Another quick week has gone by. WOW! I hope you have all had a great Friday. I played a little tennis this morning, went out to lunch with some tennis friends, and then had the missionaries over for dinner tonight. One of my "favorite" missionaries is transferring to a new area on Wednesday. I just found out that the Beaus family and the Cardon family go waaaaaaay back and have a special connection. You could say that they are like family. We certainly try to treat all of our missionaries like family. Here are some pictures that we snapped tonight. I made some pumpkin cupcakes for dessert and although they look pretty, they were not my best work. :)
(Elder Beus, Elder Peterson, Elder Davis, Elder Bolin)
Don't they all look so happy! I am so grateful for all the missionaries in our church who give up their time to serve us and the Lord. They certainly bless our lives.
Today we are reading in chapters 10 and 11. I am in awe when I think of how the Savior actually visited the Nephites. How blessed they must have been. I hope that I live worthy enough to see my Savior face to face again someday. There is no other way we can get into Heaven except through our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Here is a great song called He Came for Me and some uplifting pictures.
3 Nephi 10:1-6
1 And now behold, it came to pass that all the people of the land did ahear these sayings, and did witness of it. And after these sayings there was silence in the land for the space of many hours;
2 For so great was the astonishment of the people that they did cease lamenting and howling for the loss of their kindred which had been slain; therefore there was silence in all the land for the space of many hours.
3 And it came to pass that there came a voice again unto the people, and all the people did hear, and did witness of it, saying:
4 O ye people of these agreat cities which have fallen, who are descendants of Jacob, yea, who are of the house of Israel, how oft have I bgathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and have cnourished you.
5 And again, ahow oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, yea, O ye people of the house of Israel, who have fallen; yea, O ye people of the house of Israel, ye that dwell at Jerusalem, as ye that have fallen; yea, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens, and ye would not.
6 O ye house of Israel whom I have aspared, how oft will I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if ye will repent and breturn unto me with full purpose of cheart.
- •The comparison between a hen gathering her chicks and the Lord gathering His people offers some interesting insights. A hen cares for her chicks and would sacrifice her life to protect them. When danger threatens, she gathers the chicks under her wings for protection. In a similar way, the Lord loves His people, the house of Israel. He gave His life for His people and has sought to gather them together so he could protect and nourish them. On many occasions, however, Israel has chosen to forsake the Lord.Commenting on 3 Nephi 10:5–6, President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency testified that the Savior will help those who are trying to come to Him:“More than once He has said that He would gather us to Him as a hen would gather her chickens under her wings. He says that we must choose to come to Him in meekness and with enough faith in Him to repent ‘with full purpose of heart’ [3 Nephi 10:6].“One way to do that is to gather with the Saints in His Church. Go to your meetings, even when it seems hard. If you are determined, He will help you find the strength to do it”
3 Nephi 10:5–6. “As a Hen Gathereth Her Chickens”
3 Nephi 11:3-17
3 And it came to pass that while they were thus conversing one with another, they heard a avoice as if it came out of heaven; and they cast their eyes round about, for they understood not the voice which they heard; and it was not a harsh voice, neither was it a loud voice; nevertheless, and notwithstanding it being absmall voice it did cpierce them that did hear to the center, insomuch that there was no part of their frame that it did not cause to quake; yea, it did pierce them to the very soul, and did cause their hearts to burn.
4 And it came to pass that again they heard the voice, and theyaunderstood it not.
5 And again the third time they did hear the voice, and did aopentheir ears to hear it; and their eyes were towards the sound thereof; and they did look steadfastly towards heaven, from whence the sound came.
7 Behold my aBeloved Son, bin whom I am well pleased, in whom I have glorified my name—hear ye him.
8 And it came to pass, as they understood they cast their eyes up again towards heaven; and behold, they asaw a Man bdescendingout of heaven; and he was clothed in a white robe; and he came down and stood in the midst of them; and the eyes of the whole multitude were turned upon him, and they durst not open their mouths, even one to another, and wist not what it meant, for they thought it was an angel that had appeared unto them.
11 And behold, I am the alight and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter bcup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in ctaking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the dwill of the Father in all things from the beginning.
12 And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words the whole multitude afell to the earth; for they remembered that it had been bprophesied among them that Christ should cshowhimself unto them after his ascension into heaven.
13 And it came to pass that the aLord spake unto them saying:
14 Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may athrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may bfeel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet, that ye may know that I am the cGod of Israel, and the God of the whole dearth, and have been slain for the sins of the world.
15 And it came to pass that the multitude went forth, and thrust their hands into his side, and adid feel the prints of the nails in his hands and in his feet; and this they did do, going forth one by one until they had all gone forth, and did see with their eyes and did feel with their hands, and did know of a surety and did bear record, that it was he, of whom it was written by the prophets, that should come.
16 And when they had all gone forth and had witnessed for themselves, they did cry out with one accord, saying:
17 Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Most High God! And they did fall down at the feet of Jesus, and did worship him.
- •Elder Dallin H. Oaks taught that the “small voice” that caused “their hearts to burn” (3 Nephi 11:3; italics added) was more of a feeling than a sound: “The word ‘burning’ in this scripture signifies a feeling of comfort and serenity” (
“Teaching and Learning by the Spirit,” Ensign,Mar. 1997, 13). Serenity means warmth, gentleness, and calmness. - •Just as the Nephites had to “open their ears” (3 Nephi 11:5) to hear the voice of God, President Boyd K. Packer explained our need to pay attention so we might feel the gentle promptings of the Spirit:“The voice of the Spirit is described in the scripture as being neither ‘loud’ nor ‘harsh.’ It is ‘not a voice of thunder, neither … voice of a great tumultuous noise.’ But rather, ‘a still voice of perfect mildness, as if it had been a whisper,’ and it can ‘pierce even to the very soul’ and ‘cause [the heart] to burn.’ (3 Ne. 11:3; Hel. 5:30; D&C 85:6–7.) Remember, Elijah found the voice of the Lord was not in the wind, nor in the earthquake, nor in the fire, but was a ‘still small voice.’ (1 Kgs. 19:12.)“The Spirit does not get our attention by shouting or shaking us with a heavy hand. Rather it whispers. It caresses so gently that if we are preoccupied we may not feel it at all. (No wonder that the Word of Wisdom was revealed to us, for how could the drunkard or the addict feel such a voice?)“Occasionally it will press just firmly enough for us to pay heed. But most of the time, if we do not heed the gentle feeling, the Spirit will withdraw”
3 Nephi 11:3. “They Heard a Voice”
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1987/04/the-saviors-visit-to-america?lang=eng
3 Nephi 31-41
31 Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, I will declare unto you my adoctrine.
32 And this is my adoctrine, and it is the doctrine which the Father hath given unto me; and I bear brecord of the Father, and the Father beareth record of me, and the cHoly Ghost beareth record of the Father and me; and I bear record that the Father commandeth all men, everywhere, to repent and believe in me.
33 And whoso believeth in me, and is abaptized, the same shall be bsaved; and they are they who shall cinherit the kingdom of God.
34 And whoso believeth not in me, and is not abaptized, shall be damned.
35 Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my doctrine, and I bear record of it from the Father; and whoso abelieveth in me believeth in the Father also; and unto him will the Father bear record of me, for he will visit him bwith fire and with the cHoly Ghost.
36 And thus will the Father bear record of me, and the aHoly Ghost will bear record unto him of the Father and me; for the Father, and I, and the Holy Ghost are bone.
37 And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and abecome as ablittle child, and be baptized in my name, or ye can in nowise receive these things.
38 And again I say unto you, ye must repent, and be baptized in my name, and become as a little achild, or ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God.
39 Verily, verily, I say unto you, that this is my adoctrine, and whoso bbuildeth upon this buildeth upon my rock, and the cgatesof hell shall not prevail against them.
40 And whoso shall adeclare more or less than this, and establish it for my doctrine, the same cometh of evil, and is not built upon my rock; but he buildeth upon a bsandy foundation, and the gates of hell stand open to receive such when the floods come and the winds beat upon them.
41 Therefore, go forth unto this people, and declare the words which I have spoken, unto the ends of the earth.
I want to close today by sharing the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing I Believe in Christ. I echo all of the words said in this song. I know that Jesus Christ is my Redeemer, my Savior, my God, my all!I will chat with you all tomorrow! Don't forget to tune in HERE to watch the Women's General Broadcast beginning at 6:00 pm MDT!
Hugs,
Robyn
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