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Saturday, September 24, 2005

 

Day 15, Begin at the Beginning: 1st Nephi 1-4, pages 1-10

Yesterday I finished the Book of Mormon. Now I have to begin at the beginning and read to 3rd Nephi so I can complete the whole book. Now that I've been fortified with the wonderful stories of Christ's appearance, the inspiring writings and testimony found in Moroni, and Ether, I am buoyed up. I've got enough momentum to get past the nearly memorized book of 1st Nephi, pick my way through the encoded writings of Isaiah and wade through the wordy writing style of Alma. I will persevere.

I did my reading today in a cramped and crowded doctor's waiting room that very much reminded me of Pakistan. It was full of Pakistani men, women and children. Since Pakistanis don't hire babysitters, wherever the parents go, the children go too. Even a trip to the doctor is a family outing. Having been married to a Pakistani for nearly 29 years, and having lived a total of 8 years in Pakistan, I am somewhat of a professional observer of Pakistani culture. So there I was trying to read my big large print quad scriptures with kids clambering around me, people bumping into me when they sat down, and children coming up to stare me in the face. All the sights, smells and sounds of "home": amusing, and nostalgic, but not conducive to serious study.

Like Nephi, I too was born of goodly parents, taught somewhat in the learning of my father, having seen much afflictions but have been highly favored of the Lord. I can even go on to say that I too have had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my reading of the Book of Mormon and how it is enriching my life.

Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the American public school system in the language of the English.

And I know that the testimony which I make is true; and I type it with mine own hand; and I make it according to my knowledge.

And the purpose of this testimony is to convince all people, Jew, Gentile and Muslim that Jesus is the Christ. That all my come unto a knowledge of their Redeemer and Savior. That all my feel of his love, as I have.

I've been trying to pray more meaningfully at night,but I must admit,at night I'm just too darn tired to think. I"m not much better in the morning either. I guess, the afternoon is going to be the only time I can be quiet and meditative without falling fast asleep. This goal of building a better prayer relationship is HARD.

 

Day 14 pages 520-end: Moroni 7 –10 Carolni's Promise

Moroni seals his life's work with his testimony of the record we call the Book of Mormon. I would like to paraphrase his eloquent and heartfelt appeal and "liken the scriptures" to send a personalized version of his testimony to my family.

Now I, Carolni, write somewhat as seemeth me good; and I write unto my children, the Muslimites; and I would that they should know that it has been more than one hundred and seventy-five years since the coming of God, the Eternal Father and his Son, Jesus Christ to the boy-prophet Joseph Smith.

And later, the resurrected prophet Moroni delivered up these records for Smith to translate, and leave a few words by way of exhortation unto you.

Behold, I, Carolni would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down unto the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.

And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

For I, Carolni, have read this record called the Book of Mormon and I have put the promise to the test. God in his great grace and mercy hath shown in my heart, by the power of the Holy Spirit that these things are true. After receiving my witness, with faith and after much repentance, I abandoned my wicked ways and returned to the fold of Christ to be numbered among his followers. This path has brought me nothing but joy, even exceeding great joy so sweet and pure that I have not words to describe it. This same witness can be yours if you will but read and pray in faith.

Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, abandon the false traditions of your fathers, deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.
And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.

And now I bid unto all, farewell. I leave you my testimony to stand as a witness in cyber-space now and till the day I go to rest in the paradise of God, until my spirit and body shall again reunite, and I am brought forth triumphant through the air, to meet you before the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah, the Eternal Judge of both quick and dead. It is my prayer that we will be united in the bonds of faith and family; to dwell in the presence of our Father and Savior forever. Amen.

Now that I've reached the end, I'm ready to begin at the beginning. It's weird, I know, but I started my reading on page 406, 3rd Nephi. Any takers on the blog the challenge challenge... now's the time to start in and blog along.

 

Day 13: Ether 12- Moroni 6 pgs 510-520 "The Sacrament: Our Weekly 'Report"

Another day of reading about genocide! What a bummer! Over 2 million people killing each other till the numbers dwindle down to two. The "winner" beheads his enemy and then falls victim to his own wounds. No one won…but Satan. Isn't that just his style?! On to less depressing stuff.

After finishing his abridgment of the Jaredite records, Mononi, himself the soul survivor of the genocide of his people, finds because he hasn't been discovered and killed yet, he has time to write a bit more. He gives us the sacrament prayers.

Moroni 4:[3] O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it; that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness (covenant) unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him, and keep his commandments which he hath given them, that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen. ***

The bread represents Christ's body and the works of his body, or his works in the flesh. After we take his name upon us (become Christians) we are to always remember him (his work, his ministry, his miracles, his atonement) and then we are to keep his commandments: the greatest of which was to be like him.

Moroni 5
[1] The manner of administering the wine -- Behold, they took the cup, and said:

[2] O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee, in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this wine (nowadays we use water) to the souls of all those who drink of it, that they may do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them; that they may witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they do always remember him, that they may have his Spirit to be with them. Amen. ***

The wine/water represents his blood. Christ gave his life's blood to atone for us. Christ sealed his work with his blood. We are to remember his atonement, and covenant (witness) unto God that we ARE remembering Christ as our Savior.

Notice the subtle but important change in the two prayers. Bread prayer: " that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him." Here the Lord is asking for a commitment from us after we become members. In the prayer for the wine the words change to "do always remember him". Here, we are witnessing that we are doing what he asked of us. It's kind of like an asignemnt and report between God and us. The Lord: "Are you willing to remember and obey?" Us: "Yes, we are doing as you asked. We DO remember him."

The sacrament is our weekly chance to remew, remember and then report.

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