71- (6/17/24) Scriptures and Finishing Strong

 It’s been another good week with lots happening. Avery still has another full week in Brazil and will return on Friday. We’ve all missed her a ton, but none more than Lainey. Those two have such a close relationship, and it has been hard on her to be without her roommate these past couple of weeks. Miles is entering his last transfer… the countdown is on here at home. Finish strong buddy!


What has stood out to me this week in my personal study is the power of scripture in our lives. It’s crazy to me to think that this powerful source for good and direction in our lives can so easily go untapped by the majority of the world. 

From the very beginning there have been prophets on the Earth who have taught and recorded the word of God. This recording is by design, and turns hearers and readers thoughts heavenward. From Adam to President Nelson,  each prophet has testified of Jesus Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of the world, and the need for each of us to follow Him. They teach His doctrine so clearly, and how we each must conduct our lives to find happiness, joy, and purpose in this life and eternal life in the world to come. We have scripture given to us from all ages. Some before the time of Christ and much given after his crucifixion.  We have modern day scripture in the form of General Conference talks and personal Patriarchal Blessings, all designed to guide us back to our Heavenly Father. 


Just this week I heard a couple of you kids reference your Patriarchal Blessings and the strength and counsel it has brought you. Scripture is the perfect design that helps a loving Heavenly Father  fulfill His purposes… to allow His children to exercise their agency to seek after truth, and then allow for the Holy Ghost, a member of the Godhead foreordained to testify of truth, to burn in our hearts and minds, confirming the truth we seek. 

And for those who don’t choose to seek for greater light and truth and purpose, they literally leave this power untapped, unrecognized, and even unknown. 


As we were reading Chapters 5-7 of Alma this week for Come Follow Me these same thoughts ran through my mind. Alma dedicated the latter part of his life to teach the word of God to the Nephite people. And his words were purposefully recorded for our day. They are so simple and straight forward. He emphasizes the doctrine of Jesus Christ.  Consider how this doctrine and the covenantal promise of baptism haven’t changed throughout time, how they remain the same. To me this is another witness of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, how the doctrine of Christ is perfectly interwoven into the teachings of the prophets hundreds of years before Christ and hundreds of years after His birth. Compare the words Moroni was commanded to record as our Sacramental Prayers. These prayers, given 400 years after Christ are exactly as we have them today. Now listen to the words of Alma 100 years before Christ’s birth: …. show unto your God that ye are willing to repent of your sins and enter into a covenant with him to keep his commandments, and witness it unto him this day by going into the waters of baptism. (Alma 7:15) The scriptures are true, and are an essential part of our returning to the presence of our Heavenly Father.


Quoting Elder Gong from this past conference, “The Book of Mormon is evidence we can hold in our hand that Jesus is the Christ and God fulfills His prophecies.”


I am so thankful for the scriptures. Any time we seek for greater light, understanding, truth, or clarity, for any aspect of our lives, temporal or spiritual, let us remember that our loving Heavenly Father designed for us to have scriptures and prophets to guide us in the direction He would have us go. The Holy Ghost and personal revelation are found in the scriptures. And this is by His grand design! 


Invitation: If there is a little dust on our scriptures from time to time, commit to refocus our efforts on his promises. He truly has promised to us that if we “ seek, we shall find.” I know that to be true! 


I love each one of you so much and hope you have great weeks! Love,


Dad

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

86- 9/30/24

  We can’t wait to all be together this weekend. Mama and I were talking last night about when the next time we might all be together at home again after this weekend and she mentioned it might not be until April Conference time next year. So needless to say we are really looking forward to this weekend. I will keep it short today with a simple invitation. Throughout this week leading up to General Conference and hearing the words of prophets, ask yourself this question: What do you know and have in your life because there is a living prophet on the Earth today?  I think your thoughts will lead you where mine have, and that is to a place of gratitude. No wonder we often sing: We Thank Thee O God, for a Prophet! Love, Dad
Read more

99- 12-30-24

 Hello Family, Happy New Year! It is New Year’s Eve, and we are gathered all together in Ogden, Utah. What a treat to be all together! As Lainey would say, “I love you guys!” This weekend I have watched each of you set time aside to plan and to make New Year’s Resolutions, pondering on things that you would like to add or improve in your life. I love that! A life without purpose is a life of complacency. Goals put us in a place to act, and to do. You each know who you are and what your purpose is, and this brings so much joy to Mama and I. This purpose is innate in each one of us, and as we listen to, and follow the Spirit we will continue to strive to become better. The Hope we have that we can be successful at this improvement comes from our faith in Jesus Christ. Nephi teaches us,“ And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from e...
Read more

45 (12-4-2023) I Need Thee Every Hour

 45 (12-4-2023) I Need Thee Every Hour Dear Family, This scripture has stayed with me over the past couple of weeks, and has helped me several times. The message has gained greater meaning for me as I try to apply it. I thought this week I would share a few examples of its application in my own life,    and invite you to consider ways to apply it in yours. 2 Nephi 9:39    Remember, to be carnally-minded is death, and to be spiritually-minded is life eternal. President Nelson defined thinking Celestial as being spiritually minded. The prophet Jacob defined here the same way, as “life eternal”. This is our greatest hope and desire, to return to our love in Heavenly parents, and to be together as family forever. So here are just a couple of ways striving to be spiritually minded have helped me this past week: As you all know to well, because you know me better then anyone, patience manages to stay one or two steps ahead of me most times. And when I am inpatient, I ...
Read more