My parable of the flashlight

This week’s reading is about Christ being baptized by John and the variety of things we can learn from this experience in the scriptures,

John knew that it was the Savior coming to him and knew that the Savior had no need to be baptized because he was perfect, He was the Son of God. I think that is pretty much how I would feel if Christ walked up to me and asked that of me. But I know that the Lord prepares his people for the things he has in store for them. Heavenly Father prepared John for this part of his life.

The things that we learn from these scriptures and passages are about the Holy Ghost. Christ said that he looked up and saw the Holy Ghost descending upon him. To me this is like when we are confirmed the Holy Ghost after we are baptized. Except this was Christ the Savior and the Holy Ghost descended upon him like a dove.

Why was Christ baptized? That is a good question…he was perfect already and being baptized is washing away our sins, so then why?

1. To fulfill all righteousness

2. To let the world know that he also is obedient in keeping Gods commandments

3. To be an example to the world that everyone should be baptized

I think the last part of my questions is the best! The question is….what evidence is given in the scriptures that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are 3 separate beings? Well if you read in Matthew 3:16-17, the answer is given straight forward. JESUS was the one being baptized. Then he looked up and saw the HOLY GHOST descending upon him. Lastly the FATHER spoke to Christ saying how pleased He was with his son following his commandments. To me there is no way this could all be one. But there are some people out there who believe that there are the same. They work together so much that sometimes it seems like they are the same but they are all working together to help us on this journey we like to call life.

As I think of Christ’s baptism there is no doubt that I think back to my very own baptism almost 13 years ago. I had mine together with another little girl in my ward because we had birthdays around the same time. I wanted my own special day at first but then I was okay in sharing it with her. I was so excited that my dad came, that was pretty much the only time I have ever seen him in a church building. It meant a lot to me for him to do that. I was able to be baptized by my cousin Justin Shook and then confirmed by my Uncle Gary Shook. The main thing that I remember from being confirmed is that he could not say my last name right, he said it with the /f/ sound, but I let it slide. I always wish that as time goes on I could remember talks given and inspirational words given to me, but the only thing that I remember is something that on that day I was 100% positive that I was going to forget by the next week…well guess what, 13 years later I haven’t forgotten. Brother Meyers was an older guy in the ward who watched me grow. I think at the time he was in the bishopric or a secretary or something. He spoke at everyone’s baptism and he always gave each child the same thing, a very small little flashlight. With that he told us that we had been given the gift of the Holy Ghost and it will be a light in our lives. He gave us the flashlight and said that every single time I turn it on I will think of the words that he said and remember it as the light of the Holy Ghost. I thought that was great as an 8 year old and cherished it. Every few years I would pull out my flashlight and recall the words spoken to me on my baptism day. I don’t think of it with every flashlight I use but that one has very special meaning to me in reminding me the guidance I have as a member of this church and while I am on this earth. I know this church is true and love how well everything fits together and is evident in Heavenly Fathers plan.

John the Baptist

In Luke 1:14 Zacharias was told that he was going to have a son, even in his old age. And that because of this son he shall have, "much joy and gladness and many will rejoice at his birth."

Now the question is this, why? That is an everyday question that people ask themselves all the time. And now I am asking myself that. Why is John going to be born to such old parents? Why is he going to bring such happiness to the people, he is just a normal man?

Well in my studying of the scriptures and other material I hopefully am going to answer those questions for myself and if anyone else was wondering as well.

First you have to understand that Zacharias and Elizabeth were awesome people, they were good parents and had a great lineage. That was important as he received the priesthood and became entrusted in a most important mission of baptizing the Savior. No big deal right?! Yes they were old in age but with Heavenly Father age doesnt mean much when He has a job for you to accomplish. And one might think as in our day, that John had to be just green with jealousy because he was not the Savior. But this was not the case at all. He learned all he could from Christ and became one of his apostles. He is a great example of a true follower of Christ. He was later imprisoned and killed in jail.

I love the men in the scriptures that are so faithful, and i know it might seem easier for them because they were actually living on the earth with Christ, but there are always those who want to persecute those followers because of their lack of faith. Even though I do not live in the same time of Christ, I know that he is always with me and trying to teach me everyday what he was preaching while on the earth.

Marriage for time and all eternity

“That which is wrong under one circumstance may be and often is, right under another. … This is the principle on which the government of heaven is conducted—by revelation adapted to the circumstances in which the children of the kingdom are placed. Whatever God requires is right, no matter what it is, although we may not see the reason thereof till long after the events transpire” (Teachings of the Prophets Joseph Smith, p. 256).

The first part of the section talks about temple marriage and the new and everlasting covenant. That is what we need to strive for when it comes to marriage.The second half is about polygamy and concubines, that doesn't apply much anymore in our day.

The new and everlasting covenant is one that we make in the temple with the Lord and spouse. It is a sealing that lasts forever. Once we make covenants with Heavenly Father we are now more responsible for the things we know and for our actions. We are held more accountable when making covenants with the Lord.I fit is not part of our plan to marry here on this earth we still have the opportunity to marry in the next. It matters what we desire and the Lord will not deny blessings to all those who are worthy and for some it does not happen in this life but we will eventually obtain all we are entitles.

The Holy Spirit of Promise is a gift bestowed upon all men when we are baptized. If we are worthy to have the presence everyday. We can have the Holy spirit as our constant companion. I think in marriage it is important to be a companion to your spouse but that relationship also needs to include Heavenly Father and the couple be lead by the Holy Spirit. In order to have the spirit we must be living worthy and that should be something we are always striving for.

A marriage only lasting for mortality would be a civil marriage, where in the vows is said til death do us part. Did you ever think about that? When marrying that way the marriage is only guaranteed until death and then no more. What a sad statement especially when you have the knowledge that life goes on after death.

While being married in the temple is a righteous choice that all should make, it is not the end of it and we will automatically be saved. It is a life long job of work and progress and becoming a better person. If we do these things the scriptures promise us that we can become gods and goddesses for all eternity, have eternal life and many other blessings as well.

I await the day that I can marry in God temple and participate in those ordinances to be sealed for time and all eternity. But knowing now that I want that as a goal ans striving to be righteous and worthy to enter into the temple as well as being worthy for my future partner. I will be pleased to be the start of what I hope to continue on in my family but I will be the first to have a temple marriage, it will not be easy on my family but I know too much to turn away from those great blessings.

Proclaim the truth

In this revelation, the Lord called upon Joseph Smith to “make a solemn proclamation of my gospel…to all the kings of the world, to the four corners thereof, to the honorable president-elect, and high-minded governors of the nation in which you live, and to all the nations of the earth scattered abroad” (verses 1-2). At the same time the Prophet was also commanded to build a place of lodging for strangers about which Joseph Smith said, “It is important that the Nauvoo House should be finished, that we may have a suitable place wherein to entertain the great ones of the earth, and teach them the truth” (History of the Church 5:137).

Many times missionaries find that those who are in humble circumstances are most receptive to the gospel, but this call to teach the gospel is specifically to people of prestige and influence. Why do you think the Lord would give this commandment?

I think that like stated in the question that the humble people are more willing to hear the gospel and be converted unto the Lord. That happens alot in the church and those people can be found many times by the members of a ward in the area. If those people are humble then with the start off missionaries or ward members it is easier to convert them to the truth. With those that are not humble or not looking to hear about another church. This proclamation was for the missionaries to search them out and work with them in teaching them the gospel. Since we need to eventually teach the whole world the gospel we need to equally teach or try to teach those who do not want to hear. Even if they are introduced at some point in their lives it is preparing them to possibly accept it later in life. But in order to accept the church it first must be introduced.

What other proclamations to the world have been issued? Why do you think it was necessary to issue them?

The Family Proclamation to the World is the main one that I can think off. That is one that is stressed a lot in our day. We have seen the trial of the definition of marriage which the Family Proclamation outlines perfectly for us. It also states the purposes and duty of mother and father and being parents.

What are the implications for Church members concerning their responsibility towards those who are not LDS?

It is our responsibility to teach everyone we come in contact with about what we know so they can share in our joy as well. I will admit that it is not always easy to talk to people about the gospel at least for me but I try to live my life as a great example of Christlike characteristics so through my actions, words, and deeds spread the gospel. I will work on getting better at actually starting conversations and answering more questions.

Peace be unto thy soul

John Corrill (1839) statement: “I have left you not because I disbelieve the Bible, for I believe in God, the Saviour, and religion the same as ever; but when I retrace our track, and view the doings of the church for six years past, I can see nothing that convinces me that God has been our leader; calculation after calculation has failed, and plan after plan has been overthrown, and our prophet seemed not to know the event till too late. If he said go up and prosper, still we did not prosper; but have labored and toiled, and waded through trials, difficulties, and temptations, of various kinds, in hope of deliverance. But no deliverance came…Where now may you look for deliverance? You may say, in God; but I say, in the exercise of common sense and that sound reason with which God has endowed you; and my advice is to follow that, in preference to those pretended visions and ​revelations which…increase your trouble, and which would bind you, soul and body, under the most intolerable yoke” (A Brief History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Chapter VI).

I believe that John was lacking in faith. He had lost his faith along the way of trials and hardships. After enduring so much he was not able to see the blessings Heavenly Father was bestowing upon the saints at this time. He looked at the bad and negative through everything. "Faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true." (Alma 32:21). Brother Corrill may have not been intuned with the spirit and could no longer here promptings or messages from Heavenly Father. We all have hard times in our lives and need not get to distressed with our lives and keep in mind that blessings will come someday if not immediately.

A few scriptures in the section include 121:45 let virture garnish they thoughts and your confidence shall wax strong in the presence of the Lord.
121:34 Many are called but few are choosen.
121: 46 The Holy Ghost shall be they constant companion
122:7 if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son,that all these things shall give thee experience and shall be for thy good.
That last scripture sums up why John Corrill should have endured. We are the Lord's children and he has done so much for us and wants us to succeed in life and gain a great reward. But we need to gain those experiences that test us and our faith and have trials that push us, but he will never give us anything that he knows we cant bear. That is the glory given here. If we trust in him he will always help us through, always. He never tells lies! We can perfectly trust him in all things that he does and says.

D&C121:7-9 This set of scriptures have had a big impact on my life and being able to apply them to myself in times of need. I change it in my scriptures to say, "Megan, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment. And if thou endure it well God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over thy foes."
Every time I read this scripture it just reminds me how much the Lord is there for me and is willing to calm my troubled soul which lately has been alot! But each time he has been there and I have faith that he always will.

Service to others

1. Why do we need to continually work on being worthy to fulfill church callings and to help build Zion?

If we are living our lives faithfully so that we are worthy to fulfill church callings then most likely we are on the right path for obtaining celestial glory. We need to try and strive to be perfect so that if we were to die at this very moment we would be prepared to meet our Heavenly Father in the next life. We never know when our end is and we should not, “eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.” Living worthily is of utmost importance in our earthly life.

If we are living worthy we can aide in building up those around me. We are more in tuned with the spirit and can be an instrument for the Lord to work through us to help his other children. I am a strong believer in service and in serving others. I know that Heavenly Father sends the Spirit to me with ways to help and life his children and be a comfort to them. I believe that that is one of the great gifts my Father gave to me as I can relate with many circumstances and feel that empathy and sympathy that many are searching for.

2. What happens to even the very elect if we withhold our time, talents, and resources?

We can lose out on many opportunities for teaching and converting people to the church. I know that when members withhold and opportunities are lost those people will have chances to learn again, they are not given up on. Heavenly Father wants all of his children to hear his word and be converted back to him. He will try everything he can to get them to know and learn of him. It also hinders us and our Christ like development if we are withholding because we cannot grow as the Lord would have us grow.

I believe that we need to take every opportunity to be examples to others or take the time to teach if they are willing to listen. If we live worthily many great blessings can come to us and to others. I have a testimony of these things in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Look to the temple

"I invite the Latter-day Saints to look to the temple of the Lord as the great symbol of your membership. Let us be a temple-attending people." Howard W Hunter

How can we look to the temple as a symbol? This may not be the symbol they are looking for but when I ponder the question I think of the talk given by a member of the church given at general conference. He spoke on never being lost if you are in the view of the temple. The temple is a light that can lead and guide you anytime or anywhere. I love the fact that no matter what the temple is illuminated and can be seen for miles away. This to me also means that if you are living your life worthy and keeping temple ordinances then you will be guided in your life, even if you are in an area that you cannot view the temple always.

Growing up I did not live in an area where the temple was closer than 4 hours away. It was something that was not always on my mind because it was not close and was not often attended by my family or ward. But now living here in Rexburg I see the temple everyday and am reminded of how I should be living my life in keeping myself worthy to be able to go to the temple everyday.