December 30, 2010

Tonight I read an Ensign article from Jan 2011 that is a classic from Heber C. Kimball called The Potter and the Clay. I thought it was neat that he was a potter by trade. I didn't know that. I have heard this analogy before, that we are to be like malleable clay in the hands of the Master who will form us into a beautiful creation, and it is an analogy that I love. He said, "That man or woman who will not learn the principle of subjection, and become like clay in the hands of the potter, will be led astray." Because I have my agency to choose how I want to be formed, it takes faith and trust in God to allow him to be the one to shape my life, trusting He will make of it something better than I could ever create on my own. I do trust in God and I trust in His work. I will keep His commandments and my covenants, following His pattern and design. I believe my life will be the most beautiful possible by doing so.

December 27, 2010

I read President Eyring's talk from Conference called Trust in God, Then Go and Do. There are some issues weighing on my heart right now. I want to do what is right. I loved this quote from this talk that says: "You show your trust in Him when you listen with the intent to learn and repent and then you go and do whatever He asks. If you trust God enough to listen for His message in every sermon, song and prayer... you will find it. And if you then go and do what He would have you do, your power to trust Him will grow, and in time you will be overwhelmed with gratitude to find that He has come to trust you." I want God to be able to trust me. I want to be one of His valiant servants. I want to be fully obedient to His commandments, even when it is hard, because I do trust in His promises. His promises are great for those who keep His commandments. Thinking of these things has helped me to strengthen my resolve to do what is right in regards to the issues on my mind. I pray the Lord will lead me in that direction and I can recognize His Spirit. I am grateful for the opportunities I have to prove myself to Him, to prove I will be obedient and that I do trust in Him.

December 23, 2010

I read Alma 62:12-52 which is the account of the end of the war between the Nephites and Lamanites that had been going on for so long. Two things stood out to me. The first is how the Nephites had captured a bunch of Lamanites and given them the opportunity to make a covenant to never take up their weapons against the Nephites again. The group of Lamanites who covenanted this numbered 4,000 and the Nephites sent them off to join the people of Ammon. What struck me is that these 4,000 people were no longer considered as or treated as prisoners of war as soon as they made that covenant. They were fully trusted to go on their own to join the people of Ammon. To me, that indicates the power of a covenant. Great trust is established as a result of a covenant. While writing this, I thought of the covenant I have made with God. And now he trusts me, just like those Nephites trusted the Lamanites, that I will go and truly do what I covenanted. 

The other thing that stood out to me in these verses was verse 41. It says, "because of the exceedingly great length of the war between the Nephites and the Lamanites many had become hardened and many were softened because of their afflictions, insomuch that they did humble themselves before God, even in the depths of humility." This struck me because as a result of the same adversity, some people's hearts were hardened and some hearts were softened. This indicates to me that the hardening or softening of a person's heart doesn't depend on the type of adversity one encounters, rather it depends on the type of person one is. I want to be one who always allows my heart to be softened by adversity, to be humbled by it, rather than hardened.

December 15, 2010

I read Alma 59 tonight. I am really intrigued by the character of Moroni. In this short chapter he receives Helaman's letter and is very happy and excited about Helaman's miraculous success. He sends a letter to Zarahemla requesting strength for Helaman's armies and then begins making plans to retake the other cities that are still in the Lamanites' possession. Meanwhile, the city of Nephihah is attacked and taken over by the Lamanites. Moroni is distraught, as are his chief captains. They all "begin to doubt" and wonder if the Lamanites had such success in overtaking that city because the people are so wicked. Then, in the very last verse it says that Moroni is "angry with the government because of their indifference." This anger reminds me of the anger filled letters he had written earlier. Here he is in a situation where things are not going according to the plan, and his response is of doubt and anger; and what even feels like blame. Helaman's example from the previous chapter was more inspiring to me. Although this account of Moroni's reaction does prompt me to ask myself, "What would I do in a situation like that? What kind of response would I have?" And perhaps it would be a combination of both, with initially feeling doubt and anger, yet then choosing to replace those thoughts with ones of faith and trust in the Lord and prayer. Moroni is a good man, in fact, in chapter 48 it says that if all men were like Moroni "the very powers of hell would be shaken forever, and the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men." Maybe I am reading too much into these responses of Moroni. Nonetheless, it does help me to think about my own character and the person I am trying to be.

December 10, 2010

I read Alma 57 which is more of the account of Helaman's stripling warriors. Engaged in another battle, and although every one of them received many wounds, not a single one died. That really is miraculous. I really love their example of faith. "Their minds are firm" because "they do put their trust in God continually." I want to do the same. I really do trust my Heavenly Father and His plan of happiness.

August 9, 2010

Tonight my brother and sister in law had their baby girl. I am staying with her to help her through the night. I read in my Book of Mormon, Alma 24:1-19, the story of the Anti-Nephi-Lehi's decision to bury their weapons of war in order to maintain their cleanliness. This is one of my favorite stories in the Book of Mormon. And when I read it tonight, what stuck out to me was their absolute faith in the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Their faith struck me as very powerful because they were believing in something that had yet to occur. That is much different, to me, than believing on something that happened in the past. It shows their absolute faith and trust in the plan of happiness and in their belief of the character and capacity of Jesus Christ to fulfill his mission. This is a fantastic message of faith, hope and vision.

July 24, 2010

Tonight I read a couple of verses in Alma 18:1-5. King Lamoni is hearing exactly what Ammon did to help his flocks. In verse 5 something really stuck out to me. The Lamanites were the way they were at this time because of the traditions of their fathers. It says, basically that even though they believed in a great spirit, "they supposed that whatsoever they did was right." I believe this is a powerful tool of the adversary... to get us to believe that we know what is best for ourselves and that everything we do for ourselves is "right." I am a believer in the principle of sacrifice of my own will in exchange for God's help and presence in my life. He truly knows best and will lead me exactly back to where I want to be if I simply trust in Him and act in faith. I do trust that.