A New Day

I remember growing up- my mother and father gathering my siblings and I together for scripture study every day.

Perhaps it is a new day. Maybe I don't have to do it the same way. On the Mormon Channel- at 7:25 is Scripture Stories. Not that I would use this everyday- I still think it is important for the children to read out loud... But I think this could be a fun way to "shake up" scripture reading- I think it will help to keep family scripture study fresh and interesting.

The Fruit

10 And it came to pass that I beheld a tree,whose fruit was desirable to make one happy.

11 And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the fruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen.

12 And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit.

24. they came forth and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press forward through the mist of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and partake of the fruit of the tree.

30.they came and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree.

My Memorize List

I am trying to memorize a scripture a week this year- I am a bit behind, but I want to start making a list of them here.

1. 1 Nephi 1:20- I Nephi will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he has chosen because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.


2. 2 Nephi 9:51- Wherefore- do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy. Hearken diligently unto me and remember the words which I have spoken; and come unto the Holy One of Israel and feast upon that which perisheth not neither can be corrupted, and let your soul delight in fatness.


3. Jacob 4:10- Wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works.


4. Enos 1:15- Whatsoever thing ye shall ask in faith, believing that ye shall receive in the name of Christ, ye shall receive it.


5. Omni 1:26- And now my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the holy one of Israel, and partake of his salvation and the power of his redemption, Yea come unto him and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting ands praying and endure to the end, and as the Lord liveth, ye will be saved.
6. Words of Mormon 1:7- And now, I do not know all things; but the Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore he worketh in me to do according to his will.
7. Mosiah 24:14- And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as a witness for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.

Establishing Bible Authority

On Sunday I went to church with my Grandfather. (I won't say which church- but to an non-LDS church.)

The people could not have been nicer, and the service was very nice too. The minister spoke on finding hope in life through Jesus Christ. I thought it was very good.

Sunday School I found particularly interesting. The topic for the day was "Establishing Bible Authority." That is topic never discussed in the LDS church, so I listened with keen interest.

The teacher was a very good teacher. He was an eighth grade teacher by profession. He had good style, and was interesting, as well as being well read. I liked him a lot.

I didn't make any comments- but I would like to comment here. The whole need for "establishing Bible authority." Is because different people will read the same passage of scripture and find different meanings and interpretations. Even the Bible they are studying, could very well be a different "version," with slightly different wording.

I wanted to say, "You sound an awful lot like Joseph Smith. He too was concerned about the teachers of religion of the different sects understanding the same passages of scripture so differently. In his mind this would destroy all confidence in settling questions by an appeal to the Bible."

The Sunday School teacher's conclusion was interesting. He completely disagreed with the phrase, and the entire idea of "Establishing Bible Authority." Instead, he said that you cannot understand a passage of scripture one way, and another person understand the passage of scripture a different way. One of you does not actually "understand" the passage. Again, I agreed with him.

-- But then the agreeing stopped for a minute- when he explained that "some people- who disagree with you (the person who "understands correctly" I assume) will say that they feel in the "heart" that it is not right. In his mind this was a "cop out." something that one might say who didn't really understand.

He did not suggest that personal revelation was a method in which to understand the scriptures- but rather that trusting the feelings of your heart was not correct, and intense study was the only method.

This is where I wanted to comment again. I wanted to show him a passage in James, chapter one, verse five, which says that if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, which giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him. God is the source of truth and wisdom, and yes, he does speak to us in our hearts. I know this, because he has he spoken to me. He has brought clarity and understanding to the scriptures for me.

I wanted to share with him, that I remember as a young girl, no more than ten years old, I was reading the scriptures in my father's den. I was reading the words, and felt very frustrated, because I didn't understand anything. I went to my mother, and expressed my frustrations. She didn't sit down with me, and try to help me understand the chapter or verse that was confusing me, but rather she taught me a life long lesson. She told me to go and pray, and that God would help me to understand. She told me that I must do this every time I read the scriptures, so that I will understand them. I did just that. I went back into the den, and knelt by the old office chair. In my simple way, I asked my Heavenly Father to help me understand what I was reading. I then sat down, and re-read what I had read previously. I don't remember the chapter, or subject that I read that day. But I do remember very well the happiness that I felt, as I was reading, and understood. At my young age, I did not understand because I had studied so much, and was so well read. I understood because the Lord taught me, in my heart.

Helaman 5:12 Always Remember Him- even at 5:30pm

12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

I am still interested in the phrase "no power over you." Last night my daughter would not do her homework, my kids would not put their soccer clothes on when I asked, my three year old took a bunch of toys out of the playroom and brought them downstairs (which is not allowed in my house). OK- so it might not seem like a big deal, but when all of this is going on, as I am trying to make dinner in a timely manner, to get the kids fed prior to soccer practice, it made me so angry. In my life, I am not concerned right now about "his hail and his mighty storm." Nor am I concerned about "the gulf of misery and endless wo." I would like to have my kids be disobedient, have my family running late for where we are supposed to be going, (this happens a LOT) and still have the spirit with me. I want to be able to be calm and peaceful inside. I do not want to stop caring about homework, obedience, and showing up on time. I fundamentally think these things are very important. However, in the sacrament prayer, I learn that I can "always have his spirit to be with me." Last night, at 6:30pm, after I burned my hand on some sauce, and was thoroughly upset with my children- I did not.

Bruce R. McConkie explained that Satan had no power over Christ because He had "overcome the world." (How can I do that?)

In Ezra Taft Benson's book, "A Witness and a Warning"- chapter8- Come Unto Christ- he says:

Nephi said, the Lord "hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh." ( 2Nephi 4:21.) Those who are consumed in Christ "are made alive in Christ." ( 2Nephi 25:25.) They "suffer no manner of afflictions, save it were swallowed up in the joy of Christ." (Alma 31:38.) They are "clasped in the arms of Jesus." (Mormon 5:11.) Nephi said, "I glory in my Jesus, for he hath redeemed my soul." (2 Nephi 33:6.) Lehi said, "I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love." (2 Nephi 1:15.)
58Let us read the Book of Mormon and be convinced that Jesus is the Christ. Let us continually reread the Book of Mormon so that we might more fully come to Christ, be committed to Him, centered in Him, and consumed in Him.
58We are meeting the adversary every day. The challenges of this era will rival any of the past, and these challenges will increase both spiritually and temporally. We must be close to Christ, we must daily take His name upon us, always remember Him, and keep His commandments.

President Benson said some of the same things that President Monson did, and that I studied earlier.

• Read the Book of Mormon
• Take his name upon me
• Be close to Christ
• Always remember him
• Keep his commandments

I am pretty good at thinking about these things at 5:30 am- but by 5:30 pm- not as good. I need to be more like the Muslims who pray five times a day. I am going to add two more prayers to my schedule: 3pm- before school pick up, and another at 5:30- right before my melt down. Hopefully this will be the trick!

Helaman 5:12 It's the Service that Counts

I want to continue what I started two days ago about "foundations." (I tend to rotate my study between chronological reading, in an effort to keep up with the Sunday School class, and study for the classes that I teach- thus the lack of order :)

President Monson had mentioned three ways to strengthen the depth of our foundations in Christ. The first was prayer.

"My second guideline: Let us study the scriptures and “meditate therein day and night,” "

The basics, prayer, scripture study... they always seem to be the answer.

It makes me think of a favorite set of scriptures in Alma 37. Alma compares the words of Christ (study of the scriptures) to the Liahona. He tells us that they will point us on a direct course in our lives- and then he compares scripture study to the serpent that Moses put on a stick, to save the people that were bitten and dying, all they needed to do was look at it:


46 O my son, do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way; for so was it with our fathers; for so was it prepared for them, that if they would look they might live; even so it is with us. The way is prepared, and if we will look we may live forever.

So simple, yet so easy to not do. Just this morning, I was laying in bed, sleep deprived, I was up until 11:30 last night, and 5:00 came all too soon. Today I got up to study, but there have been many similar situations where I had convinced myself that I could never survive the day on such little sleep. It is so easy not to do. "Do not let me be slothful because of the easiness of the way."

Joshua 1: 8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

President Monson did not just say to study, but also to meditate. What a great promise for the meditatiors found in Joshua, "then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success."

President Monson continues: "My third guideline for building a strong foundation of faith and testimony involves service.
While driving to the office one morning, I passed a dry-cleaning establishment which had a sign in the window. It read, “It’s the Service That Counts.” The sign’s message simply would not leave my mind. Suddenly I realized why. In actual fact it is the service that counts—the Lord’s service."

President Monson makes me want to pay more attention to signs. He gets some great analogies from signs in windows and on the road.

President Monson gives a terrific example:

Thirteen years ago it was my privilege to provide a blessing to a beautiful 12-year-old young lady, Jami Palmer. She had just been diagnosed with cancer and was frightened and bewildered. She subsequently underwent surgery and painful chemotherapy. Today she is cancer-free and is a bright, beautiful 26-year-old who has accomplished much in her life. Some time ago, I learned that in her darkest hour, when any future appeared somewhat grim, she learned that her leg where the cancer was situated would require multiple surgeries. A long-planned hike with her Young Women class up a rugged trail to Timpanogos Cave—located in the Wasatch Mountains about 40 miles south of Salt Lake City, Utah—was out of the question, she thought. Jami told her friends they would have to undertake the hike without her. I’m confident there was a catch in her voice and disappointment in her heart. But then the other young women responded emphatically, “No, Jami, you are going with us!”
“But I can’t walk,” came the anguished reply.
“Then, Jami, we’ll carry you to the top!” And they did.
Today, the hike is a memory, but in reality it is much more. James Barrie, the Scottish poet, declared, “God gave us memories, that we might have June roses in the December of our lives” (paraphrasing James Barrie, in Laurence J. Peter, comp., Peter’s Quotations: Ideas for Our Time [1977], 335). None of those precious young women will ever forget that memorable day when a loving Heavenly Father looked down with a smile of approval and was well pleased.
As He enlists us to His cause, He invites us to draw close to Him, and we feel His spirit in our lives."

D2 is crying, she had a bad dream- catch you tomorrow.