Patrice Densley

Personal Life Philosophy

My Vision for My Life

if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto

charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail-

But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and who is found

possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him (Smith, 2013)

This scripture, found in the Book of Mormon, best describes my vision for my life.

Charity, or love, is one of the greatest attributes I can develop in this life. Just as the scripture

states, love never fails and is the greatest of all attributes and focusing a life on love will bring

peace and joy to my life. If I emphasize love in each aspect and value in my life I will live a full

and happy life. My philosophy will focus on four main ways of love: love of God, love of

family, love of learning, and love of serving. I chose these particular values because they are

each very important to me and living each value in a vision of love will help me live my life to

the fullest.

Love of God

Having a love for God is the most important value I could ever have. The best way to

show that love is to become a disciple of His Son, Jesus Christ. Becoming a disciple of Christ is

more than just doing good things. It is, in reality, becoming like Jesus Christ. We embody

Christ not only in what we say and do but also in who we are (Hales, 2017). The best way for

me to embody Christ and to become like Him is through obedience to His commandments,

particularly consistent study of the scriptures, daily communication to my Father through prayer,

and worship through church meetings and temple attendance.

 I can show my love to God and become a disciple of Christ through obedience to His

commandments. Reading the scriptures daily helps me understand who my Savior is. Through

that gained understanding I can change habits in my life and follow the example of my Savior.

By following His example, Christs light will shine through me and will be shared with others.

That same light will grow as I strengthen my relationship with God through prayer and as I seek

to truly worship at Sunday meetings and in the temple.

Love of Family

Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith,

prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational

activities (The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus

Christ of Latter-day Saints). With my current family and my future family, focusing on these

nine principles will be what will help my family the most. The first three listed are faith, prayer,

and repentance, which are three principles that help show love for God. For me, helping my

family life focus on God is what will bring us together the most.

The last six principles are what will help strengthen, mend, and create family

relationships. Being willing to forgive, show respect, love, and compassion are some of the best

ways to express love in the family and in any relationship. Working hard and having fun help

families grow in self-reliance and in enjoyment. These nine principles are the best ways to show

love to my family, current and future.

Love of Learning

you need to do well in school and continue your education beyond high school.

In whatever [field] you choose, it is essential that you become proficient so that you can support

a family and make a contribution for good in your community and your country (Christofferson,
2012). Having a love for learning for me will go beyond myself. As I continue to learn I will be

able to teach those around me, particularly my children in the future. It is important and

imperative that I continue to learn because there will be a number of people who will rely on the

knowledge that I carry in my mind, especially my children. Developing a love for learning will

be a skill that I will carry throughout my life.

Those who love to learn are always interesting and are never bored. If I develop a love of

learning I will always be intrigued to learn something new, developing new skills, and my life

will be full of wonder. A love of learning will help me be humble and willing to learn from

anyone I meet.

Love of Serving

the world is in need of your help. There are feet to steady, hands to grasp, minds to

encourage, hearts to inspire, and souls to save (Monson, 2001). Service is one of the greatest

gifts I can give. Seeking to serve others around me will not only lift those I serve, but I will be

uplifted and those who observe will be inspired to serve. Having a love of serving will bring an

untold happiness into my life and help my family see the importance of being selfless and always

seeing to help others.

Why this Philosophy?

As I ponder on what my life would be like if I focus on these four aspects of love, I can

see a life full of joy and happiness. To me, the last three points of my philosophy all are built off

of a love of God. The best way to love my family and show my love to my family is first through

my love of God. The best way to develop a love of learning is to first develop a love of learning

Gods word. Build off of that and the joy of learning of other topics will follow. A love of
service comes when I recognize the individual worth and divine nature of each person I see,

ultimately seeing each person as a child of God.

My fundamental goal and vision in life is based on my religion and my relationship with

my Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus Christ. This has been embedded in my heart from a

very young age and cannot and will not be removed. The love that I have for my Savior has

grown and will continue to grow throughout my life and as my love for Him grows, my love for

those around me will grow as well. This is the basis of my philosophy and will be for the rest of

my life.
 Work Cited

Christofferson, D. Todd. Brethren, We Have Work to Do. Lds.org, The Church of Jesus Christ

of Latter-Day Saints, Oct. 2012, www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/brethren-we-

have-work-to-do?lang=eng.

The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of

Latter-day Saints. The Family: A Proclamation to the World. Lds.org, The Church of

Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, www.lds.org/topics/family-proclamation?lang=eng.

Hales, Robert D. Becoming a Disciple of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Lds.org, The Church of Jesus

Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Apr. 2017, www.lds.org/general-

conference/2017/04/becoming-a-disciple-of-our-lord-jesus-christ?lang=eng.

Monson, Thomas S. To the Rescue. Lds.org, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints,

Apr. 2001, www.lds.org/general-conference/2001/04/to-the-rescue?lang=eng.

Smith, Joseph. The Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Church of Jesus Christ

of Latter-Day Saints, 2013.