Last Seen Blogs
buildmyliife
Eu vou construir minha vida e Ti
mrcutecat
the chatty cat
anjadoluan-blog
Anja do Luan
mlmlider
Свободные путешествия
crplfever-blog
ガリンバリン バリン
Text
Lehi’s Dream (I Nephi 8:1-11)
Hello friends!
This week, I studied Lehi’s dream, particularly 1 Nephi 8:1-11, a little more in depth than I have in the past. This is a story that often shared in Church, and I have always thought that I knew all there is to know about the dream. But studying this story this week proved me wrong.
As we focused on this story in my religion class, we discussed the very beginning of the dream in verses 4 and 5 of 1 Nephi 8, where a man “dressed in a white robe” came forth out of the dark and dreary place. In my class, we discussed that right in the beginning, it is hard to tell whether this individual dressed in white is good or not.
One interpretation or application of this part of the dream is that the man in the white robe represents Jesus. I have never picked up on this detail before, but it would make sense that it would be Christ. God does not want to take away all trials, but He provided someone to be our travelling companion so we aren’t walking alone. Christ doesn’t just stay away from darkness and evil, he is right there to walk beside us and help us when we are struggling. He suffered in Gethsemane on the cross for us, and has endured all the pain that we could ever experience on this earth.
I am so grateful for the love of God and His strength and knowledge. We are not here on earth to experience an easy journey-- we are here to learn and grow and to become more like our Savior. I know that as we rely on Him, we will be blessed with the strength to overcome any trial we are presented with.
Have a great week!
0 notes
Text
The Resurrection
Hello friends!
This week has been one of the hardest weeks I have had in a while. It has been filled with sorrow and heartache, but most of all, love. This week, I have been focused on the miracles of Christ, but I have really focused on one event in the scriptures. This event took place after Christ’s resurrection and can be found in chapter 3 of The Acts of the Apostles and is discussed throughout the chapter, but I want to focus on verses 1-19. I have always loved this story, because even though Christ isn’t physically present to heal this man, there are still miracles and tender mercies.
These verses discuss the story of a man who is lame since birth and was carried everyday for decades to the gate of the temple to “ask alms of them that entered into the temple.”
Something that I have never thought about before is the fact that this man had to have seen Christ healing many people in His mortal ministry in this temple. And Christ probably walked by and saw this man suffering many times.
A principle that can be gleaned from this passage is that everything happens in the Lord’s timing. We can hope and pray over and over for something to happen, but God governs the cosmic clocks and knows when we need things to happen in our lives. This past week, I have been praying for peace and happiness, but my soul seems to be overwhelmed with sorrow. I want things to happen immediately, but patience is so important. We also need to trust that the Lord knows what He is doing. When we are able to do these things, we can find peace and hope for better days, even when we may be experiencing our darkest moments.
I hope you guys have a great week!
1 note
·
View note
Text
Matthew 27:15-26
Hello friends!
This week I studied a topic that many Christians have heard many times throughout their lives. It seems to be the rock of all Christian religions. My study was focused on the events leading to the crucifixion of Christ. One event that I would like to focus on is Pilate and the decision to release Barabbas and crucify Christ found in Matthew 27:15-26. These verses have always made my heart hurt when I read them. The fact that people could decide to crucify an innocent man makes no sense to me.
In verse 15, it mentions that one prisoner could be released. The people in the following verses declare they want a man named Barabbas to be released and for Christ to be crucified. Some interesting facts to note about Barabbas is that his name means “son of his father” and his given name is the Hebrew form of “Jesus.” Barabbas is accused of being a rebel against the Roman rule, a murderer, and a thief. Barabbas could be considered the opposite of Christ who gave life and other things and He brought peace wherever He went.
It appears that maybe Pilate chose another prisoner who was so bad that the people would choose to release Christ, because Pilate knew that Christ was innocent and had done no evil. Regardless of the fact that Christ was innocent, the people still chose to crucify Christ and release Barabbas.
This is our story-- we are guilty and Christ is innocent. Christ pays the price for our sins and suffers even though He is innocent. This principle makes me so grateful for Christ and His love for each and every one of us.
Christ’s atoning sacrifice is infinite and we can never repay our debt to Him. All we can do is show our love to Him by loving those around us and striving to follow his example. We need to emulate his qualities.
Have a great week!
0 notes
Text
•enjoy the little things•
1 note
·
View note
Text
John 11:20-35
Hello friends!
This week I studied John 11:20-35, which describes the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead and His interactions with Mary and Martha beforehand. A couple days prior to Lazarus’ death, Mary and Martha sent word to Christ saying that Lazarus was dying and desired for Christ to come and heal him. Christ arrive after the death of Lazarus and was greeted differently by both Mary and Martha, and because of this, he responded differently to both sisters. In this chapter, I am able to see a little more of Christ’s character. He is not an abstract concept, but He is my friend and my confidant.
These verses have always impacted me emotionally. I love the tenderness and friendship that Jesus displays for these siblings and how he comforts them in this time of need. He never tells either of them that they are sad for no reason or that they should stop crying because he is going to raise Lazarus from the dead, he comforts them.
Christ mourns with those that mourn, and feels what we feel. His tears that were shed at this time (vs. 35, “Jesus wept”) display his genuine love for people and His friends. But he does not comfort each individual the same way. He knows what method of comfort will best help us in our different situations. Christ is very present in all our lives and cares about our successes and trials. We can rely on Him and His infinite atoning power.
Have a great week!
0 notes
Text
Matthew 25:14-30
Hello friends!
This week, I read “The Parable of the Talents” in Matthew 25:14-30. This parable describes three servants and what they do with the talents they are given. I have often turned to this chapter in the scriptures with the idea that “talents” refers to the gifts we are given and have reflected on what I do with my own talents. I have tried to develop my talents and put myself in positions where I can develop more talents.
In this chapter, “talents” is not referring to gifts or abilities, it is referring to a weight or measurement of about 75 lbs. of gold. One servant is given 5 talents, one servant is given 2, and the last servant is given 1 talent.
One response to this, is that it isn’t fair that one servant was given 5 while the another was given 1. But symbolically, the talents can be blessings and temptations, good and bad things. The Lord knows what each of us can handle individually and is aware of our different needs. I know that sometimes I wonder why some people are “more blessed” or why some people experience more hardships than I do, but this is not necessarily true. We are given the trials we need to help us grow. We also receive the blessings that we may need at a particular time in our lives.
Heavenly Father does not favor any of His children more than others-- He loves each of us dearly and cares about our successes and failures. When we compare ourselves to others, we are taking our focus off Christ.
Have a great day!
0 notes
Text
Matthew 8:1-3
Hello friends!
This week, I read about the miracles of Jesus Christ. I really focused on Matthew 8:1-3, which reads:
“1. When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.
2. And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
3. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.”
The leper said, “Lord, if thou wilt” which implies that regardless of Christ’s answer, the leper will still thank and praise the Lord. The leper understands that the Lord has a larger plan for each of us. The leper then states, “thou canst make me clean,” displaying his knowledge of God’s infinite power. Something that we discussed in my religion class was the different meanings that can be conveyed depending on the emphasis that can be placed on the different words in this small phrase. We were not present during this event, so we can not know how the leper said this but we can imagine the love he had for the Lord.
These verses are so powerful, and remind me of the deep love that Christ has for each of us. And even though leprosy, in the literal sense, is not a huge concern today, leprosy is alive and well in other ways symbolically. We all have trials and hardships that we experience in our lives, whether its the death of a loved one, addiction, or a trial of faith. We can trust in the Lord and have faith that he will help us through whatever hardship we may be facing.
2 notes
·
View notes
Text
Matthew 4:5-11
Hello friends!
This week I studied the temptations of Jesus Christ more deeply. The verses I focused on were Matthew 4:5-11. Satan is trying to tempt Christ in verse 6, “And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.” The Savior responds to this temptation in verse 7, “It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”
Satan continues to try and tempt the Lord in the next few verses, but is unsuccessful.
I have never really studied these verses in depth until this past week, but I have always loved the way that Christ resists the temptation of the devil and stands firm. He is a direct example of what we should do when faced with temptation.
The principle that can be gleaned from these few verses is that Satan uses the truth and scriptures and sprinkles in just a couple lies to tempt us. And sometimes, it is hard to differentiate between the truth and temptations from Satan without the help of the Lord. We need to turn to the Lord and lean on Him for guidance. He will show us how to stand strong against temptations and how to cling to the iron rod, even when the laughter and sounds of joy float through the air from the great and spacious building. I know that He is always by our side to guide and protect us, we only need to trust in Him.
Have a great week!
2 notes
·
View notes
Text
1 note
·
View note
Text
Isaiah 40:4, 10-11
Hello friends!
This week, I was able to study the book of Isaiah a little bit more and learn more about the attributes of Christ. The verses that I focused on were Isaiah 40: 4, 10-11.
“4. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain.
10. Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
11. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead them that are with young.”
The book of Isaiah is written so beautifully and brings so much peace to my soul. The Lord will always be there to guide us through the struggles and trials that we may face in life. This is comforting to me because there is so much uncertainty in the world and it is sometimes hard to prioritize and balance everything we have going on.
The principles that we can glean from this chapter in Isaiah is that God is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, and omnibenevolent. He will be our shepherd and will guide us safely home. With this knowledge comes a sense of peace. There is no need to be in constant fear because He will always be ready to listen and help us.
Have a great week!
1 note
·
View note
Text
Moses 4: 6-12
Hello friends!
This week, I studied a little bit more about the Creation and the part that Adam and Eve played. The verses that I focused on were Moses 4: 6-12. I won’t list all the verses, but here are two to give a taste.
10 And the serpent said unto the woman: Ye shall not surely die;
11 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
These verses have caused quite a bit of confusion in my life, growing up. I didn’t understand how knowing the difference between good and evil could be a bad thing. I even struggled with understanding why Satan was so bad, if he was helping Adam and Eve “be as gods.” But the principle that I was able to learn by reading these verses and studying them this past week was that the devil doesn’t come dressed in red with pointy horns, he comes as everything that we have ever wished for or wanted in our lives.
Satan is able to display terrible things in a way that makes them appealing. He is able to twist the truth just the tiniest bit and cause us to doubt the things that we used to be so sure about.
We need to trust in the Lord for guidance, and have faith that He will answer our prayers. He has a plan for each and every one of us and we never have to worry about being alone. Satan might try and tempt us, but when we rely on the Lord, He will be our lighthouse during a storm. And He will never leave us in the dark.
Love you guys and hope you have a great week!
1 note
·
View note
Text
Hello friends!
Once again, I am sharing some insights that I had this week. So enjoy!
A couple verses from the Bible that I studied this week can be found in Genesis 1:1-5.
“1. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
2. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
3. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
4. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
5. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.”
The subject of the Creation is one that brings up quite a bit of controversy.
Was the world created in just seven days? How does evolution play into the creation of man?
And there are many probable and possible truths that float around as individuals ponder the Creation-- we don’t know if one day for God is measured differently for us mortals.
But there are some absolute truths and principles that we can glean from these five verses. For example, we know that God created this world. We know that God created night and day. And we know that the creator of this world, and all its inhabitants, also created us. The truth found in these verses has always been a comfort to me, and studying them closer has helped me understand the characteristics of God a little better. Science and religion work together, not against.
1 note
·
View note
Text
"The moon is a loyal companion. It never leaves. It's always there, watching, steadfast, knowing us in our light and dark moments, changing forever just as we do. Every day it's a different version of itself. Sometimes weak and wan, sometimes strong and full of light. The moon understands what it means to be human. Uncertain. Alone. Cratered by imperfections." -- Tahereh Mafi, "Shatter Me"
2 notes
·
View notes
