prayer and boasting

1. Prayer. My soul was so crunchy and crusty and tired today. I was dragging. And irritable. We went to Beth's and I felt weird and crunchy around her. In her basement, I remembered God. So I prayed and asked Him to help me soften and feel love. I felt so good when I was thinking about Jesus during that prayer. And about the scriptures. And I just longed to read them.

2. Boasting. Alma 39 starts with Alma condemning Corianton for a few sins, and the first one, significantly, was boasting. I think that is how all sins really start: with pride. It made me want to be more humble, and seek learning and want to learn and realize things I don't know and need to learn. And not see myself as super knowledgeable about ... mostly anything--because I can learn more for all of them!

3. More boasting. In Alma 41 it says that our desires will be restored to us: good for good, evil for evil. What do I desire? When I have prideful thoughts, or want glory for myself, that's what I'll get! And it won't last, because it has nothing to do with God. What do I truly want in situations and in life? Think about that sincerely, because that is what I'll get. And if it doesn't involve God and bringing glory to Him and drawing closer to Him, it should be moot to me as well.

4. How to be humble: Alma 42:30 "Let the justice of God, and his mercy, and his long-suffering have full sway in your heart; and let it bring you down to the dust in humility." Think about Jesus and how good He is, how much He loves me, How much has has done and can do and will do for me. His long-suffering toward me. That will help me be humble

easily forget

Helaman 13 is morbid a little, but it's a good chapter to take seriously and read as a reminder. To not forget the Lord. It says that it's easy for man to set their hearts on vain things, and to forget the Lord their God, and how He can do ANYTHING, and how He can help them...and curse them.

The other day I was thinking and feeling like I didn't have a ton to pray about for some reason. I thought that I wanted to pray and I wanted my prayers to be meaningful, but I felt they were a little empty. Then I remembered the scriptures, and how connected they are to pray. They give me what to pray about. They give me things to work on and things to ask for help with or thank or talk to Him about.

So then I read this chapter--feeling extra grateful for the scriptures. And I was reminded how easy it is for ME to forget Him throughout the day, and to focus on vain things or on myself. Or just to rely on myself, or the arm of flesh. Heavenly Father wants to be involved in my day.

What are some way I can remember Him?

• Talk about Him
• read my journal
• read my scriptures
• be grateful
• ask Him for help or guidance with lots of things
• work on goals
• apply what I learn
• be kind and loving to others
• think about how I can be an instrument in His hands
• recite scriptures and hymns

The Holy Ghost

When have I heard and listened to the Holy Ghost?

I can't really remember a time when He was warned me, and I was sure it was Him. But I have tried to listen to my gut...taken certain roads, checked the doors and windows, etc. But I have received sooo much from the Holy Ghost. Revelation. Comfort.

Larry Wilson's talk from april 2018. He says, in order to increase us hearing the HG, we must:

• tune our spiritual radio to heaven's signal
• do I need to be more obedient? Do I need to repent? Yes, probably. So, what do I need to repent of? What sins do I need to turn from? 
• ask what I can do to be part of the solution I need
• don't just list problems in prayer; instead, ask for ways I can help
• practice listening to the Spirit. practice, pray for opp.s to practice.
• pray about more things. I can pray about more things than I think. Don't be slothful. The more I talk to Him, the more I can hear Him, and practice listening to the Spirit. 
• 
  

teach the doctrine

I'm reading "Teach the Doctrine" in Teaching in the Savior's Way for tomorrow's lesson. It's good. It's made me think this:

i need to pray and ask for confirmation that what the Church sees as doctrine, or what is in the scriptures, is really God's doctrine, His laws. And ask for confirmation for that before I teach them. Then when I teach, be sure to focus on how each principle relates back to Jesus Christ, His Atonement, and His gospel. And look at what I teach (doctrine, principles, commandments) as relating to God's overall plan for salvation and happiness of all His people.

Alma 12:32 says that God gave his people commandments after teaching them about the plan of redemption.

Also teach that the doctrine comes from the scriptures, ancient and modern.

TEach the youth (and my children) (and everyone) to liken the scriptures unto themselves. Pick a verse where you can insert their name into.

How people fail

As I’m reading Helaman, I’ve just been thinking about what the main factor is for people to fall away. Earlier in the book it was internal contention in a city. Then it was trusting in their own arm or other’s instead of trusting in God. And now (chapter 6) it’s setting your heart on riches. 

All of these things have one thing in common: putting something before God. I think the biggest factor to someone spiritual failure is whatever is going to catch them up. Whatever Satan knows will be hardest for them. He tried them at lots of different levels.  

Helaman 4 makes it really clear that there are two options in life: trust in myself/the arm of flesh or trust in God. It doesn't mean God has to or will or even can do everything for us, but it means that we should try our hardest and do all we can, trusting that He will guide, and then following His guidance once we receive it. People's LIVES depended (their own lives even!) on that, and lots still disobeyed.

Just stuff lately

I've been reading in the beginning of Helaman. It's been really great. It's amazing how quickly people go from being good to being evil. It's so sad. Just within a few years They just forget. Also I've liked this time how lots of people dedicated their lives to preaching about Christ It made me want to ponder how I do if and if it's effective. But it's not enough and I know that. Also there was one verse in chapter 2 or 3 that talked about the word of God dividing asunder the stuff that's confusin and the stuff of God: Helaman 3:29 "Yea, we see that whosoever will may lay hold upon the word of God, which is quick and powerful, which shall divide asunder all the cunning and the snares and the wiles of the devil, and lead the man of Christ in a strait and narrow course across that everlasting gulf of

misery which is prepared to engulf the wicked." the word, Also