There
have been so many principles and doctrines that are significant that I have
learned this semester as I have studied the Old Testament, but there are several that have stood out to me the most
and have affected me every day this semester.
First,
there are blessings that come from obedience. When we do what the Lord would
have us do and as He instructs us to do, He guides and directs our path. I am
so grateful for this knowledge and testimony that I have received on a higher
level this semester! The entire book of
Deuteronomy is filled with examples of blessings that come from obedience. I
love Deuteronomy 4:29-31 where the Lord promises that if we will seek the Lord,
turn to the Lord, and be obedient to Him, we will find the Lord and the Lord
will not forsake us, destroy us, or forget the covenants that we have made with
Him. This principle has been so important to me this semester as I have
struggled through taking nineteen credits, being a mom and a wife, and wanting
to do all these good things that I simply have not had time to do. But as I
have been obedient to the Lord, as I am striving to get my education as I feel
that He wants me to do, I have receive so many blessings this semester. My life
has been filled with miracles. I have had time to spend with Robby and Jackie even
when I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to see them very much, my
relationship with them has been made stronger, and I have been able to
discipline myself more fully than before and use my time wisely. As I have been
obedient to all that the Lord has wanted me to do this semester I have been
happy and felt the strength of the Lord about me each day. As I have learned to
be grateful in this situation that I have been in I have felt the overwhelming
love that the Savior has for me and that my Father in Heaven have, and that
they know me personally and everything I am experiencing right now!
The
second principle goes along with this one, but it is about the power of the
Savior’s atonement. As we studied in the book of Numbers 21 about the brazen
serpent and how it represented Christ, I learned more fully to “look to God and
live” (Alma 37:47). I have learned so much about the enabling power of the atonement
this semester! The enabling power of the atonement is real. It is a power that
allows us to become something more than we could become on our own. It enables
us to do things, be things, and reach for higher possibilities and potential
than we could ever reach otherwise. I have learned to put my trust in Christ
and the power of His atonement each day. Especially days when I had lots of
homework or concerts to be at and the thought of doing anything more would make
me want to cry, I would remember my Savior and remember that He knows me and
loves me. When it felt like there was too much to do, the only thing I felt
that I could do was turn to my Savior and feel the love that He has for me.
That love, and the power that came with it, gave me the strength to carry on
and know that all would work out. There is so much more to the atonement than receiving
forgiveness for our sins. Yes I am incredibly grateful for that of course, but
there is so much strength, comfort, protection, and power that we can call upon
to receive from the Savior through the gift and power of His atonement. I am so
grateful that I have learned that this semester!
The
last principle that has really stood out to me several times in reading the Old
Testament is the commandment to teach our children. The Lord expects us to
teach our children of the commandments and the way of truth. He also expects us
to teach our children about spiritual experiences that we have had and times
that we have recognized the hand of the Lord in our lives. This stood out to me
in Exodus 12:26-27. Here the Lord instructs the children of Israel to teach
their children about the Passover. They needed to share with their children the
miracle that the Lord had performed in order to help them escape the Egyptians.
Likewise, when we pray for a blessing and then receive that blessing from the
Lord, we need to help our children be made aware of that so that they too can
learn to recognize the hand of the Lord in their lives. In Deut. 6:7 the Lord teaches
us that we need to consistently be teaching our children the words of the Lord.
We teach them when we talk, when we sit in our house, when we walk, when we lie
down and rise up. At every point in the day we can find ways to teach our
children. No we don’t need to be preaching to them constantly, but we need to
find ways to incorporate the gospel into our daily conversation with them and
help them realize how important the gospel is the significance of the
ordinances of the gospel. In Judges 13 we learn that if we come to the Lord he
will help guide us as we raise our children. I love knowing that our Father in
Heaven knows us best. Likewise, he knows our children best. I hope that I can
always turn to the Lord for help in raising my children! I pray that I can make
my home a place where the Spirit dwells.
These
three principles have been so influential in my life these past few months! I
am so grateful for the testimony of them that I have received.
