Mormon Lives Matter

We had a discussion/ argument. Want to work on being friends and talking easy again. I'm going to try to journal about Renae and remember the fun things and hilarious things we've done together. 2011 Road trip to Lake Powell.  Sleeping on the top of the houseboat, we wake up hear a huge Murph and Andy's like "ducks out"  Hiking ding and dang I put one of the young women's leaders on my shoulders and walked.  Teresa was soo whiney. 

One of the most subtle and effective tools he is using among us today is the convincing of some that they have arrived, they have reached their destination, they have earned a rest, they aren’t needed anymore, they are out of danger, they are beyond temptation, and they can take pride in their accomplishments.

2 Kings 18: 3-6 And broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made: Numbers 21:1-9 describes how during a time of a plague of fiery serpents upon the whole nation, Moses made a bronze serpent for the nation to look upon and be spared death from the snake bites. This statement in 2 Kings tells us that this particular bronze serpent had been preserved for more than 800 years and had come to be worshipped as Nehushtan. Hezekiah, in his zeal, broke in pieces this bronze artifact and put an end to the idolatrous worship of this object. i. This bronze serpent was a wonderful thing – when the afflicted people of Israel looked upon it, they were saved. It was even a representation of Jesus Christ, as Jesus Himself said in John 3:14-15. At the same time, man could take something so good and so used by God and make a destructive idol out of it. ii. In the same way, sometimes good things become idols and therefore must be destroyed. For example, if the true cross of Jesus or His actual bu...

2 Kings 17:13-15 They followed idols, became idolaters : The NIV translates this, “ They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless .” The NASB has it, “ They followed vanity and became vain .” i. “The original is more accurate at this point: ‘They worshipped emptiness and became empty.’ The word here is  hebel  meaning ‘air,’ ‘delusion,’ or ‘vanity.’ The idea is that they became like the gods they worshipped. They bowed down to nothingness and became nothing.” (Dilday)

Without God, I can't; Without me, God won't He honors our agency  Without faith and commitment God won't change us He will not take our agency. We have to be on board. He will direct us and strengthen us through his grace, but we must will it.  I have found that usually When I am praying for something and not receiving it the problem is one of two things; either it's not God's will or I am not sincere in willing it. (Usually it's a combination of the two).

Without expectation of acknowledgement or praise you strive to support and love. Sometimes choking on the dust of misunderstandings and others judgements you strive on picking up the remnants from the other pioneers ahead of you. Sister Wright - nothing we've done or haven't done extends beyond the reach of the Savior's reach. Elder Daines - I failed to see my mom as a real person, I only saw the rules not the love. I thought my life was about following rules and measuring up to some abstract guidelines.  We have to learn to recognize the love of God and the Savior.  We are a group with picks and shovels trying to clear a way for the river of love.  Elder Todd Christofferson  The whole earth was created so that families could be sealed together.   

2 Samuel 16 In his book  A Tale of Three Kings , Gene Edwards put these words into the mouth of David: “The throne is not mine. Not to have, not to take, not to protect, and not to keep. The throne is the LORD’s.” It was that kind of heart that kept David on-track through such a difficult time and enabled him to even be  refreshed .