Friday, February 27, 2009
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Here's some good scriptures I read this week...
Jacob 3:2
"O all ye that are pure in heart, lift up your heads and receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love; for ye may, if your minds are firm, forever."
2 Nephi 7:9-11
"For the Lord God will help me. And all they who shall condemn me, behold, all they shall wax old as a garment, and the moth shall eat them up.
Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness and hath no light?
Behold all ye that kindle fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks, walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks which ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand--ye shall lie down in sorrow."
Do you see what they all have in common? They are telling me that the Lord is there for me. His love is available to me. I should not try to rely on my own self for everything, but accept His spirit as my guide.
"O all ye that are pure in heart, lift up your heads and receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love; for ye may, if your minds are firm, forever."
2 Nephi 7:9-11
"For the Lord God will help me. And all they who shall condemn me, behold, all they shall wax old as a garment, and the moth shall eat them up.
Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness and hath no light?
Behold all ye that kindle fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks, walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks which ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand--ye shall lie down in sorrow."
Do you see what they all have in common? They are telling me that the Lord is there for me. His love is available to me. I should not try to rely on my own self for everything, but accept His spirit as my guide.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Here are some good quotes from my lesson...
I taught about The Spirit of Revelation yesterday. The story of Oliver Cowdery is so beneficial for all of us. He wanted to translate the Book of Mormon, but he wasn't successful. After his failed attempt to translate, the Lord told him not to ask for that which he ought not, and to be happy with being a scribe for the time being. He was going to translate other records (if I understand that right in section 8 vs 11)I wonder what he would have translated if he hadn't feared.
This story has a message for all of us. We need to be happy in the field where our Father has called us to serve. We need to go forward with the work and not stop or falter. And if we ask for a spiritual gift, we need to do the hard work to cultivate it.
Here are some good quotes about Revelation from my lesson.
Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve taught: “Visions do happen. Voices are heard from beyond the veil. I know this. But these experiences are exceptional. … Most of the revelation that comes to leaders and members of the Church comes by the still, small voice or by a feeling rather than by a vision or a voice that speaks specific words we can hear. I testify to the reality of that kind of revelation, which I have come to know as a familiar, even daily, experience to guide me in the work of the Lord”
President Boyd K. Packer explained: “This burning in the bosom is not purely a physical sensation. It is more like a warm light shining within your being”
Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve taught:
“When we seek inspiration to help make decisions, the Lord gives gentle promptings. These require us to think, to exercise faith, to work, to struggle at times, and to act. Seldom does the whole answer to a decisively important matter or complex problem come all at once. More often, it comes a piece at a time, without the end in sight”
“The Lord will speak to us through the Spirit in his own time and in his own way. Many people do not understand this principle. They believe that when they are ready and when it suits their convenience, they can call upon the Lord and he will immediately respond, even in the precise way they have prescribed. Revelation does not come that way. …
“The principle stated in [D&C 88:68] applies to every communication from our Heavenly Father: ‘It shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will.’ We cannot force spiritual things”
Elder Boyd K. Packer counseled:
“Sometimes you may struggle with a problem and not get an answer. What could be wrong? It may be that you are not doing anything wrong. It may be that you have not done the right things long enough. Remember, you cannot force spiritual things. Sometimes we are confused simply because we won’t take no for an answer. …
“Put difficult questions in the back of your minds and go about your lives. Ponder and pray quietly and persistently about them.
“The answer may not come as a lightning bolt. It may come as a little inspiration here and a little there, ‘line upon line, precept upon precept’ (D&C 98:12).
“Some answers will come from reading the scriptures, some from hearing speakers. And, occasionally, when it is important, some will come by very direct and powerful inspiration. The promptings will be clear and unmistakable"
President Joseph F. Smith’s account of how he received his testimony:
“When I as a boy first started out in the ministry, I would frequently go out and ask the Lord to show me some marvelous thing, in order that I might receive a testimony. But the Lord withheld marvels from me, and showed me the truth, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little, until he made me to know the truth from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet, and until doubt and fear had been absolutely purged from me. He did not have to send an angel from the heavens to do this, nor did he have to speak with the trump of an archangel. By the whisperings of the still small voice of the Spirit of the living God, he gave to me the testimony I possess. And by this principle and power he will give to all the children of men a knowledge of the truth”
I really got a lot out of this lesson. I don't really give a lot of thought to receiving revelation, but now I will try to recognize it better, and be more in tune.
I wanted to tell you all of a spiritual experience I had recently. I went to the temple in December and sat in the Celestial room for a long while after my session. I was praying for guidance on how to proceed in my life. I wanted to be better, but I didn't know where to start. I'm just so tired and overworked all the time, and my mind is so cloudy.
I was expecting to feel the Spirit and have some kind of inspiration there in the temple, but it didn't come. I left frustrated, and wondering what I was doing wrong in my life that I would not be able to feel the answer come to me.
Well, now it is a few weeks later, and I have been making such progress in my life during that time! I know I could never have done all that I've done to change my life on my own. I know it has been the inspiration of the Lord that is the reason I was able to do it all, along with some hard work and perseverance on my part. We really must move forward if we want to take advantage of the things the Lord has to give us. Sometimes the answer to our prayers comes a little at a time over a period the Lord determines.
This story has a message for all of us. We need to be happy in the field where our Father has called us to serve. We need to go forward with the work and not stop or falter. And if we ask for a spiritual gift, we need to do the hard work to cultivate it.
Here are some good quotes about Revelation from my lesson.
Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve taught: “Visions do happen. Voices are heard from beyond the veil. I know this. But these experiences are exceptional. … Most of the revelation that comes to leaders and members of the Church comes by the still, small voice or by a feeling rather than by a vision or a voice that speaks specific words we can hear. I testify to the reality of that kind of revelation, which I have come to know as a familiar, even daily, experience to guide me in the work of the Lord”
President Boyd K. Packer explained: “This burning in the bosom is not purely a physical sensation. It is more like a warm light shining within your being”
Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve taught:
“When we seek inspiration to help make decisions, the Lord gives gentle promptings. These require us to think, to exercise faith, to work, to struggle at times, and to act. Seldom does the whole answer to a decisively important matter or complex problem come all at once. More often, it comes a piece at a time, without the end in sight”
“The Lord will speak to us through the Spirit in his own time and in his own way. Many people do not understand this principle. They believe that when they are ready and when it suits their convenience, they can call upon the Lord and he will immediately respond, even in the precise way they have prescribed. Revelation does not come that way. …
“The principle stated in [D&C 88:68] applies to every communication from our Heavenly Father: ‘It shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will.’ We cannot force spiritual things”
Elder Boyd K. Packer counseled:
“Sometimes you may struggle with a problem and not get an answer. What could be wrong? It may be that you are not doing anything wrong. It may be that you have not done the right things long enough. Remember, you cannot force spiritual things. Sometimes we are confused simply because we won’t take no for an answer. …
“Put difficult questions in the back of your minds and go about your lives. Ponder and pray quietly and persistently about them.
“The answer may not come as a lightning bolt. It may come as a little inspiration here and a little there, ‘line upon line, precept upon precept’ (D&C 98:12).
“Some answers will come from reading the scriptures, some from hearing speakers. And, occasionally, when it is important, some will come by very direct and powerful inspiration. The promptings will be clear and unmistakable"
President Joseph F. Smith’s account of how he received his testimony:
“When I as a boy first started out in the ministry, I would frequently go out and ask the Lord to show me some marvelous thing, in order that I might receive a testimony. But the Lord withheld marvels from me, and showed me the truth, line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little, until he made me to know the truth from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet, and until doubt and fear had been absolutely purged from me. He did not have to send an angel from the heavens to do this, nor did he have to speak with the trump of an archangel. By the whisperings of the still small voice of the Spirit of the living God, he gave to me the testimony I possess. And by this principle and power he will give to all the children of men a knowledge of the truth”
I really got a lot out of this lesson. I don't really give a lot of thought to receiving revelation, but now I will try to recognize it better, and be more in tune.
I wanted to tell you all of a spiritual experience I had recently. I went to the temple in December and sat in the Celestial room for a long while after my session. I was praying for guidance on how to proceed in my life. I wanted to be better, but I didn't know where to start. I'm just so tired and overworked all the time, and my mind is so cloudy.
I was expecting to feel the Spirit and have some kind of inspiration there in the temple, but it didn't come. I left frustrated, and wondering what I was doing wrong in my life that I would not be able to feel the answer come to me.
Well, now it is a few weeks later, and I have been making such progress in my life during that time! I know I could never have done all that I've done to change my life on my own. I know it has been the inspiration of the Lord that is the reason I was able to do it all, along with some hard work and perseverance on my part. We really must move forward if we want to take advantage of the things the Lord has to give us. Sometimes the answer to our prayers comes a little at a time over a period the Lord determines.
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