Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 11:7-8

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 11:7-8
"And they hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord, because of their wicked combinations; wherefore, there began to be wars and contentions in all the land, and also many famines and pestilences, insomuch that there was a great destruction, such an one as never had been known upon the face of the earth; and all this came to pass in the days of Shiblom.
And the people began to repent of their iniquity; and inasmuch as they did the Lord did have mercy on them."

I wondered what the great destruction was? They already had wars, contentions, famines and pestilences going on. Was it an earthquake or consuming fire? Regardless, there was absolute chaos happening around them. This was the voice of the Lord to wake up to their awful situation. The Lord follows natural laws to awaken us, after that they are left to themselves, which doesn't end well unless they repent.

"We read that as a result of the wars, famines, pestilences, and destructions, the people began to repent of their iniquity. President Joseph F. Smith (1838–1918) helped us understand that sometimes the Lord uses natural disasters to bring about repentance in the lives of His children:
“The Latter-day Saints, though they themselves tremble because of their own wickedness and sins, believe that great judgments are coming upon the world because of iniquity; they firmly believe in the statements of the Holy Scriptures, that calamities will befall the nations as signs of the coming of Christ to judgment. They believe that God rules in the fire, the earthquake, the tidal wave, the volcanic eruption, and the storm. Him they recognize as the Master and Ruler of nature and her laws, and freely acknowledge his hand in all things. We believe that his judgments are poured out to bring mankind to a sense of his power and his purposes, that they may repent of their sins and prepare themselves for the second coming of Christ to reign in righteousness upon the earth. …
“We believe that these severe, natural calamities are visited upon men by the Lord for the good of his children, to quicken their devotion to others, and to bring out their better natures, that they may love and serve him” (Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed. [1939], 55; for additional references to the Lord using the elements of nature to speak to people who refuse to repent, see Helaman 12:3; D&C 43:21–25; 88:88–91).
(Book of Mormon Student Manual, Chapter 52: Ether 11-15, "Natural Disasters Can Lead to Repentance")

Day 3574

Today's Favorite Verse: Acts 27:9-10

Today's Favorite Verse: Acts 27:9-10

"Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul admonished them,

And said unto them, Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not only of the lading and ship, but also of our lives."

When he mentions the fast is already past the footnote tells us it's the tenth day of the seventh month. The seventh month is October and after Oct 5th you no longer sail because winter is approaching. It's to dangerous to sail. It was not the right season. Paul wasn't just prophesying to them, he was aware of the laws of nature, and God works with them. Sometimes we're told to carry on, but in this case the spirit told Paul what would happen and that is why he warned them not to sail. It made me ponder on how if we are observant and wise to the times and seasons we will stay on safe ground. We do not need to be counseled in all things. But, it's even more important to heed the warnings of prophets and apostles when given.

Day 3203

Today's Favorite Verse: Job 39:26-27

Today's Favorite Verse: Job 39:26-27

"Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south?

Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high?"

The chapter headers says "Man's weakness and ignorance are compared with God's mighty works - Does man even know how the laws of nature operate?"

Man cannot control nature, but he foolishly thinks he can. I shake my head at those that think they can control the weather through climate change initiatives. Man fears the melting ice caps and rising tides but never thinks for a minute about what is exposed under the retreating ice. Showing earth had a different climate at one time, where plants and animals and sometimes humans called home. Where I sit at the moment I would be 980 ft under ancient Lake Bonneville. Now I sit in what is called a desert. None of these climate changes were caused by man, yet man foolishly thinks he can control it. Man does not even know what the true climate of this earth should be. The only way man can have any influence on the weather is through his obedience to God's laws. God will temper the weather to bless us or curse according to what we deserve. Right now that voice of warning just keeps getting louder and louder. The God that created this earth is in control.

Day 2634

Today's Favorite Verse: Matthew 23:5-6

Today's Favorite Verse: Matthew 23:5-6
"But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,"

This verse meant something to me today, because I was talking to someone that felt alone in a crowd of people. They are an introvert like me, and it was agony for them to try to be an extrovert. While we were talking about this the spirit taught me a truth. I was impressed to say, "I could never force myself to be an extrovert when it's not my nature. It would require me to have pride and a desire to be seen of men. If that is the case then the Lord would have me an introvert and work with it." That settled the matter for them, because they knew they needed to fit in their own skin, and work with the Lord. For the Lord's opinion of us is the only one that matters.

From there we discussed how for a natural extrovert it is not an issue of pride, it's in their nature to be outgoing. Though crossovers on either side can suffer from the same issue as the scribes and Pharisees. We can't do things insincerely to be seen of men. We have to bloom where we are planted, even in an introvert body. If we focus on the Savior and serve where he has sent us to serve opportunities open up to interact with others naturally. He knows where we need to be.

Besides all that, visiting with others in the chapel just isn't what the Lord wants us to do. There is to much of that, and it's getting far to loud and destroying the peace we are coming to seek. Seriously, I debated bringing ear plugs with me to church today so I could quietly sit and read the scriptures before our meeting began. If we are focusing on how others have lots of friends and are visiting and having fun, then our hearts are not in the right place on why we came to worship. If you want to get up and go join in with the crowd then that is exactly what the adversary is trying to make you do.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland even made an apostolic plea about this in April's General Conference talk "Behold the Lamb of God".

"In that same spirit, we make an apostolic plea for the reduction of clamor in the sanctuary of our buildings. We love to visit with each other, and we should—it is one of the joys of church attendance—but it ought not be pursued so vocally in space specifically dedicated for worship. I fear that visitors not of our faith are shocked by what can sometimes be noisy irreverence in a setting that is supposed to be characterized by prayer, testimony, revelation, and peace. Perhaps heaven is a little shocked as well."

The place to visit is outside of the chapel. That is the blessing of ministering and having callings. Of all places where it's good to feel alone is in the chapel. We need to take that time to focus on our relationship with Christ. In fact we both left feeling it was a blessing to be an introvert. It's like a special blessing being given us, to help us avoid pride and irreverence if we let it. Trying to understand humility and relying on Christ takes on deeper meanings. We will never feel alone. Things are just the way they are suppose to be.

Day 1527

Today's Favorite Verse: Jeremiah 8:2

Today's Favorite Verse: Jeremiah 8:2
"And they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought, and whom they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth."

One thing I have seen this time reading the Old Testament is that when the people start to practice sorcery, witchcraft, worshiping the stars and the moon, trees and in groves, they are ripe for destruction. That is why I grow concerned the more I see people leave God and worship the earth and nature. They even begin to put the earth above the value of human life. The thing is I don't even think they realize they are worshiping it. They are just following a movement or cause, yet they do not speak of the God that created the earth, or worship him. To them He is not real, he is a fable that does not exist, and to be mocked. They see no evidence of Him, even though his very creations speak of Him. Truly they love God's creation more than Him.

Day 1328

Today's Favorite Verse: Job 39:26

Today's Favorite Verse: Job 39:26
"Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south?"

The chapter header says "Man's weakness and ignorance are compared with God's mighty works - Does man even know how the laws of nature operate?" The chapter goes on to name various animals and their behaviors. When I read this verse about the hawk I realized God is saying none of these forces of nature are controlled by man's wisdom, but by Him.

It made me ponder on man's wisdom in trying to control nature. I've lived long enough to see the theory of global cooling turn into global warming and now named climate change. I have wondered how man thinks he knows the law of nature when his theories kept changing? Now I see God is saying only a person out of ignorance would say they can control nature. He can no more control the wind then he can in making a hawk fly. Such a man does not know God.

Day 1050

Today's Favorite Verse: Moses 2:2, 5, 14, 16, 18

Today's Favorite Verse: Moses 2:2, 5, 14, 16, 18

"And the earth was without form, and void; and I caused darkness to come up upon the face of the deep; and my Spirit moved upon the face of the water; for I am God.

And I, God, called the Light Day; and the darkness, I called Night; and this I did by the word of my power, and it was done as I spake; and the evening and the morning were the first day.

And I God, said: Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven, to divide the day from the night, and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and for years;

And I, God, made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night, and the greater light was the sun, and the lesser light was the moon; and the stars also were made even according to my word.

And the sun to rule over the day, and the moon to rule over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness; and I, God, saw that all things which I had made were good;"

In this chapter God reveals to Moses the creation of this earth. My, my, my, what an explosion of thought. I can only attempt to explain my thought process on it. I did so much pondering on light and darkness. The very first act of the creation of this earth was light and darkness and each stage of creation became one creation day, or period. Yet it isn't until the 4th day that the sun, the moon and the stars are created to rule over the light and darkness. This would be what I know as a period of 24 hours making a day. So I have to conclude that the light and darkness period called a creation day is not the same. Meaning God didn't complete the creation of the earth in 6 physical days of 24 hours. He created it in a period of light and darkness, called a day, which could be any length of time.

So now I pondered on what this light and darkness was. What did he put here first to make darkness? Was it the earth's spirit or some other thing? Then it came to me that the natural man is an enemy to God. So, is the darkness the natural earth? I know there are people that worship the earth or mother nature, leaving God out of their lives. What and who is mother nature? Then I thought about how the earth also needs to go through baptism of water and by fire, just like me. The baptism of water was during the great flood. The baptism of fire will happen at Christ's coming. What is the earth repenting of? Is it its natural element? 

I noticed for the first time the phrase repeated during the creation "And I, God, saw that all things which I had made were good."  It made me pause and ask myself "Is there a distinction of something here?" I had to wonder was someone or something else creating things too? So I wondered if the light period was the beginning of God's creation, and the darkness period was the natural earth's creation period. Was the natural earth an active participant in its own creation, similar to how a baby grows? Couldn't the creation periods be any length of time then? If that is true, than each creation period is called a day, because it went through a period of both light and darkness. I could then see how physical evidence on the age of this earth can completely go hand in hand with what God said he did when creating it. They fit. Even evolution fits (to a point) because there would have been a period of darkness after God's light.

There is so much, much more I pondered on over the creation. I know I am just seeing a tiny part of it. There is so much to learn by the spirit. I do love this earth. The natural part of it can be extremely powerful and destructive and cause much darkness and sadness. Though I think there is something here about not worshiping it. The part in God's hand is most glorious and light. I know I have much, much more to learn about this light and darkness, but I know all things come in time.

Day 561