Written by: Alice Gifford
There is a "Powerful" video segment on the New
Testament video called "Godly Sorrow" that would be so good to show with this
lesson. The spirit is very strong and the principle of repentance and "why" and
"how" are clearly taught in a way the young women can understand.
In Michael Allred's book, "You Might Be Mormon
If..." , he quoted Elder Henry B. Eyring; "When you see Him, you will know his
voice, because you will have prayed, listened, obeyed, and come to share the thoughts and
intents of his heart" Then, quoting President Ezra Taft Benson, Elder Eyring
continued, "Nothing is going to startle us more when we pass through the veil to the
other side than to realize how well we know our Father and how familiar his face is to
us" (Ensign May l99l, pg. 67)
Doesn't that give you chills! As I read 2
Nephi Chapter 3l I thought about this statement. This is the second time
I've come across it in recent weeks. Is someone trying to tell me
something???
Do you remember playing "Follow the Leader" when
you were a little kid? I do. I remember my little sister too who would always follow me
around ....sometimes to my dismay°Ü° I'm so glad that Christ invites us to "follow
him" - wants us to follow Him.
vs. l2....wherefore, follow me, and do the things which ye
have seen me do." Isn't there comfort in knowing we have a leader, someone who has
been there before, who knows the way, who will show us how to do it? I'm a visual person.
I learn most of what I learn from "doing". If I have to follow a pattern (this
is why I don't sew) or read the directions in the book (or off the back of a box -cooking
°Ü°) I struggle to understand. But if I see someone else do it - I can do it. He gave
us an example to follow and invites us to do so. Repentance is a vital part of knowing
Christ. The words to the primary song "Do as I'm doing, follow, follow me" just
popped into my head*~~~
In my heart I am willing to follow Christ and I am willing
to keep the commandments. I just need to get this body of mine to cooperate! (LOL) Melvin
J. Ballard teaches us in "Three Degrees of Glory" that "any man or woman
can do more to conform to the laws of God in one year in this life than they could in ten
years when they are dead. The spirit only can repent and change, and then the battle has
to go forward with the flesh afterwards. It is much easier to overcome and serve the Lord
when both flesh and spirit are combined as one."
He goes on to say, "This life is the time to repent.
That is why I presume it will take a thousand years after the first resurrection until the
last group will be prepared to come forth. It will take them a thousand years to do what
it would have taken, but three score years and ten to accomplish in this life ....I grant
you that the righteous dead will be at peace, but I tell you that when we go out of this
life, leave this body, we will desire to do many thing that we cannot do at all without
the body. We will be seriously handicapped, and we will long for the body, we will pray
for that early reunion for our bodies. .....
Then, every man and woman who is putting off until the next
life the task of correcting and overcoming the weakness of the flesh are sentencing
themselves to years of bondage, for no man or woman will come forth in the resurrection
until they have completed their work, until they have overcome, until they have done as
much as they can do. .....
...some may obtain, by reason of their righteousness in this
life, the right to do post-graduate work, to be admitted into the celestial kingdom, but
others will lose absolutely the right to that glory....
The point I have in mind is that we are sentencing ourselves
to long periods of bondage, separating our spirits from our bodies, or we are shortening
that period, according to the way in which we overcome and master ourselves....." pg.
13
For me this also gave new perspective on ancestors who are
waiting, praying, hoping we will get their work done for them. These ordinances are vital
to their progression. How must they feel when they see us participating in unworthy
activities - wasting time with worldly pursuits - when they are waiting, and waiting, and
waiting. They are counting on us! They need us ! (Matthew 25:21)
Don't you just love the gospel and the hope it teaches and what we are capable to doing
through Christ! I do!
(c) Alice Gifford
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