1 Nephi 22 – We are there folks!

I’m not certain why I was drawn to verse 2 of this chapter this morning.  I’ve always known the prophets speak with the Lord.  It only makes sense that if the Lord shows prophets of old things in our day, that he would show modern-day prophets these things as well.  I’ve always been intrigued that Nephi saw our day as well as Moroni and others who have written about our day because they saw i!.  I think it snagged me this morning because of a YouTube video that has been circulating recently of a BYU Devotional given by Pres. Ezra Taft Benson in 1981 on the last days – our days!  Everything he said had news clips since 2010 to go with it.  We are there folks!  He talks about wars and rumors of wars and that men shall be lovers of themselves.  As he is speaking, there is video of hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunami’s, wars and the other wicked things in the world that we see on the news every day.  If you’re interested, this is the URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlNxBHOqeIc  At any rate, as I read this verse, “. . . for by the Spirit are all things made known unto the prophets, which shall come upon the children of men according to the flesh”, I could not help but recall this video. 

My marching orders are to prepare for the “great and terrible day of the Lord”, as Pres. Benson says.  Will I will left standing?  Will my faith remain strong?  Will I continue to follow the prophets?  I pray daily for the strength to do so.

1 Nephi 17 – The Lord will Provide - Genealogy

Wow!  This mornings reading was all about building a ship.  But every time I saw the words “build a ship” my mind saw “do you genealogy”!  This weekend was General Conference and although that was not the thrust of the talks, there were those who mentioned its importance and it burned deep within my soul.  I woke up with it on my mind.  I need to push through this block I have created and do it.  Others are – many of them much older than I.  What is my problem?

When Nephi talked about their women becoming strong like unto men, he talked about the Lord nourishing them, and strengthening them.  He did “provide [the] means whereby they [could] accomplish the thing which he had commanded them” (v3).  He will do it for me.  I just need to put myself on the road.  Somehow, I must carve the time out of each week.  I’ve done that with the temple.  It is not too much to ask. 

In v13 it says “And I will also be your light in the wilderness (my wilderness is genealogy); and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led toward the promised land; and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led.”  Does it get any clearer?

Yes, I have my marching order for this day and to my last breath I guess.  I have a duty to provide for my kindred dead.  Their sacrifices have given me so much.  I have a good life with so many blessings.  The very least I can do is unlock the door for them to progress.   

1 Nephi 11 – Have I Seen?

It started in verse 8 as I was reading this chapter.  I had the thought/question:  Have I seen the tree Nephi speaks of?  That shifted the way I was reading this chapter in a way that I’ve not experienced before. 

V11 – As I was “coming back” from a 9-year hiatus in my spiritual growth, I began to notice.  I began to see what others had and it was precious.  I began to desire these things, which led me to see other things.  I began to see the corruptness of the world I was living in and I wanted nothing to do with it.  As I began to see these things, it was as if someone was asking me what I wanted, and then moved me in the direction that would allow these things.  I began to see the Savior as a significant person in my life and the source of happiness I so desired.  I began to feel His love for me.  I could see the love of God was the “most joyous to the soul” (v23).  I began to see that the word of God (aka scriptures) increased my ability to feel this love.  The more I read the more I wanted to read and I could not drink fast enough.  Have I seen the tree?  Yes!  It is the love of God and I have felt it in abundance (v25).

As Nephi continues to observe and relate his experience, he mentions that after he “saw”, he “bear record” (v36) of these things.  It is the responsibility of those who have seen to go forth and bear witness.  It is a process, and I long to serve a mission and will do so soon.  This too is a process. 

As I read this chapter, I could see the process in a way I have not seen it before.  We have our own vision of the Tree of Life as we enter the fold.  First, we see something that attracts our attention.  I believe it is usually the happiness of those who are already partaking.  This requires in us the ability to avoid the “Large and Spacious Building” that is the pride of the world and humble ourselves to go down into the waters of baptism and become clean.  In so doing, we make covenants to follow our Savior and the path that will lead to our salvation.  What a beautiful process!  How grateful I am for the gift of repentance and the Savior’s Atonement that allow us to return after we have wandered from this path.  I have complete faith this path is available to all of God’s children.  And that faith makes the fruit of the tree even more enjoyable.  Just like I don’t enjoy sitting down alone to a table with a feast set before me, feasting on the Love of God without my family with me although wonderful beyond description, will not be the same as it will be when I have my children there enjoying this feast with me. That is why Lehi was calling to his family.  That is why I must continue to do the same.

1 Nephi 8 - Have I Been Taught by the Spirit?

I’ve had a sticky note in my scriptures since February 22, 2004 that probably needs to be committed to my scripture journal with some of my own thoughts.

Before I go on, I want to mention that this is Chapter 8 and talks about Coming Unto Christ, AKA The Tree of Life to members of the Church.  I’m going to remember exactly where this is by association with Moroni Chapter 8 that is the chapter on Baptism.  They are bookends.  And this has nothing to do with my post.  Just a note to myself.

Pres. Jesse Hunsaker was our Stake President at the time I wrote this note and he gave a talk that impressed me in the deepest way.  He asked if the Spirit has taught me?  In answer to that question, I will say I have, but it is usually when I’ve put in the extra time to really ponder after I’ve read my scriptures. 

He mentioned that in six weeks we would have General Conference.  He suggested I listen to all five sessions of Conference – Saturday’s sessions being the most inspirational.  I apparently took this advice to heart as we’ve been listening/watching all five sessions for a very long time – at least ten years. 

Pres. Hunsaker said, “If I am serious about wanting to be taught by the Spirit, I will put my major efforts on building my spirituality.  I will read quietly from my scriptures. 

He talked about Lehi’s dream, which is Chapter 8 of 1 Nephi.  There are five groups of people:

1. Family – Of no surprise to me is that the family is mentioned first.  The family is of most importance to Heavenly Father and therefore should be my priority as well.
2. V21 – Those who pressed forward – numberless concourses of people even.  Because of the mist of darkness, they lost their way and wandered off and were lost.  Yes, I know many who fit in this category.
3. V24 – Those who cling to the iron rod (word of God).  Clinging is a stronger word the holding.  How can I cling to the iron rod and be lost?  The Mutual theme currently was D&C 90:24 “Search diligently, pray always and be belieivng, and all things shall work together for your good, if ye walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith ye have covenanted one with another.”   This is the key to “clinging” – search scriptures and words of the prophets diligently, pray always and believe that all things shall work together for my good if I remember my covenants.  A simple formula!   V30 – There were those who held fast, continued to press forward and the Tree of Life was their focus.  If I continually remember that this life is just a test – a schooling for my eternal life – I will keep my eye on the Tree of Life and serve diligently to be worthy to dwell with my Heavenly Father again.  
4. Those who were ashamed and fell away.  My notes are sketchy but ultimately it is pride that is the culprit.  They were covenant-making people who let the things of the world get in their way of reaching the Tree of Life.
5. V31 – There were those who made a straight line to the large and spacious building – AKA the things of the world. 

 The bottom line to keeping my focus on the things of eternal importance are: 

• Personal prayer
• Family prayer
• Family scripture
• Personal scriptures
• Family Home Evening
• Regular Temple attendance

These are the tools I must use to “cling” to the iron rod and be found worthy after all is said and done to dwell in the presence of my Heavenly Father.  Am I capable of doing all these things all of the time?  I wish I could say I’m perfect at them.  It is my Savior who will pull up the slack if I am diligent and do the best I can do.  I will admit it becomes easier as I get older. 

As I prepare for Conference in one week and keep my focus on those things that are of an eternal nature, I hope with all my heart to be worthy to be taught by the Spirit as I listen to God’s chosen leaders teach us those things they have prepared by the Spirit.

Ether 15 – Hate, Anger Seedbed of Destruction

The last chapter of Ether is one that totally mystifies my thinking.  How does one get to the point of such anger and hate that their very lives are of no value over the intense need to destroy another person?  I understand anger and how it can turn your focus into a non-stop pursuit of getting even.  But would I ever have let it take me down the road to hand-to-hand combat realizing that one of us would be dead when it was over? 

We see this type of anger on the news every night.  We hear about murder/suicides of couples.  We hear of the troubles in the Middle East and their determination to kill the American infidels.  We see bullying among young people that oft-times result in suicide.  We see cyber bullying that is causing a great deal of destruction.  Obviously, I don’t and never have felt that kind of hate and desire to injure another.  Even the only one person in this world that I temporarily had anger toward I have come to be terms with and we’re quite civil toward one another.  I’m grateful my hate and anger did not poison me to the point of no return as the people in Ether experienced.  “. . . drunk as with wine. . .” is how Ether worded it.  This is so truly sad and pitiful.

So the question comes:  How does one avoid this kind of hate and anger?  Our world generates it faster than ever.  Its roots are in selfishness (https://www.lds.org/ensign/1988/09/dealing-with-anger-and-contention?lang=eng).  The key then, as this article quoted says, is to overcome selfishness.  Admitting that it isn’t all about me. 

Quoting from this article in a past Ensign: “The popular view of our day has been that we are not responsible for our feelings; they just happen. In this view, other people and events cause us to feel certain things, and so our only choice is how we are going to show our anger.

“Burton Kelly, however, points out that emotional responses like anger are actually choices that we make. “For us to feel emotion,” he writes, “we must first be aware of some stimulus—an event, a thought, a memory. Then we interpret that stimulus—and that’s when the emotional response comes. Our interpretation can be relatively positive, neutral, or negative.” (Ensign, Feb. 1980, p. 9.) The stimulus itself has no inherent emotional charge; the emotion comes from within us because of how we choose or are conditioned to see the stimulus.

“Thus, to be angry is a choice we make; it is not “caused” by anything or anyone outside ourselves. If we can teach our children, in both words and actions, that choosing not to respond in anger is within our control, we will teach them one of life’s most valuable lessons. September 1988 Ensign, Dealing with Anger and Contention”.

Using these quotes makes this less of my blog, but I like the ideas and agree with them.  Anger is a choice.  I’ve watched my husband for 35 years and anger is not part of his arsenal of tools he uses to navigate this world.  Believe me, he has plenty of opportunities to be angry.  He will not go there.  I’ve tried to emulate this behavior because I’ve seen that it is a choice and its rewards are many.  It has taken years, but I don’t get angry.  And now anger is something that seems so foreign to me. 

As we view the behavior of Shiz and Coriantumr, it is easy to see the selfishness of each.  To Shiz, it was all about his desire to get even for the death of his brother.  Neither of them was willing to admit fault in any way and was willing to sacrifice the lives of their entire associates (but not self) . . . for what?  What did either one of them gain from this pathetic display of selfishness?  The way I see it, they gained a whole lot of trouble to deal with in the life after this one. 

The bottom line:  We must learn to control anger.  We must avoid it like the plague.  It has the power to take us down right along with those we are angry at.