Heritage of the Scriptures

Watch this video to learn (or be reminded of) of the sacrifices that went into giving us the scriptures today. It's 22 minutes long but so worth it to make us grateful for what we have. It makes one wonder why it is so hard for us to read scriptures. So much more than reading a book was asked of people in the past.

https://www.lds.org/scriptures/heritage

Great Story!! -- The Currant Bush

This is such a great little story. I think I may use this video in a FHE for the kids. This is such a great story to remember when we have a trial in our lives. It's definitely something I need to remember. When another trial is thrown in front of me I tend to talk to Heavenly Father a lot and explain all the other things going on in my life and how I just don't have time for something else. haha! It always works out and, later, I can see why His plan was better. Maybe I can try to remember this story as I say the prayer so I can be a better daughter to my Father in Heaven.

The URL this story came from and the full story (which I totally recommend reading) are below. The above animation is only the very first part of the full story. The full story is great but, perhaps, too long for small children. ;)


https://www.lds.org/new-era/1973/01/the-currant-bush?lang=eng

The Currant Bush

BY ELDER HUGH B. BROWN

of the Council of the Twelve

---

This month the New Era is happy to introduce the first in a new series of articles to be published in the magazine: Stories from General Authorities. Over the years our General Authorities have recounted stories that have touched the hearts of their listeners and changed behavior. Many of these stirring examples come from their own lives or from the lives of friends and acquaintances. All ring as true today as when first recounted. It is with the permission and blessing of the authors that we print these Stories from General Authorities.

You sometimes wonder whether the Lord really knows what he ought to do with you. You sometimes wonder if you know better than he does about what you ought to do and ought to become. I am wondering if I may tell you a story that I have told quite often in the Church. It is a story that is older than you are. It’s a piece out of my own life, and I’ve told it in many stakes and missions. It has to do with an incident in my life when God showed me that he knew best.

I was living up in Canada. I had purchased a farm. It was run-down. I went out one morning and saw a currant bush. It had grown up over six feet high. It was going all to wood. There were no blossoms and no currants. I was raised on a fruit farm in Salt Lake before we went to Canada, and I knew what ought to happen to that currant bush. So I got some pruning shears and went after it, and I cut it down, and pruned it, and clipped it back until there was nothing left but a little clump of stumps. It was just coming daylight, and I thought I saw on top of each of these little stumps what appeared to be a tear, and I thought the currant bush was crying. I was kind of simpleminded (and I haven’t entirely gotten over it), and I looked at it, and smiled, and said, “What are you crying about?” You know, I thought I heard that currant bush talk. And I thought I heard it say this: “How could you do this to me? I was making such wonderful growth. I was almost as big as the shade tree and the fruit tree that are inside the fence, and now you have cut me down. Every plant in the garden will look down on me, because I didn’t make what I should have made. How could you do this to me? I thought you were the gardener here.” That’s what I thought I heard the currant bush say, and I thought it so much that I answered. I said, “Look, little currant bush, I amthe gardener here, and I know what I want you to be. I didn’t intend you to be a fruit tree or a shade tree. I want you to be a currant bush, and some day, little currant bush, when you are laden with fruit, you are going to say, ‘Thank you, Mr. Gardener, for loving me enough to cut me down, for caring enough about me to hurt me. Thank you, Mr. Gardener.’”

Time passed. Years passed, and I found myself in England. I was in command of a cavalry unit in the Canadian Army. I had made rather rapid progress as far as promotions are concerned, and I held the rank of field officer in the British Canadian Army. And I was proud of my position. And there was an opportunity for me to become a general. I had taken all the examinations. I had the seniority. There was just one man between me and that which for ten years I had hoped to get, the office of general in the British Army. I swelled up with pride. And this one man became a casualty, and I received a telegram from London. It said: “Be in my office tomorrow morning at 10:00,” signed by General Turner in charge of all Canadian forces. I called in my valet, my personal servant. I told him to polish my buttons, to brush my hat and my boots, and to make me look like a general because that is what I was going to be. He did the best he could with what he had to work on, and I went up to London. I walked smartly into the office of the General, and I saluted him smartly, and he gave me the same kind of a salute a senior officer usually gives—a sort of “Get out of the way, worm!” He said, “Sit down, Brown.” Then he said, “I’m sorry I cannot make the appointment. You are entitled to it. You have passed all the examinations. You have the seniority. You’ve been a good officer, but I can’t make the appointment. You are to return to Canada and become a training officer and a transport officer. Someone else will be made a general.” That for which I had been hoping and praying for ten years suddenly slipped out of my fingers.

Then he went into the other room to answer the telephone, and I took a soldier’s privilege of looking on his desk. I saw my personal history sheet. Right across the bottom of it in bold, block-type letters was written, “THIS MAN IS A MORMON.” We were not very well liked in those days. When I saw that, I knew why I had not been appointed. I already held the highest rank of any Mormon in the British Army. He came back and said, “That’s all, Brown.” I saluted him again, but not quite as smartly. I saluted out of duty and went out. I got on the train and started back to my town, 120 miles away, with a broken heart, with bitterness in my soul. And every click of the wheels on the rails seemed to say, “You are a failure. You will be called a coward when you get home. You raised all those Mormon boys to join the army, then you sneak off home.” I knew what I was going to get, and when I got to my tent, I was so bitter that I threw my cap and my saddle brown belt on the cot. I clinched my fists and I shook them at heaven. I said, “How could you do this to me, God? I have done everything I could do to measure up. There is nothing that I could have done—that I should have done—that I haven’t done. How could you do this to me?” I was as bitter as gall.

And then I heard a voice, and I recognized the tone of this voice. It was my own voice, and the voice said, “I am the gardener here. I know what I want you to do.” The bitterness went out of my soul, and I fell on my knees by the cot to ask forgiveness for my ungratefulness and my bitterness. While kneeling there I heard a song being sung in an adjoining tent. A number of Mormon boys met regularly every Tuesday night. I usually met with them. We would sit on the floor and have a Mutual Improvement Association. As I was kneeling there, praying forforgiveness, I heard their voices singing:

“It may not be on the mountain height

Or over the stormy sea;

It may not be at the battle’s front

My Lord will have need of me;

But if, by a still, small voice he calls

To paths that I do not know,

I’ll answer, dear Lord, with my hand in thine:

I’ll go where you want me to go.”

(Hymns, no. 75.)

I arose from my knees a humble man. And now, almost fifty years later, I look up to him and say, “Thank you, Mr. Gardener, for cutting me down, for loving me enough to hurt me.” I see now that it was wise that I should not become a general at that time, because if I had I would have been senior officer of all western Canada, with a lifelong, handsome salary, a place to live, and a pension when I’m no good any longer, but I would have raised my six daughters and two sons in army barracks. They would no doubt have married out of the Church, and I think I would not have amounted to anything. I haven’t amounted to very much as it is, but I have done better than I would have done if the Lord had let me go the way I wanted to go.

I wanted to tell you that oft-repeated story because there are many of you who are going to have some very difficult experiences: disappointment, heartbreak, bereavement, defeat. You are going to be tested and tried to prove what you are made of. I just want you to know that if you don’t get what you think you ought to get, remember, “God is the gardener here. He knows what he wants you to be.” Submit yourselves to his will. Be worthy of his blessings, and you will get his blessings.

WWHWD? (What would a holy woman do?)

According to the Bible Dictionary, holiness refers to one's 'moral character'.

Doctrine and Covenants 46:33 reads, "And ye must practice ^avirtue and holiness before me continually."

I was given this book as a Christmas gift from my Mother-in-Law. What an amazing book! The author challenges six friends to do something and this book is an account of those six friends and what happened as they worked on this challenge. Here is the letter she sent them,

In thinking about how to learn about holiness, I'm wondering if for three days you would be willing to, just once each day, purposely choose one of your daily activities and try to "be holy" while doing it, or do it as a holy woman would do it. For example, how would a holy woman start her day? What would be on her "to do" list? How would a holy woman approach a difficult assignment or a new overwhelming project? How would she read to a child, or exercise? How would she talk with a friend, or shop, or play, or pray, or do laundry?

How would a holy woman handle a conflict or avoid a conflict? What would she read, or say, or listen to, or watch, or wear? What would she do in really difficult situations? If someone said something to her that was confusing, or hurtful, or demoralizing, how would a holy woman respond? What would she do? If she were betrayed, or misunderstood, or falsely accused, what would a holy woman do?

How would a holy woman respond to her own success or failure? How would she respond to the successes and failures of others? how would a holy woman use her time and energy and money? How would she prepare to partake of the sacrament each Sunday?

How would a holy married woman welcome her husband home? Or how would she help him to welcome her home so they both felt loved, adored, wanted, and needed? How would a holy single young woman date, or use her time when not dating?

Would you be willing to try that? Choose one thing a day for three days -- a different thing each day or the same thing -- you can't do this wrong.

These women were aged 26-65 years old and some had kids, some didn't, some grandparents, some new moms... etc. It was really neat to read the things these women did. Then, I was super excited to discover that The Red Headed Hostess loved this book as well and came up with a great idea.

She is going to use this as her New Year's Resolution. So, I figured I will too. :) She made a pdf that says, "What Would a Holy Woman Do?" All I have to do is print them out, cut them out, and then put them all over my house to remind me. I have already done that and am super excited to get started. :) I love that each day I can just pick out one thing to do. If I just make a list of all the things I want to improve, well, that list would end up being quite daunting. Doing it this way seems like a more attainable goal. Woot!! :) It also encompasses every aspect of my life - spiritual, temporal, and physical. So, hopefully this will be a goal that I am able to keep. :)

Hannah

If you would like to read other posts about women from the scriptures then click here.
Scriptures to study:
1 Samuel 1:1-2:21
LDS Bible Dictionary pg 698

Hannah is such a amazing example of faith! Pres Kimball said, "Someday when the whole story of this and previous dispensations is told, it will be filled with courageous stories of our women, of their wisdom and their devotion, their courage, for one senses that perhaps just as women were the first at the sepulcher of the Lord Jesus Christ after his resurrection, our righteous women have so often been instinctively sensitive to things of eternal consequence." Ensign May 1978


Like many women of the Old Testament, Hannah could not have children. She had a very kind husband (demonstrated in 1 Sam 1:8) and was a very righteous woman.

One night, she vowed to the Lord (1 Sam 1:11) that if she has a child she'll rear him as a Nazarite (to learn more about Nazarites read Numbers 6) and 'give him unto the Lord'.

She bears a son (1 Sam 1:20) and names him Samuel which means "heard of God". In 1 Sam 1:24-28 she gives an offering to the Lord, thanking Him and reminding Him of her vow.

My favorite part is 1 Sam 2:1-11. This is Hannah's Psalm of Praise and is a wonderful example of joy and wisdom. It's an inspired perspective through life's trials and one of those things we can all learn from. We all go through trials and if we have the same attitude and gratitude as Hannah then life would be so much happier. Verse 11 is also a prophecy, earning Hannah the title of "prophetess" to many scripture scholars.

Hannah is blessed with three sons and two daughters according to 1 Sam 2:21. To learn why, read Mosiah 2:24-28.

I am so grateful she received more wonderful blessings -- her children! Samuel was not a selfish request so she was definitely urged to make that plea/vow by something other than a desire to be like the other women. I hope to find the blessings and joys in my trials and have the faith to endure them as Hannah did.

Here's a brief timeline of Hanna and Samuel's life:

• 1200-1020 BC        Judges provide leadership to Israel
• 1075 BC                 Hannah gives birth to Samuel
• 1020 BC                 Samuel anoints Saul as the first king of Israel (1 Sam 13:1)
• 1005 BC                 Samuel anoints David as the second king of Israel (2 Sam 5:5). The site for the temple is identified. Samuel dies.
• 956 BC                   Nathan anoints Solomon the third king of Israel. (1 Kings 11:42)      

Questions to ask yourself about Hanna (feel free to answer below or link me to your post). :)

1. What is unique about this woman and her story?
2. How does she fit into the time period in which she lived?
3. What Christlike qualities does she exemplify?
4. What would I ask er if I met her?
5. How can I relate to her?
6. What can I (or others) learn from her experiences?

Daughter of Jephthah

Scriptures to Read:
Judges 11:30, 34-40

The Story:
Jepthah was a chosen captain over the armies of Israel. He was a great servant of the Lord who made one big error. He made a vow that if the Lord delivered the enemy to him then Jephthah would offer a sacrifice of the first thing that comes out of his house to meet him. Unfortunately, he didn't think it would be his daughter -- it was.
Jepthah was upset, rent his clothes, and wanted to find a way to take back his vow. His daughter said, "Father, Let this thing be done for me." -- Her sacrifice was -- "she knew no man".

"'...and she knew no man' is not in harmony with the assumption of a sacrificed death. This clause would add nothing to the description in that case, since it was already known that she was a virgin. The words only gain their proper sense if we connect them with the previous clause, he 'did with her according to the vow which he had vowed,' and understand them as describing what the daughter did in fulfillment of the vow. The father fulfilled his vow upon her, and she knew no man. He fulfilled the vow through the fact that she knew no man but dedicated her life to the Lord, as a spiritual burn offering in a lifelong chastity." (Keil and Delitzsch, Commentary 2:1:392-93)

My Thoughts:
I love the strength this woman shows. There is a strong and obvious commitment to her earthly father and her Heavenly Father.
Sacrifice and vows are not common in today's society nor respected. I have so much respect for this young woman and the example she should be and is.

The hymn, "I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go" pops in my mind.
"So trusting my all t they tender care, and knowing thou loves me, I'll do thy will with a heart sincere: I'll be what you want me to be. I'll go where you want me to go, dear Lord, Over mountain or plain or sea; I'll say what you want me to say, dear Lord; I'll be what you want me to be."

I hope I can follow this young woman's example and do what I need to do to please the Lord.

Daughters of Zelophehad

Artwork by Elspeth Young.

Scriptures to read: Numbers 26:33, 27:1-11, 36:1-13, Joshua 17:3-6, and 1 Chronicles 7:15.

Genealogy
Joseph, who was sold into Egypt
                      |
              Manasseh
                      |
                 Machir
                      |
                 Gilead
                      |
                Hepher
                      |
               Zelphehad
                      |
Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, Tirzah (5 daughters of Zelephehad)


What did these 5 young girls do? They went to Moses to appeal the inheritance policy. Zelophehad only had daughters, no sons and just because they were girls they could not own property. They were fatherless. So, five little girls went before Moses to appeal this law.
This was not a selfish thing to do. They did not desire wealth or economic status but wanted the inheritance in their father's name so the family line would not become extinct.
"Why should the name of our father be done away from among his family, because he hath no son?" Numbers 27:4

The law was revised:
           Order of the Right to Inheritance (Numbers 27:8-11)
               1. Son or sons
               2. If no son, then daughter(s)
               3. If no daughter, then a brother
               4. If no brother, then an uncle
               5. If no uncle, then the next closes male relative.
*Restriction: The daughters inheriting property were required to marry within the same tribe their father had been affiliated.



In the Gospel, we are taught to stand up for righteous desires but many times we fear doing that. How often do we back out of a missionary discussion because we are afraid? I am guilty of this. What would we be like if we had the courage of these little girls and stood before our governments and leaders and asked for what we feel is right? Or... we took the courage of these girls and gave out a Book of Mormon? They were very courageous at an amazingly difficult time in their lives and quite the example to me. Maybe one day I'll have the courage of these five little girls.

Fast and Testimony Meeting

Today is Fast Sunday which means it was one of my favorite meetings... Fast and Testimony Meeting. For those of you not LDS, this is a day when latter-day saints stand up in front of the entire congregation and declare what they know to be true about the gospel. Most of the time there are incredible things said and the spirit is amazingly strong. Sometimes someone will get up and the spirit is gone and it is just awkward but those moments of spiritual highs are completely worth it. The thing is, today, I wanted to get up so badly but getting up in front of all those people absolutely terrifies me. I decided to just blog about what I was going to say.

Let me just start off by saying that I am so behind on journal-ling so there hasn't been much posted here. I am sorry. I am working on catching up. That is why I was reviewing Judges 6. This is the chapter where we are first introduced to Gideon, one of the judges of Israel. I'll talk more about him later but the Israelites were captives again. This time is was by the Midianites. The Israelites were help captive by them for seven years. Finally, when everything else had failed they prayed to the Lord. I wonder what would have happened if they had turned to the Lord first. My immediate thought was, "Duh!" But, then I started thinking about my life. When I'm driving around lost and I cannot figure out where someplace is... I just keep driving thinking, "Oh, it'll be at the next place." Or, if I've lost my keys I just keep searching, sure that I will be able to find them on my own. Or, with parenting. So many times I think, "I can handle this temper tantrum. It is my job. I am the mom." But, then I was thinking about how much easier my life would be if I would just immediately turn to the Lord in prayer. How much better would my parenting be if I turned to the Lord before I had a heart to heart with my child about a choice he or she made? How much easier would everything be if we all just turned to the Lord first and let him help to guide our lives.

I am so grateful for the scriptures and all the things that I learn from them daily. I am also thankful for the power of prayer so that I have the ability to ask my Heavenly Father for help. All I have to do is humble myself enough to remember that I cannot do this on my own and we were given prayer to communicate with our Father in Heaven. What a wonderful blessing. The scriptures are true and the power of prayer is real!

Deborah "Bee"

"A famous woman who judged Israel and encouraged Barak against Sisera [in battle]. The well-known song of Deborah and Barak commemoated the Israelitish victory." --- Bible Dictionary

Scriptures to read:
Judges 4-5
LDS Bible Dictionary, 655

I have never actually heard the story of Deborah before. I have no idea why. But, it is such an awesome story. Let me share it with you. ;)

The Israelites were captives... again... of the Canaanites. Their "jailer" was Sisera, captain of Hazor.
Deborah was a judge in Israel at this time. Deborah approached Barak and said, "Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded saying, 'Go and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee 10,000 men of the children of Naphtali and of Zebulun? And I will draw unto thee to the river Kishon Sisera, the captain of Jabin's army and with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand'."
Barak replied, "If though wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me then I will not go."
"I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honor for the Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman." Deborah said.
So they went to battle with 10,000 men. Sisera fled when he saw this and went towards his friend's home, Hever. But, instead of going to Heber's tent, he chose to go to Heber's wife's tent. Her name was Jael. She covered him and gave him curdled milk to drink and then hammered a 3' long stake through his temple.
Barak arrived and Jael showed him to the dead body of Sisera.
Meanwhile, back in Hazor, Sisera's mother was waiting for her son to come back and bring her gifts from the spoils of war. She especially coveted the brightly covered items because of the high price of dyes.
Deborah sang a song recounting the tale and giving credit to the Lord the the victory and their freedom.

Isn't that one of the coolest stories? I thought it was awesome!

The pride cycle seems to be repeating over and over again in the book of Judges. Here is the one which led to Deborah being a prophetess.
Israelite Pride Cycle

1. The children of Israel did evil in God's sight. (Judges 4:1)
2. The Lord sold them to an enemy nation. (Judges 4:2)
3. The children of Israel cried unto the Lord. (Judges 4:3)
4. God raised up a deliverer -- Deborah. (Judges 4:4)
5. Victory was won and peace restored. (Judges 5:31)

Deborah was the only judge in the Book of Judges who was also declared a prophet(ess). An Israel judge was to serve the people by defending, avenging, delivering, and pronouncing punishment on the Israelites independent of economic status or race.

"Mother in Israel", this term originates from Deborah when she calls herself one in Judges 5:7. There is no evidence of her having biological children. Instead, she was a mother figure to her people. "She lvoed the people she served as a mother loves her own children. Deborah nurtured, protected, taught, and inspired the people of Israel to trust in God, act in faith, and work with Him to restore freedom, peace and opportunity within the land. She led her charge to the source of salvation... A mother sees beyond daily survival to eternal and spiritual progression. She recognizes that she can never save her children but He can. Armed with this knowledge and conviction, she selflessly seeks to bring others to the same truth." (Camille Fronk Olsen, Women of the Old Testament, pg 114)

What do you think it means to be a Mother in Israel?

Miriam "Exalted"

Sister of Moses; watches the ark of bulrushes; leads the women with tabrets (musical instruments); murmurs against Moses and is smitten with leprosy; dies in Kadesh.

Scriptures to study:
Exodus 2:4-8; 15:20-21
Numbers 12:1-16; 20:1; 26:59
Deuteronomy 24:9
1 Chronicles 6:3
Micah 6:4
LDS Bible Dictionary, pg 733

Time Line:
18th Century BC: Jacob's family moves to Egypt
17th-14th Century BC: Hebrews enslaved in Egypt
1370(ish) BC: Birth of Miriam
1363 BC: Birth of Aaron
1360 BC: Birth of Moses
              : Miriam orchestrates the wet-nurse agreement with the daughter of Pharoah. (Moses 3 mos old)
1357 BC: Moses (3yo) moves to palace
1320 BC: Moses (40 yo) flees from Egypt and resides in Midian, marries Zipporah
1280 BC: Moses (80) returns to Egypt as the prophet of Jehovah and deliverer of the Israelites
              : 1st Passover/Miraculous Crossing of Red Sea/Miriam's hymn of praise/Law given from Mt. Sinai
1279 BC: 2nd Passover/Miriam and Aaron criticize Moses (81); Miriam's leprosy
1242 BC: Miriam dies in Kadesh
1241 BC: Aaron dies
1240 BC: Moses (120) is translated
              : Joshua leads the children of Israel into the promised land
(Dates are based on the 'late date theory')

"Like Jochebed, we raise our families in a wicked and hostile world -- a world as dangerous as the courts of Egypt ruled by Pharaoh. But, like Jochebed, we also weave around our children a protective basket - a vessel called 'the family' -- and guide them to safe places where our teachings can be reinforced in the home and at church.... Along the way, at times when our children are away from us, the Lord provides inspired 'Miriams' to watch over them  special third party helpers such as priesthood and auxiliary leaders, teachers, extended family, and worthy friends." (Hales, Ensign, May 2004, 89-90)

Exodus 15:20  Miriam is referred to as a prophetess... but why?  This comment comes into play because of the song. In this time, women were the musicians and dancers. She led the women with timbrels.

Okay, another question, "What are timbrels?"
"Hand-held, hoop-shaped drums whose diameter was wider than the depth of the instrument. They were played by striking them with the flat of the hand. More accurately described as drums than tambourines." (Camille Fronk Olson, Women of the Old Testament, pg 99)

Back to the original question. When Miriam led the Israelite women in song and dance to honor the Lord and Moses, testifying of God's divinity and a few prophetic lines as well.

Prophet: anyone who has a testimony of Jesus Christ by the Holy Ghost. (Revelations 19:10; Numbers 11:25-29)

So, after ready Exodus 15:1-21, do you think she fits that definition? I would have to say, "YES!"

From her experiences, we learn to always shave faith in the Lord and the leaders he chooses, Never doubt or murmur but choose to believe!

Zipporah "Sparrow"

Wife of Moses and daughter of Jethro/Reuel, priest of Midian.

Scriptures to read:
Exodus 2:16-22; 4:20, 25-26; 18:2
LDS Bible Dictionary pg 793

Jethro was a priesthood holder (D&C 84:6) and had 7 daughters. One of the seven was Zipporah who married Moses. They had two sons -- Gershom and Eliezar.

Exodus 4:24-26 JST - The Lord is prepared to kill Moses for disobeying and not circumcising his son. Zipporah picks up a sharp piece of flint and circumcises their son.
Exodus 18:2 - After Moses succeeds by freeing the Israelites, Jethro arrives in the wilderness with Zipporah and their two sons, Gershom and Eliezar.

Questions I asked myself:

1- What is unique about this woman and her story?
2- What Christlike qualities does she exemplify?
3- What can women today learn from her experience?

1- Zipporah's story is unique because of the fact that she was raised by a priesthood holder is pretty significant in this time period.

2- I think some of her Christlike qualities that she exemplifies are patience and understanding... probably faith, too. Faith and understanding are probably working together in my mind. Her husband returns from caring for the sheep and tells her he saw God in a bush. My first response would have been, "Honey, you've been in the sun too long." Maybe that was her first response, but, eventually she had the faith and understanding to believe him and the patience to let him go while she cared for their two little boys.

3- Women today can learn from the circumcision incident in Exodus 4. It teaches us to obey God the first time and to always support our husbands and/or encourage them to also choose the right.

Rahab -- "Spacious"

Rahab was the harlot who hid the Israelite spies at Jericho. :)

Scriptures to Read:
Joshua 2:1-21; 6:17-25
Matthew 1:5 (spelled Rachab)
Hebrews 11:31
James 2:25
LDS Bible Dictionary pg 759

The Hebrew spies entered Rahab's home asking for help. She agreed. In return, she and her family was allowed to live.

Paul mentions her faith in the Hebrews scripture. I imagine it took great faith in these strangers to allow them access to her home. If she did not have faith then she would have perished with "those who were unbelieving and disobedient".
James brings up Rahab's example as well. He said she was "justified by works". So, through her faith and good works she was saved from the fall of Jericho.
Now, when I think of Rahab I will instantly think of the famous scripture mastery James 2:17-18 ----
Faith - Works = Death

Another amazing lesson taught to us by Rahab - she was a harlot. Therefore, we know she made some mistakes in her life. When the Lord needed her, she was there and did what needed to be done. So, even if we've made mistakes, the Lord will forgive us and through our faith and works we, to, can be extraordinary.

Questions to ask ourselves about Rahab.

1- What is unique about this woman and her story?
2- How does she fit into the time period in which she lived?
3- What Christlike qualities does she exemplify?
4- What would I ask her if I met her?
5 How can I relate to her and learn from her?

1- This woman and her story are unique because she was a harlot, a sinner, and overcame those mistakes to save the Israelites.

2- She fit into that time period she lived as a woman. A woman with very few rights and making a living the only way she knows.

3- She exemplifies a few Christ-like qualities. The first obvious one is her faith, Paul even discusses this one. It was talked about on the previous page as well. The other is humility. TO be truly forgiven then one must humble themselves before the Lord. She must have truly been humble to be forgiven and to admit that her people were wrong and worshiping idols was wrong ad that these Israelites knew what they were talking about so she chose to help them instead of the people she grew up with.

4- If I met her, I would ask her how she knew so quickly that God was the one true God. I wonder if they bore testimony to her and the spirit was just that incredible.

5- I can relate to her and learn from her because I have made mistakes and so has every other person out there. But, we also know of the Atonement and our opportunity to be forgiven. That is what this amazing woman teaches us. Repent - have faith - do good works and we too may be favored of the Lord.

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy could be referred to as "everyman's Torah". Deuteronomy actually means "repition of the law", but is written for everyone. This also contains the three sermons by Moses before he dies/translated.

1:8,10 The Lord gives the Israelites the land promised to them and points out they have multiplied as the stars in the heaven. The Abrahamic covenant is fulfilled. The Lord keeps his promises!

1:30  I love this scripture! ".. He shall fight for you..." In other words, the Lord shall be their battle master. Will He for you?

1:39  This one states that it's the next generation that gets the land. The generation that lived in Egypt have all died or gotten very old. This land is for their children.

4:26  I think it is always better to be obedient to the Lord after reading this scripture. Cross reference with 1 Ne 17:34-35 for extra reassurance to OBEY THE LORD!!

4:33 I just think it is soooo amazing that the children of Israel were able to actually hear the Lord's voice. What an amazing testimony builder!

6:4-9  Some religions recite these scriptures a couple times a day in prayer. They have some interesting things in them. Like, the first and greatest commandment to "love the Lord thy God with all thine heart..." vs 7 makes me think of family home evening. How important these things are to remember.

10:12-13  The Lord requries a few things from the Israelites for their own good.

1. Revere the Lord
2. Walk in the ways of God
3. Love God
4. Serve the Lord with all your heart
5. Keep the commandments of the Lord

15   This chapter has the Lord's Welfare system. I think our government could take some advice from this chapter. ;)

17:18-20  These verses teach us that leaders, not only church but government officials as well, should study the scriptures daily. What kind of world would this be if they did? I think it would be amazing!

18:15  Prophecy of Christ!! This scripture is quoted twice in Acts, 1 Nephi, 3 Nephi, and Joseph Smith - History. If it's repeated that many times then maybe we should listen?

19:15 This is the Divine Law of Witnesses

21:18-23  They were very strict to rebellious children. If my own kids read this -- be grateful for me and the punishments you get! They could be a lot worse. ;)

28:1-6, 15  These verses are pretty much the capstone of the third sermon by Moses.

34:5-6  Moses is translated.

Exodus 21-40 (Nazarites)

Seriously, I had such a hard time getting through the end of Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers. Deuteronomy was a little tough too but I'll have another post on that one. I am finally to Joshua so hopefully it's easier to read.

In Exodus 21-40 we learn about the higher law; the law for the people to learn once they get the hang of the Ten Commandments. This is interspersed throughout the rest of the book as it's mingled with directions for building the tabernacle.

Leviticus is the "Levite handbook of instructions".

Numbers is a census of the Children of Israel. However, in the middle is a little treasure. Numbers 6 is about becoming a Nazarite. First, what is a Nazarite? A Nazarite is "a man or woman who shall separate themselves to vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the Lord." Who, today, is similar to this? Missionaries and general authorities both live a higher law.

Nazarite: 
No grapes (diet)
No cutting of hair (appearance)
Do not touch dead (association)

Missionaries:
Follow Word of Wisdom (diet)
Strict focus on dress -- suit and tie/dress (appearance)
No contact with opposite gender, always be with companion (association)

Numbers 12:3 - I love this scripture. I don't think it was written by Moses. :) I do love that he was so meek that a commentator decided to add it to the scriptures.
20:24-26  Aaron passed his priesthood garments onto Eleazar before he died.

Numbers 21:4-8  Look and live is what we learn from the brazen serpent. The Israelites spoke against Moses and God. So, the Lord sent fiery serpents amongst the people. They bit them and many died. They finally went to Moses and repented. The lord told Moses to make a serpent of brass, place it on a pole and anyone who was bitten and looks upon it, shall live.
Think of this story and compare it with Christ. The serpent is Satan, attacking people and pulling them down. They apologize but they've already sinned (been bit) and they can't just heal on their own. They need help. Christ (brazen serpent) sacrifices Himself so we can all be forgiven of our sins (places on a pole vs a cross. If the Israelites looked to the serpent of brass then they would live. We should "look to the Lord and live".

Neal A Maxwell said, "Man's search for bedrock purpose and for core values will be a search in vain if it searches for new answers, or if it moves in the direction of false religion, or merely in the direction of political ideology. These will prove to be only conceptual cul-de-sacs, not the solitary path to happiness, The reality to which we must look is the truth in its fullest sense, contained in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Is it likely that mankind can save itself when the answer is so simple and so obvious? The Book of Mormon speaks of that incident in the Old Testament when Moses lifted up a brazen serpent in the wilderness, that all who had been bitten by the fiery serpents might look upon it and thereby live. But, as the Book of Mormon concludes, 'but few understood the meaning of those things, and this because f the hardness of their hearts; that there were many who were so hardened that they would not look, therefore they perished, Now the reason they would not look is because they did not believe that it would heal them."

You Tube Videos and Scripture Study

There are lots of videos to assist in studying the Old Testament. MormonMessages even put together a playlist. This example was obviously filmed in the late 80s/early 90s. LOL! Those styles were not in fashion when I was in seminary... maybe elementary school. So, they are older videos but still classics. Kind of funny but good messages. I suggest checking them out here.

Exodus 20

I spent 5 days studying the this chapter. Crazy! I thought I knew everything about the commandments but apparently they were just so common in my life that I never thought about them. They are so basic but then I started thinking about what they mean for me and how to make them apply more to my life. :) You'll see what I mean

Other scriptures to read:
Commandment Replays -- Deut 5:6-21; Moses 13:12-24; Matt 5:17-37; D&C 42:18-29; 59:5-9
God Comes First in all things -- D&C 98:14-15; Matt 6:33; D&C 27:2; 55:1; 59:1; 88:67
D&C 1:16 "every man walketh in his image of his own god."
Ephesians 6:1-2 "obey your parents in the Lord."

The Ten Commandments are the foundation of social law. You are not necessarily living a celestial law but it's a good foundation. These commandments are so important that they are repeated again in every set of scriptures -- OT, NT, BoM, D&C, and PoGP.

One really neat thing about the commandments is tha torder of them. The first four commandments are about building the proper relationship with God. The fifth one is about a proper relationship with the family and the last four are building a proper relationship with others.

Vs 3 -- This one seems obvious - no gods before God - but, it also means not to put anything before the Lord. Don't choose sleep instead of Church, don't spend all your time on TV or computer, don't think your friends are more important than choosing the right. There are many things in today's society that could cause us to lose our focus on God.
"This commandment prohibits every species of mental idolatry, and all inordinate attachment  to earthly and sensible things [things which appeal to the senses] ... God is the fountain of happiness, and no intelligent creature can be happy but through him... The very first commandment of the whole series is divinely calculated to prevent man's misery and promote his happiness, by taking him off from all false dependence and leading him to God himself, the fountain of all good." (Clark, Bible Commentary, 1:402-403)

Vs 9 -- I found this a significant add-on to the commandment to keep the Sabbath holy. It seems that is always where the focus is but this verse states that we should work for six days. This commandment tells us not to be idle and to work hard for six days and then on the seventh we should stop and take some time to worship the Lord.

Vs 12 -- This verse is packed! First off - honor your parents, but in Ephesians we learn we should honor our parents in the Lord. So... obey righteously. This is also followed by a promise. If  we honor our parents then our days may be long upon the land. This could also be thought of as foreshadowing - If we honor our Heavenly Father and Mother then our days may be long in the celestial kingdom. What an awesome promise!

In the Old Testament Student Manual, pg 131 we read, "Parents stand as direct representatives of God in morality, and therefore, like priethood offices, the office of parent requires honor. Obviously, an attendant responsibility and obligation goes along with that calling as God's representative. Parents are obligated to strive to be as much like God as possible. The Lord has made it clear that should parents fail in their responsibility, which includes teaching children what He would teach them if He were here, serious consequences will follow."

Vs 16 -- This one is about not gossiping, which is so common in today's society. "...Murder involves the taking of human life, bearing false witness centers in the destruction of character or its defamation. It reaches to the ruin of reputation." (Adam S. Bennion, The Ten Commandments Today, pg 134-136)

Vs 17 -- No coveting!! This is one of my biggest sins. I tend to get caught in that 'compare snare' and become envious of others. It's something I'm working on. =o)
Joseph said, "Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God. But we cannot keep all the commandments without first knowing them and we cannot expect to know all, or more than we now know unless we comply with or keep those we have already received. That which is wrong under one circumstance may be, and often is, right under another." (Teachings, pg255-266)



So, are the basics really important? Oh yes, they are. We have to have the basics down to prepare ourselves for a higher law. If we can't get the foundation then house can be built on top, or it can be a very weak house. There is a wonderful talk by Pres Kimball from the Nov 1978 Ensign where he talks about these basics.

Saturday morning sessionSeptember 30, 1978

“Hold Fast to the Iron Rod”

President Spencer W. Kimball

How glorious it is, brothers and sisters, to welcome you to this world conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and to envision the great throngs gathered here in Salt Lake City and elsewhere, making this in very deed an international gathering of the faithful Saints.

I rejoice with you in the progress and expansion of the Lord’s earthly kingdom in almost all parts of the free world. We are constantly opening up new areas, and we are continually establishing new missions and dividing others to give more effective leadership to the ever-increasing numbers of our young men and women engaged in full-time missionary service. Since our last conference six months ago, we have added ten new missions, for a total of 166 throughout the world. We now have 26,606 missionaries carrying the gospel to almost every nation, kindred, tongue and people under the direction of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, whose divine calling it is “to officiate in the name of the Lord, under the direction of the Presidency of the Church, agreeable to the institution of heaven; to build up the church, and regulate all the affairs of the same in all nations” (D&C 107:33).

Before the end of the year, we will have over 1,000 stakes. This seems incredible when I recall that there were but 145 stakes in the whole world when I became an Apostle in 1943.

This growth is cause for thanksgiving and praise to the Lord for divine direction of this program of saving souls and bringing them into the fold of Christ. While much has been done and accomplished, much more remains to be done. We must go forward in courage and great boldness to proclaim Jesus Christ as the resurrected Lord and the Redeemer of mankind.

We have asked everyone wherever possible to assist with a home garden for the production of food so you may enjoy the efforts of your labors and help provide for your needs. We urge parents not only to engage in this activity, but to let their boys and girls share in helping with the garden. They will not only learn the value and joy of work, but it will help them develop a sense of responsibility as they participate in such family projects.

We should make not only our fields and dooryards attractive, but our homes, barns, outbuildings, and fences should be kept in good repair and painted. We realize, too, that such projects are never ending and need continuing attention and planning.

We renew our appeal for the keeping of individual journals and records and compiling family histories. Any Latter-day Saint family that has searched genealogical and historical records has fervently wished their ancestors had kept better and more complete records. On the other hand, some families possess some spiritual treasures because ancestors have recorded the events surrounding their conversion to the gospel and other happenings of interest, including many miraculous blessings and spiritual experiences. People often use the excuse that their lives are uneventful and nobody would be interested in what they have done. But I promise you that if you will keep your journals and records they will indeed be a source of great inspiration to your families, to your children, your grandchildren, and others, on through the generations.

Family home evenings are a most appropriate time and place to engage in such activities and especially to train young children in the art of writing about their lives. If you haven’t already done so, make up your minds that today you will start your journals.

There is an urgency to engage more fully in the redeeming of our kindred dead through more frequent temple attendance. All those who possess temple recommends should use them as often as possible to engage in baptisms, endowments, and sealings for the dead. Other members of the Church should concern themselves seriously with preparations to qualify for temple recommends that they, too, might enjoy these eternal blessings and also act as saviors on Mount Zion. There is an ever-increasing burden of temple work to be done by the Saints, and we should rise to meet this challenge.

I again would urge upon all Saints everywhere a more strict observance of the Sabbath day. The Lord’s holy day is fast losing its sacred significance throughout the world, at least our world. More and more, man destroys the Sabbath’s sacred purposes in pursuit of wealth, pleasure, recreation, and the worship of false and material gods. We continue to urge all Saints and God-fearing people everywhere to observe the Sabbath day and keep it holy. Businesses will not be open on the Sabbath if they are not patronized on that holy day. The same is true of resorts, sporting events, and recreation areas of all kinds. Pursuit of the almighty dollar is winning, it seems, over the Lord’s commandment, “Keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary” (Lev. 19:30).

“Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46; emphasis added).

Violating the purpose of the Sabbath is not the only matter in these days which calls forth our cry of protest. We are greatly concerned about the world in which we live. The mass media of communications daily presents us with so much that is evil, that is ugly and sordid, and so much that is destructive of righteousness. Godlessness seems to reign everywhere. Satan is unfettered apparently. We have previously said that the growing permissiveness in modern society gravely concerns us.

We see about us constant change. Even the pace of life itself has speeded up. Sometimes it seems that the world is undergoing such throes of change that people are disoriented, not knowing what is of value. Right and wrong, however, are as they always were. The principles of the gospel are unaltered. All of men’s evil speaking and all of men’s evil acting cannot alter one jot or tittle of the commandments of God.

The forces of good are clearly and continually under attack. There are times when it seems the world is almost drowning in a flood of filth and degradation. And I want to cry out, “Hold on! Hold on to what is right and true. Therein is safety. Don’t let yourself be swept away.”

In 1946 I visited Hawaii shortly after a huge tidal wave, where walls of water some forty feet high struck Hilo and the Hamakua coast, and I saw the devastation that resulted. Homes had been overturned and shredded, crushed into splinters like toothpicks; fences and gardens were obliterated; bridges and roads were washed away. Bathtubs, refrigerators, mangled autos lay strewn all about the streets. Where one of our little chapels had stood, nothing remained but the foundation. More than a hundred people lost their lives; as many more were injured; thousands were left homeless. I heard many stories while there of suffering, of heroism, of salvation.

One woman told how she received a telephone message from friends to get out and to leave—that a tidal wave was coming. She looked out to sea and saw the monstrous wave approaching, like a mountain. She and her husband picked up the baby and ran for their lives up the hill. However, two of their little girls were away from home playing near a clump of lauhala trees. They saw the wave coming, ran into the trees, and held tightly with their arms around the tree trunks. The first gigantic wave washed entirely over them, but they held their breath and clung with all their might until the water receded and their heads were again above the water. When the wave receded, they quickly ran up the hill before the succeeding waves came. Together, the family watched from the safety of the hill as their home below disappeared under the pounding of the waves.

We, too, are faced with powerful, destructive forces unleashed by the adversary. Waves of sin, wickedness, immorality, degradation, tyranny, deceitfulness, conspiracy, and dishonesty threaten all of us. They come with great power and speed and will destroy us if we are not watchful.

But a warning is sounded for us. It behooves us to be alert and to listen and flee from the evil for our eternal lives. Without help we cannot stand against it. We must flee to high ground or cling fast to that which can keep us from being swept away. That to which we must cling for safety is the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is our protection from whatever force the evil one can muster. An inspired Book of Mormon prophet counseled his people: “Remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo” (Hel. 5:12).

I would emphasize that the teachings of Christ that we should become perfect were not mere rhetoric. He meant literally that it is the right of mankind to become like the Father and like the Son, having overcome human weaknesses and developed attributes of divinity.

Because many individuals do not fully use the capacity that is in them does nothing to negate the truth that they have the power to become Christlike. It is the man and woman who use the power who prove its existence; neglect cannot prove its absence.

Working toward perfection is not a one-time decision but a process to be pursued throughout one’s lifetime.

Through Moses the word of the Lord came down from the mountain. The commandments which the Lord gave to the children of Israel set minimum standards of conduct. These commandments, said Paul, are “our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith” (Gal. 3:24).

But living by the letter of the Ten Commandments is only the beginning of perfection. Jesus taught the sanctity of the Ten Commandments, but emphasized repeatedly that there was more.

It is not enough to acknowledge the Lord as supreme and refrain from worshiping idols; we should love the Lord with all our heart, might, mind, and strength, realizing the great joy he has in the righteousness of his children.

It is not enough to refrain from profanity or blasphemy. We need to make important in our lives the name of the Lord. While we do not use the Lord’s name lightly, we should not leave our friends or our neighbors or our children in any doubt as to where we stand. Let there be no doubt about our being followers of Jesus Christ.

It is not enough to refrain from moviegoing, hunting, fishing, sports, and unnecessary labor on the Sabbath. Constructive use of the Sabbath day includes studying the scriptures, attending church meetings to learn and to worship, writing letters to absent loved ones, comforting the sorrowing, visiting the sick, and, in general, doing what the Lord would have us do on this, his holy day.

If we truly honor our parents as we are commanded to do, we will seek to emulate their best characteristics and to fulfill their highest aspirations for us. Nothing we could give them materially would be more prized than our righteous living.

It is not enough to refrain from killing. We are rather under solemn obligation to respect life and to foster it. Far from taking a life, we must be generous in helping others to enjoy the necessities of life. And when this has been accomplished, we seek to improve the mind and the spirit.

We refrain from taking harmful substances into our body. Through wisdom and moderation in all things, we seek good health and a sense of physical well-being.

It is not enough to refrain from adultery. We need to make the marriage relationship sacred, to sacrifice and work to maintain the warmth and respect which we enjoyed during courtship. God intended marriage to be eternal, sealed by the power of the priesthood, to last beyond the grave. Daily acts of courtesy and kindness, conscientiously and lovingly carried out, are part of what the Lord expects.

It is for us to keep our hearts and minds pure, as well as our actions.

“Thou shalt not steal,” the Lord said on Sinai (Ex. 20:15). Thus it is for us to be honest in every way. We must be generous, the very opposite of selfishness. When money is needed, we give money. But often what is needed more is love and time and caring, which money cannot buy. When that is true, even being generous with our money is not enough.

Bearing false witness and coveting the belongings of others are further evidences of selfishness. “Love thy neighbour as thyself,” Jesus taught. On this and on the love of God “hang all the law and the prophets” (Matt. 22:39–40).

Kindness, helpfulness, love, concern, generosity—we could go on for the list of virtues is endless. The development of these traits is what the Lord asks of us.

“If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things” (A of F 1:13).

The gospel of Jesus Christ is true. Any earnest seeker can know for himself that it is true by studying and living its principles and seeking the companionship and help of the Holy Ghost. But how much easier it is to understand and accept if the seeker after the truth can also see the principles of the gospel at work in the lives of others. No greater service can be given to the missionary calling of the Church than to exemplify positive Christian virtues in our lives.

The Lord holds forth a glorious promise to those who love him and demonstrate this love by faithful, devoted service and the living of his eternal principles. When the winds of change blow fiercely and the waves sweep over us, we have a tree or rod of principle to which we can cling for safety. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ which has been restored to the earth in its fulness.

May the Lord bless us, each one, to hold fast to the iron rod, I humbly pray, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Official Web site of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
© 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Joseph's Life Typifies Christ's

This is sort of a follow up of my previous post. My life has just been a bit busy lately and I haven't had a chance to really get on here and update things.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught that all prophets are types of Christ: "A prophet is one who has a testimony of Jesus, who knows by revelations of the Holy Ghost to his soul that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. In addition to this divine knowledge, many of them lived in special situations of did particular things that singled them out as types and patterns and shadows of that which was to be in the life of Him who is the Lord." (The Promised Messiah, pg 448)

President Brigham Young taught that "Joseph was foreordained to be the temporal savior of his father's house and the seed of Joseph are ordained to be the spiritual and temporal saviors of all the house of Israel in the latter days." (Journal of Discourses 7:290)

Regarding the above quote by Brigham Young, How is the church spiritually doing to the House of Israel what Joseph temporally did for his family anciently?  

Would you like to read a neat talk on Joseph? Then check out this one.

Special Issue: Old Testament

Joseph, Model of Excellence

By Arthur R. Bassett

Children have always fascinated me. They are a biological blend of two different people, the combining of two parents into one flesh. Further, the way children adopt the characteristics of their parents intrigues me—their speech mannerisms, gestures, laughs, attitudes, fashion consciousness, and so on.

For this reason genealogy has likewise intrigued me. I sometimes wonder how much of my ancestry I still carry in me, how far back into my genealogical roots I could trace my own mannerisms, physical attributes, and character traits. How fascinating it would be to have a detailed written and visual account of each of our ancestors with which to compare ourselves.

Unfortunately, such records are not available to us and our vision of our total ancestry is sketchy at best. Ironically, some of our best genealogical information is that concerning our earliest parentage. Sometimes we forget when reading the early portion of the Bible that many of us are reading our own family history and that we share a very special relationship with those individuals.

Few of us would think of claiming Iraq as an ancestral homeland, yet that is where our father Abraham was born and reared to early maturity. Syria remains a foreign country in the minds of many of us, yet our grandmothers Rebecca and Rachel were born there, as was our grandfather Joseph. And while our grandfather Joseph claimed Israel as his homeland, his wife, our grandmother, Asenath, was not only Egyptian, but a daughter of an Egyptian priest. Ephraim and Manasseh, then, were both half-Egyptian. Truly, through our roots, most of us are citizens of the world, and whatever happens in the world often affects those who are our distant cousins.

Although separated by an unrecorded gap from these early ancestors, we can still find models worthy of imitation. Joseph, whose name (or that of one of his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh) appears on hundreds of thousands of our patriarchal blessings, is a good case in point. If we would adopt his manner of life we would not only excel as citizens of this world, but we would also become candidates for celestial life in the next.

Firstborn of Jacob and Rachel

To his father, Jacob, Joseph was the living reminder of one of the greatest love stories of all time. Few, like Joseph, could lay claim to a father who had given fourteen years of service for the hand of their mother. So intense was Jacob’s love for Rachel that Moses records concerning the first seven years, “They seemed unto him [Jacob] but a few days, for the love he had to her” (Gen. 29:20).

After this marriage Rachel had difficulty in bearing a child, which fact troubled her deeply. Her sister, Leah, was to produce six sons and one daughter before Rachel was blessed with her firstborn, Joseph. A third wife, Bilhah, and a fourth, Zilpah, were each to add two more sons to Jacob’s posterity before the birth of Joseph.

By that time Jacob was nearly ninety years old, almost the age that his grandfather, Abraham, had been when Sarah bore Jacob’s father, Isaac. He and Rachel had waited long for this child and loved Joseph with a special love. But within a few short years of that birth Rachel would die in another land while giving birth to her second son, Benjamin. Within seventeen years Jacob would lose Joseph to slavery in Egypt, thinking him dead; and it was nearly a quarter of a century after that before Jacob was reunited with Joseph, now grown to maturity and second in authority to the Pharaoh of Egypt. Thirty years after this reunion Jacob himself would die and be returned to his native land for burial.

It would be interesting to know how much Joseph remembered of the first seventeen years of this life. It is doubtful that he would remember much about the land of his birth, Haran, for shortly after Joseph was born Jacob took his family back to his native land—the land that now bears his name, Israel. What, if anything, would Joseph remember of the tenseness of the dramatic parting of his father from his grandfather, Laban, or of the fear-laden reunion of his father and his uncle, Esau, after twenty years of separation—a separation that had occurred when Jacob had fled for his life from the wrath of Esau?

It is doubtful that Joseph remembered much because he likely was a babe in arms during most of this. Yet we would do well to remember that Joseph was an important part, in the eyes of his parents, of all of these experiences. This young man, favored of the Lord, was also highly favored of his father, especially after the death of his mother.

Kinship With Moses

For Moses, who lived two centuries later, Joseph must have held another type of fascination. Perhaps Moses also was interested in the characteristics of his famous kinsman. He doubtless wondered what Joseph was like as the Israelites carried his body in a coffin for forty years of wandering in the wilderness. What were his thoughts concerning the man who had saved the Israelites by leading them into Egypt as Moses would save them by leading them out? Both men had known positions of great power in that nation; both had suffered at the hands of their brethren. Both were capable administrators; both were highly blessed of the Lord.

Where had Moses received his information concerning Joseph? How much did he know of Joseph as he worked on the Torah? Was it given to him by revelation, as a portion of his record would later be given to another Joseph? Or was he reading from records dictated by Joseph himself so many years before?

Of special interest to Moses must have been the prophecies of Joseph now contained in the last chapter of Genesis as rendered by Joseph Smith. What feelings must have coursed through the mind of Moses when he first read the words: “For a seer will I raise up to deliver my people out of the land of Egypt; and he shall be called Moses. And by this name he shall know that he is of thy house; for he shall be nursed by the king’s daughter, and shall be called her son” (JST, Gen. 50:29).

Joseph further prophesied that Moses, with a rod in his hand, would smite the waters of the Red Sea and lead the children of Israel from their bondage. Moses’ brother, Aaron, was to be his spokesman, as Moses would be the spokesman for the Lord in delivering God’s law to the Israelites. It would be interesting to know if Moses read these prophecies before or after they had been fulfilled. If before, were they instrumental in determining the course he followed?

Also contained in the information given to Moses was a prophecy of Joseph’s concerning a record to be written by his posterity after a branch of them had been severed from the main body of Israelites. That prophecy spoke of another Joseph—one named after his father—who would be chosen seer in latter-day Israel. These prophecies are also contained in the Book of Mormon, a record of Joseph’s posterity, translated by this other Joseph, the Prophet Joseph Smith, Jr. (see 2 Ne. 3). The interest of the Nephites in Joseph of old is demonstrated in Lehi’s comment concerning the prophecies of Joseph: “And the prophecies which he wrote, there are not many greater. And he prophesied concerning us, and our future generations; and they are written upon the plates of brass” (2 Ne. 4:2). Apparently, then, these brass plates of Laban contained a Josephite record. They traced the ancestry of Lehi back to Joseph. They contained information concerning prophets such as Zenos and Zenock—who were also descendents of Joseph but are not mentioned in the Bible. They also record information concerning Joseph that is not found in other sources. Moroni, for example, refers to Joseph’s coat that his brothers brought back to Jacob, telling him that Joseph had been devoured by wild beasts.

Apparently Jacob kept a fragment of that coat as a reminder of his son. Later, as he neared death, Jacob looked upon the fragment of the coat he had preserved, now over a half century old, and prophesied that as part of the remnant had been maintained, part of Joseph’s seed would be preserved; as part had decayed, part of Joseph’s seed would be lost to the Lord (Alma 46:24–27).

Fascination of Biblical Scholars

Biblical scholars have also found great interest in Joseph and his story, especially those who seek archetypes—prophetic foreshadowings of events to come, notably those related to the life of the Messiah. A good example of a rendering of biblical history in archetypical fashion is found in Paul’s comparison of the birth of Ishmael and Isaac to the giving of the Mosaic law and the law of Christ (see Gal. 4:22–31). In its general outline, the account of Joseph’s life is an excellent foreshadowing of the life of the Master.

He is the favored son of the father, sent by the father on a mission to his rebellious brethren. His brethren, resenting his closeness to the father and his teachings to them, reject his message, maltreat him, and eventually take his life, as it were. The next phase of his life, beginning with his descent into the pit and concluding with his experience in prison in Egypt, may be compared typologically with the descent of Christ into the pit of hell and his mission to the spirit prison.

Ultimately he is brought out of the prison and given a position of power second only to the ruler of the kingdom. His coat, which his brethren had taken from him (a symbol of his flesh), is replaced with a majestic robe, and every knee is made to bow to him. In his new exalted position he becomes the savior of his brethren, extending forgiveness, and feeding them, as it were, with the bread of life.

It is easy to see why Joseph should hold such a fascination for biblical scholars, as well as for literary figures, such as Thomas Mann, who wrote a four-volume work on the theme of Joseph and his brothers. But it seems to me that Joseph should be of greatest interest to us, his posterity. Not only is he a great historical and religious figure, but he can also be a personal example to us, a model in our lives.

A Knowledge of Christ

If we were to follow Joseph’s example and acquire his character traits our lives would be richer and generally more successful. He shows us the way to a knowledge of the Master, and in that sense learning about our father Joseph (or any of our righteous ancestors) is an exercise in growing closer to the Lord. Elder Bruce R. McConkie described how near the Lord we must eventually draw. Noting that we must know Him to gain eternal life. Elder McConkie said in a general conference address, “To know God in that full sense which will enable us to gain eternal salvation means that we must know what he knows, enjoy what he enjoys, experience what he experiences. In the New Testament language, we must ‘be like him’” (Improvement Era, June 1966, p. 528).

In speaking of those character traits that qualify one for a knowledge of Christ, the Apostle Peter lists the following: “Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

“And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

“And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity,” for, Peter continues, “If these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 1:5–8).

Faith in God is the beginning, including trust in his way and his promises. To follow the way outlined by God requires courage—Peter’s virtue—and understanding. Further, it requires one to have temperance or self-control, subjecting one’s own will to that of God. It requires patience if one is to see the fruits of Christian efforts; it requires also a piety that attempts to remain close to God in understanding his way. Ultimately, it requires the development of brotherly kindness and then the blossoming of that brotherly feeling into the quality of charity, the pure love of Christ—love like Christ and love for Christ.

Joseph’s Faith and Virtue

Joseph was the living personification of all of these character traits; they truly did abound in him. His faith in God was tried almost to the limit. If anyone ever had reason to feel that God had abandoned him it would be Joseph, rejected and sold into slavery for teaching what God had told him through his dreams, falsely accused and cast into prison for attempting to keep the commandments of God, remaining in that prison for more than two years.

His namesake, Joseph Smith, who was to suffer a similar fate, cried out from his prison, “O God, where art thou?” (D&C 121:1). Joseph of Egypt must have had similar feelings, yet there is no evidence in all of the record that he ever let his faith waver. Instead he continued to sense the hand of God in every incident of his life.

Virtue, the second of the character traits listed by Peter, has far wider ramifications than sexual purity—which Joseph demonstrated in the incident with Potiphar’s wife. Virtue in its root vir is associated with the “virile,” and has connotations of manliness, of courage, and of strength. Living in the manner of Jesus, who was to be known as the Son of Man, Joseph followed a lifestyle that commanded the notice of men as well as women. Not only were women, such as the wife of Potiphar, drawn to him, but also many of the men he met quickly recognized his leadership potential. Potiphar placed him in charge of his household and left everything to Joseph. The jailer in the prison placed him over the other prisoners, and Pharaoh made him second in command only to himself.

Joseph’s Knowledge and Patience

Peter records, “Add to your … virtue knowledge.” God would have knowledgeable disciples. Christ said, “Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves” (Matt. 10:16). Paul records, “Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men” (1 Cor. 14:20). Blind faith is not sufficient for the Christian disciple.

When we consider the rise of a shepherd to a position of world power, then we begin to glimpse the knowledge and understanding that Joseph must have accumulated. We assume that initially his knowledge was gained through listening to the Lord; but we must also note the wisdom that must have been required in his position in the Egyptian government, especially in the administration of the crops and lands of Egypt. After Joseph had interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh he commented, “Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.” To this Pharaoh responded, “There is none so discreet and wise as thou art” (Gen. 41:33, 39). While this may be viewed as a statement of Pharaoh’s recognition of Joseph’s spiritual powers, it proved to be true of Joseph’s wisdom in temporal administration as well.

Joseph’s self-control and patience are seen again and again in the fabric of his lifestyle. They show in the incident with Potiphar’s wife; they show in his willingness to trust in the Lord during his long imprisonment. In fact, Josephus, the Jewish historian, makes an interesting comment concerning Joseph’s reaction to his imprisonment. In a passage sounding amazingly like Christ before Pilate, Josephus records:

“Now Joseph, commending all his affairs to God, did not betake himself to make his defence, nor to give an account of the exact circumstances of the fact, but silently underwent the bonds and the distress he was in, firmly believing that God, who knew the cause of his affliction and the truth of the fact, would be more powerful than those that inflicted the punishments upon him” (Antiquities of the Jews, Book II, v:1).

Joseph’s Godliness and Charity

Piety or godliness was also an integral part of Joseph. Though none of his prayers are recorded, one senses throughout the narrative of his story the closeness that he feels with the Lord. The hand of God is in every affair of his life. He refuses the invitation of Potiphar’s wife on the grounds that it would be an offense against God. When he is reunited with his brothers in Egypt, he quiets their fears of retaliation by explaining that their selling him into Egypt was the Lord’s way of allowing him to prepare the way before them.

It is in Joseph’s relationship with his brothers that one sees his most Christlike features, especially the characteristics of brotherly kindness and charity. In naming his son Manasseh, Joseph gives the understanding that the Lord has caused him to “forget all my toil, and all my father’s house” (Gen. 41:51). What a shock it must have been, then, when Joseph confronted his brothers again for the first time in twenty-two years. What thoughts must have raced through his mind! Again one senses his great patience in not revealing himself to them until he discovers their feelings.

History would search far to find another scene so filled with human feelings as that of Joseph listening to his brethren (who were unaware that he could understand them, since he had always spoken to them through an interpreter) speak of their punishment for having sold their brother into slavery. Joseph responded with sternness, as God must sometimes do with us, but when one sees him moved to tears on two occasions—to the point that he must leave the room to hide his face from his brethren—one senses the depth of his Christlike love, filled with forgiveness for the truly penitent.

I respect our father Joseph for many things—for his faith, his virtue, his knowledge, his temperance and patience, and for his godliness. But most of all I respect him for his brotherly kindness and love. These are his most godlike attributes; these are his touch-point with the Savior and his touch-point with us, his posterity. These are the attributes we should attempt to emulate as the grandchildren of this model of Christian excellence; one of the greatest men this world has ever produced, a father who taught all of his posterity what it means to truly know Christ.

Let’s Talk about It

After reading “Joseph, Model of Excellence,” individually or as a family, you may wish to discuss some of the following questions during a family gospel study period:

1. 1.The article mentions that “the account of Joseph’s life is an excellent foreshadowing of the life of the Master.” Why do you suppose the Lord supplies us with such foreshadowings? What can we learn from them?

2. 2.Joseph retained his faith in God even though he suffered greatly at the hands of his brothers and Potiphar. What can we do to develop such faith?

3. 3.After all that his brothers had done to him, Joseph freely forgave them. What can we do in our home to foster similar humility and love? How can we, like Joseph, love others in a Christlike manner?

4. 4.What other attributes of Joseph can we learn from? How can we better follow his example of trying to emulate the Savior in all things?

The Life of Joseph typifies the life and mission of Jesus Christ

1. Joseph was the favored son of his father; so was Jesus (see Genesis 37:3; Matthew 3:17).
2. Joseph was rejected by his brothers, the Israelites, as was Jesus (see Genesis 37:4; John 1:11; Isaiah 53:3; 1 Nephi 19:13–14).
3. Joseph was sold by his brothers into the hands of the Gentiles, just as Jesus was (see Genesis 37:25–27; Matthew 20:19).
4. Judah, the head of the tribe of Judah, proposed the sale of Joseph. Certain leaders of the Jews in Jesus’ day turned Jesus over to the Romans. Judas (the Greek spelling of Judah) was the one who actually sold Jesus. (See Genesis 37:26; Matthew 27:3.)
5. Joseph was sold for twenty pieces of silver, the price of a slave his age. Christ was sold for thirty pieces of silver, the price of a slave His age. (See Genesis 37:28; Matthew 27:3; Exodus 21:32; Leviticus 27:5.)
6. In their very attempt to destroy Joseph, his brothers actually set up the conditions that would bring about their eventual temporal salvation—that is, Joseph, by virtue of being sold, would become their deliverer. Jesus, by His being given into the hands of the Gentiles, was crucified and completed the atoning sacrifice, becoming the Deliverer for all mankind.
7. Joseph began his mission of preparing salvation for Israel at age thirty, just as Jesus began His ministry of preparing salvation for the world at age thirty (see Genesis 41:46; Luke 3:23).
8. When Joseph was finally raised to his exalted position in Egypt, all bowed the knee to him. All will eventually bow the knee to Jesus. (See Genesis 41:43; D&C 88:104.)
9. Joseph provided bread for Israel and saved them from death, all without cost. Jesus, the Bread of Life, did the same for all men. (See Genesis 42:35; John 6:48–57; 2 Nephi 9:50.)
(Old Testament Student Manual, pg 97)