Anti-Nephi-Lehies

One of my favorite stories in The Book of Mormon tells about a group of Lamanites who changed their names to the "Anti-Nephi-Lehies" when they made covenants to longer fight against their brethren.   

 The other day,  my sister asked me why the name they chose was "Against" Nephi and Lehi--the first fathers of the Nephites.

 There are a lot of explanations online, and I wanted to explore a couple of them here:

(1) This post on the church's seminary website contained this information:

Alma 23:17 —What Does the Name Anti-Nephi-Lehi Mean?

The name Anti-Nephi-Lehi may mean that the new converts desired to become like Nephi and Lehi and may have chosen a new name that reflected their righteous desires. Studies show that in some languages there is a common root corresponding to the word anti that means “in the face of” or “facing,” like you would face a mirror. It may have a meaning similar to the word imitation. In this light the name Anti-Nephi-Lehies might refer to those who desire to imitate what the descendants of Nephi and Lehi taught (see DanielH. Ludlow, A Companion to Your Study of the Book of Mormon [1976], 210). 

(2)  On Wikipedia, I found this:

The term "anti" has confused readers since the Lamanites made a covenant to serve the Lord. These readers assume the Latin/Greek meaning of the prefix "anti," which means "opposing" or "against." However, the Book of Mormon record states that it was written reformed Egyptian,^[3][4] so a Greek or Latin meaning is unlikely. "Anti" may be a reflex of the Egyptian "nty:" 'he of, the one of.' Thus, rather than having the sense "against," it may have the meaning "the one of Nephi and Lehi."

*This confuses me a bit, however, because when we learn about Korihor in Alma 30, this is how he's described:

 6 But it came to pass in the latter end of the seventeenth year, there came a man into the land of Zarahemla, and he was ^aAnti-Christ, for he began to preach unto the people ^bagainst the prophecies which had been spoken by the prophets, concerning the coming of Christ.

It doesn't make sense that "anti" would mean one thing in one chapter of Alma, and another thing in another chapter of Alma.

(3) I did find this explanation, however, which seems to make the most sense to me (but, of course, a detail like this doesn't really matter--it's just interesting to study):

Alma 27:26 they were called by the Nephites the people of Ammon…ever after

"Many have wondered about the name of Anti-Nephi-Lehi. Elaborate explanations have been given to explain how it doesn’t mean what it seems to mean. Yet, for a moment, let’s entertain the possibility that the name really meant “against Nephi and Lehi.” The king of the Lamanites had at least two sons, one was named Lamoni and the other was named Anti-Nephi-Lehi (Alma 24:3). Given Lamanite traditions, it would not be surprising if he gave one of his sons a name which was derogatory to the Nephites. Later, of course, all three of these Lamanite kings were converted to the gospel. Anti-Nephi-Lehi was made king prior to his father’s death (Alma 24:3). He became a great king and spiritual leader. Therefore, it is entirely possible that the people took the name of Anti-Nephi-Lehi not because they were against the Nephites, as the name suggests, but because they were taking upon themselves the name of their leader, a common practice in the Book of Mormon.

Furthermore, it is not surprising that the Nephites preferred to call them by a different name, “the people of Ammon” or “Ammonites.” Apparently, they were never known as the Anti-Nephi-Lehies after they began to dwell with the Nephites because the term Ammonites was considerably less threatening."

**So those are a few thoughts on the Anti-Nephi-Lehies!

Discernment

The other day, I was telling Eric how overwhelmed I felt with all the responsibilities I have on my plate.

He had me review my tasks, and then he helped me see that 99% of the things I was worried about were not that big of a deal.

Then we had a talk about discernment, and how each of us needs to be able to discern correctly which things are important and which things are not.

This is done by the power of the Spirit.

I was reading in 1 Corinthians 2:14 this morning.  "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

Then I looked at verse 16: "For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ."

That's an interesting phrase.  How do I have the mind of Christ?

The footnote took me to 1 John 3:24  "And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him.  And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us."

When we are trying to keep the commandments and invite the Spirit to be with us, we will know things by that Spirit.

John 6:56 is linked to that scripture in the footnotes.   It tells that if we partake of the sacrament, the Lord will dwell in us. 

Romans 8:9 is also connected to the scripture in 1 John.  We are not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  It's by overcoming the natural man/woman that we can focus on the Spirit which is in us, as covenant children of God.

So how am I going to apply this to my life today?

I have a lot on my task list right now.  Big projects are waiting for me, Christmas is a few weeks away, and my quiet hours are few and far between.

I am going to take some time to pray and ask the Lord to help me focus on what is most important and will yield the most lasting results.  Then I will work as hard as I can to accomplish these things.

I don't want to feel stressed and worried.  I want to feel relaxed, empowered, focused, and supported by my God--because my only desire is to serve Him.  Of course He will help me to have the gift of discernment when I am simply trying to care for His children.  I only need to ask.

November Scripture Group: "Looking Up"

I lead a scripture group at my home once a month, and this past week, we studied a talk called
"It is Better to Look Up" by Elder Carl B. Cook.

http://lds.org/general-conference/2011/10/it-is-better-to-look-up?lang=eng

Here are the questions I sent out to the group a couple of weeks in advance:

(1) How can we best train our minds to keep an optimistic outlook when we're tired?

Have you ever noticed that the world looks the worst when you are physically/mentally exhausted?  Elder Cook had had a tiring day, and he thought, "How can I possibly do this?"  What is a better question we can ask ourselves when we are tired?  And how can we shift our focus to the Savior at those times?

(2) What does "Looking Up"  look like?
Elder Cook explains the process that President Monson goes through to maintain his hopeful nature--in the midst of all the wickedness and negativity he sees--and the heavy burdens he is carrying. 

Read through the talk and note what President Monson does, and then think about how you can apply that to your life.  Finish this sentence:  "If I am 'looking up,' I will be . . ."

(3) How can we remember to focus on the Atonement more often?
I was really struck with the part of the talk that said the Atonement relieves anxieties, burdens, and sufferings. 

I have a lot of anxiety in my life right now--about my aging mother, my responsibilities, my children . . ..  Instead of just getting stressed out and crying about the hard things, what could I do to allow the Atonement to relieve that suffering for me?  How do I do it?  What are the thought processes and habits I need to put into place so I don't carry burdens that the Lord will willingly bear?  (Sorry to make that last paragraph so personal to me--I just figured I would write what I'm thinking, and then you can apply similar questions to your situation.)

(4) How can we incorporate what we learn in "Daughters in My Kingdom" into this area of study?  What do the early members of the Relief Society have to teach us about "looking up"?




Here is what I learned from the discussion:


(1) Sometimes "looking up" means kneeling down in prayer.  When I am in the middle of a stressful situation, I need to stop and pray--remembering to ask God first.

(2) As we turn to God immediately whenever we face a trial, our experiences with Him will grow, and our confidence in Him will become stronger.  These challenges we face are designed to turn us toward God, who loves us with all His heart.

(3) The atonement covers all our anxieties, burdens, and suffering.  If we feel overwhelmed, that means we need to give ALL of our worries to God, and then work WITH Him to do what needs to be done.  He is our partner.

(4) We need to slow down.  If we're running in too many different directions, we can't feel the peace that His spirit brings.

(5) This is a gospel of joy, and if we're not having a great time, there's something wrong. (From Elder Scott.)  We need to ask the Lord to help us feel that joy each and every day.

I love our scripture group, and I found that since our discussion, my prayers are more earnest, I am worrying less, and I am thinking more about how powerful the Atonement really is.

What a blessing it is to know God!

More About Purpose

I just got back from our Power of Moms Park City Couples Retreat, and I am thinking even more about my purpose--how to discover it, how to live according to it, and how to make sure I don't go "beyond the mark."

I'm studying the Topical Guide today about Purpose, and this phrase stood out to me:  "Every purpose is established by counsel" (Proverbs 20:18).

I need to counsel with the Lord, counsel with my husband, and counsel with others who have ideas that can help me.

And, of course, there's the scripture in Ecclesiastes that I love: "a time to every purpose under the heaven."  The time isn't always right now, but the time will come for each purpose.

I also love Jeremiah 51:29:  "every purpose of the Lord shall be performed."  I don't need to worry that I'm going to miss my purpose.  I need only be concerned with hearing the voice of the Lord and doing what He asks me to do.

In Doctrine and Covenants 76:3, we learn that "His purposes fail not."  This morning as I read that, I thought, "If His purposes will not fail, then all I need to do is be aligned with those purposes, and I will not fail."

My ultimate goal is to follow the Son with full purpose of heart.  It's easy to get distracted and confused, but I want to serve God and only be worried about what He thinks of me.  He is so powerful and wonderful.  He knows all things.  Why should I ever fear?

More later, but I wanted to at least record these thoughts before I set about organizing my week/month and asking the Lord to help me keep my focus on the reasons I am here.

Sleep and Caring for My Body

I have been thinking a lot lately about how important it is to take care of my physical body.  It seems I all too often postpone or shortchange myself when it comes to exercise and rest.

Here are a couple of ideas that helped me today (from the Church manual, "The Gospel and the Productive Life."

First: Get to bed early . . . get up early. 

“Some of you are not getting the rest that you need. Some are habituated to going to bed late and sleeping much longer than your system really needs and thus missing out on some of the personal inspiration you could be receiving.

“Adequately rested, there is great value that can come to you as an early riser. Years ago, Barbara and I were asked to drive President and Sister Marion G. Romney from Provo to their home in Salt Lake City. Along the way, President Romney shared some of his personal experiences when he was first called to serve as a General Authority way back in 1941. He had been serving as a stake president at the time and had gone to General Conference where he was called, without prior knowledge, to be a General Authority. He was shocked and very nervous. He felt that he needed some advice, and so he went to Elder Harold B. Lee, a new member of the Quorum of the Twelve and former associate as a stake president. He asked him for advice about how to be successful as a general authority.
“Elder Lee said:

“‘If you are to be successful as a General Authority, I will give you one piece of advice: Go to bed early and get up early. If you do, your body and mind will become rested and then in the quiet of those early morning hours, you will receive more flashes of inspiration and insight than at any other time of the day.’

“President Romney said,

“‘From that day on, I put that counsel into practice, and I know it works. Whenever I have a serious problem, or some assignment of a creative nature with which I hope to receive the influence of the Spirit, I always receive more assistance in the early morning hours than at any other time of the day. Following that counsel has helped me a great deal through the years.’ (See: Joe J. Christensen, To Grow in Spirit [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1983], pp. 27–28).

“You can have a similar experience in your own life. You can change, even if you consider yourself a ‘night person.’ Set the habit in 21 days. When it comes right down to it, it is a matter of strong resolve and ‘mind over mattress.’” ( Resolutions [CES fireside for college-age young adults, Jan. 9, 1994], 5).

Second: Make sure I don't "run myself ragged" during the day.

Patricia T. Holland, formerly a counselor in the Young Women general presidency:


“Anyone who reads a newspaper or magazine is constantly reminded that proper diet, appropriate exercise, and plenty of rest increase our daily capacities as well as our life span. But all too many of us put off even these minimal efforts, thinking our family, our neighbors, and our other many responsibilities come first. Yet in doing so, we put at risk the thing these people need most from us: our healthiest, happiest, heartiest self. . . .

“The issue for me then, is accepting that we are worth the time and effort it takes to achieve the full measure of our creation, and believing that it is not selfish, wrong, or evil. It is, in fact, essential to our spiritual development.

“My oldest child tried to teach me this principle years ago. I had not been feeling well on a day I had promised to take this then three-year-old son to the zoo. As my aches and pains increased, I finally said in exasperation, ‘Matthew, I don’t know if we should go to the zoo and take care of you or if we should stay home and take care of mother.’ He looked up at me for a moment with his big brown eyes and then stated emphatically, ‘Mama, I think you should take care of you , so you can take care of me.’ He was wise enough even at that age to know where his best interests were ultimately served. Unless we take care of ourselves, it’s virtually impossible to properly take care of others” (“The Many Faces of Eve,” in Jeffrey R. Holland and Patricia T. Holland, On Earth As It Is in Heaven [1989], 66–67).


I am going to make it a point to get to bed earlier each night (by 10), and then I would like to get up early each morning (by 4:30) so I can have time to work and think before my children wake up at 6:00.  I think that's the only way I'll be able to accomplish the tasks that need me, while still taking care of myself and my family.  Of course, I'll still take a nap each day :)
 

Face the Future with Faith

I'm preparing for my monthly scripture group, and we're going to be talking about Elder Nelson's April 2011 Conference talk, "Face the Future with Faith."


I just received a sweet email from my friend Laurie Brooks, who has had miracles happen in her own family has her husband has gone through a terrible sickness, and I can honestly testify that the Lord has all power, and that as we trust in Him, He helps us with all things.

This quote really touched me this morning:

"All that the future holds in store for each sacred child of God will be shaped by his or her parents, family, friends, and teachers. Thus, our faith now becomes part of our posterity’s faith later."

My faith is essential because it is not just for me.  It is for my children.  I am showing them, first-hand, how a daughter of God trusts in her Father.

2 Nephi 2:27 teaches, "Wherefore, men are ^afree according to the ^bflesh; and ^call things are ^dgiven them which are expedient unto man."

We get to choose whether we are faithful or not, and that choice is never made blindly.  The Lord will enlighten us as much as we need.

Although we "live in a time of turmoil," we never need to "let our fears displace our faith."  We simply make our faith stronger.

Elder Nelson lists several instructions about what to teach our children:

• Teach faith with deep conviction
• Teach each precious boy or girl that he or she is a child of God, created in His image, with a sacred purpose and potential.
• Teach of faith in God's plan of salvation.
• Teach that our sojourn in mortality is a period of probation, a time of trial and testing to see if we will do whatever the Lord commands us to do.
• Teach of faith to keep all the commandments of God, knowing that they are given to bless His children and bring them joy.
• Warn them that they will encounter people who pick which commandments they will keep and ignore others that they choose to break. (The "cafeteria" approach.)
• Teach of faith to know that obedience to the commandments of God will provide physical and spiritual protection.  (And remember, God's holy angels are ever on call to help us."

I love the scripture he quoted here: Doctrine and Covenants 84:88  "I will go before your face.  I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up."

Questions: 

(1) How have you showed your children your faith, even during sore trials.  What experiences have you had where your parents' faith strengthened you?

(2) Why is it important that we remember the Lord's promises in 84:88?  How have you seen the Lord and His angels bear you up?

The Power of One

For the past three years, I've taught an EFY class about The Power of One, and I thought it would be helpful if I recorded the scriptures I'd previously found that talk about how one person has the power to do what the Lord would have them do.

Lehi had the power to take his family away from Jerusalem:   (1 Nephi 2:2) And it came to pass that the Lord ^acommanded my father, even in a ^bdream, that he should ^ctake his family and depart into the wilderness.

Nephi knows he can do all the Lord has commanded:   (1 Nephi 3:7) And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I ^awill go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no ^bcommandments unto the children of men, save he shall ^cprepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.


Nephi, again being directed:  (1 Nephi 4:6) And I was ^aled by the Spirit, not ^bknowing beforehand the things which I should do.

Three united, but each one mattered:  (1 Nephi 7:19) And it came to pass that they were angry with me again, and sought to lay hands upon me; but behold, one of the ^adaughters of Ishmael, yea, and also her mother, and one of the sons of Ishmael, did plead with my brethren, insomuch that they did soften their hearts; and they did cease striving to take away my life

The Lord is The One: (1 Nephi 10:8) there standeth one among you whom ye know not; and he is mightier than I, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose. And much spake my father concerning this thing.

One person who desires, believes, and ponders:  (1 Nephi 11:1) For it came to pass after I had desired to know the things that my father had seen, and believing that the Lord was able to make them known unto me, as I sat ^apondering in mine heart I was ^bcaught away in the Spirit of the Lord, yea, into an exceedingly high ^cmountain, which I never had before seen, and upon which I never had before set my foot. 

  

Sometimes the Lord commands one person to do a great work (I think He would like to command a great work for each of His children--but not everyone listens): (1 Nephi 17:26)  Now ye know that ^aMoses was commanded of the Lord to do that great work; and ye know that by his ^bword the waters of the Red Sea were divided hither and thither, and they passed through on dry ground. 

 

Each of us have been given an assignment.  (1 Nephi 21:1) the Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. 

 

(I'll need to come back to put in the rest, but that's what I particularly noticed in 1 Nephi.)

 

 

Scripture Chain from Stake Conference

Elder Paul Johnson came to our Stake Conference, and he shared the following scripture chain, which helped us to see how we want to use our agency to choose God.

 

Moses 4:3

3 Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down;

 

2 Nephi 2:27

27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are giventhem which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.

DC 29:40

40 Wherefore, it came to pass that the devil tempted Adam, and he partook of the forbidden fruit and transgressed the commandment, wherein he became subject to the will of the devil, because he yielded unto temptation.

2 Nephi 26:22

22 And there are also secret combinations, even as in times of old, according to the combinations of the devil, for he is the founder of all these things; yea, the founder of murder, and works of darkness; yea, and he leadeth them by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever.

2 Nephi 28:20-22

20 For behold, at that day shall he rage in the hearts of the children of men, and stir them up to anger against that which is good.

21 And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well -- and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.

22 And behold, others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell;and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is none -- and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance.

3 Nephi 7:5

5 Now all this was done, and there were no wars as yet among them; and all this iniquity had come upon the people because they did yield themselves unto the power of Satan.

3 Nephi 6:15

15 Now the cause of this iniquity of the people was this -- Satan had greatpower, unto the stirring up of the people to do all manner of iniquity, and to the puffing them up with pride, tempting them to seek for power, and authority, and riches, and the vain things of the world.

3 Nephi 6:17

17 And thus, in the commencement of the thirtieth year -- the people having been delivered up for the space of a long time to be carried about by thetemptations of the devil whithersoever he desired to carry them, and to do whatsoever iniquity he desired they should -- and thus in the commencement of this, the thirtieth year, they were in a state of awful wickedness.

Alma 7:15

15 Yea, I say unto you come and fear not, and lay aside every sin, which easily doth beset you, which doth bind you down to destruction, yea, come and go forth, and show unto your God that ye are willing to repent of your sins and enter into a covenant with him to keep his commandments, and witness it unto him this day by going into the waters of baptism.

Mosiah 5:7-8

7 And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changedthrough faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters.

8 And under this head ye are made free, and there is no other head whereby ye can be made free. There is no other name given whereby salvation cometh; therefore, I would that ye should take upon you the name of Christ, all you that have entered into the covenant with God that ye should be obedient unto the end of your lives.

2 Nephi 9:6-7

6 For as death hath passed upon all men, to fulfil the merciful plan of the great Creator, there must needs be a power of resurrection, and the resurrection must needs come unto man by reason of the fall; and the fall came by reason of transgression; and because man became fallen they werecut off from the presence of the Lord.

7 Wherefore, it must needs be an infinite atonement -- save it should be an infinite atonement this corruption could not put on incorruption. Wherefore, the first judgment which came upon man must needs haveremained to an endless duration. And if so, this flesh must have laid down to rot and to crumble to its mother earth, to rise no more.

The Spirit Will Not Fail Us

I'm reading Alma 4 this morning--when many of the church members started becoming wealthy and proud--and began persecuting the humble followers of Christ.

Alma, who had been the one to baptize them and bring the gospel into their lives, was watching the suffering of the people he loved (and the wickedness of others whom he also loved, I'm sure), and he "began to be very sorrowful."

But then there's this beautiful sentence that I don't think I've ever particularly noticed before:

"Nevertheless, the Spirit of the Lord did not fail him."

Could this not be applied to every single challenging time I've ever had in my life?

• I went through some very difficult experiences in college (won't go into detail), but the Spirit of the Lord did not fail me.
• I had no idea if I would EVER love motherhood, and I felt incredibly discouraged as a new mom, but the Spirit of the Lord did not fail me.
• I had several surgeries last year, and hundreds of hours of pain over the past ten years, but the Spirit of the Lord did not fail me.
• I have beautiful opportunities to teach and serve, but I am struggling to find balance in a life where everyone seems to need me all at once, but the Spirit of the Lord WILL not fail me.

There has never been one time in my entire life when I have struggled or needed knowledge and the Spirit has not been there to help me.  Those experiences, though difficult, really were opportunities for me to "exercise" my faith.

Life is a series of exercises in faith.  We practice.  We struggle.  We learn to turn to God.  We cry to Him mightily.  We humble ourselves and let Him know that we know nothing, and then we invite Him to pour His Spirit out in abundance upon our lives. 

As I type these things, I feel such a beautiful outpouring of Love.  I feel His peace.  I learn to recognize the presence of the Comforter.  I have no doubt whatsoever that there is a God, that He has all power, and that He chooses to use that power on my behalf--in spite of my weaknesses and lack of faith sometimes.

What a beautiful, beautiful gift.  I am very grateful today for the Love of God

Inspiring Thoughts LEAPING from the Page

Yesterday I was physically having a challenging day.  I was exhausted and tense, and just needed some time to take a rest. 

I still like to open my scriptures first thing in the morning and read what the Lord wants to say to me, so I initially picked up my new, small set of scriptures and planned to read some chapters in preparation for our scripture group next month. 

However, I saw my larger set of scriptures sitting on the table, as well, which contains many markings I made a few years ago when I went through the scriptures looking for passages that "leaped" out at me.

That's an interesting and beautiful process . . . to open the scriptures and read a verse, a phrase, or a word that strikes your core and fills you with the Lord's Spirit--like it was written long ago just for you. 

The first scripture I read was 1 Nephi 4:6  about being "led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do."

That's my life right now.  I pray for guidance each morning (and throughout the day), my husband and I gather in prayer, Saren and I pray before our phone calls, and we all ask the Spirit to help us with our work.  Then the Lord leads us to the places we need to be.  He introduces us to those who will teach us.  He strengthens us and helps to shape us for what lies ahead--even though we can't see past June.  I love that.

I then read a series of phrases throughout the scriptures: "be diligent," others will "take courage at [the] words" we speak, we will receive "much strength of the Lord," our "joy [can be] full," He will give us the "power whereby [we can] accomplish the thing which the Lord hath commanded," we "shall not occupy [our website] with things which are not of worth unto" the mothers of the earth," "the Lord is able to do all things," "press forward," receive of "the multitude of His tender mercies," "follow Him," she "that diligently seeketh shall find," humble myself, "by small means the Lord can bring about great things."

As I read all the highlighted verses throughout several pages of scripture, I felt like the Lord was rejuvenating my desire to serve Him with all my heart.

Then this morning, I was studying Alma 1-4, and more beautiful scriptures strengthened my resolve to make today wonderful:

• I am an instrument in the hands of God, and His instruments are not overworked and frazzled.  He cares for them, polishes them, lets them rest, and allows them to work according to their strength.  Why did I never realize that before?   It's great to have "a cause" and proper motivations to work, but there aren't any "proper motivations" to run ourselves ragged.  That course is simply not in the program.  And if I DO have more to accomplish than time to do it, then I have to count on the Lord to magnify my efforts.  I love Him.
• Alma 1:29 taught me that as I am steady, I will receive an abundance. As I work diligently and listen to God, He will help me to receive all the blessings I need, and I must use that abundance to share liberally with others.  
• Alma 2:1 taught me that people need an "order" to follow.  Some people receive that kind of order from church.  Others like to follow celebrity fan clubs or sports teams.  Whatever it is, people enjoy having an "order," a group, or a leader with which to align themselves.  That's what we're trying to do with The Power of Moms--create an order of deliberate mothers who can be a "team" or a community with which others may be aligned.  

I know that each of us have great things that are required of us.  The Lord wants us to thrive.  He wants us to feel His power in our lives every day.  I am incredibly grateful for Him, and I will do all I can to be worthy of His great love and mercy.

Advancement vs. Contentment

Today I'm studying the word "content."  Sometimes my husband thinks I'm too content.  I'm pretty much happy on any budget.  I rarely want to buy new clothes--or new make-up--or fancy products of any kind (even if money isn't an issue).  I'm fine if everything isn't "just how I imagined it."  I'm even okay eating pizza for Thanksgiving dinner.

My husband is a very content person, too, but he also has this incredible drive to make life better--not just for us, but for everyone.  

My question for today is, "Are advancement and contentment opposites?"  After I've done some thinking and reading, I don't think they are.  In Alma 29:3-7, there are some very powerful principles. 

Alma is wishing that he were an angel, so he could "go forth and speak with the trump of God."  Then he says, "I ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me."  I can only imagine he's talking about his mortal body, his role on earth, and his specific mission in life.  I'm sure there are many more layers to that statement, though (I'd love to study those more).

That got me thinking, "What has the Lord allotted to ME?"  I have a healthy body.  I have a family.  I have the knowledge of the gospel.  I have certain talents and skills that are being developed.  I have potential to serve in many capacities. 

But being content with the fact that I wasn't given other blessings or attributes (that I would like to have) doesn't mean that I can't keep striving for more.

Verse 4 says, "I know that he granteth unto men according to their desire, whether it be unto death or unto life. "  He lets us choose what we really want to do/be in life.  I love that.

It also says, "I know that he allotteth unto men, yea, decreeth unto them decrees which are unalterable, according to their wills, whether they be unto salvation or unto destruction."  Okay, this one takes a little more dissecting to figure out.  The best I can see is that we have agency to choose how we spend our time, and as we "advance," we choose salvation or destruction.  We can't have a will that's contrary to God, make choices based on that misguided will, and then expect salvation.  Our desires lead to the results we're going to achieve.

Verse 5 teaches that good and evil come before all of us.  If we make choices--with our eyes wide open--we, in essence, choose our rewards.  Joy or remorse. 

I want to be content with all that I have.  I don't want to waste one minute thinking, "If only I had more ___________."  I also want to bring my will in harmony with the Lord's.  I want to desire His glory, and I want to serve His children with everything I have.  And as I do that, I am choosing Him--which is equal to joy, salvation, and goodness. 

So how do I do this?  Each day, I ask Him how I can better serve Him.  I behave as a disciple of Christ needs to behave.  I keep my life pure.  I spread His love.  I keep my temper.  I stop doubting. (I'm writing these as thought I already do them, but I'm still working.)  I love Him.

Patience

Tonight I'm recording a podcast about patience, so I thought I would focus my scripture study on that this morning.  Here's what I'm learning:

(1) "He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding" Proverbs 14:29.  As soon as I read that, I thought, "Well, isn't that the truth?"  Whenever I've been quick to get upset, it's usually because I didn't understand the reason the person was behaving in a particular way. 

One time I got really upset with Grace for shutting Ethan in the closet (she was 3 and he was 2).  After I finally calmed down, I talked with them and learned that Ethan had shut himself in the closet, and Grace was trying to help him out.  I felt terrible.

When I was in elementary school, I would often come home upset about what someone said or did to me in the playground.  My mom was very wise, and she would always sit me down and ask me to look at it from the other person's perspective.  "Maybe they're not getting enough love at home.  Or maybe they had a bad day or they're not feeling good about themselves.  When someone treats you unkindly, that's there SDB (self-defeating behavior)."

I grew up hearing "SDB" all the time.  We seriously had the above conversation at least 50 times, and what's happened is that now I use that same technique as a mother.  My child is being disrespectful?  Well, what's going on?  Is he/she tired? Feeling unloved? Feeling frustrated about something?  I've learned to look beyond the action and "consider the source."

(2) Patience is really about self-mastery.  The Topical Guide has a whole series of scriptures about this.  The one that stuck out to me was Proverbs 25:28 (loving those Proverbs today!) which talks about having "rule over [our] own spirit."

When we are patient with ourselves, with others, and with the Lord, we are showing that we have mastery over ourselves.   It's the exact same principle that applies to dieting or financial budgeting.  Can I control myself?

(3) Patience means we turn our lives over to God.  Matthew 16:24 tells us that we need to say, "not as I will, but as thou wilt."  I want to have a clean and tidy house with no runs in the carpet or chips in the paint.  I don't like crumbs on the kitchen floor or portions of cookies in our gallon of milk (because one child thought it would be fun to "dip" into the tiny little hole at the top and dropped the cookie and then couldn't get it out again).  However, God wants me to raise children and love them, and so I will put my dreams of a spotless house aside for now and focus on HIS will for my life.  I have to learn to get rid of all the selfishness that's naturally inside me.

(4) Patience requires faith.  Doctrine and Covenants 76:53 uses the phrase, "overcome by faith."  When I want to have more patience in my life, I simply increase my faith.  When my toddler screamed every three minutes and destroyed everything in his path, I had to say, "Heavenly Father, I know that all things can be overcome.  I know I will get through this time.  Please help me know how to teach my son and how to be patient with him."

Burdens Lifted

I've been reading in Mosiah 24 this week, where the people of Alma are being persecuted by Amulon and his men. 

Several scriptures have really jumped out at me:

• v. 12: When Alma and his people weren't allowed to pray out loud, they "pour[ed] out their hearts to him; and he did know the thoughts of their hearts."  One note I wrote in the margin of my scriptures was that "He knows the thoughts of my heart--many of which I can't put into words."  All those subconscious struggles, all my good intentions, and all my deep desires to overcome my weaknesses are known by the Lord, who loves me in spite of my imperfections.
•  v. 13: "I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me."  I love reading this reminder because I have made many, many covenants with God throughout my life, and God, who has all power and knowledge, knows these things.  He remembers the covenants, and He honors them.
• v. 14: "And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs."  This is perhaps one of my favorite scriptures ever.  The Lord wants us to stand as witnesses of Him, so He performs miracles on our behalf.  Right now, I have some pretty heavy burdens on my shoulders, but I've been absolutely amazed lately at how well I'm able to sleep, how few "stress indicators" I'm showing, and how my husband, family members, friends, and others have stepped forward to ease my burdenrs.  Eric has been SO patient lately--he is seriously nothing but kind and loving and good to all of us, all the time.  Not that he hasn't been wonderful ever since I've known him, but he's "wonderful-er."  Our Power of Moms board members have been stepping forward to take on pretty heavy responsibilities with this site transfer, my sister took my children for the night so Eric and I could go away last weekend, my mom came out for a full day and watched my children so I could work, and my neighbors have been reaching out to help me with so many of the little things I need to do.  It's interesting that sometimes the Lord eases our burdens by sending angels (friends and family) to help, and sometimes He simply makes us stronger.  I've felt both.
• v.15: "The Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord."  I have the privilege to be cheerful and patient.  That's a choice.  My friend Kristine sent me a great link to an article about anger yesterday (click here).  Anger is a choice.  It doesn't "happen to us."  As I choose to be patient with myself, my children, and life in general, the Lord continues to help me bear up my burdens with ease.  But it's more than just being patient.  It's smiling.  It's feeling His love so deeply that I can be truly happy.  I can sing in the kitchen, laugh with my family, hug my friends, see everything with an optimistic spin. Richard G. Scott in October's General Conference (2010) spoke about our lives becoming a "symphony" as our faith in Christ increases.  I'm finally starting to grasp that concept.
• Here's where I'll end today--with verse 16: "So great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them . . ."  Trusting in Him and waiting on Him isn't weakness.  It sets the stage for Him to come to us with His voice.  When I hear His voice speak to me--many times through feelings, occasionally through very specific, sacred words I actually hear in my head, I want to do anything I possibly can to hear it more and more.  A couple of months ago, I received some very beautiful counsel from the Lord during my scripture study.  It isn't something I can write down or even speak about, but the feelings of love and goodness and warmth and peace and power I felt when I received that message is what I long for each and every day.  That's why I go to the scriptures deliberately every morning.  That's why I exercise every ounce of will power I have to keep my temper in check.  And that's why I am trying so, so hard to live a life worth of Him.

Alia's home sick from school, and Spencer needs lunch, so I will run now, but I wanted to record these thoughts and pour out my thanks to God because he has been merciful unto me and eased my burdens (v.21).

Becoming Women of Greater Faith

I just read this talk by Patricia Holland yesterday, and it has inspired me beyond explanation.

This paragraph, in particular, was absolutely beautiful:

We must have the courage to be imperfect while striving for perfection. We must not allow our own guilt, the feminist books, the talk-show hosts, or the whole media culture to sell us a bill of goods—or rather a bill of no goods. We can become so sidetracked in our compulsive search for identity and self-esteem that we really believe it can be found in having perfect figures or academic degrees or professional status or even absolute motherly success. Yet, in so searching externally, we can be torn from our true internal, eternal selves. We often worry so much about pleasing and performing for others that we lose our uniqueness—that full and relaxed acceptance of one’s self as a person of worth and individuality. We become so frightened and insecure that we cannot be generous toward the diversity and individuality, and yes, problems, of our neighbors. Too many women with these anxieties watch helplessly as their lives unravel from the very core that centers and sustains them. Too many are like a ship at sea without sail or rudder, “tossed to and fro,” as the Apostle Paul said (see Eph. 4:14), until more and more of us are genuinely, rail-grabbingly seasick.

 I also love how she described the Kingdom of God as being within us--and how we can unlock it with a series of five keys:


For me, prayer is the key to the first box. We kneel to ask help for our tasks and then arise to find that the first lock is now open. But this ought not to seem just a convenient and contrived miracle, for if we are to search for real light and eternal certainties, we have to pray as the ancients prayed. We are women now, not children, and we are expected to pray with maturity. The words most often used to describe urgent, prayerful labor are wrestle, plead, cry, and hunger. In some sense, prayer may be the hardest work we ever will engage in, and perhaps it should be. It is pivotal protection against becoming so involved with worldly possessions and honors and status that we no longer desire to undertake the search for our soul.

For those who, like Enos, pray in faith and gain entrance to a new dimension of their potential divinity, they are led to box number two. Here our prayers alone do not seem to be sufficient. We must turn to the scriptures for God’s long-recorded teachings about our souls. We must learn. Surely every woman in this church is under divine obligation to learn and grow and develop. We are God’s diverse array of unburnished talents, and we must not bury these gifts or hide our light. If the glory of God is intelligence, then learning, especially learning from the scriptures, stretches us toward him.

He uses many metaphors for divine influence, such as “living water” and “the bread of life.” I have discovered that if my own progress stalls, it stalls from malnutrition born of not eating and drinking daily from his holy writ. There have been challenges in my life that would have completely destroyed me had I not had the scriptures both on my bedstand and in my purse so that I could partake of them day and night at a moment’s notice. Meeting God in scripture has been like a divine intravenous feeding for me—a celestial IV that my son once described as an angelical cord. So box two is opened through learning from the scriptures. I have discovered that by studying them I can have, again and again, an exhilarating encounter with God.

However, at the beginning of such success in emancipating the soul, Lucifer becomes more anxious, especially as we approach box number three. He knows that we are about to learn one very important and fundamental principle—that to truly find ourselves we must lose ourselves—so he begins to block our increased efforts to love God, our neighbor, and ourselves. Through the last decade, Satan has enticed all humanity to engage almost all of their energies in the pursuit of romantic love or thing-love or excessive self-love. In so doing, we forget that appropriate self-love and self-esteem are the promised reward for putting others first. “Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.” (Luke 17:33.) Box three opens only to the key of charity.

With charity, real growth and genuine insight begin. But the lid to box four seems nearly impossible to penetrate. Unfortunately, the faint-hearted and fearful often turn back here. The going seems too difficult, the lock too secure. This is a time for self-evaluation. To see ourselves as we really are often brings pain, but it is only through true humility, repentance, and renewal that we will come to know God. “Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart,” he said. (Matt. 11:29.) We must be patient with ourselves as we overcome weaknesses, and we must remember to rejoice over all that is good in us. This will strengthen our inner selves and leave us less dependent on outward acclaim. When our souls pay less attention to public praise, they then also care very little about public disapproval. Competition and jealousy and envy now begin to have no meaning. Just imagine the powerful spirit that would exist in our female society if we finally arrived at the point where, like our Savior, our real desire was to be counted as the least among our sisters. The rewards here are of such profound strength and quiet triumph of faith that we are carried into an even brighter sphere. So the fourth box, unlike the others, is broken open, just as a contrite heart is broken. We are reborn—like a flower growing and blooming out of the broken crust of the earth.

To share with you my feelings of opening the fifth box, I must compare the beauty of our souls with the holiness of our temples. There, in a setting not of this world, where fashions and position and professions go unrecognized, we have our chance to find peace and serenity and stillness that will anchor our soul forever, for there we may find God. For those of us who, like the brother of Jared, have the courage and faith to break through the veil into that sacred center of existence (see Ether 3:6–19), we will find the brightness of the final box brighter than the noonday sun. There we find wholeness—holiness. That is what it says over the entrance to the fifth box: Holiness to the Lord. “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God?” (1 Cor. 3:16.) I testify that you are holy—that divinity is abiding within you waiting to be uncovered—to be unleashed and magnified and demonstrated.

My goal is to learn and grow and become the kind of woman who has an unshakable faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  I feel so weak sometimes, but I know that as I continue to work and serve and study, the Lord will have mercy on me.  He is Wonderful.

To Become Like Him

In our church, we believe that we can become like our Father in Heaven.  This doesn't mean we think we can replace Him or we think that there will come a point when He will not be our God.  It means we consider ourselves to be His literal children, and just like my children can grow here on earth, we will be able to grow in this life and in the life to come.

In the Topical Guide of our scriptures, there is a topic called, "Man, Potential to Become Like Heavenly Father."  Here is what I learned today:

• The Lord has given us dominion over a few things on earth to help prepare us for an eternity of work. (Genesis 1:26)
• We are the offspring of God, heirs of the Father and joint-heirs with Christ (Acts 17:29, Romans 8:17)
• We need to learn to overcome the challenges here in this life, which will prepare us to dwell with God in the next life.  (Revelations 3:21)
• We are to be filled with joy in the process--and forever  (3 Nephi 28:10)
• The Lord wants us to have a beautiful, full life with Him forever (many scriptures on that link support this).

I have felt a little overwhelmed because of my responsibilities lately, but whenever I go to the scriptures, I feel the Lord tell me that the whole point is to prepare for what is to come after this life--greater responsibilities, greater blessings, and greater joy.  I don't need to get caught up in or frustrated with the details.  The only question I really need to ask is if my experiences are refining me to become more like Him.  That helps to put everything in perspective.

You Are Entitled to Heaven's Help

Last night I attended a broadcast for all the seminary and institute teachers for our church.  Elder Paul Johnson and President Dieter F. Uchtdorf were the speakers, and it was a powerful, beautiful meeting.

Elder Johnson reviewed the story in The Book of Mormon of Amalickiah, Moroni, and the war between their people.  That generation had to be prepared in a manner which never had been known among the children of men. 

Likewise, we need to prepare our generation and the following generations in a way that is different than ever before.

• Make weak places become strong
• Anticipate attacks
• Continue to strengthen our youth, even in times of peace

I want my children to be strong and confident in the Lord so they will be able to overcome all of the adversary's efforts.

President Uchtdorf taught us that one of the greatest responsibilities is to be a teacher of children.

We don't always realize the influence we have, but don't underestimate what the Lord is doing through you.  
 
The history, doctrine, and practices of the Church need to be taught to the youth.

There is a sweet satisfaction when those under your guidance flourish.

It is important that the voices teaching the gospel be taken to the ends of the earth so that those who want to hear shall hear.  (Technology has enabled this.)

The pioneers who came before us had faith which was great, but they also had plenty of courage and hard work.

Taking the message to people is one part of spreading the gospel, but effective, loving teachers are able to take the gospel into the hearts of the people.  

(1) Follow the Master Teacher.

Talk of Christ, and teach others to love Christ.  Don't become prideful.  (Don't inhale it.  It is the Savior, not you.)  The Lord is looking for teachers who do not have their own agenda.

(2) Teach the truth with courage and clarity. 

We are committed to a loving Father and absolute truths of the gospel. 

The more we treasure and apply the scriptures and the words of the prophets, the more we are able to recognize when we are drifting.  

(3) Teach by the Spirit.

Seek for pure inspiration to help us teach, motivate, and share our "fire."

Our charity, confidence, and love will increase the confidence of those we teach. 

Do I teach the gospel by the Spirit of Truth?  Or by some other way?

(4) Teach from your heart.

When you think of the eternal significance of this work, even those of you who have been formally trained in teaching probably ought to feel overwhelmed now and again.

A righteous and strong motive can influence our ability to learn and teach.

Teaching is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire.

It's not about how knowledgeable and eloquent a teacher is.  Teachers with compelling ideas who speak heart to heart inspire us to action and open our eyes of understanding.

Fast for preparation.  Live righteously.  Love the Lord.  Love our students.

(5) Testify.

We are a testimony-bearing people, and the Holy Ghost will confirm the truthfulness of our testimonies. 

The Lord has great confidence in you.

You are entitled to heaven's help.