Sunday School reading

Our wards RS theme this year is "Receive the Gift."  In Section 88 of the D&C it talks about the different areas of heaven and who will go to the celestial, terrestrial, etc.  It says we will be quickened according to the glory that we are receiving.  EVERYONE will have their bodies changed to their particular Glory.  But verse 32 says some will return to their old self because that is what they are comfortable with and "willing to receive".  It all comes down to our own choices.

We will choice what we are most comfortable with even though we have all the options available to us!

Our Sunday school reading assignment is John 3.   So, John is saying that Jesus wasn't sent here to make everyone feel bad but so everyone could be saved.  But some people don't want that.  Verse 20 says they don't want to feel guilty for the sins they committed so they don't come to the light.

I think lots of us need to kick ourselves out of our comfort zone and be willing to be a bit more "uncomfortable"  so we can get the get we really need.  And that is to be comfortable with light and spiritual things and goodness.  Whether it is serving the Lord in positions we don't love or kicking our own favorite sin to the curb, I bet we all have things we can improve on.  This puts us closer to the Light and more comfortable with Christ.

Your child's choice

You know how when you are kids, things are pretty black and white.  People are either good or bad.  Choices are either right or wrong.  As we get older, we start putting in lots of shades of gray.  We tell ourselves that things are sorta right or only partially wrong. 

Yesterday, the BofM reminded me that one of the reasons we should try to be like little children is because they know the truth.  And yes, as our children grown they often stop choosing righteousness.  None the less, there are only 2 choices: 

I paraphrased Alma 5:37-48 with what I might say as a parent to a child choosing to rebel.   I left out the verses and such to make it easier to read, but each verse is a different paragraph.  Starting with verse 37:

Hey! I'm talking to those of you that think you are so smart.  You think you understand the way the world works.  You say that you know what's right, but you have gone astray.  You are like a sheep having no shepherd.  The shepherd has called you and is still calling you, but you don't listen.  

The Good shepherd is calling you.  You recognize His voice; you know it is Christ, but you will not listen to him.  He is calling you by name.  "Beth, come here!" he calls, but you don't want to be His sheep so you don't listen.  

If you aren't going to be the Good shepherd's sheep, then who do you want to belong to?  The devil has to be your shepherd then and you belong to him.  No one can deny this.   Who ever tries to deny it is a liar. 

Because what ever is good, comes from God.  What ever is evil comes from the Devil. 

 

If you are doing good things and there are good consequences, you are listening to the voice of  the Good Shepherd.  If you bring forth evil things, you are a child of the devil.  You listen to his voice and follow him. 

You will receive the consequences from whomever you choose to follow.  If you are receiving the consequences of sin, then you choose death.  This is the death of your spirit and soul to all good opportunities and good works. 

Beth, I speak with all the energy in my soul, all of my passion.  I am speaking as plainly as I can so you do not misunderstand.  I am only saying what God has said Himself in the commandments. 

As your mother, I am called to speak to you like this.  It is my responsibility to try to teach you.  It is my duty to testify to you the things which we have been promised will happen. 

 How do you think I know these things?  For I promise that I DO know these things!  How do I know for sure that they are true?

 I know because the Holy Ghost told me.  I have fasted and prayed many days so that I can know these things for myself.  Now I do know for myself that they are true.  God has told me so through his Holy Spirit.  This is the spirit of revelation. 

The things that your parents, church leaders  and the prophets have said are true.  I know this by the Spirit of God. 

Whatever I say to you about the future is true.  I KNOW Jesus Christ shall come.  He is the Son, the only begotten of the Father.  Christ is full of grace, mercy, and truth.  He is the one that will take away my sins and everyone else who steadily believes in Him.  

Repent and receive that mighty change in your Heart that only Christ can give.

The gift of the Holy Ghost

We started 1 Nephi, chapter 3 for Family scripture study this morning.  Mike only read a few verses before I interrupted and pointed out the wording of verse 1--- "Speaking with the Lord" instead of praying.  We talked a minute about what that would be like---how you get that kind of relationship with the Lord so that you describe your prayers as "speaking" instead of praying.

Then I asked  "what does it sound like when the Lord talks to you?" and we talked about that that for a minute.  I asked by show of hand if they had ever actually heard a voice. No one had except me.  About 14 years ado,  I was in the temple and a sentence came to my mind plain as day.  As if it was spoken out loud.   I tried to ask a question back and heard no more words, only the thought that everything would be o.k.  I came out of the temple filled with resolve on what I had to do.   That 6 or 7 word sentence has only happened one time in 42 years of praying.

Mostly, the Lord talks to use through feelings, impressions, and emotions.   Michael said when we were living in Minnesota and the opportunity came to move to Utah, he KNEW it was the right thing.   I talked about that strong feeling I had when I prayed about us moving into this house.  How I thought it was totally unnecessary, but that sure, strong feeling that it was the right thing to do.  When friends were having a fit and falling in it, how I would have to remember that feeling and surety I had, so I didn't get too confused or discouraged.

I talked about my experience with having another baby (Landon) and how I was out for a morning walk and came home to tell Michael I was ready to have a baby.  How it was the right thing for us to do and we would name her Kit.  (Landon got it as a middle name).

I shared a couple other experiences like those types of things.  Experiences where I hear no voices, but I know just as surely that it is the Holy Ghost guiding me.

Scripture reading was pretty much nil today.  But, it was one of the best family scripture reading that we've ever had.  The Lord's Spirit can do that.  I didn't want it to end.

Learning grace upon grace

D&C 93 is John talking about Jesus being the Word and creating the earth and all things, etc.
 v. 12-14 gives me chills.

12And I, John, saw that he received not of the ^afulness at the first,but received ^bgrace for grace;

 13And he received not of the fulness at first, but continued from^agrace to grace, until he received a fulness;

 14And thus he was called the ^aSon of God, because he received not of the fulness at the first.

I AM a daughter of God, and I can continue grace to grace too.  Line upon line.  Even Jesus had to learn and be taught a little at a time.  (Naturally, his little was probably like an entire book of scripture in one setting, where mine is like one verse, but STILL! )

I just think that is cool.