Caught off Guard

   Christ, throughout his ministry, is always prepared and ready in many of the situations he is faced with. However, Christ knows and relates to everything we go through, so even Christ was taken by surprise during his life. This happened at the worst possible moment, when he was suffering on the cross. Christ's foreknowledge is seen when he says: "the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me." (John 16: 32) So, it would seem that Christ was unaware of what would happen while he was suffering on the cross. He thought he would always have God with him but its obvious that's not true in the following verse: "And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying ... My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"(Mathew 27: 46) In Christ's most desperate time of need he found himself without the company of someone whom he though would always be with him. God knew that as part of the atonement he too needed to withdraw from Christ, however, God was undoubtedly more aware of his son in that moment than in any other. Despite Christ's perfection he went through many of life's perfectly terrible experiences. He truly can relate to each and every one of us no matter what were going through. 

Barabbas

The betrayal of Jesus is filled with heartbreak and for me especially frustration. Although I know that Christ's death was part of the plan it's still frustrating to see how unjust everything was. I want to focus especially on the moment when Christ is judged of Pilate and is brought before the people. Pilate had found no fault in Christ but he knew that many Jewish leaders wanted him dead. So, he sought any way possible to let Christ go. At the time of the Passover the Roman governor would let one prisoner go. Pilate saw this as his chance to let Christ go. In the book of Mathew the situation is made clear: "And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?" (Mathew 27:16 -17) Pilate, in his eyes, presented an obvious choice between a guilty man and an innocent man. One man was Barabbas, whose name means the son of the father, who was guilty of murder, robbery and other horrible crimes. The second man was Jesus Christ, the literal son of the Father, who was completely innocent of any crime. To Pilate's astonishment the crowd chose Barabbas to be released. Instead, of Barabbas suffering for his own crimes Christ suffers in his place. The injustice of the situation caused me frustration each time I read it. Nevertheless, I came to realize that Barabbas is a lot closer to me than I thought, because I am just like Barabbas. Instead of suffering for my own sins, I let Christ suffer for them. My frustration turns to gratitude as I realize that Christ suffered so that I wouldn't have to suffer. 

Dirty Feet

    The last supper with Jesus was an eventful meal. The meal itself was unique as it happened during the Passover, which is a special meal eaten every spring by the Jews. However, one of the most interesting details is that Christ washed his apostles feet. Now, to truly understand what that means it's important to know that in their time they didn't have socks, they didn't even have shoes! Instead they mostly walked around in thin sandals on dusty and dirty roads. Needless to say, their feet would have been the dirtiest part of their body. Moreover, their feet were likely the part of their body that they cleaned the least, because they're hard to reach and nobody pays attention to them. However, more is at play here than merely washing feet. 
   The most important aspect of this act is found with Peter's response which reads: "Peter saith unto him, Thou needest not to wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me."(John 13: 8) Peter likely saw the washing of the feet as demeaning, and as their leader Peter didn't want Christ to stoop down to that level Nonetheless, Christ points out that it must be done, otherwise Peter would not have been clean and would have had no part with himself, Christ. This event relates perfectly to what Christ is able to do with each of us, if we allow him. Christ can spiritually cleanse the dirtiest parts of our soul.. By denying him access to our hardest to reach sins we deny ourselves the ability to be apart of Christ. Although it can be hard and even awkward, repentance is essential and by repenting Christ can truly purify us so that we can be worthy of the Spirit and be worthy of heaven.

Stood Still

   The days leading up to Christs death were likely the busiest days of His life. Also, he knew that his mortal ministry was coming to an end. The pressure and stress of what he had to do before he died likely pressed heavily upon him. Yet, the tenth chapter of Mark tells of his character and charity. A blind man on the side of the road hears of Jesus's coming and yells out to him. Despite the great number of people that surrounded Christ he hears the mans call "Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me."(Mark 10:47,48) Despite, the crowd of people around, despite his busy schedule, and despite everything else Christ needed to do we read: "Jesus stood, still." (Mark 10:49) Then he proceeds to take time out of his day to converse with the man and heals him so that he is no longer blind. Upon realizing the time frame of the miracle and how hard it is for me to stand still when I'm busy, really stood out to me. Christ knew it was his last week during his mortal ministry, but he still took the time to pause and talk with someone who desperately needed his help. Likewise, no matter how busy I may feel, I should always take time to pause and converse and serve those around me and especially to converse with God, who I desperately need. In doing so I have been able to feel more at peace when I'm stressed and more at ease when I'm overwhelmed.

Lost

   Christ shares three consecutive parables with a the theme of being lost. The first parable is of the lost sheep, then the lost piece of silver and lastly the lost son. Christ shares these parables after the Pharisees and scribes criticize Christ for spending time with sinners. So, for the most part Christ is referring to the state of different sinners or just of people who have strayed from believing in God. In each parable he presents a description for a certain group and the best way to help them so that they can continue with a faith in God.
   The first parable of the lost sheep focuses on those that wander. Just like the sheep, many people today don't intend on leaving the fold of God, perhaps they get distracted by a new hobby or job and the next thing they know is that they've strayed from their faith in God. In this case its important to go out and find those that have wandered and to bring them back. Next, the piece of silver is lost because of neglect. On my mission I met a lot of people who stopped going to church simply because they didn't feel like they were included nor apart of the local church. So, just as in the parable we need to seek out those people who feel neglected or that have been misplaced or forgotten. Lastly, the prodigal son, he was lost not because he wandered nor because he was neglected but because he chose to be lost. In this case, the best way to approach someone who willingly rebels against God is to be patient and give them time to come to themsleves. Although every situation is different these parables can be applied to a variety of situations to better help a wide variety of people find or regain faith in God.
   Regardless of the case we can never loose hope. No matter the situation someone is in there is always a chance that they'll come unto Christ. As we look to help those who are lost or who have wandered or those who willingly leave we can have faith that they will eventually come to God. When that day comes my joy and your joy will  be shared with those in heaven, for "there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over [a] sinner that repenteth" (Luke 15:10)

A Penny

   Christ often taught with parables throughout his time on the earth. Parable can be difficult to understand but there are three things to keep in mind to make them easier to understand. First, is that they compare the spiritual and the physical side by side so they cant be taken too literal. Second, is that each parable is prompted by a question of some sort. Third, each parable has only one unique interpretation but cab be applied in multiple different ways. One parable that stuck out to me this week is the parable of the laborers.
   The parable of the laborers is simple, an owner of a vineyard goes out and hires several groups of workers but each group is hired at different times throughout the day. The interesting part is when he pays all of the workers of his vineyard. Instead of paying them each different amounts dependent on the amount of time they worked in the vineyard, they all get paid a penny. A penny may seem like a pitiful amount but in Christ's time a penny was equivalent to one full days labor. The laborers respond to this by saying:  "These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day." (Mathew 20: 12) Obviously they were upset that those who had worked less then them got paid the same amount. Now, what prompted Christ to tell this parable is a question Peter asks him: "Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?" (Mathew 19: 27) So, with that in mind the parable becomes easier to understand. Whether, someone forsakes all for Christ earlier or later in their life they will all be rewarded the same, we will all be rewarded salvation.
   The application for me came when I thought it would have been better if I had waited to forsake all for Christ. The thought was driven by the desire to participate in the activities of the world and then start following Christ since I would still receive the same reward. Like the first laborers in the vineyard I was resentful that in the end I would get the same reward. However, like the laborers I was forgetting that the privilege of working in the vineyard, or following the Gospel, is far greater than being outside of it. The last laborers that were hired did not enjoy the fact that they had to wait the whole day; preoccupied because they didn't know how they were going to buy food for themselves and their families. For me, I have had the privilege of knowing God's plan for most of my life, which has been a great comfort at many times in my life. The comfort and guidance I have received from following the Gospel makes my grateful that I was so fortunate to be someone who began laboring in the vineyard earlier in the day. So, this parable can be applied several ways but the the interpretation is the same, at the end of the day God rewards those who are righteous equally.
   

The 5k

   Christ performed many miracles during his earthly ministry, and each one has a lesson in and of itself. I want to focus on one miracle in particular, the feeding of the five thousand. To begin with, Jesus had just been informed of John the baptist's death, who was Jesus's cousin. After hearing the news he sought to have some alone time to grieve. But as he sees the crowd of about five thousand men, not including women and children, he decides to serve and teach them. As the day nears its end the apostles tell Jesus that he should have them go home so that they can eat, but Jesus instead looks for a way to feed them all. The disciples realize the enormity of the task and respond to Jesus saying: "There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?" (Luke 6: 9) In response Jesus asks for the lads food. The lad, or young man, was the only one who had brought food, and he likely didn't have money to buy more. So, when he his asked to give up his food he could have easily given just a few loaves or a few fishes, but instead he gives all that he had. Not only that but he had no idea what was about to happen, he gave all he had with no expectations of getting anything in return. Then, Christ takes all that the boy had to offer and turns the five loafs and two fishes into enough food to feed more than five thousand people. Then afterwards "they gathered [the food] together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten." (Luke 6: 13) Although the lad did not expect anything in return he likely got to take home even more than what he had given.
   Often times God will ask the same of us, he will ask that we give up something, which could be a habit, a relationship, anything. But, He wants us to give it all up, not just a little, which is not an easy task, it takes great faith and sacrifice. I think the most important thing is that we need to be ready to give up anything at any moment. By doing this we don't become more attached to earthly cares and possession than to God. Just as with the lad we shouldn't expect anything in return. We need to have faith that things will work out but our main motivation shouldn't be the blessings or the reward we'll receive for being obedient. Being obedient is a reward itself and God will make sure everything works out. Even though it might not be evident at first, with time and patience comes understanding and clarity.

Cut it Out

  Christ taught many things that were hard for people to understand. For example he taught that the people needed to eat his flesh and drink his blood in order to be saved. I am going to focus on a similar teaching that also is not meant to be taken too literally like the previous example. 

   During Christ's sermon on the mount he taught: "And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out...And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell." (Mathew 5:29-30 ) The first time reading this I seriously thought of people cutting off their hands and plucking out their eyes. Luckily for us, and our eyes and our hands, that isn't exactly what Christ is teaching. Just as his teachings were hard to understand they were often hard to apply. In this case Jesus is teaching us to forsake anything that is "taken in" by the eye that prevents us from being closer to God. An example of this would be pornography or something even nearer to each of us, a favorite Netflix show in which we might waste countless hours idly watching it instead of reading from the scriptures. Whereas with our hands maybe there is a certain habit that is taking away from time that could be spending giving a helping hand. An example of this could include video games and spending several hours on our cell phones on social media rather than going out and giving service. In each of the examples given Christ is telling us to "pluck out" our favorite show and to "cut off" the time wasted on our cell phone. Of course I am generalizing, but I know we each have our "guilty pleasures" that take up our valuable time. Even though it may be hard to cut out certain activities, setting a goal to do so can make you happier. I know that as I embark on more profitable activities I feel more accomplished and satisfied with my own life. 

The Call

   As Christ begins his ministry he calls on certain fisherman to be his disciples. Their calling is an important moment in the scriptures. Even more can be understood as we analyze the events that preceded their calling. 
   Jesus had just concluded talking to a multitude of people and then approached Peter and asked him to cast out his ship to catch some fish. Peter replies by saying "Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net."(Luke 5:5)  When we read the text we can easily forget each persons own emotions and background. In order to understand Peter its important to realize that fishing is a laborious career and Peter was likely a very good fisher at this point in his life. So, when his new acquaintance, Christ, tells him to go back out after a tiring and unsuccessful night of fishing its evident that Peter is reluctant to go back out for more. Yet, he obeys Christ and takes his boat out again. Of course, with the Lords guidance he his able to catch so much fish that they fill two boats and break his net. Now, the interesting part is that Jesus waited until such a moment of success to call Peter to forsake fishing and to become one of his disciples. God likewise often does the same to us, in a moment of success or profound joy we are called to move on or even forsake what we have become acquainted to. Just as it was hard for Peter its hard for all of us to forsake that which we have become so familiar with. But, I know that God knows what is best for us in the long run. Peter had no idea what awaited him as he left his boat, and his old life, but he went forward in faith and with trust in God. He ultimately became one of Christ's closest apostle, he blessed many people's lives and successfully led the church after Christs crucifixion and resurrection. Similarly, as long as we trust God and look for and follow his guidance he will not lead us astray rather will lead us to be far greater than what we would have done on our own. .  

The Search

    Christmas is about three months away, nevertheless, this week I am going to write about Jesus's birth. However, I am only going to focus on how king Herod and the wise men sought out Christ. Upon hearing of the prophesied birth of the king of the Jews the ruler at the time, Herod is eager to know of this king's whereabouts. Along with Herod an unknown number of wise men is also seeking out Jesus. Yet, they both have different motives and means to find Christ. 
   Herod sees Christ as a threat to his own authority and has much more sinister motives to finding Christ than the wise men. The wise men had studied about the coming of Christ and knew the signs of his coming. So, when they recognized the signs they journeyed from their native lands to find Christ so they could worship Him. Herod on the other "sent [the wise men] to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also." (Mathew 2:8) Rather than seeking out the child himself Herod sends out the wise men to find the baby for him. In the end the wise men finally find the young Jesus and when they found him they "rejoiced with exceeding great joy." (Mathew 2:10) Herod, on the other hand never finds Christ and unlike the wise men he becomes angry because he is never told of where to find the child. Likewise, when we seek out a testimony of Christ we cannot merely send out others to find it for us. In order to truly become a witness of Christ we must each individually seek Him out. In order to find Christ we must follow the example of the wise men by diligently studying and by eagerly seeking out Christ.  I know that as anyone seeks out Christ through through active study and prayer they will have exceeding great joy as they come to know Him.

Being Young

The phrase "young and dumb" exists for a reason. When we are young we have a lot to learn and often make many mistakes. It's also the most time we ever spend with our parents. Then slowly but surely our parents take care of us less and less until were able to take care of ourselves. Thanks to what our parents have taught us and what we've learned we can survive the harsh world. God does something very similar. When I started attending church as a youth I had a lot of spiritual experiences! Then I went on a mission and I still had a lot of spiritual experiences that continued to build my testimony. I still have many spiritual experiences but I definitely have not had an outpouring of the spirit like I used to. And its for the same reason that our parents slowly start letting us go. Even though it's hard, parents must let their children go so that they can fully develop, otherwise we'd still be depending on our parents to eat and even walk! God wants us to use our agency, once He has given us the necessary amount of spiritual knowledge and testimony it then becomes our job to apply and remember it. As we learn more we can do what we know we need to do rather than having Him tell us everything we need to do. That is clear from the following quote "For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward."(D&C 58:26) Therefore, we must prove ourselves as we willingly feast upon the words of Christ and walk His path. Paradoxically by doing this we rely more upon the Lord but without Him needing to tell us how to live our lives. I have studied the Gospel and know what I need to do so now more than ever I rely on the Lord to help me achieve that and ultimately become more Christlike. 

The "Why"

Adam was a popular topic this last week. Oftentimes we are caught up in the fall and his disobedience. However, I want to focus on the opposite of that, his obedience. After Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden God commanded them to make sacrifices of the firstling of their flocks. It's safe to assume Adam knew how the sacrifice was to be done and he knew what he was supposed to sacrifice but, he did not know why he was doing it. This is clear in the following verse: "And after many days an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me." (Moses 5: 6) The evidence is clear here that Adam had no idea why he was making sacrifices to the Lord, yet he was still obedient. Another important part is that "after many days" does the angel finally appear and explain the why. Likewise, we are often given commandments of which we know what they are and how to obey them but we don't know why. This is truly a trial of faith, and just like with Adam the Lord doesn't reveal immediately why certain commandments are given. Although, this doesn't merely happen with commandments. God has given me personal promptings that I know what I must do and I know how to do it but I don't know why. This is very hard but I know that as I continue in faith the Lord will at some point make His reasons known unto me.

Science vs. Religion

   The debate of science vs. religion has been a heated discussion since the concept of evolution was published by Darwin, and even before then. Yet, the debate is uncalled for. Religion and science cover two different concepts. Science is about discovering how things work by seeking physical truth and then believing. Religion on the other hand explains purpose or why things work the way they do. That truth is sought by believing first and then seeing. This idea is made clear in Ether "ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith." (12: 6)
   Fortunately, as a society we have moved on from the days in which religion scorned science. Unfortunately, the shift was to where science scorned religion. As I have explained this is uncalled for, as both have different purposes and seek them in different ways. Even so we are fortunate to live in a society where tolerance and acceptance is spreading. Both science and religion play key roles in our society today. Without science we wouldn't have many, if not all, of our modern day technological advances. Likewise, without religion I wouldn't have a clear idea on my purpose in this life nor would I know what happens after this life. The most important is that through living a Christ centered life I have been able to receive a spiritual joy that science nor technology can provide. 

True Identity

This first week of my class Christ the everlasting Gospel we learned about identities. Not your usual height, weight, address but spiritual identities. One of the scripture quotes I liked the most was from Moses: "And God spake unto Moses, saying: Behold, I am the Lord God Almighty, and Endless is my name; for I am without beginning of days or end of years... And, behold, thou art my son" (Moses 1:3-4) The other verses tell even more of God's identity. God's words and works are without end. After reading about God's own identity it is amazing that we are literally his children. As insignificant as we are compared to God, we are still His children. Upon studying this and re-reading it after class it really struck me that I am in fact His son. I was filled with awe but also humbled that God the most powerful of all is my father and He loves and cares for me. Word's cannot fully express how that feels. Yet, it's not a feeling of empowerment, moreover, of gratitude and reverence. I am a child of God and though my needs are great I know that if I do His will I'll return to live with Him someday. 

Becoming Strong

   The person that knows us the best is God. He know us better than anybody else, even ourselves. Oftentimes we have a certain perspective of ourselves and what our weaknesses are. However, God knows what our true weakness is and how we can make it strong. God said "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." (Ether 12: 27) This scripture means a lot, first of is that weakness is not a bad thing. Weakness is a tool that God uses to make us humble and more receptive to God himself. Moreover, His grace and mercy can help us overcome our weakness. But, what really struck me this week as we read this verse is that it God is the one who will show us what our weakness truly is. The weakness we may be working on might be the wrong one! So, as we turn to the Lord He can make our weakness into strength. But, we must first humble ourselves, come unto God and have faith in Him. As we do this we will discover our true weakness and it will become strong unto us. 

The Touch of the Master

  The story behind the brother of Jared is important in many ways. The part that I will focus on is when the brother of Jared faces the dilemma of how to have light on the barges. His people, the Jaredites, were told to cross the sea to get to the land of promise. So, the brother of Jared,  with the guidance of God, built barges to cross the sea. However, he faced several problems, one of which was that they didn't have light inside their barges. They could not resolve the problem themselves so the brother of Jared sought out the help of God. His response is given in (Ether 2:23) in which He asks the brother of Jared what should be done. So, God puts matters into the hands of Jared's brother.  "And it came to pass that the brother of Jared, (now the number of the vessels which had been prepared was eight) went forth unto the mount, which they called the mount Shelem, because of its exceeding height, and did molten out of a rock sixteen small stones; and they were white and clear, even as transparent glass; and he did carry them in his hands upon the top of the mount, and cried again unto the Lord." (Ether 3:1) The brother of Jared put forth his very best effort: he climbed a very high mountain; he molted sixteen stones, even though they only really needed eight for each ship; lastly he made each one like glass which was undoubtedly very hard for anyone at that time. Even though he put forth his best effort, they still didn't shine. However, when he approached God and asked for his help, the stones were made to shine. Often times even our best efforts don't succeed as we want them too. We do our best and work diligently to accomplish something but our work is still dull. Yet, when we turn to the Lord for His help and His touch we can truly see a miracle as our dull works are made to be brilliant.

Way to Be

   In 3 Nephi 12: 48 Christ states what His goal for us is "I would that ye should be perfect even as I, or your Father who is in heaven is perfect." Fortunately for us He gives us the steps we must follow to reach perfection which we find in the sermon on the mount or the beatitudes. These teaching were truly opened up to me this week as we studied these steps which Christ teaches.  For me, I feel like I'm at different levels with each one. But, ultimately to continue up on the path of perfection I need to take each step at a time. So, I will only focus on one that I feel is a weakness for me in particular.

   Christ says: "blesses are the meek[.]" (3 Nephi 12: 5) The opposite of meekness is pride, and oftentimes I feel as if I am too prideful to receive God's guidance. I want to be the master of my own fate and make my own choices. However, in order to be truly meek I must submit my will to Gods by doing what He would have me. Whats more is that He understands and can see things that I cannot. Part of meekness is submitting to God's will which is exactly what Christ did by fulfilling the atonement. Christ never doubted God's plan He never tried to change it He never deviated from the path to try something different. Christ was truly meek in all aspects of His life. I know that as we follow Christs perfect example we too can come closer to being more like Him and like Heavenly Father.

Don't Look Down

   While studying the Book of Mormon this week in class we arrived at the climax-when Christ comes to the Americas. The part that I really want to analyze is the moment before Christ's arrival. Right before Christ arrives the peeple of the Americas "heard a voice as if it came out of heaven; and they cast their eyes round about; for they understood not the voice." (3 Nephi 11: 3) Similarly, when we as humans are confused we often turn to those around us for guidance and even more often we turn to to the internet for knowledge and help. Yet, just like the people in the verse we still do not understand. The verse continues "And again the third time they did hear the voice, and did open their ears to hear it; and their eyes were towards the sounds thereof; and they did look steadfastly towards heaven... And behold the third time they did understand" (3 Nephi 11: 5-6) Notice how it wasn't until the third time that they were able to understand. The reason they understood is because they looked heavenward. When we open our ears to God and are willing to listen to Him, He will help us. Whether through the scriptures or modern day prophets God always finds a way to impart His knowledge to us and help us understand. Therefore, rather than looking around us, or even worse-below us, we need to look heavenwards for God's help and knowledge.

The Cycle

Cycles are used to describe many things. The cycle of life, geographical cycles, climate cycles and so on. However, I will focus on one very important cycle: the pride cycle. The pride cycle can be identified throughout the Book of Mormon. In Helaman we read a little about the pride cycle: "And it came to pass...that they did wax stronger and stronger in their pride, and in their wickedness; and thus they were ripening again for destruction." (Helaman 11: 37) After a person has become prideful they often fall into sin and wickedness which ultimately leads to destruction. At that point, depending on the type of person, one continues in their pride, wickedness and sorrow or they humble themselves, repent and are happy. Nonetheless, all of this can be avoided. Pride is a common result of prosperity in wealth, knowledge or many other areas. Rather than becoming prideful, we can humble ourselves and thank God for our prosperity. In this way the pride, wickedness and destruction is averted and instead we continue in humility, repentance and happiness.

The Wrong and the Right Way

   This week we read of Alma and his companions go to preach unto a wicked people, the Zoramites. When they came unto the city of the Zoramites they beheld a very strange practice. Alma and his brethren found the Zoramites praying to God, but they soon realized that it was not a correct prayer. Later on, Alma offers a prayer of his own which allows us to compare a righteous prayer verse an apostate or incorrect prayer. (Alma 31)
   The Zoramites had built a tall structure which was big enough for only one person to enter. The purpose of this stand was that only one person could be lifted up to pray to God. (Alma 31: 13, 14) Whereas Alma "lifted up his voice to heaven." (Alma 31: 26) We don't need any special stand to raise us up closer to heaven, by merely praying to the Lord and lifting up our voices we can speak with God.
    The Zoramites continue in their prayer by expressing their own pride and arrogance. They continually thank God that they are better and smarter than others. (Alma 31: 16, 17 - 18) Alma, however, prays for the well being of his brethren(Alma 31: 27 - 29) to the extent that his soul is in pain and he feels sorrowful for their wickedness. (Alma 31: 30-31) Likewise, in our prayers we shouldn't only talk about ourselves but we need to pray for others and have empathy for them.
   The Zoramite prayer was also repeated the exact same way each time but whats more is when they concluded their prayers they would not even mention God until they met again to pray the next week. (Alma 31: 23) Whereas, Alma in his prayer was very specific praying for his brethren and then strengthening them so that they could go and preach about God unto the Zoramites. We cannot merely fill our allotted time to God and expect our prayers to be answered. Neither should we focus on ourselves, that is not the purpose of being Christian, we need to think of others and pray also for their wellbeing. Also, Alma and his brethren were blessed according to his prayer because he prayed with faith. (Alma 31: 38) As we remember God in all we do and offer up our prayers in faith for more than just our own needs we will receive the strength and blessings that are needed, even as Alma and his brethren did.

Receiving Help

   In the book of Mosiah there is a group of Nephites placed under bondage by the Lamanaites. In Mosiah 21: 5 we read that it was impossible for them to deliver themselves from bondage. Nonetheless they attempt to fight against their oppressors the Lamanites not only once but three times! Each time they fail miserably and many of the Nephites are killed as they are not capable of contending with such a foe. We often find ourselves in similar situations, although we contend spiritually rather than physically. Sin is our constant enemy and often times we think that we can deliver ourselves out of this "bondage". The bondage of sin includes having actually committed a serious sin or merely resisting the day to day temptations. Either way we cannot deliver ourselves out of either one, at least not alone. In Mosiah 21: 14 the Nephites humble themselves and turn to the Lord to deliver them form their bondage. As they do so the Lord hears them and helps them to flee to safety and freedom. Similarly, as we turn to the Lord he will be able to deliver us from our modern day bondage. As we ask in humble prayer we will receive forgiveness for our sins and strength to resist temptation.

Learning from the Past

   Despite being written hundreds and hundreds of years ago, the scriptures still apply to us today. This is evident in Mosiah 19: 11. Although the application was not obvious to me the first time I read it the application became clear this week. The chapter occurs during the reign of the wicked king Noah over his people whom he has led to sin. At this point in time the Nephites are under attack by the Lamanites. The attack came as a surprise and the Nephites were unprepared to fight so the Nephite people are fleeing from them. As they are fleeing King Noah tells the men to leave their wives and children behind. The chaos and the survival instincts of many of the men causes them to follow his words. They ultimately leave behind their families to be murdered so that they do not get killed. Satan continues to employ such selfish enticing’s today in our world. He invites both men and women to leave behind their families, or even never have a family, and to instead seek out the pleasure and riches of this life. Although it may seem harmless at first, we can learn from the Nephite men who left their families. When the Nephite men escape being murdered, they realize that they left behind what was most precious to them and that they no longer have anything to live for. So, they seek to fight to the death against the Lamanites. Fortunately, their families have not been killed but they still must repent of their wrongdoings. A life of sin often leads many to put themselves as a priority. But, when everything is said and done they realize that what they thought was valuable turns out to be worthless. Fortunately, as we repent of our sins we can become more selfless and more Christ like.

Believing

Today as I went to the temple I decided to ponder about one scripture in particular. The scripture is in Mosiah 4: 9-10. Within these two verses the word "believe" is used seven times. As I was reading this scripture I saw it as a list of the most important things that we should believe. First, we need to believe in God and that he created all things. We need to believe that He has all wisdom and power. Which ties in to the next one that we should believe that man doesn't understand everything, nevertheless the Lord does. The second verse continues to give us another list, but with an important command at the end. The verse starts by stating we should believe that we must repent of our sins and forsake them entirely. We need to also humble ourselves before God and ask Him with sincerity for forgiveness. Whats more is that it concludes by saying "if you believe all these things see that ye do them." (Mosiah 4:10) Therefore if we truly believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ then we must act upon that belief. By doing so we can receive a fulness of joy through repentance and a greater faith in God.

Reading

  This word Bible has to be one of the most misunderstood words. The word itself comes from the word bibliotec which means a collection of books and in Spanish biblioteca mean library. So, the word Bible actually means a small collection of books or a small library. The Bible is in fact a collection of several different books from about 2500 BC to about 95 AD written by different apostles and prophets, each taking place on the African, Asian or European continents. All of these books teach of Gods plan and ultimately the Bible testifies of Jesus Christ. Often times when people here of The Book of Mormon as another testament of Jesus Christ their first response is "We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible." (2 Nephi 29: 3) Now that the word Bible has been defined, doesn't it seem strange that people would restrict themselves to only one "library". Furthermore they are restricting God himself, however God is no "respecter of persons" (Acts 10: 34) God loves everyone, not just certain groups on certain continents, and He reveals His word, or His teachings, to everyone no matter where they are. "Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?" (2 Nephi 29: 7) Undoubtably God called other prophets and apostles on different continents at similar times in which the Bible took place. This is where the Book of Mormon comes in, just like the Bible, The Book of Mormon is also a collection of books written by prophets, the biggest difference is that The Book of Mormon takes place in the ancient American continent. Together the Bible and The Book of Mormon support one another and help to clarify many of Gods essential teachings. God is our loving Heavenly Father and He wants what is best for each and every one of us. Therefore he continues to reveal His teachings nowadays, just as He did in the past, to all of His sons and daughters no matter where they are.

Seeing

   I have always though Isaiah's scriptures to be interesting. The funny part is that I have never really understood his writings. However, this week I learned how to better interpret the writings of Isaiah. I could go on about all I learned this week, but I wont. I will focus on one aspect of Isaiah's writing, he is almost always referring to three different times periods: his time, Christ's time and our time. Therefore, Isaiah becomes more relevant to us but also makes us think of how it applies in the past. I will quote one scripture to clarify how Isaiah can apply to all three time frames. In 2 Nephi 13: 1, a quote from Isaiah says: "For behold, the Lord, the Lord of Hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem, and from Judah, the stay and the staff, the whole staff of bread, and the whole stay of water-". In Isaiah's time, Jerusalem and Babylon came under siege by Assyria. During the siege the people had to surrender as they had no food source, they ran out of both bread and water. Furthermore, we read in the scriptures how Christ was referred to as the bread of life and the living water. At the end of Christ's ministry He was crucified but He did return as a resurrected being. Nonetheless after forty days He returned to His father, who took Jesus away from Jerusalem. Finally, in our time we attend Sunday services to partake of the bread and water in the sacrament. Yet, if we make a serious transgression we are advised to not partake of the sacrament. In this scripture especially I know that I must do my best to be worthy of the bread and water, if not the Lord of Host will take it away. Ultimately, I know that Isaiah's prophecies have, are, and will be fulfilled. As I continue to read and study I will see the application Isaiah's writing has in my life and other's lives.

The Price

   The price of salvation is not cheap. We do not and will never fully understand the price that was paid. Only one was worthy enough to be chosen to pay such a steep price. His preparation goes beyond what we can fully understand. Even before His mortal life He had been preparing for the biggest moment in the history of mankind and the whole universe itself. The task at hand was not an easy one. From the beginning of his life to the end of it He was a man like no other. He, the great creator of all the earth came down and was brought below the all other creatures. The ultimate price for each and everyone of us was paid by Him. The Alpha and the Omega, the great I am, even Jesus Christ
  Christ's life is an example to each and every one of us. Moreover His perfect life lead up to one great moment. The moment when that great debt which had been accumulating, and would could continue to grow, had to be paid. Justice demanded that the price of mans' sins be paid. His whole life lead up to the most crucial moment for Him and for all of us and it took place in the Garden of Gethsemane and the Cross on Calvary. He had volunteered for this unfathomable task long before the Earth and its inhabitant had been created. The salvation of all of mankind rested upon Christ at this very moment. The full wrath of justice would have been unleashed on mankind if he failed. Mankind had no plan B, we would have been in a bitter and hopeless state. Christ truly was our only hope Jesus Christ knew what had to be done but even so the pain he experienced caused "even God the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit" (D&C 19: 18). And in His moment of bitter agony he requested that God "take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt" (Mark 14: 36).  He submitted to the will of the Father and fulfilled He had come to do. He experienced everything that each and every one of us faces in this life: sin, temptation, infirmities (both spiritual and physical), shame, guilt, pain, remorse, hunger, fatigue, the list goes on. Despite the heavy weight that was being placed upon Him, he came out victorious!
   Christ suffered ALL infirmities for us. Thanks to Him the demands of justice have been met by the mercy and grace of Christ. All we have to do to qualify for the grace of God is to follow His gospel. His gospel is simple: have faith, repent, be baptized and confirmed, and enduring to the end by staying true and faithful. As we do this we will continue to feel His love, learn of His marvelous plan, and ultimately be able to return to Gods presence.