“I recently visited with a woman who has been battling a life-threatening disease for over two years. She indicated that prior to her illness, her days were filled with activities such as cleaning her house to perfection and filling it with beautiful furnishings. She visited her hairdresser twice a week and spent money and time each month adding to her wardrobe. Her grandchildren were invited to visit infrequently, for she was always concerned that what she considered her precious possessions might be broken or otherwise ruined by tiny and careless hands.
“And then she received the shocking news that her mortal life was in jeopardy and that she might have very limited time left here. She said that at the moment she heard the doctor’s diagnosis, she knew immediately that she would spend whatever time she had remaining with her family and friends and with the gospel at the center of her life, for these represented what was most precious to her.
“Such moments of clarity come to all of us at one time or another, although not always through so dramatic a circumstance. We see clearly what it is that really matters in our lives and how we should be living.” (President Thomas S Monson, “The Race of Life”, General Conference April 2012)
Alma 5:27
27 Have ye walked, keeping yourselves blameless before God? Could ye say, if ye were called to die at this time, within yourselves, that ye have been sufficiently humble? That your garments have been cleansed and made white through the blood of Christ, who will come to redeem his people from their sins?
Matthew 6:19-20
19 ¶ Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
1 Nephi 8:10-12
10 And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy.
11 And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the fruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen.
12 And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit.
Lehi partakes of the fruit and then wants to share it with his family.
“The spirits of all men are literally His ‘begotten sons and daughters.’5” (President Thomas S Monson, “The Race of Life”, General Conference April 2012)
The gospel gives us the context of our life. If you walk into the middle of a conversation we likely will not understand what is going on around us. If you don't understand the question, you will not understand the answer.
Some of the purposes of this life are experienced through body, agency, and consequences.
Sunday School
Jacob 5 & 6 - The Allegory of the Olive Tree
Jacob quotes the prophet zenos. This article has some good information on Zenos, THE PLATES OF BRASS: A WITNESS OF CHRIST
Here is a visual that a friend of mine put together on the Allegory of the Olive Tree.
A class member noted a few things about olive trees. Olive trees can take up to 40 years to begin to bear fruit, they can bear fruit for hundreds of years. They can produce offspring for thousands of years.
The scattering of Israel is often viewed as a punishment. It could be viewed as a strategic move for the Lord to preserve his people.
The missionary program could be an example of a temporary grafting. Similarly the population churn we have in the Church where people from other parts of the country and world come to Utah and people from Utah move elsewhere. It gives us perspective, since our perspective can be very different in Utah vs outside of Utah or in the US vs the rest of the world. Bringing those perspectives to other parts or going to
other parts and getting perspective can be very healthy for individuals and for the Church. We just must be cautious not to perpetuate irrelevant, distracting, or unhealthy traditions. The Gospel of Jesus Christ or being the family of christ is the culture that is our priority.
Sacrament Service
One of the speakers suggested that sin is like an open wound. If you let them alone and treat them they will heal. If you keep going back to them and keep the wound open it will not heal and will fester and can turn deadly.
From the Bulletin
In the Garden Gethsemane
by Lowell M. Durham, Jr.
In the Garden Gethsemane,
Our Savior bled from every pore,
And in his prayer remembered me.
Then flung wide open death’s dark door
And lo, I am with you alway,
To follow thee, to follow thee.
My soul to heaven you will lift
And guide my heart so gently to
Remember that atoning gift.
Wash thou my heart, my soul is new.
And lo, you are with me alway,
To shelter me, to shelter me.
My Savior, thou hast blessed us here.
And with your noble sacrifice,
Have beaten death and conquered fear.
A gracious gift, my heart suffice.
And lo, I am with you alway,
I follow thee, I follow thee.
No comments:
Post a Comment