Justice like a flaming fire

In reading the passage about Nephi explaining Lehi's vision to his brothers who did not inquire themselves what the dream meant, I realized something I haven't realized before.

Nephi describes the gulf of filthy water, the awful gulf. When Lehi was relaying his dream he was so concerned about other things, like his family wondering of the path to the tree of life, that he didn't even realize the water was filthy. But Nephi went to the Lord in prayer and found this out himself. Isn't that interesting. He was only trying to see what his Father saw, and he was shown even more then his Father. Nephi had so much faith.     He believed his Father's testimony and his words. Shows the importance of a lot of things. First, of testimony. Nephi was able to accomplish so much because of the testimony of his Father and the example of his Father. Second, of faith. How you can accomplish so much with faith. Third, of "pondering" in your heart. Nephi was pondering in his heart when he had his vision. he wasn't even praying. Sometimes my prayers get so mundane and redundant and non-emotional that it means nothing. But the prayer that I have in the middle of the day, on the family room floor, for no reason other than I need help from my Heavenly Father and I need to re-set my life. those are the prayers that change me and that actually work. It is the same way with pondering. When we ponder with the spirit and on spiritual things, that's when we are able to have revelation and things are made known unto us.

Anyway, I like water being referred to as filthy because usually we hear of water meaning righteous and good. However, it is great for analogies for Satan. I thought of my own analogy for water being like Satan. And how if you think of opening the lid of a water bottle then tipping it over and pouring it onto us, its like allowing Satan into our lives by letting things slip and then doing bad things. when it is poured onto us, that water damage can be bad! And there's no way of getting rid of it except through trying to dab it with towels or change our clothes and suck up the water and all these things are like repentance. But it we have water-resistant materials we won't get as effected which is protection from living the commandments. So I am happy to find that my analogy may truly be inspired and from Heavenly Father because water in this vision is an awful gulf of misery for wicked-doers.

But my main point from this passage is that the justice of God was like fire. It was like a pillar of fire going up and up forever into heaven and it burned so bright. I just picture that and how impressive that looks and how intimidating. But then to think of the magnitude of God's justice and how Jesus Christ intercedes on this burning fire just for us, pulling us back from the filthy waters, over the pillar of burning fire, and into the tree of life and where the saints of God dwell, how amazing that is! And how great it is that we have that kind of an ally and intercessor. He is perfect, and can call the shots for us because he walked our existence. Justice is a hard fast concept, but Christs's sacrifice is all about our relationship with Christ and His love and charity.

7 Weeks of Christmas=7 Weeks of Christ's Teachings

I decided this morning that I don't need to even leave my house to live the gospel. Yes, service is good and we shouldn't be idle, but I can live the gospel from within my heart. A change of heart is the most important part, not just checking off the boxes. So I opened my scriptures to St. Matthew, read a verse about Christ's teachings which said, "judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged." I realized that is truly something I need to work on. I do judge others, and I wouldn't want others judging me the way I judge others sometimes. I repented of some judgments against others I have had in hopes to be better this season of Christmas. I feel that changing my heart through living Christ's teachings is a really good way to celebrate Christmas this year. I prayed for help, that I can see others the way Christ sees me, and that is with LOVE. That one word has stood out to me a lot lately. I tend to be task-oriented and try to check off the boxes: family history, visiting teaching, scripture study, going to church, fulfilling my calling, going to the Temple, etc. However, I'm just going through the motions sometimes instead of realizing the reason for these "tasks"--Love! We do these things because of LOVE. Love for Heavenly Father, love for others, and love for Jesus Christ. And it makes these tasks more meaningful when I think of doing them with love. So, this week I am working on not judging others.

"Beloved"

Alma 9:30
"And now, my beloved brethren, for ye are my brethren, and ye out to be beloved"
I like this verse because it says that we ought to love each other. The reference for beloved in the verse goes to 1 John 4:11--"Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another."

If even God above in heaven, perfect and omnipotent, wise beyond our comprehension, loves us, then we had better love ourselves too. If a perfect being can love us, surely we can love ourselves because we are flawed and don't deserve to be high and mighty to each other-we are all brothers and sisters (flawed, but still loved by the flawless Father). More so, I would add to that-we need to love ourselves personally. If God loves me, what reason do I have not to love myself too?

Aaron/ Miracles

Today I decided to start at the beginning of the Bible dictionary and read it, learning about specific topics at a time. I read Aaron today. That is the name of my brother. I found out that Aaron was three years older than his brother, Moses who led the slaves out of Egypt. I read a little bit about how Aaron cast down the rod that turned into a snake before Pharoah. The magicians and sorcerors of Pharoah also threw down snakes, but Moses' ate up all the others. This is a symbol to me about God's power. People on this Earth can do magic, do pretty surreal things, but these are less important than the magic of miracles from the correct authority. The Pharoah's magic was probably pretty impressive and convincing, but God's was unequaled. God's power can not be overtaken. That is why I put my trust in God, not the world. The world says miracles are not done these days, but I say they are only not done because of our inbelief as a people. I see miracles in my life.

After reading about this old testament miracle I went back to my chemistry studies about pH and bases and acides. Just then I knew, miracles can happen because I see them in chemistry- the way chemicals react is sometimes miraculous. Even though I have not seen a stick turned into a snake, I see and believe in miracles. It has to do with faith. Miracles are not for the unbelieving, they are for the believing.

What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Elder Robert C. Gay of the seventy gave a talk at October 2012 conference, entitled, "What Shall a Man Give in Exchange for His Soul?" I read it from the November ensign. Here are key point I got out of it:

1. "today it is so easy to get caught up in the noise of the world--despite our good intentions" (pg. 34).
2. Cain asked, "Who is the Lord that I should know him?" and then he lost his soul. Nothing is more important than knowing the Lord. How do we know the Lord? -prayer, scripture, conference talks, service, uplifting education, going to church, fulfilling our callings.
3. Sometimes a national championship or money seem so important at the time that we "self-justify our actions like Cain", but as we learn, he lost his soul. I'm sure we do not want to lose our souls, but Satan does a good job at distracting us.
4. Robert talks about the story in the new testament of a wealthy young man that asked the Lord what he needed to do to have eternal life. The Savior told him the one thing he needs to do is sell all that he has. The man could not do it.
-On the other hand, we have an account in the Book of Mormon when a Lamanite King asked the same question and said that he would give all he has away just to have "this great joy" (pg. 34).
5. How importance repentance is. The Lamanite King's repentant prayer is touching: "O God, ...I will give away all my sins to know thee."
6. The Savior asks us to give "up all our sins, big or small" (pg. 35). I like the list Robert puts out as possible sins we need to repent of and forsake:
-self-justifying stories
-excuses
-rationalizations
-defense mechanisms
-procrastinations
-appearances
-personal pride
-judgmental thoughts
-doing things our way
7. Separate yourself from the worldliness and take upon you the image of God in your countenance.

8. I love touching stories of people reaching out to others, strangers even. But it makes me feel inadequate because I do not have many of those stories of my own. My insecurities usually win in the battle with the spiritual promptings. Its difficult to talk to someone I do not know or are not familiar with. However, I know that my mind needs to be in the right place if I am going to have the courage to help others. I need to focus more on others, and on the spirit; Then I may be more likely to feel and act on promptings of helping and befriending others. I know I could be doing so much better than I am now. I only have one neighbor in my apartment complex that I know. I see surrounding neighbors often, know what cars they drive, but haven't said but a single hello. There's definitely room to grow.
9. Set goals: I will meet one more neighbor before Christmas.
10. "May our lives of service always affirm that God forsakes no one" (pg. 36).
11. I like what Robert says: "My testimony is my soul's treasure" (pg. 36).
12. I know that the worth of souls is so great! Docrtine and Covenants 18:10 -"Remember the ^aworth of ^bsouls is great in the sight of God;" Nothing of this world is more valuable. That's why there's nothing more important, satisfying, joyous, or completing as saving our own soul and those around us. 

Service

Church=Service. Have I done any good in the world today?

Helping Hands & Last Days

November 4th- Mormon Helping Hands Cleanup Sandy (link to article); east coasters inspired by Mormon help.
November 7th- Mormon president rejected by east-coasters.


"10. O ye wicked ones, enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for the fear of the Lord and the glory of his majesty shall smite thee.
11. And it shall come to pass that the lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.
12. For the day of the Lord of Hosts soon cometh upon all nations, yea, upon evey one; yea, upon the proud and lofty, and upon evey one who is lifted up, and he shall be brought low.
13. Yea, and the day of the Lord shall come upon all the cedars of Lebanon (America), for they are high and lifted up; and upon all the oaks of Bashan;
14. And upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills, and upon all the nations which are lifted up, and upon evey people;
15. And upon every high tower, and upon every fenced wall;
16. And upon all the ships of the sea, and upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all pleasant pictures (Tropical Islands).
17. And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low; and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.
18. And the idols he shall utterly abolish (American Idol?)
19. And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for the fear of the Lord shall come upon them and the glory of his majesty shall smite them, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth."
-Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 12: 13-18.

These aren't my words, they are the words of God. Though harsh and hard to hear for the wicked, I believe these words are true and will come to fruition very very soon. The United States has shown its stance, with sam-sex marriage and marijuana use rooted for in the 2012 elections. There was a clear choice between a righteous, qualified, smart leader and a liberal, unreligious, debt-growing leader. Righteousness was not chosen.

Revelation 10: John sees an angel standing upon the sea and the earth with a little book that the angel tells John to eat which will make his belly bitter but his mouth sweet as honey. After he eats he is told to go out again and prophesy. My interpretation: the little book is the Book of Mormon, which makes the stomach bitter because of the harsh truths, but mouth sweet because it is a second testiment of Christ.

Micah 5:15- "And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard."

2 Nephi 27:7 "And behold the book shall be ^asealed; and in the book shall be a ^brevelation from God, from the beginning of the world to the ^cending thereof."

I know that God lives. I know because I have tested Him, by obeying His commandments, and I have witnessed that "wickedness never was happiness" (Alma 41:10). I have "consider[ed] on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things both temporal and spiritual" (Mosiah 2: 41). I have a testimony of the truthfullness of the Book of Mormon, that Joseph Smith restored the same church organized hen Jesus Christ walked the earth by translating the Book of Mormon and recieving revelation. I believe in revelation, yes. Some say it is crazy to talk with God. That is the evil of our world today. I speak with God through prayer, and he speaks to me through the Holy Ghost. I feel him. I know he lives. I know Jesus Christ walked this earth. There are records of his life, there are paintings and murals of Him. He exists, though people are lifted up in the things of the world and cannot understand. They are blind and corrupt. They will know nothing but pain when he comes again. But I will know joy because I know Him today. I do not have to see to believe. I know I have a spirit, I know that when a body dies, it does not rot in the ground forever. I have  a soul that is eternal. And my all bodies will be reunited with spirit when Christ comes. The last days are now. Which is intense, but happy because it will be wonderful when He comes again for the righteous.