Tuesday, January 27, 2015

When the Cloud Rested

An excerpt from my personal journal:

Reading in Numbers 9 about the camp of Israel. It is almost humorous how many times it is written that Israel camped when the cloud rested on the tabernacle, and journeyed when it was lifted. No matter how long or short the stay or the journey, they obeyed. I tried to think of why it was emphasized so many times and how it relates to life. I do try to follow where the Lord wants me to go, but I think it can be more frustrating when we are led to stay in one spot for days or months or years. At those times we begin to question the Lord's plan, to wonder what we are doing wrong or what we haven't already learned in that place. But I am sure there can be as much to be learned from staying as from moving, and I think I need to figure out how to just be sometimes, especially as a mom.

The funny thing is, we have moved on average once a year since we were married, and just found out that we will be moving again in just a few months! But as far as my life goes, the physical packing and moving is a repetition resulting from being the the same transient, student stage for a long while. So I am staying and I am moving at the same time. Ha!

Saturday, January 10, 2015

Memorizing.

I want to work on memorizing again. There is power in writing the word of the Lord in our brains, which helps the Spirit write it in our hearts. Also, the combination of my horrible mommy brain with starting to do estate planning make me worried about Alzheimer's! I am going to shoot for one scripture or quote a week (let's ignore the fact that I am already behind). To start, this one from Ezra Taft Benson stood out:

The great task of life is to learn the will of the Lord and then do it.

The great commandment of life is to love the Lord.

-Ezra Taft Benson, April 1988

I am also going to try to at least familiarize myself with each quote in Spanish and Japanese, so here are those, too.

El gran labor de la vida es averiguar cuál es la voluntad del Señor y luego obedecerla.

El gran mandamiento de la vida es amar al Señor.

人生における大きなる務めは主の御心を知り、それを行うことです。

人生における大きなる戒めは主を愛することです。