What kind of candle are you?

 

This day and age we are a people that just go, go, go.  We are constantly moving and going about our business.  We have become a people that doesn't always notice the details.  I am guilty of doing this.  I am so busy going about my day that I am not really looking and seeing what is happening.  Though I can say that that isn't always the case.

I do try to make it a point to watch for kind deeds that are going on around me.  Did someone hold open the door for another person?  Did a car ahead of me kindly let another car get over so that they could make the left turn they needed to make? When someone dropped something, did someone else help the person pick up the item.  I know that if I am watching that there are others that are doing the same.  Most importantly, our children are watching and what example are we setting?  What kind of a candle are we being?

I pose the question of, "What kind of candle are you?" because of what Christ taught while teaching in the Sermon on the Mount.  In the Bible, in the book of Matthew 5:15-16 we read:

15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Heavenly Father wants us to be an example to others.  He wants us to be a "candle" and to "let our light shine."  He wants us to live in a way that others will see our examples and glorify him.  Christ set the example for us to follow.  It is possible to live in a way that we do good to others, that we don't revile against those that hurt us, and that we can see the good in everything.

The account of when Christ came to the people of the Americas is found in the Book of Mormon in 3 Nephi.  He is teaching the people what was taught at the Sermon on the Mount.  We see that Christ is teaching a people on the other side of the world the same thing that he taught the people in Jerusalem.  God's message is the same everywhere. We are to set a good example for others.

It doesn't matter what religion we follow.  The message is still the same, how are we treating others?  What kind of an example are we being for others and especially our children.  Are we teaching people to be kind, loving, forgiving, and to be happy?   I have seen first hand the kindness of the people of the world.  I have lived in seven different states, in three different countries, and on two separate continents.  There are amazing people all over the world that are living a life of good deeds and kindness.  They are being an example to others.  So I ask again, what kind of candle are you?

                     

(All images are from www.lds.org)

How Easily We Forget

 

We live in a world where we have so many things at our finger tips.  It is so easy to get information these days, it is almost hard to comprehend how unlimited the resources are.  In high school, for me to write a two page research paper it would take hours to gather all of the information that I needed to write it.  Then having to go to the computer lab to type it and hope that a computer was available to use.  Now, that could be researched, typed, and even published online in less than an hour.  

There are so many things that are easier to do because new machines have been created to ease our work load.  A driveway that took four hours to shovel the snow away from can be cleared in no more than 20-30 minutes by using a snow blower.  There are times that I revel in the fact that I can accomplish so many things in a day, but there are other times that I hate that there is so much more expected of me because of the conveniences of today.  

I don't want to make it sound like I am lazy, because I am not.  I just don't like that if I haven't painted the house, mowed the lawn, helped with my kids' science projects, and have a home cooked meal waiting for my husband when he gets home I have not accomplished enough in the day.  I know, I know, I've exaggerated a bit, but you get my point.  I feel that we have forgotten to appreciate that as a people in the 21st century how blessed we really are and who has made this all possible.  

In the Book of Mormon the two major civilizations, the Nephites and the Lamanites, lived their lives in what we in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints call "The Nephite Pride Cycle".  It seemed that when the people started to remember God, worship Him, and follow His commandments they would be blessed.  They would be blessed so much that they would prosper exceedingly in their wealth, their flocks would increase, their crops would be abundant, there wouldn't be as much war, and all would seem to be well in their lands.  Then, slowly, but surely their pride level would increase.  They would stop giving God any credit and then the divisions within the classes would start and life would not be so pleasant and harmonious.  Things would get so bad that God would have to step back in and remind the people that it was Him that had blessed them and given them all that they had.  He was the reason that life had been so good.  There is a verse in the Book of Mormon that sums it up nicely.  In Helaman 12:3 we read:

"And thus we see that except the Lord doth chasten his people with many afflictions, yea, except he doth visit them with death and with terror, and with famine and with all manner of pestilence, they will not remember him."

I just hope that all of us that are old enough to remember how much harder work could be help our children and grandchildren realize how blessed we really are today.  I dare say that from my grandparent's generation, those that were around for WWII, to my children's generation, we have so easily forgotten what it was like to not have.  We have so very quickly forgotten God and the hand that he plays in all things.  It's just something to think about, how easily have you forgotten what you have been blessed with.  Then ask yourself, who has blessed you with all of that?

Title of Liberty

In the Book of Mormon, in the book of Alma, there are a lot of wars that are going on between the people, it's not unlike what is going on in the world today.  There are so many things that you can say about war.  There are a lot of questions that you can ask.  Why is the war being fought, what benefits will the people gain after the war is won, is the war for a just cause, and the list can go on and on.  People are always quick to point fingers at each other as to who started it and why they had to retaliate.  I am not here to get into all of the politics that accompany a discussion that focuses on war. What I am asking is, what do you feel is worth defending?  What is your Title of Liberty? 

In Alma 46 there was a man, Amalickiah, that was making trouble in the land, he wanted to be king.  The chief commander of the armies of the Nephites was Moroni.  Although he was the leader of the army he was also a man of God, a man that believed there was more to fight for than just a position or a section of land.  When he learned of things that Amalickiah was doing he got angry.  The following verses in Alma 46 tells us what he did:

 11 And now it came to pass that when Moroni, who was the chief commander of the armies of the Nephites, had heard of these dissensions, he was angry with Amalickiah.

 12 And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.

Moroni was reminding them why they were fighting, what they were defending.  The rest of the chapter goes on to say that he went and took this Title of Liberty throughout the land to show and remind the people of all that they had promised to defend.  In verse 21 is states, 

"...the people came running together with their armor girded about their loins, rending their garments in token, or as a covenant, that they would not forsake the Lord their God..."

As stated above, what is your Title of Liberty?  What righteous thing are you fighting for?  I am not even really talking about an actual, physical war.  What are you standing up for or against?  My Title of Liberty would say something pretty close to Moroni's.  I go throughout my day trying to set the example to others that we need to make choices that will benefit, defend, and strengthen the things that we hold most dear.  As long as the cause is a righteous one, God will help us succeed in protecting that which is most dear.  I am not stating that life will be perfect or that nothing bad will happen.  I am just wanting everyone to know that we are not alone in this life here on Earth and that there are things that are worth fighting for and defending.  

Prayers Are Our Link To God

I am excited to have started another semester in the Pathway Program.  In my religion class we will now be covering the rest of the books of the Book of Mormon.  We will be going from Alma 30 - Moroni 10.  One of the topics that we covered in this week's class is prayer.  Prayer has always been one of my favorite topics to study and discuss.  I feel that there are so many people that don't understand what prayer is.

Prayer is a way that we communicate to God, it's our link to him.  Our Heavenly Father has always wanted us to communicate or talk to him.  He wants to know about everything that is going on in our lives.  My daughter, who is 8, has asked me, "Why do we need to talk to God and tell him about our day if he already knows everything that is going on?".  It is a good question. What I tell her is that it's like when I am watching her and her sisters playing outside through our kitchen window.  I have seen everything that has gone on.  I know that you have hit the ball over the fence, that you pushed your sister, or that you were laughing as you were yelling into the wind, but I want to hear from you what your favorite part of the day was.  What will you always remember about the afternoon outside? She understood what I was saying and she has actually wanted to say a prayer every night since that discussion.

I talk to Heavenly Father throughout the day. I am a stay at home mom and so it's easy for me to pray out loud, but when I am out and about I am holding full conversations in my head with Him.  I use respectful words to address him like "thee" and "thou", but I talk to him like he is right next to me.  I seek his counsel, I vent to him, I bring my heavy heart to him when I am burden with the weight of the world, and I sometimes just cry and am comforted in the knowledge that there is someone there with me as tears are rolling down my face.  We are taught in the Book of Mormon in Alma 34:27,  by a missionary, Amulek, when we should pray: 

 27 Yea, and when you do not cry unto the Lord, let your hearts be full, drawn out in prayer unto him continually for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you.

What I think is important for people to remember is that God is there when were are frustrated, stressed, mad, and going through a tough trail, but he is also there waiting for us to bring to him our joys and things that we are thankful for.

I thank him for a breeze that comes when I am mowing the lawn and I am dying because it's so hot.  I thank him for one of my favorite songs coming on the radio when I am cranky.  I thank him that many of the things on my grocery list are on sale on a week that the food budget is a bit tight.  God is mindful of all of us and of all that we are going through.  I hope that we all just remember that prayer is powerful, it works, God is listening.  All we need to do is to start talking to our Creator, our Father, and our Friend and he will be there listening and ready to respond. 

Letting Your Voice Be Heard

               


The freedom of  speech that we have in this country is truly a powerful thing.  Something that is learned from reading The Book of Mormon, and from studying the history of the world, is that having a king is only good when they are good and righteous.  It just takes one bad king to make life miserable for all. 

There comes a time in The Book of Mormon when they forgo having a king and set up the government with a chief judge.  
In Mosiah 29:25,
 "Therefore, choose you by the voice of this people, judges, that ye may be judged according to the laws which have been given you by our fathers, which are correct, and which were given them by the hand of the Lord."

As you read farther in chapter 29 you find why they set up the judges and how they actually set up the chief judge.  They then have higher and lower judges to keep each other in check.  It is very much like our president with the different branches of government to keep him in check. For class, I watched a video and in it it was said that it is safer when everyone participates in the government.  When everyone participates we aren't letting just a few people decide our fate.  We should use our agency, or the right to choose, to determine who will lead our country in a proper manner. 

The government in The United States of America is put to full use when we the people, not just some, but all the people vote and use their voices to express their opinions.  I know that it isn't always easy to get to the polls and to vote.  Having children makes it hard for you and your spouse to go at the same time.  It's like a revolving door at our house, one votes, comes home and then the other one flies out the door.  It made not be easy for me, but I do it so that I can say that I let my voice heard. 

I know that many men risked their lives to give us the freedoms that we have today.  I do not want the founding fathers of this country to know that I took their sacrifice lightly.  I am proud to be an American and with that comes the right to vote.  I suggest that we take advantage of that and get to the polls during election time. 

Serving Others

With all of the terrorist attacks, wars, corrupt governments, and everything else that is going on in the world, it is hard to stay positive and not want to give up on humanity.  Where you have to change your focus to is to all of the service and good things that humanity is doing for each other.  

Something that we covered in our lesson this week was that of service.  Not just any service, but doing the Lord's service. In The Book of Mormon, there was a king named Benjamin that was the ultimate example of service.  He spent his days not only being their king, but a man that worked along side his people and served them.  He wants us, though, to remember who we are really serving when we serve each other.  He is quoted in the book of Mosiah chapter 2 verses 16-17 saying: 
"16  Behold, I say unto you that because I said unto you that I had spent my days in your service, I do not desire to boast, for I have only been in the service of God.
17  And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."  

As one that has been through some hard times, I know that there are people out there that are truly God's angels here on Earth.  Me, my husband, and my children were living in Houston, TX at the time that Hurricane Ike had hit.  We were far enough inland that we didn't have to evacuate, but we still didn't know what we were going to face.  We decided not to evacuate and to stick it out.  It was a good thing that we stayed.  Our roof started leaking early on and were able to deal with some of the water that was coming in, but not all of it.  Because of the water that had come in, we ended up with some interior damage.  We also had a huge pine tree in our front yard that, thankfully, fell the opposite way of our home.  There were many, many people that got hit a lot worse than we did, but we were still poor college students that really didn't have the means to make up the difference of what the insurance didn't cover.

After that horrible event, I saw what humanity could really do, how good people really were.  Our neighborhood came together and had huge block parties so, that we could all share the food that was going to go bad since all of our power was out.  Our neighbors got to work and cut up our 30 ft. pine tree that was laying in our front yard.  Members of our church took turns fixing each others roofs, yards, dry wall, carpets, and all of the damage that occurred to our homes.  Charity was being shown all over Houston and I could feel the Lord's love.  

It was not a fun thing to go through and I wish that we wouldn't have had to deal with all of the headaches that followed.  I am glad that I was there though because I got to see, first hand, that there is good in the world.  We all bore each others burdens the days and months that followed that hurricane. There was no rich and poor, black or white, or any other divisions, there was just the pure love of Christ being shown.  The main thing that I got to see, first hand, there in Houston, TX was service.

Being Deceived and Distracted

I am currently in week 7 for the religion class that I have created this blog for.  The semester is half way over and I can't believe it.  This class is part of a program that is to slowly get your feet wet as far as going back to college is concerned.  It's been quite the eye opening experience for me of how fast the time really can go and how much work there is to do for a college level course.  I feel that I have already learned so much about not only myself, but also The Book of Mormon.

In this week's lesson a topic that was discussed was one that I needed when I was younger and especially need now as I am trying to raise my three daughters.  The topic is that of being deceived by Satan.  I know that there will be some of you that roll your eyes at the mention of this topic and will say that I shouldn't be such a prude, that we shouldn't really worry about this, or that I am a religious fanatic for even wanting to mention this.  All of these thoughts and feelings are actually things that Satan uses to distract us from focusing on the real prize and that is to return to our Heavenly Father, to return to Heaven.   

In The Book of Mormon, you'll find that in the book of 2 Nephi chapter 28 verse 22 the prophet Nephi is speaking.  He tells us that Satan is trying to get us to believe the very things that you just wanted to say to me.  "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." 
 
More and more today people are losing their faith in God or are all together giving up on the notion that there is a supreme being that governs us.  Because they don't believe that there is a God there isn't going to be his opposite, Satan.  Those who still want to believe in God, but don't want to be constrained, at the moment, by the commandments that he has given will say just what Nephi had prophesied of in 2 Nephi 28:7-8:
"Yea, and there shall be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die; and it shall be well with us.  
And there shall also be many which shall say:  Eat, drink, and be merry; nevertheless, fear God-he will justify in committing a little sin; yea, lie a little...and if it so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God."

I know that there is so much going on in the world today and it's hard to stay focused on the prize, to return back to our Heavenly Father.  It is hard to be in the world, but to not be a part of it.  We can't put ourselves in a bubble and stay there until we die and Heavenly Father wouldn't want us to.  He wants us to live and to be happy, but we just need to make good choices.  We can't let ourselves be distracted by the little every day things that will take our focus off of the prize.  I am not trying to or going to tell you what is right and wrong.

I guess the point of this post is to help me and those who read this to remember that Heaven is real.  If Heaven is real then Satan is as well.  If Satan is real then we need to think more about the choices that we make and where those choices will ultimately lead us.  Let's not be deceived and distracted by the choices that are the easiest or the most appealing.  I am hoping that I keep my eye on the prize and that is to get back to my home in Heaven, back to my Heavenly Father.