So, before I share my aspirations, I wanted to share a "fun" little tidbit I gleaned today. Just a few years before Christ died, the people in the promised land were getting really wicked...again. They'd let the robbers reign and were falling to the enticings of Satan. We read in 3 Nephi 7:8 that "the more part of the people had turned from their righteousness, like the dog to his vomit, or like the sow to her wallowing in the mire." That sounds kind of wierd, right? So, I cross-referenced and this is what I found to be more clear: "the dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire." (2 Peter 2:22) So, the pig getting dirty is not so disturbing. However, the dog eating his vomit again? That's GROSS!!! But right there, sinning people are compared to that dog. When we turn back from what we know to be true, and sin, (like most of us do, because we're human) it's like we are dogs, eating that sinful vomit that we barfed up when we repented the last time. Isn't that a lovely visual? Makes me want to never sin again, so I don't have to eat my old vomit!! But it's true... we will continue to jump right back into the mud after our bath until we've grown enough and learned better enough that Christ remains number 1 priority in our lives!! So, let's make that priority happen quick, and stick with it!
And now for the good stuff...
Have I mentioned that Nephi is my hero? He's just so inspiring! His faith amazes me! I read that as all of those people were becoming more and more wicked again, Nephi went about ministering "with power and great authority." (Even though he was in grave danger of being stoned to death like his brother!) Nephi had such great power given him, because of his faith, that the people were really angry with him. Why? Because they couldn't disbelieve his words! They knew he spoke the truth about Christ because the spirit that was with Nephi bore witness to those people whether they wanted him to or not. SO COOL!!! I want to testify like that: live so the spirit can be with me always, and have such faith that when I bear testimony of my Savior, people have no choice but to believe! Hmmm...that sure is a good way to share my joy!!
DOESN'T THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST JUST MAKE YOU SO EXCITED TO BE ALIVE AND A PART OF IT!?!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
prophets continued...
So, I read a conference article this morning about obeying the prophet...
Elder Costa said: "It is a great blessing to receive the word, commandments, and guidance of the Lord in these difficult days of the earth. The prophet can be inspired to see the future in benefit of mankind...the Lord will reveal to His prophet absolutely anything that He feels is necessary to communicate to us...The Lord promised that if we believe in the holy prophets, we should have eternal life." Then, he later explains what belief in prophets means: "to have faith and confidence in them and to follow and do what the prophets ask us to do." Then he goes on to outline some principles given by President Ezra Taft Benson in a talk in 1980, called "Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet." Some of the things that stuck out to me are: The prophet is the only man who speaks for the Lord in everything; the living prophet is more vital to us than the standard works and dead prophets; the prophet will never lead the church astray, because the Lord won't let him; the prophet won't necessarily be popular or learned or have credentrials, and is not limited by men's reasoning; and my favorite, the prophet tells us what we NEED to know, not always what we want to know. Costa ends with this testimony and counsel: "Pay attention and follow their (the prophets) instruction and suggestions... and your life will be completely blessed."
Awesome! So, if we put in the effort to study and ask and then receive testimony of his divine calling, we can have confidence in the prophet to give us God's word, and we really do need to heed all of his words! Practice faith; BELIEVE and obey!!!
So, on that topic of obeying prophets, I also read about a Nephite situation and thought I'd share. Because of the problems going on in many countries right now with governments and uprisings and things, Ryan and I (and my dad who is here this weekend) have been talking about the signs of the times a lot. We talked lately about Zion being the "center place" where righteous people will have to gather for strength and protection against enemies. Well, in an account in the Book of Mormon in 3rd Nephi chapter 4, we are told that the Nephites knew the robbers were preparing to come against them, so they gathered all of their provisions and gathered together in one place that had been appointed. These tens of thousands of people pooled all of their supplies, and had enough to last for 7 years! So, later, when the robbers decided to lay siege and surround them to "cut them off," it was actually and advantage to the Nephites, because it was "impossible for the robbers to lay siege sufficiently long to have any affect on them, because of their much provision which they had laid up in store." They were blessed to be able to be preserved, because they followed their leader's command to prepare!
So, in those very last days as our whole world is at war, and we are counselled to gather and pool our provisions, will we be prepared? We've been told for many years now to get food storage and prepare our families and homes and supplies for a time that we may have to live on only what we have at home. We should be listening and obeying NOW so that we will be prepared then! And maybe we'll end up in a similar situation where the only way we are preserved is because we were more prepared than our enemies!!
Elder Costa said: "It is a great blessing to receive the word, commandments, and guidance of the Lord in these difficult days of the earth. The prophet can be inspired to see the future in benefit of mankind...the Lord will reveal to His prophet absolutely anything that He feels is necessary to communicate to us...The Lord promised that if we believe in the holy prophets, we should have eternal life." Then, he later explains what belief in prophets means: "to have faith and confidence in them and to follow and do what the prophets ask us to do." Then he goes on to outline some principles given by President Ezra Taft Benson in a talk in 1980, called "Fourteen Fundamentals in Following the Prophet." Some of the things that stuck out to me are: The prophet is the only man who speaks for the Lord in everything; the living prophet is more vital to us than the standard works and dead prophets; the prophet will never lead the church astray, because the Lord won't let him; the prophet won't necessarily be popular or learned or have credentrials, and is not limited by men's reasoning; and my favorite, the prophet tells us what we NEED to know, not always what we want to know. Costa ends with this testimony and counsel: "Pay attention and follow their (the prophets) instruction and suggestions... and your life will be completely blessed."
Awesome! So, if we put in the effort to study and ask and then receive testimony of his divine calling, we can have confidence in the prophet to give us God's word, and we really do need to heed all of his words! Practice faith; BELIEVE and obey!!!
So, on that topic of obeying prophets, I also read about a Nephite situation and thought I'd share. Because of the problems going on in many countries right now with governments and uprisings and things, Ryan and I (and my dad who is here this weekend) have been talking about the signs of the times a lot. We talked lately about Zion being the "center place" where righteous people will have to gather for strength and protection against enemies. Well, in an account in the Book of Mormon in 3rd Nephi chapter 4, we are told that the Nephites knew the robbers were preparing to come against them, so they gathered all of their provisions and gathered together in one place that had been appointed. These tens of thousands of people pooled all of their supplies, and had enough to last for 7 years! So, later, when the robbers decided to lay siege and surround them to "cut them off," it was actually and advantage to the Nephites, because it was "impossible for the robbers to lay siege sufficiently long to have any affect on them, because of their much provision which they had laid up in store." They were blessed to be able to be preserved, because they followed their leader's command to prepare!
So, in those very last days as our whole world is at war, and we are counselled to gather and pool our provisions, will we be prepared? We've been told for many years now to get food storage and prepare our families and homes and supplies for a time that we may have to live on only what we have at home. We should be listening and obeying NOW so that we will be prepared then! And maybe we'll end up in a similar situation where the only way we are preserved is because we were more prepared than our enemies!!
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Seek out the prophet!!
So, I was reading at the end of Helaman today, about how the Nephites responded to Samuel's preaching and prophesying. Some of them tried to shoot him down. But the others who had softer hearts, and believed his words, "went forth and sought for Nephi." (Hel. 16:1)
If we believe God's word and have a testimony, shouldn't we be doing the same? We need to seek our prophet! We need to study and follow his counsels, since, after all, they come straight from God, meaning they are more of His words! We need to read current counsel, such as the monthly Ensign and other church magazines, the latest conference talks, and make sure we read and are familiar with our scriptures!
General Conference for the LDS church is coming the first weekend in April. How can we prepare ourselves to receive God's latest counsel? Our prophet, Thomas S. Monson, will speak to us that weekend, and tell us what our Heavenly Father wants us to be working on now. I've realized that I need to prepare my heart to heed the prophet's words, and pray that I can know that they are, indeed, God's word for me today. And then I need to follow those counsels in my actions, by the way I live! I know that we all do our best to live our best, and hope we continue to do so!
If we believe God's word and have a testimony, shouldn't we be doing the same? We need to seek our prophet! We need to study and follow his counsels, since, after all, they come straight from God, meaning they are more of His words! We need to read current counsel, such as the monthly Ensign and other church magazines, the latest conference talks, and make sure we read and are familiar with our scriptures!
General Conference for the LDS church is coming the first weekend in April. How can we prepare ourselves to receive God's latest counsel? Our prophet, Thomas S. Monson, will speak to us that weekend, and tell us what our Heavenly Father wants us to be working on now. I've realized that I need to prepare my heart to heed the prophet's words, and pray that I can know that they are, indeed, God's word for me today. And then I need to follow those counsels in my actions, by the way I live! I know that we all do our best to live our best, and hope we continue to do so!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Nephi is my hero!
Yes, Book Of Mormon Nephi. No, not Lehi's son. The other Lehi's brother! You know, the ones who were imprisoned, and then converted everyone in the jail while conversing with angels.
Nephi was awesome! In Helaman chapters 7 & 8, we learn about his prayer to God in his garden about the wickedness of the people, and the people who come to listen. In chapters 9 & 10, we learn just how firm he is to God's commands! He preaches to the people with "unwearyingness," even though he is arrested and questioned. He has no fear of bearing his testimony, or crying repentance as the Lord has asked of him!
Nephi is so inspiring! God gives him great power because he LISTENS and OBEYS!!!
I want power to be mighty in word and deed and faith and works!
I want to work on having my eye be single to God's glory and will, so I won't ask for anything contrary to His will.
I need to stop being afraid to bear my testimony and preach God's word! It is my JOY, so why am I so afraid to share it? Rejection!! But God gave Nephi power to overcome that, so He can give it to me as well, right!?!
Nephi was awesome! In Helaman chapters 7 & 8, we learn about his prayer to God in his garden about the wickedness of the people, and the people who come to listen. In chapters 9 & 10, we learn just how firm he is to God's commands! He preaches to the people with "unwearyingness," even though he is arrested and questioned. He has no fear of bearing his testimony, or crying repentance as the Lord has asked of him!
Nephi is so inspiring! God gives him great power because he LISTENS and OBEYS!!!
I want power to be mighty in word and deed and faith and works!
I want to work on having my eye be single to God's glory and will, so I won't ask for anything contrary to His will.
I need to stop being afraid to bear my testimony and preach God's word! It is my JOY, so why am I so afraid to share it? Rejection!! But God gave Nephi power to overcome that, so He can give it to me as well, right!?!
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