Thankful for...
New beginnings. Each new day is fresh, there may be lingerings from days past, but my choices for today matter because they are for today.
Study time...
Jacob 5 - Love this information about the allegory...
Zenos compares the house of Israel to an olive tree that the Lord planted and nourished in the good soil of His vineyard. After a time, despite the Lord’s persistent care, the tree began to decay and the main branches started to wither (verses 1–7). Though settled and preserved in the promised land of Canaan, Israel rejected the word of the Lord until she was nearly destroyed. To preserve what He could of the tree, the Lord took some surviving branches and planted them in various places throughout the vineyard (verses 8, 13–14). The ten tribes, Lehi’s family, the Jews, and other remnants of Israel were scattered throughout the world.
In place of the original tree’s natural branches, the Lord grafted in branches of wild trees as a stimulant in hope that they might bear good fruit if nourished by strong roots (verses 9–12). Rejected by Israel, the gospel was given to the gentiles in Palestine and throughout the world. For a while, the wild branches did bear good fruit, but in time they began to overrun and sap the strength of the roots (verses 15–18; 29–37). The early apostolic Christian Church flourished among the gentiles but soon fell into apostasy. The natural branches scattered through four parts of the vineyard also started to bear good fruit, but in time they all turned wild (verses 19–29, 38–47). Scattered Israel also received Christ and His gospel but fell into apostasy.
Later, to preserve the roots, the Lord cast off the wild branches and grafted in again from the natural branches (verses 48–59). The Lord then started to gather the house of Israel again into the gospel fold and their lands of inheritance. The Lord seeks to preserve the best of the natural and wild branches. These can yet bear an abundance of good fruit, which He will gather in and store against coming seasons (verses 60–68). The Lord gathers and restores Israel to her lands of promise as He fulfills the ancient covenants. Gentiles who embrace the gospel are numbered among the redeemed house of Israel. The restoration of the vineyard takes place as the wild branches are burned and the Lord enjoys His bounteous harvest (verses 69–77). The Lord destroys the remainder of the wicked world prior to His Second Coming and glorious millennial reign. reference LINK
v. 50 - In true Savior fashion, the servant says to the Lord, spare it a little longer, showing the merciful man that He is.
Photo...
back from the bus stop, little boys are still asleep, love the quiet moment... it is fleeting! New beginnings.
SUNDAY
I love Sunday. I love going to church and feeling my heart pound. I love the quickening of the Spirit I feel, the learning that takes place through other's words, and through personal revelation. It is a place of learning, of renewal. It brings peace and joy into my life. You may think that is my 'thankful' for the day, but it isn't. I just love it.
Thankful for...
Reconnecting. Hearing the words '... it helps me feel alive again...'. Two hour conversations, no where to go, just talking...
Study time...
Thoughts from Gospel Doctrine - If Lehi spoke w/ God how did he not know he needed the brass plates? Would you ask that as a son? He didn't think to take them, they weren't his plates. The Lord told him to go back and take something from someone else. It probably wasn't his first thought as he took his family and fled for his life.
Significance of the brass plates going w/ Lehi's family. Lehi is a branch that was broken off to be planted somewhere else, part of the scattering of Israel. Him having the brass plates was essential for the word of God to stay intact as the seed was planted here in the Americas. If the word of God (scripture) is not there for the Lord to hold his standard, man has the ability to make his own interpretation of what he 'thought' was the word of God. We see how innocently apostasy begins. And now, we can see how essential it all was, to have two words of God, two books of scripture, to solidify authenticity in a world forgetting God.
Many time in scripture the younger is the one worthy of the birthright.
Also, thoughts of Leman and Lemuel like that of Sampson, that I just wrote about. God didn't take anything away, they turned from Him. L and L had the same upbringing as Nephi, taught the same principles, but felt differently about it. We are eternal creatures, having talents, strengths, desires, we come here and experience life and determine what we will become based on our choices. We each have agency and will make different choices. It amazes me how merciful the Lord really was to them. Continuing to show them angels and shock them, and speak to them, to show them He is, and it still didn't matter, w/o faith they turned and walked away.
Jacob 3 - Lord talks of how impressed he is w/ Lamanites loving each other and being faithful in the unit of the family. He tells the Nephites not to judge them, they are doing better than the Nephites who are being unfaithful to their families.
4:4 - They had hope of Christ's glory hundreds of years before His coming. They didn't yet know of His great atonement, His resurrection, the fullness of His purpose in coming. They had hope...
4:6 - having all of these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken. Having so many witnesses around you why wouldn't you even try to hope? How does that harm you?
4:12 - why not speak of the atonement of Christ, and attain to a perfect knowledge of him... exactly, why not? This is where I differ from others. I have always had a desire, some don't, but what is the harm in trying, even if the desire doesn't come naturally?
Photo...
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