I've missed putting these up for the past couple of weeks! Here is Emma's scripture thought for the week.
'Seeing as the chapter heading of Third Nephi 7 starts out, “The chief judge is murdered, the government is overthrown, and the people divide into tribes…” I think I was kind of expecting a chapter that mostly went over some of the history and wickedness that had been taking place. But this chapter actually taught me a lot of great lessons about missionary work! Because there was a lot of wickedness, Nephi was able to do some great preaching. This starts out in Third Nephi 7: 16 where it says, “… (he) went forth among them in that same year, and began to testify, boldly, repentance and remission of sins through faith on the Lord Jesus Christ. “I like this verse because it neatly summarizes what I think is our main message. I mean, it’s called The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after all. Also pulling from that verse, the word “boldly” makes Nephi seem like a good missionary, but he’s actually way more awesomethan just good. Third Nephi 7: 18 says, “…for it were not possible that they could disbelieve his words, for so great was his faith on the Lord Jesus Christ that angels did minister unto him daily.” That is just so incredible to me, that people really could not disbelieve his words. They could not do so because he had angels ministering unto him. I like how it doesn’t say anything about Nephi being well-spoken or really smart. I bet he was, but the reason he was successful was because he had faith and had the help of the Lord. This is comforting because it’s okay that I can be ineloquent and a little awkward at times but that I need to try to be bold, have faith, and I will be able to teach people that Jesus Christ is their Savior. In fact, I know that principle is true for all of us! So don’t be afraid.'
Thanks, Emma! I love having your pre-missionary voice on here! (3 months until June 5th!)
Showing posts with label Book of Mormon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Book of Mormon. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
My Favorite Little Guest Writer.
Says Emma:
As human beings, when we are presented with a “difficult circumstances”, I think we often react by feeling stressed out or feeling afraid. It just so happens that this type of situation is presented in Alma 58. Verse 6 says, “And the Lamanites were sallying forth against us from time to time, resolving by stratagem to destroy us; nevertheless we could not come to battle with them, because of their retreats and their strongholds.” In addition, the Nephites were not receiving the food or provisions that they needed. Initially, they were “grieved and also filled with fear…”, which seems like a reasonable reaction. But I love this part in the scriptures because this despair directly contrasts with what they decided to do next. In verse 10 it says, “Therefore we did pour out our souls in prayer to God, that he would strengthen us and deliver us; insomuch that he did speak peace to our souls, and did grant unto us great faith, and did cause us that we should hope for our deliverance in him.” Afterwards, they “did take courage will all our might” and “were fixed with determination” “and thus we did go forth”. I love the comparison between their initial feeling of grief and their later expression of faith. I love how after they exercised their faith, they were blessed with many gifts that we could use in our daily lives, like the gift of peace and the gift of courage. Reading these verses together just shows how faith is so much more productive than fear. Faith may not be our immediate response to a difficult situation, but as we move past fear into faith, we will be blessed with many gifts fromGod. We will have the strength to keep going and He will be able to make much more out of our lives than we would be able to without Him.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
May 5th.
None of these thoughts are related to each other:
I thought it was really funny yesterday when a lady called me at work and complained, "I didn't know the automatic shipment had to be automatic."
Also, I really liked something I read in the Book of Mormon yesterday, in Helaman 3.
4 And they did travel to an exceedingly great distance, insomuch that they came to alarge bodies of water and many rivers.
5 Yea, and even they did spread forth into all parts of the land, into whatever parts it had not been rendered desolate and without timber, because of the many inhabitants who had before inherited the land.
6 And now no part of the land was desolate, save it were for timber; but because of the greatness of the adestruction of the people who had before inhabited the land it was called bdesolate.
7 And there being but little timber upon the face of the land, nevertheless the people who went forth became exceedingly expert in the working of cement; therefore they did build houses of cement, in the which they did dwell.
8 And it came to pass that they did multiply and spread, and did go forth from the land southward to the land northward, and did spread insomuch that they began to cover the face of the whole earth, from the sea south to the sea north, from the sea awest to the sea east.
9 And the people who were in the land northward did dwell in tents, and in houses of cement, and they did suffer whatsoever tree should spring up upon the face of the land that it should grow up, that in time they might have timber to build their houses, yea, their cities, and their temples, and their bsynagogues, and their sanctuaries, and all manner of their buildings.
10 And it came to pass as timber was exceedingly scarce in the land northward, they did send forth much by the way of shipping.
11 And thus they did enable the people in the land northward that they might build many cities, both of wood and of cement.
I think it's cool how these people made do with what they had, but still looked forward towards the future. They became cement gurus, because they didn't have any wood. And at the same time, they let the trees grow in so they'd have 'em, and they were able to supply other communities with that wood.
Sometimes we might have to be patient (have you ever waited for a tree to grow?), but that doesn't mean we can't make do with what we have, and look forward til our trees come in.
I may or may not have just glanced in my boss's office to see him staring at his own picture, magnified 200% on his computer screen.
Also, I may or may not have pulled a muscle in my back trying to lift a 106 pound weight yesterday at Play It Again Sports during my lunch break. What was I thinking?
I thought it was really funny yesterday when a lady called me at work and complained, "I didn't know the automatic shipment had to be automatic."
Also, I really liked something I read in the Book of Mormon yesterday, in Helaman 3.
4 And they did travel to an exceedingly great distance, insomuch that they came to alarge bodies of water and many rivers.
5 Yea, and even they did spread forth into all parts of the land, into whatever parts it had not been rendered desolate and without timber, because of the many inhabitants who had before inherited the land.
6 And now no part of the land was desolate, save it were for timber; but because of the greatness of the adestruction of the people who had before inhabited the land it was called bdesolate.
7 And there being but little timber upon the face of the land, nevertheless the people who went forth became exceedingly expert in the working of cement; therefore they did build houses of cement, in the which they did dwell.
8 And it came to pass that they did multiply and spread, and did go forth from the land southward to the land northward, and did spread insomuch that they began to cover the face of the whole earth, from the sea south to the sea north, from the sea awest to the sea east.
9 And the people who were in the land northward did dwell in tents, and in houses of cement, and they did suffer whatsoever tree should spring up upon the face of the land that it should grow up, that in time they might have timber to build their houses, yea, their cities, and their temples, and their bsynagogues, and their sanctuaries, and all manner of their buildings.
10 And it came to pass as timber was exceedingly scarce in the land northward, they did send forth much by the way of shipping.
11 And thus they did enable the people in the land northward that they might build many cities, both of wood and of cement.
I think it's cool how these people made do with what they had, but still looked forward towards the future. They became cement gurus, because they didn't have any wood. And at the same time, they let the trees grow in so they'd have 'em, and they were able to supply other communities with that wood.
Sometimes we might have to be patient (have you ever waited for a tree to grow?), but that doesn't mean we can't make do with what we have, and look forward til our trees come in.
I may or may not have just glanced in my boss's office to see him staring at his own picture, magnified 200% on his computer screen.
Also, I may or may not have pulled a muscle in my back trying to lift a 106 pound weight yesterday at Play It Again Sports during my lunch break. What was I thinking?
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