HAVE YOU EVER NOTICED...

Have you ever noticed how hard it is to make a BIG decision. Like when the answer probably is jumping out at you but you just can't see it. Or have you noticed when you feel you have made the "right" decision and then everything starts going wrong.

"It seems as though the adversary was aware, at a very early period of my life, that I was destined to prove a disturber and an annoyer of his kingdom; else why should the powers of darkness combine against me? Why the opposition and persecution that arose against me..." Joseph Smith-History 1:20

This scripture may be talking about Joseph Smith and his experience with the adversary during his first vision and early on in his life. But I think it is also talking to all of us. It seems the adversary IS aware when we are a "disturber and an annoyer" of his great plan of distruction. I've never felt such opposition and trouble than when I've been making decisions that lead me closer to my eternal salvation.

But have you ever noticed that once we get past the opposition and persecution, the relief and happiness and peace that overcomes you from making that "right" decision or following that one commandment. I sure have.

So as I continue on in my venture towards eternity I hope I always remember to NOTICE the blaring signs that both the adversary and my Heavenly Father give me that help me realize I'm on the "right" path.

AM I READY

"Therefore be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man cometh." Joseph Smith Translation-Matthew 1:48

Oh, how I hope I will be ready when that day cometh.

WHAT IS TIME....

I just finished reading Abraham 3-5. I have to say they were some powerful scripture. It is totally out of my ability to understand "time". But reading these few chapters just enlightened me so much on the concept.

Time is so different for you and me than it is for our Heavenly Father.

Time....

I appreciate the tiny bit of understanding I just gained from these scriptures. The timing of the moon, the stars, the sun...even Kolob, in comparison to Earth. I feel I have gained even a stronger testimony of the great power of our Heavenly Father. And also realized that the reason we sometimes have to wait for answers or things to come to pass is because of... "time".

And our pre-existance...our forordination to do things - even great things according to our righteousness. "And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them;"Abraham 3:25.  I have gained a stronger testimony that I am, in fact, proving myself. Through"time", I want to live up to my divine potential.

If it has been awhile since Abraham 3-5 has been studied, its time to study it once more.

SEEK RIGHTEOUSNESS...even in the face of sacrifice

"And, finding there was greater happiness and peace and rest for me, I sought for the blessings of the fathers, and the right whereunto I should be ordained to administer the same; having been myself a follower of righteousness, desiring also to be one who possessed great knowledge, and to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and to be a father of many nations, a prince of peace, and desiring to receive instructions, and to keep the commandments of God, I became a rightful heir, a High Priest, holding the right belonging to the fathers." Abraham 1:2

 Would it have been possible for Abraham to obtain all that he did had he not been a follower of righteousness? Even in the face of sacrifice itself he chose to follow God.

I will probably never be asked to lay down my life for the gospel...but I have been scrutinized, teased, and sometimes even mocked for what I believe. And you know what...as long as I am seeking to be a greater follower of righteousness, and to possess a greater knowledge, and desire to receive instruction and keep the commandments, I have complete faith that my Heavenly Father will be at my aid as he was Abraham's.

HOW MANY WARNINGS WILL WE GET

I just finished reading Moses chapter 7 and 8. Being mostly familiar with the story...City of Enoch(Zion) being taken and saved, people suffering because of unbelief and sin, many warnings given to the people to shape up or else... It makes me think one thing about my own life....

How many warning will I get...or NEED. I would hope that I am heeding to His word, but am I doing all I can or should.  When the warning of the flood comes, will I be prepared, will I believe? Will my Heavenly Father have to "weep" for me?

In chapter 7 the Lord wept for his people. He wept...but he had to show consequence for their wrong doings, their evil hearts. In chapter 8 He even gave a time frame...but they STILL didn't listen. "And God said unto Noah: The end of all flesh is come before me, for the earth is filled with violence, and behold I will destroy all flesh from off the earth."

Even with my own kids I warn them, I even count(time frame), but many times it finally comes down to consequence... something to really teach them a lesson. And there have been many times that I have cried as I disciplined the kids...time out, taking away a toy, missing a party, etc. But it had to be done to rid them of a bad habit, a tantrum, etc. And that is at about the most MINUTE level you can possibly get...can you imagine God's weeping as he knew the end of all those people - his people - were coming.

I know the future is inevitable...but it if we can all live our best selves...be the best we can be, our Heavenly Father might not have to shed quite as many tears...I don't know...

BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE

My mother kept a "Book of Remembrance" for each of us growing up. Inside were school pictures, family photos, certificates, rewards, special letters, etc etc etc. I never really appreciated it until just a few years ago...almost seven to be exact. That's when I started my own family and realized the importance of keeping a "Book of Remembrance".

In Moses 6:5 we learn that the seed of Adam kept a BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE..."and by them their children were taught to read and write, having a language which was pure and undefiled..."

My "Books of Remembrance" will never be scripture, will probably never be used to teach my kids to read and write(though my kids do enjoy looking at and reading the blog), and will probably never be remembered by anyone but my family. But they are for MY FAMILY. And the Lord has commanded us all to make a RECORD of our life. Even from the time of our first parents it was important to keep record.

By no means am I comparing my own journals and books of remembrance to that of the scriptures. But it is my hope that I can leave something of worth for my children. That they will be able to find, through record that I have left, that I too, struggled as they do, questioned as they might, and found answers in the Lord as I hope they will.

OUR WORLD; WE; NOT BY CHANCE

I've been reading in Moses 2-4 today. It talks about the creation of the earth, creation of man, and the consequences of partaking of the fruit from the Tree of Good and Evil.

 A couple months back we had a lesson in Relief Society about The Creation and the way our teacher presented it shed so much light. Now reading it has just given me an overwhelming testimony of this simple fact...we were not an accident, an experiment, or a cause and effect.

Chapter 2 explains the creation of all things, yes, which is amazing all in itself. But chapter 3...that's what really grabbed my heart and mind. Heavenly Father planned, prepared, thought, and developed everything spiritually FIRST. And then when it was "good" was it physically created.

Everything was in order...there couldn't be man before there was food for man to eat and their couldn't be water before there was land and gravity for that water to encompass. 

Another ah hah moment as well as "teach by example"...I know when I sit down to, lets say to scrapbook, I don't just sit down and plop the pictures on to a page, throw some words on there and call it "good". I pick out my pictures, find paper that matches, embellishments, alphabets, ribbon, etc. Then I lay it out everyway possible before it looks absolutely perfect! THEN, and only then do I pull out the glue and permanently place things on the paper. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of times that I have plopped pictures on a page and called it "done" but NEVER "good".

I feel it is in Heavenly Father's plan for us to plan, prepare, study, think, and pray about the things that we accomplish or "do" for lack of a better word.  Haste is never "good". Can you imagine our world any other way than how it is. Think of the many, many, many....years it took to call it "good".  But our world WAS Heavenly Father's plan. WE were Heavenly Father's plan, and what we DO is Heavenly Father's plan.

NEW COMMITMENT

I learned from President Benson that the study of the scriptures should be a lifetime pursuit.  Not only am I going to make this a stronger and more dilligent habit in my life, but I want to post my thoughts and questions to my studies. Maybe someone will have greater insight for me. Anything to aid in my lifelong pursuit.  So go with my into the Pearl of Great Price...

There is a lot of speculation in other religions that there is no longer modern revalation. That Heavenly Father doesn't speak to us like he did in the "old days". But he says in Moses 1:4 that His words will never cease. Shouldn't that end all speculation of modern revalation. Why wouldn't the Lord speak to us?

In Moses 1:32- the Lord tells Moses that He has created many worlds.  He goes on to say that Adam was the first man. So my question is this..does that mean that our earth was the first created or just the first world with man?

These are my thoughts as I start my study of the Pearl of Great Price.