3 Nephi 15: 6 And blessed are the Gentiles, because of their belief in me, in and of the Holy Ghost, which witnesses unto them of me and of the Father.
I read chapters 14 and 15 today and I am kind of having a hard time knowing what to say. I have read through the chapters a couple times and I realized I love this verse. I have never seen the Savior (in this life at least) but I know He is real. I don't need to see Him to know He is real, I have felt he is real because the Holy Ghost has testified of this to me as I have patterned my life after the Saviors. I have felt my Savior's love and I have been healed through His atonement.
I remember the night I learned for myself that the Savior truly was more than a fairy tale. I was reading my scriptures and the Holy Ghost flooded through me so strongly, I knew after that night that the Book of Mormon and all of it's Prophets were true men that once walked the earth and kept the records and the Savior and Heavenly Father were just as real as I was sitting in that room that night. The Holy Ghost is amazing and brings such a warm feeling spreading peace.
Love,
Becky joy
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Monday, October 20, 2014
Book of Mormon: 3 Nephi Chapter 14
Before I talk about this chapter I just wanted to share what my little 3 year old daughter prayed tonight in our Family Home Evening prayer. She said, "thank you for giving us Reuben." Reuben is the new little addition to our family and we love him so much. I just thought it was so sweet how she said that in the prayer. She is just so sweet and we love her.
In this chapter (3 Nephi 14) I couldn't help but feel the spirit as I thought of the Prophet: Thomas S. Monson. In verses 15-23 it warns against false Prophets and how to tell between a true Prophet and a False one. In these scriptures the Savior says: |
| It's hard to get her to wear anything but a dress. |
15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day: Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works?
I know Thomas S. Monson is a true Prophet in this dispensation for Jesus Christ. The spirit testified that to me as I read this chapter, when I hear his words I am filled with the spirit also, and as I study his life/works he has lived his life very close to the Savior. I invite you to listen to his words and study his works as well.
Love,
Becky joy
Friday, October 17, 2014
Book of Mormon: 3 Nephi Chapter 11
I'm back!! Sorry I had my baby on October 5th!! We named him Reuben Hinckley Cook (his middle name is after the past Prophet of our church, Gordon B. Hinckley, I loved that man). And I am in love love love with my little baby boy.
Tonight I found myself in 3 Nephi chapter 11. One of my favorite things about the Book of Mormon is the record in it containing Jesus Christ coming to America. Isn't it neat that there is a record of it! The chapters that Jesus Christ is in are also some of my most favorite ones.
This chapter is packed with such good messages and doctrine from the Savior but the thing I wanted to focus on tonight was something I struggle with so much and that is contention.
In Verse 29, Jesus says: For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.
Since I had a baby, my Mom is here this week. She is such a wonderful Grandmother and has been such a great help to me but the truth is, we don't always see eye to eye. While reading this chapter it hit me, Why do I feel the need to share my opinion with her on some matters that she already has such a strong opinion on? I think it is because I want her to know I think she she is wrong. That is not right and it won't get us anywhere.
Also while reading this chapter and verse, I came to realize, I am following Satan when I allow myself to get worked up. Contention is not of the Savior, it is of the Devil. So perhaps when I am starting to feel crazy, I need to stop what I am doing and go and spend time with my Heavenly Father. In verse 27 the Savior states, " 27 And after this manner shall ye baptize in my name; for behold, verily I say unto you, that the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost are one; and I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I are one."
So as I spend time with my Heavenly Father I will become more Christlike. I really hope I can remember to do this before another argument occurs. It really doesn't matter about how my Mom speaks differently than me, what matters is that our family is strong and that Satan doesn't have power to destroy us.
Love,
Becky joy
P.S. to read the blog about me birthing my baby you can go here.
 |
| Family picture after my little boy was born. Joy completely filled me. |
 |
| Our daughter Sage meeting her new little brother. She is in love with him! |
Tonight I found myself in 3 Nephi chapter 11. One of my favorite things about the Book of Mormon is the record in it containing Jesus Christ coming to America. Isn't it neat that there is a record of it! The chapters that Jesus Christ is in are also some of my most favorite ones.
This chapter is packed with such good messages and doctrine from the Savior but the thing I wanted to focus on tonight was something I struggle with so much and that is contention.
In Verse 29, Jesus says: For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another.
Since I had a baby, my Mom is here this week. She is such a wonderful Grandmother and has been such a great help to me but the truth is, we don't always see eye to eye. While reading this chapter it hit me, Why do I feel the need to share my opinion with her on some matters that she already has such a strong opinion on? I think it is because I want her to know I think she she is wrong. That is not right and it won't get us anywhere.
Also while reading this chapter and verse, I came to realize, I am following Satan when I allow myself to get worked up. Contention is not of the Savior, it is of the Devil. So perhaps when I am starting to feel crazy, I need to stop what I am doing and go and spend time with my Heavenly Father. In verse 27 the Savior states, " 27 And after this manner shall ye baptize in my name; for behold, verily I say unto you, that the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost are one; and I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I are one."
So as I spend time with my Heavenly Father I will become more Christlike. I really hope I can remember to do this before another argument occurs. It really doesn't matter about how my Mom speaks differently than me, what matters is that our family is strong and that Satan doesn't have power to destroy us.
Love,
Becky joy
P.S. to read the blog about me birthing my baby you can go here.
Monday, September 29, 2014
Book of Mormon: Helaman chapter 10
Last Friday my husband and I went to the temple together. While we went to the temple one of my good friends took Sage (my daughter) horse back riding. I thought that was so nice of her and her husband to do that for us. I love where I live, this place is filled with such good people and making friends comes soooo easily.
While I was in the Celestial room of the temple I decided to read my scriptures and so I read Helaman chapter ten. This chapter filled me with the spirit so easily. A couple of versus that I loved were:
While I was in the Celestial room of the temple I decided to read my scriptures and so I read Helaman chapter ten. This chapter filled me with the spirit so easily. A couple of versus that I loved were:
4 Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments.
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.
Isn't it crazy how much freedom is given when our will is in line with the Lord's? On Saturday I attended General Women's conference. President Uchtdorf spoke on obeying all of God's commandments even when we don't understand why because He knows something we don't. It is like a parent putting a plate of broccoli in front of a child. The child doesn't understand why he needs to eat his vegetables but the parent understands and knows it is important. And think of the freedom that child will have with his health if he eats healthy compared to someone who skimps on healthy food choices.
If you would like to watch women's conference you can here. It was so good, I cried because the spirit was so strong!
Love,
Becky joy
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
New Testament: Mark 4:37-40
I don't want power, I want peace.
I just got home from a fireside that was such a treat for my spirit to indulge on. Emily Freeman, an LDS author, was the speaker and she spoke on peace. Something she touched on in her talk was the story in the New Testament found in Mark 4:37-40 when the apostles with the Savior on a ship awoke Him in fear asking Him to save their ship from the disaster of the storm.
I remember reading these same versus one day as I was studying this chapter in the New Testament 2 years ago (ask me why I remember the exact time frame, and the only thing I can answer is the people in my life at the time and the apartment we lived in) and I was amazed at the different message I got as an adult reading this story than I did when I was a child hearing the story.
As a child I remember learning this story and thinking to myself, if I have great faith then I will have lots of power to move mountains and to calm storms!!! Which ya know, is true but as I read it on my bed in our apartment in Houston, Texas 2 years ago I remember reading the words from versus :37-38 that said, "And there arose a great storm of wind , and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he (talking about the Savior) was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow..."
Those scriptures amazed me! Here the Savior is sleeping in a storm! And when the Savior asked the other men on the ship after calming the sea, the questions, "Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?" I felt as though the Savior was looking at me and personally saying, "Becky why are ye so fearful, how is it that ye have no faith?"
I decided I wanted to be like the Savior and not because He could move mountains, walk on water, or calm seas The fact is, I didn't care at all about the part of Him calming the sea anymore, what really stuck out to me was that He had so much faith that He could sleep on the ship whether the storm was present or not. I craved that peace because it was most certainly missing from my life at the time. I didn't want power, I wanted peace.
Looking back, I can't help but be thankful I learned it is possible to find peace through storms (or trials). I am most certainly not to the point where I could sleep in a flooding ship being blown around at sea, but right now I have so much peace in my life when uncertainty is also present. In fact, I have never felt so much peace in my life as I do now (and I am pregnant so that is saying a lot), but I think it is because the Lord has never given me any reason not to trust Him, and I allow that knowledge I have gained to stay with me each day.
Love,
Becky joy
I remember reading these same versus one day as I was studying this chapter in the New Testament 2 years ago (ask me why I remember the exact time frame, and the only thing I can answer is the people in my life at the time and the apartment we lived in) and I was amazed at the different message I got as an adult reading this story than I did when I was a child hearing the story.
As a child I remember learning this story and thinking to myself, if I have great faith then I will have lots of power to move mountains and to calm storms!!! Which ya know, is true but as I read it on my bed in our apartment in Houston, Texas 2 years ago I remember reading the words from versus :37-38 that said, "And there arose a great storm of wind , and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. And he (talking about the Savior) was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow..."
Those scriptures amazed me! Here the Savior is sleeping in a storm! And when the Savior asked the other men on the ship after calming the sea, the questions, "Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?" I felt as though the Savior was looking at me and personally saying, "Becky why are ye so fearful, how is it that ye have no faith?"
I decided I wanted to be like the Savior and not because He could move mountains, walk on water, or calm seas The fact is, I didn't care at all about the part of Him calming the sea anymore, what really stuck out to me was that He had so much faith that He could sleep on the ship whether the storm was present or not. I craved that peace because it was most certainly missing from my life at the time. I didn't want power, I wanted peace.
Looking back, I can't help but be thankful I learned it is possible to find peace through storms (or trials). I am most certainly not to the point where I could sleep in a flooding ship being blown around at sea, but right now I have so much peace in my life when uncertainty is also present. In fact, I have never felt so much peace in my life as I do now (and I am pregnant so that is saying a lot), but I think it is because the Lord has never given me any reason not to trust Him, and I allow that knowledge I have gained to stay with me each day.
Love,
Becky joy
Monday, September 22, 2014
Family Home Evening
Every Monday we have Family Home Evening. Tonight as a family we went to a restaurant for dinner and then came home and had our usual song, prayer, and lesson. For the lesson I read a poem entitled "We're all different" by Susan Parry from the Friend:
"Some kids are short, and others are tall.
Some have lots of freckles and some not at all.
Some ride in wheelchairs because they can’t walk.
Others sound different from me when they talk.
Some kids wear clothes with a funny design
And have faces a lot different from mine.
Some kids are skinny and others more round.
When I think about Jesus, here’s what I’ve found:
He loves every child. He just doesn’t mind
What they look like or talk like. He’s still just as kind.
I want to be like Him. He’d never make fun
Of a child who looks different or can’t walk or run.
So when I see children who aren’t just like me,
I’ll think about Jesus, and like Him I’ll be.
I might feel a bit shy, but I know what to do.
I’ll be friends with them all—and I bet you will too!"
I love the simplicity of this poem because it is easy to explain to my daughter who is nearly 3 years old. But the gospel really is that simple to understand. Jesus Christ loves all of us, he does not look on the outward appearance and I want to be just like Him.
Love,
Becky joy
Friday, September 19, 2014
Book of Mormon: Helaman Chapter 7
In Helaman chapter 7 it talks about Helaman's son Nephi and how much sorrow he feels because of the wickedness of the Nephites. The Nephites are desendents of Lehi and Nephi from the book of Nephi who were Prophets. For the most part in the Book of Mormon the Nephites are the more righteous group of people but now they are putting their focus on worldly pleasures instead of their God and are becoming wicked.
The scripture that sticks out to me the most is in verse 6 when it says, "Now this great iniquity had come upon the Nephites, in the space of not many years...."
How long does it take to become wicked when we lose focus....not long. I look at this scripture and realize for myself how important it is to make God my focus each day of my life. I can't afford to allow worldly things to become my focus.
How I made my relationship with God a priority today: served a friend by watching her kids, read and studied my scriptures, talked to God through prayer, donated money to the scouts, read scriptures with my family and prayed with my family, shared my testimony with my sister-in-law, read the Prophet's message from the Ensign.
Wow I was thinking I wasn't going to be able to name very many things when I began but then as I started I kept thinking of more and more things. That makes me happy that I really am making my relationship with God a priority each day! What did you do today?? Comment with the things you do each day. :)
Love,
Becky joy
The scripture that sticks out to me the most is in verse 6 when it says, "Now this great iniquity had come upon the Nephites, in the space of not many years...."
How long does it take to become wicked when we lose focus....not long. I look at this scripture and realize for myself how important it is to make God my focus each day of my life. I can't afford to allow worldly things to become my focus.
How I made my relationship with God a priority today: served a friend by watching her kids, read and studied my scriptures, talked to God through prayer, donated money to the scouts, read scriptures with my family and prayed with my family, shared my testimony with my sister-in-law, read the Prophet's message from the Ensign.
Wow I was thinking I wasn't going to be able to name very many things when I began but then as I started I kept thinking of more and more things. That makes me happy that I really am making my relationship with God a priority each day! What did you do today?? Comment with the things you do each day. :)
Love,
Becky joy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)