BOM Reading Mormon 9

When I search and ponder and seek for God in my life, I find miracles happening all around me.  

Our youth conference a few weeks ago brought blessings of faith to many youth and leaders in our stake.  To see lives change and testimonies grow is an example of miracles.  A heart that softens and changes right before my eyes is a miracle to me.

Photo by Eva Snider

For a sinner like me to have away to return to our Father in Heaven is a miracle.  Through Jesus Christ this is possible:

Mormon 9:13 And because of the redemption of man, which came by Jesus Christ, they are brought back into the presence of the Lord; yea, this is wherein all men are redeemed, because the death of Christ bringeth to pass the resurrection...

I believe that miracles large and small happen to us if we choose to recognize them for what they are... the hand of God in our lives. 

I know we have a Father in Heaven who is aware of us.  I see his hand in my life and for that I am eternally grateful.

Mormon 9:5
And now, O all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do no miracles, I would ask of you, have all these things passed, of which I have spoken? Has the end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay; and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles.

Happy Father's Day!

BOM Reading pgs 98-112

Brothers and Sisters,

I know 2 Nephi is sometimes a hard book to get through especially, with families of small children like we currently have! However, I appreciate the writings in these chapters because the study of it helps us gain greater understanding of the basic doctrines of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I loved reading and pondering the prophecies from Nephi, Jacob, and Isaiah as they gave prophecy of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in our day, the scattering and gathering of God’s covenant people, the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, and the Millennium.

In 2 Nephi 30:9–10, Nephi prophesies of a time when “the Lord God shall cause a great division among the people, and the wicked will he destroy; and he will spare his people.” So the question we need to ask ourselves is what must we do in order to be on the Lord’s side of this great division that is occurring?  The answer I believe is simple in thought (remember our thoughts proceed action so this is a good place to start! 😉) but, sometimes more difficult in action. In order to be numbered among the Lord’s people, we simply need to separate ourselves from worldly ways now! 

So, how do we do this? Elder Neil L. Andersen stated: "Overcoming the world is not one defining moment in a lifetime, but a lifetime of moments that define an eternity. "Elder Larry W. Gibbons of the Seventy said: “In this day of moral relativism we must be prepared to take a stand and say, ‘This is right, and this is wrong.’ We cannot follow the crowd! We can be in the world, go to school, go to work, join worthwhile community organizations, and so forth. But we must hold to the Lord’s standards."

Life is a journey with a beginning and an end. We are striving to live celestial lives here in mortality and I have learned that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Brothers and sisters, walk and stay on the straight and narrow path. In fact, stay in the middle of the straight and narrow path! Don’t drift; don’t wander; don’t dabble; be careful! I know that if we keep the commandments and endure to the end we will receive eternal life and I know that is the greatest gift God has to offer us. He loves us and He wants us to return home to Him after we have completed that which is needed for us to become more like Him. If you are attending church regularly to partake of the sacrament and renewing your baptismal covenants each week then, you are becoming more like Christ. Next step is to help others come unto Christ while striving to live life to be able to enjoy the blessings of the temple.

Wherever we are in our journey, we can take inventory, assess, and make necessary corrective actions to ensure we are on the Lord’s side when he surely comes again. What are some thoughts or suggestions you have that can help ensure we are on the Lord’s side of this great division of good and evil that is occurring? 

Sincerely, 

The Mathis Family

 

George A. Mathis, Jr. - Stake Clerk

Orlando Florida Hunters Creek Stake

Catching up on our blog posts :)

Brother and Sisters, we are super excited that so many of our stake members are engaged in reading the Book of Mormon.  If you are just getting started, keep at it!  If you've fallen behind, don't fret!  The promises are real: "Such simple acts of faith as studying the scriptures daily... shores up our weaknesses, increases our joys..." (Elder L Whitney Clayton, April 2017).

I'd like to share some thoughts and feelings from studying 2 Nephi 2:11, 12 and 25.  In this chapter Lehi is preaching and instructing his children regarding the plan of salvation and the need for opposition and agency.

Sometimes we get frustrated in life when our own unrighteous use of agency and others' unrighteous use of agency causes pain; we might even shortsightedly exclaim, "if only we didn't have to deal with these choices!"  Remember, that there was a plan that included no pain, no misery, no choice and everyone saved regardless...that was the adversary's plan and he asked for all the glory.  Rather, we elected Jehovah's plan, that we might all be able to choose right from wrong, to learn from our experiences and rely on Him (our Savior) to overcome our limitations...and all the glory to our Father in Heaven.  It is only through the Savior's plan/our Heavenly Father's plan that the requisite experiences and training needed for eternal progression and exaltation are given...freely but according to the principles of mercy and justice.

We can often feel frustrated, overwhelmed, under-qualified.  But that's part of the learning curve, the requisite experiences if carefully navigated that will indeed bring eternal joy.  That is our Heavenly Father's goal...and that was/is our goal when we sided with Christ in the pre-mortal existence.  Joy is not possible without opposition and agency.

Members of the Hunters Creek Stake...BE BRAVE!  Have faith and rely on the Lord.  Trust that as you follow gospel principles, that your weaknesses will be shored up and that your joy will be increased.  We love you!

-Stake Presidency      

11 For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my firstborn in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.

12 Wherefore, it must needs have been created for a thing of naught; wherefore there would have been no purpose in the end of its creation. Wherefore, this thing must needs destroy the wisdom of God and his eternal purposes, and also the power, and the mercy, and the justice of God.

25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.

Week 2: BOM Reading Challenge pgs. 15-28

Hello Friends,

For our family reading, we decided to continue our reading from where we were currently… rather than start over at the beginning (as it normally takes us way too long to complete and we were excited about where we were).  If you are reading somewhere in the Book of Mormon and don’t want to start over, just keep reading and try to make it back around to where you are now by Christmas.  

We are currently in the beginning of 3rd Nephi.  I really love this part.  The Laminates and Nephites are actually working together at this time to defeat the Gadianton robbers.  Their wise Governor, Lachoneus, makes a wonderful move and appoints Gidgiddoni as the chief Captain.  The people have a tradition (when they are righteous) of choosing for their “Chiefest” of Chief Captains a man who had “the spirit of revelation and prophecy” (3 Nephi 3:18).   This Gidgiddoni must have been a spiritual man.

Upon Gidgiddoni’s recommendation (3 Nephi 21),  Lachoneus has all the people of the land collect everything they own (family, flocks, provisions) and gather together in one geographic location.  Leaving their homes, fields, work, and normal lives…  In some ways this sounds like an exciting event (like a ward campout with everyone who isn’t a robber).  Logistically it was probably a real nightmare.  I have to remember, they were in fear of their lives and I’m sure it wasn’t anything like what I have in my head.  It says later that they had provisions for up to 7 years!  Imagine that!

Rucker camping - took two trips to get our provisions for 3 days.   More like "glamping" I guess... (sigh...)

My son, the avid RISK gamer, isn’t too sure about the success of this plan. He thinks it will be too easy for the Gadianton robbers to come down and wipe them out.  I won’t spoil the ending for you or my son… keep reading...

What I continue to learn is this… When I really stop and ponder, I’m caught up in the story and the scriptures come alive for me for a while.  My family and I see such parallels to our day and even see strategy we can use to combat our own struggles.  I really love that we are reading the Book of Mormon as a “stake” group.   We usually do better together as a group when we are all focused on something good.  I think that must be why we are continually asked to gather together.  Sunday meeting, weekdays youth nights, home teaching, FHE, youth conference (pic below) the list goes on…  We find strength when we are feeling alone or find ourselves strengthening others in need.  I know many times when I gather with the saints and friends, I leave feeling uplifted, recharged, and blessed.  

Hunter's Creek Stake Youth Conference 2016

Even if we are virtually gathering on this blog, we can feel connected as we all read, ponder, and study together.

Has gathering together ever helped you?
Where are you at in your reading?

May your reading and pondering be consistent and fruitful,

Pres. Rucker

Orlando Florida Hunters Creek Stake Conference ~ April 29-30

The Orlando Florida Hunters Creek Stake invites all to participate and attend our upcoming Stake Conference sessions this weekend. We are confident that if you prayerfully participate and attend, you will be blessed with answers to your questions, and you will receive inspired guidance from the Spirit.

Saturday, April 29

Priesthood Leadership Session: 4:00–5:30 p.m.Adult Session: 7:00–8:30 p.m.

Sunday, April 30th
Sunday Morning Session: 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. 
This session will be broadcast to St. Cloud and Kissimmee buildings; Spanish translation available at the Stake Center.

We also would like to invite and encourage you to participate in our Book of Mormon Reading Challenge. Be sure to check our our weekly blog post and feel free to comment by visiting www.HCStake.com.

Brothers and Sisters of the Orlando Florida Hunters Creek Stake-

Thank you for joining us in our Easter to Christmas reading of the Book of Mormon.  We are grateful that you have accepted the invitation.  

In the most recent General Conference, President Monson stated, "I implore each of us to prayerfully study and ponder the Book of Mormon each day.  As we do so, we will be in a position to hear the voice of the Spirit, to resist temptation, to overcome doubt and fear, and to receive heaven’s help in our lives."  We need this great help in our lives.  The Book of Mormon is true.  It contains the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Pres. Monson promised that, "if you will read it prayerfully and with a sincere desire to know the truth, the Holy Ghost will manifest its truth to you.  If it is true—and I solemnly testify that it is—then Joseph Smith was a prophet who saw God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ."

In my studies of 1st Nephi this week, I was again impressed with Nephi's statement in the very first verse, "I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father."  This scripture motivates me as a father to be the best example possible to my children...to keep trying with a brightness of hope to convey my faith in the Lord to my children (and others)...that we might together be eternally happy.  I recognize that in striving to do my best, I still fall short...and sometimes woefully short.  But I'm so encouraged that regardless of my shortcomings, if I continue to hold firmly to the rod of iron, that indeed I can have that promise...and so can my children.  

As I begin the Book of Mormon again, I'm so thankful that I know how the story ends!  I know that the Lord does not forsake His people.  As I read the Book of Mormon, I hope to enlarge my knowledge of our Savior so that I can be more receptive to His spirit.  I hope that I might convey in some small measure my knowledge, my experiences to others...that they might find the safety of which Pres. Monson spoke in General Conference.  

What do you hope to learn and who do you hope to become by reading the Book of Mormon?  

Thank you for joining this spiritual adventure with us!

-Pres. Munns

Church Expresses Concern for those Fleeing Violence, War and Religious Persecution

NEWS RELEASE

28 JANUARY 2017 - SALT LAKE CITY

In response to recent media inquiries, the following statement has been released:

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is concerned about the temporal and spiritual welfare of all of God's children across the earth, with special concern for those who are fleeing physical violence, war and religious persecution. The Church urges all people and governments to cooperate fully in seeking the best solutions to meet human needs and relieve suffering.

 See original article on mormonnewsroom.org