Read: 2 Nephi 31 - Jacob 1
Mark: 2 Nephi 31:10-13, 20
"When we understand our baptismal covenant and the gift of the Holy Ghost, it will change our lives and will establish our total allegiance to the kingdom of God. When temptations come our way, if we will listen, the Holy Ghost will remind us that we have promised to remember our Savior and obey the commandments of God." -- Elder Robert D. Hales
To ponder:
Sometimes we take our baptism for granted. What do you do to remember and increase your appreciation for your baptism?
I have so many thoughts going through my mind after reading tonight. I love it that Nephi likes to speak and teach in 'plainness'--so that all can understand. I think this is important to remember. Sometimes we try to complicate the gospel, and there is just no need to do so. Then in Chapter 32, we are told what to do after we are baptized, and it's pretty straight forward and plain. We are to feast upon the scriptures, which means daily scripture study. In verse 8, we are taught plainly that we must pray and to pray always. I love the important reminder in verse 9 that we are taught to pray before we teach a lesson, give a talk, go visiting teaching--we must pray before we do anything unto the Lord so that we can have the Holy Ghost with us.
ReplyDeleteAnd then in Chapter 33, one of my new 'favorite' scriptures is found in verse 10, where Nephi says even if you don't believe a single thing I say, believe in Christ. He then brings this full circle and says if you believe in Christ, then He will tell you at the last day that these are His words and that I (Nephi) have been commanded to write them. Love this!
I'm sad that Nephi dies in Jacob 1, but thankful that Jacob and Joseph were taught, believed in Christ, and were well-prepared to carry on his Nephi's footsteps. Are we prepared to carry on and share the gospel with others?
Oh I totally agree! My dad often refers to the "milk" and the "meat" of the gospel--the "milk" is pretty straightforward and simple. It's plain to understand and it nourishes and strengthens us and brings us closer to God. We can get to where we need to be with the simple truths of the gospel. The "meat" is the deeper doctrines and teachings that delve into more complex thoughts, that most of the time aren't even necessarily backed as actual doctrine. The "meat" can be very interesting and also nourishing, but too much of it can damage us, especially if we abandon the "milk", or the simple principles, for the "meat" of deep doctrine. It's often these deeper topics that are the cause of a lot of the anti-Mormon literature and sentiments. There's nothing wrong with studying them, but it's the plain principles, as Nephi told us and as you reiterated, that bring us to salvation!
DeleteMy baptism occurred like most Mormon children at 8 years old. Then we stopped going to church. 37 years have passed and I'm trying to pick up where I left off. I have been to one baptism and its words and covenants made gave me goosebumps. Although I didn't have the continuation and support of the churches teachings after my baptism, the Holy Spirit did come and go throughout my life. I feel like that child who can't get enough of what's being taught. I can't get enough of learning abt our churches traditions and beliefs.
ReplyDeleteI laughed a little at Nephis comments when he said to those of you who choose not to follow these teachings I say farewell. Not in a judgemental way but in a matter of fact. You have been given the keys to the heavens and you still use your free agency to walk away. I got nothing else to offer if that's not enough. Farewell.
Nephi certainly has a gift for being blunt! LOL.
DeleteIt's so amazing you've been able to find your way back to the gospel. I'm happy that you were able to make that baptismal covenant before your family stopped attending and am happy that things have turned out okay despite that challenge. My brother got divorced about five years ago, maybe longer. They had two little girls and the first one is turning 8 this year. My brother has recently decided he's athiest. And his ex-wife's new hubby is less active, so she's doesn't regularly go to church with their kids. My niece will be (tentatively) getting baptized, which makes me really happy because I'm hoping that, if nothing else, even if they hardly or never attend their meetings, this covenant and gift of the Holy Spirit will protect and strengthen her. So, I really AM super happy to read your posttoday, as it gives me so much hope for my little nieces.
Angela, I love that you point out that Nephi says "farewell" and in such a matter of fact or plain and simple way. He's kind of like saying: Come on people! But if you don't want to come on, then good bye! (in a nice way...)! :)
DeleteI definitely took my baptism for granted. I was 8, my dad baptized me, and I really just wanted to swim in the font, which I did. I don't have any pictures to remember it by (my brother's fault for exposing the film to sunlight), but I can remember how warm the water was and how special I felt coming out of it. Still, I didn't truly understand or appreciate that covenant until much later. In college my roommates and I went to the temple almost every week to do baptisms for the dead, and I think that's when it really clicked for me how lucky and blessed I was to be able to have these truths and ordinances in this life and at such a young age.
ReplyDeleteSo, I'm really happy that our church has so many translations of it's teachings. 2 Nephi 31:3 is so great--God speaks to us in the way we understand! Some churches have sermons in Latin that almost no one understands, and especially hundreds of years ago this was the case in the Catholic church, so the poor were often shunned from church because they couldn't understand the sermons and if a priest tried to preach in the native tongue they could be reprimanded and lose their position). Anyways, I'm just happy to see how our church goes to every length possible to make sure every person gets the message in their own language!
And one last thing, cause there are a LOT of great and amazing things in here, but I had one part jump out at me tonight in Jacob 1:19. This is the watchman principle. When we accept a calling, we also accept the responsibilities (and revelations) for whatever members are included in that within reason. So prophets are obviously placed with an ENORMOUS mantle and responsibility. This being said, we know we can trust and follow in the prophet because even if he were to somehow lead us the wrong way it would fall on his head, not ours, and we would be blessed for our righteousness. Can you imagine how that has to feel, every day, to be prophet and know that you're responsible for not just every church member, but literally for every person in the world? Modern technology has made it so much easier to get the gospel message out to the world, and that's why we continue to see the church making technological advancements in getting all the materials out there for anyone to use and find. Our prophet knows that he is responsible for the world, so he does the best he can for all of us, and I know that I can feel his love for us and that he truly is called of God to lead us.
Jenny, this is me hitting the "like" button!!!
ReplyDeleteI don't often think about my baptism specifically, but do often think about the covenants I have made. As a teenager I realized that I didn't think about others as I had covenanted I would - and as I thought Jesus would. Since I took upon myself his name I decided to start praying that I would see the good in people - that I would see people the way He sees them. I think I've come a long way. Not only has it allowed me to have more compassion, but it has also helped me to be less sensitive to my own hurts - I am stronger for having shifted my focus to other people. I think God commands us to serve others more because He knows how happy it can make us. We are essentially covenanting to do things that can only bless us and others around us. I will strive to think more on my baptism more specifically though - the thought passes in my mind increasingly as my girls grow! I need to be prepared to speak with them about it and ready them for such a step!
ReplyDeleteIf I want the words of Christ to come out of my mouth than I need to feast upon his words. :) I don't necessarily have to memorize or know all of his words (though that wouldn't hurt) but the act of reading and taking in all his words will fill me with the Spirit and angels and God can use me as they will.