Brother Hilton,
I hope that you are pleased with my Book of Mormon Project. I spent a lot of time on it, and by doing so I became closer to my Savior. I successfully posted 5 times a week for 8 weeks about both scriptural insights and tender mercies I noticed. Doing so helped me slow down in my scripture study and really recognize God's hand in my life.
I am very grateful for this assignment because this is the first spiritual "journal" I have ever kept, and I learned a lot from working on it. I decided to not share my blog with family and friends because I wanted to be able write for my own pleasure and benefit. I didn't want to have to worry about what other people thought of my blog and I knew that somethings were too sacred to share. I hope that someday my posterity will read through this blog and use it as a tool to get to know me. I really poured my heart and soul into this blog.
Thanks again for this assignment. It was really hard, but it caused me to grow.
-Danielle Jones
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Alma 1
Fun Fact about the Book of Alma:
Alma covers 1/3 of the Book of Mormon and only 40 years of history.
"They bore with patience the persecution which was heaped upon them." Alma 1:25
The righteous people were patient in their afflictions. This really stood out to me because patience is a very Christlike attribute. Fortunately, I have not had to endure much persecution, but if I had, then I know that my first instinct would be to fight back. I know that Christ would not fight back and that he would even love the people who were afflicting him. We can all learn a lesson in patience from both this verse and from Christ, who is the perfect example.
"And thus they did establish the affairs of the church; and thus they began to have continual peace again, notwithstanding all their persecutions." -Alma 1:28
Even though these people were being persecuted, they knew that the church was still the most important thing. They were able to have peace during their trials because they put their trust in God and established the church. I can have peace in my life if I focus on the gospel and on serving others.
Alma covers 1/3 of the Book of Mormon and only 40 years of history.
"They bore with patience the persecution which was heaped upon them." Alma 1:25
The righteous people were patient in their afflictions. This really stood out to me because patience is a very Christlike attribute. Fortunately, I have not had to endure much persecution, but if I had, then I know that my first instinct would be to fight back. I know that Christ would not fight back and that he would even love the people who were afflicting him. We can all learn a lesson in patience from both this verse and from Christ, who is the perfect example.
"And thus they did establish the affairs of the church; and thus they began to have continual peace again, notwithstanding all their persecutions." -Alma 1:28
Even though these people were being persecuted, they knew that the church was still the most important thing. They were able to have peace during their trials because they put their trust in God and established the church. I can have peace in my life if I focus on the gospel and on serving others.
Friday, November 14, 2014
Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy
I had an amazing, peaceful, spiritually uplifting experience while completing this challenge last Sunday. Growing up, my parents were very strict on what we could or could not do on Sunday. We never turned the TV on, cleaned our house, did homework, listened to music, or shopped at the store. When I was younger, I had a hard time understanding why my parents would require something that hard from me, but as I grew up, I began to become very grateful for the requirements set.
Unfortunately, as soon as I moved out, I began to slacken on my Sunday worship. For the first time I was so swamped with homework that I didn’t know how I could possibly finish without working on it on Sunday. Also, my roommates all love watching Netflix, listening to music, and throwing parties on Sunday. Our walls are thin, which made it nearly impossible to separate myself form the world.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I began robbing banks on Sunday or anything like that, but it just became easier to go along with the crowd, rather than constantly tell my roommates to remember that it was Sunday. I often did homework on Sunday, and would sometimes watch movies that I knew wouldn’t be very bad. Certainly a G or PG rated movie should be okay on Sunday right? Fortunately, I wasn’t the only roommate who was upset by this policy, and last Sunday we all contributed to a more uplifting atmosphere.
It was one of the most peaceful, uplifting days of my life. I spent all day studying my scriptures, reading my patriarchal blessing, writing letters to missionaries, playing the piano, and writing in my journal. It was so relaxing to put away all of my homework and worries and focus on what really matters. Believe me, it was hard! I had a ten page paper due on Tuesday and all I wanted was to work on it because so much depends on that paper! I believe that taking a day off from writing it helped me write a better paper in a shorter amount of time. I had the opportunity to go to a missionary fireside, and had a lot of important questions answered that had been really bothering me for a long time. I was so in tune with the spirit and I benefitted from acting upon it.
As it turns out, my parents were right! Keeping the Sabbath day holy will make such a difference in your life and Heavenly Father will bless you because of your obedience. From now on, I am going to try harder to finish all of my homework before Sunday, and to refrain from media and TV. I hope that if I ever get tempted to do otherwise that I will be able to remember the amazing experience I had last week. Heavenly Father blesses us when we keep his commandments.
Unfortunately, as soon as I moved out, I began to slacken on my Sunday worship. For the first time I was so swamped with homework that I didn’t know how I could possibly finish without working on it on Sunday. Also, my roommates all love watching Netflix, listening to music, and throwing parties on Sunday. Our walls are thin, which made it nearly impossible to separate myself form the world.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I began robbing banks on Sunday or anything like that, but it just became easier to go along with the crowd, rather than constantly tell my roommates to remember that it was Sunday. I often did homework on Sunday, and would sometimes watch movies that I knew wouldn’t be very bad. Certainly a G or PG rated movie should be okay on Sunday right? Fortunately, I wasn’t the only roommate who was upset by this policy, and last Sunday we all contributed to a more uplifting atmosphere.
It was one of the most peaceful, uplifting days of my life. I spent all day studying my scriptures, reading my patriarchal blessing, writing letters to missionaries, playing the piano, and writing in my journal. It was so relaxing to put away all of my homework and worries and focus on what really matters. Believe me, it was hard! I had a ten page paper due on Tuesday and all I wanted was to work on it because so much depends on that paper! I believe that taking a day off from writing it helped me write a better paper in a shorter amount of time. I had the opportunity to go to a missionary fireside, and had a lot of important questions answered that had been really bothering me for a long time. I was so in tune with the spirit and I benefitted from acting upon it.
As it turns out, my parents were right! Keeping the Sabbath day holy will make such a difference in your life and Heavenly Father will bless you because of your obedience. From now on, I am going to try harder to finish all of my homework before Sunday, and to refrain from media and TV. I hope that if I ever get tempted to do otherwise that I will be able to remember the amazing experience I had last week. Heavenly Father blesses us when we keep his commandments.
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Mosiah 24
"He did know the thoughts of their hearts" -Mosiah 24:12
Christ, aside from understanding everything we have ever or will ever go through, knows the thoughts of our hearts. He can hear our thoughts, and the Holy Ghost puts thoughts into our hearts. He always knows what we need before we ask for it, and he knows of our good intentions, even though sometimes those intentions don't work out the way we had hoped. Christ is always with us. Watching us. Guiding us. Helping us. We can pray at any time. Think about that. We can have a conversation with our Heavenly Father, who is the most powerful being in the entire universe, at any time. Even more amazing than that, he listens and responds back. I am so grateful that I have the knowledge of my Savior, Jesus Christ, and my Heavenly Father. I only hope that I express that gratitude enough.
"I will also ease the burdens which are put on your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs." Mosiah 24:14
The interesting thing about this line is that in the chapter heading it states that "the Lord makes their burdens seem light. This is the enabling power of the atonement which, as stated in class, is something we should all take the time to understand better. Sometimes Christ doesn't take the pain away. Instead, he helps us through the pain. You can do anything through Christ.
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Mosiah 21-
"They did humble themselves even in the depths of humility" -Mosiah 21:13
Humility is a tricky thing. How humble exactly is being humbled to the depths of humility? How humble am I supposed to be, because it is easy to feel inferior to everyone else, but it is also easy to be very prideful and to feel like you are better than everyone else. I guess that the right amount of humility is to know that everything you have comes from God and that he even created your body and your spirit. We should be spending our lives in the service of others to show our gratitude for everything God has done for us. That's what humility is; knowing that God is everything.
"Now there was a great number of women, more than there was of men" -Mosiah 21: 17
This really has nothing to do with the scriptures, but I couldn't resist! This scripture perfectly describes freshman year. There are 2 girls for every boy in my ward, and any sort of social life is a real struggle. Now back to real scriptural insights!
"King Limhi and his people were desirous to be baptized; but there was none in the land that had authority from God...therefore they did not at that time for themselves into a church" -Mosiah 21:33-34
We should thank our Heavenly Father that we have the priesthood! I am so blessed to have a worthy father and brother than can give me blessings, as well as righteous home teachers, FHE brothers, and an amazing bishop. I am surrounded by the priesthood and that knowledge makes me so happy! I am so excited to someday marry someone with the priesthood who, just like my own father strives to use if often and is always worthy of it. I am so very blessed.
Humility is a tricky thing. How humble exactly is being humbled to the depths of humility? How humble am I supposed to be, because it is easy to feel inferior to everyone else, but it is also easy to be very prideful and to feel like you are better than everyone else. I guess that the right amount of humility is to know that everything you have comes from God and that he even created your body and your spirit. We should be spending our lives in the service of others to show our gratitude for everything God has done for us. That's what humility is; knowing that God is everything.
"Now there was a great number of women, more than there was of men" -Mosiah 21: 17
This really has nothing to do with the scriptures, but I couldn't resist! This scripture perfectly describes freshman year. There are 2 girls for every boy in my ward, and any sort of social life is a real struggle. Now back to real scriptural insights!
"King Limhi and his people were desirous to be baptized; but there was none in the land that had authority from God...therefore they did not at that time for themselves into a church" -Mosiah 21:33-34
We should thank our Heavenly Father that we have the priesthood! I am so blessed to have a worthy father and brother than can give me blessings, as well as righteous home teachers, FHE brothers, and an amazing bishop. I am surrounded by the priesthood and that knowledge makes me so happy! I am so excited to someday marry someone with the priesthood who, just like my own father strives to use if often and is always worthy of it. I am so very blessed.
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Mosiah 16 and the mission decision
"If Christ had not risen from the dead, or have broken the bands of death that the grave should have no victory, and that death should have no sting, there could have been no resurrection" -Mosiah 16:7
One of the things that I love about this gospel is that death really has no sting. It is hard to see people die because we miss them. We love them. But we know that we will see them again and we know that they are in a better place now than they were in before they died. Our Heavenly Father loves us so much that he takes us home with him.
I also just want to record where in chapter 15 it says Christ "shall see his seed" three times. We have all been taught that when Christ performed the atonement that he saw all of us individually, but this is the first scripture I have found that states it. Christ saw me. He felt what I feel. He experienced what I have experienced. I am never alone because Christ is always there for me.
Last weekend I made the decision to not serve a mission. I went to a fireside called "to go or not to go" where four sisters spoke of their mission decisions. One sister in particular felt that she was not supposed to go and even though she wanted to, she knew that it wasn't right for her. Since then, she has become an RA, and an EFY councilor. She has had so many missionary experiences without leaving home.
I really think that is what I am supposed to do with my life. I am not to serve a full time mission but I am expected to still be a missionary and to still share the gospel. I have my whole life to bring others unto Christ!
This is what I feel strongly about doing and I hope that I will continue to receive a confirmation about my decision. I know that God's time is not my time and that I still have many years to serve him. I know that if I do not serve a mission that something even better will come along and I can't wait to find out that that might be! I have my whole life ahead of me and there are so many hundreds of opportunities waiting for me!
One of the things that I love about this gospel is that death really has no sting. It is hard to see people die because we miss them. We love them. But we know that we will see them again and we know that they are in a better place now than they were in before they died. Our Heavenly Father loves us so much that he takes us home with him.
I also just want to record where in chapter 15 it says Christ "shall see his seed" three times. We have all been taught that when Christ performed the atonement that he saw all of us individually, but this is the first scripture I have found that states it. Christ saw me. He felt what I feel. He experienced what I have experienced. I am never alone because Christ is always there for me.
Last weekend I made the decision to not serve a mission. I went to a fireside called "to go or not to go" where four sisters spoke of their mission decisions. One sister in particular felt that she was not supposed to go and even though she wanted to, she knew that it wasn't right for her. Since then, she has become an RA, and an EFY councilor. She has had so many missionary experiences without leaving home.
I really think that is what I am supposed to do with my life. I am not to serve a full time mission but I am expected to still be a missionary and to still share the gospel. I have my whole life to bring others unto Christ!
This is what I feel strongly about doing and I hope that I will continue to receive a confirmation about my decision. I know that God's time is not my time and that I still have many years to serve him. I know that if I do not serve a mission that something even better will come along and I can't wait to find out that that might be! I have my whole life ahead of me and there are so many hundreds of opportunities waiting for me!
Monday, November 10, 2014
Tender Mercies: Temple Edition
I really do love to see the temple. I had a wonderful experience there this morning. It is very sacred, so I am not going to share, but I testify that if you go to the temple often, then the Lord will bless you.
Friday, November 7, 2014
Tender Mercies
It's been a while since I just posted about tender mercies. I have been so focused on my study of the Book of Mormon.
I just want to share a quick story of an answer I got from Heavenly Father. This past fast Sunday I was fasting to know what classes I should take for the upcoming semester. I really thought I had the schedule I wanted but I still had a few questions. I wanted to make sure it was the schedule God wanted for me. I was debating on whether or not I should take the second half of the Book of Mormon with the teacher I have now or if I should take the Teachings of the Living Prophets. I had pretty much made up my mind because I loved my Book of Mormon teacher for this semester. (Brother Hilton, if you ever read this just know that your class made a huge difference in my life and in my scripture study habits.)
That night while I was reading my patriarchal blessing I noticed a line that says I will gain wisdom from the teachings of the living prophets. Holy cow. The answer was word for word the name of the class and right then I received a confirmation that this is what God wants me to take. I can't wait to see what next semester brings, and I am so glad that I have the schedule that God wants me to have!
I just want to share a quick story of an answer I got from Heavenly Father. This past fast Sunday I was fasting to know what classes I should take for the upcoming semester. I really thought I had the schedule I wanted but I still had a few questions. I wanted to make sure it was the schedule God wanted for me. I was debating on whether or not I should take the second half of the Book of Mormon with the teacher I have now or if I should take the Teachings of the Living Prophets. I had pretty much made up my mind because I loved my Book of Mormon teacher for this semester. (Brother Hilton, if you ever read this just know that your class made a huge difference in my life and in my scripture study habits.)
That night while I was reading my patriarchal blessing I noticed a line that says I will gain wisdom from the teachings of the living prophets. Holy cow. The answer was word for word the name of the class and right then I received a confirmation that this is what God wants me to take. I can't wait to see what next semester brings, and I am so glad that I have the schedule that God wants me to have!
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Mosiah 15-17
"These are those who have part in the first resurrection; and these are they that have died before Christ came, in their ignorance, not having salvation declared unto them...and they have a part in the first resurrection." -Mosiah 15:24
When I was younger, I had this idea in my mind that it would be better to not learn of the gospel, and just receive it in heaven. How silly I was! Why would you want to miss out on growing up with the gospel and knowing God's plan for you while on earth? Why would you want to miss out on the knowledge of eternal families? I am grateful that I have been placed in such a desirable situation her on earth where I have always had the opportunity to learn of Christ and follow him.
Verse 26 teaches us that there is a difference between those who died without the knowledge of Christ and those who willfully rebelled against him. I love that Christ has a specific plan for all of us,and that he is merciful.
In chapter 17, Abinadi chooses to die rather than deny God, and God lets this happen. Why doesn't God, with his all mighty powers choose to save his prophet? I can't find any credible accounts to back my opinion up, but I believe that Abinadi died to teach us a lesson. God has a plan for all of us and that doesn't always mean that the righteous will live forever. Joseph Smith was martyred, along with Hyrum, and Jesus Christ himself died for us. The fact that God led Abinadi die doesn't mean that there isn't a God. Rather, it confirms that God works in mysterious ways. Maybe Abinadi was needed more in heaven. Maybe if he hadn't have died, than Alma wouldn't have accepted the gospel. For whatever reason, Abinadi was ready to see God again. This lesson teaches us that physical death is not so bad when you have the atonement on your side. I can do everything through Christ, who strengthens me.
When I was younger, I had this idea in my mind that it would be better to not learn of the gospel, and just receive it in heaven. How silly I was! Why would you want to miss out on growing up with the gospel and knowing God's plan for you while on earth? Why would you want to miss out on the knowledge of eternal families? I am grateful that I have been placed in such a desirable situation her on earth where I have always had the opportunity to learn of Christ and follow him.
Verse 26 teaches us that there is a difference between those who died without the knowledge of Christ and those who willfully rebelled against him. I love that Christ has a specific plan for all of us,and that he is merciful.
In chapter 17, Abinadi chooses to die rather than deny God, and God lets this happen. Why doesn't God, with his all mighty powers choose to save his prophet? I can't find any credible accounts to back my opinion up, but I believe that Abinadi died to teach us a lesson. God has a plan for all of us and that doesn't always mean that the righteous will live forever. Joseph Smith was martyred, along with Hyrum, and Jesus Christ himself died for us. The fact that God led Abinadi die doesn't mean that there isn't a God. Rather, it confirms that God works in mysterious ways. Maybe Abinadi was needed more in heaven. Maybe if he hadn't have died, than Alma wouldn't have accepted the gospel. For whatever reason, Abinadi was ready to see God again. This lesson teaches us that physical death is not so bad when you have the atonement on your side. I can do everything through Christ, who strengthens me.
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
Mosiah 13-14
"I read unto you the remainder of the commandments of God, for I perceive that they are not written in your hearts" -Mosiah 13:11
Are the commandments written on our hearts? We all know the commandments, and can probably list off most of them. We follow them because that is what we have been taught to do, but are they actually written upon our hearts? I interpret this line as, do we have a testimony that the commandments are true? Do we keep the commandments based on obedience, or because we know in our hearts that by keeping the commandments we are following God's plan and becoming closer and more like him? The best way to gain a testimony of the commandments is to live them. Just like Brad Wilcox says in his talk "My Grace is Sufficient," by practicing living the commandments, we are coming closer to Christ and learning heaven.
Are the commandments written on our hearts? We all know the commandments, and can probably list off most of them. We follow them because that is what we have been taught to do, but are they actually written upon our hearts? I interpret this line as, do we have a testimony that the commandments are true? Do we keep the commandments based on obedience, or because we know in our hearts that by keeping the commandments we are following God's plan and becoming closer and more like him? The best way to gain a testimony of the commandments is to live them. Just like Brad Wilcox says in his talk "My Grace is Sufficient," by practicing living the commandments, we are coming closer to Christ and learning heaven.
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Mosiah 10-11
"They were a wild, and ferocious, and a blood thirsty people, believing in the traditions of their fathers...that they were wronged while in the land of their first inheritance, after they had crossed the sea, and all this because that Nephi was more faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord-therefore he was favored of the Lord, for the Lord heard his prayers and answered them, and he took the lead of their journey in the wilderness." -Mosiah 10: 12-13
I think the lesson we are to learn here is to not hold grudges. I myself have a problem with this, and there are several people I used to be very close to that I haven't spoken to in over a year. Christ commanded that we love one another and that we forgive one another. I have forgiven these people, but part of me still resents them. Maybe I haven't fully forgiven yet.
The important things is that we do not hold grudges to the extent that the Lamanites held grudges. They hated the Nephites based on the fact that their fathers hated the Nephites and that their father's fathers hated the Nephites. I'm sure their parents taught them to hate the Nephites and that they never thought about them in any other way. They "knew nothing of the Lord" (11), so they did not know how these grudges were tearing them apart.
I just want to say how interesting it is that there is a Lamanite king in the promised land named Noah. Is this evidence that these people originated in the old world, or is it evidence that these people had the brass plates, which surely contained the record of Noah? Either way, this is a confirming fact that the Book of Mormon is true and correct.
Monday, November 3, 2014
Mosiah 8-10
"No man can look in them except he be commanded, lest he should look for that he ought not and he should perish. And whosoever is commanded to look in then, the same is called seer." -Mosiah 8:13
I have the name Joseph Smith written next to this verse because Joseph had the power to translate. I had the opportunity to go on a three week church history tour this summer where we spent the entire time learning about Joseph Smith. He is one of my favorite people. Joseph was so kind and faithful and strong. One thing I especially love about Joseph is how well he treated Emma. I want so badly to marry someone who treats me that well.
That's what I love about this church and about the priesthood. This gospel takes ordinary people and shapes them into people who change the world. It is the most amazing thing!
I have the name Joseph Smith written next to this verse because Joseph had the power to translate. I had the opportunity to go on a three week church history tour this summer where we spent the entire time learning about Joseph Smith. He is one of my favorite people. Joseph was so kind and faithful and strong. One thing I especially love about Joseph is how well he treated Emma. I want so badly to marry someone who treats me that well.
That's what I love about this church and about the priesthood. This gospel takes ordinary people and shapes them into people who change the world. It is the most amazing thing!
Saturday, November 1, 2014
Mosiah 3-5
"His blood atoneth for the sins of those who have fallen by the transgression of Adam, who have died not knowing the will of God concerning them, or who have ignorantly sinned." -Mosiah 3:11
This verse reveals a lot about Christ's character. Christ atoned for the sins of everyone. That's right. Every person who has ever lived upon the earth has the chance to use the atonement. Christ atoned for us all even though he knew that most of us would never even hear of his name while on this earth. He atoned for us all even though he knew that a great number of us would choose to not use the atonement and would choose captivity and death. He even atoned for these people out of complete love and out of the hope that they would someday choose to use his gift.
"Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend." - Mosiah 4:9
Many of us have the desire to learn everything there is to learn about the universe, but that is not God's plan for us. It is frustrating to not understand everything, but we need to trust God because he knows what is best for us. This scripture says that men don't understand the mysteries of God, but someday we will become Gods and Goddesses, and then I believe that God will tell us everything we wish to know.
This verse reveals a lot about Christ's character. Christ atoned for the sins of everyone. That's right. Every person who has ever lived upon the earth has the chance to use the atonement. Christ atoned for us all even though he knew that most of us would never even hear of his name while on this earth. He atoned for us all even though he knew that a great number of us would choose to not use the atonement and would choose captivity and death. He even atoned for these people out of complete love and out of the hope that they would someday choose to use his gift.
"Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend." - Mosiah 4:9
Many of us have the desire to learn everything there is to learn about the universe, but that is not God's plan for us. It is frustrating to not understand everything, but we need to trust God because he knows what is best for us. This scripture says that men don't understand the mysteries of God, but someday we will become Gods and Goddesses, and then I believe that God will tell us everything we wish to know.
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Mosiah 1-5
"My immortal spirit may join the choirs above in singing the praises of a just God." -Mosiah 2:28
This verse is so interesting to me because I am fascinated by the idea of choirs of angels. Music has been included in many of the major events of the world, including the birth of the savior. D&C 25 says that "The song of the righteous is a prayer unto me." I believe that God loves music. Music brings such a wonderful feeling of peace that I really enjoy. I hope that someday I will be included with the choirs of angels. I can't imagine a more wonderful position to be in.
"And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it." -Mosiah 2:41
This is definitely my one of my favorite scriptures. I just love the idea that the gospel is here to make us happy and that we have a Father in Heaven whose only desire is that we return to him and that we find happiness. I have had a long history with depression and having a hard time finding joy in every day things. I need to focus more on my savior, because he wants me to be happy and because he knows exactly what I am going through.
This verse is so interesting to me because I am fascinated by the idea of choirs of angels. Music has been included in many of the major events of the world, including the birth of the savior. D&C 25 says that "The song of the righteous is a prayer unto me." I believe that God loves music. Music brings such a wonderful feeling of peace that I really enjoy. I hope that someday I will be included with the choirs of angels. I can't imagine a more wonderful position to be in.
"And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it." -Mosiah 2:41
This is definitely my one of my favorite scriptures. I just love the idea that the gospel is here to make us happy and that we have a Father in Heaven whose only desire is that we return to him and that we find happiness. I have had a long history with depression and having a hard time finding joy in every day things. I need to focus more on my savior, because he wants me to be happy and because he knows exactly what I am going through.
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Jacob 5...wow this is a long chapter!
“And it came to pass that the servant of the Lord of the vineyard did according to the word of the Lord of the vineyard, and grafted in the branches of the wild olive tree.” –Jacob 5:10
For this scripture, I decided to look up the word “grafted” into the 1828 dictionary. The word grafted means “a small shoot or cion of a tree, inserted in another tree as the stock.” By this definition we learn that the Lord of the vineyard is grafting, or inserting, wild olive branches in the olive tree. This is symbolic to God inviting the Gentiles to be a part of the church. The assigned reading states that grafting is symbolic of spiritual rebirth in this allegory. Therefore, God is inviting the Gentiles to be spiritually reborn and to become part of the church. This is kind of like missionary work.
And these will I place in the nethermost part of my vineyard, whithersoever I will, it mattereth not unto thee; and I do it that I may preserve unto myself the natural branches of the tree.” – Jacob 5:13
In the 1828 dictionary, “nethermost” is defined as, “lowest; as the nethermost hell; the nethermost abyss.” So with this definition in mind, God is taking the branches of house of Israel that have decayed and begun to die and he is sending them to Hell. This is rather harsh, but obviously the branches are corrupting the tree, so they needed to be pruned away. Although this example makes God seem like an unforgiving man, in the text the servant (or Christ) first tried to dig, prune, and nourish the tree so that he could save it. The tree just continued to die. God gave the House of Israel many chances to repent, and the chose not to, which is why they were in a sense cast away.
In verses 19-21, the Lord of the Vineyard visits the branches that were cast in the nethermost part of the vineyard and he finds that they are growing and that their fruit was good. This is a beautiful example of repentance. God gives everyone a chance to become clean again, and to help strengthen our spiritual roots.
“Finally, I bid you farewell, until I shall meet you before the pleasing bar of God, which bar striketh the wicked with awful dread and fear. –Jacob 6:13
“Pleasing” in the 1828 dictionary means, “gratifying; exciting agreeable sensations or emotions in giving pleasure or satisfaction.” It is interesting how Jacob refers to it as the pleasing bar of God because for the righteous it will be a happy day. For those of us who have utilized the atonement, we have no need to fear. The wicked, as stated above in the analysis of Brad Wilcox’s talk, will not have a comparable experience on judgment day as the righteous. It is entirely your choice of which side you will be on during that day.
For this scripture, I decided to look up the word “grafted” into the 1828 dictionary. The word grafted means “a small shoot or cion of a tree, inserted in another tree as the stock.” By this definition we learn that the Lord of the vineyard is grafting, or inserting, wild olive branches in the olive tree. This is symbolic to God inviting the Gentiles to be a part of the church. The assigned reading states that grafting is symbolic of spiritual rebirth in this allegory. Therefore, God is inviting the Gentiles to be spiritually reborn and to become part of the church. This is kind of like missionary work.
And these will I place in the nethermost part of my vineyard, whithersoever I will, it mattereth not unto thee; and I do it that I may preserve unto myself the natural branches of the tree.” – Jacob 5:13
In the 1828 dictionary, “nethermost” is defined as, “lowest; as the nethermost hell; the nethermost abyss.” So with this definition in mind, God is taking the branches of house of Israel that have decayed and begun to die and he is sending them to Hell. This is rather harsh, but obviously the branches are corrupting the tree, so they needed to be pruned away. Although this example makes God seem like an unforgiving man, in the text the servant (or Christ) first tried to dig, prune, and nourish the tree so that he could save it. The tree just continued to die. God gave the House of Israel many chances to repent, and the chose not to, which is why they were in a sense cast away.
In verses 19-21, the Lord of the Vineyard visits the branches that were cast in the nethermost part of the vineyard and he finds that they are growing and that their fruit was good. This is a beautiful example of repentance. God gives everyone a chance to become clean again, and to help strengthen our spiritual roots.
“Finally, I bid you farewell, until I shall meet you before the pleasing bar of God, which bar striketh the wicked with awful dread and fear. –Jacob 6:13
“Pleasing” in the 1828 dictionary means, “gratifying; exciting agreeable sensations or emotions in giving pleasure or satisfaction.” It is interesting how Jacob refers to it as the pleasing bar of God because for the righteous it will be a happy day. For those of us who have utilized the atonement, we have no need to fear. The wicked, as stated above in the analysis of Brad Wilcox’s talk, will not have a comparable experience on judgment day as the righteous. It is entirely your choice of which side you will be on during that day.
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Jacob 5
“And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard wept, and said unto the servant: What could I have done more for my vineyard?” –Jacob 5:41
This scripture was quoted in the Sunday morning session of the October 2003 conference by Jeffery R. Holland. I love the insights he gives about Christ’s character in his talk. The servant of the vineyard (Christ) worked so hard digging and dunging, watering and weeding, trimming, pruning, transplanting, and grafting the olive tree, but the branch died. What this verse tells us is that God loves us and he will do everything in his power to help us understand the gospel, but in the end it is our choice to accept it or not. God weeps when we choose contrary to his will. He only wants what is best for us, but sometimes we have a hard time seeing that. We just need to trust him.
“But, behold, the servant said unto the Lord of the vineyard: Spare it a little longer.” –Jacob 5:50
This scripture, surprisingly enough, has never been mentioned in General Conference, but I want to mention it now. Christ never gives up on us. Never. How amazing is it that the one person in the entire universe who understands with exactness what we are going through and the temptations we face will never give up on us? It is so hard to comprehend Christ’s love, but it is real. In the talk by Brad Wilcox that was assigned as a challenge, Brother Wilcox describes judgment day in a very unique way. He doesn’t believe the unrepentant sinner will be begging God to stay, but that he will be begging to be let go. He knows he has sinned and that he doesn’t belong in the highest degree of glory. Brother Wilcox states that it will be Christ begging the sinner to use the atonement so that the sinner will want to stay. Christ will never give up on us, down to our darkest and last moments. It is so comforting to know that someone loves me this much!
“O be wise; what can I say more?” –Jacob 6:12
I have always loved this scripture because of how blunt it is. Just be wise. Just think before you act. This scripture has been quoted 5 times in General Conference. M Russell Ballard mentioned it in his conference talk in October 2006. He talks about how frustrating it is to be a parent and to wish so badly that your children will be wise and listen to the council of God. I think it is probably the same for Heavenly Father. Time and time again we mess up. But time and time again he forgives us. That is such an amazing thought.
This scripture was quoted in the Sunday morning session of the October 2003 conference by Jeffery R. Holland. I love the insights he gives about Christ’s character in his talk. The servant of the vineyard (Christ) worked so hard digging and dunging, watering and weeding, trimming, pruning, transplanting, and grafting the olive tree, but the branch died. What this verse tells us is that God loves us and he will do everything in his power to help us understand the gospel, but in the end it is our choice to accept it or not. God weeps when we choose contrary to his will. He only wants what is best for us, but sometimes we have a hard time seeing that. We just need to trust him.
“But, behold, the servant said unto the Lord of the vineyard: Spare it a little longer.” –Jacob 5:50
This scripture, surprisingly enough, has never been mentioned in General Conference, but I want to mention it now. Christ never gives up on us. Never. How amazing is it that the one person in the entire universe who understands with exactness what we are going through and the temptations we face will never give up on us? It is so hard to comprehend Christ’s love, but it is real. In the talk by Brad Wilcox that was assigned as a challenge, Brother Wilcox describes judgment day in a very unique way. He doesn’t believe the unrepentant sinner will be begging God to stay, but that he will be begging to be let go. He knows he has sinned and that he doesn’t belong in the highest degree of glory. Brother Wilcox states that it will be Christ begging the sinner to use the atonement so that the sinner will want to stay. Christ will never give up on us, down to our darkest and last moments. It is so comforting to know that someone loves me this much!
“O be wise; what can I say more?” –Jacob 6:12
I have always loved this scripture because of how blunt it is. Just be wise. Just think before you act. This scripture has been quoted 5 times in General Conference. M Russell Ballard mentioned it in his conference talk in October 2006. He talks about how frustrating it is to be a parent and to wish so badly that your children will be wise and listen to the council of God. I think it is probably the same for Heavenly Father. Time and time again we mess up. But time and time again he forgives us. That is such an amazing thought.
Monday, October 27, 2014
10/26/14
For those of you who don’t know me, which I can safely say is almost everyone here, my name is Danielle Jones. I, like some of you here, am from Alpine Utah and I graduated from Lone Peak High School. I feel like I can’t even walk out my front door without seeing someone I know from high school.
Even though my Provo experience has been very different from the rest of yours, I am still going through the same things as you. I know what you guys are going through and I know that God loves each and every one of you.
My topic today is “My Faith in Christ Helps Me Serve Others.” To be honest when I read that topic I was surprised. I did not think that I would be able to actually give a ten minute talk on such a narrow topic. How can having faith in Christ help me give service? Faith and service seemed like two completely unrelated things.
I soon noticed faith and service go hand in hand.
Moroni 10:20-21 states:
Wherefore, there must be faith; and if there must be faith there must also be hope; and if there must be hope there must also be charity.
And except ye have charity ye can in nowise be saved in the kingdom of God; neither can ye be saved in the kingdom of God if ye have not faith; neither can ye if ye have no hope.
This sounds pretty harsh, right? Faith creates charity, and without charity you can’t be saved?
What kind of a world would we live in if small mistakes stop our progression and ultimately hinder our salvation?
In Brother Brad Wilcox gives some wonderful insights about this.
He states: The older I get, and the more I understand this wonderful plan of redemption, the more I realize that in the final judgment it will not be the unrepentant sinner begging Jesus, “Let me stay.” No, he will probably be saying, “Get me out of here!” Knowing Christ’s character, I believe that if anyone is going to be begging on that occasion, it would probably be Jesus begging the unrepentant sinner, “Please, choose to stay. Please, use my Atonement—not just to be cleansed but to be changed so that you want to stay.”
The miracle of the Atonement is not just that we can go home but that—miraculously—we can feel at home there.
We aren’t earning grace, we are learning grace.
A wise Sunday school teacher once taught me his version of the differences in character between the three kingdoms. He explained that in the telestial kingdom, everyone is selfish, and puts their needs above the needs of others. Can you imagine a world where nobody ever gives service to others?
This teacher believes that in the terrestrial kingdom everything is fair. If you give me charity, I will give you charity, but nothing more. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
In the celestial kingdom, he teaches that everyone focuses completely on the needs of others. You never have to think about yourself, and you don’t want to. Happiness comes from giving service to others, which is why the Celestial kingdom is a place of never ending happiness.
“Charity is the pure love of Christ.”
By striving to have charity, we are becoming more and more like Christ. That’s our whole purpose of being here; to become like Christ so that we will want to be in his presence in the life to come.
Brother Wilcox gives another example of a child practicing the piano. He says:
“Christ’s arrangement with us is similar to a mom providing music lessons for her child. Mom pays the piano teacher. How many know what I am talking about? Because Mom pays the debt in full, she can turn to her child and ask for something. What is it? Practice! Does the child’s practice pay the piano teacher? No. Does the child’s practice repay Mom for paying the piano teacher? No. Practicing is how the child shows appreciation for Mom’s incredible gift. It is how he takes advantage of the amazing opportunity Mom is giving him to live his life at a higher level. Mom’s joy is found not in getting repaid but in seeing her gift used—seeing her child improve. And so she continues to call for practice, practice, practice.
If the child sees Mom’s requirement of practice as being too overbearing (“Gosh, Mom, why do I need to practice? None of the other kids have to practice! I’m just going to be a professional baseball player anyway!”), perhaps it is because he doesn’t yet see with mom’s eyes. He doesn’t see how much better his life could be if he would choose to live on a higher plane.
In the same way, because Jesus has paid justice, He can now turn to us and say, “Follow me” (Matthew 4:19), “Keep my commandments” (John 14:15). If we see His requirements as being way too much to ask (“Gosh! None of the other Christians have to pay tithing! None of the other Christians have to go on missions, serve in callings, and do temple work!”), maybe it is because we do not yet see through Christ’s eyes. We have not yet comprehended what He is trying to make of us.
The child must practice the piano, but this practice has a different purpose than punishment or payment. Its purpose is change.”
In this sense, every time we do something that is good, we draw closer to God. We don’t do good just for the purpose of doing good, we do good because we want to become like the Savior. Every time we wake up early to go to the temple, go out of our way to study our scriptures, or fulfill ward assignments, we are in a sense practicing what God wants us to practice. Just like the boy in the story practices the piano to be obedient to his mother, we practice keeping the commandments to be obedient to Christ. By practicing the teachings he gives us, we are striving to become like him. We are learning grace, and choosing where we wish to be in the next life. We have faith in the atonement, and therefore have charity, which is the pure love of Christ.
Moroni 7:48 says:
“Pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with his love…that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure.”
It’s all about becoming like God, and reaching our potential as his sons and daughters.
So how does this relate to faith and charity? If you believe in Christ and believe in his plan, then you practice his teachings. Christ is the perfect example of service, and we should follow him.
Moroni 7:46-47 says:
Wherefore, my beloved bretheren, 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 whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.
In regards to faith and service, I want to briefly discuss one topic that is, or certainly should be, on all of your minds. Missionary work. Young men, you know that you are supposed to serve, and I know that you will all make a wonderful contribution to the missionary force. I know that many of you have your calls and that many of you are preparing to go. I thank all of you for fulfilling your priesthood duties and I feel so blessed to live in an area with so many priesthood members.
I want to specifically speak to all of the sisters in this room, which for better or for worse is most of you. I know that for some of you missionary work is a sensitive topic. Age 19 is coming closer and closer and you are probably asked daily whether or not you are planning on serving. I get it. I am right there with you.
President Gordon B. Hinckley said: There seems to be growing in the Church an idea that all young women as well as all young men should go on missions. We need some young women. They perform a remarkable work. They can get in homes where the elders cannot.
I wish to say that the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve are united in saying to our young sisters that they are not under obligation to go on missions. I hope I can say what I have to say in a way that will not be offensive to anyone. Young women should not feel that they have a duty comparable to that of young men. Some of them will very much wish to go. If so, they should counsel with their bishop as well as their parents. If the idea persists, the bishop will know what to do.
I say what has been said before, that missionary work is essentially a priesthood responsibility. As such, our young men must carry the major burden. This is their responsibility and their obligation.
Again to the sisters I say that you will be as highly respected, you will be considered as being as much in the line of duty, your efforts will be as acceptable to the Lord and to the Church whether you go on a mission or do not go on a mission.
I know the pressures you sisters are feeling, because I have felt them too. I want to remind you all that your Heavenly Father loves you the same amount whether you choose to serve a mission or whether you choose another path. Your worth as a daughter of God is not based on whether or not you serve, and your faithfulness in the church cannot be measured by missionary service. The thing that really matters is that you are striving to become more like Christ and that you are preparing to someday go to the temple.
For you sisters who have calls, I am so excited for you. Your missions will be hard, but you will draw closer to God during those hard times. I have gotten to know many of you and I know that your testimonies will bless lives all over the world.
Everyone here, whether you are a future missionary or not, can focus on serving others. I don’t want anyone to think that I am against sisters serving missions because I love missionaries! My Grandmother, and Mom both served missions, and I have a sister who will return in a month. Sister missionaries make a wonderful contribution to the missionary force, but not every sister is required to go. Whether or not you choose to serve a full time mission, you should be constantly applying Christ like attributes to your life.
In our quest to become like Christ, we must remember that Christ loved the individual. He loves each and every one of you more than you can comprehend. I testify to you that there is someone among you who is lonely, or down trodden, or is so broken that they don’t have any idea what to do next. I know that many of you are homesick, and that you are beginning to realize how hard it is to live apart from your family and friends. Some of you are struggling with sickness in the family, divorce of parents, or the death of a loved one. Some of you don’t know how you will be able to pay for school, let alone a mission, and some of you are still wondering whether or not a mission is the right choice.
I challenge everyone to, as Linda K Burton said, first observe then serve. In our quest to become like Christ, search for the one among you who needs you. Pray for your roommates, and the people you visit and home teach. You were put in their lives for a reason, so learn what that reason is. You may be the only one who can help them, but you need to be in tune with the spirit in order to do so.
Remember that when you are in the service of your fellow beings you are only in the service of your God.
The famous primary song “I’m trying to be like Jesus” explains this concept in a beautiful way.
I'm trying to be like Jesus;
I'm following in his ways.
I'm trying to love as he did, in all that I do and say.
At times I am tempted to make a wrong choice,
But I try to listen as the still small voice whispers,
I'm trying to love my neighbor;
I'm learning to serve my friends.
I watch for the day of gladness when Jesus will come again.
I try to remember the lessons he taught.
Then the Holy Spirit enters into my thoughts, saying:
Chorus
"Love one another as Jesus loves you.
Try to show kindness in all that you do.
Be gentle and loving in deed and in thought,
For these are the things Jesus taught."
Brothers and sisters, Jesus Christ was the perfect example of charity. I testify that he loves each and every one of you. As you strive to become closer to him, remember his example of service.
Even though my Provo experience has been very different from the rest of yours, I am still going through the same things as you. I know what you guys are going through and I know that God loves each and every one of you.
My topic today is “My Faith in Christ Helps Me Serve Others.” To be honest when I read that topic I was surprised. I did not think that I would be able to actually give a ten minute talk on such a narrow topic. How can having faith in Christ help me give service? Faith and service seemed like two completely unrelated things.
I soon noticed faith and service go hand in hand.
Moroni 10:20-21 states:
Wherefore, there must be faith; and if there must be faith there must also be hope; and if there must be hope there must also be charity.
And except ye have charity ye can in nowise be saved in the kingdom of God; neither can ye be saved in the kingdom of God if ye have not faith; neither can ye if ye have no hope.
This sounds pretty harsh, right? Faith creates charity, and without charity you can’t be saved?
What kind of a world would we live in if small mistakes stop our progression and ultimately hinder our salvation?
In Brother Brad Wilcox gives some wonderful insights about this.
He states: The older I get, and the more I understand this wonderful plan of redemption, the more I realize that in the final judgment it will not be the unrepentant sinner begging Jesus, “Let me stay.” No, he will probably be saying, “Get me out of here!” Knowing Christ’s character, I believe that if anyone is going to be begging on that occasion, it would probably be Jesus begging the unrepentant sinner, “Please, choose to stay. Please, use my Atonement—not just to be cleansed but to be changed so that you want to stay.”
The miracle of the Atonement is not just that we can go home but that—miraculously—we can feel at home there.
We aren’t earning grace, we are learning grace.
A wise Sunday school teacher once taught me his version of the differences in character between the three kingdoms. He explained that in the telestial kingdom, everyone is selfish, and puts their needs above the needs of others. Can you imagine a world where nobody ever gives service to others?
This teacher believes that in the terrestrial kingdom everything is fair. If you give me charity, I will give you charity, but nothing more. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
In the celestial kingdom, he teaches that everyone focuses completely on the needs of others. You never have to think about yourself, and you don’t want to. Happiness comes from giving service to others, which is why the Celestial kingdom is a place of never ending happiness.
“Charity is the pure love of Christ.”
By striving to have charity, we are becoming more and more like Christ. That’s our whole purpose of being here; to become like Christ so that we will want to be in his presence in the life to come.
Brother Wilcox gives another example of a child practicing the piano. He says:
“Christ’s arrangement with us is similar to a mom providing music lessons for her child. Mom pays the piano teacher. How many know what I am talking about? Because Mom pays the debt in full, she can turn to her child and ask for something. What is it? Practice! Does the child’s practice pay the piano teacher? No. Does the child’s practice repay Mom for paying the piano teacher? No. Practicing is how the child shows appreciation for Mom’s incredible gift. It is how he takes advantage of the amazing opportunity Mom is giving him to live his life at a higher level. Mom’s joy is found not in getting repaid but in seeing her gift used—seeing her child improve. And so she continues to call for practice, practice, practice.
If the child sees Mom’s requirement of practice as being too overbearing (“Gosh, Mom, why do I need to practice? None of the other kids have to practice! I’m just going to be a professional baseball player anyway!”), perhaps it is because he doesn’t yet see with mom’s eyes. He doesn’t see how much better his life could be if he would choose to live on a higher plane.
In the same way, because Jesus has paid justice, He can now turn to us and say, “Follow me” (Matthew 4:19), “Keep my commandments” (John 14:15). If we see His requirements as being way too much to ask (“Gosh! None of the other Christians have to pay tithing! None of the other Christians have to go on missions, serve in callings, and do temple work!”), maybe it is because we do not yet see through Christ’s eyes. We have not yet comprehended what He is trying to make of us.
The child must practice the piano, but this practice has a different purpose than punishment or payment. Its purpose is change.”
In this sense, every time we do something that is good, we draw closer to God. We don’t do good just for the purpose of doing good, we do good because we want to become like the Savior. Every time we wake up early to go to the temple, go out of our way to study our scriptures, or fulfill ward assignments, we are in a sense practicing what God wants us to practice. Just like the boy in the story practices the piano to be obedient to his mother, we practice keeping the commandments to be obedient to Christ. By practicing the teachings he gives us, we are striving to become like him. We are learning grace, and choosing where we wish to be in the next life. We have faith in the atonement, and therefore have charity, which is the pure love of Christ.
Moroni 7:48 says:
“Pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with his love…that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure.”
It’s all about becoming like God, and reaching our potential as his sons and daughters.
So how does this relate to faith and charity? If you believe in Christ and believe in his plan, then you practice his teachings. Christ is the perfect example of service, and we should follow him.
Moroni 7:46-47 says:
Wherefore, my beloved bretheren, 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 whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.
In regards to faith and service, I want to briefly discuss one topic that is, or certainly should be, on all of your minds. Missionary work. Young men, you know that you are supposed to serve, and I know that you will all make a wonderful contribution to the missionary force. I know that many of you have your calls and that many of you are preparing to go. I thank all of you for fulfilling your priesthood duties and I feel so blessed to live in an area with so many priesthood members.
I want to specifically speak to all of the sisters in this room, which for better or for worse is most of you. I know that for some of you missionary work is a sensitive topic. Age 19 is coming closer and closer and you are probably asked daily whether or not you are planning on serving. I get it. I am right there with you.
President Gordon B. Hinckley said: There seems to be growing in the Church an idea that all young women as well as all young men should go on missions. We need some young women. They perform a remarkable work. They can get in homes where the elders cannot.
I wish to say that the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve are united in saying to our young sisters that they are not under obligation to go on missions. I hope I can say what I have to say in a way that will not be offensive to anyone. Young women should not feel that they have a duty comparable to that of young men. Some of them will very much wish to go. If so, they should counsel with their bishop as well as their parents. If the idea persists, the bishop will know what to do.
I say what has been said before, that missionary work is essentially a priesthood responsibility. As such, our young men must carry the major burden. This is their responsibility and their obligation.
Again to the sisters I say that you will be as highly respected, you will be considered as being as much in the line of duty, your efforts will be as acceptable to the Lord and to the Church whether you go on a mission or do not go on a mission.
I know the pressures you sisters are feeling, because I have felt them too. I want to remind you all that your Heavenly Father loves you the same amount whether you choose to serve a mission or whether you choose another path. Your worth as a daughter of God is not based on whether or not you serve, and your faithfulness in the church cannot be measured by missionary service. The thing that really matters is that you are striving to become more like Christ and that you are preparing to someday go to the temple.
For you sisters who have calls, I am so excited for you. Your missions will be hard, but you will draw closer to God during those hard times. I have gotten to know many of you and I know that your testimonies will bless lives all over the world.
Everyone here, whether you are a future missionary or not, can focus on serving others. I don’t want anyone to think that I am against sisters serving missions because I love missionaries! My Grandmother, and Mom both served missions, and I have a sister who will return in a month. Sister missionaries make a wonderful contribution to the missionary force, but not every sister is required to go. Whether or not you choose to serve a full time mission, you should be constantly applying Christ like attributes to your life.
In our quest to become like Christ, we must remember that Christ loved the individual. He loves each and every one of you more than you can comprehend. I testify to you that there is someone among you who is lonely, or down trodden, or is so broken that they don’t have any idea what to do next. I know that many of you are homesick, and that you are beginning to realize how hard it is to live apart from your family and friends. Some of you are struggling with sickness in the family, divorce of parents, or the death of a loved one. Some of you don’t know how you will be able to pay for school, let alone a mission, and some of you are still wondering whether or not a mission is the right choice.
I challenge everyone to, as Linda K Burton said, first observe then serve. In our quest to become like Christ, search for the one among you who needs you. Pray for your roommates, and the people you visit and home teach. You were put in their lives for a reason, so learn what that reason is. You may be the only one who can help them, but you need to be in tune with the spirit in order to do so.
Remember that when you are in the service of your fellow beings you are only in the service of your God.
The famous primary song “I’m trying to be like Jesus” explains this concept in a beautiful way.
I'm trying to be like Jesus;
I'm following in his ways.
I'm trying to love as he did, in all that I do and say.
At times I am tempted to make a wrong choice,
But I try to listen as the still small voice whispers,
I'm trying to love my neighbor;
I'm learning to serve my friends.
I watch for the day of gladness when Jesus will come again.
I try to remember the lessons he taught.
Then the Holy Spirit enters into my thoughts, saying:
Chorus
"Love one another as Jesus loves you.
Try to show kindness in all that you do.
Be gentle and loving in deed and in thought,
For these are the things Jesus taught."
Brothers and sisters, Jesus Christ was the perfect example of charity. I testify that he loves each and every one of you. As you strive to become closer to him, remember his example of service.
Friday, October 24, 2014
Sacrament Talk Try 2
This is another section I added to my talk. I know this doesn't directly add to my knowledge of the Book of Mormon, but I learned so much while writing it that I want to share it!
In regards to faith and service, I want to briefly discuss one topic that is, or certainly should be, on all of your minds. Missionary work. Young men, you know that you are supposed to serve, and I know that you will all make a wonderful contribution to the missionary force. I know that many of you have your calls and that many of you are preparing to go. I thank all of you for fulfilling your priesthood duties and I feel so blessed to live in an area with so many priesthood members.
I want to specifically speak to all of the sisters in this room, which for better or for worse is most of you. I know that for some of you missionary work is a sensitive topic. Age 19 is coming closer and closer and you are probably asked daily whether or not you are planning on serving. I get it. I am right there with you.
President Gordon B. Hinckley said: There seems to be growing in the Church an idea that all young women as well as all young men should go on missions. We need some young women. They perform a remarkable work. They can get in homes where the elders cannot.
I wish to say that the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve are united in saying to our young sisters that they are not under obligation to go on missions. I hope I can say what I have to say in a way that will not be offensive to anyone. Young women should not feel that they have a duty comparable to that of young men. Some of them will very much wish to go. If so, they should counsel with their bishop as well as their parents. If the idea persists, the bishop will know what to do.
I say what has been said before, that missionary work is essentially a priesthood responsibility. As such, our young men must carry the major burden. This is their responsibility and their obligation.
Again to the sisters I say that you will be as highly respected, you will be considered as being as much in the line of duty, your efforts will be as acceptable to the Lord and to the Church whether you go on a mission or do not go on a mission.
I know the pressures you sisters are feeling, because I have felt them too. I want to remind you all that your Heavenly Father loves you the same amount whether you choose to serve a mission or whether you choose another path. Your worth as a daughter of God is not based on whether or not you serve, and your faithfulness in the church cannot be measured by missionary service. The thing that really matters is that you are striving to become more like Christ and that you are preparing to someday go to the temple.
For you sisters who have calls, I am so excited for you. Your missions will be hard, but you will draw closer to God during those hard times. I have gotten to know many of you and I know that your testimonies will bless lives all over the world.
Everyone here, whether you are a future missionary or not, can focus on serving others. I don’t want anyone to think that I am against sisters serving missions because I love missionaries! My Grandmother, and Mom both served missions, and I have a sister who will return in a month. Sister missionaries make a wonderful contribution to the missionary force, but not every sister is required to go. Whether or not you choose to serve a full time mission, you should be constantly applying Christ like attributes to your life.
In our quest to become like Christ, we must remember that Christ loved the individual. He loves each and every one of you more than you can comprehend. I testify to you that there is someone among you who is lonely, or down trodden, or is so broken that they don’t have any idea what to do next. I know that many of you are homesick, and that you are beginning to realize how hard it is to live apart from your family and friends. Some of you are struggling with sickness in the family, divorce of parents, or the death of a loved one. Some of you don’t know how you will be able to pay for school, let alone a mission, and some of you are still wondering whether or not a mission is the right choice.
In regards to faith and service, I want to briefly discuss one topic that is, or certainly should be, on all of your minds. Missionary work. Young men, you know that you are supposed to serve, and I know that you will all make a wonderful contribution to the missionary force. I know that many of you have your calls and that many of you are preparing to go. I thank all of you for fulfilling your priesthood duties and I feel so blessed to live in an area with so many priesthood members.
I want to specifically speak to all of the sisters in this room, which for better or for worse is most of you. I know that for some of you missionary work is a sensitive topic. Age 19 is coming closer and closer and you are probably asked daily whether or not you are planning on serving. I get it. I am right there with you.
President Gordon B. Hinckley said: There seems to be growing in the Church an idea that all young women as well as all young men should go on missions. We need some young women. They perform a remarkable work. They can get in homes where the elders cannot.
I wish to say that the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve are united in saying to our young sisters that they are not under obligation to go on missions. I hope I can say what I have to say in a way that will not be offensive to anyone. Young women should not feel that they have a duty comparable to that of young men. Some of them will very much wish to go. If so, they should counsel with their bishop as well as their parents. If the idea persists, the bishop will know what to do.
I say what has been said before, that missionary work is essentially a priesthood responsibility. As such, our young men must carry the major burden. This is their responsibility and their obligation.
Again to the sisters I say that you will be as highly respected, you will be considered as being as much in the line of duty, your efforts will be as acceptable to the Lord and to the Church whether you go on a mission or do not go on a mission.
I know the pressures you sisters are feeling, because I have felt them too. I want to remind you all that your Heavenly Father loves you the same amount whether you choose to serve a mission or whether you choose another path. Your worth as a daughter of God is not based on whether or not you serve, and your faithfulness in the church cannot be measured by missionary service. The thing that really matters is that you are striving to become more like Christ and that you are preparing to someday go to the temple.
For you sisters who have calls, I am so excited for you. Your missions will be hard, but you will draw closer to God during those hard times. I have gotten to know many of you and I know that your testimonies will bless lives all over the world.
Everyone here, whether you are a future missionary or not, can focus on serving others. I don’t want anyone to think that I am against sisters serving missions because I love missionaries! My Grandmother, and Mom both served missions, and I have a sister who will return in a month. Sister missionaries make a wonderful contribution to the missionary force, but not every sister is required to go. Whether or not you choose to serve a full time mission, you should be constantly applying Christ like attributes to your life.
In our quest to become like Christ, we must remember that Christ loved the individual. He loves each and every one of you more than you can comprehend. I testify to you that there is someone among you who is lonely, or down trodden, or is so broken that they don’t have any idea what to do next. I know that many of you are homesick, and that you are beginning to realize how hard it is to live apart from your family and friends. Some of you are struggling with sickness in the family, divorce of parents, or the death of a loved one. Some of you don’t know how you will be able to pay for school, let alone a mission, and some of you are still wondering whether or not a mission is the right choice.
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Jacob 5
“The parable of Zenos, recorded by Jacob in chapter five of his book, is one of the greatest parables ever recorded. This parable in and of itself stamps the Book of Mormon with convincing truth. No mortal man, without the inspiration of the Lord, could have written such a parable. It is a pity that too many of those who read the Book of Mormon pass over and slight the truths which it conveys in relation to the history, scattering, and final gathering of Israel” - Joseph Fielding Smith
Okay, so for most of us, Jacob 5 is not fun. To be honest, I feel the same way, but I am determined to learn all I can about this chapter! It's in here for a reason, and I am going to figure out what that reason is.
So here's something cool I learned about the allegory, apparently, Jacob didn't even write it. Zenos did. Zenos was an Old Testament prophet who was alive sometime between Isaiah and Lehi. It's a shame that his writings are only found on the brass plates, and not on the Old Testament. He is just as confusing as Isaiah, and I'm sure they would be great friends.
‘One Jewish legend identifies the tree of life as the olive tree, and with good reason. The olive tree is an evergreen, not a deciduous tree. Its leaves do not seasonally fade nor fall. Through scorching heat and winter cold they are continually rejuvenated. Without cultivation the olive is a wild, unruly, easily corrupted tree. Only after long, patient cultivating, usually eight to ten years, does it begin to yield fruit. Long after that, new shoots often come forth from apparently dead roots. [The appearance of gnarled trunks gives] the impression of travail—of ancient life and renewing life.’
[Truman Madsen, “The Olive Press: A Symbol of Christ,”in The Allegory of the Olive Tree, ed. Stephen D. Ricks and John W. Welch (1994), 2.]
“You have come to the earth when the foundation has been laid for this great work. The gospel has been restored for the last time. The Church has been established in almost every part of the world. The stage is set for the final dramatic scenes to be enacted. You will be the principal players. You are among the last laborers in the vineyard. This is the yoke that is set upon your necks. This is the service for which you are chosen” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1983, 47; or
Ensign, May 1983, 33).
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Sacrament Meeting Talk Rough Draft
I just found out that I am speaking in sacrament meeting on Sunday. Lucky me...here's the rough draft I created today.
If you ever get an
email from the Bishopric, don’t open it. Just close your laptop and walk away.
But in all seriousness,
this bishopric is wonderful, even if they ask you to speak in sacrament
meeting. I feel their love for all of you every time they bear testimony of
this wonderful gospel. Listen to their council because they always have the
best intentions in mind.
For those of you who
don’t know me, which I can safely say is almost everyone here, my name is
Danielle Jones. I, like many of you here, am from Alpine Utah and I graduated
from Lone Peak High School. I feel like I can’t even walk out my front door
without seeing someone I know from high school. Sometimes I feel like BYU is
actually Lone Peak College.
Even though my Provo
experience has been very different from the rest of yours, I am still going
through the same circumstances as the rest of you. I know what you guys are
going through and I know that God loves each and every one of you.
My topic today is “My
Faith in Christ Helps Me Serve Others.” To be honest when I read that topic I
was surprised. I did not think that I would be able to eloquently give a ten
minute talk on such an obscure topic. How can having faith in Christ help me
give service? Faith and service seemed like two completely unrelated
things.
I soon noticed faith
and service go hand in hand.
Moroni 10:20-21 states:
Wherefore,
there must be faith; and if there must be faith there must also be hope; and if
there must be hope there must also be charity.
And
except ye have charity ye can in nowise be saved in the kingdom of God; neither
can ye be saved in the kingdom of God if ye have not faith; neither can ye if
ye have no hope.
This sounds pretty
harsh, right? Faith creates charity, and without charity you can’t be saved?
What kind of a world
would we live in if small mistakes stop our progression and ultimately hinder
our salvation?
Moroni 7:25-26 says:
Men began to excercise
faith, they did lay hold upon every good thing; and thus it was until the
coming of Christ.
And after he came men
also were saved by faith in his
name; and by faith they became the sons of God.
The Phrase that stands
out to me here is “saved by faith.” Did you know that we can be saved by faith?
Aside from being the first principle of the gospel, faith actually has the
power to save us.
The phrase “saved by
faith” is very similar to the phrase “saved by grace” which is a common phrase
used among members.
2 Nephi says:
We
know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do
What does this scripture
mean, and how does it apply to faith and charity?
In Brother Brad Wilcox’s
speech “his grace is sufficient,” he gives some wonderful insights about grace.
In this talk, Brother
Wilcox teaches about how we aren’t earning grace, we are learning grace. We do
believe in grace and the fact that we are saved after all we can do, but we are
here on this earth to become more like Christ. We will be saved because of
Christ’s great sacrifice, and we are here on the earth to choose what kind of
life we want to have after we die.
Brother Wilcox states: The older I get, and the more I understand
this wonderful plan of redemption, the more I realize that in the final
judgment it will not be the unrepentant sinner begging Jesus, “Let me stay.”
No, he will probably be saying, “Get me out of here!” Knowing Christ’s
character, I believe that if anyone is going to be begging on that occasion, it
would probably be Jesus begging the unrepentant sinner, “Please, choose to
stay. Please, use my Atonement—not just to be cleansed but to be changed so
that you want to stay.”
The
miracle of the Atonement is not just that we can go home but
that—miraculously—we can feel at home there.
We aren’t earning
grace, we are learning grace.
A wise Sunday school
teacher once taught me his version of the differences in character between the
three kingdoms. He explained that in the telestial kingdom, everyone is selfish,
and puts their needs above the needs of others. He believes that in the
terrestrial kingdom everything is fair. If you give me charity, I will give you
charity, but nothing more. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. In the
celestial kingdom, everyone focuses completely on the needs of others. You
never have to think about yourself, and you don’t want to. Happiness comes from
giving service to others, which is why the Celestial kingdom is a place of
never ending happiness.
“Charity is the pure
love of Christ.”
By striving to have
charity, we are becoming more and more like Christ. That’s our whole purpose of
being here; to become like Christ so that we will be comfortable in his
presence in the life to come.
Brother Wilcox gives
another example of a child practicing the piano. He says:
“Christ’s
arrangement with us is similar to a mom providing music lessons for her child.
Mom pays the piano teacher. How many know what I am talking about? Because Mom
pays the debt in full, she can turn to her child and ask for something. What is
it? Practice! Does the child’s practice pay the piano teacher? No. Does the
child’s practice repay Mom for paying the piano teacher? No. Practicing is how
the child shows appreciation for Mom’s incredible gift. It is how he takes
advantage of the amazing opportunity Mom is giving him to live his life at a
higher level. Mom’s joy is found not in getting repaid but in seeing her gift
used—seeing her child improve. And so she continues to call for practice,
practice, practice.
If
the child sees Mom’s requirement of practice as being too overbearing (“Gosh,
Mom, why do I need to practice? None of the other kids have to practice! I’m
just going to be a professional baseball player anyway!”), perhaps it is
because he doesn’t yet see with mom’s eyes. He doesn’t see how much better his
life could be if he would choose to live on a higher plane.
In
the same way, because Jesus has paid justice, He can now turn to us and say,
“Follow me” (Matthew 4:19), “Keep my commandments” (John 14:15). If we see His
requirements as being way too much to ask (“Gosh! None of the other Christians
have to pay tithing! None of the other Christians have to go on missions, serve
in callings, and do temple work!”), maybe it is because we do not yet see
through Christ’s eyes. We have not yet comprehended what He is trying to make
of us.
The
child must practice the piano, but this practice has a different purpose than
punishment or payment. Its purpose is change.”
In this sense, every time we do something that is good,
we draw closer to God. We practice by keeping the commandments, and striving to
become like him. We have faith in the atonement, and therefore have charity,
which is the pure love of Christ.
Moroni 7:48 says:
“Pray
unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with his
love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus
Christ’ that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall
be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we
may be purified even as he is pure.”
It’s all about becoming
like God, and reaching our potential as his sons and daughters.
The famous primary song
“I’m trying to be like Jesus” explains this concept in a beautiful way.
I'm trying to be like
Jesus;
I'm following in his
ways.
I'm trying to love as
he did, in all that I do and say.
At times I am tempted
to make a wrong choice,
But I try to listen as
the still small voice whispers,
I'm trying to love my
neighbor;
I'm learning to serve
my friends.
I watch for the day of
gladness when Jesus will come again.
I try to remember the
lessons he taught.
Then the Holy Spirit
enters into my thoughts, saying:
Chorus
"Love one another
as Jesus loves you.
Try to show kindness in
all that you do.
Be gentle and loving in
deed and in thought,
For these are the
things Jesus taught."
Brothers and sisters,
Jesus Christ was the perfect example of charity. I testify that he loves each
and every one of you.
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Jacob 1-5 (The Whole Shabang)
"Seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand" -Jacob 4:10
How often do we tell God how we want our lives to end up like? How about instead of commanding him, we ask him how he wants our lives to end up like. After all, he only has our best intentions in mind and he will always do what is best for us. We just need to TRUST HIM!
Monday, October 20, 2014
Thoughts
So yesterday I had this thought that I really don't know a lot about my Heavenly Mother. I know I have one but I didn't know where to go to find information about her. I searched lds.org, the index in the Book of Mormon, the Topical Guide, and the Bible Dictionary. Nothing. I have no idea where I can learn about her and I want so desperately to. If there were an account of her somewhere it would be so amazing to learn of her and understand what she is like. We know so much about Heavenly Father, which is amazing and I would never trade it for anything in the world, but I would really like to know more about my Mom. Just think about the lessons of being a mo we could learn form her. I want to be an amazing Mom too, so I want so badly to learn about her.
At the same time, I know that everything happens for a reason, and that Heavenly Father has his reasons for not giving us very much information about her. Maybe he is trying to protect her. If people don't know about her then they can't disrespect her. Whatever the reason, I trust God, but I would love very much to get to know her. I guess that's something I can look forward to. Someday I will see her again. I am so excited for that day.
Friday, October 17, 2014
Project day 2
4. Here are a few more things I noticed during my project.
Angels
- 2 Nephi 32:3
This is the familiar scripture
that we all know and love that tell us how Angels communicate with us. I
believe in angels, and am fascinated by the idea that there are spirits around
us guiding us, and carrying out God’s plan. As it turns out the word “angel” is
used a total of 662 times in the standard works.
This is amazing! If angels were
unimportant, or not real, then they surely wouldn’t be in the scriptures as
much as they are. Although I myself have not had an encounter with an angel, I
have studied very intently the accounts of prophets, specifically Joseph Smith,
and I testify that angels are real. They are around us, and they are a witness
that Heavenly Father loves all of his children.
5.
Jacob
1:2
The word precious is mentioned 54
times in the Book of Mormon. 21 of those are in 1 Nephi. It is only mentioned 5
times in the Book of Jacob. It is interesting that Nephi uses the word so much
and that Jacob doesn’t. Again, this is a testimony builder that many people
wrote the Book of Mormon.
Thursday, October 16, 2014
This is an activity we did using the software LDS View. The program lets you search for specific words in the scriptures and shows you which books they are found. I had some amazing experiences and some awesome insights regarding what I found while doing this project. Here are the results!
- “Plain” - 2 Nephi 31:2-3, 32:7, 33:5-6
It is so interesting to me that the word “plain” or “plainness” is found 7 times within 2 Nephi 31-33, which is about 5.5 pages. This is especially interesting because in the Book of Mormon, it is only said 51 times. The book is around 500 pages long, so every ten pages or so the world “plain” should occur. Why does Nephi use this word so often?
Nephi uses this word much more often than any other prophet. Plain is used 34 times in 1 Nephi and 2 Nephi combined. What can we learn from this?
Nephi states, in 2 Nephi 31:3, that “[his] soul delighteth in plainness; for after this manner doth the Lord God work among the children of men.” He is trying to teach us that there are no mysteries with God, and that in time, God will reveal everything to us. God is light, and there are no mysteries in light. 2 Nephi 26:33, which is out of today’s reading, but still applicable, states “he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men.”
- “Strait and narrow path” - 2 Nephi 31:18
The phrase “strait and narrow path” is used a lot in the Mormon culture. We are familiar with this phrase because it shows us the way to get to heaven. The interesting thing I learned when I typed this phrase into lds view is that this phrase is only used in the Book of Mormon. In fact, this phrase is only used in 1 and 2 Nephi.
What does this tell us? This tells us that there really were many prophets who wrote this book. How could Joseph Smith, and uneducated farm boy, write each book in the Book of Mormon differently? The book is true!
- Doctrine of Christ - 2 Nephi 31:21
The Doctrine of Christ, which states that men must follow Christ, be baptized, receive the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end to be saved, is a very important part of LDS doctrine. This is the simplest way of teaching people how they are to behave in order to return to their Heavenly Father. What is really interesting is the fact that the Doctrine of Christ is also found in the New Testament. This isn’t something Mormons made up, it is a doctrine that has been around since the time where Christ lived on the earth.
This was an amazing witness to me that the Book of Mormon is in fact another testament of Jesus Christ. It teaches the same doctrine that Christ taught while he was here on the earth. God is unchanging, and his doctrines are forever. What an amazing gospel we belong to!
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Tender Mercies
1. I live so close to home and I can go visit my family whenever I want to.
2. My car is fixed, and I was able to drive it back to school today!
3. The weather is beautiful. October is my favorite time of year.
4. My parents are so accepting of what I want my future to look like.
5. I had a unique opportunity to serve a ward member today.
6. Some random girl told me she liked my jacket, which made me happy because I was lost in the Eyering Building.
7. I got to hear my Brother sing in the devotional yesterday.
8. I am really on top of my homework and I am getting the hang of this college thing.
9. I saw some missionaries on campus, and it just made me really happy.
10. I got my parking ticket fee reduced from $50 to $15.
I just have a strong testimony that my Heavenly Father is looking out for me step by step, every day. Every little thing that happens to me comes from him, and I can tell that if he is putting such little things into place for me that he has great things in store for me in the near future! This gospel is so amazing!
2. My car is fixed, and I was able to drive it back to school today!
3. The weather is beautiful. October is my favorite time of year.
4. My parents are so accepting of what I want my future to look like.
5. I had a unique opportunity to serve a ward member today.
6. Some random girl told me she liked my jacket, which made me happy because I was lost in the Eyering Building.
7. I got to hear my Brother sing in the devotional yesterday.
8. I am really on top of my homework and I am getting the hang of this college thing.
9. I saw some missionaries on campus, and it just made me really happy.
10. I got my parking ticket fee reduced from $50 to $15.
I just have a strong testimony that my Heavenly Father is looking out for me step by step, every day. Every little thing that happens to me comes from him, and I can tell that if he is putting such little things into place for me that he has great things in store for me in the near future! This gospel is so amazing!
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
2 Nephi 31
"Wherefore, do the things which I have told you" -2 Nephi 31:17
That pretty much sums up the gospel right there! We just need to do as we are told, and we will be saved. I know it's not quite that easy, but I imagine Nephi pleading to his people to just follow what he says. He can only do so much for them, and the rest is up to them. This must be so frustrating for Nephi.
As frustrating as this would be for Nephi, imagine how frustrating it is for Heavenly Father. He just wants us to follow him, and time and time again we disappoint him. We should follow him because we love him.
This chapter speaks of the Doctrine of Christ, which is that Men must follow Christ, be baptized, receive the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end to be saved. That's all we have to do!
"And now, if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by water, to fulfil all righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water!" -2 Nephi 32:5
Baptism is important enough that Christ himself was baptized as an example to us. This would be a great missionary scripture in regards to commitment to baptism.
That pretty much sums up the gospel right there! We just need to do as we are told, and we will be saved. I know it's not quite that easy, but I imagine Nephi pleading to his people to just follow what he says. He can only do so much for them, and the rest is up to them. This must be so frustrating for Nephi.
As frustrating as this would be for Nephi, imagine how frustrating it is for Heavenly Father. He just wants us to follow him, and time and time again we disappoint him. We should follow him because we love him.
This chapter speaks of the Doctrine of Christ, which is that Men must follow Christ, be baptized, receive the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end to be saved. That's all we have to do!
"And now, if the Lamb of God, he being holy, should have need to be baptized by water, to fulfil all righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water!" -2 Nephi 32:5
Baptism is important enough that Christ himself was baptized as an example to us. This would be a great missionary scripture in regards to commitment to baptism.
Monday, October 13, 2014
2 Nephi 30
Tender Mercies,
1. I got my parking ticket repealed!
2. The weather was really nice today.
3. I got a 95 on my Book of Mormon test.
4. I made myself a delicious lunch (when you're in college, making good meals is important)
5. We are really getting to know the other girls in our FHE group better.
"I, Nephi, would not suffer that ye should suppose that ye are more righteous than the Gentiles" -2 Nephi 30:1
I think this applies to everyone, but maybe I am the only one who has this problem. I am so quick to judge and to pridefully put my self above others. I'm not sure why I do this, or why it is so hard to stop, but it really bothers me. I need to pray to God for guidance and help with overcoming this problem.
1. I got my parking ticket repealed!
2. The weather was really nice today.
3. I got a 95 on my Book of Mormon test.
4. I made myself a delicious lunch (when you're in college, making good meals is important)
5. We are really getting to know the other girls in our FHE group better.
"I, Nephi, would not suffer that ye should suppose that ye are more righteous than the Gentiles" -2 Nephi 30:1
I think this applies to everyone, but maybe I am the only one who has this problem. I am so quick to judge and to pridefully put my self above others. I'm not sure why I do this, or why it is so hard to stop, but it really bothers me. I need to pray to God for guidance and help with overcoming this problem.
Sunday, October 12, 2014
2 Nephi 25-30
"The day cometh that the Only Begotten of the Father, yea, even the Father of heaven and of earth, shall manifest himself unto them in the flesh, behold, they will reject him, because of their iniquities, and the hardness of their hearts, and the stiffness of their necks -2 Nephi 25:12
Today in Sunday school we were taught that Christ came to this earth, rather than one of God's other worlds, because this world was the most wicked. We are the only world that would crucify the Son of God. This really got to me because I see so much good in the world. The world is wicked, but it isn't all bad. I believe that if this world is the most wicked then it is, or surely has the capability to be, the most righteous as well. 2 Nephi chapter two talks about how there must needs be an opposition in all things. Because of this scripture, we can reason that without good their can't be bad. Therefore, if our world is wicked, there is also goodness in it. I hope that I am part of the good of this world.
"The right way is to believe in Christ and deny him not; for by denying hi ye also deny the prophets and the law" -2 Nephi 25:28
CTR! I really believe that Christ is, and will always be the right choice. Choosing Christ makes you happy. It lets you live with your families forever, lets you be forgiven of your sins, and lets you become the glorious being that your Father in Heaven wants you to become. By choosing Christ, you are choosing happiness, and we all want happiness.
"Thy ways are just" -2 Nephi 26:7
This chapter talks the destruction of the Nephites, and about how horrible it was. In the end Nephi says that God's ways are just. He just saw a vision that his people would be destroyed, but he knew that God had a plan. We should be more like that. We need to always trust God.
God also gives his people numerous chances to repent, but they get destroyed if they don't. We need to listen to us. He will give us second chances, but we need to obey him.
"Lord God worketh not in darkness" 2 Nephi 26:23
I really love the fact that Christ and God are compared to light. In light, there are no mysteries. Eventually, he will reveal everything to us because he loves us. We just need to wait until it is time for him to do so. He always loves us.
Tender Mercies:
This weekend has been a rough one. I got a $50 dollar parking ticket on my brother's car, and I have no clue how I am going to afford to pay for it. I was only parked there for an hour and it was all just a huge mistake.
It was so hard, and I'm not sure why, but getting that ticket just made me fall apart. I have been working so hard and haven't gotten much sleep and I just lost it.
My brother and Dad were so nice to me. Brandon took me out to ice cream, and my dad brought me flowers, well a cactus with flowers. It really made my day to know that even though I was having a rough time, that my family still cared about me. I love them so much!
Today in Sunday school we were taught that Christ came to this earth, rather than one of God's other worlds, because this world was the most wicked. We are the only world that would crucify the Son of God. This really got to me because I see so much good in the world. The world is wicked, but it isn't all bad. I believe that if this world is the most wicked then it is, or surely has the capability to be, the most righteous as well. 2 Nephi chapter two talks about how there must needs be an opposition in all things. Because of this scripture, we can reason that without good their can't be bad. Therefore, if our world is wicked, there is also goodness in it. I hope that I am part of the good of this world.
"The right way is to believe in Christ and deny him not; for by denying hi ye also deny the prophets and the law" -2 Nephi 25:28
CTR! I really believe that Christ is, and will always be the right choice. Choosing Christ makes you happy. It lets you live with your families forever, lets you be forgiven of your sins, and lets you become the glorious being that your Father in Heaven wants you to become. By choosing Christ, you are choosing happiness, and we all want happiness.
"Thy ways are just" -2 Nephi 26:7
This chapter talks the destruction of the Nephites, and about how horrible it was. In the end Nephi says that God's ways are just. He just saw a vision that his people would be destroyed, but he knew that God had a plan. We should be more like that. We need to always trust God.
God also gives his people numerous chances to repent, but they get destroyed if they don't. We need to listen to us. He will give us second chances, but we need to obey him.
"Lord God worketh not in darkness" 2 Nephi 26:23
I really love the fact that Christ and God are compared to light. In light, there are no mysteries. Eventually, he will reveal everything to us because he loves us. We just need to wait until it is time for him to do so. He always loves us.
Tender Mercies:
This weekend has been a rough one. I got a $50 dollar parking ticket on my brother's car, and I have no clue how I am going to afford to pay for it. I was only parked there for an hour and it was all just a huge mistake.
It was so hard, and I'm not sure why, but getting that ticket just made me fall apart. I have been working so hard and haven't gotten much sleep and I just lost it.
My brother and Dad were so nice to me. Brandon took me out to ice cream, and my dad brought me flowers, well a cactus with flowers. It really made my day to know that even though I was having a rough time, that my family still cared about me. I love them so much!
Thursday, October 9, 2014
2 Nephi 25: 8
"Wherefore, they are of worth unto the children of men, and he that supposeth that they are not, unto them will I speak particularly, and confine the words unto mine own people; for I know that they shall be of great worth unto them in the last days; for in that day shall they understand them; wherefore, for their good have I written them. -2 Nephi 25: 8
Nephi't feelings toward Isaiah were probably equal to our feelings for Joseph Smith. Isaiah, who preached from 740-700 B.C., wasn't very far away from Nephi's time. We owe it to Nephi to read the words of Isaiah, especially because he considers them to be some of the most sacred parts of the Book of Mormon. I know his words are hard. Trust me, I am being tested on them this afternoon, but with God's help nothing is impossible, If God can part the Red Sea, make mountains move, and create this world, he can help you understand Isaiah. You just have to ask.
Nephi't feelings toward Isaiah were probably equal to our feelings for Joseph Smith. Isaiah, who preached from 740-700 B.C., wasn't very far away from Nephi's time. We owe it to Nephi to read the words of Isaiah, especially because he considers them to be some of the most sacred parts of the Book of Mormon. I know his words are hard. Trust me, I am being tested on them this afternoon, but with God's help nothing is impossible, If God can part the Red Sea, make mountains move, and create this world, he can help you understand Isaiah. You just have to ask.
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
1 Nephi 5:8
" Now I know of a surety that the Lord hath commanded my husband to flee into the wilderness; yea, and I also know of a surety that the Lord hath protected my sons, and delivered them out of the hands of Laban, and given them power whereby they could accomplish the thing which the Lord hath commanded them. - 1 Nephi 5:8
This verse tells us a lot about Sariah. Sariah hadn't received revelation that she was supposed to flee until after they left. In fact, they were 275 miles into their journey and she had just sent her sons on a 550 mile road trip through the wilderness. Sometimes we just need to trust God. Sariah certainly had a "go and do" attitude.
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
2 Nephi 18-21
"There is no light in them"-2 Nephi 18:20
How sad would it be to have absolutely no light in you. We all have a responsibility to share the gospel and share the light that we have with others. The cool thing about light is that by sharing your light with others, it doesn't make your light dimmer. Lets all share the happiness we have.
"The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined" -2 Nephi 19:2
Going along with this other scripture, this one talks about how those without light used to have it, but lost it. How sad this is! How sad would it be to have the gospel, or have some sort of happiness and to lose all of it.
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace" -2 Nephi 19:6
We've all heard this scripture many times. We've all heard the Tabernacle Choir sing this line around Christmas time, but how often do we examine it. One thing I think is cool from this passage is that all of the adjectives are capitalized. They aren't just describing Christ. They are naming him. Christ is the Prince of Peace. He is Wonderful. He is our Counselor. Think of how many other roles Christ plays in our life. He is always there. I am so grateful to him.
How sad would it be to have absolutely no light in you. We all have a responsibility to share the gospel and share the light that we have with others. The cool thing about light is that by sharing your light with others, it doesn't make your light dimmer. Lets all share the happiness we have.
"The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined" -2 Nephi 19:2
Going along with this other scripture, this one talks about how those without light used to have it, but lost it. How sad this is! How sad would it be to have the gospel, or have some sort of happiness and to lose all of it.
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace" -2 Nephi 19:6
We've all heard this scripture many times. We've all heard the Tabernacle Choir sing this line around Christmas time, but how often do we examine it. One thing I think is cool from this passage is that all of the adjectives are capitalized. They aren't just describing Christ. They are naming him. Christ is the Prince of Peace. He is Wonderful. He is our Counselor. Think of how many other roles Christ plays in our life. He is always there. I am so grateful to him.
Monday, October 6, 2014
Missionaries bless so many lives!
Just a random spiritual thought for the day.
"Have ye inquired of the Lord? And they said unto me: We have not; for the Lord maketh no such thing known unto us. -1 Nephi 15:8-9
I think this is the key to the reason why Laman and Lemuel are so disobedient and why they have such a hard time spiritually. They don't even ask. God's hand is stretched out to us, but we have to make the effort to meet him half way.
I know that sometimes even when we do ask it feels like we aren't getting answers. Heavenly Father will answer you, but it will be in his own due time. He knows what is best for you, so you just need to trust him and follow him and keep living a righteous life. It will all work out in the end.
Last night I emailed six of my missionary friends. I don't know why I don't do this more often, because it was a wonderful experience. Not one missionary complained to said anything negative. I can tell that they are all happy and that they are all working hard. This isn't to say that they aren't having a hard time on their missions because missions are difficult, but they are all so happy. The gospel brings happiness into the lives of everyone. It is the most wonderful thing.
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Conference: Day Two
All of the speakers are talking about following, loving, and sustaining the prophet. I wonder why that is.
Henry B
Eyering:
We should pray for a confirmation that what the
prophet says is true.
Don’t take lightly the love you have for the
prophet of God.
Russell M
Neilson:
We thank thee o God for a prophet!
Man’s ways remove people from office when they
grow old.
When we sustain prophets it doesn’t mean that we
quietly go about our way listening to his council. It means that we stand by
him. We support him. We love him.
The apostle with the longest seniority presides.
The church system runs much smoother than the
government because it is run by God.
Carol F.
McConkie:
We heed prophetic word even when it is
unreasonable, or even uncomfortable.
By following the prophet, you are following God.
In every age the Lord gives direction to his
people.
Most of what the prophet tells us is words of
strength, comfort, love, and good cheer. Who wouldn’t want to follow that?
Robert D
Hales:
As you exercise faith, and obey the commandments,
the Holy Ghost testifies what is true.
Feast upon the words of Christ. Don’t just
snack. FEAST!
God and Christ are literally Father and Son.
Separate and distinct. They work together for our good. Christ went through the veil just like you and me. Although he had
angelic help, he still had to obtain his own testimony.
Christ and God are one in purpose.
James J
Hamula: When
we take the sacrament, the bread is broken to symbolize Christ. “Bruised,
broken, torn for us”
The water signifies the blood, and the spiritual
suffering he endured for us.
Thomas S.
Monson:
We came here to obtain a body of flesh and bones, and to gain experience we
could only gain by being physically separated from our father.
Decisions
Determine Destiny
He didn’t send us here without direction and
guidance.
Walking where
Jesus walked is less important than walking as Jesus walked.
The end result in disobedience is captivity and
death, while the end result in obedience is liberty and eternal life. Which one
do you want?
Richard G Scott:
What did Adam and Eve feel in the garden? They didn’t feel sadness, so they didn’t feel joy. It wasn’t until they left the garden that they felt joy.
Sometimes we feel more aware of the negative things than the positive.
There must be an opposition in all things.
David A Bednar:
Such a good missionary talk!
We want to share the gospel because we want to give others the thing that helps us when we are hurt.
Sweet above all that is sweet. Lehi's first desire after partaking of the fruit was to share it with others.
After Enos ended praying, his desire was to help others and share what he had learned.
The atonement of Christ, like the soap in the story, is necessary to become clean.
Richard G Scott:
What did Adam and Eve feel in the garden? They didn’t feel sadness, so they didn’t feel joy. It wasn’t until they left the garden that they felt joy.
Sometimes we feel more aware of the negative things than the positive.
There must be an opposition in all things.
David A Bednar:
Such a good missionary talk!
We want to share the gospel because we want to give others the thing that helps us when we are hurt.
Sweet above all that is sweet. Lehi's first desire after partaking of the fruit was to share it with others.
After Enos ended praying, his desire was to help others and share what he had learned.
The atonement of Christ, like the soap in the story, is necessary to become clean.
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Tender Mercies: Conference Edition!
Here are some highlights I enjoyed from conference. I consider it a real tender mercy that we are able to hear from God twice a year through his prophets.
"Whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servant, it is the same" - D&C 1:38
Saturday Morning Session: One of the first things President Monson said was that the young women are not under the same mandate as the young men to serve missions. This is such an important topic right now because a lot of girls feel inferior when they don't serve. Instead of people asking me if I am going to serve a mission, sometimes they just ask me when I am going to serve. It is my life and it is my choice!
Boyd K. Packer: It would be a difficult world to live in if we could not be forgiven of our sins.
"Whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servant, it is the same" - D&C 1:38
Saturday Morning Session: One of the first things President Monson said was that the young women are not under the same mandate as the young men to serve missions. This is such an important topic right now because a lot of girls feel inferior when they don't serve. Instead of people asking me if I am going to serve a mission, sometimes they just ask me when I am going to serve. It is my life and it is my choice!
Boyd K. Packer: It would be a difficult world to live in if we could not be forgiven of our sins.
We have 88,000 missionaries and 15 million members
The success of the church isn't measured by
numbers but by the strength of its members.
Elder Lind
K Robbins: Seventies
don’t represent the people to the prophet but the prophet to the people. Trying
to please others before God is a mistake.
It has also been really cool to hear people speak in their native languages. This is truly a global church!
Elder D.
Todd Cristofferson: Grace is real, but God intends us to act upon
the moral standards he has given us. God will not live our lives for us or
control us like puppets. Freedom comes not from resisting laws but applying them.
"And if ye shall way there is no law, ye shall say there is no sin. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness. And if there be no righteousness there be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness nor happiness there be no punishment nor misery. And if these things are not there is no God. And if there is no God we are not, neither the earth for there could have been no creation of things, neither to act nor to be acted upon; wherefore, all things must have vanished away. -2 Nephi 2:13
I really like this scripture. Not just because we learned about it in class, and because it is on the midterm, but because it shows that laws are there to make us happy. God loves us, so he gives us commandments. If we love him, then we will follow.
President
Uctdorf: Be
grateful for all prophets. Past and Present.
Ask God to manifest the truth of this church
unto you.
You need to practice his commandments to gain a
testimony of their truth. Don’t just
learn it! Live it!
"If any man shall do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself" -John 7:17
If we are having a hard time trusting God and following his commandments, then we just need to try them out! You will find that they bless you and that he will make it easier to follow them. He wants you to follow them!
Neil L.
Anderson: Many dismiss the
restoration because they don’t believe that God talks to us.
Why would God not speak to us if he is the same
yesterday today and forever?
You might see anti Mormon things on the news, or
through peers, but you shouldn’t question the testimony of the prophets.
You won’t be much help for others if your own
faith isn’t in place.
The negative
commentary of Joseph Smith will increase as the second coming approaches.
I really like how he suggested to record yourself saying the Joseph Smith history account of the first vision. He suggests recording at and listening to it often. What a cool experience that would be!
Jeffery R.
Holland: Jesus’s
first duty was to bless the poor; including the poor in spirit.
Christ created heaven and earth and was
essentially homeless during his adult life.
Nearly ¾ million members of the church have been
helped by fast offerings.
L Tom
Perry: We can come to know Christ
through his silences. If he doesn't answer you right away that is okay!
I understand that this post wasn't very Book of Mormon centered, but I believe that the living prophets are crucial to our membership in the church. Just as we learn from ancient prophets, we need to head the council of living prophets.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)