Old Testament - FDREL 301 Week 1

This week I started to work on my Becoming Project - A Christlike Attribute

I have chosen to study Obedience by studying the April 2018 General Conference Talks and noting principles and doctrines, and anything I should be doing or being obedient to.

The Bible Dictionary says "In a spiritual sense, obedience is doing God’s will." General Conference is where we can hear the Lord's word and will through His prophets, and so I will be studying the talks in detail to look for where I can be more obedient and know what I should be obedient to.

Personal Journal – Week 1

I enjoyed learning more about scripture study skills, and I went back to this week’s readings to apply the “substitution” skill to a couple of scriptures that impressed me. By doing this I felt a more personal application to the scripture.

In Moses 1:20, I chose to substitute my name to say, “Echo began to fear exceeding; and as she began to fear…Nevertheless, calling upon God, she received strength.”

I could feel times when I have feared and when the Lord has rescued from feeling completely distraught and comforted me by the peacefulness of His spirit.

In Moses 5: 12, 14-15, I substituted the scripture “Grant and Echo blessed the name of God, and they made all things known unto their sons and their daughter.”

It was interesting to ponder how substituting our names not only made it sound personal it helped me understand my responsibility as a parent and how important it is to be grateful for the blessings our Heavenly Father gives us. We are not alone in this life. My husband and I have adult children who still need us and we need the Lord’s help to live good examples.

Our First parents, Adam and Eve, left their example of teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to their children. They “made all things known unto their sons and their daughters.” They shared their testimonies of the gospel, and their experiences. I thought about how important this principle is, and how we need to share our testimonies with our children. Although I didn’t hear my mom bear her testimony, I knew she had a testimony, however, I know the spirit testifies to my children and others when I share my testimony formally and informally. Family and friends need to know our struggles, and to feel of our surety in the faith we have in our Savior. Our children need to see us pray, and resolve our challenges by praying, fasting, reading the scriptures, attending the temple, and serving. Our children gain strength by our examples and testimony in Christ.

In verse 14, I learned the Lord reaches out to us through the power of the Holy Ghost, and we can repent and turn towards our God for correction, and strength. Verse 15 teaches that our faith in Christ, and our repentance is necessary to keep the Holy Ghost as our constant companion, and guide. Faith in Christ and repentance is the formula for our discipleship.

 Scripture: Moses 1:20

And it came to pass that Moses began to fear exceedingly; and as he began to fear, he saw the bitterness of hell. Nevertheless, calling upon God, he received strength, and he commanded, saying: Depart from me, Satan, for this one God only will I worship, which is the God of glory

Scripture: Moses 5:12, 14 - 15

12 And Adam and Eve blessed the name of God, and they made all things known unto their sons and their daughters.

14 And the Lord God called upon men by the Holy Ghost everywhere and commanded them that they should repent;

15 And as many as believed in the Son, and repented of their sins, should be saved; and as many as believed not and repented not, should be damned; and the words went forth out of the mouth of God in a firm decree; wherefore they must be fulfilled.

Finding Principles - Week 1

Finding Principles Genesis 1-3; Moses 1-4

1. Scripture: Moses 1:11

But now mine own eyes have beheld God; but not my natural, but my spiritual eyes, for my natural eyes could not have beheld; for I should have withered and died in his presence; but his glory was upon me; and I beheld his face, for I was transfigured before him.

Principle: This scripture teaches me that in order to see spiritually we need to use our spiritual eyes. The Holy Ghost allows us to see what our Heavenly Father desires us to see and for us to learn things of the spirit. We need to prepare to learn spiritually by putting off the natural man, and be obedient by following the covenant path.

2. Scripture: Moses 2:27

And I, God, created man in mine own image, in the image of mine Only Begotten created I him; male and female created I them.

Principle: We are created in the image of our Heavenly Father, and we are His literal son’s and daughter’s. I pondered the word image and looked it up in the dictionary. Dictionary.com defines image as “a representation of the external form of a person or thing in art.” We are created in God’s image and we are to become like Him internally as well as our physical bodies. As we follow our Savior, Jesus Christ, and use His Atonement we change inside and develop Christ-like characteristics.

Finding Principles Genesis 4-11; Moses 5-7

1. Scripture: Moses 5:5-6

5 And he gave unto them commandments, that they should worship the Lord their God, and should offer the firstlings of their flocks, for an offering unto the Lord. And Adam was obedient unto the commandments of the Lord.”

6 And after many days an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me.”

Principle: Three words impress me about this scripture, commandments, sacrifice, and obedience. The Lord did not just cast off Adam and Eve, He gave them a pattern to follow that they would be able to have joy and return to His presence. It takes sacrifice from worldly things to be obedient. There comes a point where you can feel the blessings of being obedience. We make sacrifices to show obedience, love and trust in our Savior and His plan. Adam exemplifies how when we may not have a full understanding of the why’s we stay on the covenant path. We trust in our Heavenly Father and follow the Savior and His prophet.

2. Scripture: Moses 5:10-11

10 And in that day Adam blessed God and was filled, and began to prophesy concerning all the families of the earth, saying: Blessed be the name of God, for because of my transgression my eyes are opened, and in this life I shall have joy, and again in the flesh I shall see God.

11 And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient.

Principle: In verse 10, I am impressed with the hope Adam has in Heavenly Father’s plan, and the joy he feels. Likewise in verse 11, Eve expresses joy and thankfulness and both of them see the positive rather than looking at the future with regret. They choose gratitude, and to have hope in the Saviour’s Atonement and hope to be reunited with Heavenly Father together. I thought of a quote from the conference talk, The Infinite Power of Hope given by President Uchtdorf in October 2008

“Hope is a gift of the Spirit. It is a hope that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the power of His Resurrection, we shall be raised unto life eternal and this because of our faith in the Savior. This kind of hope is both a principle of promise as well as a commandment, and, as with all commandments, we have the responsibility to make it an active part of our lives and overcome the temptation to lose hope. Hope in our Heavenly Father’s merciful plan of happiness leads to peace, mercy, rejoicing, and gladness. The hope of salvation is like a protective helmet; it is the foundation of our faith and an anchor to our souls.”

Hope is an essential part of living the gospel of Jesus Christ. We go through challenges, crisis, and dark times and Adam and Eve give us the example of how to manage through these particularly difficult earthly experiences. They knew tragedy, and chose to have hope in Christ. It has been 2 years since my mother who was terminally ill passed away. It has been hope in Christ, and His Plan of Salvation that has sustained me. I have hope through the Atonement of Christ, and know I will be able to see my parents again. The Savior's plan is a plan for families. To heal us all, and reunite us together.

Temple & Family History - The Final week Institute Class 390R

Expanding Your Family & Personal History

This final week was interesting as we studied Lehi & Nephi experience in the wilderness in 1 Nephi 16 - 18. The following scriptures impressed me:

Mosiah 10:11,12,16 ( I have underlined the phrases of interest)

11 Now, the Lamanites knew nothing concerning the Lord, nor the strength of the Lord, therefore they depended upon their own strength. Yet they were a strong people, as to the strength of men.

12 They were a wild, and ferocious, and a blood-thirsty people, believing in the tradition of their fathers, which is this—Believing that they were driven out of the land of Jerusalem because of the iniquities of their fathers, and that they were wronged in the wilderness by their brethren, and they were also wronged while crossing the sea;

16 And again, they were wroth with him because he departed into the wilderness as the Lord had commanded him, and took the records which were engraven on the plates of brass, for they said that he robbed them.

Nephi wrote how the Lamanites felt, and about their state of being. This feeling that they felt "wronged" disrupted them for generations.

Look up the following references, looking for what it says about the traditions of the Lamanite fathers:

Mosiah 1:5, Alma 9:16-17, Alma 24:7, Alma 60:32

Using the these scriptures as an example, write about the power that records and stories can have (both positive and negative) on future generations.

Negative - This feeling of being wronged caused them to feel hatred towards their family, it negatively impacted their attitude giving them a scapegoat to blame their brethren. This wronged feeling hindered them from progressing, and learning about the Savior or feeling anything spiritual. It also impacted their agency by following their "traditions" it gives them a pattern of hatred to follow. Influencing their opinions and choosing to be bitter, loathing and unforgiving.

Positive - Reading positive experiences and events that show faith influence us to change, motivates us to follow in faithful footsteps, uplifts, and gives a proud feeling of heritage. Positiveness encourages us to serve, and accept goodness, and all the Lord has to offer. We can feel joy and accept the gospel of Jesus Christ.

President Spencer W. Kimball (1895-1985) said:

" You are unique, and there may be incidents in your experience that are more noble and praiseworthy in their way than those recorded in any other life. There may be a flash of illumination here and a story of faithfulness there; you should truthfully record your real self and not what other people may see in you....You story should be written now while it is fresh and while the true details are available...What could you do better for your children and your children's children than to record the story of your life, your triumphs over adversity, your recovery after a fall, your progress when all seemed black, your rejoicing when you had finally achieved?

...." Get a notebook,...a journal that will last through all time, and maybe the angels may quote from it for eternity. Begin today and write in it your goings and comings, your deepest thoughts, your achievements and your failures, your associations and your triumphs, your impressions and your testimonies."

("The Angels May Quote from It", New Era, Oct 1975)

Brother Matthews said to include your personal history into your family history. My goal is to creatively share my personal history and create a history of my parents even though they have passed on. I feel my family would enjoy the positive memories and feel a sense of gratitude for the love and sacrifices of my parents, and grandparents. I am grateful for all they did to create a happy life for me and influence me for good even though times were challenging for them as well. They did their very best and bravely faced their challenges. 

Temple & Family History - Herod's Temple Institute Class 390R

"One of the purposes of temples is to provide a place where redemption of the dead may be made possible by providing the necessary saving ordinances for them by living proxies."
- Elder David B. Haight

From an article given to us in class called, "Jesus and the Temple" by D. Kelly Ogden

"What was Herod's temple like during the Lord's life? A look at the Temple - from the Pinnacale to the Holy Place

• No single place in all the world was holier to Jews and Christians at the time of Jesus than the Temple Mount.  Known as the "Mountain of the House (of God". On this sacred parcel of ground, the God of all creation had conversed with his prophets and priests, and on it a temple had been built to which He could come and in which his glory could dwell."

Temples today are literally the House of the Lord. Attending the temple is a sacred opportunity for us to feel the presence of God, to feel peace, and to stand in a holy place. We worship Him, and can learn of Him there. The temple is a blessing in my life. To serve there is to observe His work, and tender mercies. I have witnessed His guiding hand in the sacred work, and feel healed and close to my Savior when I am in the temple.

• "These mountains were made holy by the divine presence of God."
• "Herod's Temple was a place of revelation, as seen in the experience of Zacharias. And there is evidence in word and deed that Jesus considered the Temple to be the legitimate sanctuary of the true God. Indeed, Jesus called it, "my Father's house" (John 2:16) and "my house" (Matt 21:13)

"The blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them." (Matt 21:14)

http://www.marysrosaries.com/collaboration/images/f/f5/Jesus_Heals_the_Blind_and_the_Lame_in_the_Temple_001.jpg

"About the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught." (John 7:14)

Christ in the Temple

"And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them." (John 8:2)

"He taught daily in the temple" (Luke 19:47)

Temple & Family History - Institute Class 390R The House of the Lord in the Wilderness

This week I had the privilege of teaching the institute class this week. I learned so much of the symbolism of the Tabernacle in the times of Moses, and the Temple we worship in now. I am grateful to know how the Lord teaches us and gave the children of Israel many opportunities to turn to Him.

The following is the power point presentation I created to use in the lesson.

Tabernacle & Temple Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_3436149057&feature=iv&src_vid=1mFGsLEpKKk&v=EuRj9tLHXr4

Temple & Family History - Week 2 Institute Class 390R

What are Spiritual Experiences?

A question posed to us to consider.....

My thoughts....

• The Holy Ghost is present
• They deepen your testimony
• Life Changing experiences or Changes in your life and you can have a spiritual experience
• Like a light bulb that is turned on. Feel light or understanding
• Personal revelation

The last time I had a spiritual experience?

Sunday when I felt the power of fasting and my heart was full of gratitude, and my testimony strengthened.

This morning when I read Elder Dallin H. Oaks' talk "Reason & Revelation"

"In a recent talk at Brigham Young University, Elder Boyd K. Packer gave this perceptive characterization of reason and revelation in a university environment: "There are two opposing convictions in the university environment. On the one hand, 'seeing is believing'; on the other, 'believing is seeing.' Both are true! Each in its place. The combining of the two individually or institutionally is the challenge of life.... "Each of us must accommodate the mixture of reason and revelation in our lives. The gospel not only pen-nits but requires it. An individual who concentrates on either side solely and alone will lose both balance and perspective. History confirms that the university environment always favors reason, with the workings of the Spirit made to feel uncomfortable. I know of no examples to the contrary." Elder Packer then pleaded for "the fusion of reason and revelation [which] will produce a man and a woman of imperishable worth."

http://emp.byui.edu/jexj/new/talks/talks/DHO%20RRev.pdf 

Tuesday - Attending the Temple

Read and ponder what do they see and learn?

Moses 1:1-4, 6, 27 - 28 

Ether 3:1, 6, 8-9, 13-16, 25-26

Abraham 3:11-12

Moses 7:3-4, 6-7

1 Nephi 11:1-2, 15-21

Why does the Lord give them these experiences?

What deeper "Mountainous" spiritual experience have you had?

Feeling the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ in my life. Feeling forgiven, loved, and trusted to be given responsibilities to serve and to share the gospel. Receiving a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Book of Mormon. My role as a mother continually gives me mountainous spiritual experiences positively to feel loved by my daughters, needed, and to try to be better.

What do we need to do to qualify for these Mountain top type of experiences? (Like in the scriptures?)

Be willing to do the spiritual work to receive revelation, and to be watchful of them. The Lord gives us opportunities to have spiritual experiences and we may need to be willing to change or repent to be more humble. Seek for spiritual experiences.

President Russell M. Nelson

"In like manner, what will your seeking open for you? What wisdom do you lack? What do you feel an urgent need to know or understand? Follow the example of the Prophet Joseph. Find a quiet place where you can regularly go. Humble yourself before God. Pour out your heart to your Heavenly Father. Turn to Him for answers and for comfort.

Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses—yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen! Write the thoughts that come to your mind. Record your feelings and follow through with actions that you are prompted to take. As you repeat this process day after day, month after month, year after year, you will “grow into the principle of revelation.”9

Does God really want to speak to you? Yes! 

I urge you to stretch beyond your current spiritual ability to receive personal revelation, for the Lord has promised that “if thou shalt [seek], thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things—that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal.”12

Oh, there is so much more that your Father in Heaven wants you to know. As Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught, “To those who have eyes to see and ears to hear, it is clear that the Father and the Son are giving away the secrets of the universe!”13

Nothing opens the heavens quite like the combination of increased purity, exact obedience, earnest seeking, daily feasting on the words of Christ in the Book of Mormon,14 and regular time committed to temple and family history work.

To be sure, there may be times when you feel as though the heavens are closed. But I promise that as you continue to be obedient, expressing gratitude for every blessing the Lord gives you, and as you patiently honor the Lord’s timetable, you will be given the knowledge and understanding you seek. Every blessing the Lord has for you—even miracles—will follow. That is what personal revelation will do for you." Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives, April 2018

Temple & Family History - Week 1 Institute Class 390R

The Temple

Calgary, Alberta Temple

This Spring semester April 2018 - August 2, 2018 I will be taking an institute course on Temple & Family History.

In our introduction lesson we discussed Sacrifice & Worship. A couple of scripture passages helped me to contemplate both sacrifice and worship.

Moses 5:5-8
5 And he gave unto them commandments, that they should worship the Lord their God, and should offer the firstlings of their flocks, for an offering unto the Lord. And Adam was obedient unto the commandments of the Lord.

6 And after many days an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me.

7 And then the angel spake, saying: This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and truth.

8 Wherefore, thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son, and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forevermore.

Genesis 22:9-13
9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.

10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

11 And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

In both scriptural accounts we have symbolism in how we look at the sacrifices both Adam and Abraham made, they were obedient without a full understanding of the why, and the angel comes to teach them about the sacrifices they are making.

At what point do your sacrifices become worshipful? 

To me it is when you feel a connection to God, your Heavenly Father and feel gratitude for all He has done for you. You feel the Holy Ghost, peace, inspiration, knowledge or receive personal revelation.

How does what we do inside the Temple qualify as "worship"?

Keeping what we do in the temple sacred, I would say we make covenants with God, and in behalf of those who passed. We receive instruction, learn by the spirit, progress in light and understanding, we feel the Holy Ghost if we are prepared to worship, and truth is testified to us.

How can you make your temple service more worshipful?

1. Prepare to go to worship in the temple. Don't be in a rush. Remember you are going to the Lord's house, and will feel His presence if you can prepare to enjoy the spirit, and the work.

2. Part of preparing is the spiritual pattern we create. Regular prayer to commune with our Heavenly Father, and build a relationship with Him. Our scripture study and pondering time. I've learned that studying the scriptures for a space of time, minimum 1/2 hr to an hour to read, ponder, and let the spirit teach you. This spiritual pattern is also part of how we can better prepare to worship.

3. Remember Christ - Throughout the day be grateful for all that the Savior has done for me, and be mindful of my covenants.

4. Live the gospel - We make mistakes, and we need to repent and keep on the covenant path. If discouraged, pray, and ask to feel the spirit, and the love Heavenly Father has for me. Use the Atonement of Jesus Christ for strength, and power beyond my own. Living the gospel is a process of learning and the Lord wants us to walk with Him on this journey.

Moments of Tender Mercy

There have been a few things that have happened lately that I would like to keep in my memories.

March 10th, 2018 Grant & I served in the temple early Saturday morning and I had a special experience. There was a live sealing and I noticed the name Fairburn on the agenda. I wondered if there was any relation to Shanelle Fairburn from my family ward. The temple was busy, and I was coming down the stairs of the temple, and noticed the guest for the wedding were being gathered in the main entrance below the stairway, and as I am approaching the area, I see Shanelle. Tears were in both of our eyes, and I embraced her in a hug. She lost her husband Kurt to ALS, and I lost my Mom to ALS, and we have this bond that is difficult to describe. We can relate to each other and the care we gave our loved ones. The tender mercy is.....I could have been anywhere in the temple, however, right in that moment I was where I needed to be. The Lord is aware of us, and the connections we have with others. He knows when we need a hug, and reaffirms to us that we are His children, and He loves us.

March 30th, 2018 Good Friday - Grant and I attended a sealing of a temple worker who worked on our shift. Britney Peters is a YSA sister who served on Saturday mornings for a few months. She is so sweet, full of life. I only knew her a short while and was surprised when she asked me for my address to send a wedding invitation.  I was also surprised to get an invite to the sealing. She texted me to ask if I was able to go, and I felt like I needed to so I replied we would be at the sealing. So, Friday we went, and when we waiting in the waiting area of the temple we did not know one person. A bit awkward, but I was looking forward to it. As we sat in the sealing room, I watched her and her about to be husband come into the sealing room. Lots of us were seated, and we were at the back. A couple of times when the sealer was speaking I glanced over to Britney, and our eyes linked and we smiled at each other. What a beautiful sealing. Upon leaving the sealing room we were given the opportunity to congratulate Britney & Josh. In the receiving line, her mother asked me who I was and said are you sister Sandstrom? Which goes to show you that I didn't know her, and I replied I'm Sister Sikstrom and she said oh Britney really wanted you to come. Next I hugged the Bride and told her I loved her. She was so touched that I was there and began to weep putting her hands over her face. How sweet, and I hugged her husband with congratulations and we left. I was taken back at her reaction, and Grant said I broke the Bride! But...it taught me that we don't know how we impact others. If we love others and are kind, we can make a big difference in their life without knowing. I'm grateful to the Lord for allowing me to have this experience, and to have a more determination to extend kindness and meekness to everyone. Lots of improvement moving forward, and thankful for this experience.