A Lot Like Today

While I was reading in Alma 21 I noticed a scripture that sounded a lot like the people in our world today...

5 Therefore as Aaron entered into one of their synagogues to preach unto the people, and as he was speaking unto them, behold there arose an Amalekite and began to contend with him, saying: What is that thou hast testified? Hast thou seen an angel? Why do not angels appear unto us? Behold, are not this people as good as thy people?
6 Thou also sayest, except ye repent ye shall perish. How knowest thou the thought and intent of our hearts? How knowest thou that we have cause to repent? How knowest thou that we are not a righteous people? Behold we have built sanctuaries, and we do assemble ourselves together to worship God. We do believe that God will save all men.

Doesn't that sound familiar? Aaron has a good response we can all learn from:

"Believest thou that the Son of God shall come to redeem mankind from their sins?"

The man said "We do not believe that thou knowest any such thing. We do not believe in these foolish traditions. We do not believe that thou knowest things to come..."

Now Aaron began to open the scriptures unto them concerning the coming of Christ, and also concerning the resurrection of the dead, and that there could be no redemption for mankind save it were through the death and sufferings of Christ, and the atonement of his blood.

Tsk tsk

I have been so bad about updating my scripture blog, but I promise I have been reading. Lately I have been continuing the story of Aaron and King Lamoni and the other sons of Mosiah. I am just getting into the story of the other brothers so I am excited. For some reason reading it this time around it is SO interesting to me. The story seems so real to me - I can picture it perfectly in my head like a movie. That doesn't always happen when I read my scriptures, although I guess it should...

Ensign Reading

Yesterday Trey and I read the First Presidency Message in the Ensign together. "The Influence of Righteous Women" by Dieter Uchtdorf. I just love all of the talks I have heard him give and everything I have read of his. This message was a great one and just emphasizes the important roles women have, especially in the church. Read it for yourself and see!!!

The Temple

I have been studying a lot about temples this past month. Today I read the article in the Ensign called "The Steps to the Temple" by Cheryl C. Lant (Primary General President.) Here are the main points she makes:

"Each step in our personal journey to the temple is essential, and it is important that we not get discouraged or distracted by the world along the way. Each step prepares us and strengthens us."

Faith- its "not only the first step but also the foundation of all other principles of the gospel."

Repentance - "is essential to worthiness"

Baptism, Gift of the Holy Ghost - "worthiness to enter the temple depends on how faithfully we keep this covenant"

Obedience - Ezra Taft Benson said "When obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, in that moment God will endow us with power."

Random Reading on Vacation

Well, I am back from our summer vacations and back to everyday life...I didn't do as well as I should have on my scripture study while I was away, but still got some study in here and there. Trey and I read about King Benjamin's address to his people. I like the part where it talks about the people opening their tent doors and facing them towards the temple. It reminded me of a (conference talk?) that used that as an analogy and talked something about how we need to be facing our families towards the temple, tent open. I can't remember the exact analogy... I also read out of some of the notes I have taken in my religion classes at BYU. There was one thing my professor mentioned that I really liked. He was talking about how people look at LD Saints and think that we aren't free to make our own decisions because of our commandments and standards. He said "Bad decisions limit our future decisions, but good decisions increase our future freedom." I really liked that.

Alma 18 & 19

Yesterday I read chapter 18 and today 19...The story of Ammon and King Lamoni. For those of you who haven't read it in a while, you should! It is such a cool story. What stumps me is how people seeing all these amazing things taking place still didn't believe in the gospel. How could you not?!!!

I am leaving to go to Seattle tomorrow and will be there for a week. Then, the day after I get back from Seattle I am going to Jackson Hole. Needless to say, I probably won't be writing on my blog for the next couple weeks. My plan: bring my Ensign from August along with me and try to read that every day instead. I might have to bring July's Ensign too now that I think of it...