Lessons From Rugby

On the first day of school I was walking through the student center and I passed a booth where the rugby coach was sitting. Behind him were signs that had information about tryouts. We talked for a moment and i found out that the first try out was that night. So I went for it! And after a week, I found out that I made it! I've made some awesome friends and it's been a blast being a part of the team. :) Our first game is February 27 and I'm only freaking out a little. ^_^ In all honesty, I still don't quite understand everything, but I think I'm starting to get it. Rugby has actually taught me a lot about life. One lesson that I've learned from rugby is that when you're stuck, you have the power to get yourself out. We practiced a drill where our teammates would lie on us as dead weight and we had to lift them up and get out from under them. I had just been telling a friend how one of my fears is being stuck (in situations or small spaces...) and that drill really helped me handle it! Another lesson I've learned is be confident and give 100%. Something my dad has always told me is it doesn't matter if you mess up as long as you're going full speed. In rugby, if you're going half way, you're going to get hurt. You can't afford to be hesitant, even if you don't understand everything. At practice we're supposed to make mistakes so we can fix them. It takes being confident in our abilities and sticking to the techniques we have learned (especially for tackling!). Something else I've learned is that we need to trust eachother. Sometimes I get freaked out during practice (and during life) because I feel like I need to handle everything by myself. But I can't. And, ya know what? I don't need to. I have awesome people all around me whose goals align with mine. I need to trust them and let them help me. We all need each other and life is a lot more fun with other people.
I guess the biggest lesson I've been learning is that everything works out. It really does. Even if I don't understand it all now, I know that if I trust in God everything will be a ok. It might not happen right away, there might be rough patches, but looking back on all of it I can see how God has been helping me write my story. I'm the main character of the greatest story ever told and so are you. And so is every person who has ever lived. Part of the fun is getting to discover what happens in every chapter.

A Letter to Thayne

11/9/15

I just thought I'd share a couple thoughts from our stake conference this weekend that I thought were really good! There was one talk in particular that I thought was really wonderful. The speaker talked to us about how God helps people change and we can make changes that last a lifetime. Throughout his talk he told gave us some points to follow and I'm going to share what really stood out to me.

There is a difference between bad choices and weaknesses. We all have weaknesses and those weaknesses have a purpose. That purpose is to use the atonement. The great thing about the scriptures is that they are filled with people who screw up just as much as they get it right. Paul told us of his "thorn in the flesh" which he plead with the Lord with all his might to remove, but the Lord told him, "My strength is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness" to which Paul replied, "therefore will I rather glory in mine infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me" (2 Corinthians 15).  Weaknesses are supposed to bring us to a point where we rely wholly on the Lord. I have a friend here who has a struggle he has been fighting for five long years and he told me something really powerful. He said that through his experiences, he has come to realize that he is really nothing without Christ. Without Christ, he would be completely overcome and lost, but as he has reached out to Christ, knowing that it is only through him that this struggle can be put behind him, he has found strength in Christ. He still struggles, but his faith in Christ is unshakable. He understands that we really do need Him every hour.

It is not our job to be strong, it is our job to come unto Christ. It may take a lifetime to change and that's ok. We need to come unto Christ again and again and again. He will always be there.

The semester is slowly wrapping up and it's pretty wild to look back and see how much I've learned. For example, I've learned that the people you spend your time with are the people you love. Maybe it's not the case for everybody, but a mexican saying comes to mind, "show me who you're with and I'll show you who you are." Basically, we can't deny the influence that the people around us have on us. And the more time you spend with someone, the close you get to them. As I have worked with Lauren, she has become one of my best friends in the world. We can laugh and joke together and I feel like we can really talk about anything. It's also reached a point where I'm over there so much that her roommates love me too and anytime I walk in they shout my name together. It's pretty sweet haha. :) I have found that serving someone and spending time with them really does lead you to loving them. I also had a realization the other morning as I was getting ready for the day that I haven't really spent a lot of time with my roommate Ashton. We share the same room and see each other every day, but we don't spend a lot of time together. That made me sad! That same day though, before I even mentioned it, she asked it I wanted to go with her and her "guyfriend" to the store before stake conference. So we went and shopped around and talked and laughed and to be honest, I was just delighted! It was just so nice spending time with her and feeling like I mattered to her, as well as getting to let her know that she matters to me. I bet that the Lord feels the same way. He loves us so much, and there are times where we let our relationship become a second-rate priority. We don't talk to Him, we don't spend time with Him, we don't let Him know we love Him... I think that I could use regular "morning realizations" with regards to my relationship with the Lord. In other words, I need to be aware of where I stand with Him. He is my Savior, my Redeemer, my best friend. I want to remember Him always.

A rant on rollercoaster moods, tinder, him, and being strong.

About ready to punch someone... sorry future Lexi.

There are times where all I want to do is listen to sad, independent, strong, lonely songs and punch any guy I see. There are also times where I can't get Andy Grammer's "I choose you" out of my head and feel ready to be swept off my feet and carried away into the sunset. These times usually happen several times within the same day. By the end of the day my mind is frazzled and I don't know what to think. I don't know what I want. I want a hug. I want someone to hold me and tell me it will all be ok. I don't want to have to pretend to be something I'm not to make someone else happy, because then I'll be miserable. I don't want to break another heart. I want to feel like I belong without feeling stuck. I can see myself looking back on this and shaking my head at my ridiculous 18 year old ranting. "Oh Lexi, pull yourself together kiddo. Everything will work out."

I got a tinder account and deleted it after less than a week. Basically it's a dating app that allows you to "like" people you think are attractive and then message and supposedly meet up with them. I got plenty of "matches" and a few date offers, but today while walking down the sidewalk back to my apartment I deleted my account. I realized something. I sure as heck could get a large quantity of dates... but quality was lacking. I didn't actually know these guys! I mean, it's kindof flattering for someone who I've never met to think I'm pretty and ask me out, but consider this. I would be much more flattered if a guy heard an idea I shared in a class that he thought was intriguing, or if he heard from a friend that I was a nice person, and then wanted to get to know me better. With tinder... They just saw my face And (I would assume) thought it was a nice face. Isn't there more? To quote Swan Lake, "what else?" And don't you dare say "what else is there?" There's more there than even I know yet.

the artwork from our cereal night. 

I realized something else as well. I'm REALLY used to having a good guy friend around. I mean, through the years I've had some really fantastic guys there to help me out. Here at BYU the same thing has happened. One guy in particular has been a true friend. The thing is, he is also someone that I ended up hurting repeatedly. And I hate that. I hate that I couldn't control myself enough to realize that I should not have been in a relationship with him, that we should have just stayed friends. I really hurt him. And I feel like a monster for it. I thought everything could go back to normal once I wanted it to... but it doesn't really work like that does it? He said he needed space. So I waited. Turns out I didn't have to wait that long. Just the other day I heard from him and then invited him over for cereal (because that's how I connect with people apparently). Anyways... it was really nice. We talked with my roommates and just goofed off for a while until everyone else left then we drew a pretty spiffy piece of modern art with highlighters. I missed him a lot. And I guess he missed me too because that's what he told me as he walked up the stairs of his apartment building. "I missed you." Same here, kiddo. Same here.

Ya know what? It's nice to get this out there. It's nice to say exactly what I'm thinking. I don't want people to look at me and think that I look down on them because they struggle because dammit  dang it, I struggle too. It's not our job to be strong. It's our job to turn to Christ. That's something I never want to forget.

To a friend.

Just know that it's ok to feel stressed out sometimes. Your human, it's normal, and quite frankly, you've got a lot going on. I wish I could take it off your shoulders but I can't.. but you and I both know that Christ already has. Every little detail that is piling up on you, even down to spelling melkezedick correctly, he knows. He feels it too. I think that's part of the beauty of grace. He took on everything you are going through right now and He won the fight. So even if it's hard, I know you'll make it through. Because He already has. He has won your battles. All that's left is for you to let Him in. It probably won't stop being hard, but it will still be amazing. I feel like when we don't know how in the world things are going to work out we get to see how from heaven God makes it possible. We get to see miracles.

I love hills!

Two summers ago I tagged along with my town's cross country team for their morning workouts. I was at about the same pace as a girl who normally ran by herself and we ended up being running buddies. We ran down an old dirt road almost every morning and some days we would reach a huge hill. Well, huge by a Texan's standards. Either way, I wasn't particularly excited about running up this hill! The first time we ran the hill together, my friend turned to me and said, "Ok, on the count of three we're both going to yell 'I love hills!' Ready? One, two, three," "I LOVE HILLS!" I can't think of that experience without smiling. Hills really did become one of my favorite parts of our morning workouts as we shouted and laughed together while facing what could have been the hardest part of our run.
Yesterday my roommate and I did our visiting teaching. We are blessed enough to be teaching two girls who are just incredible young women. As we spoke with each of them I was just blown away by their faith and trust in God. I felt like they did more for me than I did for them. The second girl we visit taught said something that took me back to two summers ago. She told us that when she is studying and isn't particularly excited about the topic or the text book she tells herself, "I love this! I love my class and I love this text book!" Then she remembers things a lot better and just has a much more enjoyable time doing something she would have to do anyways. We sat together in her apartment as she talked to us about this strategy of hers and I had to make an effort not to stare in awe. Lately I have been having a bit of a hard time being optimistic about life. It seems like I was caught up in all the "have-tos" of my life and was struggling to find hope for tomorrow (or for today for that matter). Hearing this sweet girl talk about how she chooses to "love it!" struck a chord with me. Life is full of hills and text books and plenty of other seemingly unpleasant things. I can choose to drag my feet and complain all the way through until it's over, only to find myself face to face with the next challenge or I can choose to love it. I can choose to meet every climb with determination and shout, "I love hills!" Then the hill, or text book, or whatever struggle I'm facing won't be breaking me... It will be building me. I'll be able to look back on my life and see that those hills are some of my sweetest memories.
The more days I live the more I realize that even if I don't know exactly where I'm going, I just want to know I'm good with God. A friend of mine once told me, "it's the best feeling in the world- being worthy and just living your life knowing you're ok with God." Isn't that true? The world keeps spinning and crazy things keep happening, but the more I turn to God the more I feel in my heart that everything will be ok.

Something great about college is how much I've been able to learn about myself. I have made some huge life decisions over the past few months and have also enjoyed discovering (or rediscovering) things about myself. Just this past week I have started to rediscover my love of drawing and writing. What better way to jump back into something I used to adore than with one of my favorite things: elephants! When I was younger, elephants were my favorite animal and the same is true today. I think elephants are both awkward and majestic and I find that incredibly endearing.
 I'll be honest, I used pictures from pinterest as reference, but I'm still pretty pleased with how my drawings turned out.

No, this is not an elephant.
My roommate requested a giraffe. :)

I feel like part of what I need to do here at BYU is discover, explore, and enjoy my experiences. Before coming here in the Spring, I received a father's blessing. I thought for sure that the message would be something along the lines of "gird up your loins" or "go get to work." I was wrong. The message of the blessing was essentially this- the Lord is pleased with me, He is grateful for the lives I have touched,and I am to continue to be a light wherever I go. As I go to BYU, I will find happiness in this new adventure. Every blessing I have received since then has given a similar message. God really does want me to enjoy my time here! I have the whole world in from of me!

On the drive to Utah, I wrote in my journal the following words, which I find extremely applicable: "Something I've learned is that you don't have to know it all. You know enough. You have the Spirit to guide you always and constant access to the Man who knows it all. Let Him show you the way. He can see a lot better than we can." Taking those steps of faith has been a real challenge in my life, but it has been a great adventure. I really have seen how the Lord lights the way for me, one step at a time. It's amazing!

Today I went to a devotional for the first time in a long time. I walked in by myself and stood by the door awkwardly, glancing around for somewhere to sit. "I could sit by myself on the side row... or I could go and sit by the girl over there..." Something I have learned about myself that I have had to fight through is how much other girls intimidate me. I find it a lot easier to talk and become friends with boys, but after some unfortunate experiences with misleading people during the Spring, I have decided to veer away from a boy-dominated friend group. Which means two things: 1. I have to make an effort to reach out to other girls and 2. I have been somewhat lonely so far. In that moment at the devotional, I was honestly scared to sit next to this person. So this was the perfect opportunity to get outside my comfort zone! I walked up to this girl and asked if I could sit by her. She got a conversation going and it didn't take long to see that we have quite a bit in common! She and I are both the oldest kids in our families, both play the guitar, were both homeschooled in highschool, both write, and are both freshmen. I could tell pretty quickly that she's a gem. We swapped blog addresses, listened to the devotional, and went our separate ways. I'm hoping that our paths will cross again soon!

My baby brother is now a year old! I can hardly believe it. So much has changed since I left for college. The little rascal even learned to walk without me. The nerve. I miss him everyday. Looking back on the day he was born and the weeks and months that came after, I see that he has changed my life. He made my life rich and beautiful and, quite frankly, worth living. Last summer I taught swimming lessons in my neighborhood in the morning and at the public pool about 30 minutes away in the afternoon. During the time between teaching, I would go home and pass out on the couch with Nolan in my arms. He was, and is, the love of my life.
Something amazing about that little boy is how he was able to bring our family closer together. Especially in the winter when my mom had her ankle surgery. She couldn't get up in the night to take care of him if he was crying so the rest of the family (me, my dad, and Andrew mostly) would take turns. Everyone pulled together in taking care of him. One of my favorite things in the world was to see Andrew scoop Nolan up, put him on his shoulder like a chubby parrot, and smile his little half smile as he walked off. I wouldn't trade the time I had with my family before leaving for anything. Little memories like that fill my heart.

I miss my family like crazy. That's not a bad thing, of course. How sad would it be if I didn't miss them? It's just hard sometimes. I've had to find other ways to fill my heart. While I was at home I learned that the best way to do that is by looking to God and looking outside yourself. It helps make life meaningful again. 

During this term I've been able to get to know a girl named Lauren. She uses a wheelchair and needs people to come help her with things throughout the day and I've been lucky enough to be one of those people. Honestly, I was nervous at first. I wasn't sure I could do everything that she would need me to do and I was worried about accidentally hurting her. After the first couple of times helping her by myself though, it wasn't hard at all. The more time I spend with her, the more I realize how much she has changed my life. She is someone who fills my heart. 

This past Saturday, on the 4th of July, Lauren, her roommate Jackie, and I went to the BYU men's soccer game and afterwards walked to a parking lot where we sat and watched fireworks. It was just wonderful! Lauren and Jackie are so sweet and genuine. I appreciate people like that. I really hope we'll continue to be friends. 

I feel like I'm on the verge of some great things in my life! I'm not sure exactly what they are, but I just feel like everything is going to be just fine. Angie, Sean, and Massi drove through Provo on Saturday and stopped to say hi. We went and had a 4th of July hot dog and I just enjoyed getting to spend some time with them. They're on the homestretch to California and it's just great to see how happy they are together. They have had more than their fair share of bumps in the road, but it has helped them get where they are. As we were sitting together, I had this reassuring feeling come over me that God really is there for us. He isn't going to leave us alone. Everything is going to work out.

Sean, Massi, Angie, and me after enjoying a 4th of July hot dog!

 Lauren, Jackie, and me after stadium of fire fireworks

 Ok, I'm sure there's some kind of plan for my life, but I can't see it right now. I could use some direction. Or at least some comfort. I can't deny that I feel the Spirit. I do. I guess I'm just having trouble understanding what He's trying to say. I guess, for now, I need to just keep moving. Go forth with faith and a happy spirit. I realize that what's bothering me is just a small bump in the road.
Feeling alone... I don't really mind. Besides, I have my family I can talk to and plenty of people who are friendly with me.
Money issues... That's just a matter of me getting on top of things: calling mom, getting a job, budgeting. Not too bad.
Not knowing what in the heck I'm going to do with my life... That's ok. I'm right where I need to be and I'm doing good things. I'm learning a lot about myself and taking steps in the right direction.
I've got dreams I want to chase and I'm in an environment that can help me do just that. I want to go to Macedonia with Erica and her family in the Spring. I want to do a mission trip with Single Humanitarian Experience. Hey, maybe I want to do a study abroad! I want to start a business! I want to write a book! I want to experience life and love it!
There are a lot of things I want to do... and I don't feel like that's narcissistic. My heart reaches out to other people in little ways wherever I go so I feel like I will be able to touch the lives of others as I follow my dreams. Ok, cool. What am I waiting for? I have the power! (He-Man reference... Thanks mom.) Really though, I'm ready now. Let's get this show on the road. I know that God will bless me in everything I do if I turn to Him continually.

And here's a little inspiration. :)

My 40 Day Book of Mormon Journey: Day 8

2 Nephi 25-33

Sometimes things we don't understand today will be of great worth in the future. There are some things we will only understand at the right time. We need to hand it over to God. He's got it. Really. That's something I have been able to see in my own life and I know that when anyone takes the time to reach out to their father in heaven in prayer, they will see the same thing in a very personal way. 

Sometimes we allow ourselves to suffer under the weight of sin when all we need to do is hand it over to Christ. He WANTS to help. It is His work. Don't turn away from the help He freely gives. God's way is simple and beautiful even when our lives and the journey we are on are not. We are made alive in Christ because of our faith. Don't turn away. Don't choose the dark.

Being without the spirit is a very dangerous place to be. It is putting down your defenses on enemy lines. It is inviting the adversary to take control. We need to watch ourselves. We need to know where we stand.

Today in mission prep we got to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ. At first I was nervous because I hadn't spent any time preparing for teaching, but as I looked at the concepts in Preah My Gospel, I saw that I have been preparing. By reading the Book of Mormon I have been immersing myself in the doctrine of Christ! The fourth article of faith says, "we believe that the first principles and ordinances of the gospel are first, faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ, second repentance,  third baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, fourth the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost." As I read these chapters, I learned about all of these principles and ordinances. We can be made clean through our Savior Jesus Christ. Faith in Him allows us to feel of his grace and mercy. As we strengthen our faith we will want to follow the Savior and obey God's commandments. Following Him means we will have to change. We have at our disposal the beautiful gift of repentance which slows us to change and grow closer to God. Repentance should be a way of life. God stand ready to forgive all of us and help us on our way home. As we grow in this journey, as we desire to follow Christ, we will need to be baptized as He was. Following baptism we can receive the Holy Ghost as a constant companion in our lives. No matter where we are in our journey, we must press on. Press on in faith, with a brightness of hope! As I read, I was filled with a new resolve. I thought to myself, "this is what I want! I want to follow my Savior! I will follow Him!" It has been the most worthwhile endeavor of my life. 

My 40 Day Book of Mormon Journey: Day 7

Day 7: 2 Nephi 12-24

Sometimes I feel like I've messed up too many times to try again. I feel like Christ wouldn't want me to follow Him because I'm not clean. But the more I learn about my Savior the more I see that those things just aren't true. I'm not too far gone. Christ wants me to follow Him because through Him I can be made clean! One verse that really hit me while I was reading was 2 Nephi 12:5, "O house of Jacob, come ye and let us walk in the light of the Lord; yea, come, for ye have all gone astray, every one to his wicked ways." I like that we are all called to follow Christ and we don't have to be perfect to do it. He knows we each have our struggles with sin, we each have our "wicked ways," and still He invites us to follow Him. Only in Him can those sins be taken away.
I love the verses that talk about the envy of Ephraim being taken away.  2 Nephi 21:12-13 in this case. Jealousy has been a constant struggle in my life. I know Christ can and IS helping me with it, but I stumble a lot. I love to know that someday the envy will be gone. I have seen Him help me recognize when I am letting envy creep into my mind. I feel His love when I ask Him to help me take it away. It has been a process and I'm still learning, but it is really wonderful. I love being able to see someone else's successes and happiness and feel joy for them. Instead of envy poisoning how I see someone I start to see them how Christ would and that is an incredible blessing. Why would I ever hold onto my jealousy when I know the blessings that come from giving it to God? Yet sometimes I do. But He never fails to remind me what I really want. And that is to follow Him.
In the last days and forever, I want to be on the Lord's side. I know I need to be purified and cleansed from my wicked ways, but I WANT to be the Lord's. I feel like that's a step in the right direction.
These chapters told us that God will destroy the wickedness of the world as He did with Assyria. He will destroy their idols. So, what do we worship? Do we have any idols before God? We can't play for both teams, "no man can serve two masters,"(Matthew 6:24). We may not bow down in front of a golden calf or a shrine of graven images, but putting anything before the Lord is creating an idol and a false god. We all need to look inside ourselves and check where our hearts are. Do we love God with all our hearts, souls and minds? (Matthew 22:37). He has to come first. Only then will everything else fall into place.
We know who is going to win in the end. In the battle between good and evil, God has already won and good has triumphed. The trick is, we need to know what side we're on.

Day 8: 2 Nephi 25-33

My 40 Day Book of Mormon Journey: Day 6

2 Nephi Chapters 6-11

2 Nephi Chapter 6
v2 Jacob receive authority from God.
v3 The entire intent of his message is to help the souls of his people. It's not about personal gain. It's about being concerned for the welfare of another individual.
v3-4 THIS is why members of the church may seem "pushy' at times. We know what's at stake. We have an honest concern for those around us and want them to have the blessings that God is just waiting to give them.
v5 We can apply the scriptures to our own lives.
v6 The Lord sets the standard for us. He lights the way.
v7 Anything we go through in our efforts to follow the Lord will be worth it. We will be filled with joy. We will not be ashamed.
v10 The Lord's judgement is good.
v11 We receive the mercy of God as we turn to Christ.
v12 The Lord is true to His covenants. He requires something of us in return.
Doctrine and Covenants 82:10
v13 Why aren't we ashamed? We stand out and we're different so why aren't we ashamed? Because we know who we are waiting for! We KNOW He will come. We know His power and His love. The mockery of the world means nothing in the light of the gospel.

2 Nephi Chapter 7
I felt like this chapter talked a lot about how God will not abandon His covenant people. What a blessing to know that truth. Something else that really hit me in this chapter was the end. The last verse intrigued me. I looked at the cross references to find out more... What does it meant to "walk in the light of your own fire and in the sparks which ye have made?" I read in Deuteronomy 12:8 and Judges 17:6 and learned that it means doing whatever you decide is right- making yourself the ultimate standard. Going by personal whim. Where does this lead? This verse tells us that this will cause us to "lie down in sorrow."

2 Nephi Chapter 8
v8 God's righteousness and Salvation extend forever. He has everything covered. There is no trial of experience we could go through that would surprise Him. He has paved the way and knows every step each of His children must take. The journey is different for everyone, but the destination is the same.
v12-13 Don't fear men. They are not mighty. Trust in God who created the universe and knows all things.

2 Nephi Chapter 9
Wow there is so much in this chapter. Christ suffered death for all that all will be resurrected. That is His free gift to us. We all receive immortality. In order to receive eternal life and live in God's presence we must follow His laws. EVERYONE will have the chance to accept of reject Him. We must hearken to His voice. We must repent. We must be baptized. He really does have everything covered. Our mortal perspective only allows us to see so much, but God knows all things. He will take care of it.
I imagine coming to the Savior in tears and telling Him all my fears and worries. I can picture Him listening to every word then putting his hands on my shoulders and saying, "I've got this. I've been there. Follow me." Following the Savior has been and continues to be the most worthwhile endeavor of my life. It is not always easy because it requires me to change and change can be uncomfortable, but it is ALWAYS worth it. My growing knowledge has led me to act and to let Him change me. I know God will take His children by the hand and guide them along their path. He knows every step that His children must take to make it back home. He is patient. He is kind. He is our Father. He will never give up on us.

2 Nephi Chapter 10
We are free to choose! What a remarkable gift! The choice is ours: eternal life or death. What we may forget is that that choices we make every day take us a step closer to either one or the other. Through the grace of God we can make it.

2 Nephi Chapter 11
God lives. How do we know? We're here- living, breathing, feeling, thinking... Start with what you know and build from there. Take the simple truths that you even just WANT to believe and let that be the start of your journey. God will help you know Him. He loves you. Just ask Him. It may take some time to understand how He speaks to you, but when you hear His voice it touches your soul. Let Him show you.

Tomorrow's Reading: 2 Nephi Chapters 12-24

My 40 Day Book of Mormon Journey: Day 5

2 Nephi Chapters 3-5

2 Nephi Chapter 3
v4 The more I read, the more I learn how important the covenants we make with God are.
v6 The Lord chose Joseph Smith.
v8 The Lord called Joseph Smith to do His work.
v11 The Lord gave Joseph Smith power to do His work.
Ok, it's important for us to understand that Lehi is a descendant of Joseph in Egypt. That helps us understand the power of the prophecy in verse 12. Lehi's descendants wrote the Book of Mormon and "the fruit of the loins of Judah" wrote the Bible. There is great power in joining these two books of scripture. There is even a verse in the Old Testament which talks about this: 
"The word of the Lord came again unto me, saying,Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions:then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick ofEphraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions: And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand" (Ezekiel 37:15-17).
v12 The scriptures bring peace and settle contention. They are God's words.

The great work Joseph refers to in his prophecy is the restoration of the gospel. It brings God's children unto salvation. God gives men power and strength to do His will.

The restoration of the gospel is such an important and powerful truth. When you understand the restoration, everything else falls into place. Because the gospel was restored we have a living prophet of the Lord today: Thomas S Monson. We have the Book of Mormon which testifies of Jesus Christ. We have the priesthood of God, the authority of the Lord put into the hands of men, to bless His children through eternity. What a time to live!

2 Nehi Chapter 4
I find it interesting that Lehi's dying words were all calling his family to obey and remember the Lord. I liked how he said that, "if ye are brought up in the way ye should go, ye will not depart from it." That places a large responsibility on the parents, for one thing, but it also tells me how blessed I am. I was raised up in the way I should go. I am so amazed at the faith of those who find the gospel later in life and accept it. That, to me, is incredible.
v15-16 I love Nephi's attitude in these verses! He DELIGHTS in the things of the Lord. What do I delight in?

Verses 15-35 are known as Nephi's Psalm

What powerful verses. Nephi feels the weight of his natural sinful state and mourns, but he knows he can trust in God. God gives him strength. God fills him with love. God gives him knowledge and protection.

26-30 I love how is giving himself completely to God. He knows that he can't do it on his own. I love how he asks God to help him turn from sin and rejoice. Sometimes I get caught up in all that's wrong with me and with the world, even though I have such a reason to have joy. I can choose joy through the Lord! He will change my heart. I have seen it. This chapter ends with a promise: God will give to those who ask.

2 Nephi Chapter 5

v4 It's so tragic to thing that after hearing so much truth Nephi's brethren still chose anger. They chose to turn from the truth. 

v5-6 God will protect His children. We need to believe His words.

v29-32 The Lord commands Nephi to keep a record. Nephi only writes the things of God. If we are pleased with the things of God, we will be pleased with Nephi's words.

Something I find interesting in this chapter is the comparison of the Nephites and the Lamanites. The Lamanites were cursed and cut off from God's presence and because of this curse they became idle, wicked, and mischievous. Man, left on his own, will reach his lowest point. The Nephites, on the other hand, obeyed the Lord and He was with them. They worked hard, they learned much, and they built a temple where they could enter into covenants with the Lord. They "lived after the manner of happiness." Isn't that beautiful? Isn't that what we all want? It starts with having the Lord with us. It requires us to live His way.

Tomorrow's Reading: 2 Nephi 6-11

My 40 Day Book of Mormon Journey: Day 4

1 Nephi 20-22, 2 Nephi 1-2
This is some heavy stuff. I didn't cover everything because it goes so in depth, but I wrote what I felt about what I could understand...

Sometimes I feel like this when I read (the Isaiah chapters specifically)...

1 Nephi Chapter 20

v8-11 Men are born into sin... it is in our nature. God will not let our wickedness detract from His holiness. Whether or not we choose to obey Him, He will be glorified.

v13 The Lord created and orders the universe. All things obey Him.

v16 The gospel is not a secret. We can know truth by the Spirit.

v18 The Lord wants to bless us. His work will be done and His glory made known. The difference for us will be whether or not we obey Him along the way. If we do we can find peace, but there is no peace for the wicked.

1 Nephi Chapters 21-22

I didn't write anything for these chapters because I felt so overwhelmed with them. The main message I got from them was this: Christ is a light to the world and the restoration of His gospel spreads this light to everyone. The covenants of the Lord are a manifestation of His power. The Lord has a plan and it must come forth. The devil will continue to fight against the Lord. We know who is going to win, so what side are we on? We must all obey God and endure to the end to receive all God has to offer us.

2 Nephi Chapter 1

v2-3 Sometimes we do not fully understand the mercies of God until later on.

v5-6 All those who come to the promise land are led by God.

v5-12 The promises of America

v15 One way we can know God's love is by understanding what He did for us. He saved us from the bitterness of hell. His love is eternal. It is like we are wrapped up in a giant, celestial hug.

v19,20,23 God's ways are righteous and He promises blessings if we follow Him. In order to do so, we need to put away any sin and put on t"he armor righteousness."

2 Nephi Chapter 2

I really like this chapter.

It really drives home fundamental principles of the gospel. We are all lost without Christ. CHrist has redeemed our souls and made it possible for all mankind to be resurrected. The Fall was downward and forward. Men fell away from God, but now had the ability to know and choose for themselves right and wrong. That is why God created the earth. So we would be able to come and experience opposition. God lives. If He didn't, we wold not be here. There would be on one to even have the chance to deny Him because there would be nothing. But we are here. And God does live. More than anything else, I know that He lives and His gospel has been restored to the earth today. :)

Tomorrow's Reading:2 Nephi 3-5

My Book of Mormon Journey: Day 3

1 Nephi 16-19

This quote came to mind while I was reading chapter 16 verse 2. Don't be afraid
to change. Christ can sanctify you if you will give your sins to him. Let them go.

1 Nephi Chapter 16
v2 There is good and evil in the world. The truth is that the wicked will be punished and the righteous will be lifted up... Being uncomfortable when we hear truth does not mean it is false. It means we have something to work on.
v3-5 Obeying God takes giving ourselves to Him. It means listening to truth and being willing to change.
v7-8 Marriage is of God and blessings come from doing things His way.
v20 Hard things happen and they are a time to be tested. Will we turn to God for strength or murmur against Him?
v28 The Lord will direct us if we are diligent and faithful.
v29 "By small means the Lord can bring about great things." I love this verse. It helps me understand that I don't have to see an earth shattering miracle to see the hand of the Lord doing great things in my life.
v39 Blessings come from repentance... It is like being spiritually fed.

1 Nephi Chapter 17
v3 Blessings come from obedience.
v13 Obedience helps us know God.
v19 The wicked rejoice in the pain of others. I have seen this in the lives of those around me. I feel like the root of this problem is envy. It then grows into hate and bitterness. I know that Christ can take these feelings away and help us heal if we will let Him.
v23-32 I love how real and undeniable the scriptures are to Nephi. He truly understands how they are meant to teach us of God's dealings with men.
v30 God gave the children of Israel ALL things they needed, but they hardened their hearts. How do we harden our hearts?
v35 God does not hold one man above another. He favors the righteous and blesses them. By disobeying God, we reject His blessings.
v36 The Lord created the world for us.
v37-38 He will bless and raise up the righteous, but must destroy the wicked.
v39 God rules the universe.
v40 God loves those who accept Him and one way He expresses this love is with covenants.
v41 God can heal us. Will we accept it? Will we set aside our pride?
v45 Are we swift to do iniquity and slow to remember God? Where do we face? Do we remember the things we have felt?
v47 I can identify with Nephi's pain in this verse. It is hard to wathc those you love make choices that will hurt them. Still, in those experiences the Spirit will teach you.

The Lord can be our best friend.

1 Nephi Chapter 18
v1-3 I love the description of Nephi's relationship with the Lord in these verses. Nephi worked hard and obeyed the Lord, and as needed the Lord showed Nephi what to do. I especially like how Nephi says that the Lord showed him great things as he prayed oft. I believe that, if we obey God and pray oft, He will show us great things.
v9 The words "forget" and "remember" always stand out to me so this verse grabbed my attention. WE too often forget what God does for us and that leads us to do things we wouldn't if we were focusing on Him.
v11 Sometimes God lets us suffer for a moment so He can show His power.
v16 After all Nephi went through he thanked the Lord. What an example of faith! His relationship with the Lord doesn't waver. He trusts God will provide.


1 Nephi Chapter 19
This chapter talks a lot about the importance of history and record keeping. It all points to the same main goal: persuading men to believe in and remember Christ. Nephi talks about applying all scriptures to his own life and what a blessing that can bring. I know that obeying the commandments and reading God's words give life an added measure of light and invite the Holy Ghost.

Tomorrow's Reading: 1 Nephi20-22, 2 Nephi 1-2

My 40 Day Book of Mormon Journey: Day 2

1 Nephi 10-15

1 Nephi Chapter 10
v4 God sent the Messiah as the Savior of the world.
v5 All mankind would be lost and fallen without Jesus Christ.
v7-10 John the Baptist was called to prepare the way for Christ.
v9-10 The Savior is our example in all things. He was baptized not to be cleansed from sin, but because God commanded it and Christ was obedient.
v10 Christ took away the sins of the world.
v11 Christ conquered death and manifests himself through the Holy Ghost.
v17 Men can receive the power of the Holy Ghost if they have faith in the Son of God, the Messiah. Everyone who seeks it can receive the Holy Ghost.
v18 God is unchanging and has prepared the way for men. Repentance is essential.
v19 He who seeks shall find. That is a promise from God. That is the order of things. He will give us what we ask for in faith.
v20 Everything we do will be judged... If we seek wickedness then we will not be able to dwell with God.
v22 The Holy Ghost can give us inspiration to know what to say.

1 Nephi Chapter 11
Chapter 11-14 are Nephi's vision
v1-3 Desiring to know, believing you will receive answers, and pondering on truth invite the inspiration of the Spirit.
v6 The Lord, the most High God, is over all the earth and above all things.
v11 The Spirit can speak to us in many ways.
v16 Condescension: voluntary assumption of equality with a person regarded as inferior.
v17 I love how Nephi doesn't know everything, but he knows God lives His children and builds from there.
v21 Jesus Christ is the Son of the Eternal Father. They are two beings with one purpose.

Here we tie back to Lehi's dream!
v22 The tree in Lehi's dream is the love of God. It will bring a soul true joy. Just as people fell before the tree, we fall before the Lord and receive His love.
v25 The rod of iron leading to the tree is the word of God. The scriptures, the commandments... As we hold to them we will stay on the path to the Lord.
v27-34 Christ's life, ministry, and death... He was judged by the world.
v35-36 The building in Lehi's dream was the pride of the world. It is large and grand, but it is built on nothing and wil fall.
How will we approach the tree of life? How are you on your journey to the Lord?

 1 Nephi Chapter 12
v6 Following His crucifixion, Christ rose again. He conquered death and made it so all mankind will live again.
v8-9 The twelve apostles of Christ will judge the twelve tribes of Israel. They are able to do so because they are ordained and chosen of God.
v10 The twelve are made clean and righteous through Christ, who is the source of all good.
v11 Men can become clean through faith.
v16-17 The river of water are the depths of hell and the mists of darkness are the temptations of the devil.
v18 The building is the pride and vanity of the world. The justice of God keeps it separate from the things of the God.
v19 Great suffering comes through pride and listening to the temptations of the devil.
v22 When men choose disbelief the chose to live below their potential.
v Distancing one's self from God leads to sin and misery.

1 Nephi Chapter 13
v4-6 The devil is the founder of the church which kills the saints of God and wars against good.
v8 Where is your heart? What do you desire?
v12 Here it talks about how Christopher Columbus was led by the Lord to the americas.
v14-19 The colonizing of America was directed by God. The Spirit led men to do what God asked them to do.
v17-19 Revolutionary War
v20-29 The coming forth of the Bible... It was pure and complete but plain and precious truths were removed. Covenants of God were removed. The Lord speaks plainly, but because of the things which were taken away, many stumble and Satan has power over them,
v32 Without those plain and precious truths men were in a state of blindness. God did not intend for it to remain his way forever.
v34 Christ would restore his gospel in His power.
v35 Part of that restoration includes the coming forth of the Book of Mormon.
v36 The Book of Mormon contains the gospel of Christ.
v37 Those who seek to build God's kingdom will be filled with the Spirit and will be lifter up at the last day, enjoying salvation after death.
v39 All scripture that comes forth comes through the power of Christ. We are reading the Doctrine and Covenants in seminary and everything is direct revelation from the Lord.
v40 The Book of Mormon and the Bible together will make known to the world that Christ is the Son of God, the Savior of the world. All men must go to him or they cannot be saved.
v41 Men will come unto Christ according to His words which are found in the Book of Mormon and the Bible. They are one and testify of the one true God.
v42 Christ will manifest himself to all men in his time.

1 Nephi Chapter 14
v1-2 If we listen to the Lord then He will take away our stumbling blocks: whatever is getting in the way of our faith growing. We will prosper.
v3 Temptations of the devil are placed all around us with the purpose of destroying us. The devil and his children dig a pit for us, but they will be the ones who fill it.
v4 The captivity of the devil and the justice of God will both take place... Those who are wicked are bound in the chains which they have made according to the justice of God.
v7 The restoration of the gospel will lead to the convincing of souls to either peace and eternal life or spiritual captivity because of the hardness of their hearts.
v10 There is no middle ground. You belong to God or you are held captive by the devil. Covenants bind us to God.
v11 The devil's influence is everywhere.
v12 Though the restored church is few in number, it covers the world.
v13-14 The devil will gather up his followers and fight against the Lord and His church... But, armed with righteousness and the power of God, the covenant people will stand strong.
v15-16 The wrath of God leads to the destruction of the wicked.
v17 Everything God does is to fulfill His purposes.
v23-27 The Lord revealed to the apostle John what He revealed to Nephi... Others have seen and their records will come forth.

1 Nephi Chapter 15
v3 The things of God are hard for men to understand unless they ask Him.
v4-5 I have felt a portion of that pain. Watching someone you love make decisions that will lead to pain is heartbreaking.
v8 I love this question- "have ye inquired of the Lord?" I think we should ask ourselves that question regularly. v11 I love God's promises. If we will believe in Him. He can show us what we need to know.
v35-36 When men die, they dwell with God or they are cast out. Either they partake of the fruit or miss out on it.

Food for Thought
A strong theme I kept going back to in my mind was DESIRES. Any time I see that word in the scriptures it grabs my attention. What desires lead to what outcome? The scriptures make it pretty clear that we pretty much get what we want. By that I mean that if we desire to follow the enticings of the devil because they are attractive, then we can. And eventually we will be under His power. On the other hand, if we desire to follow Christ who has paid the ultimate price for us, who is above all things, then we can have eternal life in the world to come. The choice is ours. Eternal happiness or never ending sorrow. It shouldn't be hard to make this decision, should it? However, I think we need to constantly check ourselves and see where our choices are leading. Where are our desires taking us? We need to hold to the iron rod, the word of God, as we go along the path so that we can make it safely home.

Tomorrow's Reading: 1 Nephi 16-19