Looking at Ether 12:27

When my oldest brother went on a mission, my family made one of those build-a-bears for him and sent it out to him. In the build-a-bear, we had a recorded message with loving words from each sibling. I was only 10 years old, maybe younger, when he left and my small words of "advice" were "Love ya!". I definitely didn't know what the whole point of the build-a-bear. At least I wasn't like my younger brother who just said "Hello" in his tiny 7 year old voice. I am bringing this up because after my brother returned from his mission, his build-a-bear somehow landed in my possession. I would listen to the voices and cherish how they all sounded. In the recording, one my dad said "remember Ether 12:27!", and so I heard that reminder countless times. Even though, my dad's voice kept giving that reminder, I never put much thought into the scripture. 

Something that helps me in my scripture study is looking at the scripture mastery for the Book of Mormon. When I was looking at it earlier this week, I noticed Ether 12:27 as I was getting close to the book of Ether. I knew that the scripture was part of the scripture mastery, but still don't remember learning much about it when I was in Sunday School or Seminary. I clicked on LDS.org's information for the scripture and learned about the power of this scripture and understood why my dad chose it as a phrase in the build-a-bear message. You can look at the link I am talking about here

This is the scripture: 

"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."

On LDS.org's notes for this, they give background information to how this scripture is about Moroni's worries that he has weak writing. In the scripture, God teaches that if you come to Him humbly and show him your weaknesses, he will make them strong. After actually reading this scripture and understanding it, I know why my dad told my brother to remember this scripture. I am never served a mission, but I have heard about how hard they are. I can see how a scripture that teaches about weaknesses and faith in the God can be comforting to someone who is alone on their mission. The comforting message that God will strengthen you if you have faith is something that can be really applicable for everyone, but especially for a missionary. 

When I take this scripture and put it towards my current life, I can see how it can be applied very easily. As we get closer to the end of finals and all the stresses that come with it, we are in great need of God's help. Sometimes I am too prideful and believe that I can do everything on my own. But, if I humble myself and ask God for help, I know that I will be blessed with his help to strengthen me.

Thanks for reading!

xoxo

caroline

Alma 36

In class this week, we discussed Alma 36. This chapter is a beautiful chiasmus. From versus 1-17 (half of 17), Alma is describing the hell that he is enduring. He even discusses in vs. 15 that he doesn't want to live no longer in his statement where he wishes that he could be extinct. The verses 1-16 describe someone who is suffering and is giving up.

On a much milder scale, I experienced this feeling of hell and loss in the months following the death of my mother and brother. In some of the darkest times, I even had the desire to just give up. I didn't think the paint that I was feeling would ever be rid from my body. This moment was a feeling of low that I had never experienced and I couldn't see a light at the end of the tunnel. During this time, I really drifted away from the church. I didn't really see a reason to go and felt that it was totally acceptable for me to done with it because I had gone through so much. Luckily, I didn't do anything really foolish and kept to the values I grew up with, but I had lost faith. Even though I seemed like everything was okay on the outside, inside I was drifting away and losing contact with the spirit.

This type of action that I was experiencing, is something that I have seen and talked about with other friends and family members. Sometimes Satan can creep in and take over without you really noticing. The events that had occurred in my life and the terrible loss I was feeling, made it really easy for Satan to take control piece by piece. When I finally realized how far I had drifted, I felt like Alma the beginning of vs. 17 in 36:

"And it came to pass that as I was thus racked with torment, while I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins..."

I felt the guilt of how I had totally lost faith and I even felt like there was too much to be done in order for me to turn back. But, just like the end of vs.17 and then in vs. 18, I remembered, with the help of a close friend, the gift of the atonement in my life:

 "...behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ, a Son of God, to atone for the sins of the world.

18 Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall of bitterness, and am encircled about by the everlasting chains of death."

In those two verses, Alma experiences a turning point through his remembrance of the promise of an Atonement. With me, the Atonement reminded me of the ability to repent, but then also the ability to turn to the Lord for comfort when I am struggling. And although my process of turning back didn't happen in an instant like it did for Alma, I was able to turn back over time and experience what Alma describes in verses 20-12 : 

"20 And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!

21 Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy."

Although it was difficult for me to lose my mother and brother, I know that I gained something priceless from that treacherous experience. I gained the ability to truly appreciate the power of the Atonement and the ability it has to comfort you when you struggle and forgive you when you sin. I can testify that, just like Alma, you trade in the pain you are feeling for an equal amount of joy through the power of the Atonement. 


Also, I found this on google and thought it was cool and useful when you want to see the chiasmus in Alma 36! 

Thanks for reading! 

xoxo

Caroline 

Alma 7: 11-13

Alma 7:11-13 --- This section of scripture is part of scripture mastery and something that I was looking at this past week. I have been trying to actively look at scripture mastery throughout the semester in order to remind me of some of the important verses we discussed in seminary in high school and it has been a way for me to refresh on some ideas and principles. This scripture says:

 11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

 12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.

 13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

When I read these verses and then looked them on the lds.org website and the notes they have listed for the scripture mastery, they had a question attached to it that really impacted me. This question was "When have you felt the healing power of the Atonement?". This question really struck me because I have been overwhelmed multiple times in my life with the healing power of the Atonement. Not only can the Atonement forgive you for any sins that you have committed, it can also comfort you when you are struggling through trial and tribulation. It has always been comforting to me to be able to turn to Jesus Christ when I am struggling and feel that I have no one to turn to. I have had unique terrible trials through my life and I have often struggled to find people to turn to because they simply do not understand. It is amazing though, to have Christ always there for you when you need help and I really think that is amazing. I really have a testimony of Christ's hand in our lives and know that he is always someone I can rely on. 

Thanks for reading! 

xoxo

caroline

Perceived Wrongs

In class this past week, we discussed the Lamanites and how they felt anger at the Nephites because of a "perceived wrong" that Laman and Lemuel felt 400 years ago by the Nephites. This "perceived wrong" lead the descendants to first feel wroth and that festered to become hate for the Nephites. This issue is applicable for us today.

Often, we can misinterpret an action made by another and become offended. Sometimes the action is so little, but it still created a rift in your feelings towards the other person. The other person might not even know that they did anything wrong and therefore don't feel a need to apologize. The "wronged" person, if they don't decide to discuss their grievances or let it go, can build up to wroth and then hate. This hate can be spread to others by gossip and creates an even bigger problem. Soon, the "perceived wrong" can turn into something terrible and hard to fix. If the "wronged" person had chosen to fix the issue in the beginning, then the relationship could be repaired and no harm could be done. This reminds me also of Luke 17:1-4 in which Christ teaches to not take offense, it says:

 “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! 2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. 3 Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you,[a] rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you,[b]saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.”

This message is important. It is better to first not take offense, but even if we do - we must always forgive. When ever I have bad feelings against another, I try to instantly say to myself "not forgiving someone is like taking a vial of poison and expecting the other person to die". It is not worth it to hold a grudge because it will do more damage to yourself than it does for the other person. It is important to remember that not only is it good for yourself to forgive, but also you have been commanded to do so by Jesus Christ. An example of how not forgiving can be damaging is the Lamanites, who because of their harbored feelings that they were not able to get over, they ended up creating so much bloodshed and heart ache. If they had simply chosen to forgive, they could have been happier and avoided all of the damage they did to themselves. 

The "perceived wrong" idea also reminds me of positive psychology, in which you think about the positive first in every situation. This can be explained in the idea that if someone replies to you text saying "K.", and you probably have had this happen before, instead of immediately thinking "they hate me" or "they don't care about this conversation" or many other things, the first thing you can think of is "they are in a hurry" or "they will probably reply more when they have more time". Even if the first two ideas are true, it doesn't matter. Just the fact that you are choosing to think positively will make a huge difference in your life. If you just immediately went with the first thought of them "hating you", you would create a "perceived wrong" and harbor unnecessary feelings of negativity. This is not the way to go, and is something that could easily be avoided. 

Basically, it is important to always get the whole story and even if you can't, there is no harm in choosing the brighter side. It is always better to avoid those "perceived wrongs", even if someone does actually wrong you, it is always better to forgive even if they do not apologize. Removing that negativity is so freeing and I know from personal experience. 

Thanks for reading!