that's a nice thing to say!

one of the past fhes we did with the missionaries was to talk about speaking kindly. the challenge was to say something nice to each person in the family everyday for a week. to kick that challenge off, we played a game. it can be any game where there are multiple win/lose situations.

* for instance, go fish. players ask for cards and either get what they asked for or don't - win/lose.

each time someone "wins" a card or whatever, they have to compliment the "loser"

* in go fish, if the person gets the card, they compliment the person who gave them the card. if they don't get the card, the person they asked compliments them.

we played jungle jam but it would work with a lot of games. war, slap jack, rock paper scissors, go fish etc would work. you could tweak it for pictionary in a larger group and draw good things and everyone has to guess who it is about. you could use scattergories, draw names of the people playing and write a compliment or list good qualities about the person using only words that start with the letter rolled, guess who it's about and see who comes up with the best compliments.

**no left handed compliments like, "i really appreciate your help when you do the chores" may sound nice unless there is a background situation where that is a hint hint, do the chores. that isn't nice. compliments are not tools to shame or guilt someone into better behavior.

     

you get it. it's a nice way to start the week or just pick everyone's mood up any day. it's a nice addition to any game anytime.

moroni 10

moroni 10 . . .the end
moroni seems to finally be grasping his role as prophet. the way he writes is changed a bit, more mature and assured.

moroni 10:4 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.

so much hangs on this promise. we hand people over to this promise when we give them a book of mormon to read.

then, in 9-17, moroni gives us an example of the gifts from God, our talents and how different we all are. we are all supposed to be different.
17 And all these gifts come by the Spirit of Christ; and they come unto every man severally, according as he will.

i love this verse-
31 And awake, and arise from the dust, O Jerusalem; yea, and put on thy beautiful garments, O daughter of Zion; and strengthen thy stakes and enlarge thy borders forever, that thou mayest no more be confounded, that the covenants of the Eternal Father which he hath made unto thee, O house of Israel, may be fulfilled.

get up! get moving! do missionary work! it is your duty, get moving!

moroni 9

moroni 9: 5 For so exceedingly do they anger that it seemeth me that they have no fear of death; and they have lost their love, one towards another; and they thirst after blood and revenge continually.

i read this as my husband came in telling me that someone stopped to take a picture of his truck parked half on the sidewalk so he could take it to the police.   there were several other cars parked on the sidewalk, that didn't bother the guy, just the 4 door truck.   this just really brought home to me how much we as a culture are so vengeful, spiteful and nasty sometimes.

 6 And now, my beloved son, notwithstanding their hardness, let us labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God.

yep, the world is harsh, nasty, wrong, and angry.   that is no excuse for us to be that way or stop trying to change it.  

moroni 8

moroni 8
this chapter does more than put straight the practice of baptism for children.
 8 Listen to the words of Christ, your Redeemer, your Lord and your God. Behold, I came into the world not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance; the whole need no physician, but they that are sick; wherefore, little children are whole, for they are not capable of committing sin; wherefore the curse of Adam is taken from them in me, that it hath no power over them; and the law of circumcision is done away in me.

Christ came for the sinner, that's me!   i am not whole, Christ came to heal me.
 25 And the first fruits of repentance is baptism; and baptism cometh by faith unto the fulfilling the commandments; and the fulfilling the commandments bringeth remission of sins;

 26 And the remission of sins bringeth meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer, until the end shall come, when all the saints shall dwell with God.


the other side of this that is really useful to me as a parent, is that God sees little children as without law, or not understanding the law, i have to remember this as i look at my roll as a parent.  my little guy is still learning.  it is my job to teach him.   he is going to make mistakes as he learns, so do i.   if i take this same view of my kids as God does.   it makes a difference in how i deal with them.   the difference is  this-
"you know better!   why would you do that?!" vs. "do you remember that we talked about this?   do you see how this wasn't a good thing?   what might be a better choice/way of doing things?"

this doesn't end with my kids as they turn 8.   yes, they are then held accountable before the Lord, but only for the things they have been taught.   it is my job to continue teaching them.   it changes my reactions when i remember this.

moroni 7

moroni 7
moroni is still not sure what to write. he decides to write something from his father. evidentially, there were followers in mormon's time even though he was forbade form preaching to the general public, he did have a group he was able to speak to that were faithful. and still are at moroni's time since he says that the lamanites are killing anyone who will not deny Christ. this little difference of words is important as we look at their day compared toours. often blanket statements are made in the scriptures that imply "all people" are wicked, "none" are left that follow Christ etc. the same type of language is used for prophecies in our day. even when exact numbers are used, it is often this blanket statement being made, (does Christ really mean we should only forgive to 7 x 70? no.) as we are looking at last days prophecies and symbols, keep these blanket statements in mind. in relation to 7,125,000,000 people in the world, 15,082,028 is a pretty small number. let's put it in perspective. that means that mormons are 0.21% of the population. two tenths of a percent. you would need 5 dollars to get 1 cent at that rate. 

5 For I remember the word of God which saith by their works ye shall know them; for if their works be good, then they are good also.

mormon then talks about how our actions relate to our hearts and how that is counted in eternal terms.   i feel like this chapter is really relevant in everyday life.   this comes to mind when i do something for someone but i am not happy about doing it.   

 14 Wherefore, take heed, my beloved brethren, that ye do not judge that which is evil to be of God, or that which is good and of God to be of the devil.
this verse is really relevant to the world today.   there is so much pressure to accept political correctness as good when in relation to eternal correctness, it just isn't.

 18 And now, my brethren, seeing that ye know the light by which ye may judge, which light is the light of Christ, see that ye do not judge wrongfully; for with that same judgment which ye judge ye shall also be judged.

this one also a daily user too.   the way i look at others is how i will be looked at by God in the last judgement.   kinda makes me want to give everyone the benefit of the doubt.

 29 And because he hath done this, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased? Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men. . .  37 Behold I say unto you, Nay; for it is by faith that miracles are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men

look for the miracles in your life, everyday.   look for the ministering of angels in your life, everyday.

 45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

i love this really open description of charity.  it is so much more than giving material things.   it is compassion, understanding, kindness . . .a way of thinking , not just a way of giving

mosiah 18

mosiah 18:8-9 and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life—

teachings of the presidents, joseph fielding smith, chapt 13- Who, among Latter-day Saints, is seeking a place in the telestial kingdom? Who, among the Latter-day Saints, is seeking a place in the terrestrial kingdom? With those kingdoms we should want nothing to do; it is not the intention of the man who is baptized into the Church, or ought not to be, to so live that he will not find a place in the celestial kingdom of God; for baptism, itself, is the way into that kingdom.

mosiah 13-15

mosiah 13-15
today, abinadi uses the little time he has to put as much info as he can into the heads of his critical audience. i am grateful to not be facing such inquiry. with my son 16, and the missionary age one year closer than it was before, i feel the same urgent need though. i have always liked the part about observing the law of moses but not understanding it. it makes me think of how some days i go through the motions, especially in sacrament. i think i have found more meaning in the sacrament since i started teaching it to my little guy. during sacrament, we look at pictures of Christ and talk about what the sacrament means.