Today's Favorite Verse: Romans 9:6
"Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:"
This made me reflect on how just because you are born into a righteous family or into the church it does not mean you are righteous. We don't inherit blessings unless we earn them. Salvation is an individual matter, all are tried and tested and must learn faith in Christ.
Today's Favorite Verse: Hosea 1:2
"The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD."
I did wonder why a prophet would be told to take a sinful wife? As I read more I realized it's talking about the relationship between the children of Israel and the Lord. They have committed great whoredoms. The church is often referred to in the feminine. Hosea is being called as a prophet to lead them. In between that he does marry and have children.
Today's Favorite Verse: Articles of Faith 1:9
"We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God."
I love change, and I always have. I reflected on all the changes made in the church that I have seen over the years. The first I can recall was during the 70's oil crises. Our ward was given permission to have a continuous 3 hour church block. Prior to that you went to Sunday School and classes with an afternoon break, and come back in the evening for sacrament. We used to go to Primary during the weekday but that all changed with the 3 hour block.
I remember the first set of personal scriptures that I had. It came with a paper insert of Joseph F. Smith's vision of the redemption of the dead. First, it went into the Pearl of Great Price and later it became section 138 of the Doctrine and Covenants. It didn't seem to long after that the new scriptures came out with cross references between the Bible, Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price. They truly became one in thine hand.
Then came the exciting day when it was announced that all worthy males could receive the priesthood. We had speculated on how that blessing would come to all, and when it did we heard the news on TV. That taught me that we never know how revelation comes about.
I remember having fund raising projects to build our ward chapel and then one day we no longer had to pay the building fund. The church was able to financially handle it because we were paying our tithing. Speaking of tithing I was so excited when we could pay tithing and fast offerings online. Who would have guessed how important that was when Covid hit. I've seen the change from 3 hour church down to 2 hours, with the home study, church supported "Come, Follow Me".
I love seeing changes happen in the church. I love all the many changes in the temple and lots more of them popping up. I embrace it all. Yet, I know more is to come. The restoration is ongoing. I thought the church was fully restored, but it wasn't until President Nelson became prophet that we knew that was just the beginning. I don't know what's ahead, but I already love it, because I love change.
"As the Restoration continues, I know that God will continue to reveal many great and important things pertaining to His kingdom here on earth. That kingdom is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."
(Russell M. Nelson, "Go Forward in Faith", Apr 2020 General Conference)
"Sometimes we think of the Restoration of the gospel as something that is complete, already behind us—Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon, he received priesthood keys, the Church was organized. In reality, the Restoration is an ongoing process; we are living in it right now. It includes “all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal,” and the “many great and important things” that “He will yet reveal.” Brethren, the exciting developments of today are part of that long-foretold period of preparation that will culminate in the glorious Second Coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
This is one of the most remarkable periods of the world’s history! Ancient prophets yearned to see our day."
(Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Are You Sleeping through the Restoration?", Apr 2014 General Conference)
"Elder James E. Talmage wrote: “The canon of scripture is still open; many lines, many precepts, are yet to be added; revelation, surpassing in importance and glorious fulness any that has been recorded, is yet to be given to the Church and declared to the world” (Articles of Faith, 311).
(Pearl of Great Price Student Manual, "Articles of Faith 1:5-13")
Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 7:4, 8
"And for this cause the Lord said unto Peter: If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? For he desired of me that he might bring souls unto me, but thou desiredst that thou mightest speedily come unto me in my kingdom.
Verily I say unto you, ye shall both have according to your desires, for ye both joy in that which ye have desired."
I pondered on how God's children are not cookie cutters of each other. We have various gifts and talents. We find joy differently. This is not the happiness some find in wickedness. I mean in righteous things. John wanted to tarry on the earth and brings souls until Christ, while Peter wanted to speedily come unto the Lord's kingdom and not remain until the end. Both were righteous desires that brought them each joy. As Paul said all members of the body are needed. Some are the foot, others the eyes. We should not concern ourselves over what others desire or feel superior to them.
"For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another."
(1 Corinthians 12:12, 25)
Today's Favorite Verse: Alma 9:23-24
"And now behold I say unto you, that if this people, who have received so many blessings from the hand of the Lord, should transgress contrary to the light and knowledge which they do have, I say unto you that if this be the case, that if they should fall into transgression, it would be far more tolerable for the Lamanites than for them.
For behold, the promises of the Lord are extended to the Lamanites, but they are not unto you if ye transgress; for has not the Lord expressly promised and firmly decreed, that if ye will rebel against him that ye shall utterly be destroyed from off the face of the earth?"
As I was coming out of the temple yesterday morning I took time to reflect on how blessed I was. I marveled at how fortunate I was to born at a time that the gospel was on the earth, and I was baptized into His church. How blessed I was to have a temple less than 10 minutes from my home. There are more temples in Utah alone then there was in the whole world when my parents joined the church. Now, that I reflect on these verses I think of how I can never take what I have for granted and toss it away. It made me think about how the Lord will cleanse his house first.
"Behold, vengeance cometh speedily upon the inhabitants of the earth, a day of wrath, a day of burning, a day of desolation, of weeping, of mourning, and of lamentation; and as a whirlwind it shall come upon all the face of the earth, saith the Lord.
And upon my house shall it begin, and from my house shall it go forth, saith the Lord;
First among those among you, saith the Lord, who have professed to know my name and have not known me, and have blasphemed against me in the midst of my house, saith the Lord."
(Doctrine and Covenants 112:24-26)
I found this talk of Ezra Taft Benson, given in 1969. I can't even imagine what he thinks of our world today.
"Sometimes we hear someone refer to a division in the Church. In reality, the Church is not divided. It simply means that there are some who, for the time being at least, are members of the Church but not in harmony with it. These people have a temporary membership and influence in the Church; but unless they repent, they will be missing when the final membership records are recorded.
It is well that our people understand this principle, so they will not be misled by those apostates within the Church who have not yet repented or been cut off. But there is a cleansing coming. The Lord says that his vengeance shall be poured out "upon the inhabitants of the earth . . . And upon my house shall it begin, and from my house shall it go forth, saith the Lord; First among those among you, saith the Lord, who have professed to know my name and have not known me". I look forward to that cleansing; its need within the Church is becoming increasingly apparent."
(Ezra Taft Benson, "To the Humble Followers of Christ", Apr 1969)
Today's Favorite Verse: 2 Nephi 14:5
"And the Lord will create upon every dwelling-place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for upon all the glory of Zion shall be a defence."
I feel like this is what we are working towards with our home-centered, church supported gospel learning. I went back and reviewed President Nelson's opening remarks in General Conference, where he announced "Come, Follow Me".
"For many years, Church leaders have been working on an integrated curriculum to strengthen families and individuals through a home-centered and Church-supported plan to learn doctrine, strengthen faith, and foster greater personal worship. Our efforts over these recent years to hallow the Sabbath—to make it a delight and a personal sign to God of our love for Him—will be augmented by the adjustments we will now introduce.
This morning we will announce a new balance and connection between gospel instruction in the home and in the Church. We are each responsible for our individual spiritual growth. And scriptures make it clear that parents have the primary responsibility to teach the doctrine to their children. It is the responsibility of the Church to assist each member in the divinely defined goal of increasing his or her gospel knowledge."
(Russell M. Nelson, "Opening Remarks", Oct 2018 General Conference)
I know reading the scriptures every day with my family, and the discussions that take place afterwards, are the highlight of my day. It has brought such a feeling of peace and unity among us that nothing else could bring. It truly does strengthen families and individuals.
After church we decided to drive around the boundaries of our stake. We wanted to see all the construction that will bring an estimated 3,000 people into our stake boundaries in the next few months. We were in awe of the five story apartment buildings. It was just massive. As we drove I did not see any new chapels. I remembered how in the past every time there was a new development going in there would also be a new chapel near by. I wondered where are we going to put all these people? Will the sharing of our existing chapels in the stake require us to attend church in the evening now? Or will we one day go to sacrament only and truly leave the greater responsibility of learning the gospel on the saints?
"And again, inasmuch as parents have children in Zion, or in any of her stakes which are organized, that teach them not to understand the doctrine of repentance, faith in Christ the Son of the living God, and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the hands, when eight years old, the sin be upon the heads of the parents."
(Doctrine and Covenants 68:25)
Today's Favorite Verse: Revelation 19:7-9
"Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.
And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God."
I want to be at the marriage feast. This is when the Lord as the bridegroom claims his bride, or the church. Only the faithful who watched will be ready. Reminds me of the ten virgins and only half were ready when the bridegroom came. It was to late for them to acquire oil in their lambs at that point. The key is to always be ready no matter what.
This also reminded me of Elder Bednar's Oct 2022 General Conference talk "Put on Thy Strength, O Zion" on the wedding feast found in Matthew 22. It ended with a quote from the Joseph Smith Translation of the bible.
“For many are called, but few are chosen; wherefore all do not have on the wedding garment.” (JST Matthew 22:14)
“Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen?“Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men.”
(Doctrine and Covenants 121:34-35)
"Those who keep the commandments of the Lord and walk in His statutes to the end, are the only individuals permitted to sit at this glorious feast. … Reflect for a moment, brethren [and sisters], and enquire, whether you would consider yourselves worthy [of] a seat at the marriage feast”
(Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], p. 165-66)
Today's Favorite Verse: 3 John 1:4
"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth."
No greater joy is when a lamb that has been lost returns home again. It's been 20 years but miracles do happen. God will bring our children home if we let Him. Children in their teens and twenties maybe leaving the church in droves, but in their mid 30's and 40's they are coming home. Walk with them as many days in the Lord as you can, and they will know where home is.
"Years ago, while I was serving as a young bishop, an older gentleman asked to meet with me. He described his departure from the Church and the righteous traditions of his parents when he was in his youth. He described in detail the heartache he experienced during his life while vainly seeking lasting joy amidst the momentary happiness the world has to offer. Now, in his later years of life, he experienced the tender, sometimes nagging whispering sensations of the Spirit of God guiding him back to the lessons, practices, feelings, and spiritual safety of his youth. He expressed gratitude for the traditions of his parents, and in modern-day words, he echoed the proclamation of Enos: “Blessed be the name of my God for it.
”In my experience, this dear man’s return to the gospel is characteristic of many and is repeated often among God’s children who leave for a time, only to return to the teachings and practices of their youth. In those moments, we witness the wisdom of the writer of the proverb, who exhorts parents, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."
(Steve R. Bangerter, "Laying the Foundation of a Great Work", Oct 2018 General Conference)
Day 1998
