2 Nephi 33

One of my favorite callings I've had is to teach; teach Relief Society, teach Young Woman's, teach Primary, etc. I loved teaching. But I've always had to recognize that I really wasn't the teacher, that I'm more the conductor of a discussion. In fact, the Holy Ghost is the real teacher. For me to be an effective teacher, I need to invite the Spirit into the lesson. I need to follow promptings and and say what the Spirit wishes me to say. Then it's up to the students of the class to allow the Spirit to bring the message into their hearts and inspire them.

Things I'm Gonna Miss...

Today I'm getting ready to head back to BYU-Idaho via Utah. This means packing: deciding what to bring, what to throw away and what to leave behind. As a result of this process I've been thinking of all the things I'm going to miss for the next 7 months:

2 Nephi 32

Once we are members of the church, baptized and having the gift of the Holy Ghost, what next? Even for members that were baptized when we were eight, sometimes we ask, what now? What do I need to do to keep progressing down this path? Chapter 32 really answers this question.

We have been blessed by the Holy Ghost. We have been told to "feast upon the word of Christ" (2 Nephi 31:20). The Holy Ghost teaches the words of Christ. The words of Christ will tell you all the things that we should do (3). Having the Gift of the Holy Ghost gives you the guidance you need for it will "show unto you all things what ye should do" (5). So we need to pay attention and live such a life that welcomes the Spirit into our hearts. We need to listen. We need to act on every good thought we have.

2 Nephi 31

To be saved, we must endure to the end in following the example of the Son of the living God (16). Verse 20 gives more detail:

Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

Stay firm in your foundation in Christ. Have a strong testimony of him. Follow him in Faith and hope. Have the love of God for all men; have charity. We we just push forward trying to follow him and in doing what is right. If we push forward, if we work to progress, if we absorb the word of Christ, and we endure to the end, then we shall have eternal life. I want that. So I'll just do my best everyday. Do my best, and correct mistakes that will be made because I'm mortal.

2 Nephi 30

This next semester I'm taking a science class called "Origins of the Universe, Earth and Life." It's almost an oxymoron, because we won't know how exactly it was all put together until the Second Coming. So we are only studying what science has been able to put together. Anyways, verses 15-18 reminds me of this:

New Year Resolutions

In case you happen to be totally oblivious, New Year's is right around the corner. We all know that a new year marks new beginnings or a fresh start. It happens to be the time of year where we make resolutions that will better ourselves.

So what are a few of my New Year Resolutions?

• Follow a budget
• Be a better listener
• Learn to say hello in 5 languages
• Strike up a conversation with a stranger
• Be available for others when they need me
• Add to my favorite recipes
• Make a short video
• Do some sort of exercise once a week outside of my normal routine
• Manage my time better
• Write a story
• Become an expert on something
• Donate my time
• Discover adventures
• Read a classic
• Learn about my ancestors
• Write old-fashioned letters
• Take a photograph of life

New Year's resolutions can be whatever you want them to be. They can be serious, amusing or silly. But they're great. This time of year is when it's best to take full advantage of making goals for yourself. Here is a website that I just found that could help you in creating your own mixture of resolutions.

Have fun everyone!

2 Nephi 29

"Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember on nation like unto another?" (8).

"For behold, I shall speak unto the Jews and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the Nephites and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto the other tribes of the house of Israel, which I have led away, and they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto all nations of the earth and they shall write it" (12).

I love this. What would happen if you discovered a record of a people, whom you believe would have never heard of the Israelites' God, but when in fact their record proves they believed in the same exact God as the Israelites? Believed long before Jesus Christ came to the Earth, and long before Christian missionaries spread the news to all the world? That's what the Book of Mormon is. It shows that not only did the Native Americans believe in a God once upon a time, they believed in the same God as the Israelites. It's just another testament to me that the Book of Mormon is true. That Heavenly Father is our Father in Heaven and that Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. It's all true.

2 Nephi 28

"For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have."

2 Nephi 28:30

We are given guidance, smal guidance that grants us wisdom. As we act on it and learn, we receive more. Our wisdom and knowledge is added upon. Meanwhile, if we decided to stop on the path of progression you begin to slide back down. You can't stop and stay where you are; you are always progressing or regressing. Try to spend every day making that extra step that moves you forward.

Merry Christmas!!

I hope you are having a fabulous Christmas on this blessed Sabbath day. I truly love this day. I had no idea how excited I was for today until I tried to fall asleep. I always have some of the craziest dreams on Christmas Eve.

2 Nephi 27

"For behold, I am God; and I am a God of miracles; and I will show unto the world that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and I work not among the children of men save it be according to their faith."

2 Nephi 27:23

It is comforting to know God is constant. That no matter what happens he'll be there. It gives me that feeling that all will be well today, and tomorrow, and the next day, as long as I put my trust in him. He's the same always. He's a God of miracles. It really makes me peaceful to know that.

2 Nephi 26

Chapter 26 speaks of how the Lord "inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile" (33).

Moved, without Moving

Have you ever moved before? In the years growing up? or after high school? or during college? or after? I think that pretty much covers everything. I know that I've moved a total of 5 times. Once when I was 8 years old. Then 6 months after I graduated high school I moved off to college with most of my things. After 7 months of my freshman year, I moved home. Then the next January I moved back to school. Then I moved back. and soon I'll be moving to school again. Though in all honesty the biggest move was when I was 8. Even as an 8 year old I recognized it as perfectly hectic and crazy.

2 Nephi 25

I'm sure you are aware that the past several chapters have been chapters from Isaiah. In Chapter 25, Nephi explains Isaiah because "the words of Isaiah are not plain unto you, nevertheless they are plain unto all those that are filled with the spirit of prophecy" (4). Nephi also mentions why he speaks and writes the words of Isaiah: "for I know that they shall be of great worth unto them in the last days; for in that day shall they understand them" (8).

There is one verse in particular that I really enjoy:

2 Nephi 24

Chapter 24 is the last of the Isaiah chapters. The righteous will be gathered and will find rest from sorrow and fear. Doesn't that sound magnificent?

I've talked about the Millennium a lot ("1 Nephi 22", "2 Nephi 6", "2 Nephi 11", "2 Nephi 21" and others I'm sure). But it is still something that I really look forward to.

Just make sure you live righteously and repent.

2 Nephi 23

Chapter 23 is a bit gloomy. The heading to the chapter reads:

"The destruction of Babylon is a type of the destruction at the Second Coming—It will be a day of wrath and vengeance—Babylon (the world) will fall forever—Compare Isaiah 13. About 559–545 B.C."

2 Nephi 22

Chapter 22 is all about praising the Lord in song. Isaiah 12:2 (which is also 2 Nephi 22:2) is the verse that inspired the following hymn, which is one of my favorites.

2 Nephi 21

Chapter 21 speaks of the Millennium when Christ shall reign on the earth. I like the visuals of many of these verses, but my favorite is verse 9:

"They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea."

2 Nephi 20

Chapter 20 seems to me to be more historical then a chapter where you can learn some lessons. However, I still learned some. One verse reads:

"Shall the ax boast itself against him that heweth therewith? Shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? As if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself as if it were no wood!" (15).

The footnote for this verse says that the prophet is comparing the king to a tool; the king of Assyria. But I think it also teaches us a lesson to not be boastful.

2 Nephi 19

Chapter 19 is entirely about the Savior. There is so much that could be discussed, but it almost feels to me as if I continue to repeat myself as Christmas comes closer. But I'll share one of the most well-known verses with you:

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace" (6).

2 Nephi 18

Chapter 18 talks more about our Savior. We often hear that Jesus Christ is our foundation, but for some he will be a stumbling block:

"And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling, and for a rock of offense to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem" (14).

Elder Bruce R. McConkie said:

2 Nephi 17

It's the Christmas season and in Chapter 17 it reads:

"Therefore, the Lord himself shall give you a sign—Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and shall bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel" (14).

How blessed are we to have a Savior. Immanuel, a name for Jesus Christ, comes from words in Hebrew that mean “God with us.” There should be no question as to why we celebrate Christmas. It's a season where we rejoice in his birth because it symbolizes our chance at Eternal life if we but repent and live righteously.

2 Nephi 16

You know, the Isaiah chapters in the Book of Mormon can be really hard to relate to sometimes. I had that problem with Chapter 16. However, there was still a portion I could relate with in verse 10:

"Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes—lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted and be healed."

For us to be people who are obedient and righteous to the Lord and his prophets, we should try to open our eyes and see the world around us. See the people we interact with and see how we can help. See all the blessings we take for granted. See and enjoy the beauty of the world. We should try to hear the sounds of lovely music. Music of nature, music of the heart, music of the rhythms of life. We should try to understand that which we see and hear with our hearts. Our heart should be our interrupter. To do all this, we will be converted and healed by the Lord.

2 Nephi 15

Chapter 15 I understand much better then the previous one. It's informing us that Israel will be scattered upon the earth, then giving warnings of what we'll be faced with, but that the Lord will "lift up an ensign to the nations from far, . . . and behold, they shall comes with speed swiftly" meaning that Lord will gather his people (26).

12 Days of Christmas

There are a great many things people do for the Christmas season. I was trying to think of ways I could do something special this year. Reading this month's Ensign, there was an article "As Christ Comforts Us" about an LDS family who ended up moving to New Zealand. They were there for the Christmas season and had come in contact with an Irish family of another Christian faith who were also spending this holiday far from the people they knew. They decided that they'd do the American tradition of the 12 Days of Christmas. Even some of youth from their ward became involved. Since that time, this other family and their congregation they met with for church, all believed the 12 Days of Christmas to be something members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints do.

It got me thinking though. I decided I wanted to do the 12 Days of Christmas for one of the girls I visit teach. I looked all over the internet for ideas for this. I've never done this before. So I wasn't sure what the tradition was. Then I found this site. It had a little poem thing to use with ideas as what to give each person for that day. Mixing them up a little and adjusting the words to my own use I came up with the following:

Teaching "The Final Judgement"

Remember last month when I taught the lesson in Relief Society? I was asked to teach yesterday as well! I really love teaching Relief Society. I've had the calling once before, and I love filling in for the YSA branch.

The's lesson was on The Final Judgment. I had never connected the fact that the Final Judgment is the FINAL judgement of judgements made as we move through life. That was absolutely fascinating to me. I mean we are judged worthy to receive the baptismal ordinance, as well as judged worthy to receive a calling, temple recommend and in the case of the men, the priesthood, etc. I love it.

2 Nephi 14

Chapter 14 is another Isaiah chapter. I honestly don't know what to say about this chapter. I like how verse 4 reminds me to make sure I cleanse my life. I like how verses 5 and 6 caused me to think about turning to the Lord for safety, comfort and peace.

I guess this makes me think of ways I can cleanse my life. Like the lesson I taught yesterday, I should try to live every day as if it were a Celestial day. Making sure I say prayers morning and night, studying the scriptures, these are small steps I could take to live a cleansed life.

It's also important for me to turn to the Lord. Because of his Atonement, I can repent. I can find comfort and peace through him. I can be happy.

So this was a simple and small post, but it still teaches you something. I love the scriptures. They always teach you.

2 Nephi 13

Isaiah prophesies what will happen to Judah and Jerusalem in Chapter 13. I'm focusing in on what the first part of verse 9 reads:

"The show of their countenance doth witness against them, and doth declare their sin to be even as Sodom, and they cannot hide it. Wo unto their souls, for they have rewarded evil unto themselves!"

What is a countenance?
A countenance is an indication of mood, emotion, or character via appearance, especially the expression of the face

2 Nephi 12

My Family at the San Diego Temple (Spring 2008)

Isaiah is speaking on a great many topics in Chapter 12.

One of those topics spoken about are the temples of the lord. So I just want to take the time to talk about how awesome Temples are. Isaiah uses the phrase "the mountain of the Lord's house" to describe temples (2). Elder Bruce R. McConkie said,

“All of the holy temples of our God in the latter days shall be built in the mountains of the Lord, for his mountains—whether the land itself is a hill, a valley, or a plain—are the places where he comes, personally and by the power of his Spirit, to commune with his people” (The Millennial Messiah [1982], 275).

Repeating Personal Progress

The Personal Progress is the program created by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for young women ages 12-17. In the current booklet it lists what the purpose of the program is:

"Personal Progress will help you strengthen your faith in and testimony of Jesus Christ as you learn His teachings and regularly apply them in your life. It will help you strengthen both your present family and your future family. It will help you prepare to make and keep sacred covenants and receive the ordinances of the temple. And it will prepare you to be a faithful, contributing member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

"The Personal Progress program uses the eight Young Women values to help you understand more fully who you are, why you are here on the earth, and what you should be doing as a daughter of God to prepare for the day you go to the temple to make sacred covenants. It will help you prepare for your future roles as a faithful woman, wife, mother, and leader in God’s kingdom. Participating in Personal Progress teaches you to make commitments, carry them out, and report your progress to a parent or leader. The patterns you establish as you work on Personal Progress—such as prayer, scripture study, service, and journal keeping—will become personal daily habits. These habits will strengthen your testimony and help you learn and improve throughout your life" (Overview for Young Women).

I received my Young Womanhood Recognition on September 7, 2008. The Young Women Personal Progress booklet I was given just before I turned 12 years old is in a state of possessing a faded blue binding, as well as highlighter and pen marking each page accompanied by messy handwriting, dates and signatures. That little booklet helped teach me a lot of things in life.

2 Nephi 11

My Soul Delighteth. Those are the words Nephi uses throughout Chapter 11. He's introducing the words of Isaiah that he'll be quoting for the next several chapters and he uses the phrase "my soul delighteth in his words" (2).

I don't know about you, but Isaiah is sometimes the harder part of the Book of Mormon and Bible to understand. Occasionally, I'll receive some insight. But more often than not, I just don't understand it. This time around I'm using John Bytheway's Isaiah for AirHeads. It's extraordinarily helpful. Then I begin to understand why Nephi's soul delighteth in his words. In the original language, Isaiah's words were more like a type of poetry. And poetry in one language does not easily translate into another. But I've begun to see the beauty in the words of Isaiah. Both in it's meaning as well as in the syntax, the arrangement of the words within the sentences.

Spirit of Christmas

Christmas season is the season where service is just abounding everywhere. I love it. You begin to think of ideas to serve your fellow man. For example, just today I thought of doing the 12 Days of Christmas for someone. It's made me soo excited. I love the opportunities we have to better ourselves during Christmas, and the rest of the year.

Scams

In my family, we just let the phone ring unless it's a number we recognize and our parents are home. Because generally it's for them anyways and the message will usually be something along the lines of "tell your mom (or dad) that on blank-day, so-and-so needs this or that and that the meeting on this blank-day has been changed to this time." Etc. We leave it for the answering machine so our parents can actually get the message.

So the other day, when we were all together in the family room lounged on the couch, draped over chairs, or sprawled on the floor chatting about life while the television was paused, the phone rang. It was one of those numbers we didn't recognize, plus it was an unknown caller. My dad actually asked that we pick it up. We normally don't, because usually those numbers are trying to sell us something. But we did, and gave him the phone.

And guess what? Someone was calling from India! My family doesn't know anyone personally who lives there, just so you know. This person was telling us that we have a problem with our Windows on the computer and thus he called us so he could help, or whatever. Now, this guy called the wrong house. First, I think that we have only one non-Mac in the house. Secondly, we haven't had a problem with our computers. Thirdly, my dad's a computer scientist and so actually knows what computers can and can't do. Receiving a call from India about the fact that one of our computers is having problems and so reached out to this guy for help and then from that learned our actual house number to call to help was highly unlikely. Apparently impossible as well.

2 Nephi 10

While reading Chapter 10, I kept in mind the events that occurred 70 years ago yesterday: the attack on Pearl Harbor. I wanted to say something about the day that happened long before my birth.

I've learned about Pearl Harbor through the American History classes taken while in school, the History Channel, and every once awhile a book or newspaper article. I also learned from a great-great aunt who was a Japanese school girl living Japan during WWII. She told our family that she was grateful for the atomic bomb that hit Japan, because as a school child she was training with poles to fight the American soliders. The bomb was the only thing that could have stopped such a total destruction of her people. They were ready to die fighting. Every citizen.

When my family visited Hawaii in the Spring of 2009, we visited Pearl Harbor. It was quite the experience. Seeing all the names of all the people who died during the attack was heart-wrenching. It makes you grateful for the men and women who serve our country.

2 Nephi 9

As you have probably noticed, I've been trying to blog everyday about a chapter in the Book of Mormon as I read through it once again. In each blog, I've try to focus on something from that particular chapter that really stood out to me. I try to show what I've learned or why I find it important or even how it relates to my own life. I really want to encourage inspiration from the scriptures as I read and then really study out a particular portion. As a result, I'm also working on keeping them short. Sometimes I get a bit carried away because it's just so exciting to me.

However, in Chapter 9, I've come across a problem. There is just so much that stood out to me in this chapter that my scriptures here are colored like the rainbow in most every verse. Seriously. I've also am grateful for the talent of writing neatly and tiny with a pen, because now the margins are filled with black-ink insight.

The Bible

Scriptures are an amazing work of God that I don't think we take full advantage of them as we should. 

Richard G. Scott said,

"Because scriptures are generated from inspired communication through the Holy Ghost, they are pure truth. We need not be concerned about the validity of concepts contained in the standard works since the Holy Ghost has been the instrument which has motivated and inspired those individuals who have recorded the scriptures. 

"Scriptures are like packets of light that illuminate our minds and give place to guidance and inspiration from on high. They can become the key to open the channel to communion with our Father in Heaven and His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ" ("The Power of Scripture").

2 Nephi 8

Jacob is quoting Isaiah once again to the Nephite people in Chapter 8. But I'm only focusing on verse 7, because that's the one that really helps instruct me on how I could be better.

Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart I have written my law, fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings. 

First, we are to hearken. Hearken doesn't just mean listen. It means to give respectful attention. It means that when my mother asks me to do something, I shouldn't say, "Yeah. Ok. Sure" as I'm distracted by the computer or television. It means that I stop what I'm doing so I can be respectful as well as give her my full attention. That's how we should be with God. We shouldn't just say, "Yeah. Ok. Sure" to the commandments or words of the prophets, we should sit up and really listen with respect and your whole being.

The Close of 2011

The end of the year is upon us once again. Today I found a video covering moments of 2011. Moments where there was great hardships but where we were all inspired.

There was a Yahoo! blog 2011 Year in Review in which I think that the video originated from. I really really enjoyed the video and it brought back many memories of my own when each of these things occurred.

2 Nephi 7

Chapter 7 begins with God asking the Israelites who abandoned whom? Was it he who turned away from them? Or was it the Israelites who turned away?

CHRISTmas

Christmas. It's called CHRISTmas. It's not only a holiday where we celebrate the giving and receiving of gifts, leaving treats for Santa and his deer, and not having to go to work or school. It's a holiday where we celebrate the birth of Christ and all that symbolizes. We celebrate Christmas because of what Jesus Christ, our Savior did for us. He made it possible through the Atonement for us to repent and live with our Father in Heaven again. The Savior. That's the purpose behind all the decorations and sales and presents.

First Presidency Christmas Devotional

You know what today is?

It's the day of the First Presidency Christmas Devotional! I'm rather excited! They have it this early in the month so that we may record it or have it online so that we may watch it in among our own Christmas traditions. They are always very good and inspirational! So don't forget!

Today it'll show at 6:00 PM Mountain Time. If you miss it, well, it'll be on the site along with all the former First Presidency Christmas Devotionals.

I really hope you can incorporate it into your holiday season!

2 Nephi 6

In Chapter 6 of 2 Nephi, Jacob is now teaching the Nephite people from the words of Isaiah. But my favorite part is in verse 13 which reads:

". . . the people of the Lord shall not be ashamed. For the people of the Lord are they who wait for him; for they still wait for the coming of the Messiah."

When Jesus Christ comes to the earth again, the people of the Lord will not be ashamed or afraid of going forth to meet the Savior. They won't be wanting to hide any sins. They will know of the power of the Atonement and so, in preparation for meeting the Savior, they will have tried to live as righteously as they could and repent of their mistakes. They would have done so before the coming of the Lord because they've been waiting. In preparation for waiting they would have prepared themselves as much as they could so they could go forth to meet the Savior when he comes in his own timing.

2 Nephi 5

Nephi's people did "prosper exceedingly" and "lived after the manner of happiness" (11, 27). That sounds absolutely fantastic!! Just those words themselves cause me to want to have what they had. However, I already am blessed in that way.

There are several ways that we can prosper. Today we normally turn our thoughts to material goods including money and status symbols when we think of prospering. But President Heber J. Grant taught was true prosperity is:

"When I say prosperity I am not thinking of it in terms of dollars and cents alone. . . . What I count as real prosperity . . . is the growth in a knowledge of God, and in a testimony, and in the power to live the gospel and to inspire our families to do the same. That is prosperity of the truest kind” (Gospel Standards, comp. G. Homer Durham [1941], 58; also cited by James E. Faust, in Conference Report, Oct. 1998, 74; or Ensign, Nov. 1998, 59).

We just had the American holiday of Thanksgiving. We counted the things we are grateful for. When you make that list what are some of the things that usually top it? Family. Friends. God. The food set before you. America. The things we are most grateful for are not usually the new flat screen TV, the awesome iPad 2, or the new smartphone. We are grateful for other things that is not usually counted among "prosperity".

2 Nephi 4

In the previous chapters, Lehi has been giving blessings, advice and prophesies to his posterity as their father, patriarch and prophet and he continues to do so in Chapter 4. What I really want to focus on is a father's blessing.


Sometimes as members, we wonder when it is appropriate to receive a father's blessing. As James O. Mason said in 1978,

". . . There is a sacredness about a father’s blessing that requires that it not be employed without careful spiritual preparation. . . .  

"However, my daughter was right in one principle: a father’s blessing is available whenever there is a need; it is not something to always be saved for grand ceremonial occasions" ("I Have a Question", Ensign, July 1978).

Avent Calendar for Christmas

Life. It's one of those things you've gotta love. I mean, do you realize that we have 25 days until Christmas? I want a Christmas Advent Calendar. One with a little chocolate for every day. I'd make sure I was the first one up everyday so I could get it. I actually know a few people who do that. I think I'll just have to make one for myself. Maybe it won't have amazingly delicious chocolates in it.. but I'm sure I can have an M&M a day. Or maybe an Oreo. I'll figure out something yummy to eat. The holidays. It's a perfect excuse for taking delight in delectables. Then New Year's will arrive. The perfect excuse for making a goal to exercise. Life. Gotta love it.

I've got to create my own advent calendar.

2 Nephi 3

Joseph Smith Jr. is the main focus of Chapter 3. I suppose I could go through the whole chapter can tell you what each part means to me. However, I think I'll share with you my testimony of this man.

Joseph Smith. He was the man who formally organized The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 6, 1830. He saw our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. He helped to restored the fullness of the gospel to the earth today.