Armor

So I love the war chapters of the Book of Mormon. I think that it's full of amazing insights and ideas for everyday use. I found a lot of different references in my reading this week about our different types of armor. Physical armor, location, and mind. 

Physical armor, let's start there. In Alma 43 it says that the Lamanites were "exceedingly afraid" of the Nephites because of their armor. All the stuff they decided to put on scared a bunch or guys that drank the blood of the animals they kill. We too have that in our lives. Think about it, what have we been given to shield us? We have the for strength of youth. Put on some modest clothes and let yourselves shine! You'll be able to scare off your personal Lamanites by the way you dress. And we always have are garments as well. But that comes along while you're ready for those covenants. 

Now for location. Go down to verse 32 in Alma 43 now. It says that "he concealed in the west valley, on the west of the river Sidon, and so down into the borders of the land Manti." He went away from the righteous when he sinned. Not only that, the sins were concealed. When we sin, we conceal our good side and show off our sins. We hid what God wants for us to show off that natural man. If we can not hide our sins, but go to the right authority, we can remove them.

And now for the mind. Go to Alma 47:18-19. This is one of my favorite ways to portray how Satan slowly dilutes your mind. Lehonti doesn't die right away, it's slowly, little by little. Satan isn't going to get you to do something that you are totally uncomfortable with right away, he'll build up to it. Like how you cook frogs, slowly but persistently.

Revelation

Can we talk about this really fast? Revelation is something that everybody needs, but everyone has different views on. I've heard, "the best way to talk to God is to read the scriptures", "listen to your heart", "you'll ask and then hear in your mind what to do" and so on. It's crazy how many different ways people can receive personal revelation. What I wanted to focus on today was the waiting game that we all play to receive this revelation.  

Elder Bednar gave a great talk about receiving personal revelation and gave three ways we receive revelation. One was instant, like turning on a light. The next was gradual like the sun rising, and the last was like a fog. You can see enough to move forward, but not enough to see the end of the path. All you can do is move forward and then more of the path is revealed. 

I think that this timing principle is highlighted in Alma in the teaching of King Lamoni and his father. They both were willing to learn and believe the words of Ammon/Aaron, but they had different learning periods. King Lamoni lay as if dead for about three days to receive his answer. In my head that is the equivalent of doing nothing but actively seeking your answer from God for three days. 72 hours of pure revelation seeking. Meanwhile, his father got his answer in the time it took his wife to get mad at Aaron. A little bit of a time difference. I'm not saying that the father of King Lamoni was any better or more righteous than Lamoni, he was just able to receive his answer in a quicker time. 

I think we all need to be patient with ourselves in receiving our answers from God. I have been asking God for confirmation on what I see as a very important decision for a few weeks now, and I haven't gotten a sure answer yet. I think that this answer will be coming to me more like the fog Elder Bednar described than the father of King Lamoni's time period. And I have to be okay with that. God works on his time table, not our and he will do everything he can to guide us to the best things in life. 

Gratitude

This is something I think everyone could enjoy more. It's not hard to do. Gratitude is a choice that we all need to make in order to be truly happy in mine opinion. The book of Mosiah gives a great insight to this in Mosiah chapter 2 verses 20. It says:

"I say unto you, my brethren, that if you should render all the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power to possess, to that God who has created you, and has kept and preserved you, and has caused that ye should rejoice, and has granted that ye should live in peace one with another"

Isn't that a powerful statement? "You should render all the thanks and praise which your whole souls has power to possess". Brothers and Sisters, that's everything we have. You can't hold back gratitude and expect to be at the level of peace that King Benjamin is describing here. 

Elder David A. Bednar had a wonderful experience that reflects this well. On a trip to one of the greatest places on Earth, the Philippines, he met a small girl who left a deep impression on the apostle. The conversation Elder Bednar had with this girl, he describes as a five-word phrase that should be shared across the world. It was "we are so much grateful". If we can think like that, focus on what has been given to us out of the grace of God, out of the kindness of others, out of sheer generosity, we will be happier. We can all do this better, I know for sure I can. Nobody likes a negative person and a great way to kick that bad habit out of town is to use all the power you can muster and be thankful.

That Time Old Principle

Since I'm not reading in  Nephi anymore I guess it's time that I talk about obedience. Mosiah shows us amazing principles of obedience. 

In Mosiah 1 and 2 shows how amazing the Lord is. The principle of following the commandments will always end up prospering. In Mosiah 2:20-21 I was reminded to thank the Lord for what he's done for you and actively serve him. In verse four we are reminded that there is a peace that comes to you (along with joy and feelings of rejoicing) when you keep the commandments. 

Elder Robert D. Hales said, “Standing obedient and strong on the doctrine of our God, we stand in holy places, for His doctrine is sacred and will not change.” His gospel will not change and neither will his blessings.

Intense Faith

Okay, so this week I've been reading out of the Isaiah chapters in the Book of Mormon. They've been interesting. As always, they've taken a little longer to go through than other chapters, but they're also chalked full of insights that I wouldn't have seen otherwise. One such case it in 2 Nephi 17:6. 

Ahaz is counseling with Isaiah, and the topic of war comes up. Isaiah tells Ahaz not to fret, the Lord will protect them. Ahaz has reason to believe the TWO neighboring countries are in cahoots waiting for the pristine moment to attack. Isaiah's only defense is that the Lord has told him that they will be fine. In my mind, Ahaz has four choices. Listen and follow what Isaiah is saying, listen and prepare for the impending attack, don't listen and prepare, or don't listen and do nothing. Now that last one is in there just because it is a choice, not good ruler would ever do that. 

Which choice does Ahaz go with? The first of course! He trusts Isaiah, and more important than that he trusts God. Now let's round out to home base and figure out how this relates to you and me. What does some king that lived literally thousands of years ago have anything to do with the 21st century? Ahaz has something that many, I might even push on saying most, people of our time lack. That is to possess the faith to trust God in life-altering decisions.  Ahaz could have just of easily said, "I trust the Lord, but let us prepare anyways" or "It is my duty to prepare for the just in case". But he didn't. He led his country, his people, through faith. 

This wasn't blind faith, but rather a faith that has been tested and grown through years of experience. To get to this level we have to trust God now. It's just like learning to walk, it takes baby steps. Baby step after baby step of faith will lead us to complete faith in the Lord. 

Listen

During my reading this week I kept coming across the topic of listening. I know what you're thinking, "well no duh, sherlock. Isn't listening a key principle to the LDS faith?". It is. And this week that concept has been strengthened my testimony. 

I was reading in 2 Nephi this week and it lived up to its reputation. The Isaiah chapters are hard. I really struggle to understand them. That being said, when I do get something I know it's important. 

In 2 Nephi 15:4-8, Isaiah is giving this great parable about grapes in a vineyard. The master of the vineyard has done all he can for these grapes. He's given the great land, water, and food. Well, I think I can say for all of us that we aren't always the best grapes. Sometimes we want to raisins. And in this passage, when we go from being good grapes and become raisins, the Lord of the vineyard will redact the things that he is doing for us. 

 And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard—I will ^atake away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and I will break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down;

And I will lay it waste; it shall not be pruned nor digged; but there shall come up ^abriers and thorns; I will also command the clouds that they ^brain no rain upon it. 

Now, I don't believe that the Lord will ever leave us behind in the dust. I do think He will let us figure it out for ourselves. We have to be willing to listen to him and his teachings in order to get all the blessings he wants to give us. If we just do our own thing, his protective barriers will let us overrun ourselves. 

TB

This week marks a milestone in my life. I finished my TB medications. I got tuberculosis while living in the Philippines and found out that I had it after I came back to the US. 

In all honesty, I was scared when I found out I had it. I knew people that had been seriously crippled my this disease and to know that I would forever have it growing inside of me wasn't a very reassuring thought. Not to mention the drugs that I needed to take could destroy my liver, turn my eyes a new permanent shade of yellow, and make my sweat orange. 

I took this treatment for three months. Every month I  had to get my blood tested to see if my liver was still functioning. Every week I dealt with drug-induced tiredness throughout an entire semester and raging headaches that wouldn't go away with the strongest drugs. I never really thought it would end. 

Now it's over. I am forever grateful that these side-effects are done with, my liver is fully functioning, and that my body now has a full protection against this disease. While reflecting on this week I read 2 Nephi 4:7. It states, "Wherefore, because of my blessing the Lord God will not suffer that ye shall perish; wherefore, he will be merciful unto you and unto your seed forever". I have learned that this is true for myself. The Lord will help us do what is best for us, and won't let us suffer. That isn't to say that we won't hurt, but He will protect us and help us learn.