Simple The Way

I am feeling that blogging day-to-day scripture studies with my husband is not achievable right now given that I'm back in school and life remains busy (full-time work, part-time school, teaching piano lessons, teaching Sunday School, and the list goes on).  We began reading together when I was inspired to choose it as the activity for the "conversion project" in my religion class for school, for which I'm truly grateful.

The following in an excerpt from the working document I will be turning in throughout the semester in various stages of completion regarding the conversion project:

My goal with this conversion project is to make scripture study as regular and normal as our daily prayers have become.  I want to do this for me, for my husband, and for our future family.  Having been single for quite a while (I married at 34), my efforts over the years have been mine alone.  I am excited to see how things will be different now that I’m married with a supportive husband.  If we can work on this together, I believe we can succeed together and establish diligent scripture study into our daily lives and marriage. 

I will begin by setting aside time every day to read from The Book of Mormon, starting at the beginning, and will invite my husband to join me.  After reading, I would like each of us to identify one thing we read that sparked intrigue, made us feel good, inspired a question, etc. and share why or what we learned.  The anticipated challenges I foresee relate to time management; some days will be tougher than others.  I will just need to remind myself that making time to do this is as important as the time I set aside for school studies, the time I dedicate to my job, the time I prioritize for date night, etc.  Even if we must read by the light of a flashlight as we cuddle at the end of a long and tiresome day, we must read.  My intention for recording progress will be to take notes during our brief discussion each time, and then transpose them to a blog I created years ago for a past religion course.  

Again, I'm feeling like the blogging part of this goal is not achievable on a day-to-day basis (obviously, if you've seen the past post and note the date on this one).  Though it is part of the assignment and a way to document our progress, I need to set my sights a little lower; simplicity is key.  The daily reading and quality discussion with my husband is what I should focus on.  I will come and write about it frequently enough to document things, toss around some ideas, pose some questions, etc., but I will NOT beat myself up for not writing every day anymore (I felt really bad about it this week).  

I need to simplify things, which brought me to the story of Moses and the people people he saved by parting the Red Sea for a safe exodus from Egypt.  They were poisoned by the bite of a serpent God sent to teach them a lesson when they essentially complained about their meager and challenging circumstances.  God gave them a simple way to be healed (physically and spiritually); he had Moses make a bronze serpent to place on a pole so people could simply look at it and be healed.  As evidenced in the scriptures below, many people couldn't bring themselves to engage in such a simple act.

1 Nephi 17:41

And he did straiten them in the wilderness with his rod; for they hardened their hearts, even as ye have; and the Lord straitened them because of their iniquity. He sent fiery flying serpents among them; and after they were bitten he prepared a way that they might be healed; and the labor which they had to perform was to look; and because of the simpleness of the way, or the easiness of it, there were many who perished.

Alma 33:20-22

But few understood the meaning of those things, and this because of the hardness of their hearts. But there were many who were so hardened that they would not look, therefore they perished. Now the reason they would not look is because they did not believe that it would heal them.

O my brethren, if ye could be healed by merely casting about your eyes that ye might be healed, would ye not behold quickly, or would ye rather harden your hearts in unbelief, and be slothful, that ye would not cast about your eyes, that ye might perish? 

If so, wo shall come upon you; but if not so, then cast about your eyes and begin to believe in the Son of God, that he will come to redeem his people,and that he shall suffer and die to atone for their sins; and that he shall rise again from the dead, which shall bring to pass the resurrection, that all men shall stand before him, to be judged at the last and judgment day,according to their works.

At first glance, the fact that the people who were bitten by serpents wouldn't look at the brass serpent baffles me.  It was such an easy thing to do; look and live. Heck, even if it didn't work, looking wouldn't have cost them anything to try at least.  Looking in faith would be best but looking with skepticism would have been better than dying, and probably could have led to a renewal of faith.  Maybe they were just over-complicating the whole situation?  I do that all the time.  Don't we all?  If my leg were cut off in an accident and someone told me that putting a bandage on it would make it regrow, I'd think they were nuts.  I wouldn't even try it because for sure, it wouldn't work.  But who says it wouldn't (forget biology and science for a moment)?  If it were the prophet or an apostle who gave me that instruction, would I do it then?  I surely hope that I would because, helloooooo, they are incredibly tight with God and if He wants to fix me up, I'm not arguing.  Hand me that bandage and a roll of tape, let's regrow me a leg!

All jokes aside, how often are we given promises from God that are predicated on our choices and actions?  All the time.  Listen to any General Conference talk, read any lesson in "Come Follow Me" and the scriptures that correspond, pay attention during your temple work and you'll see that we are given simple instructions to follow with results that include opportunities to receive blessings, grow closer to God, recognize truth, be spiritually healed, and more... constantly.  Am I following the simple instructions I've received?  Are you?

In Doctrine and Covenants 88:63, it says:

Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

I am committing myself to quit over-complicating simple things.  I will read and discuss the Book of Mormon each day with my husband, enjoy the simple act of drawing closer to and seeking Christ together, and write here in the blog as I'm inspired to do so.

“In Tune with the Music of Faith”

Elder Quentin L. Cook

April 2012 General Conference

What it’s about:

Elder Cook spoke about how we can move faithfully in a forward direction, doing what we need be doing in order to keep our lives in line with God’s will.  He even took this beyond an individual need to “be in tune” with God’s will, and counseled us regarding what we can do to help our families to grow strong and full of faith. 

Quotes:

“Finally, there are those who are in tune with the music of faith. You know who you are. You love the Lord and His gospel and continuously try to live and share His message, especially with your families. You are in harmony with the promptings of the Spirit, have awakened to the power of God’s word, have religious observance in your homes, and diligently try to live Christlike lives as His disciples.”

“Our great desire is to raise our children in truth and righteousness. One principle that will help us accomplish this is to avoid being overly judgmental about conduct that is foolish or unwise but not sinful. […]it [is] important to distinguish between youthful mistakes which should be corrected and sins that require chastening and repentance. Where there is lack of wisdom, our children need instruction. Where there is sin, repentance is essential.”

“Religious observance in the home blesses our families. Example is particularly important. What we are speaks so loudly that our children may not hear what we say. […]Mothers and fathers praying with children may be more important than any other example.”

“The essential doctrine of agency requires that a testimony of the restored gospel be based on faith rather than just external or scientific proof. Obsessive focus on things not yet fully revealed, such as how the virgin birth or the Resurrection of the Savior could have occurred or exactly how Joseph Smith translated our scriptures, will not be efficacious or yield spiritual progress. These are matters of faith. Ultimately, Moroni’s counsel to read and ponder and then ask God in all sincerity of heart, with real intent, to confirm scriptural truths by the witness of the Spirit is the answer. In addition, when we inculcate into our lives scriptural imperatives and live the gospel, we are blessed with the Spirit and taste of His goodness with feelings of joy, happiness, and especially peace.”

What it means to me:

I was drawn in by how Elder cook delivered a simple message that addressed everyone’s circumstances and where they are in their journey down, around, away from, or returning to the narrow path of righteousness.  The quotes above were all just really good and contained clear council that I felt was good to note.  Though nothing really reached out and shook my soul about this talk, it did testify  to me that Heavenly Father has not made things terribly complicated in regards to what we need to do to return to Him and live with our families for eternity.