Goals for 2015

I am working on getting my goals for 2015 fine-tuned.  

This last Sunday, I substituted for a friend of mine who was sick, and taught the Teaching for Our Times lesson in Relief Society.  I taught from the General Conference talks: Free Forever, to Act for Themselves, by Elder D. Todd Christofferson and Yes, Lord, I Will Follow Thee, by Elder Eduardo Gavarret.

I taught mainly from Elder Christofferson's talk (which is on agency), but I touched on a few points from Elder Gavarret's talk (which is on choosing to follow Christ), and those are the points I want to focus on for this post.

"The invitation to “follow Him” is the most simple, direct, and powerful invitation we can receive. It comes from a clear voice that cannot be confused.

". . . it is an invitation to act.

"As you strive to come to Him, you will gain the power to relieve life’s burdens, whether physical or spiritual, and experience a positive inner change that will help you be happier.

"The decision to “come unto me” and “follow me” is personal.

"Reach out your hand, touch His garment, accept His invitation, say, “Yes, Lord, I will follow Thee!”—and walk with Him.

"What steps can we take today to “walk with Him”?

1. Feed the desire to be a better follower of Christ.

2. Pray for this desire that your faith in Him may grow.

3. Obtain knowledge from the scriptures, lighting the way and strengthening your desire to change. (emphasis added because it is talking about scripture study!)

4. Make the decision today to act and say, “Yes, Lord, I will follow Thee!” Simply knowing the truth will not change your world unless you turn knowledge into action.

5. Persevere in the decision you have made by exercising these principles daily."

As I am forming my goals for the coming year, I was grateful for the reminder to choose goals that reflect using my agency to wisely follow my Savior, Jesus Christ.

From Elder Christofferson's talk, "we must exert ourselves, repent, and choose God for Him to be able to act in our lives consistent with justice and moral agency. My plea is simply to take responsibility and go to work so that there is something for God to help us with."

1. Exert ourselves, make an effort, we have to do more than want it, we have to ACT!

2. Repent, get rid of the baggage that is weighing us down!

3. Choose to follow God, to come unto Him, walk with Him.  Make the conscious effort to act in a way that is pleasing to Him.  Blessings upon blessings will follow as we make that choice!  We will be happier!

I am all for a happier 2015!

Goal for 2014 completed!

I set a lot of goals for myself in 2014.  Some I did well on, some I completely forgot, and others I did so-so on.  One goal I did well on was to read the Book of Mormon with the focus on the Christ-like attribute of mercy.

This morning I finished reading the Book of Mormon and counted the number of times I underlined the word mercy (mercies, merciful).  110 times!  Brilliant!!

I really feel that concentrating on the word mercy has strengthened my ability to be more merciful, to recognize ways to apply mercy to others and to situations.  I am grateful for this experience and the way that it has brought me closer, through the blessings of the Spirit, to my Heavenly Father and my Savior and to the people around me, especially my own family.

I highly recommend the practice of reading through the Book of Mormon with a focus on a particular principle or idea.  I am anxious to begin again on the next focus on my list!

He Is The Gift #ShareTheGift

Remembering

I am reading in Ether these days.  (I had better hurry up if I am going to finish the Book of Mormon by the end of the year!)

One thing that has stuck out to me in the last few chapters is remembering.  In Ether 6:12, it talks about the Brother of Jared and his family landing in the Promised Land, after traveling for nearly a year on the ocean.  They immediately drop to their knees in thanks to their God for bringing them safely there.  They "did shed tears of joy before the Lord, because the multitude of his tender mercies over them."

When you look at the footnote for 12c, "tender mercies", it references two other scriptures, Ether 7:27 and Ether 10:2.

In Ether 7:27 it says:  "And there were no more wars in the days of Shule; and he remembered the great things that the Lord had done for his fathers in bringing them across the great deep into the promised land; wherefore he did execute judgment in righteousness all his days."  (emphasis added)

Ether 10:2 says: "And it came to pass that Shez did remember the destruction of his fathers, and he did build up a righteous kingdom; for he remembered what the Lord had done in bringing Jared and his brother across the deep; and he did walk in the ways of the Lord; and he begat sons and daughters."  (emphasis added)

It would seem that the tender mercies that they were referring to came because they remembered.  They remembered that the Lord had done great and marvelous things for them and for those who had come before them.

tender mercies = remembering blessings

good judgement = remembering blessings

righteous living = remembering blessings

I am seeing a pattern here!

Even the promise of the Book of Mormon found in Moroni 10:3-5 says:

"Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

"And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

"And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."

acquiring truth = remembering blessings

(If you would like a free copy of the Book of Mormon to learn more about this amazing promise, click HERE)

The scriptures are so vital to us that Heavenly Father has gone to great lengths throughout history to make them available to us.  He inspired prophets and faithful saints through countless generations to preserve their history and experiences.  He sent Nephi back to get the plates to preserve the record of their fathers.  He made sure that faithful men kept the records of the Nephites safe so that they would not be destroyed.  He blessed Joseph Smith on numerous occasions to avoid men who were intent on destroying the gold plates.  The scriptures are a record of those who have gone before us that help us to remember the blessings that have come before us, AND the blessings that we might have for ourselves!  We should spend valuable time to search the scriptures to find these marvelous insights that inspire us to do better, to become closer to our Savior, Jesus Christ.  To remember.

remembering blessings = scripture study

To find THEIR answers in the scriptures

In the front of each of my Scripture Journals is the following quote:

”Last year a church member sent me a suggestion that someone prepare a book containing all General Authority interpretations of all verses in the scriptures.  I replied that I thought this was not a good idea….  What we are seeking to accomplish… is not to magnify the standing of the prophets but to elevate the spirituality of our rank and file members.  Like Moses, we declare, ‘would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!’  (Numbers 11:29).  We encourage everyone to study the scriptures prayerfully and seek personal revelation to know the meaning for themselves.”  (Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “Scripture Reading and Revelation”, BYU Studies Academy Meeting, January 29, 1993)

"To elevate the spirituality of our. . .members, we encourage everyone to study the scriptures prayerfully and seek personal revelation to know the meaning for themselves."

Study the scriptures prayerfully.

Seek personal revelation.

Know the meaning for ourselves.

Scripture Chains

The footnotes at the bottom of the pages of our scriptures are incredibly useful and can give us many added insights into the meaning of the scriptures we are studying, but they are by no means all-inclusive.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie: "I received a letter from a seminary teacher in which he criticized our new scriptural publications because they had footnotes, cross references, and teaching aids.  He argued that these were crutches which kept people from that intensive study in which they would make their own cross references.

"Well, I for one need these crutches and recommend them to you.  They include the Joseph Smith translation items, the chapter headings, Topical Guide, Bible Dictionary, footnotes, the gazetteer, and the maps.

"None of these are perfect; they do not of themselves determine doctrine; there have been and undoubtedly now are mistakes in them,  Cross references, for instance, do not establish and never were intended to prove the parallel passages so much as pertain to the same subject."  (BYU Symposium, August 17, 1984, Elder Bruce R. McConkie, The Bible -- A Sealed Book)

This is why I think Scripture Chains are important.  One, they are very useful in the flow of doctrine and guidance from the scriptures.  And, two, they are of our own making, which shows how WE, individually, receive doctrine and guidance from the scriptures.

Here is an example of one of the Scripture Chains I have in my scriptures about receiving personal revelation.

Here is another Scripture Chain explaining the concept of "cross yourself":

Matthew 16:24-26 (and especially the Joseph Smith translation) --> Alma 39:9 --> Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, McConkie & Millet, pg. 292: Alma 39:9 --> 3 Nephi 12:30

(Important tip: at the end of the chain, always make a notation that states which is the originating scripture, that way you know where you started.)

The significant part is that these chains are a representation of YOUR personal study and understanding of the scriptures.

Thankful for the scriptures!

I am very thankful for the abundance of blessings that my Heavenly Father bestows upon me daily, hourly, every minute.  He knows my needs and is in constant readiness to bless me with the things that I stand in need of.  I am grateful, especially for the scriptures, and the amazing comfort, guidance and strength they are to me as I open them and read and study their words.  I am grateful for the testimony of my Savior, Jesus Christ and His Atonement, which is found in the scriptures, which strengthens and enriches my own!  Heavenly Father so carefully directed those who recorded their inspiration, histories and knowledge, that we might benefit from them!  

What a marvelous, marvelous blessing we enjoy in the scriptures!

Psalms 100:4 

"Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: 

be thankful unto him, and bless his name."

Colossians 3:15

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, 

to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful."

Psalms 95:2

"Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, 

and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms."

Colossians 2:7

"Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, 

as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving."

Alma 34:37-38

"And now, my beloved brethren, I desire that ye should remember these things, 

and that ye should work out your salvation with fear before God, and that ye should 

no more deny the coming of Christ;

"That ye contend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye receive it, and take upon you 

the name of Christ; that ye humble yourselves even to the dust, and worship God, in 

whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye live in thanksgiving daily, 

for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you."

Doctrine & Covenants 46:7

"But ye are commanded in all things to ask of God, who giveth liberally; and that which 

the Spirit testifies unto you even so I would that ye should do in all holiness of heart, 

walking uprightly before me, considering the end of your salvation, doing all things with 

prayer and thanksgiving, that ye may not be seduced by evil spirits, or doctrines of devils, 

or the commandments of men; for some are of men, and others of devils."

Doctrine & Covenants 136:28

"If thou art merry, praise the Lord with singing, with music, with dancing, 

and with a prayer of praise and thanksgiving."

Definitions

When I am able to sit down and really study my scriptures or a lesson or a General Conference talk, one of the things that I like to do is look up words in the dictionary to discover their meaning.  Most of the time, I already know what the word means, but often I have found that there is usually more in the definition of a word than I realized.  

For example, the lesson for Relief Society/Priesthood yesterday was from Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith, chapter 20: Love and Concern for all of Our Father's Children.  As I read through the lesson, in section 1, there was the following quote:

I think if all men knew and understood who they are, and were aware of the divine source from whence they came, and of the infinite potential that is part of their inheritance, they would have feelings of kindness and kinship for each other that would change their whole way of living and bring peace on earth.

We believe in the dignity and divine origin of man. Our faith is founded on the fact that God is our Father, and that we are his children, and that all men are brothers and sisters in the same eternal family.

As members of his family, we dwelt with him before the foundations of this earth were laid, and he ordained and established the plan of salvation whereby we gained the privilege of advancing and progressing as we are endeavoring to do.

I love that first paragraph! Beautiful! 

Actually, this is what my page looked like:

But the word I want to focus on is privilege.  I know what that word means.  It means that you have something that someone else doesn't, by virtue of your birth or work or efforts.  When I looked up the word, however, I discovered that it had a lot more meaning than I thought.  And, in a different way, I am sure, than Mr. Webster had in mind.

(image source)

I was intrigued by the fact that nearly all of the definitions for the word privilege contained the word immunity.  That concept in relation to the word privilege had never before entered my mind.  

From a Latter-day Saint perspective, with an understanding of the Plan of Salvation, the word immunity, in relation to privilege, makes perfect sense!

Because we know the Plan of Salvation, because we love God and keep His commandments, and, most importantly, because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ on our behalf, we can "endeavor to advance and progress" because we can repent and be forgiven and strive to do better.  This gives us an advantage, because as we take these steps, we gain immunity from the effects of physical and spiritual death.  How great is that?!!  And, that is definitely something to be enjoyed!

I am so grateful for the many resources that bless our lives and help us to find greater meaning and application to the scriptures in our lives!  It is indeed a privilege! 

(image source)

Words of comfort, love, strength and good cheer

Book of Mormon Online

I just found a really amazing website.  It is an online resource for studying the Book of Mormon.  It is extremely detailed!  I am very impressed!

http://bookofmormononline.net/home

You can go through each verse of the Book of Mormon and it has references, pictures, etc..  There are maps, timelines, a database of Book of Mormon people and places, relationships, and much more!  

I can't believe I hadn't found this before.  It is very helpful and VERY comprehensive!  Be sure to take a look!!

Reading the Book of Mormon with a purpose

I mean, there is always a purpose to reading the Book of Mormon.  To know that it is true.  Moroni, the last Book of Mormon prophet, left a promise at the end of the Book of Mormon, that when you read the Book of Mormon, with the intent to know that it is true, and then pray to Heavenly Father, He "will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost."

(If you are interested in a free copy of my favorite book, click HERE!)

I have read the Book of Mormon numerous times.  Each time I read it, I am at a different point in life and so I see and understand different things.  The Book of Mormon meant one thing to me as a missionary, and another thing to me as a mother, for example.  Recently I started reading the Book of Mormon with a different focus or theme so that I see even more than I have seen before.

In mentioning that to another tweeter, she mentioned a way that she is reading the Book of Mormon, and I really liked it.  But now I am about four Books of Mormon out, and I don't want to forget the ideas, so I figured this is the perfect place to start a list of ideas of ways that I want to read through the Book of Mormon. 

* Reading through three times
* All references to the Temple
* Keeping track of who is speaking
* The names of Jesus Christ
* The references to us

I am going to keep adding to this list as I think of or see new ideas.  If anyone has ideas that they have done or seen, please share in the comments!

Prayer Journal

I know that this doesn't immediately sound like it is related to scripture study, but prayer and scripture study are essential to each other, so it is. : )

I know there is a quote somewhere that says that our journals are basically the scriptures of our lives.  What we write in our journals is recorded in the heavens.  President Spencer W. Kimball said, in a talk entitled President Kimball Speaks Out On Personal Journals (December 1980), said:

From time immemorial the Lord has counseled us to be a record-keeping people. Abraham had a book of remembrance, and Adam had one. Early in the American life of the family of Lehi, his son Nephi said: “Having had a great knowledge of the goodness and mysteries of God, therefore, I make a record of my proceedings in my days. …

“And I know that the record which I make is true; and I make it with mine own hand; and I make it according to my knowledge.” (1 Ne. 1:1, 3.) This great record included not only the movements of his people, but his own personal life.

When the Savior visited this continent following his resurrection, he commanded the Nephites and Lamanites to bring their records up to date. He said to them: “Behold, other scriptures I would that ye should write, that ye have not.

“And it came to pass that he said unto Nephi: Bring forth the record which ye have kept.

“And when Nephi had brought forth the records, and laid them before him, he cast his eyes upon them and said:

“Verily I say unto you, I commanded my servant Samuel, the Lamanite, that he should testify unto this people, that at the day that the Father should glorify his name in me that there were many saints who should arise from the dead, and should appear unto many, and should minister unto them. And he said unto them: Was it not so?

“And his disciples answered him and said: Yea, Lord, …

“And Jesus said unto them: How be it that ye have not written this thing, that many saints did arise and appear unto many and did minister unto them?

“And it came to pass that Nephi remembered that this thing had not been written, … therefore it was written according as he commanded.” (3 Ne. 23:6–13.)

You should continue on in this important work of recording the things you do, the things you say, the things you think, to be in accordance with the instructions of the Lord. Your journal is your autobiography, so it should be kept carefully. You are unique, and there may be incidents in your experience that are more noble and praiseworthy in their way than those recorded in any other life.

What could you do better for your children and your children’s children than to record the story of your life, your triumphs over adversity, your recovery after a fall, your progress when all seemed black, your rejoicing when you had finally achieved? Some of what you write may be humdrum dates and places, but there will also be rich passages that will be quoted by your posterity.

We hope you will begin as of this date. If you have not already commenced this important duty in your lives, get a good notebook, a good book that will last through time and into eternity for the angels to look upon. Begin today and write in it your goings and your comings, your deeper thoughts, your achievements, and your failures, your associations and your triumphs, your impressions and your testimonies. We hope you will do this, our brothers and sisters, for this is what the Lord has commanded, and those who keep a personal journal are more likely to keep the Lord in remembrance in their daily lives.

A while ago, a friend that I follow on Twitter, Ashley Frederickson, tweeted about her Prayer Journal.  She had written a post on her blog and was talking about how it was benefitting her life.   Being the journaler that I am (is that a word?), I loved the idea of keeping a better record of what I have been praying for and how the Lord has been answering my prayers.

So, I got a journal and started writing.  It has been a marvelous experience, as, with my preparation, I feel that I have received answers to my prayers in ways that I might not have recognized previously.  I highly recommend it!

Answers from General Conference

This weekend was AMAZING!!! I was incredibly uplifted and strengthened! I LOVE General Conference weekend!!

This year I worked very hard to prepare for Conference before it started. I had questions and concerns that I was bringing before the Lord and I wanted to be able to receive the answers through the talks in General Conference. I wrote my thoughts and questions in my prayer journal and I fasted and prayed for two Sundays in a row that included our local Stake Conference and General Women's Meeting. I did not want to exclude any possible avenue for guidance from the Lord.

One of my questions, I will admit, was a little on the whiney side. Basically, "if I am doing what You have asked of me, why am I still struggling so much?" Other questions were more about how I can improve myself and help others in their struggles. One was about how I can improve my newly-developing business.

During Stake Conference, especially, I was inundated with answers to how I can help others in their struggles, and a firm strengthening of my testimony that Heavenly Father knows of my questions and concerns and cares about them.

As General Conference arrived, I was excited for the answers I knew I would receive from the Lord. As is my habit, I watch General Conference with my laptop, tabs open on Drive (to keep notes), Twitter, and lds.org. After each session, I kept seeing tweets from people saying how their prayers and questions had been answered by a particular talk. I always responded to them, saying how wonderful that was, and then thought to myself, next session I will receive my answer! I even watched the Priesthood Session, again, not wanting to exclude any possible guidance I might receive.

I received a great deal of guidance from the Lord, about all kinds of different things, just as I always have with every General Conference I have ever listened to. I heard a lot of counsel to not let worry and hardships test my faith, to turn to the Lord for strength to get through them. I know all that. I know it to be true. But, I don't want to have strength to continue to bear up this burden, I want it taken off my back, for good!  I wanted the Lord to speak TO ME!

In the 3rd to the last talk of General Conference, Elder Larry S. Kacher, of the Seventy, spoke about where we look for answers to our questions. He told us to turn to a loving Heavenly Father. Then he said: Choose to set aside doubts, allowing the Lord to answer in his own time.

The Spirit spoke to my heart and mind.  I KNEW that was the Lord speaking TO ME. I was humbled.

Elder Kacher followed with this scripture, Doctrine & Covenants 50:40 - "Behold, ye are little children and ye cannot bear all things now; ye must grow in grace and in the knowledge of the truth."

I read beyond that and read the next six verses:

"Fear not, little children, for you are mine, and I have overcome the world, and you are of them that my Father hath given me;

"And none of them that my Father hath given me shall be lost.

"And the Father and I are one. I am in the Father and the Father in me; and inasmuch as ye have received me, ye are in me and I in you.

"Wherefore, I am in your midst, and I am the good shepherd, and the stone of Israel. He that buildeth upon this rock shall never fall. (emphasis added)

"And the day cometh that you shall hear my voice and see me, and know that I am.

"Watch, therefore, that ye may be ready. Even so. Amen."

Three times during General Conference I was excited to hear my favorite Book of Mormon scripture quoted, Helaman 5:12!

And here it was again: "He that buildeth upon this rock shall never fall."

I don't have to worry about WHEN the Lord will answer my question, as long as I am built upon the rock of my Redeemer, Jesus Christ, and rely on His Atonement for grace, mercy and strength.

My question has now changed to: Please allow Your grace to help me bear up my burdens, to find peace from the relentless stress of my burdens, by continually guiding me in how I can better learn from, change (especially change!), and accept my circumstances, in recognizable and sustainable ways.

Now I am going to take the things that I have learned from General Conference and LIVE them!  I am going to take my notes and make goals for ways that I can improve, change and draw closer to my Heavenly Father and His will for me!  I can't wait for the November ENSIGN to come out so I can re-read the talks and study them in greater depth!

(image source)

I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who chastens me and reminds me who should be in control of my life.  I am in these stresses and problems because I chose to made decisions without asking Him for guidance and direction, and relied upon my own meager "wisdom".  When I allow the most omnipotent and powerful being in the universe, who knows me better than I know myself, to guide my life according to His will and His timing, I will ALWAYS be blessed beyond measure!  I will ALWAYS find the greatest happiness!  I am grateful for the Prophet and Apostles who prayerfully speak the words that the Lord would have them say to us, right now, at this time, when we need them the most!  This gospel is a marvelous and beautiful blessing!!

General Conference - October 2014

Saturday, 4 October 2014 -- 10am Mountain Time and 2pm Mountain Time

Sunday, 5 October 2014 -- 10am Mountain Time and 2pm Mountain Time

lds.org  or BYUtv.org

General Women's Conference 2014

Receive Remember Apply

(image source)

This applies to our scripture study too, but as I prepare for General Conference, I wanted to remember this!

General Conference is coming soon!

I love this time of year, as we get ready for General Conference!  We are blessed to be able to sit at the feet of the Prophet and Apostles and leaders of this Church and hear what the Lord needs us to know RIGHT NOW!  (For anyone unfamiliar, General Conference is a world-wide broadcast that allows the leaders of the Church to talk to all of the church membership at the same time.)  Our Stake also has Stake Conference this weekend, so I always feel doubly blessed to have so much counsel in a short period of time!

I am happy to say that this year I have studied the words that we heard in General Conference more than I ever have before!  It has been a very strengthening experience for me, as it has affected all aspects of my life.  I feel closer to my Heavenly Father and more in tune with His guidance than I ever have before.

For the past several years I have tried and tested several different ways of experiencing General Conference.  I have taken written notes. I have followed Twitter and Facebook as General Conference was being broadcast.  I have taken no notes at all and just listened.  I have kept notes on my laptop, while following Twitter and Facebook.  I did not like it when I took no notes.  I heard more, but I don't believe that I retained as much.  It is much more distracting to follow Twitter and Facebook, but I feel more a part of a world-wide gathering of Saints when I do, and if I miss a quote, someone out there heard it and posts it and I really appreciate that!  So, in a few weeks I will be sitting on my couch, watching General Conference with my laptop and my phone.  

This year I want to prepare better BEFORE General Conference even starts.  

From a talk by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf comes the following story:

     A fine member of the Church was talking with a neighbor who was not of our faith. When the topic of discussion turned to general conference, the neighbor asked, “You say you have prophets and apostles? And twice a year in a worldwide conference they reveal the word of God?”

     “Absolutely,” the member replied with confidence.

     The neighbor thought about that for a moment. He seemed genuinely interested and then asked, “What did they say in the last general conference?”

     At this point the good member of the Church went from feeling excited about sharing the gospel to feeling embarrassed. Try as he might, he couldn’t think of the details of a single talk.

     His friend found this troubling and said, “You mean to tell me that God speaks to man in our day and you can’t remember what He said?”

     The brother felt humbled by this exchange. He vowed that he would do better to remember the words spoken by the Lord’s servants in general conference.

     We all know how hard it is to remember every message of general conference, and I’m confident that we need not be embarrassed if we don’t remember everything. Nevertheless, there are messages in each general conference given as a gift and a blessing from heaven specifically for our personal life situations.  (General Conference - No Ordinary Blessing, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, ENSIGN, First Presidency Message, September 2011)

I want to be prepared not just for what Heavenly Father has to say to us, but what Heavenly Father has to say to ME.  And, I want to be able to retain that knowledge through the next six months, not have it just filter back into the rest of the information I have bouncing around in my head all day.  In the talk linked above, Pres. Uchtdorf goes on to give us three steps that will prepare us to "better receive, remember, and apply the words spoken by the Lord’s servants."  

I discovered a page on lds.org that talks about how we can prepare for General Conference.

There are two things that I plan to specifically do to prepare for General Conference.  

One, is to pray about the things that I would like guidance and direction on in my life.  I will write them down in my journal, and then this Sunday I will fast and pray about them as well.  Then I will follow up by writing in my journal what the Lord revealed to me during General Conference in answer to those prayers.

Two, in Family Home Evening this week, we will discuss as a family the things that we would like to receive guidance to as we watch General Conference.  I want my children to understand this principle as well.

I am excited! I am looking forward to Women's Conference on 27 September and General Conference on 4-5 October 2014.

" If we teach by the Spirit and you listen by the Spirit, some one of us will touch on your circumstance, sending a personal prophetic epistle just to you.” —Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

" I promise that if you will listen, you will feel the Spirit well up within you. The Lord will tell you what He wants you to do with your life. In conferences we can receive the word of the Lord meant just for us." —Elder Robert D. Hales

(I will be following and tweeting to #WomensMeeting and #LDSConf  -- @LTNehring)

When we want Him to speak to us...

My soul delighteth in the scriptures

Twitter posts

School has started, schedules are being realigned and I am hoping to get my blogging schedule back online.  I haven't been slacking off, I have just been posting a lot of my scripture study on Twitter.  I recently got back onto Twitter after quite a long absence.  I got annoyed with all the spamming, so I quit going there.  Recently I started a new account with a spiritual focus, and I am enjoying that a LOT more!  There are many Tweeters there who are sharing wonderful, uplifting quotes, scriptures, thoughts, ideas and testimonies!  I love it.

This year I am reading through the Book of Mormon, focusing on the attribute of mercy (read here and here) and recently I started posting on Twitter each day about something I have focused on during my scripture reading each day.  It has been great!

Here are a few examples:

I am focusing on mercy, but I am also enjoying seeing all the other gems that are on each of the pages of the Book of Mormon!  (If you would like a free copy of my favorite book, click HERE!!)  In this one, Alma is teaching his son that the only way we can be saved is through Jesus Christ.  He tells him to go teach this truth to others, and he then describes to him how to do it.  Be bold, but don't force it on anyone.  When we teach, it should be because we love those we are teaching!  Be up and about it!!

I love the footnotes!! So much knowledge to be had there! Here we understand what Alma meant by "cross yourself". Practice self-mastery. We cannot expect a perfect, sinless Jesus Christ to have carried his cross for us, and it be that easy. We have to be worthy of that incredible gift. We have to share some of the load and show our appreciation for Christ's Atonement by refraining from sin. 3 Nephi 12:30 says: "For it is better that ye should deny yourselves of these things, wherein ye will take up your cross, than that ye should be cast into hell." Matthew 10:38 says: "And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me."

This scripture in Alma 40:26 struck me as I realized that it plainly states that if we do not repent of our sins, we will drink our portion of the bitter cup that Christ drank for us in the Garden of Gethsemane.

These two tweets show the study I have been doing on the attribute of mercy.  I especially like that the Plan of Salvation is also referred to as the Plan of Mercy!!

This last tweet is from this morning.  There is a LOT going on in the book of Alma.  Lots of wars.  Many people question why the Lord would have Mormon add so many chapters on war into the Book of Mormon.  There was so little room, so why add all that.  I have discovered in the last few times through, that the Lord is showing us how to over come evil.  AND, it is okay to use stratagem to do it!  First of all, the Nephites were prepared because they were in full armor.  They sent spies out to see where the enemy was going.  They asked the prophet where they should go, and then they followed his counsel.  We can fight evil by putting on the whole armor of God, we can pay attention to what we are seeing and hearing on the radio and television, etc., and head it off by turning it off, leaving the theater, putting down the book, magazine, etc..  We can pay attention to the newest trends in technology and shield our children (and ourselves) from the things that will lead them astray.  And, we can follow the prophet, which means listening to his counsel, and then FOLLOWING IT!  The Nephites, as soon as they heard the word of the Lord from Alma, they acted upon it!

So many marvelous blessings found in the scriptures!!

(You can follow me on Twitter at @LTNehring  #scripture study)

Ideas that come to our minds

I have spent the last few weeks studying for several certifications that I was taking to improve my job.  Because of the time that I had to spend studying for these certification exams, I was able to do little more than my daily scripture study.  I am grateful that I am done with the tests, for now, so that I can get back to my habit of deeper study in the scriptures.

Last week, as I was teaching the Gospel Principles class, I had a really neat experience where the Lord put thoughts and ideas into my mind as I taught, that were of great benefit to the class, and to me as well.  I love having those experiences, and it is always a testimony to me of how, as we study the scriptures, the Lord can use the knowledge that we have gained from our study to bring new knowledge and understanding to our lives.

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Our lesson last week was Chapter 15: The Lord's Covenant People.  We were starting to talk about the Abrahamic Covenant and I asked the class members to tell me what they knew about Abraham, other than the story of Abraham and Isaac.  I got answers like, he paid tithes to Melchizedek, he was married to Sarah, etc..  One of the missionaries said that his name used to be something else.  I agreed and said that Abraham's name used to be Abram, and the Lord changed it.

I began to go into more detail about Abraham's name change, and I talked about how the Lord often changes people's names when He makes covenants with them.  I said that it was symbolic of the change from the person they used to be to the person that they become as they keep the covenant.  Saul became Paul, Jacob became Israel, the converted Lamanites became the Anti-Nephi-Lehi's, etc..

As I was speaking, I questioned myself in my mind why I was spending so much of the lesson talking about a name change.  

A few minutes later, we read the scripture in Galatians 3:26-29, which talks about how as we are baptized we are adopted into the lineage of Abraham, "by accepting and living the gospel of Jesus Christ."

"For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

"For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

"And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise."

As we read this, a clear and radiant thought came to my mind, and I immediately understood why the Lord had prompted me to focus on the name change.

As I explained the scripture to the class, I asked what we promise, or covenant, to do when we are baptized.  I got several answers, but the one I was waiting for was, we promise to take upon ourselves the name of Christ.  "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ."  (Emphasis added)  When we make the covenant with God to be baptized, we promise to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ, always remember Him, and keep His commandments.  In return Heavenly Father promises that we will always have His spirit to be with us.  (Sacrament prayer: Moroni 4:3)

We promise to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ!  As we make this covenant, we effectively change our names to the name of Jesus Christ.  It is symbolic of the change from the person we used to be to the person that we can become as we keep the covenant.

As I said that, a look of enlightenment came across the faces of the class members.  I LOVE that look!!  When the understanding of God is poured out upon our minds and the Spirit confirms that it is true!  I love epiphanic moments like that!  It is wonderful!  I know that thought didn't come from me.  I was just as enlightened as the class members were!  

Frequently, people come up to me after class and thank me for what I taught that day.  I know that Heavenly Father has blessed me with spiritual gifts, including the gift of teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, but I always tell them, "That wasn't me!  You were taught by the spirit of God."  I also know that without my study of the scriptures, I would not have the foundation of knowledge and revelation that the Lord needs to inspire thoughts and ideas like that, those that uplift and guide us to a deeper, more personal, understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ and our place in it.  

"Oh, it is wonderful!!  Wonderful to me!"  (Hymn 193 "I Stand All Amazed")

Scriptures hold the keys to spiritual protection

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I have mentioned this talk before, but it is so excellent, I want to reference it again.

"The scriptures hold the keys to spiritual protection. They contain the doctrine and laws and ordinances that will bring each child of God to a testimony of Jesus Christ as the Savior and Redeemer." 

I encourage you to read the entire talk: Elder Boyd K. Packer, The Key to Spiritual Protection, General Conference, October 2013