Fix what's broken!

1 Nephi 16

Nephi tells us that his brothers take his teachings hard.  In fact he says “the guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center.”   Is this not the way it usually is?  This is why it is so hard to speak the truth to those who don’t get it.  They lash out and it gets ugly.  Yet there is so much evidence that keeping the commandments will bring joy into a person’s life. 

I’m always intrigued when I read about the Liahona.  It is simple, yet so profoundly helpful to them.  So too is the Holy Ghost so helpful, yet we sometimes don’t get it.

How can we have the guidance of the Holy Ghost in our lives?  V32 says to be humble and give thanks - a simple enough thing to do.  Am I thankful enough?  Do I remember to be thankful even for the trials?  As I read the trial of them losing the spring in their bows and Nephi breaking his, I couldn’t help but think of how they dealt with these trials.  Notice all the brothers, even Nephi, had bow issues.  What do the brothers do?  Complain, murmur and more complaining.  What does Nephi do?  He goes into action.  He makes a bow and arrow from the materials available.  Then what?  He goes to his father – who is a prophet – and asks where he should go.  Is this not a pattern for our lives?  Sometimes we break our bow.  We don’t mean to.  It just happens.  Do we sit on the ground and cry and complain because somebody didn’t make the bow right in the first place?  No!  We must figure a way to fashion another one.

What is the bow I’m referring to?  How about our lives?  Sometimes we are foolish and we break our lives to the point we feel we cannot go on.  Or maybe we have an accident that alters our lives and we feel we are broken.  It’s easy to give up and accept this fate, but we don’t have to.  Look at the tools that are available to us and fashion a new life – maybe (and probably) even a better one.  Why better?  Because we will have had the trial that strengthened us.   We will have grown in that trial and learned great things.  What?  We learn that we can do hard things.  We can change.  I’ve been there and know this is truth.  If I could teach my children anything it would be that our trials shape our future.  Maybe not just the trial, but how we deal with those trials.  Do we sit down and cry and give up?  Or do we look around at the tools available and fix what’s broken.  It will make all the difference in the world if we choose to fix what’s broken.  

Do I ask questions?

1 Nephi 15

Nephi explains to his brothers the dream Lehi had concerning the tree of life.  They wanted to know.  When I read some of the things Laman, Lemuel did, as well as those struggling with testimonies, I compare it to my own struggles and to others I see struggling.  One thing that is dynamically different is Laman and Lemuel asked questions.  For a very long time in my life, I didn’t ask any questions.  It just didn’t matter.  So at what point were Laman and Lemuel beyond asking questions?  When did they stop wanting to know?

So how does this thought affect me in my life now?  I think I probably need to be asking more questions when I read the scriptures.  I watched in fascination at the SS teacher yesterday.  She obviously knows how to ask questions.  I want to be like that.  It’s very hard for me to think of questions.  I read the story. 

I did notice that the first thing Nephi did after he had his own vision of the Tree of Life, he went to his father’s tent.  Isn’t it just a natural thing we do when we live as our parents would have us live.  When something good happens to us, we naturally want to share it with our parents.  I see it in my own life, and I see it in the lives of my children. 

Don't Delay! It's getting late.

Nephi 13 & 14

These two chapters fascinate me.  Nephi is shown in vision so many amazing things, i.e. the coming of Christ, his life on the earth, his death and resurrection.  He is also shown the end of the world and his 2^nd coming.  There is so much in this chapter to chew on. 

One thing I want to do because of this morning’s reading is read the book of Revelation again.  It’s been a while since I’ve read it. 

And of course, the one thing that always stands out when I read this part of the Book of Mormon is the fact there are only two churches on the earth.  There is the Church of the Lamb of God and the other is the church of the devil (1 Nephi 14:10).  It’s pretty clear and easy to understand. 

I read this morning Elder Holland conference talk on the parable of the vineyard.  I also read it from the New Testament.  Elder Holland’s parting words in his conference talk give me the chills.  He says: “Please listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit telling you right now, this very moment, that you should accept the atoning gift of the Lord Jesus Christ and enjoy the fellowship of His labor.  Don’t delay.  It’s getting late.”  Are we in the eleventh hour?  Is it time that those who are still waiting for hire need to heed this invitation?  What will be their pay if they do?  That is the thrill of this invitation.  They will be paid the same as those who have been faithful from the start.  The only things that cannot be reclaimed are the wonderful experiences missed because you were not laboring sooner – i.e. the experiences life has to bring. 

Yes, this morning’s reading brought me a lot to chew on this day.

Mist of Darkness

1 Nephi 12

As I was reading Nephi’s description of the world prior to the Savior’s coming, I could not help but translate it to current time.  I paused on V4 where he said he saw a mist of darkness on the face of the land.  I remember studying this mist of darkness in the past and I thought about our world today.  Oh but we’re in serious trouble!  There is serious darkness in the world and especially our own country.  There are good people, but there is so much that is wrong. 

What is the mist of darkness?  Verse 17 answers that question quite clearly:  “. . . the temptations of the devil, which blindeth the eyes, and hardeneth the hearts of the children of men, and leadeth them away into broad roads, that they perish and are lost.”

Let’s get personal again.  I spent time with my sweet daughter yesterday whose testimony is nearly nonexistent.  She is blind to anything that is good and is walking a broad road where rules are made up as you go.  Looking to help others isn’t part of her life anymore.  She’s so busy caring for herself and not doing that very well that she doesn’t see others who may need.  It’s an easy road to walk down until things start going bad.  Then it is dark and the choices become even darker.  There is only one way out and that is to reach out for help.  The problem is, those walking that path don’t realize it doesn’t have to be dark because they are blind.  It is a very difficult place to be and I don’t have any more answers than to love those who are struggling in this mist of darkness until that love overpowers the darkness and they reach out for help.  It is in the Lord’s time; not mine.  In the meantime, I have nothing more I can do but to love her (and others I may know) and pray she will soon tire of the exhausting path she walks.

Joy comes

1 Nephi 11

Nephi sees in vision the things his father saw, i.e. the Spirit of the Lord, Mary and was shown the meaning of his father’s dream.

Why was Nephi so blessed to see?  I have written in the margin “He was quick to observe”, a note from Elder Bednar’s BYU devotional some time back.  What must a person to do be quick to observe?  In verse one, it says he desired, believed and pondered in his heart.  Do I spend enough time in these efforts?  Do any of us?  Do we pay the price it takes to have miraculous visions?  Are those visions like Nephi’s?  Probably not.   Maybe if we would take the time to really ponder those things we see in our minds, record them and then wait for the day, our visions would be profound. 

The one verse that switched me into my Carli filter mode was verse 31.  Oh how I wish she would have the courage and faith to reach out to the Savior and let him heal her.  We can be healed from “all manner of diseases, and with devils and unclean spirits. . .”  Why would we not want to have that blessing?  I know for myself it was quite instantaneous.  I was nearly drunk with grief and after nine years of not praying at all, I threw myself on my bed and said out loud “Heavenly Father, whatever it takes from me to answer my parents’ prayers in my behalf, I’m ready to do it.  I can’t go on like this.”  We don’t have to be filled with pain and sorrow for mistakes we’ve made that have put us on a dark path.  The gospel is a gospel of love and joy that all can feel.  We don’t have to be married to feel that joy.  It is different somehow than the joy you have because your family is complete.  But it is joy and it comes as promised – if, and this is a big if, we do what the Lord has asked of us.  It’s not a huge list, but the more we adhere to that list, the happier our lives can be.  It is a truth I couldn’t deny if I tried.

Journals and Formula

It has been so long since I have posted, I really had to search to find my blog.  I have discovered I do this for myself.  You're free to read and even comment, but please feel no obligation to read.  This exercise helps me to think more about what I'm reading and apply it to my life.  Connie

Monday, May 7, 2012 1 Nephi 6 & 7

Something worth remembering:  Nephi wrote in several journals.  (1 Nephi 6:1) The journal that eventually became the Book of Mormon was written with the intent to “. . . persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and be saved.”  Perhaps it’s not a bad idea to keep this “intent” in mind as I write in my own journals.

Nephi and his brothers were sent back to Jerusalem to get Ishmael and his daughters to go back with them.  It wasn’t without struggles even though the “men” were less hesitant for this trip because it would give them wives.  However, there were grumblings again and Nephi had to speak to his brothers about their behavior.  “How is it. . . .”  Why do people forget so quickly the blessings the Lord bestows upon them.  They had seen an angel.  They forgot how they had been delivered out of Laban’s hands in a most miraculous manner.  They had forgotten the Lord could do all things according to his will (v8-12).

We see people today go through similar periods of forgetfulness.  How many return missionaries do I know who come home and forget the miracles they have experienced during their missions?  Many more than I care to think about.  I’ve seen many of my nieces and nephews – and my own daughter – have amazing experiences with missions, lives, and being spared only to get involved in their personal pursuits and leave the safety net of the church, the gospel and the blessings it promises to those who are faithful.  What makes us forget?  Is there a clue in this chapter? 

V14 says “. . .the Spirit of the Lord ceaseth soon to strive with them;”  Why?  “They have rejected the prophets. . .”  How do we reject the prophets?  It is rather simple.  We don’t go to Conference, watch it, reread the messages.  We don’t listen carefully to their counsel.  And that’s the beginning.  Because we don’t listen to their counsel, attending meetings becomes optional and our attendance is hit and miss.  It doesn’t take long.  I’ve seen it too many times to not know this.

It’s quite interesting to me that after making this entry, I read a talk from last General Conference by Elder Donald L. Hallstrom “Converted to His Gospel through His Church”.  He poses similar “how” questions.  “How much faith do we really have?  How repentant are we?  How meaningful are the ordinances in our lives?  How focused are we on our covenants?  How can someone be fully active in the Church as a youth and then not be when they are older?  How can an adult who has regularly attended and served stop coming?  How can a person who was disappointed by a leader or another member allow that to end their Church participation?  Perhaps the reason is they were not sufficiently converted to the gospel – the things of eternity.” 

He goes on to say how to prevent this from happening in our own lives.  In short:  1) Study the scriptures, 2) Focus on the ordinance and covenants, 3) Unite the gospel with the Church – in other words, be actively engaged. 

I feel like I was guided to this talk as when I sat down to read, my iPad was on another talk.  Since the hard copy of the Ensign was right there, I closed the iPad and opened the magazine up where I left it last time I read.  This was the talk I read.  You could never convince me the Lord isn’t aware of our smallest action. 

Tuesday, May 8, 2012  1 Nehi 9 – Lehi’s vision of the tree of life

It is impossible for me to read this and not internalize.  As Lehi travels for the space of many hours in darkness, I relate that to my nine years of darkness in a life I had no business living.  I too prayed (finally) after nine years!  I remember my pray as a plea to help me.  Answer to this one prayer was swift and I began to see the Lord was guiding me not so much by me listening to the spirit and heeding, but by putting people in my path to help me in my effort to change.  As I partook of the fruit, I was filled with exceedingly great joy and it continues.  And I, like Lehi, want my family to partake of it also.  I can make similar comparisons through this entire chapter.  The key to happiness is by keeping the commandments of the Lord, not heeding those who would tempt us to do otherwise.  How is this done?  I have a note in my scriptures that is eight years old: “PP, PS, FP, FS, FHE, T”  This is the formula we must follow.  Personal prayer and scripture, family prayer and scripture, Family Home Evening, and regular Temple attendance.   Done with a sincere heart and real intent, these efforts – enduring to the end, will be our shield and protection against the powers of Satan.  I know this is a truth.