Empathy!

It can be surprising the amount of teachings you can find in the Old Testament! Today I studied about empathy by reading the book of Ezekiel.

The Lord was angry with two nations because they were mean to Jerusalem (Ezekiel 26:1-3) and the sons of Israel (Ezekiel 35:3-5). Ezekiel was feeling sad because of them even though they did no good to others. He was feeling empathy for them because he always knew how to love others. I remember when I learned the meaning of empathy at school. The teacher told me that when you put yourself in other’s shoes you can know how to help them and how not to make them feel worse. Putting in someone’s shoes means that you think of you as if you were living the tribulation and that makes you feel as they are feeling. It doesn’t mean that you are going to live what they live but you are going to feel as they would feel. Knowing this has made me be a better person, and I always think of the consequences my acts or words will bring others.

Things the Lord Hates and How to Avoid Them

You can read in the book of Proverbs chapter 6 verses 16 to 19 the seven things that the Lord hates, but today I want to tell you how you can avoid these terrible behaviors.

1. "A proud look":
Do you smile to people when you see them in the street? What do you do when you see someone homeless? Do you walk by other people and don't even look at them as if they were not there? This is something you can change easily. You just have to change the way you act to demonstrate the type of person you are. Sometimes you are immerse in your thoughts and you forget that there are other people around. A nice smile and a greeting can change the way others perceive who you are, and being kind can demonstrate what it means to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

2. "A lying tongue".
Just don't tell lies. Even if it is something small, you get used to it and then you don't realize that everything you say contains a tiny lie. This way of being is not good because one day you will be example to your children, and you will not be able to teach the principle of being honest to them because you are struggling with it. Remember that: "We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men;..."

3. "Hands that shed innocent blood".
These words can mean two things: to never take away the life of another person, and to not do anything against others that might cause them a terrible harm. Don't be a bad person, and by bad person I mean that it is not necessary to be mean to others. When we love one another we can live happier with ourselves.

4. "An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations".
When our minds and hearts are busy in the things of the Lord (that are: reading the scriptures, going to church, paying tithing, pondering, and fulfilling the commandments, among others) we do not have room for "wicked imaginations" or incorrect thoughts.

5. "feet that be swift in running to mischief,"
Instead of doing wrong things we can always choose the right, it is easier and it will bring a better feeling to your heart and mind. There is no need to do things the wrong way, but even though it is hard to step away from that which is attractive, our mind is stronger than our heart and we can always choose better thoughts to stop ourselves in our way to bad actions.

6. "A false withness that speaketh lies".
If we hear something about someone else that is none of our bussiness why should we share it? we have to stop gossiping about others, because that does not make us better persons!

7. "and he that soweth discord among brethren".
If there is someone we don't like we should never tell someone else to not like him or her too. Sometimes we have disagreements with others and things that lead to fights and missunderstandings, but this does not have to be a motive to put enemies against this person. As I always say: "Live and let live". It is important to accept that not everybody will be as we want them to be, and that we have to be tolerant and to love others. It is difficult to love those who seem our "enemies" but Jesus Christ always mentioned: "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;" (Matthew 5:44)

I want to finish this post by sharing my testimony, that if we choose to do what's right and better we will be happier and our path towards perfection and living with God again will be easier.
I share this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Queen Vashti, Mordecai and Esther. Examples of Courage.

While reading Esther from chapter one to eight I learned the importance of standing strong to defend my beliefs even when facing temptations of terrible situations.
Queen Vashti did not want to show up in front of the king and his friends because he only wanted to show her beauty to the people who were at his party. She defended her own dignity and her worthiness by not showing up in front of her drunk husband. This is something that does not happen very often or literally in our lives but it is important to point out that a woman is of great value and that nothing can make her feel less than that. From Queen Vashti I learn that I have to love myself and to avoid situations where people will not see me for who I am but for how I look. (Esther 1:10-13)
Mordecai was a man with great values and intelligence, he always stood out for what was right and he did a great job with the King, even though he had Haman against him. He defended his people and being very intelligent saved them from death.
Esther was a woman of courage. She helped Mordecai when she found out about the decree of the king to kill the Jews. Even though she knew that no one who were not invited to come unto the king could live, she was brave enough to stand in front of him and to ask him to not kill her people.
From these two amazing people I learn that I have to be brave enough to say no when I have to say no, to reject any offer that may affect my dignity and to have courage to defend my beliefs in any situation that might be presented in my life.
I would like to share with you this video of the courage it takes to defend what you believe. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=2221439363001

The Miracles of The Lord Through Elijah

The prophet Elijah performed many miracles while living on Earth. These miracles help us understand how the sealing keys work.

 The sealing keys have a great power, they can bless and curse and only someone as wise as the Prophet can have them. This keys can bless just as Elijah helped the widow bringing back his son from death. They also bless as when the ravens brought him food and he was protected while hiding. Another blessing happened when it started raining after a lot of time. 

But these keys can also curse those who are not obedient or are unbelievers of the things of the Lord. We can read examples of this in 2 Kings 1:9-14 when the king wanted to know if we was going to live by asking Baal-zebub and not the prophet of the Lord. Elijah cursed the kings army by sending fire to them to be burned and then he prophesied that Ahaziah was going to die. 

In these days our Prophet Thomas S. Monson has these keys, and he can perform miracles the same way every Prophet has done. We need to be of those who follow the prophet and hear what he commands, because it is as if the Lord himself was talking to us directly.

These weekend we will have the opportunity to hear God's words through his prophets and apostles. Let us all be prepared with our minds and hearts to receive the commandments we have to live and fulfill to continue living happy and blessed by the Lord every day. 

References:

• 1 Kings 17:1
• 1 Kings 17:2–6
• 1 Kings 17:8–16
• 1 Kings 17:17–22
• 1 Kings 18: 31–38
• 1 Kings 18:41–45
• 1 Kings 21:17–19; 22:34–38
• 2 Kings 1:9–14 

Choose to Follow God's Commandments

This week I got to study 1 Kings 1-25
I decided to focus on chapter 9 where we read about the first temple being dedicated to the Lord and the things we have to do in order to receive blessings.

In verses 1 to 3 of chapter nine we can read what happened with Solomon when he finished building the house of the Lord. I had the chance to compare this experience with what happened when Joseph Smith dedicated the first temple of the restoration (D&C 110: 1-10) and here are the similarities and differences I found:

When the first temple ever and the first temple of the restoration were built and dedicated Jehova appeared to Solomon and to Joseph Smith there. In the first experience Christ promised He would sanctify the temple and that he would be there every day. When Christ spoke to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery He told them that their sins were forgiven and that He had accepted that house to manifest himself to his people in there.

I really appreciate the fact that the Lord is always there when a new temple is built. Every time the world has a new temple He accepts this temple as His house for us to be able to go there to make eternal covenants and be back in his presence.

Another thing important I studied in chapter 9 are two conditionals the Lord says to us in verses 4-7.

He tells us the things we have to do and what would happen if we do them, but He also tells us what might happen if we choose a different path than His.

Here are the two conditionals we can find in these verses:

If	Then
We walk before the Lord in integrity and doing everything he has commanded We and our children cease following the Lord and not keeping his commandments, but we choose to serve other gods.	He will stablish the throne of his kingdom upon Israel for ever. (verses 4-5) He will not give us the inheritance he has promised and Israel will be forgotten and mistreated.

To conclude this new post in my blog I would like to share my testimony. I am pretty sure that when we choose the right the Lord is with us because I have seen his presence in my life, I can testify that if you choose to follow him and to obey his commandments your life will be easier than if you choose to follow worldly things. I know that today the things don't have the god label but many things in this world can make us stop following Christ and our Heavenly Father because they are more attractive. 

CHOOSE THE RIGHT! :D

Why Do We Have to Obey God's Commandments?

 To be happy we have to obey the commandments of the Lord. That is what he promised in the past, and it is what he promises today. The Lord is always telling us that we have to be obedient because He has blessings prepared for us. Sometimes we forget that the way to receive those promises is easy, and we start living lives away from God because we think he doesn't care about us. But he cares! That is why he always says in his scriptures that we have to follow him, and obey his commandments. Every general conference we hear that we have to be obedient, because it is a way to help us remember the key to eternal happiness. In Mosiah 2:41 we read “And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God.”
Sometimes when we disobey the Lord and we choose to live a life apart of him, we start living the consequences he has stated in his scriptures. In those times of affliction and unhappiness the Lord is sad because he does not want us to live that way. He has given us repentance and prayers to be able to communicate with him again and to live a righteous life. Knowing that God really cares about how we live and if we are happy makes me feel that I have something important to do during my life here on Earth. And it is to obey him and to do what he has asked me to do. 

References:

Deuteronomy 10:12-13; 11:1, 8-9; 13:4; and 26:17-19.
Mosiah 2:41
Doctrine and Covenants 130:20-21
Deuteronomy 4:29-31; 26:7-11
Isaiah 55:6-7
Ezekiel 18:21-23
Mosiah 26:30

Being a Nazarite Was not Only not Getting a Haircut

I have heard from some of my friends that when they don’t want to get a haircut, and everyone at church says them to do it because it does not look good and they are not reflecting a good image they say: Why should I cut my hair? Samson never did it, neither Jesus Christ, then why would I do it? And the bishop’s answer or the person’s giving the advice answer is always: Samson and Jesus Christ were Nazarites, that is why they never cut their hair, are you a Nazarite? In that moment they even say they are! But do they really know what being a Nazarite was?

Being a Nazarite was not only not cutting their hair, they had to give their lives to the Lord, every day of their lives was dedicated to the Lord’s work and they had specific things to do while being Nazarites. A few of them were:

o   They had to Separate themelves from wine and strong drink

o   Not drink vinegar if wine or vinegar of strong drink

o   Not drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes or dried

o   not eat things made of the vine tree

o   not razor their head

o   offer one he lamb and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish for a sin offering

All of these things they had to do were commanded by God. So it was not easy to be a Nazarite. Some famous Nazarites of the scriptures were Samson, Samuel, John the Baptist and Jesus Christ.

In these latter days we are not asked to be Nazarites literally, but the Lord has commanded that we have to do everything he asks us to do while living in this Earth and in this time.

We are living different times, when the world is crazier than before and we have to be more alert than those who lived in the first days of the Earth. If we really want to follow God, and to be with him again we have to dedicate our lives to follow him, to do what He asks us to do and to always be willing to obey and accept his word through his prophets.

In Alma 5: 57 we read: “And now I say unto you, all you that are desirous to follow the voice of the good shepherd, come ye out from the wicked, and be ye separate, and touch not their unclean things; and behold, their names shall be blotted out, that the names of the wicked shall not be numbered among the names of the righteous, that the word of God may be fulfilled, which saith: The names of the wicked shall not be mingled with the names of my people;”

Let us all be separate from the wicked, and from those who seek the things of the world. If we want to live with God again, we have to fulfill his commandments. It is sometimes hard, or we might think we can’t, but the Lord has given us the scriptures, the conferences, a living Prophet, and manuals to guide us in our path towards living with him again.

References:

Numbers 6:2-6, 14, 18

 Judges 13:5, 24 

1 Samuel 1:11, 19-20, 28

Luke 1:13-15 

Bible Dictionary “Nazarite” (pg. 737)

Institute Student Manual commentary for Numbers 6:1-21, “What Was a Nazarite?” (pg. 199). 

Is It Possible for Anyone to See the Face of God and Live?

In Exodus 33:11 is clearly stated that Moses spoke with God just as we speak with our friends, or with others. But in verse 20 we read that “Thou cans not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.” This scripture has been applied to say that it is impossible to see God face to face, and many have said that Joseph Smith and no one has ever been able to talk to God that way.

It is important to understand that even though the verse 20 of exodus 33 says literally that no one can see God, there is an important meaning inside those words. We also need to have in mind that the Bible was translated in times when men did not see God as a Personage, therefore they thought he could not be seen. We all know that a man in his normal state cannot stand God’s presence, not even see him with his normal eyes. It is necessary to have faith in God, and to really deserve to see him to be able to change from our normal state to transfiguration.

In The Guide to the Scriptures we can read the meaning of transfiguration: “The conditions of persons who are temporarily changed in appearance and nature—that is, lifted to a higher spiritual level—so that they can endure the presence and glory of heavenly beings.

Joseph Smith made corrections to the Bible inspired by the Lord and he received this corrected verse:

“And he said unto Moses, Thou canst not see my face at this time, lest mine anger be kindled against thee also, and I destroy thee, and thy people; for there shall no man among them see me at this time, and live, for they are exceeding sinful. And no sinful man hath at any time, neither shall there be any sinful man at any time, that shall see my face and live.” (JST, Exodus 33:20.)

Men can see God and live when they are worthy.

Church Callings are not that Scary

I am pretty sure we all have felt a bit afraid when the Bishop tells us to go to his office. While walking towards there we think: "What did I do?" "I bet I will receive a new calling, hope is not too difficult..."

Well, Moses had the same feelings when God commanded him to take the Israelites out of Egypt.  He was afraid, he lacked of confidence because of his impediments to speak Hebrew and Egyptian fluently. He was always finding excuses because of his lack of confidence. But the Lord did not leave him alone. He promised him that he was always going to be there. He even called his brother Aaron to be his spokesman, and nothing was going to be an impediment to save the children of Israel from the slavery they were living in Egypt.

We can receive that great help from the Lord Just as Moses did, we only need to have a great faith and trust Him every day of our lives. Our performance in our calling will be excellent if we use the resources that He has prepared for us. Manuals and training have been created for our benefit. Let's do the best we can to serve the Lord and our brethren, and thus help in the work of salvation.

"And lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days; for thou shalt deliver my people from bondage, even Israel my chosen." Moses 1:26

References:
Moses Calling: Exodus 3-4
Promises to Moses: Moses 1:17, 25-26

Who Was Melchizedek?

We always hear Melchizedek's name at church, but do we really know who he was and why the priesthood holds his name? in this post I want to share what I learned by studying the scriptures related to Melchizedek.

Melchizedek was the high priest on the times of Abraham. He blessed Abraham when he rescued Lot from being captive, and Abraham paid him his tithing of everything he had.

He was the King of Salem, he led his people in such a good way that all of them repented from bad ways of doing things. For helping his people to repent he was called the prince of peace.

Melchizedek is a great example of how a priesthood holder has to be. He is said to be the greatest of all priests, because he was always doing what the Lord needed from him and he helped many people during his reign. He had a mighty faith and his position before the eyes of the Lord and of his people was important to have him as a prototype of the son of God.

Something important to know is that the Melchizedek Priesthood received this name because of the way he lived his life, and the way he served the Lord, it is also because the name of the priesthood was “Holy Priesthood after the Order of the Son of God” and it was necessary to avoid too frequent repetition of the name of Deity.

References:

JST Genesis 14:25-40

Alma 13:14-15

D&C 84:14, 107:1-4

Institute Student Manual Commentary for Genesis 14:18 pages 67-68

I hope you can have time to study these references by yourself, to deepen your understanding on this topic.

Why Cain´s offering to the Lord was not accepted?

I had always asked this question to myself, and now by studying Genesis 4:1-16 and Moses 5:16-41 I deepened my understanding in this situation.

I used to think that Cain's offering was ok, until I read in Moses 5:18 that Satan told Cain to give that offering to the Lord. Cain chose to follow Satan, even though God told him that he had to be aware of his evilness. Then consequences came and he received his punishment.
Joseph Smith the Prophet explained that Cain's offering was not accepted because it was not given with good intentions, his offering was not witness that he was righteous and that he loved God more than Satan.

In these days, God does not accept our offerings when we do not give them with a broken heart, and a contrite spirit. If we pay our tithe but it is not complete, or it is not given with good intention the Lord is not happy with that. This also happens when we "serve" at church, this means that we seem to be doing what's correct but we are not doing it with our heart full of good intentions.

From Cain and Abel's account I learn that God gave us agency to choose who to follow, if we want to follow Him or follow Satan, and he also gave us advice on the consequences of our choice. What happened with Cain teaches me that I have to choose to follow the Lord if I want to be saved and if I want to live happy, and that no matter how attractive Satan’s offerings are unto me, I have to stand strong in the right path.