What a week! Sorry about not writing last week! Some are more exciting than others! The photos were the good part last week!
This week was Heather baptism day! We spent a portion of every day preparing for the program. Things kind of had to change at times for scheduling purposes and such, but eventually we got everything figured out! Finally, when we sat down with Heather in the chapel yesterday, we asked how she was feeling. She said she was so happy and her countenance agreed. The spirit was clearly confirming to her the decision she was making is correct. When she was baptized and confirmed, she had completely changed from excited and nervous to blissfully happy. I'm grateful I was able to help her with this journey. All the struggles, walking in the rain and blistering heat, was so worth it!
One thing I really learned this week is in regards to the sacrament. In 3 Nephi 18: 1-4, Jesus is instituting the sacrament among the Nephites. He tells his disciples to bring him bread and wine. He shows them how to break and bless it, then commands them to eat. In verse 4, it says they had eaten and were filled". I broke down those words a little bit. Jesus Christ commanded them to eat, but if they had eaten a ton of bread, I believe the scriptures would've said, "they had eaten and their bellies were full" or "they did not hunger". But instead it says they were filled. Skip over to 3 Nephi 20:3, it says their SOULS "shall never hunger nor thirst, but shall be filled". When we partake of the sacrament, it is our opportunity to be filled with the Spirit of the Lord. To remember his sacrifice for us and how we may be perfected through it.
I've likened this to a water bottle. The sacrament is the time we have to fill our water bottle. We fill it all the way to the brim, but as soon as we take the first sip, the amounts lessens. We sip from this water bottle all week, but eventually have to refill it. When we partake of the sacrament, we are filling our souls with his Spirit. We sip on that Spirit for six days before we can refill it. Sundays are a sacred time for us to center ourselves on the Savior. We are responsible for making it the most spiritual day we can. The leaders of the church are very focused on Sabbath Day Observance. We should be too. It's a gift to each of us to renew our covenants with the Lord each week! How wonderful is that?! I challenge each of you, this week, to study the sacrament prayer and then find something you can work on to prepare yourself for the Sabbath Day and the sacrament. It will change the meaning of church as you do this!
I love you, all! Thanks for the love and support!
Here are a few pictures of our adventures this week!
This week was Heather baptism day! We spent a portion of every day preparing for the program. Things kind of had to change at times for scheduling purposes and such, but eventually we got everything figured out! Finally, when we sat down with Heather in the chapel yesterday, we asked how she was feeling. She said she was so happy and her countenance agreed. The spirit was clearly confirming to her the decision she was making is correct. When she was baptized and confirmed, she had completely changed from excited and nervous to blissfully happy. I'm grateful I was able to help her with this journey. All the struggles, walking in the rain and blistering heat, was so worth it!
One thing I really learned this week is in regards to the sacrament. In 3 Nephi 18: 1-4, Jesus is instituting the sacrament among the Nephites. He tells his disciples to bring him bread and wine. He shows them how to break and bless it, then commands them to eat. In verse 4, it says they had eaten and were filled". I broke down those words a little bit. Jesus Christ commanded them to eat, but if they had eaten a ton of bread, I believe the scriptures would've said, "they had eaten and their bellies were full" or "they did not hunger". But instead it says they were filled. Skip over to 3 Nephi 20:3, it says their SOULS "shall never hunger nor thirst, but shall be filled". When we partake of the sacrament, it is our opportunity to be filled with the Spirit of the Lord. To remember his sacrifice for us and how we may be perfected through it.
I've likened this to a water bottle. The sacrament is the time we have to fill our water bottle. We fill it all the way to the brim, but as soon as we take the first sip, the amounts lessens. We sip from this water bottle all week, but eventually have to refill it. When we partake of the sacrament, we are filling our souls with his Spirit. We sip on that Spirit for six days before we can refill it. Sundays are a sacred time for us to center ourselves on the Savior. We are responsible for making it the most spiritual day we can. The leaders of the church are very focused on Sabbath Day Observance. We should be too. It's a gift to each of us to renew our covenants with the Lord each week! How wonderful is that?! I challenge each of you, this week, to study the sacrament prayer and then find something you can work on to prepare yourself for the Sabbath Day and the sacrament. It will change the meaning of church as you do this!
I love you, all! Thanks for the love and support!
Here are a few pictures of our adventures this week!