thanked her for excellence in housekeeping. A third night he acknowledged her fine influence on the children. The fourth night, before he could speak, she said, “I know what you are doing. I thank you for it. But don’t say any of those things. Just tell me you think I am beautiful.”

She expressed an important need she had. Women ought to be praised for all the gifts they possess—including their attentiveness to their personal appearance—that so unselfishly add to the richness of the lives of others. We must not let ourselves go and become so casual—even sloppy—in our appearance that we distance ourselves from the beauty heaven has given us.

Some flippantly say, “How I look has nothing to do with how God feels about me.” But it is possible for both earthly parents and heavenly parents to have unspoken disappointment in their offspring without diminished love."

I found this talk to be fascinating!  I'm especially glad to have read it before summer hits because now I want to try to invite more refining activities into our summer plans – introduce better music, art and literature to the boys (and to myself!).   

You can read the talk in its entirety HERE.