Day 30: Moroni

Amid boxes and random unorganized furniture, I sat down tonight with a blanket, ice cream, and popcorn, and I did it--I finished the Book of Mormon! Oh, it felt so good! I have gotten several messages from people today with the same kind of excitement and gratitude for the experience. Thank you to everyone who participated with me. I can tell you that with the events of this month, I never would have finished without such an amazing support group to push me through! I  have to apologize for days like today when I didn't get the daily reading posted until...uh, the day was nearly done...and my blogging was often late as well. But even though I wasn't the thorough and prompt leader I had hoped to be, the ultimate goal has been achieved. What a blessing and an accomplishment!

I decided at the beginning of this challenge to use a paperback copy of the Book of Mormon, rather than my personal copy that I've read and marked in for nearly ten years. As a result, I was able to see things freshly, without any previous notes or markings to influence my thoughts. It was wonderful! Reading Moroni tonight was a such a treat!

From these final chapters we learned how to lay hold upon every good thing. It is through faith in Jesus Christ (Moroni 7:22-25). I am learning every day what it means to have "real intent of heart" (Moroni 7:6, 9). I think that is the key--the heart. Throughout this month, I marked each time the scriptures mention something about the state of the heart. Here are just a few:

"...his heart did take courage..." (Alma 62:1)
";yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever." (Alma 37:36)
"...let thy heart be full of thanks unto God;" (Alma 37:37)
"...that a seed may be planted in your heart..." (Alam 32:28)
"..pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with his love..."(Moroni 7:48)
"...that the Holy Ghost may have place in their hearts..." (Moroni 7:32)
"...ponder it in your hearts..." (Moroni 10:3)

I have learned that hearts can be lowly, they can be stubborn, they can be hard; they can be led and broken and lifted up; they can be possessed by Satan, they can be lustful, they can be prideful; they can be soft, they can be purified, and they can be united as one. Most important, they must be sincere "with real intent, having faith in Christ."(Moroni 10:4)

I feel like I have had many opportunities writing on this blog to bear my testimony. But I realized yesterday, after reading Trisha's post, that I have not formally expressed my sincere love for the Savior and my Father in Heaven.

I know the joy that comes from true repentance. I know Heavenly Father prepares us, often without our knowledge of it, to meet the challenges and trials necessary for our growth and learning. I know that the blessings of the temple are real. I know that the blessings of sweet and simple obedience are real. I know that the atonement is real, and it works. I know that an understanding of the scriptures is vital, not only for our salvation, but for our happiness and our success in this life. I have had the great experience throughout my life to learn precept upon precept, line upon line, by small and simple means, that the Lord knows me, he loves me, and he is aware of me. I am so grateful for the Holy Ghost. I am so grateful for the scriptures--for all the prophets who, by their faith and works, made it possible for us to have them today. I am so grateful for my life and the people in it.

I love my Father in Heaven. I love the Savior, Jesus Christ. And more now than ever, I love the Book of Mormon! I am so grateful to have done this challenge and to have shared the experience with each of you. Now it is my prayer that I can always remember, and never forget, the important things I have learned.  Although this is the end of the challenge, it is not the end of studying and seeking the blessings of greater knowledge and wisdom. I want to have the kind of faith and hope and charity that will allow me to be numbered among those who were "partakers of the heavenly gift." My knowledge of the scriptures is growing, and with it I am gaining the desire to pray more often, to be more kind, to hear and feel the promptings of the Holy Ghost, and to follow them. I have felt the joy that the scriptures describe--it is a joy that can only come through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Day 17: Alma 30-35

And yet again, this was another set of chapters just full of good stuff! I wish I had time today to say more, but I think I'm going to narrow it down to one verse:

Alma 33:23
And now, my brethren, I desire that ye shall plant this word in you hearts, and as it beginneth to swell even so nourish it by your faith. And behold, it will become a tree springing up in you unto everlasting life. And then may God grant unto you that your burdens may be light, through the joy of his Son. And even all this can ye do if ye will. Amen."

Nearly every single page of this section of scripture mentions or discusses the different states of men's hearts. Have you been noticing this along the way? My favorite verse is in 34:36 when is says "...but in the hearts of the righteous doth he dwell..."

The metaphor of the word being a seed is so beautiful in these chapters, and I know that it is true--when our hearts are in the right place, the Lord is with us, "and even all this can ye do if ye will."

Day 2: 1 Nephi 9-14

 image found here

With yesterday's reading fresh on my mind, I found the scriptures today were filled with even more detail about their own origin, significance and purpose. I have been considering attending a Bible study group with a group of people who are not LDS, and as I read the explanation of how the Book of Mormon restores the plain and precious truths that were lost in the Bible, I kept thinking to myself, "How can I share this with them?"

I also found several scriptures that increased my understanding of the state of men's hearts: 1 Nephi 11:22-23, 12:17 and 14:7. The scriptures make it pretty clear that it is Satan who hardens men's hearts, through temptations that lead us away from the Savior. He makes our hearts hard so that we cannot feel the love of God "which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men" which is "most desirable above all things" and "the most joyous to the soul." The "great and marvelous work" that the Lord works among men is simply, and miraculously, a deliverance from the hardness of our own hearts--deliverance both temporally and spiritually. I found this particularly relevant when compared to the scripture in 1 Nephi 12:19 when Nephi attributes two things to the destruction of his people--pride and the temptations of the devil. Those two things hardened the hearts and brought about the destruction of a people who once understood and lived gospel. Similarly, we are just as blessed with the fulness of the gospel, and we are just as vulnerable to the temptations of the devil. 

Also in chapter twelve, I wondered at the specific mention of idleness included in the final verse of the chapter:

23 And it came to pass that I beheld, after they had dwindled in unbelief they became and dark and loathsome, and a filthy people, full of idleness and all manner of abominations.

When I think of the word "abominations," idleness is not the first thing that comes to mind. I think of more drastic things, like murder or adultery or actions rooted in dishonesty. But idleness? This scripture kind of gives a little more meaning to my childhood memories of the continual urging from my dad--whenever we complained of being bored or he found us wasting time in front of the television, he would repeat: "Go find something constructive to do." or "Go do something productive." Idleness--something to consider...

Day 1: 1 Nephi 1-8

It felt so good to complete this first reading assignment. :) I'm smiling--are you smiling?

Before beginning, I sat down a few days ago and reviewed this:

Then as I read this assignment, I noticed the explanations Nephi gives regarding the scriptures themselves, their origins, their content, and their importance. I particularly liked 1 Nephi 6:4-6

4 For the fulness of mine intent is that I may persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and be saved.

 5Wherefore, the things which are ^apleasing unto the world I do not write, but the things which are pleasing unto God and unto those who are not of the world.

 6Wherefore, I shall give commandment unto my seed, that they shall not occupy these plates with things which are not of worth unto the children of men.

So, there it is, plain and simple--now we know what we can expect from reading the Book of Mormon--nothing less than what is most important, than what is of greatest worth, than what will bring us closer to God. Did anyone else notice these scriptures as you read?

For some time now, it has been my tendency to notice references in the scriptures to men's hearts--and that has been the case with this reading as well. I am always impressed by how often the Lord emphasizes the state of a man's heart. Within these first eight chapters, I noted ten scriptures in which the state of the heart was specifically mentioned. I also noticed many examples and scriptures about faith and obedience. 

I don't intend to give you a summary of what we read today, or full detail about what I learned. The interpretation and inspiration that comes is unique to each of us. But I would like to offer a platform for discussion and comments. The goal is first and foremost to make time for the scriptures--which may not necessarily include time for others' commentary. But in the course of this challenge, maybe sharing a few thoughts here will enhance the experience in a way that will open us all up to greater knowledge and understanding. 

I love the scriptures! 

Happy reading,