Where is my heart?

Where is my heart?

There were several scriptures that really touched me and made me think this week. 

Helaman 10:5 “And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will.”

Helaman 13:12 “Yea, wo unto this great city of Zarahemla; for behold, it is because of those who are righteous that it is saved; yea, wo unto this great city, for I perceive, saith the Lord, that there are many, yea, even the more part of this great city, that will harden their hearts against me, saith the Lord.”

Helaman 15:10 “And now, because of their steadfastness when they do believe in that thing which they do believe, for because of their firmness when they are once enlightened, behold, the Lord shall bless them and prolong their days,“

Helaman 16:23 “And notwithstanding the signs and the wonders which were wrought among the people of the Lord, and the many miracles which they did, Satan did get great hold upon the hearts of the people upon all the face of the land.”

Nephi was blessed incredibly for his unwearyingness and encouraged and continued to preach.  Although most of Zarahemla was wicked the Lord does not let it be destroyed because there are still a few who were righteous.  The Lamanites are the good example here and are praised because of their steadfastness in what they believe and firmness when taught the truth.  I want my family to be the same way.  How do I prevent Satan from having a great hold on my heart?  How do I teach my children to be steadfast and firm and not let Satan in? 

I loved the opportunity this week to discuss the consequences of sin with my son.  My son had to teach the lesson Sunday in Teachers Quorum and I helped him find videos about choices and consequences.  We watched part of David A. Bednar’s DVD from Act in Doctrine called, “The Lord’s Side of The Line.”  He answers a little boy’s question of how to start reading scriptures again if you stop.  He has the end of the rug be the line between the Lord’s side and the devil’s territory.  When you stop reading scriptures and praying then you are walking towards the devil’s territory.  You aren’t doing anything that’s a big sin but the sin just barely on the side of the devil looks better and better.  Then Satan binds you there and the only way back is repentance.  As you study scriptures and pray and do the things that bring you closer to Christ you walk away from the devil’s territory. 

The next video we watched was “Stay Between the Lines” from youth.lds.org.  It was about the choices of a young man who first chooses wrong and has to face the consequences of no spirit on his mission and not being able to take sacrament.  Jarom also shared this in our FHE lesson and we discussed as a family how to stay on the Lord’s side.  We also watched “Leave the Party” from lds.org.  It’s about college students in China who end up at a party and faced with the option to smoke marijuana.  One decides to stay and just hold it and is arrested and loses his scholarship and opportunity for business in Japan.  The two who left end up with employment in Japan and true happiness with opportunities not available if they had chosen differently. 

As we talked as a family we discussed how Satan wants to take away our agency.  My daughter remembered that Satan laughs at us. My son then shared that his leader said, “What you do when noone is looking defines you as a person.”  He shared his testimony of how he always wants to be worthy when noone is looking.  I also shared my testimony and thoughts of how Satan wants us to think there is no way back but we use the Atonement and repent and there is always a way back.  It was a wonderful spirit in our home as we talked. 

I want my heart to be humble and teachable and am grateful for the opportunity to learn with my children and husband as a family.

Lessons Learned From War

The war chapters in The Book of Mormon are incredible!  I love how we are given exactly what we need to know for these days to battle spiritually and win.  I studied Alma 43-62 this week.  I listened to John Bytheway’s talk, “Lessons From The War Chapters” from BYU Education Week. After my personal study and then watching it, I found so many insights I am excited to share.  Brother Bytheway started by asking why there are so many chapters on war.  He gave three reasons to think about.  1.  The prophets saw our day and we are constantly at war.  2.  We are in a time of spiritual war.  3.  Mormon himself was a great warrior and understood battle.  1 Nephi 6:6 “Wherefore, I shall give commandment unto my seed, that they shall not occupy these plates with things which are not of worth unto the children of men.”  Alma had this commandment.  He wrote only things that would benefit us.  Do we pay attention as we read and ask ourselves why this is written for us?  I want to do this more. 

Brother Bytheway went through most of the chapters and gave a lesson from each one he had time to address.  He started by listing Captain Moroni’s enemies “from Z to A.”  Zerahemnah-who eventually swore an oath to never attack Nephites again, Amalickiah and his brother Ammoron who were killed by javelin by Teancum, the King Men who rebelled and were put down by Moroni.  Each one of these was a Nephite.  Who were the most trouble for Nephites?  Apostate Nephites.  Who was the most trouble for Joseph Smith, apostate members.  It made me think of who today is the most loudly opposed and causes the most problems, apostate members.  Brother Bytheway said that when the Nephites dissented and became Lamanites, they didn’t change their lineage, they became Lamanites according to their affiliations and beliefs.  We need to be careful that our own beliefs aren’t affiliated with anything that could slowly be leading us from truth. 

Some of the lessons Brother Bytheway attributes to each chapter are: 

Alma 43:  Prophets will tell us where the enemy will strike.  

Alma 44:  Faith in Christ is a power to be reckoned with – even in war. 

Alma 45:  It is expedient that the word of God be declared.

Alma 46:  Covenants are power!  Place reminders of your covenants everywhere!

Alma 47:  Don’t come down from your mountain.

Alma 48:  Spiritual preparation first.  Make covenants, then swords.

Alma 49:  If ye are prepared ye shall not fear.  Be prepared.

Alma 50:  Build your fortification and listen to the watchmen on the tower. 

Alma 51:  Beware of pride.  Pride within destroys.

Alma 52:  Don’t leave your stronghold.

Alma 53:  If you know the church is true, be true to the church.

Alma 54:  Fear God more than men.  Meekness does not mean weakness. Repentance is vital. 

Alma 55:  Be quick to remember the Lord.  Be cautious that no poison should be administered to you.

That was all there was time for but I added a few of my own observations at the top of each of the remaining chapters.

Alma 56:  2000 stripling warriors knew their mother knew and did not doubt

Alma 57:  Have faith.  Trust in God continually.

Alma 58:  Sometimes it is expedient that we wait patiently for more strength.

Alma 59:  It is easier to keep a city than to retake it so beware dissentions.  Wickedness is weakness. 

Alma 60:  The Lord allows the righteous to be slain so that his justice and judgement come upon the wicked

Alma 61:  Do the will of God.  Fear not.  God will deliver you.

Alma 62:  Freedom is worth fighting for with your life.  Remember the great things the Lord has done.  Pray continually.

I have many heroes from these chapters and want to follow their example.  Moroni, Helaman, Teancum, Lehi, and other leaders were all men of God who served Him and loved Him and taught their people to trust the Lord. 

Moroni is one of my heroes.  He is an inspiring example of courage and faith.  As I read I noted things that struck me about Moroni. 

He was young and willing to follow the Lord. 

He was humble.

He was a man of passion for the cause of Christ.

He was a man of great faith and inspired others to have faith.

He always prepared spiritually first for war.   

He was intelligent and used inspired stratagem to conquer. 

He taught men to defend their families even unto bloodshed.

He loved God, religion, freedom, peace and his wife and children.

He had compassion and valued life.

He didn’t delight in shedding blood.

He was benevolent and a man of his word.

He gave the glory to the Lord for victory. 

He inspired loyalty and duty in his men.

He inspired confidence and others followed him.

He was fair.  He stood up for righteousness.

He knew the Lord would deliver them if they were righteous.

He lived the basics:  faith, repentance, keep commandments, keep covenants.

I tried to look at the war chapters as an instruction manual for our day as I read.  I know that if we follow the examples given and listen to the spirit we will be safe through the spiritual battles of our day.  It seems to be more difficult in this time to obey and follow but we are blessed with the spirit to guide us.  I know that as we pray and follow promptings we can teach our children to be more like our Savior and that is where peace is.  I loved that the end of the war chapters ends in having them pray continually.  Prayer is vital and what I am working on.  I am grateful for the opportunity to learn from these war heroes.  I know that when we are righteous we are blessed.  I want to be like Moroni.