Distraction

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said,  "We cannot and we must not allow ourselves to get distracted from our sacred duty. We cannot and we must not lose focus on the things that matter most." 

Where is your focus? Is your mind distracted? 

The internet can be a very useful tool. We can communicate with friends and family instantly, even reconnecting with people we may have lost contact with over the years. We can use the vast amount of information available to us to learn a new skill or study up on any topic of interest to us. I personally use the internet every day. I talk with family, share photos of fun events with those that weren't able to make it, watch tv (I'm too poor to pay for cable and the internet), chat with friends around the world, get all sorts of new writing ideas, take online classes to increase my knowledge of things, etc. The internet is a big part of my life, but it can also be a huge distraction. I am amazed at how easy it is to lose track of time when checking email, Facebook, and browsing Pinterest. These sites are thieves of time and productivity. Once lost you can never regain the time you wasted pinning a recipe you're probably never going to make or Facebook stalking that cute boy in your ward. 

This doesn't mean these sites are horribly bad and to always be avoided, but they are to be used sparingly. I'm reminded of the scripture in Luke chapter 10 verse 42; "But one thing is needful; and Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken from her". We need to chose the things that are better! Communicating with friends and family face to face is much better than through email and Facebook. Playing a game as a family is better than pinning ideas of games to play with your family. Writing in your journal is better than updating your Facebook status. Reading your scriptures is better than reading your email. 

In this world full of distraction we must be far more vigilant on how we spend our time, and where we place priorities. We cannot afford to lose focus on the things that matter most. Distraction is one of Satans greatest tools. The more distracted we are the more he can get us to forget who we really are and what our purpose really is. Let's take a stand, refine our focus, and vow never to forget!