Today's Favorite Verse: Luke 2:19, 51

Today's Favorite Verse: Luke 2:19, 51
"But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart."

I pondered on the importance of pondering. Mary was capable of this and twice in this chapter it mentions her pondering things in her heart. Keeping them "in her heart" means she held them close to her. They were sacred experiences. She must have not gone into great details on her experiences with others. Otherwise, I imagine more would have been recorded on these events.

"Luke recorded that after the shepherds’ visit and after finding the 12-year-old Jesus in the temple, Mary pondered the events and sayings, and she kept them “in her heart” (Luke 2:19, 51). Her actions demonstrate the importance of treasuring sacred experiences. While it is vital that we share our testimonies with others, President Boyd K. Packer (1924–2015) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught that we should ponder our sacred experiences and share them only when we are prompted to do so:
“It is not wise to continually talk of unusual spiritual experiences. They are to be guarded with care and shared only when the Spirit itself prompts you to use them to the blessing of others. …
“I heard President Marion G. Romney once counsel mission presidents and their wives … , ‘I found out that if I talked too lightly of sacred things, thereafter the Lord would not trust" me.’
“We are, I believe, to keep these things and ponder them in our hearts, as Luke said Mary did of the supernal events that surrounded the birth of Jesus” (“The Candle of the Lord,” Ensign, Jan. 1983, 53).
(New Testament Student Manual, "Chapter 15: Luke 1-3")

Day 4099

Today's Favorite Verse: Luke 1:17

Today's Favorite Verse: Luke 1:17
"And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

This reminded me of this verse known so well regarding family history work and the redemption of the dead.

"Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."
(Malachi 4:5-6)

John had the power of Elias to prepare the way of the Lord. Elijah also had a role to play in preparing for the great and dreadful day of the Lord. Did both of these roles include the redemption of the dead? We know they practiced this in the early church.

"Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?"
(1 Corinthians 15:29)

I wonder if John was the one to establish baptism for the living and the dead?

Day 4098

Today's Favorite Verse: Mark 16:8

Today's Favorite Verse: Mark 16:8
"And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid."

Why were they afraid? I looked for references but couldn't find any that explained them being afraid. I understand trembling and being amazed for seeing angels and being told Christ has risen, but why would that make them afraid? Were they afraid to tell others because they wouldn't be believed? This is what happened, until he appeared to the eleven. There is a discrepancies in the testimony of the witnesses. The first three gospels say the angels were seen by the women but John says it was Mary Magdalene alone. Could their fear to speak about what happened cause the other women to not be mentioned by John?

Day 4097

Today's Favorite Verse: Mark 15:31-32

Today's Favorite Verse: Mark 15:31-32
"Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save.
Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him."

Right before I read my scriptures I had seen something for the second day in a row. I would call it mocking the covenants we make in the temple. It really upset me and as I prayed before reading my scriptures I discussed it with Heavenly Father. I wanted the peace the scriptures bring. This would have not been the chapter for it, for this is the scene of Christ dying on the cross. Though oddly it still gave me peace. What stood out to me was the mocking He suffered. Yet, he died even for those that mocked. How did he do that? How can I bare people that mock what is sacred? As I pondered on that I realized that stepping away, like I did with the scriptures, can keep me from focusing on the mockers and making sure I'm right with the Lord.

Day 4096