The Savior's Final Week: The Ten Virgins

On this day many parables were taught: the parables of the sheep and goats, talents, wicked husbandmen, wedding of kings son,the widows mite,  and the ten virgins.  For references to those parables. {click here}

The Parable of the Ten Virgins has always intrigued me

T
This parable  teaches us about how to prepare wisely to meet the

 Lord at His Second Coming.

Matthew 25:1-13

“Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins” (v. 1).

The ten virgins, “represent those church members who are looking for the Bridegroom to come; and the oil-filled lamps are symbolic of the Holy Spirit which lights the way before the saints.” -Elder Bruce R MConkie

“And five of them were wise, and five were foolish” (v. 2).

 This parable is not about “good and bad, not righteous and wicked, but wise and foolish. That is, all of them have accepted the invitation to meet the Bridegroom; all are members of the Church … but only five are valiant therein.”-Elder Bruce R. McConkie

In the parable, only those with oil in their lamps were able to enter the house of the bridegroom. In modern times, only those worthy of a temple recommend may enter the house of the Lord.

“They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them;

“But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps” (v. 3–4).

In biblical times constant effort was needed to ensure that an adequate amount of oil was maintained in lamps. In our day we must exert constant effort to remain temple worthy. In the parable the virgins were not able to enter the door without oil. In our day neither can we enter the door of the temple without a recommend.

The Lord commanded the children of Israel anciently to use “pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamps to burn continually” (Leviticus 24:2). According to The Guide to the Scriptures, olive oil is a symbol of purity and of the presence and influence of the Holy Ghost. In modern times a temple recommend is an affirmation of a person’s purity or worthiness.

“While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

“And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him” (v. 5–6).

Elder McConkie explains that “from evening to midnight there was no direct word from the bridal party. At midnight, the most unlikely of all hours for a joyous celebration to begin, the cry goes forth to a sleeping world.” Likewise, the Lord’s Second Coming will be “more distant than the early saints supposed.”

The Lord will come again in a dark “midnight” hour when the world is ripe in iniquity and when for the “elect’s sake those days shall be shortened” (Matthew 24:22). In such a dark time, what a truly stunning moment it will be when the Light of the World appears and darkness is banished!

“Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps” (v. 7).

They all thought they were ready. Outwardly, they all appeared prepared.

“And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out” (v. 8).

In the parable oil could not be loaned to someone else. In our day we cannot loan our temple worthiness to someone else.

“But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves” (v. 9)

And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut” (v. 10).

The closed door is a poignant reminder that “this life is the day for men to perform their labors” (Alma 34:32). It would be foolish to procrastinate the day of our repentance until the midnight hour or to leave this life without oil. Just as oil is not purchased at midnight, neither is righteousness developed in an instant.

“Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us” (v. 11).

The fact that the five foolish virgins knocked, expecting to enter the marriage supper, indicates one of two things: (1) they thought they could prepare themselves after the Bridegroom came, or (2) knowing that they at first had not been prepared to enter, they were hoping for mercy. Either way, the door was shut.

“But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not” (v. 12).

Our Lord, on the other hand, knows each one of us, even the thoughts and intents of our heart (see Alma 18:32). Joseph Smith’s inspired revision of the scriptures places responsibility for being prepared right where it belongs: “Ye know me not” (Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 25:11). In this parable it was the bridegroom himself who answered the door. In the Book of Mormon we learn that “the keeper of the gate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; … for he cannot be deceived” (2 Nephi 9:41). He is the one who will symbolically be checking recommends at the door to the kingdom of heaven.

Church doctrine teaches us that Judgment Day will go beyond a recommend interview. The “Gatekeeper” has taught us that there are additional requirements, such as being humble, forgiving our fellow men, having charity, and so forth. we are not worthy to enter the house of the Lord here on earth, common sense tells us Having a recommend may not be a guarantee, but worthily obtaining one would be a wise way to prepare for the kingdom of heaven. Logically, if that we will not be worthy to enter His celestial home either, the one being symbolic of the other.

*{excerpts from the talk Oil in our Lamps, Ensign June 2007, Elder Glen G. Robbins}

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Widows Mite {click the link for the Bible Video}

I love this picture of the Widow's Mite depicting a young widow instead of an elderly widow that we usually envision. 

Easter Week: Triumphal Entry

John notes, “On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

“Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.

           “And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,

“Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass’s colt” (John 12:12–15; emphasis added).

The triumphal entry, remembered today on Palm Sunday, provides a joyful prelude to the many sad events that would intervene between this point and the miracle of the empty tomb. It represents one of the few times during His mortal ministry when Jesus was recognized as the king He is. However, the triumphal entry also serves as a symbol of Jesus’s Second Coming, allowing us to look forward to the day when He will return in glory and all will accept Him as king.

O Jerusalem

Luke 19:41-43

           41 And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,

 42 Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.

43 For the days shall come upon thee, that thine ^aenemies shall cast a ^btrench about thee, and ^ccompass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,

Jesus cleanses the temple

"The triumphal entry suggests an interesting historical connection between Jesus as king and the temple. From the time of Solomon until the destruction of the first temple by the Babylonians, the temple had been, in effect, a royal chapel adjacent to the king’s palace. Ancient kings were adopted at their coronations at the temple as sons of the Lord (see Psalm 2:7), a foreshadowing of how Christ was not only the rightful king but also the actual Son of God. He had the right to enter the temple, to cleanse it of activities that distracted from proper worship, and to retake authority from those who had usurped it."

"About this same time, Jesus cursed a fruitless fig tree just outside of Jerusalem. The tree withered away soon thereafter (see Mark 11:12–14, 20–21). When the disciples asked about this, Jesus explained that if they had faith and did not doubt, they would be able to do even greater things. There may be layers of symbolism in the event, such as a demonstration of the Lord’s power over things on earth. In addition, the house of Israel, like the fig tree, had been called upon to produce good fruit by observing and keeping all the commandments of the Lord. But as a group, they were barren. Particularly in Mark’s account, where the story of the fig tree brackets the cleansing of the temple, this incident suggests that the house of Israel, like the fig tree, had not lived up to its potential.3 The cursing of the fig tree and the overturning of the money changers’ tables, taken together, may foreshadow the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple some 40 years later."

Easter Week: Mary Washes the Savior's Feet

On the 6th day, Jesus was at the home of Mary and Martha in Bethany for  a feast.  On this day, Mary the sister of Lazarus, washed the feet of Jesus with spikenard, an expensive oil, and her hair.

She knew His time was at hand and this was her last service to the Savior while He was still with her. Like Mary, I wish I could have a moment with the Savior, to touch His feet, and wash His feet even with my hair. 

From April 2009 Ensign Reflections of the Saviors Last Week

John 12:1–9 recounts that Martha served a special dinner to Jesus, some of His disciples, and her brother, Lazarus, who had recently been raised from the dead, before the Master entered Jerusalem for His final week. During the course of the meal, Lazarus’s other sister, Mary, anointed Jesus’s feet. Judas Iscariot rebuked her for wasting the precious ointment in this way, but the Lord commended Mary, connecting this anointing with His coming death and burial. Matthew 26:6–13 and Mark 14:3–9 preserve a similar incident, which they place later in the week at the time Judas agreed with the Jewish leadership to betray the Savior.

In ancient Israel it was common to anoint bodies as part of burial rituals. The Hebrew word Messiah and the Greek word Christ both mean “the anointed one,” reflecting Jesus’s position through these titles. In earlier periods the Israelites also anointed living people to serve either as rightful kings or as high priests.

We, like the disciples, must come to know that Jesus is the Son of God and gain a testimony of what He did for us. As we reflect on the roles He played during the last week of His mortal life, we need to remember that as our Savior He is both a king and a priest.



Resources for the Saviors final week {click here}

Proclamation Series: Come to the Mountain of the Lord-the holy temple

"Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally." The Family: A Proclamation to the World

This week on  Family Proclamation on Fridays I want to focus on the  importance of temples. 

 The ordinances we make and keep are sometimes referred to "saving" ordinances.  Why?  Because they will literally save us and enable us and our families to return to the presence of God. They are that important.

As Mothers Who Know, we know the importance of making and keeping covenants.

" Mothers who know honor sacred ordinances and covenants. I have visited sacrament meetings in some of the poorest places on the earth where mothers have dressed with great care in their Sunday best despite walking for miles on dusty streets and using worn-out public transportation. They bring daughters in clean and ironed dresses with hair brushed to perfection; their sons wear white shirts and ties and have missionary haircuts. These mothers know they are going to sacrament meeting, where covenants are renewed. These mothers have made and honor temple covenants. They know that if they are not pointing their children to the temple, they are not pointing them toward desired eternal goals. These mothers have influence and power." -Julie B. Beck, Mothers Who Know October 2007 Ensign

Our Young Women recite this in their theme every Sunday:

"We believe as we come to accept and act upon [these] values, we will be prepared to strengthen home and family, make and keep sacred covenants, receive the ordinances of the temple, and enjoy the blessings of exaltation. 

If you want a powerful read, read Julie B. Beck's talk on the Doctrine of the Family 

She refers to the Creation, the Fall, and the Atonement as the Theology of the Family.  The Creation of this earth, was the creation of an earth where a family could live.  The Fall provided a family.  Without the Fall, there would have been no family.  And the Atonement makes it possible for us to live after this life, with our Father in Heaven, as families......The Theology of the Family.  This is what it is all about.

Doctrine and Covenants 2 : temple blessings and covenants. 

1 Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of ^aElijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and ^bdreadful day of the Lord.

2 And ^ahe shall plant in the hearts of the children the ^bpromises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers.

3 If it were not so, the whole ^aearth would be utterly wasted at his coming.

September 21, 1823. Angel Moroni, the last prophet of the Book of Mormon appeared to Joseph Smith as a resurrected being. He came in light and he had a very important message from the Lord to Joseph Smith and to the world.

The message Moroni had was D&C 2  about preparing the world to receive the blessings of the temple. Three times during the same night and one more time the next morning, the angel Moroni delivered the exact same message to Joseph Smith.

This is the only scripture that is quoted in all four standard works. The promises of the children made to the fathers was that their hearts would turn to their fathers . Who are the fathers? Julie B. Beck said, “The fathers were Adam, Abraham,Isaac, Jacob, Noah—those ancient prophets who understood the doctrine of eternal families. The temple provides the saving ordinances and covenants of eternal life, without which “the whole earth [would be] utterly wasted.”

This message was so important, it was given to Joseph Smith BEFORE he received the plates, BEFORE the Book of Mormon was translated, BEFORE he received the priesthood, and BEFORE the church was organized. 

Moroni was the one to deliver the message AND he is delivering a message to us every day.

I love what Sister Elaine Dalton said in our YW General Conference last week,

"  I have a spectacular view of the Salt Lake Temple. Every day I see the angel Moroni standing atop the temple as a shining symbol of not only his faith but ours. I love Moroni because, in a very degenerate society, he remained pure and true. He is my hero. He stood alone. I feel somehow he stands atop the temple today, beckoning us to have courage, to remember who we are, and to be worthy to enter the holy temple—to “arise and shine forth,”¹ to stand above the worldly clamor, and to, as Isaiah prophesied, “Come … to the mountain of the Lord”²—the holy temple.

See other posts on temples {CLICK HERE} 

Spinning Plates and the Atonement

Sometimes I feel like a magic plate spinner. 

 Each one of the labeled plates above could also have its own set of spinning plates.

Many days I feel like I am running from plate to plate trying to keep them all spinning, spinning, spinning so that they don't fall. 

Do you ever feel like that?

 Elder Bednar  wrote this amazing talk that I needed today.  I opened up my new Ensign and there it was: The Atonement, and the Journey of Mortality

This talk is basically the same message as In the Strength of the Lord which is on my Must Reads list.

I even wrote a blog post about it {CLICK HERE}

What I am touched by this time as I read it, is how we need the Atonement so much in EVERYTHING! 

"The enabling power of the Atonement strengthens us to do and be good and to serve beyond our own individual desire and natural capacity."-Elder Bednar

The enabling power of grace is a must have in my life. 

I need it.

I need Him.

  I am so grateful for the Atonement. 

I know He lives. 

The True Source: Jesus Christ

{Source}

Today during Stake Conference, President White, our 2nd counselor in our Stake Presidency,was sharing 2 Nephi 25:26 in his talk:

 "And we ^atalk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we ^bprophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our ^cchildren may know to what source they may look for a ^dremission of their sins."

 My mind kind of stopped on the reference  of "source" and how Jesus Christ is our source for a remission of our sins and everything else.


 Then in my mind's eye I saw a photo from one of my blog posts with the word "SOURCE" underneath to identify where that picture originated from and who it's true author was. See the example above.

Out of my own curiosity I looked up the synonyms for "source" to help me understand more about how Jesus Christ is our true source .  I was amazed at how much meaning and depth it brought to the scripture by just understanding all the different meanings of that word.  I didn't know it meant so many things.

These were some that I found: author, authorship, begetter,expert, fount, father, informant, parent, specialist, starting point, wellspring...

Each one of those words applies to Christ and who He is and can be in our lives, if we look to Him.

I am a very visual learner, so I put together some pictures to help illustrate how the Savior is our true source. [Make sure you click on source.]

For a remission of our sins

Source

In our faith growing and being sustained

source

In Prayer

source

In being directed and guided,
He is our light

source


 In our joy

source

In our marriages

source

In our Families

source

In the food we eat and depend on daily

source

In the beauty of His creations

source

In our daily spiritual feasting of the scriptures

source

In the saving ordinances and covenants

 available in Holy Temples that will allow us

 to return to live with Him again someday

source

Proclamation Pillows

This idea came from Shannon @ theredheadedhostess.com

{click here for project "Throw Pillow with a Message}

Our focus in Young Women's this year is

The Family Proclamation. 

We are working on memorizing it and trying to implement it all year into our Sunday lessons as well as our weekday activities.

We did this as a Laurel activity and it was a big hit.  The girls all loved this!  It had been on our calendar for a long time and there was much anticipation leading up to it. 

This activity as a Young Womens' activity was a little more on the pricey side, but  "worth it". Due to the high importance of The Proclamation and looking for creative and different ways to teach it, this became a  "must do" in my eyes .  We just had to get a little creative with how to fund it...

We asked the girls to bring their own material and pillow.  One pillow only takes about 1/2 yard of fabric, so that is very affordable.  The form pillows were priced around $8-$10 at our Walmart.If I was just making this for myself, I might spend the money for that.  But, that was more than I personally wanted to spend on materials for a young women project, if I didn't have to.  I also have  twin daughters in Laurels, so I was looking at this from a leader perspective as well as a mom  perspective.

 Guess what?  I didn't have to buy the form pillows!  This is what we did:

We bought the cheapest of the cheap bed pillows. I found some for $2.50. We then cut the pillows in half.  That makes each half $1.25!  Very affordable and you can't tell difference once it is in the pillow.

Some girls brought old couch pillows and just used that for their pillow.

After the girls have written their Proclamation phrases...sew 3 edges together with right side together.  Clip the corners as shown in the picture

Make sure after you flip it with the right sides out, that you poke your corners out really good.

Pin the top edge, then hand sew it. 

Proclamation Pillows done! 

Proclamation Series: The Divine Plan of Happiness

"In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshipped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize their divine destiny as heirs of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally "

Two years ago my aunt died. She was in her mid 70s, had cancer, and went rather quickly. I loved her dearly! She is one of my mother's sisters and was a second mother to me in life. She was one of the soft places I had to land. She always loved me with the sweetest purest love. When she died, I was heart-broken. Out of the clear blue sky, announced, I would burst into heart-broken tears over her death. Just yesterday I heard Whitney Houston's song "I Will Always Love You" and the tears came right back.

But I do feel peace, knowing she is on the other side. She still lives. I have felt her presence with me from time to time. It is comforting to know that someone who knows me and loves me is on the other side, not too far away, watching over me.

I know that through the blessing of the temple, families can be together eternally. Death does not have to separate families.

I had an interesting visit with a new friend.  She began to tell me of her conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is not your typical conversion story:

"She and her husband both moved to the same town from different locations, in their high school years. Neither one of them were members of the church at that time, although they had friends who were LDS.  They dated each other in high school, then  were later married in a Baptist church.  They weren't Baptist, but had a friend who was, so that is where they were married.  Shortly after they were married they had the feelings of wanting to start going to a church of some kind, but they weren't sure where or which one. 

Another friend of theirs (who was LDS ) had an infant son who died suddenly of SIDS.   She wanted so badly to comfort her friend in this devastating loss, but did not know how. She was at a loss of what to say or how to comfort her. This baby's death effected her and her husband deeply.  They were groping to understand the "whys" as much as anyone.  They attended the funeral and were deeply touched by the message of hope and the Spirit that was felt there.   The funeral was the turning point in their conversion.  They received the missionaries who taught them the gospel and they were baptized.  "

That was probably 20 years ago or so, and they think of that infant boy who died of SIDS as their first missionary.  Without his death, they feel they wouldn't have been introduced to the gospel.  They revere him in that his purpose and mission on this earth was partly for them to find the true gospel of Jesus Christ.  This tragedy of loss in this families life, gave the light of the gospel in the other.

That story touched me  deeply. I have the faith and assurance that this family who lost their son, will see him again.  They are still a family and their family relationship can "be perpetuated after death"

For more information on how we can live as families and with God again, {click here}

To read The Family: A Proclamation to the World {click here}

Putting on the Whole Armor of God/FHE

This was a family home evening lesson we did when we had grade school age children and teenagers. It was a great visual that worked on both age groups on teaching about putting on the armor of God.

Lesson: 

What is going to happen when we put these oranges into the water?

 Are they going to sink or are they going to float?

[the younger kids will probably answer SINK, because an orange looks heavy enough to sink in water]

But, instead....the oranges FLOAT because they have their ARMOR on

What happens when you peel the oranges?

Without their ARMOR on, they sink! We can compare these oranges to us and how important it is to put on our full armor everyday.

Here is on oldie but goodie seminary video from the 80's: 

 "Putting on the Armor of God" and symbolically what can happen if we take off our armor even for a minute.

Scripture: Ephesians 6: 11-17

11 Put on the whole ^aarmour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we ^awrestle not ^bagainst ^cflesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the ^drulers of the ^edarkness of this world, against spiritual ^fwickedness in high places.

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having your loins ^agirt about with ^btruth, and having on the ^cbreastplate of ^drighteousness;

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of ^apeace;

16 Above all, taking the shield of ^afaith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery ^bdarts of the wicked.

17 And take the helmet of ^asalvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

We identified and discussed

• What each part of the armor represented spiritually
• The fiery darts around us
• What we can each do to put on our armor of God
• How to be and stay prepared

We especially like the symbolism of the sword representing the Spirit and how the spirit and the sword both can pierce our souls.  One of the Seminary students remembered talking about this in seminary last week and she looked up this scripture:

Alma 31:5

5 And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just—yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them—therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God.

Family Proclamation Application:

"the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshipped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize their divine destiny as heirs of eternal life."

"Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them..."

"Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities." 

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 extra reading.....Putting on the Armor of God, Ensign January 2001--here are a few thoughts from this article:

“Each of us, no matter who we are, no matter where we serve, must arise and make the most of each opportunity that comes. We must follow the counsel given by the Lord and His servants and make our homes houses of prayer and havens of security and safety. We can and must deepen our faith by increasing our obedience and sacrifice” (“Rejoice, Daughters of Zion,” Ensign, Nov. 1999, 94).

Sometimes it may seem difficult to rise above the world to that level of righteousness. But as we strive to “take unto [ourselves] the whole armour of God,” we will “be able to withstand in the evil day” (Eph. 6:13).

How to Put on the Armor of God

President N. Eldon Tanner (1898–1982), First Counselor in the First Presidency, observed that “those who are clothed in such armor, which means keeping all the commandments of God, are able to withstand the adversary.”

He continued: “Are we studying the scriptures so that we can increase our knowledge and faith and testimony regarding the gospel? … Are we honest and truthful in our dealings? Do we keep the Sabbath day holy? Do we observe the Word of Wisdom? Do we pay an honest tithing? … Are we virtuous and clean and pure in heart and mind and deed?

“Do we fight against the evils around us … ? Do we have the courage to stand up for our convictions? Can we truly say we are not ashamed of the gospel of Christ? Do we live peaceably with our neighbors and avoid gossip and backbiting and spreading unfounded rumors? Do we truly love our neighbors as ourselves?

“If we can answer yes to these questions, then we will have on the whole armor of God, which will protect us from harm and preserve us from our enemies” (“‘Put on the Whole Armor of God,’” Ensign, May 1979, 44, 46).

Daily Spiritual Renewal

"Lucile Johnson of the Timpanogos Park First Ward, Orem Utah North Stake, now in her 80s, learned early in life to don her spiritual “armor” at the beginning of each day. She remembers “arising early in the morning, before my husband and children were up. I found that kneeling in the stillness of my living room, I could begin pleading with our Father for my needs for that day. This brought me great peace, and I learned that He was my helper and protector. Then I would open my scriptures and partake of their inspiration and guidance. Each morning, before I began whatever I had to do—alone, with little children or teenagers, or with my husband in the military and off to war—I knew I would be equal to it."

“That is why I believe in taking the time in the quiet of the early morning hours to study and pray. You will begin your day with a renewing of your spirit. Then you will be truly ready for whatever might come that day.”