Patience and Spirit reveals

Blessings can take years to come

I feel happy for Lehi as I know that his wishes have been fulfilled as in 2 Nephi 1:21. In this scripture Lehi explains that he wishes for his soul to have joy in his posterity. I can imagine that Lehi is filled with joy as he has seen the fulfillment of his words and his seed's words, as they did come forth for the convincing of so many to the restored gospel. ( 2 Nephi 3: 7, 11, 12, 19 ) The promise that these words would be hearkened to by his seed have also been fulfilled ( 2 Nephi 3:23 ). In Latin America alone there are over 600,000 members of the church with 7,000 being baptized every single month according to a talk called, " Miracles Among the Lamenites ", by Gene R. Cook of the Seventy. As well in this talk he reminds us that the words in D&C 49:24 have been fulfilled. " Where there was once a barred field, today they stand strong and blossom as the rose." In my Patriarchal blessing it tells me that I am a literal descendant of Joseph whom was sold into Egypt, and that his blood runs through my veins. I am incredibly thankful for the blessings that are promised to the House of Israel and I am conscious that where great promises are available, much is available for me to give in return, although I will never give back to my Father in Heaven and His Son Jesus Christ any comparable amount that they have given me, I do have much I can give based on the promised blessings that I have been given.

Scriptures can speak to us individually by the spirit

2 Nephi 8:1-2 says, " Hearken unto me, ye that follow after righteousness. Look unto the rock from whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit from whence ye are digged. Look unto Abraham, your father, and unto Sarah, she that bare you; for I called him alone and blessed him."

When we are worthy to have the spirit with us the scriptures will speak to us individually and we will each have different insights from the verses, that pertain to us for our current specific needs. As I read and try to understand the verses in the scriptures that Isaiah wrote, I try to just listen with my spirit because I can become overwhelmed with the fact that I might not be interpreting it after the manner he had intended. When I read these verses I was reminded that I am hewn from my Savior Jesus Christ because as I have taken upon myself His name and as I continually apply His atonement in my life; I am His, even His child ( 4 Nephi 1:17 ). As I think of the quarry that Christ's children have been chipped out of I am reminded of the beauty of this quarry and the blessings that are involved with taking upon ourselves His name. Examples like being given the gift of the Holy Ghost, blessings of gifts of the Spirit, Priesthood authority, and the incomprehensible blessings that come when we keep our temple covenants. These scripture also reminds us that we are descendants of Abraham either literally or adopted. We too, as we keep our temple covenants, receive the same blessings of innumerable posterity, and I believe this is one reason Isaiah asks us to remember that we too can have miracles like Abraham and Sarah being barren, and yet having a whole nation flow from them. ( Genesis 17: 5-6 )

The Spirit reveals truth in the scriptures

In 2 Nephi 5: 15-16, Nephi says, " For my soul delighteth in the scriptures and my heart pondereth them . My soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard."

I too delighteth in the scriptures and I am continually thankful that I am not alone in my struggles mentioned by Nephi in this same chapter about despising my flesh and rejoicing in the things of God, and especially in the scriptures. When I think of the reasons that I love the scriptures so much, one reason is that I feel like the scriptures are a part of what make my beliefs tangible. As I recognize with these sacred writings in hand either through a device or book, and know the cost that came with making these available to me, they become a witness to my testimony of the things that I have heard in church. When I read the scriptures the spirit is automatically present, for as they say; that the spirit testifies of truth ( John 15:26 ). Therefore, it is impossible to read scriptures with a worthy and open heart and not be able to feel of the presence of the Holy Ghost. The Spirit is then something tangible and available to me at any moment that I need Him. With this knowledge of how I can use the scriptures, I have been able to use the scriptures as an antidote for pride, anger, fear or any feeling of the natural man presents. Extended periods of time immersed in the scriptures has allowed the stories, doctrines and principles to sink deep into my soul and essentially they have aided in my becoming a new creature through the atonement of Jesus Christ. ( 2 Cor. 5:1 )

I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.