PEACE

It seems that we are all in search of more peace in our lives.  Sometimes this is physical peace in our surroundings, sometimes this is emotional peace, and sometimes this is spiritual peace we are seeking.  When we reason the Book of Enos in the Book of Mormon, we find a guide to finding peace in all of these realms.

In Enos verses 2-6 we read:

2 And I will tell you of the wrestle which I had before God, before I received a remission of my sins.

3 Behold, I went to hunt beasts in the forests; and the words which I had often heard my father speak concerning eternal life, and the joy of the saints, sunk deep into my heart.

4 And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens.

5 And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.

6 And I, Enos, knew that God could not lie; wherefore, my guilt was swept away.

Enos “wrestled” before God which I would say means that he was tormented inside about something.  He doesn’t share what this is but it must have been weighing heavily on his mind.  As he was out hunting for food, he was inspired by his thoughts of his father to kneel and pray.  He prayed all day and into the night.  Finally, he heard a voice telling him that he had been forgiven of his sins.  After that Enos’ guilt was swept away and he felt peace.  He continues on to ask God how this is possible.  He learns that it is only through the atonement of Jesus Christ that sins can be forgiven.

Once Enos felt this peace, he immediately wants to share it with others.  Sometimes, people feel that when a person wants to share a spiritual message with others that they are being pushy or nosey or fanatical.  But until a person experiences this amazing peace that comes from accepting the atonement of Jesus Christ, it is difficult to understand how profound that is and how it is followed with a strong desire to share this peace with others.  Enos epitomizes how this peace extends to the spiritual, emotional, and physical realms of our lives as well as he shares his final testimony before his death.

27 And I soon go to the place of my rest, which is with my Redeemer; for I know that in him I shall rest. And I rejoice in the day when my mortal shall put on immortality, and shall stand before him; then shall I see his face with pleasure, and he will say unto me: Come unto me, ye blessed, there is a place prepared for you in the mansions of my Father. Amen.

Entering The Gate

In 2 Nephi Chapter 31, the prophet Nephi teaches about baptism.  He starts by prophesying about Christ’s baptism which will occur in approximately 590 Years.  We hear of baptism as being a way to repent and be washed clean of our sins, but Christ did not have any sins so why did he need to be baptized?  Nephi explains this very well in Chapter 31.  He gives several reasons why it was still essential for Christ to be baptized even though he had no sins to be forgiven.

He states that Christ needs to be baptized "to fulfil all righteousness,” to show that he was humble, to witness to the Father that he was willing to be obedient to His commandments, to make a covenant with the Father, and finally to set an example for us.  Baptism is an essential covenant that we must make to return to our Father in Heaven after this life.  In both the Bible and the Book of Mormon, baptism is referred to as a gate in which we must enter.  This gate then allows us to start on the straight and narrow path which leads to eternal life.  This is talked about both in 2 Nephi Chapter 31 as well as in the New Testament in Matthew Chapter 7.    The account of Christ’s baptism is given in Matthew Chapter 3.

In 2 Nephi Chapter 31, Nephi also tells us why it is important for us to be baptized.  Starting in verse 13, he reiterates that we must follow the example of Christ and be baptized.  When we are baptized, we must repent of our sins, witness to the Father that we are willing to take upon us the name of His son, keep His commandments, always remember Him, and endure to the end faithfully.  In return, we are promised that if we do those things we will always have His Spirit to be with us (i.e. the Holy Ghost) and that we will have eternal life.

Starting in verse 19, Nephi continues to teach.  He asks “And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this straight and narrow path, I would ask if all is done?”  He then explains, “Nay… wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.”

Baptism is an essential covenant in order to return to our Father in Heaven.  In 2 Nephi Chapter 31, we can learn why it is important for Christ to be baptized as well as why it is important for us to be baptized.

What Is The Purpose of My Life?

In the Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi Chapter 9 is one of the most enlightening chapters of all of scripture.  In this chapter, Nephi’s younger brother Jacob teaches the people about the purpose of our life on earth and how it fits into our Heavenly Father’s eternal plan sometimes called the Plan of Salvation.

He starts with teaching about God’s covenant with the House of Israel and then goes on to teach the people what happens to us before, during, and after this life.  He continues to teach about the fall of man (Adam and Eve), the atonement of Jesus Christ (his suffering and crucifixion), what happens to our spirits at death, the resurrection of both those that are righteous and the unrighteous, the judgment, and the eternal state of those after the judgment.

So many people go through this life, not understanding their purpose in this life.  So many people wish that life came with an “instruction manual.”  So many people get caught up in the rat race of life searching for those things that are constantly just out of reach – more wealth, more power, more time, more influence, or more happiness.   This chapter in 2 Nephi is an instruction manual for life.  This chapter is full of answers to many people’s most profound questions.  This chapter gives us a clear picture of where our priorities need to be.

This chapter is summed up in this graphic image by Christy Gomm.

Pre-Mortal Life – We lived with God as spirits before we were born.

Birth – Through birth, our spirits joined our body as we came to this earth.

Earth Life – This time on earth is a test; an opportunity to prove ourselves.

Death – At death our mortal body goes into a grave, our spirit goes to the Spirit World where we await the resurrection.

Spirit World – In the Spirit World, we either go to Paradise if we have been righteous on this earth or to Spirit Prison if we have not been righteous.  This is a time of learning and growing.

Resurrection – EVERYONE will be resurrected whether they have been righteous or not.  The resurrection is when the body (a perfected body) and our spirit is reunited.

Judgment – After the resurrection, we will have a judgment based upon our choices on earth and in the Spirit World.  At the judgment we will be assigned a Kingdom of Glory.

Kingdoms of Glory – There are three kingdoms of glory – the Celestial Kingdom where God Himself dwells and reigns.  The Terrestrial Kingdom where Jesus Christ dwells and reigns.  Then there is the Telestial Kingdom which is a heavenly place but is not in the presence of Christ or God.

By reading this chapter of scripture along with its cross references, we can learn quite a lot of details about this Plan of Salvation and the purpose of our life here on earth.

Patterns of Light

In this week’s scripture study, we focused on 1 Nephi chapters 15-22.  In chapter 18, Nephi is directed by God to build ship.  He not only has never built a ship before, but he also is in a situation where he does not have access to tools and materials so the task is quite daunting.  Rather than shying away, however, Nephi shows his faith by asking for guidance beginning with each small step along the way. Eventually being guided with each step along the way he is able to accomplish this monumental task.

I believe we all at some point have felt that we were inspired, directed, or uplifted by a guiding thought, a sudden crystal clearer understanding, or other experiences that we feel are from a greater power outside of ourselves.  Often we will refer to these moments as following our conscience, having an “Aha!” moment, being touched by an inspirational message, or as receiving messages from loved ones that have passed. I love how Elder David A. Bednar gives us a clearer understanding of these moments, where they come from, and how we can open ourselves to receive more guidance, support, and direction from God in our lives.

Patterns of Light: The Light of Christ

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2012-01-010-patterns-of-light-the-light-of-christ?lang=eng

Video Transcript:  “If I had to use one word to describe light, I would use the radiance. There's a brilliance and a sense of direction that comes from light. If you are in a totally pitch dark room, and there's the smallest element of light, then that light chases darkness. But the darkness cannot overrule the light.
So associated with light is a warmth. Associated with darkness is a coolness that I think is very significant.
The Light of Christ is what many people would call a conscience. But it's more than a psychological effect the takes place within people. Someone can be riding on a bus, see someone in distress and feel a compassion and a desire to assist and serve this person.
Many people would say, no, that's just natural behavior. But it's more. It is the influence of God that pulls us, that influences us to be good and to do good. Every person, ever born, in history, now, in the future, is influenced by the Light of Christ for goodness.
As we yield to that influence to do good and become good, then the Light of Christ increases within us. As we disobey, light is decreased and can ultimately be diminished.”  ~ Elder David A. Bednar
I have experienced this light in my own life.  I have learned that every good thought, every good intention, every good action in our life comes from the influence of God and every time we act on these good thoughts and good intentions, it brings us closer to God and gives us more light and strength to continue to do good.  I have also had times in my life where I neglected to act upon these good thoughts and intentions and I have experience my light diminishing and more and more darkness coming into my life.  I can look back now and see why that happened and by being more consistent in acting on the good thoughts and intentions in my life, I continue to gain more light and understanding.

Patterns of Light: Discerning Light

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2012-01-011-patterns-of-light-discerning-light?lang=eng

Video Transcript: “People sometimes will question whether it's inspiration or whether it's my own thought. We have to act then we find out if it's coming from me or if it's the power of God. So for example, you may have an occasion where you fail to say your morning prayers. And you, all of a sudden, hear the voice of your mother who, when you were a small boy, would say remember to say your morning prayers, remember to say your evening prayers. But why would God send an angel to deliver that message to you when the Holy Ghost can bring back to you the recollection or the remembrance of your angel mother reminding you to pray? The effect is the same.
Everything that invites and entices us to do good and to be good comes from God. People might ask well, why not make it easy to recognize all the time? I would suggest that the simple answer is because God trusts us. He shouldn't have to dramatically shake us to get our attention.
Those who are baptized members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints receive, by the laying on of hands, the gift of the Holy Ghost. Now any person anywhere in the world can and is influenced by the Holy Ghost, but after baptism by proper authority one receives this ordinance of the Holy Ghost. That gift, as it operates in our life as we seek can ask, invites inspiration from Heaven and revelation.”            ~ Elder David A. Bednar

In my life, I have often wondered how to discern my own thoughts from personal guidance from God.  This video is helpful to me to realize that as long as the thought is to do something good or uplifting then I don’t need to worry about whether it is my own thought or not.  If I just follow through with any good or uplifting thoughts that I have then I will be a better person for it, receive more light, and be brought closer to God for acting on it.  Over time, I have experienced this greater light and gradually found it easier to discern my own thoughts from the inspiration from God.

Patterns of Light: Spirit of Revelation

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2012-01-012-patterns-of-light-spirit-of-revelation?lang=eng

“When sons and daughters of God communicate with Him, we call it prayer. When He communicates with us, it comes in a variety of methods, means, or channels. We're talking about the patterns whereby God communicates with his children here upon the earth.
Revelation is communication from God to his children here upon the earth. Sometimes, those messages come quickly and rather dramatically. I've compared that to a light being turned on in a dark room. Where very suddenly, the darkness is expelled, and you can see everything in the room quite clearly and brilliantly. I would suggest that that pattern of receiving messages from God is more rare than common.
A second pattern is when the light comes gradually, much like the rising of the sun. You can discern the increase of light on horizon but never all at once. This pattern of revelation, I would suggest, is more common than rare.
Sometimes, receiving inspiration is like a foggy day. There's enough light that you can tell it's not darkness anymore. It's not night. But it's not brilliantly illuminated. You can see just enough to take a few steps ahead into the cloudiness. I don't know about other people, but it occurs that way for me all the time. There's enough to just take a few steps. And then the light continues to help me see just far enough ahead that I can continue to press forward.
As we follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, He is the light. One of his names is "the Light." As we follow His example and live according to His teachings, there is illumination for all the aspects of our life. To the degree that we reject Him and reject His teachings, we're on our own. I'd much prefer to follow His light. I know when there is a power beyond my own that comes from God to me and through me, which is the spirit of revelation.” ~ Elder David A. Bednar

In my experience, I have received guidance and revelation mostly in the form of a gradual light.  As I feel confident in moving forward with a decision, I often find that the way before me begins to unfold as I take a few small steps forward.  I like Elder Bednar’s analogy of taking a few steps in the fog.  I have felt that scenario many times in my life as I was making decisions.  Sometimes, it’s easy to avoid new things in our life because we do not have a clear vision of the future.  I have found that as long as I have a clear vision of the next step, it is not necessary to see the future or final outcome.  It is when I take action by taking that first step and the vision begins to open up a bit more and a bit more.  Eventually, I can look back on that experience and see the valuable reasons why I was guided in that direction.

I believe that we all have the ability to be guided in our lives if we can just take small steps in following the goodness that is within us and the light and understanding we receive from God.

More Like Nephi

This week’s scriptural reading assignment was to read 1 Nephi chapters 1-5 in the Book of Mormon.  As part of that assignment we are asked to read the scriptural chapters every day and then spend at least 20 minutes each day “Digging Deeper.”  Several supplemental reading, speeches, and audio clips are available for further study on the concept covered in these chapters.  We are also encouraged to learn new study techniques that help us to delve deeper into the meaning of the scriptures and help us to draw out the principles taught in them that can help us in our own lives.
Each week we will be discussing a new study skill method at our Thursday evening gathering.  This week’s study skill was Principles and Doctrine.  The basis of this study technique is to read the scriptures (or any other text) and then draw from them the core true principle or doctrine behind what you’ve read.  In order to stand as a principle, it must be a solid foundational principle that is true outside of the details of the context it is originally read within.  One way to thinks about this is to ask the question: What is the moral of the story?

Here is a quote I enjoyed from this week’s materials:

“Any time that you’re studying a scripture, you want to push yourself to where you can answer the question “so what” about the text that you’ve just read. Or as President Packer has suggested, the question could be “therefore what,” that is, because I’ve studied this passage, what will I now do. The thing that’s going to get you closest to coming up with an answer to the question “so what” or “therefore what” will be the stating of a principle.

“Here’s what Elder Scott says about principles “A true principle makes decisions clear even under the most confusing and compelling circumstances. It is worth great effort to organize the truth we gather to simple statements of principle.” Elder Scott is suggesting that it’s worth taking the time in your scripture study to articulate, to state, principles out of your study. President Packer has said that a principle is an enduring truth, law or a rule you can adopt to guide you in making decisions.”
             -FDREL121  Study Skills, Principles and Doctrine

Now, I will share a few thoughts and insights I have had this week I have read and studied these scriptures.  First of all in chapter 1, Nephi is giving an overview of his writings and the records of his people and refers to the state of Jerusalem under the reign of Zedekiah, King of Judah.  Nephi, his father Lehi, and their family left Jerusalem after Lehi had a divine visitation and received direction directly from God.  This is where the record now known as the Book of Mormon begins.  Although I have read this chapter many times in the past, for the first time I cross-referenced this chapter to the corresponding chapters in the Old Testament.  These chapters are 2 Kings Chapter 24 & 25 which is the record of Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, who has come in and besieged Jerusalem.  Once King Nebuchadnezzar has taken control of Jerusalem, he appoints his uncle, Zedekiah (who is only 21 years old – must have been a much younger brother of his father!), as King of Judah.  I found it enlightening to study more in-depth this transition where two volumes of scriptures meet - the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon.

Another insight I was able to take to heart this week is found in 1 Nephi Chapter 3.  In this chapter, Lehi has departed from Jerusalem with his family and they are travelling in the wilderness toward the Red Sea.  Lehi receives divine manifestation from the Lord that he needs to send his sons back to Jerusalem to obtain the scriptural records of the day in order to bring them along on their journey and have them to teach their family and future posterity the Word of God.  These records consist of brass plates that contain the teachings of Moses as well as the genealogy of their ancestors.  Lehi speaks to Nephi and his two older brothers, Laman and Lemuel, and tells them that he has received a commandment from God that they are to return to Jerusalem and obtain these records and bring them back.  These records are in the possession of Laban – a very wealthy and influential man in Jerusalem.  They then embark on a long difficult mission to obtain these records.  Laman and Lemuel go on this journey with many doubts on how they will accomplish this assignment and feel it may even be impossible. (1 Nephi 3:5)   Nephi goes on this journey with confidence, knowing that if this assignment is truly a commandment from the Lord then the Lord will assist them along the way.  (1 Nephi 3:7)  After their first attempt failed, all three of the brothers became discouraged. (1 Nephi 3:14)  Laman and Lemuel complained and were ready to give up and go back to their father empty handed.  Nephi, in contrast, is diligent and continues to persist in the effort.  He comes up with a second idea (1 Nephi 3:16-23) but unfortunately that attempt ends in failure as well.  Laman and Lemuel continue to complain, are fearful of their life, and are ready to give up.  Nephi on the other hand, is steadfast and resolute that if this is an assignment from the Lord then He will open a way for them to accomplish it.  Nephi makes another attempt to obtain the records from Laban relying solely on the direct guidance of the Spirit and this time he is successful in obtaining the records from Laban and the three brothers return to their father with the record of Moses.  Now they will have these records on their journey into the wilderness and their family will have them for generations in the future.

Something I learned from these scriptures is that it is important to be firm and resolute when pursuing a goal or a mission that is consistent with God’s will for us, has great purpose, or divine direction.   This might be the decision to get married, to pursue an education, or embark on a move to a new location. However, the greater lesson I learned from this is that even more importantly there will be many obstacles along the way, there will be many failures along the way, and there will be doubt and sorrow along the way.  What distinguishes those that are successful like Nephi as opposed to Laman and Lemuel is that they like Nephi do not get sidetracked by failure and obstacles.  They are able to maintain their faith, remember their purpose on embarking on the journey, and seek divine guidance and strength along the way in order to accomplish the goals or task at hand.

I know I have at times been more like Laman and Lemuel and found it easier to give up, doubt my purpose, or succumb to fears.  I continue to improve myself and strive to be more like Nephi and strengthen my faith, not get sidetracked by obstacles and failures, and continually seek divine guidance along the way.

Putting It All Together

The last two weeks I have embarked upon a new educational journey.  I have started the Pathway Program.  This is a unique online educational program sponsored by BYU Idaho. As part of this program I will be taking one religion course and one academic course each semester for three semesters in the coming year – September to July.  Along with the two online courses each semester, I am also required to attend a local student gathering every Thursday night during the semester to review and discuss the weekly lesson materials.  A senior missionary couple facilitate these gatherings and once the students are oriented, the class discussions are led by a different student each week – referred to as the Lead Student. Once I successfully complete these three semesters, I will have the option to matriculate into the BYU Idaho online degree programs.  This one year program is the only gateway to this distance learning opportunity to ensure the students are committed and prepared.  It gives the students a foundation and solid start with group support for the first year before continuing into an online degree program on their own.

When I first heard of this program I thought it was primarily for those who had not had the opportunity to finish college and needed a second chance.  I thought because I already had a bachelor’s degree it wouldn’t be for me.  I went to an informational meeting out of curiosity and also out of duty as a member of my ward’s Relief Society Presidency.  While there, I found out it is so much more than that and can meet the needs of a whole variety of types of people that want to continue their education.

It has always been a goal of mine to continue my education.  I thought I would do this through a master’s degree program someday in the future.  As the years have passed I have not found the right opportunity, university, finances, and timing to pursue that goal.  When I attended the informational meeting for the Pathway Program, I immediately knew this was the right opportunity for me.  The flexibility and affordability were just what I needed.  I came to the realization that I didn’t need a master’s degree but that I just wanted to round out my education into some new areas of study.  Through the Pathway Program I can do this either by taking selected courses or by pursuing a second bachelor’s degree with or without a minor.  I am also excited to take courses in an environment where individuals’ religious beliefs are celebrated and acknowledged as a core aspect of each person.  It is also an environment where students are encouraged to seek guidance and assistance from a higher power in order to become the best they can be.

So for this first semester – Fall 2015 – I am taking one religion course and one academic course.  The religion course is FDREL121 – The Book of Mormon Part 1.  In this course, we will be studying the first half of the Book of Mormon and in the process learning how to study the scriptures in a deeper way both for better understanding and for better guidance in our lives.  The academic course is GS120 Life Skills.  I assumed ahead of time that I might be a bit bored with this class.  Certainly as a college-educated middle age adult with many years of employment experience and life experience as a wife and mother, I certainly had plenty of life skills.  However, in just two weeks I have been pleasantly surprised to find this course to be both fascinating and challenging.

One of the weekly assignment for the religion course I am taking is called “Putting It All Together.”  We have learned this last week about BYU Idaho’s Learning Model which consists of three steps: Prepare, Teach One Another, and Ponder/Prove.  Their learning model is based on the idea that we learn the most ourselves when we teach others.  This weekly assignment, Putting It All Together, is due at the end of the week after we have prepared, after we have attended our Thursday night gathering and discussed the concepts with other students, and after we have pondered the concepts.  At that point, we are asked to “teach others” by sharing with others what we have learned that week through either a blog, written essays, podcasts, or other similar methods.  I have chosen to use this blog to share what I have learned.