So for the new year I have decided to study a subject from cover to cover in the Book of Mormon.
Yesterday I was listening to an awesome talk on marriage and the speaker said that there are over 400 references to heart in the Book of Mormon. I decided that that would be our first study as a family.
We found 3 references in the first chapter of Nephi already.
1 Nephi 1:1 Nephi talks about his "many afflictions" but yet how blessed he is from the Lord. He was blessed to know the mysteries of God and the Goodness of God. This said "Grateful Heart" to me. I was also studying for my young women's lesson today and this reminded me of a really great question in one of the talk.
"Do you remember the first time you knew there was a God and could feel His love?"
1 Nephi 1:5 Lehi prayed with all his heart- I asked myself 2 questions.
1. Have I ever prayed with all my heart? The answer was yes when I really wanted something or when I was hurting. The second question was
2. How can I increase the amount I pray with all my heart? This reminded me of one of my goals for this year to have a kneeling morning and night personal prayer. Kneeling helps me focus on what I am doing and not get distracted. It also helps me to pray more earnestly and with all my heart. I am also going to try to pray my gratitude with all my heart not just my needs and wants.
Yesterday, a day I have prayed for with all my heart for 7 years finally came, and I was able to work my last day out of the home since 2007. It was a good day and on my way home I prayed with all my heart sincere gratitude for the deliverance and goodness of God in my life that he would bless me to be home again with my children and serve them full time.
1 Nephi 1:15 Lehi's heart was filled with rejoicing in the Goodness of God
Last night on my way home from my last shift in 7 years my heart was filled with gratitude that I could finally quit working outside of the home. That God, as He had promised when I felt commanded to return to work, had provided a deliverance and given me a way to come home. It seemed like the day would never come many times over the last 7 years. But I realized that God had carried me through His command to work and blessed me all along. God is good to me!
Loved this as a parting testimony from Elder Holland
"I testify that my witness of these things is true and that the heavens
are open to all who seek the same confirmation. Through the Holy Spirit
of Truth, may we all know “the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom [He has] sent"
"May we give as the Savior gave. To give of oneself is a
holy gift. We give as a remembrance of all the Savior has given. May we
also give gifts that have eternal value, along with our gifts that
eventually break or are forgotten. How much better the world would be if
we all gave gifts of understanding and compassion, of service and
friendship, of kindness and gentleness."
By word and deed, Mary, the mother of Jesus, teaches us some significant virtues of a true disciple.
Little of Mary’s life is recorded in the scriptures. But what is recorded shows that Mary
(1) faithfully obeyed the word of God, (2) expressed joy for God’s
blessings, (3) received God’s witness and counsel from his servants, and
(4) had a posterity who glorified God. In the life of Mary, we find a pattern of righteousness for all Saints to follow. Mary, His Mother By Susan Easton Black
One of the names for Jesus Christ. It comes from words in Hebrew that mean “God with us.”
Immanuel is a name-title given as a sign of God’s deliverance (Isa. 7:14). Isaiah’s reference to Immanuel is specifically identified by Matthew as a prophecy of Jesus’ birth into mortality (Matt. 1:18–25). The name also appears in latter-day scripture (2 Ne. 17:14; 18:8; D&C 128:22).
The Gospel of Matthew shows that God had not abandoned His people, Israel. Matthew referred to the Son of God as Emmanuel, or “God with us” (Matthew 1:23).
The Savior’s actions, teachings, and miracles illustrate that God was
with the people of Israel and had sent them His Son. Matthew concluded
his Gospel with the promise Jesus gave His disciples: “I am with you
alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20). Chapter 2: Matthew 1–4New Testament Student Manual, 2014
Jesus Christ the creator of the world came down to earth in a stable to be with us.
We went to Temple square this week and I have been thinking about the wonderful blessing that this image portrays so dramatically. The Christus behind with the creations of the worlds without end showing us the God that created the earth and him coming down to be in a stable with the nativity in front. What a joy it is to have God With Us.
I love the way Nephi talks about God with Us and calls it the condescension of God. 1 Nephi 11
I have felt the love of the Savior this week and been carried when things were hard and felt joy beyond words. God is truly with us, both then and now!!
Jesus Christ is the great Redeemer of mankind because he, through his
atonement, paid the price for the sins of mankind and made possible the
resurrection of all people.
"
I testify that except for the Atonement of the Holy Redeemer,
the demands of justice would prevent every soul born on earth from
returning to the presence of God, to partake of His glory and
exaltation,8 for all make mistakes for which we cannot personally appease justice." Jesus Christ, Our Redeemer Richard G. Scott
In an act of great selfishness and pride, the people refused to obey the
Lord and his prophet. They wanted to be like everyone else. They wanted
a king the world could admire rather than the unseen King who could
only be known by faith. “Hearken unto their voice,” said the Lord to
Samuel, “and make them a king” (1 Sam. 8:22). A King for Israel By Peggy Furniss Lee
In the scriptures, peace can mean either freedom from conflict and
turmoil or the inner calm and comfort born of the Spirit that God gives
to his faithful Saints.
"My message tonight pertains to the only source of true and lasting peace, Jesus the Christ—our Prince of Peace.. . . He can bring peace to those whose lives have been ravaged by war.. . . Peace can come to those who are not feeling well. Some bodies are
wounded. Others ache spiritually because of missing loved ones or other
emotional trauma. Brothers and sisters, peace can come to your soul as
you build faith in the Prince of Peace.. . . . Peace can come to one who suffers in sorrow. Whether sorrow stems from a
mistake or a sin, all the Lord requires is real repentance. Scripture
pleads with us to “flee [from] youthful lusts; … [and] call on the Lord
out of a pure heart.” Then His soothing “balm in Gilead” can heal even a sin-sick soul.. . . Peace can come to those who mourn. The Lord said, “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.”22 As we endure the passing of a loved one, we can be filled with the peace of the Lord through the whisperings of the Spirit.. . . . Peace can come to all who earnestly seek the Prince of Peace. His is the
sweet and saving message our missionaries take throughout the world.. . . Peace can come to all who choose to walk in the ways of the Master. His
invitation is expressed in three loving words: “Come, follow me.” Jesus the Christ-Our Prince of Peace By Elder Russell M. Nelson
Elder Richard G. Scott
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught: “The ideal place for …
peace is within the walls of our own homes, where we have done all we
can to make the Lord Jesus Christ the centerpiece.”3
"There is a Redeemer, a Mediator, who stands both willing
and able to appease the demands of justice and extend mercy to those who
are penitent, for “He offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer
the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a
contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be
answered.” (2 Ne. 2:7.)" The Mediator by Elder Boyd K Packer
A form of an Aramaic and
Hebrew word meaning “the anointed.” In the New Testament Jesus is called
the Christ, which is the Greek equivalent of Messiah. It means the anointed Prophet, Priest, King, and Deliverer whose coming the Jews were eagerly expecting.
Many
Jews were looking only for a deliverer from the Roman power and for a
greater national prosperity; thus, when the Messiah came, the leaders
and many others rejected him. Only the humble and faithful were able to
see in Jesus of Nazareth the true Christ
"He
pronounced: “Yea, verily … , if ye will come unto me ye shall have
eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and
whosoever will come, him will I receive.”3 His promise invites us not only to reach towards Him but also to take the all-important next step: to come unto Him.
This is such a motivating, cheering doctrine. The Messiah extends His arm of mercy to us, always eager to receive us—if we choose to come to Him. When we do come to the Savior with “full purpose of heart,”4 we will feel His loving touch in the most personal ways."
To Look, Reach, and Come unto Christ Anne C. Pingree
"We celebrate the birth of the Son of God, the Creator, our Messiah. We rejoice that the King of kings came to earth, was born in a manger, and lived a perfect life. When Jesus was born, the joy in heaven was so great it could not be contained, and angelic hosts parted the veil, proclaiming unto shepherds “good tidings of great joy, . . . praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men”3
. . . . It is only fitting that we—like the Wise Men, shepherds, and angels—take time to rejoice and celebrate that glorious first Christmas Day." Seeing Christmas through New Eyes Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Jehovah was the premortal name-title given to the Firstborn Son of God. He is now referred to as Jesus Christ. The meaning of the name Jehovah was explained by Elder Talmage:
“Jehovah is the Anglicized rendering of the Hebrew, Yahveh or Jahveh, signifying the Self-existent One, or The Eternal. This name is generally rendered in our English version of the Old Testament as Lord printed in capitals. The Hebrew, Ehyeh, signifying I Am, is related in meaning and through derivation with the term Yahveh or Jehovah.” (Jesus the Christ, p. 36.)
"As we commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ
two millennia ago, we offer our testimony of the reality of His
matchless life and the infinite virtue of His great atoning sacrifice.
None other has had so profound an influence upon all who have lived and
will yet live upon the earth.
He
was the Great Jehovah of the Old Testament, the Messiah of the New.
Under the direction of His Father, He was the creator of the earth. “All
things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that
was made” (John 1:3)."
Been thinking about this amazing story for about 24 hours now. Several things I have thought about:
I am so grateful for a healthy body that helps me run my race of life.
I have thought about the scripture Ether 12:27
"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto
men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all
men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves
before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become
strong unto them."
Kayla is a great example of this. Through her persistence and perseverance she was able to make her weak things, MS and no feeling in her legs, become a strength thatthoughtless people claimed gave her an unfair advantage. Watching her collapse and loose control at the end of each race showed how hard she had to fight her weakness each race.
I have also thought about many scriptures where the Lord is like the Coach willing to catch us when we are out of control and exhausted.
3 Nephi 9:14 Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold,
mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me.
Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Jesus Christ is my coach and is always at the finish line to catch me when I am exhausted and needful. I love my Savior and am so grateful for His strong arms to catch me.
So Week 8 of the General Conference Goal is here. Tried to get a little ahead for the Thanksgiving week.
This week we will be studying Continuing Revelation by Pres. Eyring. This is a very timely message for our family right now because we need wisdom greater than our own to navigate some changes and challenges in our lives. Loved these quotes and will have them on the walls.
So Mondays have become my favorite day of the week. Ever since Dec 11, 2013 when we dropped my son Paul off in the Missionary Training center to go to Mexico to serve and love the people there.
Here are pictures of that day
Provo Temple across the street from the Missionary training center. Paul is in the middle
So what does this have to do with my change in feelings about Mondays, that is the day that I get to hear from my missionary. It is the only contact I have with him for 2 years except for a phone call/skype call on Mothers day and Christmas (now you know the Christmas present I am really looking forward to this year as well :)
I wanted to share with you my favorite messages from the last year
"I
have felt God's love, I have felt God's happiness and comfort for me in
really hard times. I have felt the Lord's love for others and I am coming
to finally understand that happiness is only gained through Jesus
Christ. Christ is our way to being happy and I know that now. I cannot
fight against the nature of God (Nature of Happiness) and expect to be
happy. I know that I and my investigators can only be as happy as we are
willing to let ourselves be, and that is by letting Christ show us how
it's done and then doing it His way."
"we taught a lesson to a guy who has recently had a TON of family problems,
and he's pretty angry at God right now. He wants to know how, if God
really loved him, He could let all this happen. We started talking to
him about how trials are for our ultimate benefit, if we can just learn
from them, and finally to finish up because honestly we
weren't making a lot of headway with this guy, we just shared a simple
scripture, that is now one of my favorites. DC 18:10-11.
He read the first verse through super fast just to get this lesson over
with, then he finished it and his eyes got really big and he read it
again under his breath, and then he started to cry. The Spirit was so
strong as this man realized in one simple, easy verse he is worth
something, God did care. The feeling was so humbling and so comforting.
It's one sentence that sums up our purpose both as children of God and as
missionaries. I was so humbled as not only this man got the answer he
needed, but I also got a reminder from my Heavenly Father why I'm here"
"The biggest lesson I learned in this past transfer
though was how to love my mission. After lessons with people that "are
only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it" - you
love your mission. When you see people opening up, and deciding to
finally make steps towards God - you love your mission. When you find
people that are just doing the best they can with what they have been
given and you can help them along - you love your mission. When you
speak in Spanish for an hour and a half like its no big deal - you love
your mission. When you learn how to really teach the gospel in a way
that is personal and is the only way to bring them to Christ - you love
your mission. When you put in everything, EVERYTHING you can the Lord makes
up the rest - and you love your mission.
I'm so glad I had the past transfer in an area that
was, for the most part, closed off to the restored gospel. It helped me
to dig in and find out how to be a better instrument every day in my
Savior's hands."
President Henry B. Eyring joined other faith leaders this morning at the
Vatican adding his witness of traditional marriage. Watch his full
address here:
This was my favorite quote because I am an eyewitness too. Family breakups cause pain and suffering.
"I am an eyewitness of the power of the union of a man and a woman in
marriage to produce happiness for each other and for their family. The
evidence I offer is personal, yet I trust my recital may trigger in your
memories what you have seen that would point to a general truth beyond
the experience of one couple and one family." Pres. Eyring
"Your personal testimony of light and truth will not only bless you and
your posterity here in mortality, but it will also accompany you
throughout all eternity."
"It was less than a century ago that most astronomers assumed that our Milky Way galaxy was the only galaxy in the universe.
They supposed all that lay beyond our galaxy was an immense nothingness, an infinite void—empty, cold, and devoid of stars, light,
and life."
"Let us acknowledge that most often gaining a testimony is
not a task of a minute, an hour, or a day. It is not once and done. The
process of gathering spiritual light is the quest of a lifetime. Your
testimony of the living Son of God and His restored Church, The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, may not come as quickly as you
desire, but I promise you this: if you do your part, it will come. And
it will be glorious."
Here is my testimony:
I have learned for my self that this is God's church. I have learned through my own experience that God is good and very personally involved with our lives. He wants to bless us and give us all that He has. He wants us to be happy.
In working as a pediatric nurse for the last 20 years I have been involved in the loss of many children. Each time this tragedy happens I am forced to look again at my faith and hope in God. When a child dies it is unfair, it is a huge loss, the sorrow is so great for the family and any who love that family or that child. After a particularly hard loss my son asked me "How can you believe in a God who lets children die?" This is a question you have to address each time death happens it never gets easier but my answer to Him and to me is "How can you not?" All that is left if you don't believe in God and His goodness is never ending pain and sorrow. Hope is all there is to hang on to.
Two messages of hope have been a great comfort to me. One is “All that is unfair about life can be made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.” this was shared in our recent annual women's meeting. I loved this because I know that there are things in this mortal life that are just not fair. My children say "That's not fair" all the time. I have loved the comfort and hope that comes from telling them just because it is unfair now doesn't mean it always will be.
The second message that brings me comfort is that this is the second act of a 3 act play. Before we came to earth we lived in heaven and some of our choices there influence where we are born here. And any good writer knows that the second act is where the conflict and climax are. All that is tragedy and sorrow happen in the second act. In a good play and in life we have to wait for the 3rd act to find the resolution to problems and the scales to be balanced. We just can't see the end but that doesn't mean that God doesn't.
I am a living witness of the very personal and sure love of God for His children. He has given me very personal and unique answers to my prayers.
I love the Temple and know it is the house of God on the earth today. I can feel His love and know His will when I am there.
I love the guidance and direction of the commandments they really keep us safe and I have loved having a sure guide to raising my children in this world that grows ever more wicked each day. I love the scriptures and try to immerse myself in them every day, just as I need to eat daily. I need to learn the word of God found in the scriptures daily.
Contributed By Linda K. Burton, Relief Society general president
Ministering one by one is what the Savior did and what we can do as
we seek to be more like Him in our loving service to others. We know
that like the young widow whom the Lord noticed as she gave her precious
mite, our loving ministry in helping others will not go unnoticed by
the Lord. This is His work, and we are told in the scriptures that when we do
His work in His way, He will be with us on our right hand and on our
left and will send angels to bear us up (see D&C 84:88).
May we count it a privilege to improve our efforts to learn, teach,
live, and minister in the Savior’s way. As we do so, the Lord will
surely bless our efforts.
The Book of Mormon is my rock and power. I find so much comfort and
peace from reading it. My testimony of the Savior grows each time I read
it and feel so much closer to Him. I love the stories and learn so much
that I can liken to my own life and find answers to my own problems.
In
high school a story from the Book of Mormon blessed a friend and I. He
had a bully that had challenged him to a fight after school. He didn't
want to fight but felt like he needed to go back and find this young
man. I was reminded of how the Nephites were protected by the Lord when
they were defending themselves and we, as 17 year old kids
with small testimony's, decided that like the Nephites the Lord would
protect us if he didn't go looking for a fight but if one found
him then he could defend himself. This was a powerful day that I knew
Heavenly Father loved me personally and would answer my small problems.
Nothing ever came of this "fight" it was just forgotten. But Father
protected us that day through the Book of Mormon
Another
time the Book of Mormon has blessed me was when I was on my mission.
Miraculously we found a cute mom with 2 small children. I felt inspired
to go to a park and she was there. I felt like she was glowing and knew
she was the one I was supposed to approach and share the gospel with.
Her sister was a member and she was very receptive. One day as we had
challenged her to read the Book of Mormon she was sharing what she had
learned and what had touched her in her reading. She shared 2 Nephi 2: 25 and said " I never knew our purpose was to have joy." This was a very
spiritual experience to me because I felt like the Lord was telling me
this is what I am trying to share the JOY of the gospel and she had
heard that message in the Book of Mormon.
I
love the Book of Mormon and always feel a strength and joy that comes
from the book. Like Joseph Smith I testify that it is the most correct
book I have ever read and that it brings me nearer to God than any other
book. Although I have read it many times I never open it without
finding personal revelation for me and my needs.
Wendy Roberts
The video “New Day for the Book of Mormon” is a new video from BYUtv
with interviews with scholars and historians. This documentary tells the
story of the coming forth of this unusual book of scripture and how it
is affecting people today—even some people you might not expect.
“We know that helping children to love and enter the temple is worth
every effort and sacrifice. It holds the key to one of our greatest
hopes and joys—a family that is forever.” —Primary general presidency
"Our greatest challenge is to prepare our families for the temple.
Parents have the primary responsibility, but grandparents, aunts and
uncles, even brothers and sisters all may teach the family."
"What is the covenant path?: Bishop Gary E. Stevenson has
said, "In our lives...certain things are absolutely essential...These
spiritual markers are the essential God-given...ordinances of the
gospel," which include: baptism and confirmation, priesthood ordination,
and temple ordinances."
Using a Ziploc bag, fill it with little people toys or
things to represent the family. Don’t
zip it up. Turn it upside down and show
what happens to our family when we are not sealed. Then show how we stay together when the bag
is sealed.
Use strips of paper and write the names of each family
member on a strip. Staple or tape each
strip into a ring and hook them together to make a chain showing that we are
all linked or sealed together.
This week as a family we will be studying this talk and I have prepared some things to help our family learn about the messages in this talk for us.
First my 6 year old asked for some "people he could cut out" so I found some Captain Moroni and Stripling warrior Paper dolls. Fun!!
Here are some of my notes when I heard this talk "How am I preparing me and my family for the blessings of the temple? How am I like Moroni "preparing in a manner that never had been known"? Like Moroni am I building up a protecting wall and mounds of dirt and towers to watch? Am I diligently working to protect my family and help them prepare to receive the blessings of the temple in their lives and continue to attend the temple often? This preparation needs to be steady, constant, and dependable. We need to be more diligent in our preparation to add drops to our lamp to prepare ourselves and others to enter the temple.
This story always reminds me of helms deep in the Lord of the Rings
In the story of the 5 wise and 5 foolish virgins when the foolish come from the market trying to buy more oil for their lamps the bridegroom says "Ye knew me not." Not that he didn't know them but that by their lack of preparation they didn't know him.
One of my goals from this talk was to attend the temple every week. Taking family names as often as I could and taking family members with me.
