Heavenly Father is a Chef

Evidence that Heavenly Father cooks.

1 Nephi 17:12
"For the Lord had not hitherto suffered that we should make much fire, as we journeyed in the wilderness; for he said: I will make thy food become sweet, that ye cook it not..."

If they didn't cook it, who did?

In our quest to inherit all the Father has, somewhere along the way, we will need to learn to cook. This can be comforting for many (including me), indicating it is possible.

My Study Journal Recording for the Day

I believe Nephi's faith is demonstrated in this of his writings:

"And also, I, Nephi, had been blessed of the Lord exceedingly."
- 1 Nephi 16:8

I believe he not only saw the glass of water as half full, but he saw its potential to become filled.

Gordon B Hinckley teaches us that we should be grateful we have a cup in the first place!

“Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he has been robbed.

“[The fact is] most putts don’t drop. Most beef is tough. Most children grow up to be just people. Most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration. Most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. …

“Life is like an old-time rail journey—delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed.

“The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride.”

- “Big Rock Candy Mountains,” Deseret News, 12 June 1973, A4, quoted in Hinckley's "A Conversation with Single Adults", March 1997

In my words, thank the Lord for letting me have the glass.

Last night, I felt the peaceful, sweet assurance of the Spirit, and the reality of my teacher's words. To paraphrase his observation:

"We can have everything in life cave in on us, and yet feel grateful. Why? Because we have been worthy and righteous, and the Spirit is our companion who delivers that Spirit of peace to us."

That was shared by Brother Keith Thompson at institute.

I have had enough experiences in life to know that God provides what we need as we move forward. Sometimes just in the moment we need it.

How did Lehi know where to go after being commanded to travel farther into the wilderness? (1 Nephi 16:9) Regardless of his ideas of where to go (or lack thereof), he exits his tent the next morning to find a ball of curious workmanship - the Liahona - which would point the way to go in the wilderness.

I love imagining Lehi's expression upon discovering the Liahona on the ground, outside his tent.

I can't wait to see a replay on Judgment Day to see how it got there in the first place.

Journey on...

Elder L Whitney Clayton shared a moving story about a young child named Sailor.

Sailor had the unfortunate event of a serious crash, and she was the only survivor. There was no one around to obtain her and help. She was alone.

I quote here onward from Elder Clayton's recount.

"After the crash, Sailor had a choice. She could have chosen to stay by the airplane in the dark, alone and afraid. But there was a long night ahead, and it was just going to get colder. She chose another way. Sailor climbed up a hill, and there she saw a light on the horizon.

"Gradually, as she made her way through the night toward the light, it grew brighter. Still, there must have been times when she could not see it. Perhaps it went out of view when she was in a ravine or behind trees or bushes, but she pressed on. Whenever she could see the light, Sailor had evidence that she was on the right path. She did not yet know precisely what that light was, but she kept walking toward it based on what she knew, trusting and hoping that she would see it again if she kept moving in the right direction. By so doing, she may have saved her life.

"Our lives can be like that too. There may be times when we have been hurt, when we are tired, and when our lives seem dark and cold. There may be times when we cannot see any light on the horizon, and we may feel like giving up. If we are willing to believe, if we desire to believe, if we choose to believe, then the Savior’s teachings and example will show us the pathway forward."

The Joy In Losing

On a bus trip home with the YSA from a joyful snow trip, we watched the film Cool Runnings!

As always, I love to draw parallels and lessons of the gospel from the media I watch.

Derrice (need to find spelling) asked his coach: "Coach, why did you cheat?"

His answer was simple:

"I had to win."

People who win all the time might become used to winning, to the point where they always expect it.

When a threat to our winning streak comes, they can be strongly tempted to cheat, and abandon principles and virtues.

We could possibly understand ourselves through the example of David - king, conquerer, popular. He wanted Bathsheba, and he got her. Quite possibly in the language of his day, he had said, "I had to win."

This is not to say that the many people who win all the time are conditioned with this weakness. Rather, that it is possible.

So, in light of this principle, losing often is a sweet blessing from God.

We prepare ourselves for the eternal victory, when we are caught up unto exaltation and eternal life. It is then that we say the opposite of "I had to win. Instead we say, "I had to lose - I had to give up and lose myself in sacrifice and consecration to God - and the winner was God, for He wins us because we gave ourselves to Him."

We are His greatest treasure.

Let us lose ourselves in the making, keeping and renewing of covenants, and lose ourselves in blessing others by helping them receive the same.

A Father's Testimony

Father's Day was tender for me.

My father is not a man of many words. Though, every now and then he surprises my mother and I with pearls of wisdom that we usually haven't considered before.

At sacrament meeting, he stood up to bear testimony, regarding his life and the Lord's hand in it. It was moving for me.

Having lived in the Philippines for quite some time, they valued the single orange they earned, splitting it between themselves. My father made the comment, "my kids can't even finish a whole apple." My father's life at that time was one of poverty.

Then, moving to Australia, his father earned a living as a Chef in a Chinese restaurant. He made sacrifices of time and energy to place food on the table for his family.

My father expressed a deep and profound gratitude for the sacrifices his father made for him and his family.

I pondered on the level of sacrifice I live in my life.

After church, we visited my father's father's grave. We all left words of gratitude and love. It was sweet to know him during his mortal life. We committed to have his work done in the temple.

As I ponder on the sacrifices those before me, I really feel I am taking my life for granted. I should be giving more of myself.

I also know, though, that they made their sacrificial struggles in the hope that their descendants wouldn't need to do the same.

I pray the grace of God empowers me to achieve higher and better things.

Power of the Word & Decision Making

I could never express the power of God's word as well as His mouthpiece, President Benson, has:

"You must help the Saints see that studying and searching the scriptures is not a burden laid upon them by the Lord, but a marvelous blessing and opportunity. Note what the Lord Himself has said about the benefits of studying His word. To the great prophet-leader Joshua, He said:

"“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” (Josh. 1:8)

"The Lord was not promising Joshua material wealth and fame, but that his life would prosper in righteousness and that he would have success in that which matters most in life, namely the quest to find true joy. (See 2 Ne. 2:25.)

"Do you have members in your stakes whose lives are shattered by sin or tragedy, who are in despair and without hope? Have you longed for some way to reach out and heal their wounds, soothe their troubled souls? The prophet Jacob offers just that with this remarkable promise: “They have come up hither to hear the pleasing word of God, yea, the word which healeth the wounded soul.” (Jacob 2:8; italics added.)

"Today the world is full of alluring and attractive ideas that can lead even the best of our members into error and deception. Students at universities are sometimes so filled with the doctrines of the world they begin to question the doctrines of the gospel. How do you as a priesthood leader help fortify your membership against such deceptive teachings? The Savior gave the answer in His great discourse on the Mount of Olives when He promised, “And whoso treasureth up my word, shall not be deceived.” (JS—M 1:37; italics added.)

"The scriptures are replete with similar promises about the value of the word. Do you have members who long for direction and guidance in their lives? The Psalms tell us, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Ps. 119:105), and Nephi promises that feasting upon the words of Christ “will tell you all things what ye should do.” (2 Ne. 32:3.)

"Are there members of your flock who are deep in sin and need to pull themselves back? Helaman’s promise is for them: “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.” (Hel. 3:29.)"

Apparently (I need to find a/the source), the iron rod in Lehi's Dream - as it represents the word of God - is not necessarily a rod. Instead, like the woven structures of cords that hold bridges together, President Packer and/or Elder Bednar suggested that the iron rod is mainly comprised of three strongly interwoven cords.

The three cords represent the following:
• The word of God given to us through His living prophets.
• The word of God as we have it recorded in scripture, from past prophets.
• The word of God as received through personal revelation.

Before making a decision of great magnitude in life, ensure to the best of your ability that it is in harmony with the three mediums through which God gives His word.

Here are three quotes that emphasize the importance of each medium.

Spencer W Kimball on the medium of living prophets:

"The membership of the Church will always be safe if they follow closely the instructions and admonitions and the leadership of the authorities of the Church."The authorities which the Lord has placed in his Church constitute for the people of the Church a harbor, a place of refuge, a hitching post, as it were. No one in this Church will ever go far astray who ties himself securely to the Church Authorities whom the Lord has placed in his Church. This Church will never go astray; the Quorum of the Twelve will never lead you into bypaths; it never has and never will. There could be individuals who would falter; there will never be a majority of the Council of the Twelve on the wrong side at any time. The Lord has chosen them; he has given them specific responsibilities. And those people who stand close to them will be safe. And, conversely, whenever one begins to go his own way in opposition to authority, he is in grave danger. I would not say that those leaders whom the Lord chooses are necessarily the most brilliant, nor the most highly trained, but they are the chosen, and when chosen of the Lord they are his recognized authority, and the people who stay close to them have safety."

(Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W Kimball, Ch 23.)

The Lord, Jesus Christ on the medium of past prophets/current scripture:

"This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success."

(As quoted above, Joshua 1:8.)

The Prophet Joseph Smith on the medium of personal revelation:

“Tell the people to be humble and faithful and [be] sure to keep the Spirit of the Lord and it will lead them right. Be careful and not turn away the small still voice; it will teach [you what] to do and where to go; it will yield the fruits of the kingdom. Tell the brethren to keep their hearts open to conviction so that when the Holy Ghost comes to them, their hearts will be ready to receive it. They can tell the Spirit of the Lord from all other spirits. It will whisper peace and joy to their souls, and it will take malice, hatred, envying, strife, and all evil from their hearts; and their whole desire will be to do good, bring forth righteousness, and build up the kingdom of God. Tell the brethren if they will follow the Spirit of the Lord they will go right.”

(Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith, p. 98).

The Most Precious Gift in This Life

President Eyring said:

"You will not survive spiritually without the protection of the companionship of the Holy Ghost in your daily life.

"You must pray for it and work to have it. Only with that guide will you be able to find your way along the strait and narrow path through the mists of evil. The Holy Ghost will be your guide as He reveals truth when you study the words of prophets.

"Getting that guidance will take more than casual listening and reading. You will need to pray and work in faith to put the words of truth down into your heart. You must pray that God will bless you with His Spirit, that He will lead you into all truth and show you the right way. That is how He will warn and guide you into the right path in your life and [service]."

(April 2015 General Conference, Priesthood & Personal Prayer).

Character

My mission president once shared this insightful definition of "character." Paraphrased, he said:

"Character is the power to fulfil a commitment when the emotion of the commitment-making has passed."

A high quality introspective question we can ask ourselves is:

"Do I keep the commitments I have made, even when I don't feel like keeping them?"

Some more specific examples include:

"Do I read the Book of Mormon everyday, no matter what I have on?"

"Is it a priority for me to attend sacrament meeting each week, to have a spiritual experience? Have I attended weekly?"

Personally, I am strong in some areas, and can be shaken in other areas. Overall, I see how much I have grown.

This principle can help us see how reading scriptures daily - as a seemingly small thing - is LARGE in its effect, because it builds the strength of our character.

Let us be disciplined and diligent.