Where are we pitching our tent? Who are we trying to become?

I loved the talks from conference. The talks by Richard J. Maynes "The Joy of Living a Christ-Centered Life"  and  Larry R. Lawrence "What Lack I Yet?" stood out to me and taught me a lesson. In Larry R. Lawrence's talk, he talks about how if you want to perfect yourself, you need to ask what you lack. That is naturally hard to do because people hate hearing what they need to do better. I decided to take that challenge and I asked my Heavenly Father in prayer what I lack, he gave me different things to work on.  It's amazing how the answer came so simple and I felt the need to be better and a determination to try harder. Like this picture above, this example represents both of these talks. The red rose is christ, he is perfect! We are like the white flowers. Many flowers are placed in blue, green or red dye. After time, these flowers become the color of dye they are placed in. As you can see, these flowers are all different shapes and sizes. Many are still small and need a lot of growing. Some are more red then others. Some flowers are in other vases turning blue or green. Our goal is to put ourselves in Christ footsteps so we can try to become like him again. We are striving to be that red flower. 

Like in Larry Lawrence's talk, when we ask what we lack, we are trying to become that red flower. Ask yourself, "Am I putting myself in that red vase? Am I putting Christ in the center of my life?" In Richard J. Maynes talk, he talks about how we need to live a Christ-Centered Life and put our clay (ourself) in the center so we can make a beautiful pot as he exemplifies in his talk. 

I was reading in Genesis and chapter 13 and 14 fits this example and lesson so perfectly. In Genesis 13:12 it says, "Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom." Sodom is a wicked place and Lot decided to pitch his tent toward Sodom. He wasn't in Sodom but, he could see how it was like to be there. NEVER!!! Even get close to the line. Even though you are only pitching your tent by the place, you will be surprised with where you will end up. In Chapter 14:12 it says, "And they took Lot, Abram's brother's son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed." It started out with just pitching his tent by Sodom and now he is departing to move into Sodom. In Mosiah 2:6 It talks about pitching your tent towards Christ it says, "And they pitched their tents round about the temple, every man having his tent with the door thereof towards the temple, that thereby they might remain in their tents and hear the words which king Benjamin should speak unto them;" 

Where are we pitching our tents? What vase are we putting ourselves into? Who are we trying to become?

This mormon message from the talk Elder Jeffery R. Holland sums this up perfectly talking about pitching your tent the right way so you aren't swayed by temptation.