El plan de restauración

Alma 41

  • –el plan de la restauración es indispensable en la justicia de Dios– (vs. 2)
  • –Porque lo que de ti salga, volverá otra vez a ti, y te será restituido;– (vs. 15)

 Los dos puntos me ha impresionados esta mañana. El segundo punto casí me asusta. Lo que uno sembra, se cosecha. Muchos persona crean esto, pero de que es parte del plan y orden de Dios, hasta la resurrección, ésto no entendí.

Con un repaso de estos versículos, tengo algunos preguntas:

  • ¿Qué es lo bueno? ¿Qué es lo malo? Saber la voluntad de Dios, y hacer lo. Esto es lo que es bueno. A saber y no hacer la voluntad de Dios, esto es malo.
  • ¿Es mejor estar feliz con sí mismo en la solidad? ¿O es mejor estar feliz en la presencia de los demás, especialmente sus seres queridos?

Post Christmas Ideas 2018

At the end of Christmas day this year, I’m taking a moment to collect a few thoughts that I will hopefully remember for next year.

I really like Christmas, especially with the focus on CHRIST. I can prepare more to celebrate that and help others to celebrate that as well.

Christmas is as much about the experience that we have together as a family as it is about anything else.

Our Christmas are the ones that we don’t spend large amounts of money intentionally keeping the gift giving and receiving aspects of the holiday simple.

Give the kids opportunities to earn money to give gifts, or provide supplies to make crafty gifts.

Host a community Christmas party for the elderly, or stage one at a senior care facility.

Christmas doesn’t come from a store. You cannot buy or spend your way into Christmas.

Help Rachel to complete Christmas preparations before December. What activities would help us focus more on Christ and the true spirit of the season?

This isn’t about making a pretty presentation. It’s about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ.

Help an elderly friend to setup and take down their Christmas decorations.

¿Qué deseas tú?

1 Nephi 11

I was having a hard time focusing my thoughts this morning so I proceeded to study in Spanish. As Christmas day is just around the corner, I sought out something to get me in the spirit of the season.

A pivotal question is posted to Nephi at the very beginning of this miraculous exchange: “What desirest thou?” ( vs. 2 ) It is repeated again a few verses later in verse 10. Why was Nephi’s intent being assessed? ( I am still pondering the answer to this )

Nephi first desires to see what his father saw. In response, the angel shows him the Tree of Life which his father saw. Then when the angel inquired again, Nephi then desired to know the meaning of the tree, and suddenly he is seeing things that Lehi did not see. He sees more than what Lehi recounted.

A few other insights that stood out to me as I reviewed the first part of this chapter:

  • The Spirit of the Lord was with Mary with her throughout her pregnancy.
  • Nephi is feeling the love of God when he sees Mary holding the infant Savior in her arms. It’s impossible to express in words what he is feeling, but the angel does ask Nephi if he understands the meaning of the tree. Nephi’s response is “It is the love of God.”
  • How could anyone believe that Joseph Smith could have made this up? Get the Spirit of the Lord in your heart, and you will know that this is not the invention of a man.
  • What testimony does this give about the importance of the family unit, that even Christ himself was born of a mother and nurtured in a home with a father and mother present?

The Plan of Restoration

Alma 41

In verse 2, Alma uses a phrase that is not found anywhere else in holy writ: the plan of restoration.

I say unto thee, my son, that the plan of restoration is requisite with the justice of God; for it is requisite that all things should be restored to their proper order. Behold, it is requisite and just, according to the power and resurrection of Christ, that the soul of man should be restored to its body, and that every part of the body should be restored to itself.

Alma 41:2 (emphasis added)
Continue reading “The Plan of Restoration”

Alma 43

(12 Dec 2018) I am impressed by the proactive command that Moroni has taken in defending the Nephites against the Lamanites. (vs. 23-43) I am considering the application of this in my own realms of influence, especially work and family.

Freedom only comes in this life, of necessity, through protection from those who would take it away from us. The whole purpose and intent of the Nephite endeavors to protect themselves from their enemies was to preserve their freedoms.

The Parable of the Sower

I reviewed the parable of the sower found in Matthew 13 yesterday with our youth Sunday School class. This morning, I return to it for some personal reflection.

The care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word of God. These things make the word of God unfruitful. How long have I let these two things impede my spiritual productivity!

The Parable of the Sower

Suffer the Children – Morning Thoughts, 5 Oct 2018

This morning’s scripture study was more of a prayer and pondering session. I briefly reviewed my current Book of Mormon study post: “In the Fear of God,” Alma 39:12-19 and also a few entries from my personal blog: “Moroni 10” and  “Baptism and John the Baptist”

In my prayers, I was reflecting on what commandment that Lord would have me be aware of. The answer has been allusive for several days. Part of the answer was that it varies from day to day. Then as I pondered further on what thing God would have me do today, and how I would do anything that Lord would ask me to do, I was brought to consider my daughter Emma’s pregnancy, and how it is that I or Rachel and I could possibly shoulder some of the burden of raising another child, at least in providing childcare services for her.

This has me reflecting upon my desires in children’s media, Mr. Roger’s example, and the opportunity to influence for good the lives of my grandchildren and others.

I feel a need to learn about and study early childhood development. There is much here that I do not understand. All of this is a call to become more like the Savior who suffered the little children to come unto him.

“Suffer the children to come unto you, and teach them how to come unto me.”



Q & A: 26 September 2018

Q: What are the areas of my life that require my attention today? 

A: Executive Planning. I’m not entirely sure I understand this. The Spirit constrained me from adding business or family to the phrase. 

This is about planning for the next month: financially, strategically, organizationally. This is both personally and business,  since both are dependent upon each other. 

  • What are our executive priorities?
  • What activities do we want / need to accomplish next month? 
  • What are our expected financial obligations to accomplish planned activities?
  • What changes need to be made to accomplish objectives?
  • Can you do this on your own or do you need help?
  • If you need help, how are you going to secure that help? 

Q: What are the questions that I’m not asking, that I should be asking?

A: They have been added to the list above: How am I going to get the help I need when it is needed?

Q: How do I achieve a balanced approach in business activities?

A: Planning, observing, assessment, adjustment, prayer.

Q: Is what I am doing right now helping me to be balanced in my business activities? Is that balance important right now? 

A: coding right now so particular sore spot for me. The answer is in the planning. If I keep my head down in the code for too long without looking at the big picture, I get lost.