3 Nephi

I cannot believe I forgot that this blog was here! Yay!! I have been at it as far as reading the Book of Mormon! I'm so excited to read it now. I am currently on 3Nephi, chapter 17. I love the story of Jesus being born and his death and now his resurrection and his visit. I just love it!! I have always seen the movies and been taught through pictures in primary but to actually sit and read about it is fascinating. How inspiring and privileged those He visited were. To sit in His presence and feel the markings on His hands and feet. Wow...just takes my breath away. I have now noticed my closeness with my Heavenly Father, stronger now that I have been reading the Book of Mormon. It's funny how I've been reading this morning in 3Nephi. He says in one of the scriptures like, out with the old and in with the new. And what do you know? It's New Year's Day! So, out with the old and in with the new. New year resolutions that never get accomplished. hahaha... but not this one. I will finish reading the Book of Mormon and my testimony will grow stronger and I will finally finish my Personal Progress book and receive my Young Women's Medallion(sorry this should be in my own blog). I love him so much. I'm grateful for my testimony of who He is and His example to me. The church is true.

Day 24: 3 Nephi 4 - 3 Nephi 12

I know my Savior lives.  I know He loves me.

If anytime I need a powerful dose of love and the spirit, I read 3 Nephi 11.  The journey the Nephites make in just 15 years is enough to last me a life time.  How many times do I find myself in repeat situations in a short amount of time?  I am not justifying my repeat offenses.  I am finding reasons to be stronger than the temptations, stronger than the tendencies to coast along in life, more steadfast in being "anxiously" engaged in a good cause.

I feel the love my Savior has for me as I find myself in his presence.  I feel I can be as strong as He wants me to be and He needs to me to be. 

Day 23: Helaman 13 - 3 Nephi 3

Our Savior is real.  The blessings He promises us are real.

This section came at a critical time for me.  I felt the spirit as the Nephites were chastened because they forget their Lord when things are going well.  I felt the spirit as I felt the Lord's power in all things.  Whatever burden I may be carrying, the Lord can overcome it all.  Where is my faith if I think that I can carry the burden myself and the Lord cannot?  There is not a problem the Lord cannot fix.  There is not a burden he cannot lift or remove from us. 

My test is to carry the burden but ask my Savior to help me.  Then, and only then, will my faith grow.

Day 22: Helaman 5 - Helaman 12

"...remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall." (ch. 5 vs. 12)

Enough said.

Day 21: Alma 61 - Helaman 4

The fight between good and evil is real. 

I watch a lot of movies where the fight between the good and the bad is obvious.  I root for the good guys to win, I hold on to the storyline until I see the bad are punished.  That's what makes a good movie.  Is when good overcomes evil.  Where the good guy succeeds while the bad guy gets what he deserves.

In these chapters, the fight is real but not as obvious.  The bad starts with maybe the sins of omission.  Not really doing anything about the things people are doing bad.  hmm.. It made me think. When I get into a jam and wonder 'how did I end up here?'  I know.  It's starts off little.  Being too tired too busy to read my scriputures.  Being too tired to say my prayers.  Skipping over family prayers because the hour is almost midnight and my kids should be well in to REM but are not.  Making it to church instead of making the effort to BE at church. 

One thing I have learned from Helaman and Pahoran is that every little good thing we do, no matter how little, counts.  Good always prevails with the Lord. 

That is something I will chant to myself for the rest of this month, summer, year, lifetime.  I pray I can live up to that.

The Council of Dads

I love this book.  The author Bruce, is counting down days before his illness takes him away from his family.  He has a set of twin girls that are like 3 years old and he's really worried they are going to grow up without their father.  So.. he takes us on a journey where he selects MEN from his life that he feels may help his daughters as they grow.  He doesn't want them to leave their lives to take care of his girls, but if they ever needed anything advice, help, to talk, etc.. his girls could turn to this "Council of Dads" he puts together for them.

He tells us about each of these men, the experiences he had with them and the reason he selects them for his daughters.  It's really very sweet.  It made me start to think of the important people in my life and if anything were to ever happen to me, who would I want there for my children when they needed.

It really is an awesome read.

Day 20: Alma 53 - Alma 60

Faith. Compassion.  Courage. 

Reading the war chapters all in one gulp has its advantages.  I felt the spirit more and the people I am reading about came to life.  War is war.  People risk their lives, people die.  This morning, I felt so much love for the mothers who taught their sons the gospel. Who taught their sons to fear God.  Who taught their sons HOW to have faith and SHOW it. 

The love of the people of Ammon as they kept their oath they made with the Lord.  The faith of Helaman who understood how important it was to keep your word to the Lord.  The compassion of the 2,000 sons who volunteered to fight in place of their faithful fathers.  The courage the mothers had to send their young sons to possibility of death. 

The sacrifice every one gave was so great.  It was no small feat.  It wasn't just "nothing."  It was everything.  Am I willing to have that faith?  To have that compassion?  To show that courage?  I pray I do.