Anyways, happy.....Monday? Again? Already? I feel like I say this every
week. I have no idea where time goes...hope everyone has had a great week!
This week went by super fast. Nothing super exciting. Trying to make the
most of these last few weeks! Trying to visit and get to know everyone on
our branch list. Heavenly Father is really enjoying testing my patience and
diligence I have decided--all the classes at church are based on Marriage
and Eternal Families this month. And we have been teaching people about
temples and eternal marriage this week and next...everyone's goal is
getting to the temple...crazy, crazy.
I like being a missionary.
Haha.
Anyways.
Highlight of this week: the branch activity. It was so fun. I love hispanic
culture! On Friday we had an activity that commemorated the independence of
Mexico. There was food and a talent show and it was just awesome! So many
people participated and everyone dressed up all authentic and did cultural
dances and songs...among many other things. So fun. I learned that I need
to watch the movie Zootopia (? spelling) when I get home. Ah. I love these
people!:)
Anyways, something spiritual.
What promise did you make when you were baptized? or, for some of you, what
promise will you make when you are baptized?
Luckily, we can find the answer in the scriptures (Moroni 4:3) if you need
a refresher:
*O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus
Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who
partake of it; that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and
witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take
upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him, and keep his
commandments which he hath given them, that they may always have his Spirit
to be with them. **Amen.*
So what do we/did we promise?
1. Take upon ourselves Christ's name
2. Always remember Him
3. Keep the commandments
Seems pretty simple, right? Just 3 things? You might think so. There's much
more to it.
Lets just take the #3 "keep the commandments" part for example.
1. Take upon ourselves Christ's name
2. Always remember Him
3. Keep the commandments *includes*
- Pray daily
- Study the scriptures daily
- Attend church weekly
- 10 Commandments (summarized)
- No other Gods
- No idols/images
- No taking the Lord's name in vain
- Keep the Sabbath Day Holy
- Honor your father and mother
- Don't kill
- Don't commit adultery/fornicate
- Don't steal
- Don't cheat/lie
- Don't covet/envy
- Follow the Prophet
- Law of Chastity
- Word of Wisdom
- Tithing
- Fasting
- Temple attendance
- (I am going to stop the list here for the sake of time, but it can go
on)
Did you realize your were promising to do all of that when you decided to
be baptized? Did you understand what all of that entailed? Perhaps I
didn't, but I am glad that I do now! And so do you!
The greatest blessings our Heavenly Father has to give us come as we live
true to the promises that we make to Him.
To receive all those blessings, we must have a good understanding of each
part of the covenant--in this case, each of the commandments. So for
example, you can study each commandment. For example, Keep the Sabbath Day
Holy. (Note: contrary to popular belief "Keep the Sabbath Day Holy" is not
synonymous with "go to church" however going to church is part of keeping
the Sabbath Day holy. For this reason, the commandment is called keep the
Sabbath *DAY *Holy, not "keep the 3 hours that you may be at church holy.")
Within the 10 Commandments (as found in Exodus 20), falls the commandment
to keep the Sabbath holy:
- 10 Commandments (summarized)
- No other Gods
- No idols/images
- No taking the Lord's name in vain
- Keep the Sabbath Day Holy
- Rest
- Do not work
- Center thoughts and actions on God and Christ
- (continue your study of this commandment with insight from
latter-day revelation/other resources)
- Honor your father and mother
- Don't kill
- Don't commit adultery/fornicate
- Don't steal
- Don't cheat/lie
- Don't covet/envy
As we study our covenants this way, we will come to better understand the
promises we have made so that we can make necessary changes and make sure
we are living them the best we can.
(You can also do this with temple covenants:)
Challenge: Begin a regular, in-depth, study of your baptismal and/or temple
covenants
Don't rush, this will take a life-time of studying, but you might as well
start now! I promise that as you do so, you will more abundantly have the
Spirit of the Lord to be with you and you will easily find those things
which the Lord would have you better or correct in your own life.
Of this I testify!
Hermana Clark
This is Logan. Probably one of the cutest kids ever.