283 - Gathering of Israel

282 - Being Filled with the Spirit

281- Miracles To Those With Faith

Interesting thought to me... that there would be a difference in faith, between these two sets of people that were standing in the midst of their Savior.

He is right there, standing with you, teaching you, praying with and for you...

This difference illustrates the thought that faith is more than seeing the Savior.  Even in His midst there were varying levels of faith.

That would mean faith has less to do with being in the presence of our Father and Savior and more to do with our actions, our practice, our belief and devotion, our choices and obedience, our living.

I love this quote from James E. Talmage...
One cannot have faith without belief; yet he may believe and still lack faith. Faith is vivified, vitalized, living belief. 

Day 280... Prayer For Unity

THIS is my post from last year.  Unity as a people.

This year, after just listening to General Conference, I see the correlation between these scriptures and Elder Nelson's talk.

He is an apostle of the Lord and spoke about unity.  The leadership of God's church isn't a hired position.  People don't resign or get fired, even as they age.  They serve the Lord, it is His church.  They don't do anything for the benefit of themselves, it is all for the Lord's Church.

He spoke about the safety net of having a prophet, with his two counselors at the head, and then 12 apostles, all ordained, holding the restored keys to be prophets, seers and revelators.

Nothing is done,for the church as a whole, without a unanimous sustaining among all 15 people.

Elder Nelson talked about the difference between all 15 men and how unanimity is difficult among any 15 people.  And so it is with surety they go forward when all 15 of them have had the same witness of the Holy Ghost.

That is unity.  That is unity among His apostles that Christ is praying about in these scriptures.

And these men are called to the work why?  "... it is because of their belief in me that I have chosen them out of the world."

And then it trickles to all of us that are disciples of Jesus Christ, who follow Him via his Prophet and Apostles...
"Father, I pray thee that thou wilt give the Holy Ghost unto all them that shall believe in their words."

We can receive our own witness, the Holy Ghost can and will speak to us, when these men lead us in truth.

What is the purpose?  You can see it clearly... to draw us in to the Savior himself.  
"...those who shall believe on their words, that they may believe in me, that I may be in them as thou, Father, art in me, that we may be one."

These men leading us are the mouthpiece of our Father in Heaven.  Their desire isn't fame, fortune, anything of the world.  It isn't popularity, or to have control over us... how ever in the world could they?

Theirs is the work of love, to give us strength and guidance as we all navigate through life.  To hold, still, the line that is God's.  Theirs is the responsibility to call us all back, remind us of who we are, and who our Savior is.



  

October Is Here!

We did pass reading day 274.  It is the first day of October.
I recently went back and read my post from last year... Behold Your Little One's.
I appreciated it again!  It is great to re-read what we learn.

Are you ready for this?  I have all of October and November printables done!
I have a few more months to finish.  I will get them done this month!

I have put all of the printables, in zipped files HERE in this drop box folder.

And as always you can print out the lists.  I also zipped all of those and put them HERE.  I also made them look a little cuter!

Happy studying!

365 - Changing The Commandment

This had to have been a huge deal right?
If your whole life you are living a law, like the law of Moses, would it be tough to change that?
Not only that, but none of these people have seen the resurrected Christ yet, they 'hear' him.

The scriptures had alluded to this sacrifice, the one the Savior made for us, but would you get it, if it were happening right in front of you?

Would you recognize what was going on and not be so steeped in the tradition of what you'd done for years, not realizing the commandment was just part of a greater law and purpose.  Why you were doing it was of much more importance.

I hope that I'd be able to recognize that, but who knows.

At this time Christ announces the law of sacrifice is over and done.  He has made His sacrifice and now the commandment is to partake of that... use the atonement!

Bring to him a broken heart and contrite spirit... over and again.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson said, “The Savior said He would no longer accept burnt offerings of animals. The gift or sacrifice He will accept now is ‘a broken heart and a contrite spirit’ [3 Nephi 9:20]. … You can offer the Lord the gift of your broken, or repentant, heart and your contrite, or obedient, spirit. In reality, it is the gift of yourself—what you are and what you are becoming.

“Is there something in you or in your life that is impure or unworthy? When you get rid of it, that is a gift to the Savior. Is there a good habit or quality that is lacking in your life? When you adopt it and make it part of your character, you are giving a gift to the Lord”

365 - Rejecting Prophets

Oh heavens...
Where have I been?  Not recording my thoughts here!  That's for sure!
I sometimes get frustrated that there are these gaping holes in things I try to record!  I am so ambitious with what I try to accomplish, of course I can't keep up all the time.

But, I love that I can pick it up and try again.

I have almost finished my 365 Book of Mormon scripture prompts.
Finally!!!
Of course the list has always been available, but the cute printables are almost done!  I'll post them this week.

I want to post my thoughts on those scriptures here daily.
But, lately I have felt the desire to study so many other things as well.  I guess that is no different from what it always is!
I want to be more open, in my own organized, finite mind, to the possibility, to the Spirit, to study wherever I want from day to day.  It may be the Book of Mormon, it may be the Bible, it may be other religious books, or the Ensign.
As long as I'm connecting, reaching, pondering, learning each day I'm good.

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Today in the 365 we are on day 256 -

When prophecy is fulfilled, then people can see the error of their ways.
These people have regret for killing the prophets, not listening to them... because now, everything the prophets said would happen, is happening.  They are witnessing three days of darkness and great earth upheaval because of Christ's crucifixion in the old world.
The prompt says rejecting prophets brings suffering...  Is it God that is making the people suffer, or themselves?  In this case it is the choices the people have made, as they have rejected the teachings of the prophets, that has brought great suffering to them and their loved ones.

Really prophets are the mouthpiece for God.  In rejecting them we are rejecting God and His laws and ways.  He gives us commandments and guidelines to help keep us safe, at peace and happy..
When prophecy is fulfilled these people can see they are wrong, the prophets were correct, they were indeed prophets.

What happens then?  When they see they have been wrong?  Do they then suddenly turn to God and repent?

Here is where I feel the laws of heaven play themselves out.
Just because you see... now... that there is a God, that the scriptures are true, that there was/is indeed a living prophet, and your eyes are open... does it change anything?

That sudden knowledge may present itself quickly, but then, what next?  Then do you magically have faith because you see you were in error?  No!  I'm sure there is sudden remorse, sudden guilt, a sudden desire to seek mercy.  Are those things faith?  Nope!

Faith is developed, it is something you have to grow and practice.

As we read on, though we see, as we do today, that God still calls.  Now that these people see, those who want to progress and move forward can repent (none of those were listed above with all of the sudden realizations) and start to develop their faith.

I don't believe that everyone who is brought to the same knowledge will make the same choices.

But, for those who choose to follow Christ and develop their faith there is a great reward coming in the next few chapters... both scripturally speaking and presently speaking.

We have a living prophet today.  He speaks the mind and will of our Father, still.
Do we listen?  Do we follow with exactness?
The scriptures are full of prophecy for three culminating events, the birth of Jesus Christ , His atonement and His second coming.
Do you believe He will come again?