Putting it all Together, Mosiah 27-Alma 7

I love these chapters in The Book of Mormon!

This was a great week in class and studying these chapters was the highlight of the lesson.  I have been thinking about Alma 7:11-13 all week.

11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

 12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

 13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.


I have felt how powerful these verses of scripture are as I studied them.  The Atonement is so incredible.  As my gospel knowledge and testimony have grown I have realized how real and personal it is and what an absolute miracle Jesus Christ performed for each and every person who has and will ever live.

In verse 11 we read how Christ suffered pains, afflictions, and temptations of every kind.  EVERY KIND.

Remember that bad day you had and you didn't think anyone understood how you felt?  Not true, your Savior did. He knows your pain.

Remember the temptation you felt when you wanted to go back to your old ways because it is too hard to keep going on the righteous path?  Your savior understands.  He knows temptation.

Remember when you were sick and longed for healing?  Your Savior is there, with His invisible hands comforting you.

He knows you, He understands your pain and struggles.  He is there for you.  Call upon Him.

Remember that day you weren't strong enough to resist the temptation?  That minute you made the wrong choice and had to repent?  Your Savior does.  He paid the price for your sin.

Remember that hopeless feeling you had when you thought all was lost and you couldn't continue on? He does.  He begged for the bitter cup to pass but when He knew it could not, He finished His terribly hard job.

Remember when your eyes couldn't hold back the tears as you sang the hymn in sacrament meeting about His crucifixion?  He remembers. He wiped away your tears.

He paid the high cost of your sin so you could make amends and be forgiven.  He paid the ransom so you can return to your heavenly home one day because He loves you.  He suffered so one day in your heartache you could call out to Him and He would understand.

He lived, loved and served others as an example of how you should conduct your life.  He lives now to lead the true church on the earth and you are His hands here.  Your hands can comfort those who are brokenhearted, sick, and weak.  His great example set a pattern for our lives that we should strive to follow because He is the one who mends all our broken pieces, takes the tattered edges of our mistakes and smooths our rough spots.  He can succor His people because He truly understands.

Putting it all Together, Week 9 Enos and the Atonement

I loved reading the words of Enos as he writes of his process of gaining his testimony.  It is a personal, individual and sacred process we are blessed to go through and each of us that has gained a testimony should treasure and continually strengthen it.  A few verses of scripture really gave me pause and I have pondered them for quite a few days.

Enos 1:4-8:

4 And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens.

 5 And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.

 6 And I, Enos, knew that God could not lie; wherefore, my guilt was swept away.

 7 And I said: Lord, how is it done?

 8 And he said unto me: Because of thy faith in Christ, whom thou hast never before heard nor seen. And many years pass away before he shall manifest himself in the flesh; wherefore, go to, thy faith hath made thee whole.


We are all sinners, imperfect and requiring the perfect gift of the Atonement, in order to one day return again to our heavenly home.  Jesus Christ paid the price for our sins and the only way to be made whole is through His selfless act.

I recently was able to travel with my family on a trip.  We took a 5 am flight out and I watched the sunrise out my tiny plane window.  I thought about this sight everyday on the trip:

When I first sat down in that airplane seat the sky was black as night, no stars were visible due to the low clouds and it felt so dark and deary.  As we flew and ascended above the clouds I watched the night sky become brighter and brighter as the sun and the promise of a new day won over the darkness.  I can't help but think of how similar our lives are.  We can accept the wonderful gift of the Atonement, repent of our sins and enjoy the promise of a bright eternal future or we can stay in the deary darkness of our sins and unhappiness.

As a little girl I loved to watch the sun rise and afterword I would run around waking everyone else up with the same phrase everyday, "Good morning, it's a brand new day!".  I still say that everyday to my children as I wake them up and I say it now to everyone.  The Atonement brings us the promise of a brand new day!

Autumn colors, gray hairs and Isaiah

I don't like Fall and I like Winter even less.  While I appreciate the beauty of the vibrant red, orange and yellow leaves, it means the warm weather is leaving me again.  The colorful masterpiece of colors soon fall and leave barren sticks on tree trunks to look at for months.  The cold air makes my feet cold and my favored flip flops winter at the bottom of my closet.  I treasure the summer with its warm air, sunshine, green grass and full trees.

I've been thinking about the seasons of my life for the past few weeks.  I am in the summer of my life, yet I can see the my personal leaves starting to lose their vibrant green color.  I have a college freshman, a high school junior, a high school freshman, a 7th grader, 4th grader and a 3rd grader.  I don't have any little ones who need me to dress and feed them, to kiss their boo-boos, and I'm not the center of anyone's world anymore.  I will never again hold one of my newborn babies or drink in the never-ending questioning of my 4 year old.  The smudges on my windows are from my dog's noses and not sweet chubby baby hands.  Even my hair is betraying me and changing colors.  I had a friend ask me why I haven't started dyeing my gray hair yet and honestly it's because I am enjoying the summer of my life and I don't want it to end.

Yet I am thankful for my blessed life so far.  I have wrinkles from smiling and laughing, I have stretch marks from bearing 6 wonderful and unique people.  I have felt my heart stretch countless times to increase in the love I feel.  I have kind and loving friends and extended family that each add their vibrant personalities to my life.  I have a husband who honors his priesthood, loves me and our children.  We have placed our roots deep in the Gospel sod and weathered many of life's storms together.  We have laughed, cried and prayed together.  The summer of our life is in a forest with high hills of pure happiness and deep valleys of trials, yet we walk through it together.

I studied Isaiah this week.  I'm not going to lie, it was rough.  I can't say I understand all of his teachings, but I did find a few verses that spoke to me.  2 Nephi 10:23-25 reads:

  23 Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves—to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life.

 24 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, reconcile yourselves to the will of God, and not to the will of the devil and the flesh; and remember, after ye are reconciled unto God, that it is only in and through the grace of God that ye are saved.

 25 Wherefore, may God raise you from death by the power of the resurrection, and also from everlasting death by the power of the atonement, that ye may be received into the eternal kingdom of God, that ye may praise him through grace divine. Amen.

I think one of the reasons I was impressed to ponder these verses is because of the word 'cheerful'.  I am a happy, cheerful person.  My first reaction to everything is to smile.  I've had people yelling mean things to me, and for the first few seconds of their words I am smiling.  It is my nature, so when I see the word cheerful mentioned in scripture it catches my attention.

So, what does Isaiah want us to "cheer up" our hearts about?  The gift of agency.  The opportunity we have to pick eternal happiness or misery.  We are free to make our own choice.  What do you want to choose?

Let's study the next key phrase "reconcile yourselves to the will of God".  What does reconcile mean? Webster says the definition is "to restore to friendship or harmony. to make consistent or congruous".
What about the will of God?  What is His plan for you?  Are you choosing to follow Him or choosing to act according to your own desires?  Will you reconcile your heart to His plan?

If you do reconcile your heart to His plan, the gift of the Atonement of Jesus Christ will provide the grace necessary to cleanse you of your sins and to enjoy the blessings of the resurrection.  I find great comfort in that knowledge.  Our Heavenly Father loves us so much that He provided a way for us to be happy FOREVER.  Everlasting happiness is not brought about by material wealth, a large home, fame or fortune.  It is from adhering to the teachings of God, and abandoning our will to the Father's.

These words from the ancient prophet Isaiah also remind me of my very favorite verses of scripture. They are from modern day revelation, Doctrine and Covenants 61:36-39.

36 And now, verily I say unto you, and what I say unto one I say unto all, be of good cheer, little children; for I am in your midst, and I have not forsaken you;

 37 And inasmuch as you have humbled yourselves before me, the blessings of the kingdom are yours.

 38 Gird up your loins and be watchful and be sober, looking forth for the coming of the Son of Man, for he cometh in an hour you think not.

 39 Pray always that you enter not into temptation, that you may abide the day of his coming, whether in life or in death. Even so. Amen.

I find great comfort in these words.  The happiness I have felt in the summer of my life will pale in comparison to my eternal joy in the lives to come.  We are loved and valued, and God desires us to be happy.  The blessings of the kingdom will be ours if we choose to have them.














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Putting It All Together, I Nephi 15-22

As I studied this week I found a scripture that touched me and I have pondered it all week.

1 Nephi19:7, For the things which some men esteem to be of great worth, both to the body and soul, others set at naught and trample under their feet. Yea, even the very God of Israel do men trample under their feet; I say, trample under their feet but I would speak in other words—they set him at naught, and hearken not to the voice of his counsels.

This scripture speaks to my soul because I have lived my life in two completely different ways.  I was raised in a home where my father didn't speak of religion or faithful people in a positive way.  He treated those who put their faith in God and wasted time on imaginary things in a very demeaning way.  We didn't have a Bible or ever pray.  

I began attending the LDS church with my friend and her family when I was 12.  My father didn't like it and every Sunday when I got home from church I was in trouble.  Although I ended up getting baptized I did not stay active at church.  I lived my teenage years making some good decisions and some very bad decisions.  My moral compass was very worldly and the standards I was raised with weren't very high.  

My husband and I started dating when I was 17, we moved in together when I was 18, and had our first daughter when I was 19.  We had our second daughter two years later and we both decided the way we were living wasn't how we wanted to raise our children.  We got married and started looking for a church to attend.  I started attending the LDS church and my husband started taking the missionary discussions.  He ended up getting baptized after our third daughter was born.  

Our home is completely opposite of the home I grew up in.  My husband gathers us together every morning and night for family prayer.  We attend church together as a family, we serve in callings, we attend the temple, etc.  We are striving to have a gospel centered home.

The things we place the most value on are things which can't be seen with our physical eyes.  I am a faithful person, and what my father "trampled under" his feet are the things I treasure. My children have knowledge and confidence that was missing in my own life when I was their ages.  Our home is one where the Spirit is felt and we are a happier family because of our life choices.  I know Jesus Christ lived and died to redeem us from our sins.  I know we have a loving Heavenly Father who wants us to return to live in His presence and I try to live by the commandments so I can do just that.

Putting it all together...1 Nephi 1-5

The topic I choose for my assignment is tender mercies.  I considered many choices, such as testimony, faith, families, and obedience.  I think all of those topics are worthy of future study and consideration, but I wanted to focus on the Lord's tender mercies for this assignment.

What exactly are tender mercies?  In 1 Nephi 1:20 it reads:

 And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with him; yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had cast out, and stoned, and slain; and they also sought his life, that they might take it away. But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.

I cannot think of tender mercies without thinking of Elder Bednar's conference talk, The Tender Mercies of the Lord, April 2005. I don't think I considered tender mercies very often before his conference address, but I take time everyday to look for a mercy that reminds me of the love the Lord has for me. Elder Bednar defines tender mercies as "the Lord’s tender mercies are the very personal and individualized blessings, strength, protection, assurances, guidance, loving-kindnesses, consolation, support, and spiritual gifts which we receive from and because of and through the Lord Jesus Christ." 

On August 22, 2015 I woke up with a terrible stomach ache.  I thought I had pulled a muscle, although the most strenuous exercise I had done was to go grocery shopping. It was a terrible pain, but I was sure it wasn't anything serious.  I am a busy wife and mother and I didn't have time to dwell on not feeling well.  I needed to keep up with my responsibilities of my family, home and church callings.  The pain continued for 3 days and then I developed a fever.  I decided I needed to seek medical attention and had my husband take me to to the Emergency Room.  After some tests and an examination I received my diagnosis, a ruptured appendix.  

The standard care for a ruptured appendix is to take IV antibiotics for at least 5 days, try to remove the infection, wait for all the inflammation to be gone, and then remove the appendix in 6 weeks. Emergency surgery in my situation was not advised because there would likely be complications and the surgeon wanted to avoid those.  I was so upset with myself for ignoring the symptoms and not taking care of the situation earlier before it became so complicated.  I received a priesthood blessing and was promised many wonderful things, including healing, comfort and the opportunity for my burden's to be made light.  I wondered how things would work out because I would be having a surgery around October 6, several weeks into my Pathway course and 4 weeks out from a long awaited family vacation to Disney World.

I spent a day on the IV, getting my medicine and improving.  My doctor was so happy with my progress he said I might be able to go home the next day.  The improvement was short-lived and that evening my original symptoms started to return and I knew this wasn't a good sign.  I saw my doctor the next day and he confirmed my fears, the surgery would need to be performed immediately and he listed the possible complications and risks to me. The CAT scan test I had 2 days earlier showed a terrible infection in my abdomen from the rupture and my doctor was very concerned how the surgery would go. 

I was worried and upset, and I asked for another blessing.  I received additional confirmation that all would be well, and I felt comforted.  The next morning, August 27, 2015, I was taken in for my appendectomy.  As my doctor performed the surgery he was amazed, the infection that was on my CAT scan was completely gone and he was able to remove my appendix as if it hadn't ruptured.  I was able to leave the hospital that afternoon and while my body was in pain, my spirit and testimony were renewed.

Elder Bednar counseled us, "the Lord's tender mercies do not occur randomly or merely by coincidence.  Faithfulness, obedience, and humility invite tender mercies into our lives, and it is often the Lord's timing that enables us to recognize and treasure these important blessings."  The Lord was aware of my plight, my fears, and my needs.  He extended His tender mercies to me and provided a way that I can heal, still complete my tasks, allow me to attend school and I will be well enough to fully enjoy our family vacation.  The Lord loves all of us and extends tender mercies unto us daily.  It is up to us to take a few quiet moments and reflect on those blessings.

 

Music to my ears

As I stayed up late last night to get some laundry done, I had lots of time to think. I started to think about how much my life has changed as I have grown and what sounds I cherish now. When I was a young girl my favorite sounds were wind blowing the windchimes on a sunny day, riding my bike, and playing with my sister. As a teenager the sound of car keys, money and a mall were the best. Now that I am all grown up, and a mom the music that brings me peace and happiness are different.

My family laughing is the best melody in the world, hearing a tiny voice say "I love you" is the most precious thing to me. The sound of backpacks landing on the floor after a long day at school and that relief you feel to finally be home. The sound of the table being set to bring all my loved ones together at the close of another afternoon. The sound of my husband's truck as it pulls into the driveway and the feeling of relief another work day is finished. The sound of the door being opened to welcome a friend inside. The sounds of my family gathering together for scripture study and prayer. Everyday noises are the quiet symphonies that ring in my ears and bring me peace and happiness now. The laundry dancing in the dryer is the quiet rythym seems to lull the day to a close.


ETA: I originally wrote this post on March 3, 2011.  I have no idea why I saved it to edit more and didn't post it.  I honestly don't remember writing it, although I know I did, but I decided to post it anyway.

Why, I've missed you it feels like forever since I've been here.

Say what!?!?  A new blog post on this old blog that I have neglected since Facebook took over all my virtual sharing?  Yes, it's true.  I'm back, fresh with a new assignment from my new adventure, BYU-I Pathways program.  I guess that means I'm back and trying to be better than ever.  I've been thinking about how much I miss blogging and how I am unhappy with Facebook.  It feels so satisfying to me to blog.