RESURRECTION!!!

I HEREBY COMMAND THIS BLOG TO RISE FROM THE DEAD!!!!
Sorry a little dramatic, but it needed to happen. After a solid 6 or 7 months of non-activity, it's time to make another attempt at blogging.
   Now the reason for the change? Well for all of you reading this post with out reference to its counterpart, I'm proud to proclaim the beginnings of a progressive blog!
   A progressive blog  is kinda like a relay race. One person begins the blog by posting an initial post. At the end of that first post, they direct the readers to another person's blog for the next leg in the progressive blog. This progressive blog began with the post called "What the Book of Mormon means to us!" on Sister Tausha Powell's blog. Now she has so graciously passed it on to me, so I'll post a little something then pass it right along!
   As hopefully some of you may have read in the previous post of the progressive blog, the Book of Mormon is true. Thank you for establishing that Sister Powell! I thought now though I'd like to write a little something about why the Book of Mormon is important to me and how it has helped me personally.
   When I was a freshman in high school, I had an unexpected challenge come my way. I was diagnosed with temporal lobe epilepsy, which means I am susceptible to having a specific type of seizure at random times. I don't fall to the ground and shake and lose consciousness. Mostly the seizures effect my mind, and leave me afterwards feeling very scattered, disorganized, and distracted. After a couple years of struggling against inadequate treatments, I found the right medication, which has been one of the greatest blessings I've experiences in my life. That medication brought my mental state almost back to where it was before I started having all the seizures, and it continues to prevent my seizures today.
   Now how does this apply to the Book of Mormon? Well like I said my mental state is almost completely back to normal. However I sometimes I still feel the effects of all the seizures I had in the past. There are times when my mind still feels a little like this...

scattered and disoriented, which makes it hard to think and remember things. Elder Ricks is doing an excellent job demonstrating the principle! When this picture was taken he was looking for a specific paper he'd written a couple weeks ago. He knew it was there, but getting to it....well it took a while. My mind feels just like a messy room at times and like with Elder Ricks and his paper it takes my mind longer to work.

   One of the few things that remedies this problem for me is the Book of Mormon! The Book of Mormon is different from other books because it was written by ancient prophets like the Bible. Past prophets all wrote down the things that Heavenly Father told them to write, which means that the writings are really direction to us from our Father in Heaven. When I read from the Book of Mormon I can feel myself drawing nearer to God. I find answers to otherwise unanswerable questions, and I can feel things straighten out in my mind. Before even getting through a chapter in the Book of Mormon, my mind will suddenly be like this...

Tidy and organized! I can find everything I need quickly and effeciently! My thoughts feels clear and precise, and I feel enlightened. Clarity and enlightenment, at least to that degree, are results of having the Holy Ghost with you. Nothing else that I've ever experienced has been able to completely heal my mind. I know that the Book of Mormon is truly the word of God. I've felt the Holy Ghost confirm that to me in my mind and in my heart, and I invite all who feel like your desk needs a bit of tidying to pick up the Book of Mormon and give it a try!

NEXT UP ON THE PROGRESSIVE BLOG:: Sister Rupp!! Follow this link to see her blog post: http://hermanarupp.blogspot.com/ 

Being Open to Answers

Today I had an interesting idea while I was reading from the Book of Mormon. One of those "aha!" moments that feel so good.
Chapter 7 in the book of Mosiah in the Book of Mormon is an interesting story. It's kinda confusing, but I'm gonna try to break it down! It starts a man named Zeniff who led a large group of people to try and settle in a different part of the land. Zeniff and his people left behind the rest of their civilization and their king, king Mosiah. After 80 years passed with no word as to their situation, king Mosiah decided to send a man named Ammon along with 15 other men to search for the people of Zeniff.
Eventually Ammon's team found the people of Zeniff who now had a new leader named Limhi. When Ammon came to the city, he was captured and thrown in jail. After 2 days of being in jail, he was bound and brought before king Limhi.

OK so after that long setup, here's the point.

King Limhi starts off talking to Ammon in verse 11 by saying:
"I desire to know the cause whereby ye were so bold as to come near the walls of the city....And now, for this cause have I suffered that ye should be preserved, that I might inquire of you, or else I should have caused that my guards should have put you to death. Ye are permitted to speak."
Pretty gruff. At this point Limhi doesn't realize that Ammon is an ally. Ammon's group and the people of Limhi are really from the same place originally. Remember that making contact with Limhi's people was the whole purpose of Ammon's journey.
So now Ammon gets up to bat. In verse 12:
"And now, when Ammon saw that he was permitted to speak, he went forth and bowed himself before the king; and rising again he said: O king, I am very thankful before God this day that I am yet alive, and am permitted to speak; and I will endeavor to speak with boldness;"
And then he says the line that stuck out to me. In verse 13:
"For I am assured that if ye had known me ye would not have suffered that I should have worn these bands..."
Ammon goes on to explain that he's really a friend and that they want to help. After hearing that, Limhi gets extremely excited, commands the guards to release Ammon and his friends, and throws a big party for them! Limhi explains that his people are being heavily taxed by another larger nation, and he is grateful to have made contact with their old civilization who might be able to help. Eventually king Limhi's people do escape and with Ammon's help return to their old lands.
Alright now here's the point of me explaining that whole story!
1) I just kinda like the story haha!
2) How often are we like king Limhi here? At Limhi's first encounter with Ammon's group he totally rejected anything they had to say (not to mention he threw them in jail...). Limhi was suspicious and didn't take the time to listen. It was lucky for Ammon that king Limhi had a bit of curiosity, but if he hadn't.... Well Ammon would have been dead, along with all hope of Limhi's escape from their oppressors. However, Limhi did give Ammon the chance to speak, and he heard the fantastic news of possible deliverance.

It is my humble opinion that all of us are at times very like king Limhi. Our Heavenly Father knows us all at an intensely personal level. He is totally aware of what we are experiencing and is constantly reaching out to try and aid us on our journey. Only problem is....often if we aren't open and observant we ignore or deny His loving guidance. King Limhi could have easily had Ammon killed, and by the way he spoke to Ammon it sounds like he had executed people for approaching him in the past. I feel like many times the Lord sends us messages through a friend, an experience, or even just a thought or feeling. These are all for our benefit and learning. However, when we ignore or reject God's counsel we are, in a sense, slaying Ammon.
Now I know that there have been times when I haven't exactly followed God's direction. I've had my fair share of being king Limhi. However, often on the mission I feel like Ammon. Missionaries all over the world go out and talk to people every day in the hopes that people will take the opportunity to listen to our message of love. Often we meet people much less curious than king Limhi, but all those who have taken the opportunity to listen and act on God's word have felt the powerful increase of love that comes through following His commandments.
It is my prayer that all of us will take care to pay special attention to our Father's direction. I promise that all those who listen to and act upon His guidance will, like the people of Limhi, be led to greater freedom from the bonds of sin and guilt, and that the Lord will bless them with the kind of peace that only comes through Him.