My Stack of Thoughts--- Essays (just 3!)
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Emotions can vacillate (duh!)
I really enjoy learning from the scripture- examples of life situations/life realities,that go up and down, just by thoughts that are thought. Even just thinking about the good and the bad in one extended thought can arouse emotions. We learn that thinking is not always level and can vacillate back and forth and our emotions do the same up/down sad/happy scenario.
For instance, in proving my case in court....Mosiah 25:8-11 Alma 62:1-2 2 Nephi 4:16-36 (lament)
Mosiah 25:8 For they knew not what to think; for when they beheld those that had been delivered out of bondage they were filled with exceedingly great joy.
9 And again, when they thought of their brethren who had been slain by the Lamanites they were filled with sorrow, and even shed many tears of sorrow.
10 And again, when they thought of the immediate goodness of God, and his power in delivering Alma and his brethren out of the hands of the Lamanites and of bondage, they did raise their voices and give thanks to God.
11 And again, when they thought upon the Lamanites, who were their brethren, of their sinful and polluted state, they were filled with pain and anguish for the welfare of their souls.
ALMA 62
1 And now it came to pass that when Moroni had received this epistle his heart did take courage, and was filled with exceedingly great joy because of the faithfulness of Pahoran, that he was not also a traitor to the freedom and cause of his country.
2 But he did also mourn exceedingly because of the iniquity of those who had driven Pahoran from the judgment-seat, yea, in fine because of those who had rebelled against their country and also their God.
So there you go. Those tears aren't always hormonal! The vacillating emotions that put us on our own private/personal roller coaster of our lives...it's okay!
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Another way
Sometimes I will hang on to an idea of a needed action like a dog on a bone! Because I feel it's the right thing and this is the right way to accomplish whatever I'm facing- I just persist in banging my head against a brick wall. Refusing to even consider that perhaps, just perhaps, there is a way to actually move ahead that isn't my determined way.
I was reading a story about 2 missionaries. One of those...and then we went down this street that we weren't going to go down... and they met the right person etc. etc. I got to thinking about my narrow mindedness sometimes on really accomplishing what I want to do and not meeting with the goal in mind.
Another Way. My Dad used to occasionally say...There's more than one way to skin a rabbit. I have no remembrance of what he would be doing to voice that but he did say it. My Hubby would find use of that phrase if we was perhaps Duct Taping, a floor joice or a ceiling beam together! or some such feat!
Back on subject. I see so much personal application to the counsel of Alma. He was on this challenging (to say the least) mission and arrived in Ammonihah. The people let him know that they knew who he was and they knew about "thy church" and "we do not believe in such foolish traditions". They then pummeled him and booted him out of the city. He was "weighed down with sorrow" and anguish. In the midst of his grief an angel comes to him and tells him to "lift up thy head and rejoice". Not only that but he was commanded by the angel to return to the city. He "returned speedily". Now this is the part that really grabbed me and caught my full attention..."he entered the city by another way"!
(This of course brought Amulek into his life and from there one of the greatest missionary companionships ever! - came about. and you know that story and have read of their Mission experiences.)
It is so impressive to me...another way. The original attempt definitely did not work out. The plan was right but the approach, the method, was not right. I many times will regroup when something is not going as planned and I know it needs to be done but there are times, many times, I refuse to consider doing things another way and by that action/inaction I do not succeed at my attempted deed/goal/desire.
If at first you don't succeed, try- try again...we've all heard that saying but maybe, my not always succeeding, is because I need to try another way?
Maybe it's just my version of insanity? According to Albert Einstein...the definiton of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results!
(these Scriptures have been in my Pondering Pot...Just simmering and bubbling and feeling so good to breathe in the optimistic hope. Alma Chapter 8)
13 Now when the people had said this, and withstood all his words, and reviled him, and spit upon him, and caused that he should be cast out of their city, he departed thence and took his journey towards the city which was called Aaron.
14 .....an angel of the Lord appeared unto him, saying:
16 And behold, I am sent to command thee that thou return to the city of Ammonihah, and preach again unto the people of the city; yea, preach unto them. Yea, say unto them, except they repent the Lord God will destroy them.
18 Now it came to pass that after Alma had received his message from the angel of the Lord he returned speedily to the land of Ammonihah. And he entered the city by another way, yea, by the way which is on the south of the city of Ammonihah.
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Knowledge of the Truth
I am still just enjoying the moment of seeing that prophecy by President Kimball come to pass right before my eyes.
I know we were challenged to become Sister Scriptorians. In my lasting enjoyment of seeing this start to come about in such magnificence, with such strong and beautiful, and as he mentioned articulate women, I've given a lot of thought to the power and goodness that can come about if one is armed with the knowledge of truth.
The first time I remember reading and being impressed by that phrase was reading of Alma's prayer for his son. Recently, in my excitement about women and that Prophetic prophecy, I read again about the impact and what could be accomplished if one had that knowledge of truth.
When the angel appeared unto Alma the younger... the angel said: Behold, the Lord hath heard the prayers of his people, and also the prayers of his servant, Alma, who is thy father; for he has prayed with much faith concerning thee that thou mightest be brought to the knowledge of the truth; therefore, for this purpose have I come to convince thee of the power and authority of God, that the prayer of his servants might be answered according to their faith.( Mosiah 27:14)
We see that power lasting and extended to his friends that at one time he'd been a rabble rouser with..Now these sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel first appeared unto him; therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God..Alma 17:2
As missionaries they had those same desires...And it came to pass that they journeyed many days in the wilderness, and they fasted much and prayed much that the Lord would grant unto them a portion of his Spirit to go with them, and abide with them, that they might be an instrument in the hands of God to bring, if it were possible, their brethren, the Lamanites, to the knowledge of the truth, to the knowledge of the baseness of the traditions of their fathers, which were not correct.
Alma 17:9
And we read that thousands were converted by being brought to the knowledge of the Lord. Alma 23:5
Those that were brought to the knowledge of the truth were the ones that buried their weapons! Alma 23:6, 13 also they were the fathers of the stripling warriors.
I believe that at the upcoming General Conference, the afternoon session, the Woman's session, will feature women that have come to the knowledge of truth. Their very own personal knowledge of truth and we will see and hear amazing things. You and I can come to our knowledge of truth also.
The power of having a knowledge of truth is so strong that Nephi gave up the judgment seat to preach the word of God For the rest of his life! plus his brother Lehi did also. (Helaman 5:4) that reminds me of Alma doing basically the same thing 53 years earlier and in the same land location of Zarahemla....giving up the judgment-seat...seeing no way that he might reclaim them save it were in bearing down in pure testimony... (Alma 4:18-19)
This is so exciting to me, to see this unfold, after wondering and watching all of these years as to how will this happen? It's happening!!!
When the angel appeared unto Alma the younger... the angel said: Behold, the Lord hath heard the prayers of his people, and also the prayers of his servant, Alma, who is thy father; for he has prayed with much faith concerning thee that thou mightest be brought to the knowledge of the truth; therefore, for this purpose have I come to convince thee of the power and authority of God, that the prayer of his servants might be answered according to their faith.( Mosiah 27:14)
We see that power lasting and extended to his friends that at one time he'd been a rabble rouser with..Now these sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel first appeared unto him; therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God..Alma 17:2
As missionaries they had those same desires...And it came to pass that they journeyed many days in the wilderness, and they fasted much and prayed much that the Lord would grant unto them a portion of his Spirit to go with them, and abide with them, that they might be an instrument in the hands of God to bring, if it were possible, their brethren, the Lamanites, to the knowledge of the truth, to the knowledge of the baseness of the traditions of their fathers, which were not correct.
Alma 17:9
And we read that thousands were converted by being brought to the knowledge of the Lord. Alma 23:5
Those that were brought to the knowledge of the truth were the ones that buried their weapons! Alma 23:6, 13 also they were the fathers of the stripling warriors.
I believe that at the upcoming General Conference, the afternoon session, the Woman's session, will feature women that have come to the knowledge of truth. Their very own personal knowledge of truth and we will see and hear amazing things. You and I can come to our knowledge of truth also.
The power of having a knowledge of truth is so strong that Nephi gave up the judgment seat to preach the word of God For the rest of his life! plus his brother Lehi did also. (Helaman 5:4) that reminds me of Alma doing basically the same thing 53 years earlier and in the same land location of Zarahemla....giving up the judgment-seat...seeing no way that he might reclaim them save it were in bearing down in pure testimony... (Alma 4:18-19)
This is so exciting to me, to see this unfold, after wondering and watching all of these years as to how will this happen? It's happening!!!
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My thoughts went on and on and then I went back to CR Oct. 2017 to see references to President Kimball's talk and right out of the chute at the Gen. Women's Conference was Sister Eubanks and then her footnotes, #1...incredible! Including one by President Nelson from 2015
Elder Pingree referenced President Kimballs talk about us! PAGE32
It's everywhere!! this is the day!! ....articulate women...sister scriptorians. Here we go!!!
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2 more essays coming....My Primary Class ...Personal Study habits.
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