Ha ha, many many things I could write, and I made a few notes throughout the week so I’d remember a few. First off, its pretty much Fall now and that is just great. Just absolutley great! Some of the leaves are starting to turn, but not a great deal. But the few that are, some of which are extremely bright red, make me think that when they all start turning its going to blow my mind! But, I won’t get to see it in its fullness so much because of my urban location here. Madison is probably going to be insane! Anyway, more than the leaves is the temperature. I absolutely love the brisk air and cooler days. When it really feels like Fall. I have so many excellent memories associated with Fall. Its my favorite. I love all the other seasons too, but Fall just makes me so excited and full of anticipation. Not even for the winter completely, I just enjoy the feeling of it. Makes me want to bundle up and ride my bike around SLC. Gosh I love Fall.
I was starting my studies the other day, which of course we begin with prayer, and I was sitting there with my eyes closed, not having begun to pray yet, trying to “turn my thoughts” to the Lord. And it popped into my head the Hymn “As now we take the sacrament” because of the line “our thoughts are turned to thee.” So I started walking myself through the song. I don’t know all the words, but the last line of the first verse is “to us the gift of life was given, for all eternity.” Something like that. And I started to think about that. It’s a sacrament hymn. Its about Christ. We’ve been given the gift of life. We are here on earth, we have bodies, and we are able to experience all these things! Happiness, pains, sorrows, joys. We can learn, experience, see, enjoy, etc etc. Life. We have the gift of life. How glorious and wonderful that is. And because of Jesus Christ and the plan of salvation and the gospel, we are given life for all eternity. All the wonderful things about life, we are given them forever! And this really struck me that morning and made me so happy to be alive and have so many incredible opportunities every single day. To be alive! To have been given the gift of life and to be right in the middle of it all! And how lucky I am to have been given such a good one. God is good. To us the gift of life was given, for all eternity.
So fast Sunday was yesterday for our ward. I just want to throw it out there (for all the people who read this) to think about what a testimony actually is. I think Elder Oaks gave a talk on it several conferences back. Its quite simple I believe.
Elder Low was telling me what he had studied the other day, and he had read in Alma about the Anti-Nephi-Lehi’s who took an oath to never take up weapons and/or kill anyone ever again for any reason. It got me thinking. I have been thinking so much lately. About so many things. Think think think like whinnie the pooh. I love it. Wars and all that in the Book of Mormon – it was kind of a necessary evil, it seems, to have to kill people. To go to war to defend your people. People like Captain Moroni, an amazing man of faith, and also an insane warrior soldier destroyer of Lamanites. Seems they just had to kill. It was part of life. Of survival. So I was thinking about these Anti-Nephi- Lehis. They gave that up. They would rather die than have to kill another under any circumstances at all. And many of them did die for that cause. I suppose it was a commandment, thou shalt not kill. I was thinking what it would be like today. What is a “necessary evil” in the world today that might be equivalent to the shedding of blood in Book of Mormon times? Is there an equivalent of righteousness today to that of the ANLs? What would be the sacrifice a person in today’s world would have to make? I can’t think of anything yet, I was just pondering on what it was like for them back then to give that up. Cause they obviously put themselves under the protection and reliance of their brethren. Kinda not that awesome for a Nephite who always has to protect them I suppose. I don’t know. I’ve just been thinking about all kinds of stuff that I read lately. I stuff I don’t read. Always thinking. The scriptures are great. I’m finally starting to find a passion for them . I got through all the Isaiah stuff in 2 Nephi last week and understood it a little better this time, and it make me think how much I need to understand the old testament so that I can better understand the context of what Isaiah is talking about. Least that’s what I was thinking would help. The scriptures are incredible. How about the Pearl of Great Price? How appropriate of a title is that?! How much amazing knowledge do we gain from that book! I love it!
Great.
Fall is great and so is God! It amazes me how loving He is and how much he is always watching out for us. Trials are good, they bring us closer to Him and we learn so much if we are humble enough to recognize the good that can always come from them. Something like that.
I decided the Oatmeal with the peaches and yogurt and brown sugar and cinnamon is the best breakfast ever. Kiwi is second. Love to you all.
David
