Bible Reflections 7

 Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.
And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

Matt 18:8-9

This week during our class we learned a very good lesson from Brother Griffin. There was a special scripture, the one above, that really resounded with me. I liked how he looked at the this scripture and really stopped and talked about the importance of living the gospel is. I can see how valuable this information is in living a great life and how when it comes down to it, it really would be better to go through this life without and eye or a hand to be able to go back to our father in heaven again. I can see how when we look at the grand scheme of things, if we really did have to go through life without an eye, it would be worth it to have to suffer now to live better later. Its drastic but I feel Jesus shows the seriousness of what is as stake and i feel that can wake people up.

5 Loaves and 2 Fishes

Week after week i really do feel brother griffin keeps coming with great insight about many bible scriptures that I seem to have never thought about. This past week we were able to learn about feeding the 5000 with 5 loaves and two fishes. I have heard this story tons of times before but never really stopped to think past the miracles that took place. We were able to compare giving of the bread and fishes as us giving of our time or talents to the lord. What they boy brought he gave everything he had. He could have felt a bit sad that he was the one who was prepared and now he has to give it up, but he did it anyway, for the will of the lord. Sometimes we have to give of our time when we think we are to busy and cant do more. But, just like in feeding the five thousand, the boy was feed in return, and probably more than he had from the start. The faith we show the lord, we will always be rewarded in return. I can see in my own life, when i choose to serve my fellow man or pay my tithing i can "have the windows of heaven pour mout blessings", and I"wont have enough room to receive it.  Malachi 3:10

General Conference Weekend!

This is probably going to be way over used and quoted so I'm gonna just tell everyone to go lds.org and check the talks. They were great.

That being said that there were some great talks that were given that really stood out. I think one of the big points given this weekend was the important of service. Elder Holland gave a great talk on the importance of home teaching and making sure fellow members of the church are doing well and living good. I found it funny and sad how even thought those home teachers came to a woman's house who had flooded, didn't recognize she was in need and didnt help out. I reflected on that and asked myself how much i was doing and if i was going about my service the right way. How often do i miss oppurtunites to help others in times of need. A scripture came out of this thought process as well. 

 John 12:26" If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour."

I think its important to really be active in searching and re-evaluating ourselves and where we are in life and in our own faiths. Are we striving to do the best? Going the extra mile? I know i need to be doing better, and im thankful that I could listen to conference to remind myself.

One message in particular stood out to me in my own personal readings.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

I fell regardless of where we are at in life, we can always become better in our lives and sometimes the only way is through Him. Although there aren't any major struggles in my life right now, I can always do better and its nice having that 'rock' behind me when i do fall. I love knowing that my weaknesses are made perfect through Christ and that He is how i can become truly strong. I really enjoyed the breakdown of the B attitudes this week in class and how it shows the path of those coming to Christ. I truly believe that there are steps we can always take and when we do there are always people who can be affected, like we have, from the Gospel.

Week 3
     I felt this week the overarching principal needed to be remembered was Remembrance.  In sacrament meeting this week, a brother from the stake came and gave a great talk on how one of the most important and reiterated words in the Book of Mormon is "remember" and how its so easy to forget the things we have learned or come to know. It reminded me a scripture i learned while doing service work in South Korea.

Heleman 12:4
 "And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."

The foundation of Christ is there for all who allow the spirit of the lord to come into their lives. He gives of his love openly and freely and when we have those experiences we need to keep the close to our hearts and remember why and what it can do for us. This week in class the idea of how we cant see the wind but we can feel its effects, really stuck with this concept of remembrance. Because we cant see the wind, just like the spirit sometimes its hard to remember the feelings we have. As quickly as it comes, it can vanish so its important we always try to be mindful and respective to it. Even though we cant see the wind we can feel its effects, how it can change and move around us. The spirit can through us and by our actions and desires we can feel its effects in our lives just the same.

Another week just flies by when you're left wondering cause where did the time go" . This week Brother Griffon gave us in a really amazing information about how the geography of the temple and Jerusalem lined up with a lot of significant historical facts that lined up with Jesus's life towards the end of his earthly ministry. I found it very interesting about how the doves used for scarification when Jesus was born, signifies how when the feathers are torn out of each pore and that pore would have bled, just like Jesus did in the Garden of Gethsemane. It was a very powerful 

During this week I was being reminded by a specific Scripture in Matthew 7. As a child in primary we frequently sang "Wiseman build his house upon the Rock", and in Matthew chapter 7 versus 24 through 27 that same story is said.

"24 ¶Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it."


The Lord Jesus Christ is our rock and our redeemer, he is always here to help us to persuade us to good and is our forever firm foundation. People who built thier house on the sand can be reminded about what they do or how they stand can always shift and change, and without that stability people will fall. I can see floods can be times in our lives when we have problems or concerns that we can't overcome. When a flood happens in real life most people are that powerless, not being able to go or move ans are in fear for not only themselves but their families and loved ones. I know because I have my foundation so is built on Christ that the rock that I am on is secure and whenever the winds may come or the floods may rise that I am safe.

Reflections #1

Bible Reflections #1

        Well a new week of school and a new chapter in life. We were asked as of a New Testament class to make something that can be shared and given to the public, an insight to our believes and a way to share them openly and freely. So i decided a blog would be a sufficient way of doing that. This week in class we were able to go over the entire timeline of the bible; with dates, times and information outside out of the bible that correlates with it. It was a real eye opener for me to look at how the bible in perspective of the other world events happening during that time correlate. I could really get a grasp better of the reasons for moving and the separation of the Jews in Israel, who the Babylons were, king Nebuchadnezzar, everything! I liked being able to piece those small portions together because its better to see the gospel as a whole picture. To many things in religion today have bits and pieces of the truth and its nice that we can see so many correlations of the Bible with the rest of history at that time.
         In my reading I wanted to start over from the beginning of the new testament and read it in completion, straight through. I really wanted to get alot from this so i committed myself to just reading a chapter a day, and then really looking at it and analyzing what the chapter is really saying to ME! I feel i have done so much reading where I simply just read the lines and thought nothing from it after. What really stood out to me were in chapter 5 of Matthew, the be attitudes.

3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

 5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

 6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

 7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

 8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

 9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

 10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

While reading these passages i really just sat back and did a mental perspective look. "How am i living up to these?" Am I doing all that i can?" " Am i being poor in spirit, meek, peacemaker, pure of heart?"

These scriptures give us a way to look at ourselves and see how we are actually doing. I feel alot of the time i can just go through life felling like im doing well enough and am secure in what i what to do in life and am happy with it. The more light we have in our lives the more we can one, enjoy the fruits of that light and two, share it with others. These are basic things that can easily be forgotten if we are not vigilant in what we are doing from day to day.