Isaiah saw our day.

     I have been doing some searching and studying about Isaiah.  I want to understand the words better and I can't do it alone.  One of the things I found was in order to understand Isaiah, you need to understand that Isaiah is mostly talking to and about the Covenant people in our day.  He is talking to and about Jesus Christ's Church which was restored to this earth through Joseph Smith, whom I blogged about here.  So in order to understand Isaiah better, you need to understand The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (aka Mormon or LDS Church) and to understand the Covenants made by the members of this church.  It is also important to note, the members of the LDS church are descendants of  the house of Israel: Jacob, Abraham, Isaac. 
    He (Isaiah) also prophesies of the gathering of Israel.  The gathering of Israel has began and those of us who are members of the LDS Church have been found, gathered, and have received the knowledge of our Savior Jesus Christ so that we may also make Covenants and receive the blessings promised to our Fathers for us, but the gathering is not over.  It is just beginning, and this is also what Isaiah saw and prophesy's about!!

Book of Mormon:  2 Nephi 14

     So in 2 Nephi 13, Isaiah talks to the Covenant women in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and let's them know what will happen if they are more obsessed with looks more than inner beauty.  Chapter 14 focuses more on the Latter Day Saint Women when they do focus on inner beauty instead of just their outward appearance.  

 1 ^aAnd in that day, seven women shall take hold of one man, saying: We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel; only let us be called by thy name to take away our ^breproach.

      What happens when a woman gets married?  The woman takes om the name of the man and makes promises with that man to stay true to him.  Well in this scripture (verse 1) this is what the women are doing with the Lord.  When we make Covenants with our Savior, we promise to be true to those covenants and we take His name upon us.  

      For example, when I turned 8, I was baptized and confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  I promised to take His name upon me and to pattern my life after the way He lived His.  

 2 In that day shall the ^abranch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious; the fruit of the earth excellent and comely to them that are escaped of Israel.

     When we take His name upon us, we become pleasant people.

 3 And it shall come to pass, they that are ^aleft in Zion and remain in Jerusalem shall be called holy, every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem—

     So I read the footnote for "left" and it talked about how the Lord was going to come and destroy all the filthy parts of the House of Israel and all that would be left would be the beautiful parts, or in other words: wicked people would be destroyed and the righteous would be preserved and experience great joy in that day.  Then the righteous people who are left will be Holy people and will live that way for 1000 years.   

     To understand these words I have had to dig deep, but I am loving Isaiah more and more!!

Love,
    Becky joy

Obedience Sets You Free.

Book of Mormon: 1 Nephi Chapter 19
1: "And it came to pass that the Lord commanded me, wherefore I did..."

     Every time I study the words written by the ancient Prophet Nephi, I am truly amazed by his obedience.  The statement above is the first sentence Nephi wrote as he began to write chapter 19.  He amazes me.  And you know who he reminds me of??  The Savior.
     Jesus Christ, the ultimate example because of His obedience to His Father.  I am so thankful for the words of Nephi, that remind me of how to get back to my Father in Heaven.  
     Today while I was visiting another sister in my ward (visiting teaching) I read these words from the visiting teaching message by Elder Christofferson:
     " Obedience gives us greater control over our lives, greater capacity to come and go, to work and create."
      So true!!  Just as vegetables and eating healthy (although they take work and extra time) allow our bodies to be strong and healthy, obedience to God allows spiritual (and sometimes physical) strength as well.  Think about it.

Love,
    Becky joy

Family Home Evening Last night at the pool

Sibling love.

Sustaining The Prophet; Book of Mormon; 1 Nephi 2:12-16

     Being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints means that I sustain President Thomas S. Monson.   He is the Prophet called by God for these Latter Days just as Moses was a Prophet in his day.  

     The other day while getting my hair-cut from a friend of mine who is also a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, asked me what I thought if all the sudden the Church asked us to do something strange (I am omitting further details and just calling the request strange).  I just replied with, "I hope that doesn't happen, that would be hard."

    Then she said, "but what if President Thomas S. Monson said he was told by God to bring this strange request into the church, what would you do?"

     I answered, "I would do it but it would be hard."

     Now I really hope that this strange thing never happens but because I know the Prophet Thomas S. Monson is Jesus Christ's true Prophet, I would know it was right.   I love it how Nephi in 1 Nephi chapter 2 responds to the strange request he was given:

1 Nephi 2:12-16

 12 And thus Laman and Lemuel, being the eldest, did murmur against their father. And they did murmur because they knew notthe dealings of that God who had created them.

 13 Neither did they believe that Jerusalem, that great city, could be destroyed according to the words of the prophets. And they were like unto the Jews who were at Jerusalem, who sought to take away the life of my father.

 14 And it came to pass that my father did speak unto them in thevalley of Lemuel, with power, being filled with the Spirit, until their frames did shake before him. And he did confound them, that they durst not utter against him; wherefore, they did as he commanded them.

 15 And my father dwelt in a tent.

 16 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers.

     Laman and Lemuel when asked to move to the wilderness by their father (aka Prophet of God) they complained and didn't want to.  As Nephi explained, it was because they never knew their God who created them.  They just thought it was strange and silly and that was that.

     Nephi also had a hard time with the strange request to leave his home and move to the wilderness but he responded differently.  Instead of complaining he prayed to be able to know for himself and by the spirit he was comforted and knew he that his father (aka- the Prophet) was right.  

     This is a really good way to approach this situation.  If the Prophet ever asked something strange and possibly to a lot of people he already does, then ask God yourself.  Get down on your knees and ask.  Then the Lord will you know that it is not strange anymore and peace will flood through you.  I know this is true, I have felt it for myself.

Love,

     Becky joy