joyful

2 nephi 22:2-3

I love the visual of verse 3 : Therefore, with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

Drawing water from the well is work. It could be following stairs up and down (my knees ache at the thought) or dropping a bucket and hoisting it back up. It could be plunging the handle of a pump or any other variety of ways mankind has invented for water retrieval. It is work but it is rewarding and joyful labor.  

Doctrine & Covenants 123:17

anger

3 Nephi 11:28-29

Moses 7:26, 28, 33

When we contend with each other in anger, Satan laughs and the God of heaven weeps.

The Peace of Christ Abolishes Enmity  

By Elder Dale G. Renlund

Anger is such a hard thing. It gives control over to someone or something else. It's irrational and even dangerous. 

Ancient greek philosophy is that the initial emotion is unavoidable. I remind myself that emotions are chemical reactions. They are real in the sense that the chemicals are real but the important thing is what I think. That's the part I control. At least I try to. Take a breath and act instead of reacting.

Seneca said, "when the sea is stormy, you see nothing clearly."

Here's the 10 points of "stoic anger management" or greek philosophy with a gospel twist.

1. Remember that we are all children of God and are meant to help and love each other. Seeing a person with God's love lens.

2. Consider the person as a whole. Put one annoying trait in context with the rest of their character. 

3. No one is naturally evil. People do things we don't agree with because they think differently. 

4. We're all flawed. We tend to hate the traits in others most that we hate in ourselves.

5. Try to understand their perspective, background, or motives. If you understand why a person does something, it's harder to be angry.

6. Think eternally. Will this matter in 50 years? 

7. Am I angry because it's universally wrong or just because I don't like it / agree?  

8. Anger hurts you more than the thing you're angry about.

9. Kindness is the antidote to anger.

10. Let people make their choices. Don’t expect people to think the way you do.

rejoice, again I say, rejoice

At the beginning of the year, I decided to make a study plan for the book of mormon. The app divided it up into daily chunks for me. Every day, I choose a scripture to make into a meme to share on social media. I look for something that testifies of Christ. It's also got to be short enough to fit a meme. The Isaiah chapters are killing me! It's not that there's no testimony, it's just too long and complex for memes. I've had to clip pieces from a few verses and stitch them together sometimes. They are still in context and are meant to go together. Isaiah just talks about such vast topics all at once, you have to do some reorganization to simplify it a bit. 

Today's is 2 Nephi 18:10-12

In the study manual is says "The writings of Isaiah include strong warnings, but they also offer hope and joy. This is one reason Nephi included them in his record. (2 Nephi 11:8) In a sense, the invitation to read Isaiah’s writings is an invitation to rejoice."

That made me think about Isaiah's complex writing. He's rejoicing over a lot at the same time. My rejoicing every day might be as complex and intricate as Isaiah or the Atonement. It can alo be as simple as a phrase, a meme, a cool breeze, or a cool rock I found. Mainly, i think god wants us to rejoice every day.

Samson

I was scrolling through my "encouragement" tag in the gospel app to find some scriptures for someone. This note from June 2022 is in there:

Samson has always been confusing to me. I never understood why a nazarite or dedicated discipline could go after the harlots and philistine women, take such horrid revenge, and keep trusting these women who betrayed him. After reading the seminary manual I understand that he isn't being held up as a good example. Maybe the bad examples are more relatable and hopefully I'll learn before making my own disasters.    

I do appreciate that when Samson had repented, the Lord granted him the strength to perform one last task. We all screw up over and over. It's never too late. Try not to go so far astray and make your own suffering worse, as we see with Samson. But even if we do, there is always a way back.  

Now I understand and relate better to Samson. He bore the scars of sin and bad choices but was able to return and be of use in the work anyway.  

Judges 16

which way are you facing

2 Nephi 28:30

“The whole principle came from the idea that if you broke down everything you could think of that goes into riding a bike, and then improved it by 1 percent, you will get a significant increase when you put them all together.”

Sir Dave Brailsford

Quoted in "One Percent Better" 

By Elder Michael A. Dunn

"Brothers and sisters, our divine destiny and purpose is ultimately to become like our Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ. We do this as we change, or repent. We receive the Savior’s “image in [our] countenances.” We become new, clean, different, and we simply continue to work at it every day. Sometimes it may feel like two steps forward and one step back, but we continue to humbly move forward in faith."

Then Will I Make Weak Things Become Strong

By Elder Kevin S. Hamilton

I love these talks and the humble understanding these men have of progress. Some days, I think I fell 2 steps back and am still trying to get a step forward. As president nelson said in an april '96 talk, "Which Way Are You Facing?" As long as I'm striving forward, with real intent*, I'm ok.  

*Moroni 7:6, 9 & Moroni 10:4

bridles

We have a loving Heavenly Father who will see that we receive every blessing and every advantage that our own desires and choices allow.

Kingdoms of Glory  

By President Dallin H. Oaks

I want to emphasize is Alma 38:12, which reads in part, “See that ye bridle all your passions, that ye may be filled with love.” Bridle is an interesting word. When we ride a horse, we use the bridle to guide it. A good synonym might be to direct, control, or restrain.

Be True to God and His Work By Elder Quentin L. Cook

shall rule over them

2 Nephi 13:12

President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994) interpreted 2 Nephi 13:12: “And so today, the undermining of the home and family is on the increase, with the devil anxiously working to displace the father as the head of the home and create rebellion among the children. The Book of Mormon describes this condition when it states ‘And my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them.’ And then these words follow—and consider these words seriously when you think of those political leaders who are promoting birth control and abortion: ‘O my people, they who lead thee cause thee to err and destroy the way of thy paths.’ (2 Ne. 13:12.)” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1970, 21).