The good kind of Fear

We know that fear is the opposite of faith, therefore a bad thing. However, this interesting word is used differently throughout the Bible, as we know, to mean= respect. Here is a great example of what it can do to help us.
Revolving around the story of Moses' birth and delivery (his life was even about delivery during his delivery) we find a short but empowering account of two righteous midwives--Shiphrah and Puah. The Pharaoh had already enslaved the children of Israel and was now instructing these midwives that when they "do the office of a midwife" that if the child should be a boy, then they should kill him. We read that the midwives "feared God, and did not as the king of Egypt commanded them." Further down we get the therefore. "Therefore, God dealt well with the midwives." If we fear God, (respect, love, revere Him) more than man, then God will deal well with us!

We discussed in class how different the world would be, if we feared God more than man. They came up with a pretty exciting list. What do you think?





P.S. Interestingly enough, the two midwives are mentioned by name, however, the king, Pharaoh is only referred to by his title...Does God care about power or prestige, or obedience and dedication to Him?

I love seminary!

Friday was a lot of fun for us in class. First of all we started a new daily scripture study project. Now we are building a temple. I took a picture of a temple and cut it into 104 pieces and for every 7 consecutive days that they read they get one piece to build a temple. They're pretty excited about it. I wasn't sure how well it'd go over, since our first project was such a hit, I was hoping this wouldn't be a let down. For their daily reading they were getting stones to bury Goliath.The stones worked well and Goliath was successfully buried. So, we had a ceremony. We read 1 Sam. 17: 48-51 where David slays Goliath with his stone, then goes over to him and with Goliath's own sword cuts off his head. I looked up slowly and said, "So" and paused, "We need to get that head off!" The boys were more than happy to oblige.

Then we made stickers to show their contribution. I hope that this next project will be just as successful!!

In other news, we've finished Genesis and are on to Exodus. They'll be a lot of misconceptions I'm sure with the popularity of Prince of Egypt (not complaining, it's a good movie, just not 100% scripturally sound), but I'm hoping that that familiarity will get them EXCITED to learn and discover principles for them. We just barely got started with the first chapter of Exodus and looked at how the children of Israel became slaves at the rise of a new king who "knew not Joseph." He feared that they were becoming too mighty and numerous and devised a plan for them to become slaves and "made their lives bitter with hard bondage" and "made [them] to serve with rigour." We did an activity with this idea and then I asked them to jump into verse 12 and try to find a principle. It reads: "But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they [the Egyptians] were grieved because of the children of Israel." I asked how many had found one, and about 10 hands went up. I then said, "Ok, if you weren't able to find one, raise your hand. The ones who did find one go help those who haven't yet." I ran to help a young woman on the front row. We read the verse and I prompted her saying, "So, the harder they had to work made them ____" Her eyes lit up! She almost shouted, "STRONGER!" I said, "Yeah" and gave her a high five. She was excited. Then I invited the class to write their principle on the board. She looked up at me and so innocently asked, "What was it again?" I helped her remember and she quickly bounded to the board and wrote her principle up and was even more excited when I asked them to put their name by their principle.

One last thing: our discussion on growing from adversity and hard situations needed a little disclaimer. Yes, we can grow from being put through hard work and even spiritual trials, but we must remain faithful. One student clued in on this brilliantly and this was her principle:

Good news!

So the students took surveys about seminary and the results are in--Seminary works. It's so exciting to see, so I'm just gonna put up some of their comments.

"[Seminary] has helped me to recognize and feel the Spirit on a daily basis.

I like "the overall feeling that seminary brings. It has helped me look at life in a new way"

"Before seminary I used to never read my scriptures and now I always do and always bare my testimony."

I like "how much happier I feel when I go home"

"It helps my personal scripture reading go better. I can understand what I am reading. I learn tips to make my reading more spiritual."

Way to go guys!!
I'm just curious, but how would any of you describe your experience in seminary?

"Is such pride in my son a sin?"

Pride has a very negative connotation in our religion, as it should. It is the universal sin. And I am in no way opposing that. The way in which I will use that word in this post will refer to joy and rejoicing in others' accomplishments. A little disclaimer never hurt anybody right? [and bonus points if you can guess the movie quote--the title of this post; it's in quotes]


So there have been some moments in my adult life that have made me very proud. Here are two pictures reenacting a moment that brought such pride into my heart. Viana, one day took this awesome Toy Story Wreath and started teaching her little sister who all of the characters were. It was so cute and it warmed my heart.

This was a wonderful experience, however, it was overshadowed when for the first time in praying Viana said after the prompt "in the name," from CJ, "Jesus Christ...AMEN!" It was so exciting to hear her use His full name in a prayer. Alma said to his son Shiblon, "I trust that I have shall have great joy in you." Viana learning how to pray in the name of our Savior brought great joy to me.

In class, my 6th period has certainly brought great joy to me. Something happened. Someone flipped a switch and there hands have started coming up to share. I am so proud of them. I wish to single one of them out for her incredible accomplishments. When school started her father came in to tell me that she may be a bit behind others, because they hadn't been to church in 4 years and he hadn't taught her much from the scriptures. Well, yesterday, this young woman with a darker shade of red hair and freckles raised her hand and shared a lesson that she had applied. She stated simply, "Family Home Evening." She further explained that in fulfillment of an invitation from class, "We prayed, read the scriptures and talked about seminary."

Today, her hand was up again. I had asked the class when they had been blessed by the priesthood. She told of her mother having a serious surgery in the which she received a priesthood blessing and made it through the surgery okay. I am so PROUD of her and her growth. Isaiah, in speaking of the last days taught, "...And a little child shall lead them."

Apply and Remember

I feel like I am person with lots of good intentions. I always think of cool things to do and often end up not doing them; even times I feel that I'm inspired to do things and still fall short...I know, sad, isn't it? But what can I do to improve, to grow and to overcome being stuck on good intentions. 2 of my favorite scriptures from King Benjamin teach some principles that hit me this weekend, and I then shared them in class today. Both are in Mosiah 4, verse 10 and then verse 30. Let's see what King Benjamin instructs us on this:

10 "And again, believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves before God; and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you; and now, if you believe all these things see that ye do them." Of course believing is not enough, although a crucial and vital first step. We need to apply what we've gained, what we've learned into our lives. Just do those things we feel we ought to do. Take what we learn in classes and in the scriptures and incorporate them into what we do so that it changes us. Viana illustrated this from learning a simple pattern in a children's book. The next book she picked up, she applied that pattern. If only I were more like her. When have you seen a blessing come from application of a lesson learned??

30 "But this much I can tell you, that if ye do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not." I know that I need to watch my thoughts, what I say and what I do, but do I always remember it? I don't think it's a question of understanding the fact that improper thoughts, words and deeds offend the Spirit, but more a remembering that when in the scenario to prevent us from sin. I was blessed by remembering yesterday. I went to go and get a drink and then the thought came...I'm fasting. So I restrained. When those thoughts, songs, videos, etc come that we know can offend the Spirit, we need to remember it and act accordingly. How has remembering helped you to restrain??

Remembering to apply can lead us to accomplishing what the Lord would have us do.

Ode to Joseph

Joseph was an amazing man. He lived a life that foreshadowed the Savior. He was on track. He was on the ball! That reminds me of a joke. Two ants lived on a golf course. A golfer was swinging and terribly missing. His club pounded into the ground with every swing. The one ant looked to the other ant and said, "If we're gonna make it, we better get on the ball!"

Pharaoh, king and ruler of all of Egypt said this of Joseph, "Can we find such a one as this is, a man in whom the Spirit of God is?" To have the Spirit we need to be on the ball. Do we need the Spirit? Of course. An example to illustrate. A blonde haired young woman in my seminary class stood at the front of class to share a story. Her grandfather (there must've been a grandfather theme or something...) was taking the family camping. They found the perfect spot. Got out, unloaded, and set up their tent. Grandpa then said, "We need to go." He felt they shouldn't stay there and had to repack the truck, including take down and put away the tent (I don't know about you, but not my favorite extracurricular activity). They found a new spot and all was well. Upon returning home from the trip they saw on the news that there had been a flood in the area of the first camping spot. What can we do to make sure we are on the ball enough to make it; to receive the guidance necessary for unseen events, as well as day to day guidance? What are some things you do to keep the Spirit in your life?

Trials and Blessings

Can trials be blessings?? A question that we all hope the answer to is always a definite and resounding YES! Although at the time it may be hard to see, I believe trials do have a purpose and that they can be blessings, if we persevere and move forward with faith. Joseph was betrayed by his brothers, thrown into a pit, then sold as a slave. But it didn't end there. The next thirteen years he spent working as a slave for Potiphar and in jail. He was falsely accused and unjustly imprisoned. I don't know if Joseph felt he was being blessed during these periods of adversity, but seeing the big picture of his story can help. Was this a blessing? If Joseph had not been sold by his brothers and had not been falsely accused he could not have had the Spirit with him to interpret the dream of the butler (cause they wouldn't have met), who then referred Pharaoh to Joseph which allowed Joseph to become second in command in all of Egypt and work out a plan to save the whole nation from famine, including the very brothers who betrayed him. Does this story sound familiar? I don't mean just from Genesis or Broadway even, for it is found in the New Testament as well. Our Savior was betrayed, accused, unjustly sentenced, sold at the price of a slave all so that He, our Brother, could work out the plan by which we are saved. Joseph, like the Savior, had to descend below all things to be in a position to save. Well, what does this have to do with us? The Savior has already wrought out a perfect atonement to save us all...hasn't He? Yes, He has. But this illustrates that there is a purpose in trials and shows how trials can be blessings if we remain faithful. During class today, a young woman with long brown hair, sitting near the back, had her face turn red, and it seemed as though tears welled up in her eyes. Something from the lesson had touched her. After class I asked her about it. She then recounted a story of her grandfather. It echoed events from Joseph's experience and brought her mind to reflect on it. Her grandfather was accused of molesting a neighbor girl and imprisoned for it, despite constantly pleading innocence. His Stake President prayed earnestly to know about this man and he received an answer. The grandfather was innocent, he had been unjustly imprisoned. But that was not all in the revelation. He was told that the man had a mission to fulfill. After two years in prison her grandfather was found innocent and released, but not before converting a handful of inmates to the truthfulness of the Restored Gospel. His trial put him in a position to bless others. If he had been angry and chose to curse God for this injustice, he would not have been in tune to preach the Gospel. He was faithful even in the face of bitter adversity. I testify that the scriptures are real! They are for us today and they teach us that if we are faithful even the hardest of trials can turn out to be blessings.