Leaping in Faith
This weekend was a really good weekend; I learned a lot of really amazing things.
Yesterday was Fast Sunday, since we had General Conference the first weekend of this month. (Which was amazing and inspiring) One of the Sisters in my ward who bore her testimony said that she learned and now finally understands the term "broken heart and contrite spirit". She said that a broken heart was like an open heart- able to accept the atonement. I had previously been taught that a broken heart was broken the way a horse gets "broken [in]". But what this Sister said also made sense.
In Young Women's, we are learning this month about how to come unto Christ. My leader who was teaching the lesson said that in the final judgement we will not be asked if we completed a check list of things we "ought to have done" but rather, we will be asked WHO we became from the things we went through in our lives.
Last night I had a lot of things on my mind.
Think of the most amount of tabs you have ever seen open in an internet browser and multiply that by 3 billion... that was my brain last night.
In the midst of all this pondering though, I simply could NOT get to sleep! I laid, uncomfortably, in bed -- not able to fall asleep. I rolled over and cuddled up in every possible comfortable, and slightly uncomfortable, position to sleep in. I tried to sleep with my sheets and blankets, and then without, and with only my sheets and not my blankets, I tried having only half of my legs covered with my sheets... I tried having one light on, and having it off... Man, I felt like it was a hopeless cause and that I wasn't going to fall asleep, and that I would just have to wait until it was time to get up and go to seminary.
After about an hour of this, I got up to get a glass of water and walked around for second. As I came back to my room, I heard the Spirit tell me to read my scriptures. Now, often, when I get promptings like this I'm like "Really? Ugh, fine. But I really just want to go to sleep..." and I think I'm not the only one. However, last night I was like "Sweet! Alright. Let's do this thing." I sat down and opened up to Doctrine and Covenants, because I am WWAAAYYY behind in my reading for seminary. (No seriously. You'll find out in a second.) I began to read out loud, in a whisper since it was almost midnight, and I was quickly overcome with the Spirit. I choked up -- crying a little, but I continued to read.
Many verses struck me, two of which are scripture mastery:
So, I've decided to begin to read the scriptures on my own time -- not just in seminary -- twice a day. Once before I drive off to school and once before I go to bed.
I, obviously, haven't been doing it for very long -- but it has improved my attitude today. I think I only got grumpy about one stupid driver instead of about 30... Haha.
This morning before I went to school I read D&C 3-4. (I read 1-2 last night.) Some of the verses that stood out to me are:
So I'm going to start to try something new. In addition to my twice a day scripture reading, I'm going to experiment with listening to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir station on my Pandora account while I do my homework. I'm hoping that this will help me hold onto my motivation and focus on finishing my homework.
I'll let y'all know how it goes, after a little while.
God lives, and so does his son -- our Savior -- Jesus Christ. They love us ALL.
-Mastermind
If you have any questions about the Church of Latter-Day Saints, which is the religion I am a faithful member of, please visit lds.org or find/visit a local meeting house near you. Most buildings have 2-3 meeting times, usually at the time of 9am, 11am, and 1pm. If you would like to meet up with some missionaries, please comment below so that we can get in contact and I can refer you to missionaries in your area.
Yesterday was Fast Sunday, since we had General Conference the first weekend of this month. (Which was amazing and inspiring) One of the Sisters in my ward who bore her testimony said that she learned and now finally understands the term "broken heart and contrite spirit". She said that a broken heart was like an open heart- able to accept the atonement. I had previously been taught that a broken heart was broken the way a horse gets "broken [in]". But what this Sister said also made sense.
In Young Women's, we are learning this month about how to come unto Christ. My leader who was teaching the lesson said that in the final judgement we will not be asked if we completed a check list of things we "ought to have done" but rather, we will be asked WHO we became from the things we went through in our lives.
Last night I had a lot of things on my mind.
Think of the most amount of tabs you have ever seen open in an internet browser and multiply that by 3 billion... that was my brain last night.
In the midst of all this pondering though, I simply could NOT get to sleep! I laid, uncomfortably, in bed -- not able to fall asleep. I rolled over and cuddled up in every possible comfortable, and slightly uncomfortable, position to sleep in. I tried to sleep with my sheets and blankets, and then without, and with only my sheets and not my blankets, I tried having only half of my legs covered with my sheets... I tried having one light on, and having it off... Man, I felt like it was a hopeless cause and that I wasn't going to fall asleep, and that I would just have to wait until it was time to get up and go to seminary.
After about an hour of this, I got up to get a glass of water and walked around for second. As I came back to my room, I heard the Spirit tell me to read my scriptures. Now, often, when I get promptings like this I'm like "Really? Ugh, fine. But I really just want to go to sleep..." and I think I'm not the only one. However, last night I was like "Sweet! Alright. Let's do this thing." I sat down and opened up to Doctrine and Covenants, because I am WWAAAYYY behind in my reading for seminary. (No seriously. You'll find out in a second.) I began to read out loud, in a whisper since it was almost midnight, and I was quickly overcome with the Spirit. I choked up -- crying a little, but I continued to read.
Many verses struck me, two of which are scripture mastery:
37. Search these commandments, for they are true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled.
38. What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same.
Doctrine and Covenants 1:37-38I'm not even entirely sure why this particularly struck me, I haven't been struggling with my faith in the commandments. But it did. It struck me so hard I had to stop reading for a moment and just, well, revel in it - I guess you could say. However, I did get the impression -- from these verses -- that I truly do need to improve upon my daily scripture reading.. because let's face it -- I suck at it. I do, really.
So, I've decided to begin to read the scriptures on my own time -- not just in seminary -- twice a day. Once before I drive off to school and once before I go to bed.
I, obviously, haven't been doing it for very long -- but it has improved my attitude today. I think I only got grumpy about one stupid driver instead of about 30... Haha.
This morning before I went to school I read D&C 3-4. (I read 1-2 last night.) Some of the verses that stood out to me are:
Section 3, Verses 2-3: (2) For God doth not walk in crooked paths, neither doth he turn to the right hand nor to the left, neither doth he vary from that which he hath said, therefore his paths are straight, and his course is one eternal round. (3) Remember, remember that it is not the work of God that is frustrated, but the work of men.
Section 3, Verse 8: Yet you should have been faithful; and he would have extended his arm and supported you against all the fiery darts of the adversary; and he would have been with you in every time of trouble.
Section 4, Verses 2-3: (2)Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye might stand blameless before God at the last day. (3) Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work.Then, today, I got home after school -- all ready to do a big palooza to get lots of homework done, and I lost my motivation. Zap. It was gone. I tried to figure out what I could do to stay focused and get it done... but nothing was coming to mind. I thought "I'll read the scriptures then. Put God first, and leave the rest to him." But I couldn't even get myself to read my scriptures, which really frustrated me. I sat down all ready to read, but every time I opened to my bookmark all my motivation just... left.
So I'm going to start to try something new. In addition to my twice a day scripture reading, I'm going to experiment with listening to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir station on my Pandora account while I do my homework. I'm hoping that this will help me hold onto my motivation and focus on finishing my homework.
I'll let y'all know how it goes, after a little while.
God lives, and so does his son -- our Savior -- Jesus Christ. They love us ALL.
-Mastermind
If you have any questions about the Church of Latter-Day Saints, which is the religion I am a faithful member of, please visit lds.org or find/visit a local meeting house near you. Most buildings have 2-3 meeting times, usually at the time of 9am, 11am, and 1pm. If you would like to meet up with some missionaries, please comment below so that we can get in contact and I can refer you to missionaries in your area.
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