Have your kids read Mark 1:7; Luke 3:16; John 1:27 and 1 Nephi 10:8 (see also Matt. 3:11).
How did Lehi know what John the Baptist was going to say 600 years before John was even born? What does this tell us about Heavenly Father? What does it tell us about prophecy and revelation?
Note: There is no such prophecy in the Old Testament scriptures that we have, so Lehi may not have read this in the Brass Plates. But even if he did, how did the person writing it in the Brass Plates know what John the Baptist would say?
Mom and I have talked about how great it would be to share as an extended family what we are learning and how we are studying the Come Follow Me manual personally and with our families so we can support each other. I'm hoping that this will be a good place to do just that!
Prepare "Me" the Way of the Lord
I am loving "likening the scriptures to ourselves" as emphasized in our study of the New Testament in the Come Follow Me lessons. This morning as I have studied parts of the January 28-Feb 3 lesson (Matt.3; Mark 1; Luke 3), I have contemplated the lesson title, "Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord."
I can prepare a way for the Lord to enter my own heart and I can be part of the great preparation for the 2nd Coming of the Lord to the world by doing exactly what John the Baptist invited all to do--repent! Repent, or experience a mighty change of heart and mind! And what are the mighty changes I need to make in my own heart and mind? I need to embrace with all my heart, might, mind and strength, the revelations given to us by the Savior through President Nelson.
As Elder Christofferson teaches in "The Divine Gift of Repentance" cited in the lesson, repentance is not only the act of abandoning sin, but it is also a covenant of obedience. As we embrace the counsel to make our homes centers of gospel learning, as we mindfully honor Jesus Christ every time we refer to His Church by using the name He gave it, and as we strive to make appointments with the Lord to be in His holy house on a regular basis, we will be "preparing the way of the Lord" into our own hearts and minds and will be helping in the great work of preparing the world for the 2nd Coming of the Savior.
When these things become a challenge, I hope that instead of finding excuses for not doing better, I will instead ask "How can I make this happen?" and then be willing to rearrange my priorities until these become my priorities.
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I can prepare a way for the Lord to enter my own heart and I can be part of the great preparation for the 2nd Coming of the Lord to the world by doing exactly what John the Baptist invited all to do--repent! Repent, or experience a mighty change of heart and mind! And what are the mighty changes I need to make in my own heart and mind? I need to embrace with all my heart, might, mind and strength, the revelations given to us by the Savior through President Nelson.
As Elder Christofferson teaches in "The Divine Gift of Repentance" cited in the lesson, repentance is not only the act of abandoning sin, but it is also a covenant of obedience. As we embrace the counsel to make our homes centers of gospel learning, as we mindfully honor Jesus Christ every time we refer to His Church by using the name He gave it, and as we strive to make appointments with the Lord to be in His holy house on a regular basis, we will be "preparing the way of the Lord" into our own hearts and minds and will be helping in the great work of preparing the world for the 2nd Coming of the Savior.
When these things become a challenge, I hope that instead of finding excuses for not doing better, I will instead ask "How can I make this happen?" and then be willing to rearrange my priorities until these become my priorities.
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Because of Jesus Christ, We Need Not Be Victims of Our Past
The lesson points out that Isaiah's prophecy about John the Baptist's mission and the Savior's coming would have the effect of filling every valley, flattening mountains and hills, straightening every crooked path and smoothing every rough place.
In other words, their great redeeming message was that through the power of His Atonement, the Savior would be able to straighten our crooked paths and smooth out our rough places--he would be able to help us change so that we would not forever be victims of our past with its sins and mistakes and failures and weaknesses.
I read a quote this week in an article in the online Meridian Magazine that relates to this doctrine. I love this: Forgiveness is giving up hope of ever having a better past. (Jodie Chaffee quoting Beverly Flanigan, 3 January 2019)
We are so often tempted to wish we had done things we didn't do or hadn't done things we should have done or wish we had had opportunities that didn't come or wish certain things had not happened to us.
The powerful message of the gospel of Jesus Christ is that the Savior does not require us to be someone we are not, to be in a different place or circumstance or situation than we are with our imperfect past or will be with our still imperfect future. All He requires is that we turn our hearts to him and continually strive to repent and put our trust in His power to help us change, to help us become what we have the potential to become.
I love this scripture from Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
In other words, their great redeeming message was that through the power of His Atonement, the Savior would be able to straighten our crooked paths and smooth out our rough places--he would be able to help us change so that we would not forever be victims of our past with its sins and mistakes and failures and weaknesses.
I read a quote this week in an article in the online Meridian Magazine that relates to this doctrine. I love this: Forgiveness is giving up hope of ever having a better past. (Jodie Chaffee quoting Beverly Flanigan, 3 January 2019)
We are so often tempted to wish we had done things we didn't do or hadn't done things we should have done or wish we had had opportunities that didn't come or wish certain things had not happened to us.
The powerful message of the gospel of Jesus Christ is that the Savior does not require us to be someone we are not, to be in a different place or circumstance or situation than we are with our imperfect past or will be with our still imperfect future. All He requires is that we turn our hearts to him and continually strive to repent and put our trust in His power to help us change, to help us become what we have the potential to become.
I love this scripture from Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
My witness of Christ--Kim
Last week we were encouraged to notice John's witness of Christ then write our own and think about who we could share it with. It was hard for me to decide what to write, but finally I just sat down to do it and this is what I came up with:
"Christ's tender mercies are shown to me through the scriptures. I have seen his tender mercies and strengthening power in my life: on the highway when he took away my unmanageable fear; in my new calling when he gave me confidence, guidance, and peace; in my struggles when he sent me people to help me and strength to endure."
"Christ's tender mercies are shown to me through the scriptures. I have seen his tender mercies and strengthening power in my life: on the highway when he took away my unmanageable fear; in my new calling when he gave me confidence, guidance, and peace; in my struggles when he sent me people to help me and strength to endure."
A wonderful promise from President Nelson
Like Rachel said in the most recent Call Home, parenting is hard! Personally, I am holding on to this promise from President Nelson:
"The new home-centered, Church-supported integrated curriculum has the potential to unleash the power of families, as each family follows through conscientiously and carefully to transform their home into a sanctuary of faith. I promise that as you diligently work to remodel your home into a center of gospel learning, over time your Sabbath days will truly be a delight. Your children will be excited to learn and to live the Savior’s teachings, and the influence of the adversary in your life and in your home will decrease. Changes in your family will be dramatic and sustaining." (Becoming Exemplary Latter-day Saints, October 2018)
"The new home-centered, Church-supported integrated curriculum has the potential to unleash the power of families, as each family follows through conscientiously and carefully to transform their home into a sanctuary of faith. I promise that as you diligently work to remodel your home into a center of gospel learning, over time your Sabbath days will truly be a delight. Your children will be excited to learn and to live the Savior’s teachings, and the influence of the adversary in your life and in your home will decrease. Changes in your family will be dramatic and sustaining." (Becoming Exemplary Latter-day Saints, October 2018)
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