By Kristi Steidley

I had a powerful “aha moment” while journaling about Lesson #11 from Mindset Mastery—a lesson about our awareness of God’s laws. One scripture I love is Doctrine and Covenants 130:20-21:
“There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated. And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.”

As I studied that lesson and read this scripture again, it hit me—I need to become a better receiver. We had a rich discussion about this during our Mindset Mastery Zoom call. Later, I picked up True to the Faith and came across Alma 22:16:
“Believing that ye shall receive…”

That’s when it really clicked. I don’t doubt that God is giving me blessings—or that He will. What I doubt is my own willingness to receive them. I’m committed to doing the work, being obedient to the laws, but I’ve been overlooking that crucial final step: receiving. It’s something I’ve journaled about many times and addressed fears around—like becoming a lover of money or becoming prideful.

I’ve seen those pitfalls happen to others, and I don’t want that for myself. I know I need to cultivate gratitude daily and remember that every blessing—every breath I take—is because of God.

Here’s a recent example: I was in the middle of re-staining my deck—a big project full of lessons. Afterward, I went shopping for furniture and decorations. On the drive home, I felt guilty about how much I’d spent. I started thinking I’d bought too much, wondering what I should return, convincing myself I could live without some of it.

But the truth was—I loved everything I got. I suddenly realized I was resisting the final step: receiving. That morning, I had visualized exactly what I wanted to find. I shopped at the stores I felt led to, found exactly what I was looking for—and then rejected the blessing by not fully accepting it.

Once I became aware of this, I shifted my thoughts to gratitude. I said a prayer thanking Heavenly Father for guiding me to just the right stores, for caring about what I cared about. He knew how hard I’d worked on my deck and how much I wanted to create a warm, inviting space for my family to enjoy together.

I continue to journal and practice being a better receiver. That “aha moment” was so freeing—reminding me that God is always doing His part, as He always does. I can trust Him fully. And it feels wonderful to open my heart and accept the gifts and love He’s pouring out on me.