I have a lot of gratitude in my heart this morning. Just finished the week from being in Park City for Dream Team. It was a lot of work but it was wonderful to see the Lord's hand weaving so many backgrounds of women together. There are some that say that their religion and work should stay separated. As for me, I believe my religion/beliefs make me who I am so I can not separate the two. God is in my every breath. His son, Jesus Christ is the light and life of my world-that includes being inside or outside work. How thankful I am for a Boss and coworkers who allow me to be me.
This morning I opened up to my spot in Jacob and when I turned the page, seeing that I was going to read Enos tomorrow, I let out a little happy cry. (Yes, I am alone in my bedroom and no one was around--:) but Enos hits home to my own conversion story!) Because I was so excited to read Enos for my read tomorrow, I didn't anticipate or remember how great the end of Jacob was/is.
Sherem comes to the people and with a cunning tongue he tries to convince the people that there is no Christ. Many people were deceived because of how he delivered his words. In the end he seeks for a sign (never good to do) and falls to the earth. He confesses to all the people he had been deceived by the devil. And after he confesses his faults he dies. What a sad way to end your moral life. Jacob and his people try to reclaim and restore the Lamanites to the knowledge of the truth but he says in Jacob 7:24 in The Book of Mormon:
...but it all [trying to restore the Lamanites to the knowledge of the truth] was vain, for they delighted in wars and bloodshed, and they had an eternal hatred against us, their brethren. And they sought by the power of their arms to destroy us continually.I was intrigued by the "they had an eternal hatred against us, their brethren". An eternal hatred is a pretty hard core thing. Of course this theme of hating can been seen all through the scriptures when a people forget or do not know their God. But when Jacob added "their brethren", my heart was deeply saddened. How often am I hating my brother. Whoever they may be. I show that hatred when I speak ill of someone, or judge another wrongfully, I am hating when I allow unkind thoughts to enter my head. I defiantly don't want to be hating my brother or sister. We all are children of God.
The next verse in Jacob, is simple yet powerful.
...the people of Nephi did fortify against them with their arms, and with all their might, trusting in the God and rock of their salvation; wherefore, they became as yet, conquerors of their enemies.Am I fortifying with all my might against Satan, against bad habits, against temptations and sins?! If I will, and am trusting in God (I love that Jacob said trust"ing" - that shows it is a continual processes it was not just a one time trust, but a continual time of trusting) I will be able to become a conqueror of my bad habits, my sins, my faults and weaknesses. I will be able to be a conqueror my natural man.
Jacob finished his record by saying:
...I conclude this record, declaring that I have written according to the best of my knowledge, by saying that the time passed away with us, and also our lives passed away like as it were unto us a dream...The time passed away with them. So "time" passes away with me. What am I doing with my time?! I want to be known that in my time I was trusting in God and that I was a conqueror! Conqueror of my Dreams, my desires, by passions, my hopes and expectations.
It is such a great time to be alive! Jesus Christ lives! He is the Christ. And He will be coming again. This I know.
Hope you have a great day! I will be fortifying and trusting all day long. Until the next prompting to write--
Bryndi
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