Brave Men

So, the last 2 days I just finished up chapter 17 in Alma. Can I just say how brave the sons of Mosiah were?!!! First they travel through the wilderness (weapons in hand to kill animals for food) for many days, fasting and praying all the way. Then, they gain courage in the Lord's answer to their prayers, in which he told them to be "patient in long-suffering and afflictions." So, they knew they were in for some trials and tribulation. Then they get to the land of the Lamanites (who were by the way a "ferocious people...who delighted in murdering the Nephites...who did worship idols...") and they separated and went out alone! Here begins the story of Ammon and his example to the King Lamoni by his service and slaying many men to protect his sheep...we all know this story well.

Chapter 16, intro to 17

Today I read chapter 16 in Alma. It is a pretty interesting chapter, and a quick read. I also read the beginning of 17. Starting in 17 will start "an account of the sons of Mosiah, who rejected their rights to the kingdom for the word of God, and went up to the land of Nephi to preach to the Lamanites." What a great example to latter-day missionaries that have a difficult time putting their life on hold for two years to go on a mission! I hope that my boys (if I have any) will be excited to go on missions and that it won't be something they struggle with. I am excited to read these next few chapters.

Ensign Article

Since we were camping the last 2 days, I brought the Ensign with me and was able to read the First Presidency Message, "That He May Write upon Our Hearts" by Henry B. Eyring.

I don't know what my deal is lately, but I almost cried when I read it. Probably because lately I have been worried that I don't know what I need to be teaching Allie as she is becoming older and more aware and understands more. I have been worried that I am not ready for more than just a baby (who's needs are mostly physical because they don't understand a lot) Reading this article helped me figure out the most important things I need to teach my kids. Here is what I decided:

1. How important prayer is (teach by example)
2. Jesus Christ's atonement
3. The Plan of Salvation (that we are children of our Heavenly Father)
4. We can be together forever as a family if we are obedient and live the gospel.

This article talks about a lot more, and gives good advice for parents with children who have strayed. I hope that my kids will love the gospel and live it. That is the most important thing to me. I don't care if they don't do well in school or don't have any great talents, I just care that they are righteous and caring people who treat others with respect and have a strong testimony.

Scripture Mastery cont...

I wanted to go over the scriptures I've already done and then do a couple more today...

Gen. 1:26-27: God created man in His own image.

Gen. 39:9: Flee from temptation

Exodus 20:3-17: The ten commandments

Exodus 33:11: The Lord spoke to Moses face to face

Leviticus 19:18: Love thy neighbor as thyself

Deut. 7:3-4: Don't marry outside the covenant

Joshua 1:8: Meditate on the scriptures day and night

Joshua 24:15: "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

In the footnotes there are a lot of references I thought were interesting for this scripture:

choose - agency, commitment (we have our free agency to choose and once we do we need to make a commitment to it)

this day - procrastination (don't "procrastinate your day of repentance")

house - family, children, responsibilities toward (it is a major responsibility as parents to teach our children the gospel and mostly teach by example)

serve the Lord - example, loyalty, objectives, service, sustaining church leaders (I thought the sustaining church leaders was an interesting footnote for this scripture)