On focusing on negative consequences: maybe we do that because it's so much easier to consider ourselves candidates for hell than for heaven. Sometimes promised blessings are almost ignored because they sound out of our league: establishing peace, becoming sanctified, understanding the Lord's revelations, entering into His rest: that's only for the people who are unusually incredible and fore-ordained to do those amazing things, right? No! That's one of Alma's major points in this sermon: that these are all things that we can achieve through faith and repentance. Believe that it's possible for you, and envision yourself receiving them.

“In many cookbooks there are pictures of the perfect dishes that recipes make—the fulness of the joy of cooking. These pictures are important because they help us envision the outcome if we strictly follow the directions as given in the recipe. It is important to begin with the end in mind, but the end represented by pictures in cookbooks is an end that is only possible if everything is done right. If directions are not followed or an ingredient is left out or miscalculated, the desired taste and appearance are seldom attained. The picture of a perfect dish, however, can serve as motivation to try again to create something that is both delicious and beautiful.

When we think of eternal life, what is the picture that comes to mind?” (link)