Gonna quote some scripture here...

this has been a really stressful week for me. i am completely exhausted and i am just worn out. I have been trying to scrapbook a little to alleviate some stress, but that hasn't worked. My pages all look the same, blah blah blah... I tried to read a book, but all of the tough emotional issues in the book were glossed over and *happy ending!*. Okay, how often does that happen? Anyway... I was sitting in bed, trying to get Hannah to be quiet so that we could read our couple of scripture verses for the night so that we could say our family prayers and go to sleep. I was reading from Alma 37 in The Book of Mormon. Okay, can I just say how much I LOVE Alma?! I used to dread reading it because it was so long, but I really have come to love it! And I just love these verses. I really want to incorporate these things more fully into my life. I'm gonna interject my 2 cents in where I feel appropriate! and if you don't like it, TOUGH! Don't read it then! :)

38 And now, my son, I have somewhat to say concerning
the thing which our fathers call a ball, or director—or our
fathers called it ^aLiahona, which is, being interpreted,
a compass; and the Lord prepared it.

39 And behold, there cannot any man work after the
manner of so curious a workmanship. And behold, it was
prepared to show unto our fathers the course
which they should travel in the wilderness.
(My words now: The Lord gave them a compass to show them where they should go. And it was definitely from the Lord, because it wasn't even possible for such a thing to be made by man.)

40 And it did work for them according to their ^afaith
in God; therefore, if they had faith to believe that God
could cause that those spindles should point the way
they should go, behold, it was done; therefore they had
this miracle, and also many other miracles wrought
by the power of God, day by day.
(More of my words: So, it was like with Moses and the serpent. The people had to have faith and simply look at the serpent and they could be healed. The Nephites had to have faith that the compass would tell them where to go. They were seeing miracles every day.)

41 Nevertheless, because those miracles were
worked by ^asmall means it did show unto them marvelous
works. They were ^bslothful, and forgot to exercise their
faith and diligence and then those marvelous works
ceased, and they did not progress in their journey;
(My turn again: They saw miracles everyday and they became common. Kind of like when a new piece of technology is unveiled. They are rare and are so cool. Then everyone gets one and it's not such a big deal anymore. Well, in this case, when the faith stopped, the miracles stopped. They could no longer progress in their journey because the compass didn't work.)

42 Therefore, they tarried in the wilderness, or did ^anot
travel a direct course, and were afflicted with hunger
and thirst, because of their transgressions.
(Me again: They were stuck wandering around and suffering and lost because they lacked the faith to fix the problem. How could they lose their faith and not humble themselves when they knew that the compass was the only thing capable of getting them moving again? It's so simple! Just be faithful!)

43 And now, my son, I would that ye should understand
that these things are not without a ^ashadow; for as our fathers
were slothful to give heed to this compass (now these things
were temporal) they did not prosper; even so it
is with things which are spiritual.
(Here it comes.... I LOVE Alma!)

44 For behold, it is as easy to give heed to the ^aword of
Christ, which will point to you a straight course to eternal
bliss, as it was for our fathers to give heed to this compass,
which would point unto them a straight course to the promised land.

45 And now I say, is there not a ^atype in this thing? For just
as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following
its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ,
if we follow their course, carry us beyond this
vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise.
(Isn't that beautiful??? It is so easy! Just like the Nephites were directed where to go, and the Israelites were healed by looking at the serpent, if we follow the teachings of Christ, we will be pointed on a straight course to eternal BLISS! I love that word! If we follow the words of Christ and believe them and act on them, the words of Christ will get us through this life and all of our sorrows and we can have eternal bliss!)

46 O my son, do not let us be ^aslothful because of the
^beasiness of the ^cway; for so was it with our fathers;
for so was it prepared for them, that if they would ^dlook
they might ^elive; even so it is with us. The way is prepared,
and if we will look we may live forever.
(It's so simple, really! Follow the teachings of Christ and you will be happy. So, then why don't we do it? It's easy to read this and think that I will do better. It's so simple! And that is why Alma is cautioning us. It's so simple that we take it for granted. Everything is going great and wonderful so we start to let go of our faith and let go of the things that were once so important to us. Things like our scripture study and prayers. Things like going to church and serving others. We have to continually work and exercise our faith if we want to be happy. It is simple, it's just not easy.)


Anyway, that's my sermon for the evening. Those scriptures just made a really big impact on me tonight. I hope I haven't run anyone off, but oh well! It's my blog-a-roo and they can always check back another night. I don't make apologies for my faith and my beliefs.

I think I'm gonna post a picture or two in a minute. We'll see... All this faith talk has me sleepy!
If you want to read more, you can do that here