Another Testament of Christ
Ok...so we haven't been the best at taking pictures of our adventures, the camera seems to never be with us at the right moments...but we have been enjoying our first little bit in Price and spending a lot of time with home improvement projects. (Especially Colby with all the painting he has been doing! He works so hard and I can't wait until I'm not pregnant anymore and can paint the basement with him. I've always looked forward to painting our first house together!) Colby has been loving seminary, and they have been putting him to work at church as well. He will be speaking at Young Women Night of Excellence for another ward tomorrow, and at stake conference on Saturday. I asked him what he would do if I went into labor on the day he is supposed to speak and he said "probably speak and then come. Most first time babies take awhile to get here, right?" (Someone talk some sense into the boy!)
Anyway...one of the most meaningful of adventures has been recently. We had an awesome lesson last Sunday on the Book of Mormon and I decided that I wanted to read the whole book before baby girl comes. Since I don't know when that will be, I gave myself a week. It took me an extra day, but I just finished it and it was a great experience for me. Colby and I already have a goal to finish together by the end of the year, but I have never read the Book of Mormon in such a short period of time before, and have always wanted to. It was cool to have a better understanding of the stories and how they fit together; something that I don't get from reading over a longer period of time. Here are some other things I learned this time around:
1. The Book of Mormon truly testifies of Christ. This is a no-brainer....but in reading all of it's pages in a short amount of time I realized HOW MUCH the book truly testifies of Christ. The pages are filled with Him! Constantly page by page, we are being told of his mercy, his atonement, his ressurection, and of his coming. It was also cool to notice the principle of Heavenly Father going through his Son to accomplish everything. Anytime that there is an answer to prayer, a heavenly visitation, a chastisement, or a relief from weakness and trial, it is always through the Savior. That was just cool for me in discerning how my relationship works with both Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
2. It only takes about a page before the righeous become wicked again. It was shocking how many times (over and over and over) the church became wicked again so quickly...often times after incredible spiritual experiences, and sometimes only taking 1-5 years before they forgot the Lord. This was a reminder to me that I get to be working and strengthening myself every day to avoid becoming numb to the spirit. It's so easy sometimes to get caught up in everything that goes on in my life, that sometimes my spirituality becomes second priority. If I have to think back a year or two to remember my most recent "spiritual high," then it is probably time to shape up. Reminds me of the phrase, "We are not earthly beings here having spiritual experiences, we are spiritual beings here to have an earthly experience" I should be feeling the spirit multiple times, every day of my life.
3. I have had an increased desire to live my life in such a way, that my children have no doubt as to what I believe. I can't wait to meet his little girl of ours, but I also can't wait to teach her how much she is loved of her Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I know that Colby and I will probably need her for our spiritual growth just as much as she needs us, and I hope to be humble enough to learn from her.
This post was mostly for myself, but for anyone stumbling across it, I want you to know that I know the Book of Mormon truly testifies of Christ, and contains eternal truth of our very existence and purpose here on the Earth. I know that through it's teachings and promises we can come closer to God, receive answers to all of our problems and concerns, and have the formula for a true "Happily Ever After."
