Friday, September 2, 2016

A Javelin

The last couple of weeks have been brutal reading the Book of Mormon war chapters; Gospel Doctrine reading assignment 30 & 31, a total of 22 chapters.

The stratagem of Moroni really shines through in defense of his people.

Be patient and forge through your reading assignment, chapter by chapter- build a "reading stratagem".

Highlight these cited words: scourge, secure, defend, fortify, and strengthen.

Just as the writings apply to war, they can be applied to life's battlefront.

Like this applied verse, from the Old Testament: Exodus 17:8-12-  Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim.  So Moses said to Joshua, "Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek.  Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand".  So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.  Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed.  But Moses' hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put if under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

Add the word "steady" to the cited words.

But I love this battle moment: Alma 51:34...And it came to pass that Teancum stole privily into the tent of the king, and put a javelin to his heart; and he did cause the death of the king immediately that he did awake his servants.

A Javelin, One On One Side

The last couple of weeks have been brutal reading the Book of Mormon war chapters; Gospel Doctrine reading assignment 30 & 31, a total of 22 chapters.

The stratagem of Moroni really shines through in defense of his people.

Be patient and forge through your reading assignment, chapter by chapter- build a "reading stratagem".

Highlight these cited words: scourge, secure, defend, fortify, and strengthen.

Just as the writings apply to war, they can be applied to life's battlefront.

Like this applied verse, from the Old Testament: Exodus 17:8-12-  Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim.  So Moses said to Joshua, "Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek.  Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand".  So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.  Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed.  But Moses' hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put if under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.

Add the word "steady" to the cited words.

But I love this battle moment: Alma 51:34...And it came to pass that Teancum stole privily into the tent of the king, and put a javelin to his heart; and he did cause the death of the king immediately that he did awake his servants.

Thursday, September 1, 2016

A Constant Renewed Stream

What's in a source? Two people where searching for sources to add to a relative in FamilySearch. No sources were being found.  However, from a yearbook picture it was identified that a person "Phila" short for Phyllis was found, and from a World War I, II enlistment record it identified "Emily Jane" as his spouse. This small opening in these sources expanded ancestry lines with additional siblings and parents.

When the 1915 yearbook picture was viewed on Ancestry.com, a match was identified as the same picture a sister had sent of Phyllis, now Phila to her older sister.  The family for years could find no significant record.  From this episode with a simple yearbook picture, a census record linked Phila to her sister, a brother and her Mother, who in the mind of the granddaughter had been lost, and never able to be found.

An open and clear mind truly expands a wave of revelation.

Thursday, August 25, 2016

1978

Excerpt
"Meeting the Challenges of our Day" Neal A. Maxwell
The doctrine of foreordination, therefore, is not a doctrine of repose; it is a doctrine for the second-milers; it can draw out of us the last full measure of devotion. It is a doctrine of perspiration, not aspiration. Moreover, it discourages aspiring, lest we covet, like two early disciples, that which has already been given to another (Matthew 20:20–23). Foreordination is a doctrine for the deep believer and will only bring scorn from the skeptic.
When, as Joseph F. Smith said, we “catch a spark from the awakened memories of the immortal soul,” let us be quietly grateful. And when of great truths we can come to say “I know,” that powerful spiritual witness may also carry with it the sense of our having known before. With rediscovery, what we are really saying is, “I know—again!” No wonder that, so often, real teaching is mere reminding.
God bless you and keep you, my special friends, to the end that you will each carry out all of the assignments given to you so very long ago. You have been measured and found adequate for the challenges that will face you as citizens of the kingdom of God; of that you should have a deep inner assurance. Be true to that trust, as all of us must, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ.

Thursday, August 18, 2016

"i"

The Lord is involved in our every detail, even the minor ones.  As an infinite, eternal law was fulfilled.

A jot is the horizontal mark on the letter "t", and a tittle is the dot above an "i" or a "j".

When writing cursive, these marks are made after the entire word is penned sometimes causing one to overlook their placement.  He is certain, so sure to go over every jot and tittle, as our loving, eternal Heavenly Father.

Alma 34:13-14

13 Therefore, it is expedient that there should be a great and last sacrifice, and then shall there be, or it is expedient there should be, a stop to the shedding of blood; then shall the law of Moses be fulfilled; yea, it shall be all fulfilled, every jot and tittle, and none shall have passed away.
 14 And behold, this is the whole meaning of the law, every whit pointing to that great and last sacrifice; and that great and last sacrifice will be the Son of God, yea, infinite and eternal.

Thursday, August 11, 2016

Verse Similarities

Alma 37:

 37 Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

Alma 38:

And now my son, Shiblon, I would that ye should remember, that as much as ye shall put your trust in God even so much ye shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

Egyptian translation of “last day” means a point, movement in harvest or season, an event, e.g. flooding of crops.  This being lifted up at the last day, could be the final event, but it might even be a difficulty that we may be experiencing right now.



Verse Similarities

Alma 37:

 37 Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

Alma 38:

And now my son, Shiblon, I would that ye should remember, that as much as ye shall put your trust in God even so much ye shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

Egyptian translation of “last day” means a point, movement in harvest or season, an event, e.g. flooding of crops.  This being lifted up at the last day, could be the final event, but it might even be a difficulty that we may be experiencing right now.