Holiness to the Lord

Leviticus 11:44-45; 19:2; 20:7, 26; 21:8. 
Theme: We need to sanctify ourselves and become holy in all things before the Lord as He is holy in all things. 

To become sanctified is to become free from sin, pure, clean, and holy through the Atonement of Christ.
To be holy is to be set apart for a sacred purpose and to have moral character.

Jehovah would command His followers to become holy because they are to fulfill a sacred purpose. We have been given a special relationship with Christ as we have made covenants with Him such as at baptism, the temple, marriage, getting the priesthood for men.  As disciples of Christ we have the obligation and the responsibility to fulfill all the covenants that we make. We have the purpose to bring others to Him. We need to be holy because Christ is holy. As we keep the covenants we have made, we are striving to become like him. This means that we will become holy as He is holy.

The Law of Holiness that was given in Leviticus 17-26 shows how the children of Israel were originally to become holy be means of these ceremonial observances. This would help them develop that holiness of character. However, this didn't work long term because later Jews became so focused on the ceremonies and the sacrifice rituals that they lost sight of the reason of them. They forgot that these things were to be done in similitude of Christ and thereby they neglected the spirit of the law. Today, we avoid this by remembering the reason that we do everything. Everything in the gospel is about families! It is about bringing families together, creating eternal families, and helping families to become stronger. I think even today we lose sight of that as we get caught up in our callings and doing all the little things, we forget about Christ that is at the center of the gospel and that the purpose is to bring families together! We no longer offer burnt offerings and sacrifices, but we offer a broken heart and a contrite spirit. As we truly offer those things to the Lord, He will guide us as we lead our families and help strengthen others around us. We can remain focused on the Lord and what He would have us do and who He would have us become!

I am going to remember these things that I have learned as I have been reading. I am going to remember that my relationship with my Savior and my Father in Heaven and then with my family are the most important things! As a mother I am set apart to the sacred work of raising my children in the gospel and bringing them up in light and truth. As I strive to become sanctified and become holy as the Lord would have me be, I will more fully be able to feel of His guidance in all that I do.

Leviticus 18:4-5 - The Lord has commanded us to do his judgements, keep his ordinances, and walk in his statues. We need to keep His commandments and live by His commandments in all things.
       Leviticus 19:3-4, 11-20, 28-31; 20:10, 13
                   - Honor our parents
                   - Keep the Sabbath day holy
                   - Do not turn to idols or other gods
                   - Do not steal
                   - Do not lie
                   - Do not swear
                   - Be honest with those we work with
                   - Be kind to others and help rather than creating stumbling blocks for others
                   - Be righteous in all our judgements
                   - Love our neighbors
     The commandment that I am going to work on improving is being more kind and loving those around me. I could work to be a little nicer each day to others. There are a lot of kind things that I think in my head but that I leave unsaid. I also often catch myself saying something that I don't really mean and that doesn't need to be said. So I am going to work to be a little nicer and more giving to those around me. I am going to work harder to reach out to my neighbors, friends, family members (especially extended family members) and work develop more meaningful relationships with them and strive to help improve their lives by being more kind. 

Exodus 20 - The Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments: 1 - "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." = Love God. 2 - "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image" = Love God. 3 - "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." = Love God. 4 - "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy." = Love God. 5 - "Honor thy father and mother" = Love thy neighbor. 6 - "Thou shalt not kill" = Love thy neighbor. 7 - "Thou shalt no commit adultury" = Love thy neighbor. 8 - "Thou shalt not steal" = Love thy neighbor. 9 - "Thou shalt not bear false witness" = Love thy neighbor. 10 - "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's things" = Love thy neighbor. In Matthew 22:36-40 we learn that the first great commandment is to "love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." All the other commandments are part of these two commandments. I think that out of all these commandments, the ones that are neglected most by the world are the ones where we show that we love the Lord with all our heart, mind, and soul. Especially the first three, to have no other gods, no idols, and to not take the name of the Lord in vain. There are so many things in the world that grab for our attention. There are so many things that we could choose to focus on. We need to remember that the Lord is more important than all those things that we may want here in life. Even as members of the church it is sometimes easy fall into the trap of going through the motions of keeping these three commandments rather than actually keeping them with our whole heart. In the student manual for the third commandment, it pointed out that not taking the name of the Lord in vain includes more than simply not swearing. But when we have made sacred covenants at baptism, in the temple, priesthood covenants and responsiblities for men, taking the sacrament, and all these other things, if we treat them lightly after we have entered into covenants we are taking the name of God in vain! Those covenants are sacred and need to be kept with all our heart, soul, and mind, and when we don't we are treating the name of the Lord vainly. How much of a difference would it make in our lives if we were truly concerned first about pleasing the Lord and keeping Him in our thoughts? What actions would change in our lives if we truly develop a relationship with the Lord and keep His commandments because we love Him? I think a lot of things would change. I know that when we love the Lord and put Him first in our lives everything else falls into place. Life doesn't necessarily get easier, but the way becomes clearer, our resoulutions become more firm, and we are truly able to do all things the Lord would have us do! When I feel myself slipping away from the closeness that I want to feel with my Father in Heaven and my Savior one thing I focus on is my thoughts. A really good indicator for me as to where I am standing is to recognize where my thoughts are and what they are when I don't have to be thinking about anything. The Lord needs to be first in all our words, deeds, and thoughts. When He is first in our thoughts and we truly seek to do and know what He would have us know, I testify that He will make those things known to us. We can be constantly under His guidance and direction. I am so grateful for that and I have come to rely on it so much throughout my life!

Exodus 19: Preparing to Meet the Lord

Exodus 19:3-6, 10-11

The Lord wanted the children of Israel to become a chosen people unto Him above all other people. He wanted them to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. He uses the word "peculiar" when describing them. He wants them to be different than all the other people that are on the earth, separate from them because they have been given specific promises and covenants that were not given to other people on the earth. To help the people become this kind of people, the Lord instructs the people t be obedient and to keep the covenants they have made. They need to sanctify themselves and prepare in all things to become who the Lord would have them be.

If the children of Israel could live up to all these things, the promised blessing was that they would be able to see the Lord. He would appear to them on Mount Sinai on the third day. The blessings and promises that were given to the children of Israel are still in effect for us today! We have been given these commandments to be obedient, keep the commandments, and sanctify ourselves as well. We have also been given the promise that if we are faithful we will be able to be with the Lord. We will be able to return back to live with Him again in as husband and wife and in our families if we are faithful! For me, I especially love that we also have the promise that we can feel of His presence now. We don't have to physically see the face of the Lord to know that He is near and that His presence is with us. We can receive the Holy Ghost and guidance from Him. We are promised that we will always have his Spirit to be with us as we keep the covenants we have made. As we are faithful to the promptings and the guidance that we receive here on earth then we will be able to one day physically stand before Him! But He has not left us here on this journey alone. I know that we can feel Him near us at all times. I feel it each day as I strive to be a mother, a wife, and accomplish all the things that He wants me to do! It is so comforting to know that He is near and that He loves us!

Marriage in the Covenant

Genesis 24:1-4
Abraham was concerned that Isaac would have to marry someone outside of the covenant, so he sent his servant to find Isaac a wife that would allow him to marry in the covenant. He was concerned that marrying outside the covenant would cause Isaac to turn away from the Lord. Abraham understands the importance of the marriage covenant. If Isaac married in the covenant there is a much greater chance that they would teach their children to believe, that the covenants would continue on. He understands that without it one cannot receive exaltation. The promises that are associated with eternal marriage are eternal. They are still just as important to us today as they were to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They are still as essential for us, and the consequences of not keeping those covenants or choosing to not enter into the covenants also still remains the same.

Genesis 24:15-67 Attributes of Rebekah
24:18-19 - She was willing to draw water for the servant as well as for his camels. Camels drink a lot of water, and yet without hesitating she offered to draw water for all of them. This shows that she is generous, quick to serve, and willing to work hard.

24:25 - She offered her home to Abraham's servant. This shows again that she is generous and willing to give of what she has to others.

24:58 - She was willing to leave with Abraham's servant so quickly after he got there. This shows that she had tremendous faith to be willing to leave all her family behind to go and be Isaac's wife.

Genesis 27:46; 28:1-4
Isaac and Rebekah were concerned that Jacob would marry one of the daughters of the Canaanites. They wanted him to have the opportunity to continue in the covenant and enter into the marriage covenant as they had.

Genesis 29:1-30
Jacob was willing to work for seven years for Rachel. When he found that he had been married to Leah instead of Rachel, he was willing to work for another seven years to be married to Rachel. Laban allowed him to marry Rachel after Leah's week of wedding festivities were over, but he still had to work for those seven years.

I am so grateful for the eternal marriage that I have been blessed with! I am so grateful to be married to a worthy man. I knew when we decided to get married that a lot of my family members would have a hard time with me getting married, I knew that school would be much harder especially if we had children while we were still in school, I knew that having children would not be easy, I knew that marriage would require a lot of faith and effort, but most importantly, I knew that it was absolutely the right thing to do. Heavenly Father had made that very clear to me. I am so grateful for the decision that I made to be married in the temple to Robby. He is incredible! I am so lucky to have him. He works so hard for our family and does so much for us. It makes me want to be the best wife to him and mother to our children that I can be! Do we have a perfect marriage? No, but we have a perfecting one. One that we are always striving to improve, make stronger, and make eternal. We are here to help strengthen each other and lead each other and our family back to Christ and our Father in Heaven! I am so grateful for Robby's leadership in our home. I hope that I can have these qualities of Rebekah and always be willing to serve my family and become the woman, mother and wife that the Lord would have me become!

Abrahamic Covenant

What is a covenant?

A covenant is sometimes between two people, but more likely it is between God and man. In a covenant, God sets the terms and we accept them. The gospel is organized so that principles and ordinances are received under covenant and are associated with a responsibility and obligation to honor them (Bible Dictionary, Covenant).

Genesis 12:1-3; 13:14-16; 15:4-7, 18; 17:1-10, 15-19; Abraham 1:18-19; 2:9-11

What Abraham Promises to Do:	What the Lord Promises to do:
·         Abraham is commanded to be perfect and to walk uprightly before God.	·         Promised Abraham land for his seed, would receive promised lands for an eternal inheritance ·         Promised Abraham would have seed as numerous as the dust of the earth and as the stars in the heavens. Through his seed all families of the earth will be blessed. ·         He was promised and given the priesthood to share the gospel

                The Abrahamic Covenant is important to me and pertains to me because I am promised these same blessing because of the covenants that I have made.  I am part of the covenant people, the seed of Abraham because of the covenants that I have entered into, particularly the covenants of baptism and eternal marriage. The Bible Dictionary teaches that “the portions of the covenant that pertain to personal salvation and eternal increase are renewed with each individual who receives the ordinance of celestial marriage.” I have the responsibility to live as Abraham did, to walk uprightly before God, and I have the responsibility to share the gospel with all people.

Doctrine and Covenants 132 helps to understand Genesis 16 and why Abraham took Hagar to wife. In D&C 132:34 we learn that God commanded Abraham and Sarah to give Hagar to Abraham to wife. Because the Lord commanded it, Abraham was not sinning. By doing this he “was fulfilling, among other things, the promises” (D&C 132:34). In verse 63 we learn that “they are given unto him to multiply and replenish the earth, according to my commandment, and to fulfil the promise which was given by my Father before the foundation of the world, and for their exaltation in the eternal worlds, that they may bear the souls of men” (D&C 132:63). Thus Abraham was fulfilling the promises made to him when he took Hagar to wife.

The name Abram means exalted father. The name Abraham means father of a multitude. The name Sarai means contentions or is another form of the name Sarah. The name Sarah means princess. These name changes are related to the covenant that was made. Abraham is an exalted father, but he is the father of a multitude. Sarah’s name is important because she is part of the covenant with Abraham. She has responsibilities to Abraham and to the Lord to be able to receive those promises of being a queen to Abraham to rule with him forever.

 

There is a huge difference between what the Bible has in the book of Genesis about Enoch and his people versus what the Joseph Smith Translation in the Book of Moses has on Enoch and his people. In Genesis all it tells us is that Enoch walked with God and that God brought Enoch to Him. In Moses we learn about Enoch's calling, we learn what the Lord did to help Enoch in all that he was required to do, we learn about what the city of Zion was like. We know that the people were of one heart and one mind, that the Lord dwelt with them, and that eventually the city of Enoch was taken up into heaven. 

Moses 6:26-31
At the time of Enoch, the Lord described the people living on the earth as a people whose "hearts have waxed hard, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes cannot see afar off". They are a people who have denied the Lord, who have sought after their own ways, and have not kept the commandments of God. When the Lord tells Enoch that he is to tell the people to repent, Enoch feels very inadequate. He feels like he is slow of speech and the people do not like him. He asks the Lord why he has found favor in His sight and why he was the one chosen to call them to repentance.

Moses 6:32-39, 47; 7:13-18, 69
The Lord strengthened Enoch to be able to do all that was required of him by promising that Enoch's mouth would be filled and the words he needed to speak would be given to him. The Lord promised that the Spirit would justify all that Enoch said. Enoch was shown things that are "not visible to the natural eye". The Lord also stayed with Enoch and walked and dwelt with Him.

I love the promise where the Lord tells Enoch that "my Spirit is upon you, wherefore all thy words will I justify." I think that is an incredible promise. I know that I have experienced that to some degree in my life and I hope that I can continue to strive to achieve that. The Lord can take whatever it is that we are doing and make it powerful and great. When we do anything by His Spirit it has the power to influence and change lives. I know that I have experienced this as a pianist. I love to write arrangements of the hymns and primary songs. Before I play them for people I always pray to have the Spirit to testify of the truth that is in these songs to the listeners. It becomes a chance for me to bear my testimony and to share what I know is true. Then when that is truly the desire of my heart I know that the Spirit touches their hearts, touches their spirits and helps influence them for good in some way. I am so grateful for the power that comes when the Lord justifies our actions and our words. It is a real power that we can experience and help others to feel. I hope and pray that I can continue to strive to have that be a power in my own life.

The Savior's Instructions on the Holy Ghost

1. What the Savior taught about the Holy Ghost and what His disciples must do to receive it:

               

Scripture:	About the Holy Ghost:	What we must do:
John 14:15-17	He is a comforter and the Spirit of truth	Keep the commandments
John 14:26-27	He will teach us all things, bring all things to our remembrance, give us peace, and again the Holy Ghost is a comforter	We must have faith - "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
John 15:26-27	Comforter, Spirit of truth, will testify of Jesus Christ	We must bear witness of the Savior and what the Spirit has testified to us.
John 16:7-8	Comforter, reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgement	We cannot have the Savior physically with us if we are to have the Holy Ghost
John 16:13-14	Spirit of truth, guide us to all truth, show us things to come, glorify Christ	We must be one of the Savior's followers and believers if we are to receive these blessings from the Spirit
Institute Manual	We learn that the Spirit will quicken, or make alive, our minds, and intellectual facilities. He refines our passions, desires, and appetites with wisdom. Parley P. Pratt said: In short, it is, as it were, marrow to the bone, joy to the heart, light to the eyes, music to the ears, and life to the whole being. “In the presence of such persons, one feels to enjoy the light of their countenances, as the genial rays of a sunbeam. Their very atmosphere diffuses a thrill, a warm glow of pure gladness and sympathy, to the heart and nerves of others who have kindred feelings, or sympathy of spirit.”	We must keep the commandments with all diligence and faithfulness. We also must make and keep covenants to receive all these blessings!

                After Christ was resurrected and left His apostles they were able to have the gift of the Holy Ghost. I am sure that the Holy Ghost helped them to fulfill all their responsibilities. He would help them organize and establish the Church as Christ did, he revealed to them new revelations and things that they needed to know. I believe they relied very heavily on the Spirit to guide them as they were left in charge of the Church. I am sure that He was also a great source of comfort for them. One of his roles is the comforter. After the death of Christ I am sure they needed that source of comfort and strength!

                I am so grateful for the role and the influence of the Holy Ghost in my life! I know that I would not be able to make it through each day without his guidance. There are so many times that I begin to feel overwhelmed with school, being a mother and a wife, and balancing everything I have to do, when I feel a gentle reminder of who I am, why I am doing everything I am, and who is there to help me every step of the way! This past semester I have especially felt the help and guidance of the Spirit in helping me to make it through each day. When I choose to turn to Him and feel the influence of the Holy Ghost in my life I can truly see the hand of the Lord in each day! The Holy Ghost has helped me with big things like tests and doing well when I didn't expect to, to simple everyday things like finding time to load the dishwasher and clean off the kitchen counter because keeping a clean home is important to me. When I turn to the Holy Ghost my days are so much better.