And upon these I write the things of my soul, and many of the scriptures which are engraven upon the plates of brass. For my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children. Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard.
I just love how Nephi says that his "soul delighteth in the scriptures... and in the things of the Lord." It reminds me of the hymn, "More Holiness Give Me". I feel that constant yearning, that upward pull to be better, to do better. I love the Lord with all of my heart and desire so strongly to be more like Him. I truly do delight in the things of the Lord. My problem is that I am so weak in so many areas that my weaknesses get in the way of my progression and eternal growth. I do have hope that I will get better as I see myself slowly change over the years. It is a long, grueling process and not nearly as quick as I'd like it to be be. But I am hopeful that someday I will be like Him, even if it takes a millenia.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
2 Nephi 2:28-29
And now, my sons, I would that ye should look to the great Mediator, and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit; And not choose eternal death, according to the will of the flesh and the evil which is therein, which giveth the spirit of the devil power to captivate, to bring you down to hell, that he may reign over you in his own kingdom.
Choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit.
When you look at the simplicity of the plan, you can see that it really is as simple as that: choice! We literally have the choice to do good or do evil- it's totally up to us. Then why do we ever choose evil??? The next part gives a little insight into that question.
And not choose eternal death, according to the will of the flesh and the evil which is therein.
The part that is interesting is how this is phrased: "according the will of the flesh and the evil which is therein." So our bodies, being carnal in nature, really do desire evil, by their very nature. The desires of our flesh are inherently evil. But we have the choice. Our spirits can be strong and overcome the desires of our flesh or succumb to them- again, all up to us. Perhaps that is one of the big differences in our resurrected celestial bodies- they will no longer be lustful, lazy, subject to illness, etc.
Which [flesh] giveth the spirit of the devil power to captivate, to bring you down to hell, that he may reign over you in his own kingdom.
Addictions are a powerful captivator of our agency. When we do things that cause us to become addicted, we lose the power to choose. Satan then has us captive and can drag us down to hell, where he will force us to be his subjects in his awful kingdom.
Choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit.
When you look at the simplicity of the plan, you can see that it really is as simple as that: choice! We literally have the choice to do good or do evil- it's totally up to us. Then why do we ever choose evil??? The next part gives a little insight into that question.
And not choose eternal death, according to the will of the flesh and the evil which is therein.
The part that is interesting is how this is phrased: "according the will of the flesh and the evil which is therein." So our bodies, being carnal in nature, really do desire evil, by their very nature. The desires of our flesh are inherently evil. But we have the choice. Our spirits can be strong and overcome the desires of our flesh or succumb to them- again, all up to us. Perhaps that is one of the big differences in our resurrected celestial bodies- they will no longer be lustful, lazy, subject to illness, etc.
Which [flesh] giveth the spirit of the devil power to captivate, to bring you down to hell, that he may reign over you in his own kingdom.
Addictions are a powerful captivator of our agency. When we do things that cause us to become addicted, we lose the power to choose. Satan then has us captive and can drag us down to hell, where he will force us to be his subjects in his awful kingdom.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
2 Nephi 2:27
Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.
There are several key points in this passage which intrigued me:
Men are free according to the flesh.
- What does this mean? That having a body is the key ingredient in our free agency? Without our bodies, we would not be free? That makes sense when you think about the spirits that chose to follow Satan. They no longer have the freedom to choose. Without a body, their choices are limited. Hmmm...
All things are given them which are expedient unto man.
- What things are expedient (suitable for achieving a particular end in a given circumstance) for man? A body, a spirit, free agency, temptations for evil, and the enticings of the Spirit all seem like they would be necessary components of a true, valid test for a person. I wonder what else...
They are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men.
- Heavenly Father will not force us to choose good over evil. We have the choice. It would not be a test otherwise. This choice is available to us through the atoning sacrifice of the Savior. Since we all sin, and are unworthy to return to the Father of our own accord, the great Mediator of all men makes it possible for us to decide whether or not we will accept his priceless gift.
Or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil.
-No one forces us to do evil, to make wrong choices, to sin. We make that choice all of our own accord. Satan was given the power to bind us when we choose evil and take us captive. The Savior has the power to liberate the captive but only when we fully repent and turn to Him.
For he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.
I believe that one of Satan's greatest lies, as the Father of Lies, is that wickedness will make us happy. The world portrays all of its vices as pleasurable, enticing, fun, satisfying, fulfilling, etc. When, in reality, all the world has to offer in the end is discontent, loneliness, and misery. And that is what Lucifer wants. He is a miserable, wretched being that seeks only to have company in his misery. It is amazing how clear his tactics become when we see them through spiritual eyes for what they really are. It's a lot easier to say no to temptations when we view them for what they really are and from whom they really come. Lust, money, power, glory- all are simply trappings that will drag us down to hell.
There are several key points in this passage which intrigued me:
Men are free according to the flesh.
- What does this mean? That having a body is the key ingredient in our free agency? Without our bodies, we would not be free? That makes sense when you think about the spirits that chose to follow Satan. They no longer have the freedom to choose. Without a body, their choices are limited. Hmmm...
All things are given them which are expedient unto man.
- What things are expedient (suitable for achieving a particular end in a given circumstance) for man? A body, a spirit, free agency, temptations for evil, and the enticings of the Spirit all seem like they would be necessary components of a true, valid test for a person. I wonder what else...
They are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men.
- Heavenly Father will not force us to choose good over evil. We have the choice. It would not be a test otherwise. This choice is available to us through the atoning sacrifice of the Savior. Since we all sin, and are unworthy to return to the Father of our own accord, the great Mediator of all men makes it possible for us to decide whether or not we will accept his priceless gift.
Or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil.
-No one forces us to do evil, to make wrong choices, to sin. We make that choice all of our own accord. Satan was given the power to bind us when we choose evil and take us captive. The Savior has the power to liberate the captive but only when we fully repent and turn to Him.
For he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.
I believe that one of Satan's greatest lies, as the Father of Lies, is that wickedness will make us happy. The world portrays all of its vices as pleasurable, enticing, fun, satisfying, fulfilling, etc. When, in reality, all the world has to offer in the end is discontent, loneliness, and misery. And that is what Lucifer wants. He is a miserable, wretched being that seeks only to have company in his misery. It is amazing how clear his tactics become when we see them through spiritual eyes for what they really are. It's a lot easier to say no to temptations when we view them for what they really are and from whom they really come. Lust, money, power, glory- all are simply trappings that will drag us down to hell.
Friday, July 17, 2009
2 Nephi 2:25
"Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy."
I am reading in 2 Nephi right now and came across this profound scripture that is so often quoted in the church. Often I feel like we talk so much of the trials and tribulations that are required in this life for us to make it back to the Father. It feels that we forget that the entire purpose for our existence is happiness.
Merriam-Webster (Joy):
1 a: the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires : delight; b: the expression or exhibition of such emotion : gaiety; 2: a state of happiness or felicity : bliss; 3: a source or cause of delight
The footnote in the scriptures refers to "Man, Potential to Become Like Heavenly Father". So is it simply the knowledge of our godly potential that gives us joy? Or is it perhaps that when we become like Heavenly Father, then we will find joy? Does that mean that we cannot have true joy until we are perfect? It is probably a little bit of both. Surely this life is not meant to be all hardship and suffering. The plan of happiness cannot mean that happiness is only to be found at the end of the journey, like a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. On the other hand, my own imperfections, my weaknesses, my constant failings and shortcomings, are all sources of unhappiness and hardship in my life. I feel to bemoan my weak flesh just as Nephi did.
2 Nephi 4:17-19
"O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities. I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me. And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted."
I find immense comfort in the fact that Nephi, a valiant servant of the Lord, a prophet of God, could speak so passionately about the sorrow he experiences as a result of his own weaknesses. I am not so naive to believe that his weaknesses are evenly remotely as numerous as my own. Yet, it is obvious that he is keenly aware of them, just as I am. So it makes perfect sense that when we eventually do become perfect, even as He is, then we will find true joy, everlasting happiness. But in the meantime, I will content myself with the struggle toward perfection and will seek out the joy available to me, a daughter of God, in this earthly life.
I am reading in 2 Nephi right now and came across this profound scripture that is so often quoted in the church. Often I feel like we talk so much of the trials and tribulations that are required in this life for us to make it back to the Father. It feels that we forget that the entire purpose for our existence is happiness.
Merriam-Webster (Joy):
1 a: the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires : delight; b: the expression or exhibition of such emotion : gaiety; 2: a state of happiness or felicity : bliss; 3: a source or cause of delight
The footnote in the scriptures refers to "Man, Potential to Become Like Heavenly Father". So is it simply the knowledge of our godly potential that gives us joy? Or is it perhaps that when we become like Heavenly Father, then we will find joy? Does that mean that we cannot have true joy until we are perfect? It is probably a little bit of both. Surely this life is not meant to be all hardship and suffering. The plan of happiness cannot mean that happiness is only to be found at the end of the journey, like a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. On the other hand, my own imperfections, my weaknesses, my constant failings and shortcomings, are all sources of unhappiness and hardship in my life. I feel to bemoan my weak flesh just as Nephi did.
2 Nephi 4:17-19
"O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities. I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me. And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted."
I find immense comfort in the fact that Nephi, a valiant servant of the Lord, a prophet of God, could speak so passionately about the sorrow he experiences as a result of his own weaknesses. I am not so naive to believe that his weaknesses are evenly remotely as numerous as my own. Yet, it is obvious that he is keenly aware of them, just as I am. So it makes perfect sense that when we eventually do become perfect, even as He is, then we will find true joy, everlasting happiness. But in the meantime, I will content myself with the struggle toward perfection and will seek out the joy available to me, a daughter of God, in this earthly life.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Prayer - Part 2
3 Nephi 19:6
And the twelve did teach the multitude; and behold, they did cause that the multitude should kneel down upon the face of the earth, and should pray unto the Father in the name of Jesus.
Kneeling signifies a certain humility when approaching the Father in prayer. I know I always feel more in tune on my knees.
1 Timothy 4:15
Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
My world is busy and noisy that I rarely have time to meditate, to ponder upon the things of a spiritual nature. Often, when I am in my car alone, I now turn off the radio and simply talk to Heavenly Father or think of His command, "Be still and know that I am God."
Matthew 6:6
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Alma 34:26
But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness.
We have a chair in our closet that Lance sits on to put his shoes on or take them off. It has since become my favorite place to pray when I am in need of a good heart-to-heart with Heavenly Father. I kneel in front of the chair and rest my elbows on it as I clasp my hands together in prayer. It is the quietest, most withdrawn place in our house and I find great comfort in praying there. The "wilderness" in the second scripture evokes an emotional response from me. The wildernesses in my life are the desolate, hard times when I am struggling. It is at those times that it becomes most crucial for me to lean upon the Lord and to 'pour out my soul' to Him. Ironically, it is always in the midst of my trials that I feel closest to my Father in Heaven.
Alma 34:21
Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies.
To me, an enemy is anything, or anyone, that would draw me away from Heavenly Father. Besides actual people and Satan himself, my "enemies" come in many different forms, whether it be temptations of pride, contention, laziness, hardship, illness, or financial struggles.
1 Thessalonians 5:17
Pray without ceasing.
It is okay to pray wherever I am. I do not have to be kneeling beside my bed or in my closet in order to offer up a sincere, heartfelt prayer. I often pray in my car or give quick prayers of gratitude in many different places.
Alma 37:37
Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.
I love this counsel and promise. I often think of this scripture when I have collapsed into my bed, completely exhausted at the end of a long day. It gives me the last little bit of strength to pull myself up onto my knees and pray. Each morning, I literally roll out of my bed and down onto my knees at my bedside. I thank Heavenly Father for the night's rest and plead with the Lord to help me accomplish all of the things that day that He would have me to do. Most importantly, I beg the Lord to help me be a good mother.
And the twelve did teach the multitude; and behold, they did cause that the multitude should kneel down upon the face of the earth, and should pray unto the Father in the name of Jesus.
Kneeling signifies a certain humility when approaching the Father in prayer. I know I always feel more in tune on my knees.
1 Timothy 4:15
Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
My world is busy and noisy that I rarely have time to meditate, to ponder upon the things of a spiritual nature. Often, when I am in my car alone, I now turn off the radio and simply talk to Heavenly Father or think of His command, "Be still and know that I am God."
Matthew 6:6
But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Alma 34:26
But this is not all; ye must pour out your souls in your closets, and your secret places, and in your wilderness.
We have a chair in our closet that Lance sits on to put his shoes on or take them off. It has since become my favorite place to pray when I am in need of a good heart-to-heart with Heavenly Father. I kneel in front of the chair and rest my elbows on it as I clasp my hands together in prayer. It is the quietest, most withdrawn place in our house and I find great comfort in praying there. The "wilderness" in the second scripture evokes an emotional response from me. The wildernesses in my life are the desolate, hard times when I am struggling. It is at those times that it becomes most crucial for me to lean upon the Lord and to 'pour out my soul' to Him. Ironically, it is always in the midst of my trials that I feel closest to my Father in Heaven.
Alma 34:21
Yea, cry unto him against the power of your enemies.
To me, an enemy is anything, or anyone, that would draw me away from Heavenly Father. Besides actual people and Satan himself, my "enemies" come in many different forms, whether it be temptations of pride, contention, laziness, hardship, illness, or financial struggles.
1 Thessalonians 5:17
Pray without ceasing.
It is okay to pray wherever I am. I do not have to be kneeling beside my bed or in my closet in order to offer up a sincere, heartfelt prayer. I often pray in my car or give quick prayers of gratitude in many different places.
Alma 37:37
Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.
I love this counsel and promise. I often think of this scripture when I have collapsed into my bed, completely exhausted at the end of a long day. It gives me the last little bit of strength to pull myself up onto my knees and pray. Each morning, I literally roll out of my bed and down onto my knees at my bedside. I thank Heavenly Father for the night's rest and plead with the Lord to help me accomplish all of the things that day that He would have me to do. Most importantly, I beg the Lord to help me be a good mother.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Prayer - Part 1
D&C 104:79
And it is my will that you shall humble yourselves before me, and obtain this blessing by your diligence and humility and the prayer of faith.
In order to obtain blessings from the Lord we must be 1)humble and 2) diligent and 3) pray in faith.
D&C 19:28
And again, I command thee that thou shalt pray vocally as well as in thy heart; yea, before the world as well as in secret, in public as well as in private.
We offer different prayers for different reasons. When I pray out loud in my closet, I often feel closer to my Father. If I were to only pray in public, it would show the lack of a personal relationship with Heavenly Father. I would most likely be doing it for the praise of the world, to look good in the eyes of others. If I were only to pray in private, it might show a fear of man, what others think of me, more than a fear of the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
I find it so amazing that Heavenly Father commands us to express gratitude. I'm sure He feels joy when we recognize His hand in our lives, but I'm even more sure that this commandment is more for our benefit than for His. There is a refining, humbling power in gratitude. I also know that whenever I am recognizing, and grateful for, the tender mercies of the Lord in my life, I am happier than when I fail to see His hand in my life.
James 1:5
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Do we really have the faith that Heavenly Father will give us wisdom when we ask Him for it? I know that the Father answers our prayers for He has answered my prayers so many times and in so many, many ways.
Alma 34:27
Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you.
I used to feel that I wasn't being reverent or praying properly when I wasn't down on my knees in a quiet place. But I have found that I can connect to Heavenly Father in prayer when I am driving in my car, when I am in a noisy restaurant, when I am in the middle of a test at school. He is there, always waiting and ready to listen.
And it is my will that you shall humble yourselves before me, and obtain this blessing by your diligence and humility and the prayer of faith.
In order to obtain blessings from the Lord we must be 1)humble and 2) diligent and 3) pray in faith.
D&C 19:28
And again, I command thee that thou shalt pray vocally as well as in thy heart; yea, before the world as well as in secret, in public as well as in private.
We offer different prayers for different reasons. When I pray out loud in my closet, I often feel closer to my Father. If I were to only pray in public, it would show the lack of a personal relationship with Heavenly Father. I would most likely be doing it for the praise of the world, to look good in the eyes of others. If I were only to pray in private, it might show a fear of man, what others think of me, more than a fear of the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
I find it so amazing that Heavenly Father commands us to express gratitude. I'm sure He feels joy when we recognize His hand in our lives, but I'm even more sure that this commandment is more for our benefit than for His. There is a refining, humbling power in gratitude. I also know that whenever I am recognizing, and grateful for, the tender mercies of the Lord in my life, I am happier than when I fail to see His hand in my life.
James 1:5
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Do we really have the faith that Heavenly Father will give us wisdom when we ask Him for it? I know that the Father answers our prayers for He has answered my prayers so many times and in so many, many ways.
Alma 34:27
Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you.
I used to feel that I wasn't being reverent or praying properly when I wasn't down on my knees in a quiet place. But I have found that I can connect to Heavenly Father in prayer when I am driving in my car, when I am in a noisy restaurant, when I am in the middle of a test at school. He is there, always waiting and ready to listen.
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