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.

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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