Week 44 Scripture Prompts

Days 293 & 294... and some from last week.

Last week was such a busy week for me...
And the reading was just what I needed.
Monday was a crazy day, I was anxious, I had a bunch to do... as I was fidgeting and working, feeling a little crazy in my mind... I stopped.
I know what my solutions is.  Always.
My road to calm is paved with prayer and scripture study.
There I find peace, perspective, guidance, priority, fulfillment... calm.

I thought it was interesting that my first reading of the week was the importance of scripture study... right there as a reminder as I headed into my busy week.

I didn't write last week, I hope to still find the time to share what I learned, but I read. 
I need that.  Is that where you are? Do you need that?  I thirst and hunger for it, it soothes my soul.

We are commanded to search the scriptures, and with this command, as we see with others, the Lord's commandment isn't a punishment, it's a blessing.  It is to me, whenever I choose to obey.

Calling it a commandment, instead of a suggestion, implies obedience or disobedience, which is always a choice, not just a happenstance.  It gives us ownership and accountability which can be rewarded. 

And when we choose to obey, we are rewarded.

I felt that last week, many times.

Day 293 Neither Root Nor Branch
3 Nephi 25:1
I think as I've previously read this scripture I've thought it's just saying those that are proud and wicked will be burned, so nothing remains, neither root nor branch!

I learned this scripture is actually referring to the sealing power of the priesthood.  Our ancestors, our roots and our future posterity, our branches.  The wicked and proud won't be burned... they will be cut off from their families... disconnected from root and branch... that may just be worse, maybe not!

Day 294 If they Believe, Then Greater Things Will be Made Manifest
3 Nephi 26:6-12
This is the principle of line upon line.  As we learn more, invest more, we get more, we grow... ever upward.

Is it really fair to ask for more when we don't really make use of all that we already have?

I also read this quote where President Kimball talks about people asking when we'll get the rest of the Book of Mormon records and his response was... how many of you have read the record that already exists?  Hmmm.

"We are quite often looking for the spectacular, the unobtainable.  I have found many people who want to live the higher laws when they do not live the lower laws. 

Food for thought.

Week 43 Scripture Prompts

Week 42 Scripture Prompts...

Here are the prompts for this week.
Happy reading! 

I studied later today so didn't get today's up.  And it's late so I'm going to bed!  I'll be back to post soon!

284 & 285

I didn't have time to post yesterday...
And today has been busy... per usual Saturday.

This is the great thing about these...
I still read just a little bit in the Book of Mormon yesterday and today...
I didn't really study, per say, but I read, always preceded by prayer, and that counts for something!

Elder Nelson said this in his May 1995 conference talk:
We are also children of the covenant. We have received, as did they of old, the holy priesthood and the everlasting gospel. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are our ancestors. We are of Israel. We have the right to receive the gospel, blessings of the priesthood, and eternal life. Nations of the earth will be blessed by our efforts and by the labors of our posterity. The literal seed of Abraham and those who are gathered into his family by adoption receive these promised blessings—predicated upon acceptance of the Lord and obedience to his commandments.

Day 283

I studied this morning, but have been away from the computer all day... it was a great thing!

I am amazed how much of the Book of Mormon is full of this subject, really.  Go through next time you start from the beginning and study how much info there is on this subject.

Christ is telling the Nephites of course to study the words of Isaiah... us too...

As we study what this prophet had to say we see that God makes and keeps his promises.  We see fulfillment of Isaiah's words. 

I've thought a lot today about Gods people, the house of Israel.
I thought about fairness, is it fair to have 'a people'.
I reaffirmed to myself that indeed it is! 

I look at my kids and I know which ones have that personality I can count on to do different things.  They are each from me, my line, but it speaks to me the power of lineage, that there are people who will not waiver with their faith... Would these be in your line in you were a God... who needed a certain set of people to keep truth and continuously share your message, so as time goes on and people forget... there is someone to count on?

I thought about the people who were the house of Israel, who were scattered because they wouldn't obey!  We all have a choice.  We will always have a choice.

So it is important to understand the part of gathering God speaks of... who are His people?
Those who will seek Him, who will follow, who will make covenants and enter into His kingdom.  Those who will be baptized.  Those who will be faithful and valiant.  That is the house of Israel, those are whom will be gathered.

There is still so much for me to learn and understand regarding this subject.  I love it!
I see wisdom, again in sending Lehi to this new land 'scattering' His people via this prophet and his line.  By doing that, by keeping a record of that, you have posterity thousands of years later that hear it and want to be part of it... they enter into the house, they are being gathered via this scattering.

Week 41 Printable Scripture Prompts

Well, I think I'll just have to take these a week at a time, then compress them all to a zip file later.
I need to bite off little bits at a time!

You can find the complete reading list above...

These are formatted to 4x6.  You could print as you go!

Day 282

3 N 20:8-9
Sacramental Promise of Being Filled With the Spirit

8 And he said unto them: He that eateth this bread eateth of ^amy body to his soul; and he that drinketh of this wine drinketh of my blood to his soul; and his soul shall never hunger nor thirst, but shall be filled.

 9 Now, when the multitude had all eaten and drunk, behold, they were filled with the Spirit; and they did cry out with one voice, and gave glory to Jesus, whom they both saw and heard.

 

... to his soul.

... shall never hunger or thirst, his soul, that is.

 

This is the promise of the Sacrament.  As we partake of it, worthily and thoughtfully we will never hunger or thirst.  That fulfillment comes through the Holy Ghost.  We can always have Him with us.

 

In the book 'The Highest In Us' by Truman G. Madsen he says:

It is interesting to me that the word ordinance has the same root as ordained and order.  Those connotations are appropriate.  But it also has the same root as ordinary.  That , too, is relevant.  An ordinance takes the most ordinary of elements (for what is more commonplace than water, bread, olive oil? - kneeling, clasping hands, lifting of arms are ordinary things) and gives them or receives them or consecrates them as holy, as somehow focusing our mortal up reach and an immortal response.  Ordinances make possible the transformation of the ordinary.  Our ordinary work ordinary breathing and speaking, ordinary pleasures, become extraordinary when they are consciously sacramental.

 

I wish we had another word for the blending of thought and feeling that takes place in an ordinance, a word perhaps like compre-fee.  In modern thought , brain and heart are separated and often detached from the subtler aspirations of the spirit... But in ordinances, a symphonic combination of all aspects of the self occurs.

 

I love General Conference.  But I feel like something is missing when I don't get to go to church and partake of the sacrament those couple of times a year. 

This is the purpose of this meeting...

... and I know I'm guilty of minimizing this sacred ordinance. 

Is there more I can do?  Are the promises felt more deeply or greater for me if I make more of this ordinance?

How about you?

 

 

Day 280 & 281

280 - 3 Nephi 19:20- 23
Prayer for Unity

These were my impressions as I was studying these scriptures... as well as John 17:11, 20-23

Both are accounts of the Savior praying with his apostles after he's been resurrected.

- I see such wisdom in telling the Prophet Lehi (a contemporary of Jeremiah and Habakkuk) to cross to a different land, grow his posterity and keep a record.  There are two lands now that keep a record.  We have almost nothing after the New Testament.  But, there is another people keeping a record, that also eventually fall into complete wickedness... and the record stops... but the record has been kept and we have it today... two, in two lands, both to testify of Christ, that He indeed was there, that he was resurrected, that He established His church, prayed with His people... He lives!

- He wants His people to be unified, even as He is with the Father, in both records.  I see the need for that today, through all Christian faiths, to be unified, in a world that is trying to neutralize everything, make everything politically correct so we don't offend... what is so offensive saying you believe in God?  I don't get it... it's not offensive to say you don't... we believe differently, let the differences just BE, don't try to eliminate them!  In the elimination you create a greater chasm between people, no one feels free to express their beliefs!

- From John v. 17 ^aSanctify them through thy ^btruth: thy word is ^ctruth.
Truth is eternal, unchanging... the principles of the doctrine of Christ are unchanging.

- From 3 N v. 21 Father, I pray thee that thou wilt give the Holy Ghost unto all them that shall believe in their words. 
Why?  Because that is how He communicates with us.  We feel Him through the Holy Ghost.

- There is a lot of praying going on in this section.  Christ prays with them, leaves them, prays by himself, prays again with them... an obvious reasoning that prayer is important.  But in 22 it says thou seest that they believe in me because thou hearest them, and they pray unto me;  He sees that we believe through our praying.  Prayer is a manifestation of our faith.  It is good practice for us to call on Him to go to Him, and even when we doubt, prayer shows that we are reaching and trying.

- v. 29 Father, I pray not for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me ^aout of the world, because of their faith, that they may be purified in me, that I may be in them as thou, Father, art in me, that we may be one, that I may be glorified in them.

I love this thought from D. Todd Christofferson

Jesus achieved perfect unity with the Father by submitting Himself, both flesh and spirit, to the will of the Father. His ministry was always clearly focused because there was no debilitating or distracting double-mindedness in Him. Referring to His Father, Jesus said, “I do always those things that please him” (John 8:29).
Surely we will not be one with God and Christ until we make Their will and interest our greatest desire. Such submissiveness is not reached in a day, but through the Holy Spirit, the Lord will tutor us if we are willing until, in process of time, it may accurately be said that He is in us as the Father is in Him. At times I tremble to consider what may be required, but I know that it is only in this perfect union that a fullness of joy can be found.


281 - 3 Nephi19:35
Miracles to Those Who Have Faith

There were miracles during this time period for the Nephites.  Christ healed many, angels were seen etc.  Miracles have not ceased today... they go on.  Those who have faith can both be a recipient of them and a witness for them. 

Watching my niece heal almost overnight when she was [thisclose] to death is a recent miracle that I witnessed.  I know that it was God's power that healed her.  I have faith that He can do that.  Miracles have not ceased.

277 - 279

My word, as I'm going through this list I'm see all sorts of mistakes, like mis-numbering! 
Oh well, I'll fix it and move on!

Day 277 3 Nephi 18:21
Pray In Your Families

21 ^aPray in your families unto the Father, always in my name, that your wives and your children may be blessed.

I feel so fortunate that I grew up in a home where we did this... daily.
I believe it gave me the foundation I need... both in habit and in learning of the Savior for myself.
I am so grateful for parents that layed that foundation for me.
The nights that have been long, where I just want to put the kids down and be quiet... we at least have family prayer... we always have time for that, even when there is no energy!
It is one thing I'm sure of.

I feel satisfied that there is no adequate substitute for the morning and evening practice of kneeling together—father, mother, and children. This, more than soft carpets, more than lovely draperies, more than cleverly balanced color schemes, is the thing that will make for better and more beautiful homes (from Ensign, Feb. 1991, 2).

Day 278 3 Nephi 18:36-37
Power to Give the Holy Ghost

36 And it came to pass that when Jesus had made an end of these sayings, he touched with his ^ahand the ^bdisciples whom he had chosen, one by one, even until he had touched them all, and spake unto them as he touched them.

 37 And the multitude heard not the words which he spake, therefore they did not bear record; but the disciples bare record that he gave them ^apower to give the ^bHoly Ghost. And I will show unto you ^chereafter that this record is true.

I learned this time that Moroni does show tell us what was said when Jesus touched and spoke to his disciples, I never saw that before.  The footnote takes us to Moroni 2:2

1 The words of Christ, which he spake unto his ^adisciples, the twelve whom he had chosen, as he laid his hands upon them—

 2 And he called them by name, saying: Ye shall ^acall on the Father in my name, in mighty prayer; and after ye have done this ye shall have ^bpower that to him upon whom ye shall lay your ^chands, ^dye shall give the Holy Ghost; and in my name shall ye give it, for thus do mine apostles.

 3 Now Christ spake these words unto them at the time of his first appearing; and the multitude heard it not, but the disciples heard it; and on as many as they ^alaid their hands, fell the Holy Ghost.

 

 

 

Again, we see the authority of the priesthood given by Jesus Christ himself.  That power to speak in His name, to heal in His name, to confer, to administer ordinances... all through power that was given by He himself to the apostles.  We believe in the same thing today... literal authority.

 

Day 279 3 Nephi 19:10-13

Baptized Anew

 

10 And when they had thus prayed they went down unto the water’s edge, and the multitude followed them.

 11 And it came to pass that Nephi went down ^ainto the water and was ^bbaptized.

 12 And he came up out of the water and began to baptize. And he baptized all those whom Jesus had chosen.

 13 And it came to pass when they were all baptized and had come ^aup out of the water, the ^bHoly Ghost did fall upon them, and they were filled with the Holy Ghost and with fire.

 

 

 

Although they had already been baptized Jesus commanded them to be baptized again... They had been baptized for the remission of sins, but now Christ was organizing His church anew... the law of Moses had been fulfilled with his Atonement, Death and Resurrection.  With His reorganization both in the old world and in the new this was a necessary step.  Baptism for the remission of sin, then the conferring of the Holy Ghost, with the authority of the priesthood.

276 - Watch and Pray Always

3 Nephi 18:18

 Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always lest ye enter into temptation; for ^aSatan desireth to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.

What do we do to avoid entering into temptation?  Watch and pray.

Notice it doesn't say to avoid temptation, to eliminate temptation, to never see it again!
It says to avoid entering into it...

We always have a choice, even up to the last second before we make a bad one.  It's ours completely!  We choose what we enter into.

To keep us from walking down that path, making that choice, that sometimes entangles us and traps us... He wants us to watch and pray. 

Be aware of what is around us, avoid things that are tempting.  See what is going on, what my choices will lead to, what the consequence will be.

And pray.  There is power in prayer.  I strongly believe that if I am praying and keeping that communication open, if I am pondering and thinking often of my Savior, of things I'm thankful for, of the goodness of life, of uplifting things, the things that 'tempt' have no power. 

Watch and pray.

Henry B Eyring said:

He knows perfectly the powerful forces that influence us and also what it means to be human.
...The Master not only foresees perfectly the growing power of the opposing forces but also knows what it is like to be mortal. He knows what it is like to have the cares of life press upon us... And he knows how our human powers to cope are not constant...
...As the forces around us increase in intensity, whatever spiritual strength was once sufficient will not be enough.  And whatever growth in spiritual strength we once thought was possible, greater growth will be made available to us.  Both the need for spiritual strength and the opportunity to acquire it will increase at rates which we underestimate...
... Start with remembering Him.  -'Always'

275 - In Remembrance of Me

3 Nephi 18: 1-14

In these verses Christ institutes the sacrament among the Nephites.
In His church anciently the sacrament was important.  In His restored gospel today it is the same.
Why?

'And this shall ye do in remembrance...'

It is so easy to get swept away today with all we have going on.  There are distractions everywhere, both important and unimportant. 

This is a time to stop... and remember Him.

Certainly I hope to do that more than once a week when I take the sacrament, but this is part of gathering together.  It gives us reason, creates an opportunity, just in case we didn't do it on our own.  It is a gentle reminder, and can benefit us if we let it.

Day 274 Behold Your Little Ones...

I will get myself organized with all of the writing I insist on doing!  It takes organization!

3 N 17: 11-24 Behold Little Ones

As I was reading through this section this time I thought about a recent quote I've read... can't remember where I read it, but it essentially says that it's not enough to just live a good life, assuming your children will see that and choose that path also. 

We have to teach them, they don't just grow up to be good people without learning how.  What makes you good?  Why do you make the choices you do?  What are the results of that?  We need to teach them! 

Sister Grassli (former general primary president) 'Let us not underestimate the capacity and potential power for today's children to perpetuate righteousness. No group of people in the church is as receptive to the truth.

We see the result of the Savior loving and teaching these children.  For two hundred years there is righteousness with the Nephites.  These children held on to their experience, knowledge and testimony.  They grew and taught their children, who taught their children.  We see that as more time passes and more generations follow posterity starts to forget, maybe lag a little.  The intensity and reality of the experience becomes a story some may tell and some may not. 

We had our primary program on Sunday and I thought about my cute kids as I saw them up there on the stand, bearing testimony in the simplest of form.  I thought about teaching them... I need to do so much better.

They sang 'A Child's Prayer' and I cried... I always cry.  I love that song...

Lyrics

1. 1. Heavenly Father, are you really there?
   And do you hear and answer ev'ry child's prayer?
   Some say that heaven is far away,
   But I feel it close around me as I pray.
   

   Heavenly Father, I remember now

   Something that Jesus told disciples long ago:

   "Suffer the children to come to me."

   Father, in prayer I'm coming now to thee.

This is the section where Christ blesses these children.  Not only does He himself take them, and love and care for them.  He prays to our Father in Heaven for them.

 

There is so much that is nasty and ugly in the world, so much I want to protect my children from.  I want to teach them, not only so they can grow to be good people, but so they can be happy, find peace, strength and consistency. 

 

 

 

I can teach, I can only do my best... and when it isn't enough I need to follow the example of my Savior and pray unto the Father to bless my little one's.  To give them strength and peace that I can't give them, that they don't know how to ask for yet.  Am I using the power of faith through prayer?

 

I felt the call again, reading this, that it is my job to teach.  Not just to live a good life, but to teach my children, so they know.  They have capacity to bring much goodness and righteousness into the world.

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