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Armor Up!

Hello everybody and Happy 4th of July! J Today I wanted to talk about a certain idea behind a certain story. This story is very well known, even among those who aren’t very religious. A lot can be learned from this story, and I’d like to share it with you. This story is the one and only story of

DAVID AND GOLIATH!

This story starts out with a war between the Israelites and the Philistines. One of the Philistines was deemed a “giant” whose name was Goliath [This dude was seriously big. He was said to have been 6 cubits and a span, which means he was about 9 feet tall!]. He was very big and very strong and many feared him, especially the Israelites. Goliath shouted at the Israelites and told them to choose a man to fight him, but none would step up for 40 days. David was sent to bring food to his brothers in the Israelite army, where he soon sees Goliath and decides to challenge him.

Now David had a testimony that God would help him defeat this giant with the help of 5 stones and a sling. Goliath looked at David and made fun of him as he saw how small and young David was. David told Goliath that the Lord would help him defeat Goliath [1 Samuel 42-47]. As Goliath made his first move at David, David put a stone in his sling and threw the stone at Goliath, which hit him in the head and caused him to fall to the ground. David then took Goliath’s own sword and cut off his head. The Philistines saw David take down the giant and they fled.

What can be learned from this well-known story?

President Gordon B. Hinkley stated, “There are Goliaths all around us, hulking giants with evil intent to destroy. These are not nine- foot-tall men, but . . . evil things that may challenge and weaken and destroy us… You have the stones of virtue and honor and integrity to use against these enemies [anything that can ensnare us such as pornography, drugs, tobacco, laziness, pride, etc.]…You can triumph over them by disciplining yourself to avoid them. You can say to the whole lot of them as David said to Goliath, “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.” Victory will be yours. There is not a person in this Church who needs to [surrender] to any of these forces. You are a child of God. You have His power within you to sustain you. You have the right to call upon God to protect you. Do not let Goliath frighten you. Stand your ground . . . , and you will be triumphant. . . . When temptation comes your way, name that boastful, deceitful giant “Goliath!” and do
with it as David did to the
 Philistine of Gath.”

[Pres Hinkley always makes me tear up inside *sniff sniff*]

There so many different forms of Goliath in this world, as previously mentioned. Because these evil temptations can be acquired so easily [because our nature still resides with the natural man], it is best that we show the same courage that David did when he faced Goliath. When we want to know what is right, we inquire of the Lord. When we obey him and pray to him, he will readily help us in a time of need.

SO LETS SUM IT UP KIDDOS

Symbols – lets break it down

Goliath – temptation; evil

David – Us

Stones – faith, obedience, service, prayer, and the Holy Ghost

All of the “stones” help protect us from certain evil. It is our job to use those “stones” so that we may remain in the Lord’s light.

Goliaths’ may rise at any time throughout our lives. We must be armored with the Lord before they strike.

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” (Psalm 27:1).

Lindsey [7/2/17; Lesson 12]

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If you loved me...

Good afternoon everyone! I hope everyone had a great day with his or her Fathers/father figures/important male figures! :)

Today I chose a topic that really answers many different questions about why God does what he does and why we should obey what he commands us within His laws.

Why does God give us laws? What purpose do they serve us?

When we think of the laws that we are given by our different countries’ or states, we know that if we disobey those laws, either a fine or any form of jail/prison time will be applied to us. These laws are given to instill peace and clarity for the greater good of society. Breaking them leads to punishment, and following them insures safety and security.

One day I had a conversation with my friend who had no religious background whatsoever and she asked, “If God truly had unconditional love for His children, why would he restrict them with laws?” I feel like many different people struggle with this question. Many people of many different faiths often struggle greatly following all of the laws that their faith has ingrained in their doctrine.

But really—lets think about that question for a second.

Why would God give us laws [and a numerous amount of them] if He truly loved us? Wouldn’t He want us to live freely as we desire?

There is a talk that was given by an Apostle from the LDS church named Dallin H. Oaks titled “Love and Law” and I will be referencing his talk several times because he conveys many important and interesting points. [Full talk: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2009/10/love-and-law?lang=eng]

In that talk, Oaks stated, “Persons who take this position [to the questions proposed above] do not understand the nature of God’s love or the purpose of His laws and commandments. The love of God does not supersede His laws and His commandments, and the effect of God’s laws and commandments does not diminish the purpose and effect of His love.”

So if God’s love does not supersede His laws or commandments, does that make Him unloving? I’ll give you a hint…

God gives us these laws BECAUSE He loves us! Don’t believe me?

Lets look at things in a relatable perspective. You’re driving a car and stop at a stop sign. That stop sign was put there as part of the driving laws. You decided to follow that law and stop while looking for oncoming traffic before continuing on the road.

Why did you obey that law? What was the outcome of obeying that law?

We both know you didn’t just obey the law so you could dodge a ticket from the police. If you would have kept going and didn’t stop for that stop sign, you may have gotten into a possible accident. Because you did stop for the stop sign, you avoided that theoretical accident.

The same can be said about God’s laws. He gives us commandments and laws that if we obey, we can successfully enter the Kingdom of God. If we disobey these commandments, we will not have those blessings available. Some laws that we obey in society may seem harmless to break, as is the case with some of the Lord’s laws as well. Despite this idea, even breaking the smallest of God’s laws can in some form or another, create problems [as with societal laws]. Obeying the laws of God do nothing but benefit us, even if we don’t see an instant result.

Everything is put in place for a reason. Remember that as you use your agency in making decisions.

Lindsey [6/19/17; Lesson 10]

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Murmur murmur murmur, are we done yet?

Hello everyone and welcome back to my little blog I have going on here. :) I have a few things I want to say about a certain topic that we all find ourselves at some point or another doing whether we mean to or not.

And this topic is MURMURING

YES SEE YOU DO KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT RIGHT??

According to LDS.org, to murmur means “to grumble and complain against God’s purposes, plans, or servants”. This can be direct [as we can see with our little fishy friend above] or it can be indirect, yet still hold the same meaning. 

There are countless examples of murmuring among individuals within the scriptures but a few examples can include [but are not limited to] Laman and Lemuel murmuring against their father in the wilderness, the Jews murmuring against Jesus, and the children of Israel murmuring against Moses.

For the sake of time, I’m going to stick with Moses’ instance; specifically in Numbers 11.

In this instance, we know that the children of Israel have been traveling in the wilderness under the command of Moses. The children of Israel began murmuring and it began to take its toll on Moses.

But what are some of the things the children of Israel murmured and complained about?

Well, they complained about little things such as what else to eat besides manna [aka meat; they ate fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic in Egypt freely]. This means minor inconveniences and beyond.

Now, lets stop and take a minute to think about that. Is there ever a time that you can recall where you have complained against minor inconveniences? I know I could name a few.

In response to the rising murmuring, the Lord became angry and the fire of the Lord burnt and consumed the uppermost parts of the camp. We can definitely see that the children of Israel were not very grateful for what the Lord has done for them.

In response to this outbreak, Moses then sought help and guidance from the Lord who ceased the fire.

BREAK TIME-----OKAY WHERE IS THIS GOING?

The Lord was very displeased with the people of Israel and knew the burden that it placed on Moses. He knew Moses felt very overwhelmed trying to lead all of these people by himself. The Lord later appoints 70 leaders who could help assist Moses in presiding over the people of Israel.

In response to the murmuring, the Lord tells Moses that he will give the people so much meat that they will grow to hate meat. Of course God’s plan follows through [after a flood of quails] and he hits them with a plague and a bunch of the children of Israel die.

Talk about how disobedience leads to destruction!

As we can now see, the murmuring and complaining against not only Moses, but also the Lord ended very poorly for the children of Israel. And that’s just for complaining about wanting meat! This shows how it can be such an incredibly minor thing that could come across as ungrateful [not to excuse those in this situation]. There are limitless examples of things we could do that are considered to be murmurings against the Lord. Some examples can include complaining, gossiping, talking poorly of others, remaining dissatisfied, etc.  

How we can divert ourselves away from murmuring depends on how open we are to the Lord’s plan for us. We must remember that the path that we want to follow is the Lord’s. Even if we don’t see how something benefits us in our earthly experience, we must remember to communicate with the Lord openly through prayer so that we may see where his purpose lies.

He will not leave any stone unturned.

Lindsey [6/5/17; Lesson 8]

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The 10 Commandments- Live em’ or be square

AAAAAAAAAAAAlright guys, next topic for this week is the 10 commandments.

If you are familiar with Christianity as a whole, you should know what the 10 commandments are. If you don’t, here is a little snippet from the LDS.org website

“The Ten Commandments are eternal gospel principles that are necessary for our exaltation. The Lord revealed them to Moses in ancient times, and they are also referenced in whole or in part in other books of scripture. The Ten Commandments are a vital part of the gospel. Obedience to these commandments paves the way for obedience to other gospel principles.”

So in that little nutshell, we know that the 10 commandments are divinely appointed by God himself and help us remain on the straight and narrow path that ultimately lead to the Lord and eternal life.

So what are the 10 commandments?

1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 


2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image. 


3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. 


4. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. 


5. Honor thy Father and Mother. 


6. Thou shalt not kill. 


7. Thou shalt not commit adultery. 


8. Thou shalt not steal. 


9. Thou shalt not bear false witness. 


10. Thou shalt not covet. 


My question for you all to ponder is this: Is it really that hard to live life here on earth and keep the commandments?

That is a question that most do not answer; yet they either do or don’t obey the commandments.

Are the commandments so strenuous that they cannot be done without ultimate sacrifice? Think about that one long and hard.

LETS BREAK EM’ DOWN KIDS [were gonna be here for a while]

Commandment #1 - “Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods before Me”

Put God first. It’s as simple as that. Remember him; remember his power and importance in this earthly life. Do not worship any object or any earthly influences. God is number 1 and above all. Love and serve Him and only Him.

Commandment #2 - “Thou Shalt Not Make unto Thee Any Graven Image”

The Lord condemns all use of idolatry. Idolatry poses the possibility of worshiping images, statues, and earthly materials. We must worship the LIVING God.

Commandment #3 - “Thou Shalt Not Take the Name of the Lord Thy God in Vain”

Be not profane in your words. Use kind words. Instead of saying OMG, say oh my lanta or something not reminiscing of the Lord.

Commandment #4 - “Remember the Sabbath Day, to Keep It Holy”

If you know how religion works, you know that the Sabbath is the Lord’s day. Dedicate it to the Lord. Do not take this day for your own or another’s personal gain. Take this day to learn about the Lord and how important he is. Take this day to strengthen your relationship with Him.

Commandment #5 - “Honour Thy Father and Thy Mother”

Our family is one of the strongest vessels that we can see the Lord’s work take place in. The Lord entrusts mothers and fathers to work together to raise their children in righteousness and help their children shape themselves into righteous followers of God. [Confused? See https://www.lds.org/topics/family-proclamation?lang=eng&old=true] Because our parents have been given such a calling, what is the calling for the children they raise? I’ll tell you… HONOR THEM! Love and support them as we honor our heavenly parents.

Commandment #6 - “Thou Shalt Not Kill”

Alright does this commandment really need an explanation? Since this is a public yet personal blog [because I discuss many different aspects and try to make this relatable], I want to mention that this is a very important yet not taught about commandment. It is common knowledge and ethical that murder and killing is wrong. Wrong in the sense of the law as well as wrong morally. In fact, its more prominent than ever in this dispensation, yet is rarely discussed in terms of Sunday school, church, classes, etc. In fact, minutes into writing this blog, I found out one of my friends from high school murdered someone on the street, unprovoked. I know life is tough and anger and resentment can build up, but that is in no way an excuse to break one of the most important commandments. This commandment has some of the gravest consequences; don’t take it for granted.

Commandment #7 - “Thou Shall Not Commit Adultery”

What exactly is adultery? Some may only think it’s cheating on ones spouse, but is that it? LDS.org states, “The unlawful sexual association of men and women. Although adultery generally refers to sexual intercourse between a married person and someone other than his or her spouse, in the scriptures it may also refer to the unmarried.” How is this applied to the unmarried? Examples may include homosexuality, sexual immorality, pre-marital sexual interaction, etc. The more you know, the more you can prepare.

Commandment #8 - “Thou Shalt Not Steal”

Taking things that aren’t yours is a form of dishonesty before the Lord. We need to remember to be honest with him and not put ourselves in any situation that would alter this communication of honesty. Stealing also leads to law breaking and law breaking leads to prison. With that knowledge, lets all work for what we want and stay out of prison [earthly and spiritual].

Commandment #9 - “Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness”

Bearing false witness can be considered lying and is another form of dishonesty. If we want to keep that relationship with the Lord ongoing, remaining truthful is the way to do it.

Commandment #10 - “Thou Shalt Not Covet”

Coveting is another word for envying, which can be very damaging. It can consume our thoughts and infiltrate us with dissatisfaction and unhappiness. Coveting can also lead to other sins and financial indebtedness, so this commandment should not be taken lightly.

When you are unsure if you are obeying the commandments, or if you just want to do things your own way, just remember to be a good person. Good people don’t murder, steal, lie, etc. Keep those things in mind when you interact with others or as you go about your day. If you don’t commit any of the things that the Lord mentions within the commandments, you are on a very good path.

When in doubt, obey the 10 C’s! :)

Lindsey [5/22/17; Lesson 6]

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Forgiveness

Today I want to discuss one of the hardest things to do when a hurtful situation is presented: Forgiveness.

Forgiveness is one of the processes that we all sooner or later need to go through whether we are forgiving someone or if we are seeking someone else’s forgiveness.

In order to get into this, let’s discuss one of the well-known stories in genesis.

LETS TALK ABOUT JOSEPH!!

If you do not know what the story of Joseph entails, let me include a quick nutshell of the story.

Joseph was very loved by his Father Jacob. Jacob made him a beautiful coat that had many colors in it. Joseph’s brothers were very jealous of Joseph and his coat, and saw that he wished to be a leader above them. They didn’t like this, and forced Joseph into a hole, stole his coat, and eventually sold him into slavery. He was purchased by a man named Potipher, who soon came to trust Joseph as the leader of his servants. Joseph was very faithful and blessed by the Lord. Joseph eventually was thrown into prison by Potipher because Potipher’s wife lied and said Joseph tried to lay with her. 2 years later passed and Joseph eventually leaved prison because he was able to interpret what the King’s dreams meant [there was going to be a famine that would occur in Egypt]. He soon became a leader among the people, as made by the king and helped the people store food so they would not suffer from the famine.

OKAYOKAY LETS GET TO THE IMPORTANT PART: WHERE IS THERE FORGIVENESS?

Without their knowledge, Joseph’s brothers had come to Joseph for food, not knowing that it was their brother that they had sold into slavery. Soon after, Joseph presented himself to them and they were afraid and guilty for their actions. Instead of acting bitterly or have them punished, he forgave them. He told them God had a purpose for him in Egypt, and that was to save the people from the famine. Joseph soon was reunited with his father and the rest of the family and they were blessed by the Lord.

What can we learn from this story in terms of forgiveness?

1. Joseph went through hardships as a result of his brothers, yet he knew that the Lord has a purpose for everything and everyone

2. Joseph knew his purpose and found the good in the bad

3. After Joseph’s forgiveness towards his brother, their family was reunited and lived in peace.

There are obviously many more things that could be learned from this, but overall, we can see that blessings can come from trials, and one of those blessings include what comes after forgiveness is implemented. Forgiving others is a hard thing to do, especially if you were hurt by those who wronged you. But as we can see from Joseph’s story, forgiveness lead to even more blessings [being reunited as family.

Remember that the Lord is with you no matter what your circumstance. You will not go through any process [especially forgiveness] alone. You have your parents, friends, bishop, church leaders, as well as [and most importantly] your father in heaven to help you along the way.

With trials comes learning and with learning comes blessings.

Luke 17: 3-4

3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.

4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

Ephesians 4:31-32

31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Lindsey [5/8/17; Lesson 4]

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Repentance: Important, right?

When we as a group of earthlings think of the word repentance, do we even consider it important? For those of you who read this post and are not of any affiliated religion, do you see a purpose of repentance? We know that during the older times of Greece that we should live and be prosperous [yolo?]; does this mean that we disregard all means of repentance?

NO! REPENTANCE IS THE KEY TO THE DOOR OF SALVATION MY FRIENDS!

Repentance is of utter importance, especially in this time and dispensation. If you have a belief in God, don’t you think he wants something to come of our time on Earth? The Lord strives for his children to come unto him and feel the power of righteousness. We know what evils live on this earth and after a cleansing of the earth or two [*cough* Noah *cough*], we need to take action and responsibility for ourselves. Although we like it or not, the Lord can see what we do. There is no hiding of sin from the Lord. For those of us who know the power of Christ’s atonement, we know that with repentance comes salvation. The Lord helps us every step of the way, we just need to take his hand and follow him. Need some scripturly proof that he has his hand extended to us?

Moses 5:14-15 “14 And the Lord God called upon men by the Holy Ghost everywhere and commanded them that they should repent;

15 And as many as believed in the Son, and repented of their sins, should be saved; and as many as believed not and repented not, should be damned; and the words went forth out of the mouth of God in a firm decree; wherefore they must be fulfilled.”

Moses 6:27-29 “27 And he heard a voice from heaven, saying: Enoch, my son, prophesy unto this people, and say unto them—Repent, for thus saith the Lord: I am angry with this people, and my fierce anger is kindled against them; for their hearts have waxed hard, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes cannot see afar off;

28 And for these many generations, ever since the day that I created them, have they gone astray, and have denied me, and have sought their own counsels in the dark; and in their own abominations have they devised murder, and have not kept the commandments, which I gave unto their father, Adam.

29 Wherefore, they have foresworn themselves, and, by their oaths, they have brought upon themselves death; and a hell I have prepared for them, if they repent not;”

& we could keep going. The evidence is limitless. If you know who God, Christ, or the Holy Ghost is, you know that repentance is essential. Not only is it essential, but it is a daily matter. It’s not like we can sin one day but not another! You may be sinning even when you don’t know it!

What benefits do we receive as we repent?

BLESSINGSUPONBLESSINGSUPONBLESSINGSUPONBLESSINGS

Not only will we receive blessings [obviously], but our relationship with the Lord will grow stronger and we will be better able to make decisions in the future. These decisions can include the ones that make or break your well-being to just minor should-i-go-out-on-sundays decisions.

Have any questions? Pray and leave a message; he will answer soon. :)

One things for sure.. You will never regret repenting.

Lindsey [4/24/17; Lesson 2]