The Lord Often Taught With Parables

“Without a parable spake he not unto them.” – Mark 4:34

What is a Parable?

A parable is a comparison – usually a principle or doctrine explained in a story.  The elements of the story are symbolic, representing things applicable to the principle or doctrine taught within it.  

The neat thing about parables is the level of understanding it varies person to person.  There are those seeking the word of the Lord and will be taught and edified by parables.  And there are those who do not understand them at all.  And there are people in between who grasp things from parables and benefit from the knowledge gained.

A parable can have different meanings to different people, and those meanings can change for those people at different times in their lives.  While the parable remains the same, the knowledge and learning can expand over time.

Teaching in parables was a way for Christ to teach those who believed and were willing to listen.  It was almost a way of weeding out those who didn’t care.  By teaching this way, His teachings weren’t “cast to swine” or those that wanted to find faults in his teachings.  Yet at the same time, those who wanted to follow Him could understand his teachings and use them in their own lives.

Parables can be applied to current topics and questions:

• What describes the future growth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints?  
• Parable of the Leaven (Matthew 13:33) A woman adds a little leaven (yeast) in some dough, and eventually the leaven is incorporated all throughout the dough entirely.  Just like the leaven, the Church will eventually spread throughout the world.

• Why does the Church send out so many missionaries?  

• Parable of the Net (Matthew 13:47-50)  Nets are cast into the sea to gather fish of every kind.  When the nets are full, the fish are separated good from bad.  As we send out missionaries, more good fish can be gathered.  The sea is the world and the net is the missionary efforts.  The gathering the good into vessels is the people who accept the gospel and the bad being cast away are those who reject it at that time.

• How do you explain the remarkable growth of the Church, considering that it is fairly new compared to most world religions and started small in the American frontier? 
• Parable of the Mustard Seed (Matthew 13:31-32) A mustard seed is the least of seeds – very tiny and insignificant in appearance.  But as a mustard seed is planted, it grows into a huge tree.  Like the mustard seed, the Church started out tiny, seemingly insignificant, but as it has grown rapidly and continues to do so, just as the seed grows into a tree.

• Why are some members of the Church willing to sacrifice so much worldly wealth and recognition in order to maintain membership in the Church?
• Parable of the Pearl of Great Price (Matthew 13:45-46)  This is one of my favorite parables – it really shows the eternal significance of the gospel.  The parable tells of a man who found a pearl of great price.  He sold everything that he had in order to by that pearl.  This is what members of the Church do – they have the gospel (pearl of great price) and are willing to give up wealth, recognition, and other worldly things in order to keep this valuable pearl.

• Why do some Church members choose to leave the Church? 
• Parable of the Tares (Matthew 13:24-30) This parable tells of a man who planted good seeds in his field.  But at night another came and placed seeds of tares (weeds) along with the good seeds!  The man knew that if he tried to remove the tares at first, that the good seeds would just come up with it.  So he let them both grow together and when the time of harvest came, he first took the tares and burned them, and afterwards was able to harvest his crop.  Sometimes people get too caught up in things of the world, just like the good seeds get too mixed in with tares and come up with the tares at harvest time.

The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price

The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price is very meaningful.  It teaches us that we must be willing to sacrifice.  Sacrifices are required to keep the gospel in our lives.  The gospel is the greatest treasure available to us.  I’m willing to sacrifice my job, my clothes, my car, my everyday conveniences and luxuries to have the gospel in my life.  I’m also willing to not shop on Sundays, to pay tithing on my income, to give time and energy to my calling, and attend church ever week.  As we make sacrifices to have the gospel in our lives, we will be able to see the blessings of it and better appreciate the gospel in our lives.

The Beatitudes

I love the Beatitudes – they are one of my very favorite parts of the New Testament.  Matthew 5:1-12 contains the beautiful Sermon of the Mount that Jesus Christ delivered.  This Sermon is the greatest sermon ever given.  It contains blessings known as the Beatitudes.

The word Beatitude comes from the Latin word beatus.  The word beatus is defined as “to be fortunate,” “to be happy,” or “to be blessed.”  I think this word is very fitting, due to the truth of each Beatitude and the blessing accompanying each one. 

In the Beatitudes, you will find a lot of “blessed” and “blessedness” going on.  According to the LDS Guide tothe Scriptures, blessed and blessedness is explained “to confer divine favor upon someone. Anything contributing to true happiness, well-being, or prosperity is a blessing.”  This stands true for the Beatitudes.  They definitely are a divine favor to each of us and they definitely contribute to true happiness, well-being, and prosperity.

The Beatitudes

Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit

Blessed Are They That Mourn

Blessed Are the Meek

Blessed Are They That Hunger and Thirst After Righteousness

Blessed Are the Pure in Heart

Blessed Are the Merciful

Blessed Are the Peacemakers

Blessed Are They Which Are Persecuted

That is obviously a very basic list of them.  I want to focus on three of them and share more about them.

1. "Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.” – Matthew 5:4

This is a blessing that is present in anyone’s lives.  And we all can receive comfort through our faith in Jesus Christ.  He knows exactly how we feel as we face difficulties or challenges and He knows exactly how to help us.  As we turn to Him and rely on him for strength and help, we will be comforted through the Holy Ghost.  I know that because of Jesus Christ’s Atonement, I will never be alone or helpless.  Jesus Christ will always be there for me and I can receive peace and comfort from the companionship of the Holy Ghost.

 2. "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” – Matthew 5:6 

As we hunger and thirst after righteousness, we will be lead down the path of Christ.  As we seek out to study, pray, take the Sacrament and attend the Temple, our spirits will be filled.  I’ve seen this to be true in my own life – as I make a continued effort to pray daily, study God’s words in the scriptures,  go to church and the Temple, I have an increased desire to follow Christ and to come closer to Him.  I also feel closer to Him and feel the Spirit more strongly in my life.

3. “Blessed are peacemakers: for they shall see God.” – Matthew 5:8

Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace.  It is through following Jesus Christ and His example that we can return to God.  As we strive to be peacemakers in our own lives, we will be blessed with peace and the happiness that comes from following Christ’s example.  When I’ve had the opportunity to be a peacemaker at home, work, ,or school, I have benefitted from the peace of mind and heart that follows.  I know that I can be a good influence and make a difference in the lives of others, as well as my own.

I love the teachings and principles that Christ taught and I know that following them will bring us happiness and peace.

We Must Be Born Again

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God”  - John 3:3

What is the difference between “seeing” the kingdom of God and “entering” the kingdom of God?

First of all, you can see a place without actually entering it.  For example – Temples.  Many people visit temple grounds and see the beautiful Houses of the Lord.  They even feel His spirit there, but it takes more than just seeing the temple to receive the numberless blessings it provides in our lives.  We must do more – we must be doing all we can to follow Christ’s teachings.  We must obtain temple recommends through proper authority that signifies our person worthiness and efforts in living the gospel.  We must be willing to make promises to follow God.  And as we make these addition steps, not only will we see the temples, but we will enter the temple.  I think the same holds true for the kingdom of God.  It’s one thing to see it, but it takes more to enter.

What did Jesus Christ teach Nicodemus that he must to do enter the kingdom of God?

• Jesus taught that we must be born again.  He said we must be born of water and of the Spirit.  Mosiah 5:7 sheds some addition light concerning being “born again.”  It says that as we make covenants (promises) with God, we become His children, sons and daughters, and our hearts change and we are born of Him.  So as we change and improve our lives and make promises with God to follow Him, we can be “born of God.” 

What does it mean to be “born of water?”

• Being “ born of water” indicates baptism.  Jesus Christ gave us the perfect example of the necessity of all to be baptized.  As we make the promise to follow God as we are baptized, it is a symbolic rebirth, as we are immersed into the water and come up fresh and new.

• Moses 6:59 demonstrates a ways that baptism is a symbol of rebirth by discussing how transgression brings the fall (death).  Being cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ is the way for us to live again.  Just as we come to earth, we must be cleansed and born again through water (baptism) and live again with God.

• Romans 6:4 exemplifies baptism as symbol of death by describing “we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”  I like this illustration of newness that comes from baptism.  We go into the water, symbolizing death, and we are raised out of the water as a new being.

What does it mean to be “born of the Spirit?”

• Being born of the Spirit indicates the gift of the Holy Ghost.  That is the next step after baptism, or being born of water.  We receive this gift by the laying on of hands by those with authority to give the Gift of the Holy Ghost.  As we have the companionship of the Holy Ghost, we will have the blessing of guidance, direction, comfort, and knowledge in our lives.

• God compares the Spirit to the wind in John 3:8.  The wind blows where it will.  We can hear the wind, but do we know where it comes from or where it’s going?  This is a good comparison because we can hear the promptings of the Spirit and feel its presence in our lives, although it is subtle like the wind.  But also like the wind, it comes from something greater, and is going on to do great things.

To end, there are a couple of meaningful passages in John 3.  Verses 14-17 and 35-36 show of God’s great love for the world and all His children.  He loves us so much that he gave his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.  He gave His Son that we can be saved and return to Him.  He loves His Son as well, and He trusted Him to do His will.  And if we accept and follow and believe in Him, God promises everlasting life and salvation.  This is a beautiful promise and I’m grateful for this knowledge that I have.  I know that we are children of God, that He loves each of us, and if we follow Him, we can return to Him through the Atonement and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Names and Titles of Jesus Christ

• Christ:  This is a sacred title and was not an everyday name.  It is Greek for “the anointed” and corresponds with the Hebrew names “Messiah” or “Messias,” which also mean “the anointed.”  It shows the Lords divine origin.

•  Messiah:  Messiah is the Aramaic word meaning “The anointed.”  This name is essentially interchangeable with “Christ” in definition.  It exemplifies the fact of Christ’s preordination.

•  Jehovah:   The Bible Dictionary defines this name as “Unchangeable One” and “The eternal I AM.”  The Institute Manual says it means “Self-Existent One” or “The Eternal.”  “I Am” denotes “Self Existent One”, so it’s neat to see how these names all intertwine and help us to understand the significance of this title.

•  Immanuel:  This name means “God with us.”  It’s a name-title given in Isaiah as a sign of God’s deliverance.

•  The Word:  Because Jesus is the Son of God and does the will of God, He essentially becomes a proxy of the Word of God.  Talmage wrote “…the Father operated in the work of creation through the Son, who thus became the executive through whom the will, commandment, or word of the Father was put into effect. It is with incisive appropriateness therefore, that the Son, Jesus Christ, is designated by the apostle John as the Word…” (Jesus the Christ, 33).

General Conference!

I'm watching General Conference right now with Brooke and Taylor.  We're watching it live on www.lds.org - second session of the day with one hour left!
This morning's session had some exciting news!  There will be a SECOND temple built in Provo!  Last year the Provo Tabernacle burned down and it's going to be rebuilt as a temple!  That is incredible! 
The other new temple locations are as follows:
Durban, South Africa
Kinshasa, Congo
Star Valley, WY
Barranquilla, Colombia
Paris, France
There have been some wonderful and inspiring talks given this morning and afternoon!  I've noticed there has been quite a focus toward the youth of the church.  As well as priesthood and temple ordinances, family history work, raising families, the importance of scripture study, spiritual priorities, and wise time management.  Richard G. Scott was the first speaker this morning and I really enjoyed his talk about scriptures and their importance.  He said that we can face difficult challenges using the scriptures and that they are a type of handbook for God's children.  They bring not only peace, hope, and restoration, but also physical healing.  I liked a question he asked: "Do you use ALL of the standard works, including the Old Testament?"  He also emphasized the importance of charity and that without charity, we have nothing.

After this conference I'm going to get a hair cut.  I'm looking forward to that - it's time for a new 'do'!  I'm going to have a fun colorful extension thrown in as well.  I hope it turns out alright!  :)
After my hair cut, Brooke and I are going to my place in Provo to hang out while Taylor is at Priesthood session in Orem with family.  Then once that is over, he'll come pick up Brooke!  And by the time I get home, Michael will most likely be finished with work at the BYU Testing Center.  Bless him, he has to miss both sessions today while he works, poor thing!  He'll catch up with them online though.  We came up with the most perfect Family Home Evening plan the other day!  There are 4 main sessions of conference - 2 Saturday, 2 Sunday, as well as the Relief Society and Priesthood conferences.  And there are 4 weeks a month, and sometimes 5 - so we're correlating those sessions with weeks.  Each Family Home Evening [Monday nights], we will listen to and discuss a conference talk from the most recent conference.  If it's the first Monday of the month, it'll be from the first session [Saturday morning], and if it's the 3rd Monday, than 3rd session [Sunday morning], etc.  And on the occasion of a 5th Monday, we will alternate a talk from Priesthood or Relief Society!  And that way we will be able to utilize these talks and keep them fresh in our minds even after conference.

Last Week of July

After a recent family reunion, Alexis got to go spend a week visiting her parents!  She spent some time with friends and family in Klamath Falls, Oregon and also visited the Redwoods and the coast.  The following photos are photos that Alexis shared with me [Brooke] from her cellphone.
She and Mom delighted in a fun excursion at Trees of Mystery.


Alexis thought that this dead fish in the sand in Crescent City, California was quite amusing.


Alexis and Mom got to enjoy this lovely sunset in Crescent City, CA.


Alexis and Mom had a fun time in Arcata, California.  They ate delicious food and purchased tie dyed t-shirts.


Alexis saw this big bear in Adin, California on their way to the airport in  Reno, Nevada.

She had a wonderful little vacation, but she was also very happy to see Michael again when she returned to Utah.

Alexis and Michael's Wedding

Alexis and Michael got married on 26 May 2011 at the Bountiful Utah Temple!

More photos can be found here.

The Absolute Dumbest Dream.

A dream I had this morning:
It was at my old house in KF, and these cute little guinea pigs were walking around in the garage, driveway, yards, etc. There were even some cute ones all curled up in the grass, and I was talking to them and taking their pictures. They told me that they liked their pictures taken and thought I was nice.
Then these other animals, like little foxes, thought it 'd be fun to sneak up on the guinea pigs and scare them! Or even have them for a snack! They were right there saying so. I let the guinea pigs know of my concern for them with the foxes around (Who were RIGHT there! They had to have heard them as well!) And warn them that the foxes were planning on sneaking up and scaring them. The guinea pigs said they didn't care. Just then, a fox was all trying to be sneaky in the grass. And as he approached them, (I thought they were going to die!) he just greeted them and told them to have a nice day. And walked away. And the guinea pigs looked at me and said, 'We knew they were nice foxes. That's why we weren't worried.'
"Wow! how did you know?' I asked them' (as i was examining them with a magnifying glass). They were looking back at me through the magnifying glass and told me about how they believe all creatures are inherently good and that if you just let them be, they'll do the right thing by nature, etc.
So I took another photo of them and thanked them for their time.
As I was on my way to visit more friendly animals my alarm clock, THANK GOODNESS, woke me up!!!

Planets.

Ok, everyone is probably going to think I’m the weirdest human ever. But, I woke up this morning with a specific thought in my mind: What will happen to this planet after the “end of the world” occurs?

Hmm... I know that when people are resurrected their elements will be restored and we all will have our perfected bodies as they were in mortality. And knowing that we will be reunited with the elements that we are composed now, then our planet will have no evidence of our past existence. Which would erase evidence of past life on our planet! However, I know Earth will be resurrected too, but what does that comprise? Will it remain in the same location?


While lying in bed with this entire thought process, I immediately considered of our fellow planet, Mars. For so many years, people have searched for life on Mars. It’s one of the few planets believed to be able to support life! It even has an intricate ‘water system’ that has since dried up.

Maybe the reason why there is no evidence of past or present life on Mars...perhaps it once was inhabited with civilizations, but has since lived out its planetary life-cycle...? Could it be the remains of a now-resurrected planet such as our own? Could all evidence of life be so eroded and lost...Does the resurrection of a planet involve the dead planet becoming bare and desolate? Seriously, what happens to planets when they are resurrected?! Does they stay in the same spot and condition? Will Earth remain in her little Milky Way galaxy? Surrounded by her constant atmosphere and systems? I want to know!!! I’ll ask around. I’ll ask Dad! Haha.
This is probably my most jumbled, confusing post ever. I’m sorry.

Live life to love.

I'm currently reading a book containing numerous annotations of life and lessons various individuals have learned. One essay in particular, James Kullander recounted the experiences he had with his wife during her battle with cancer. I felt positively affected by his final reflections concerning the account, regardless of the painful nature of all that had happened.

Here I quote:

"A part of me died with Wanda, a part I was glad to see go: my resistance to love. I'd often put distance between myself and others as a way to keep from feeling trapped or getting hurt. I'd delivered wearying criticisms of people I thought were less than perfect, as if I were any better than them. Living like that had been a long, hard battle with many casualties, the most wounded sometimes being me. I think that during all those silent meditation sessions; in all the time I'd spent listening to the wisdom of renowned teachers, theologians, and sages; in all the millions of words I'd read in profound spiritual tracts, I'd been trying to learn how to love. But no amount of meditation or yoga or studies of scriptures could have given me that. Wanda's death put me in touch with one of the highest orders of human existence: to love others as though we are all dying all the time, because the plain truth of the matter is that we are. For a long time I didn't know how to articulate this new feeling, even to myself. Then a couple years ago I heard k.d. lang sing a Leonard Cohen song in which love is described as "a cold and broken hallelujah." And I thought, "Yes, that's it." In this love I found rest from a sort of homesickness that had afflicted me all my life."

James Kullander's insights really helped me to realize that love truly is what makes life fulfilling. We can do many things throughout our life, searching for what we think might be what we're looking for, but what we need to learn is to love others. With a sincere, undying compassion and sympathy for all around us. To give fully of ourselves and serve everyone.
(Hey! Isn't that the basis of what the Book of Mormon teaches us? Charity never faileth!)
Anyways, I know I purposefully try to distance myself from others. I avoid attachment because I view everything as inevitably fleeting, passing, impermanent . Everything is so temporary to me that I don't want to risk being hurt, losing something I love. So in fear, I am overly cautious. However, in reading Kullander's account, I have been inspired to love more fully! And I wanted to share with you!