Can’t Stop At One

I have had so many gratitude thoughts already, just this morning. I decided to share the all:

Mascara—it makes a huge difference.

Weatherman predicts 10 degree drop in temps for tomorrow and again for Saturday, with near freezing at night for Sunday. Woot woot!

My husband is coming home today—early! I am grateful for that alone, but that is also why I am grateful for mascara. I haven’t worn it in a few days.

Glenn Beck made me laugh out loud this morning…and I was alone, so the laugh was purely for me. And it about politics. I haven’t laughed about politics for….well, for sure since Tuesday.

And, finally and more importantly, the blessing of scripture. I love the scriptures—particularly the Book of Mormon. Because of the recent election, I have been thinking a lot about deception and how to not only avoid it but combat it. So today, I studied about it and here is what my notebook now contains:

 

How to fight modern-day antichrists

2 Nephi 26:29

Gain can be many things, riches, power etc We must look at the "fruits" of those who we chose to follow or listen to

Alma 4:18-19

Alma's example of bearing pure testimony shows us that the only way to truly fight against modern-day antichrists is to have a testimony and to teach the gospel

Alma 1:16-17

Free society, no one is persecuted for their beliefs—same principle that we have

Jacob 7:23

We learn from this verse and from Jacob and Sherem that the scriptures will help us to not be deceived See also Elder Christophersen's talk "The Blessing of Scripture"

Jacob 7:10-11

Jacob uses the scriptures to prove Sherem's deception

Jacob 7:4

Being able to give a good speech is common thread among those Satan uses to "carefully lead down to hell"

Elder Packer-How to survive in enemy territory

You have been taught all of your lives about the gift of the Holy Ghost, but teaching can only go so far. You can and, in fact, you must go the rest of the way alone to discover within yourself how the Holy Ghost can be a guiding and protective influence.

For young men and young women, the process is the same. Discovering how the Holy Ghost operates in your life is the quest of a lifetime. Once you have made that discovery for yourself, you can live in enemy territory and will not be deceived or destroyed. No member of this Church—and that means each of you—will ever make a serious mistake without first being warned by the promptings of the Holy Ghost.

Life turns out to be a succession of trials and errors. Add “repent often” to your list of things to do. This will bring you lasting peace that cannot be purchased at any earthly price. Understanding the Atonement may be the one most important truth that you can learn in your youth.

Elder Christofferson- The Blessing of Scripture

Through the scriptures, God does indeed “show forth his power” to save and exalt His children. By His word, as Alma said, He enlarges our memory, sheds light on falsehood and error, and brings us to repentance and to rejoice in Jesus Christ, our Redeemer.

Nothing really new, just strengthening of testimony on how important the basics are. And a testimony of what we heard in conference—the Lord has called more missionaries to bear pure testimony to His children. He is using the same pattern that He used back then. He loves us. I can be a part of building His kingdom by preparing the youth, building my testimony and opening my mouth and “raising the bar” on my own life.

Pretty exciting stuff!