1-3-12 “He did deliver me from bondage” p.161, Step 12

1-3-12  “He did deliver me from bondage” p.161, Step 12

I have to tell you, I have been very anxious to get to this part.  I am anticipating some good stuff!  I really love her writing style and depth of her thoughts.

Alma 5:7            Mosiah 27:36-37         Moroni 7:3

I was curious about this phrase she mentioned yesterday that is again here in step 12 of “to practice these principles in all our affairs”.  I was hoping that these scriptures would have enlightened something about this but they didn’t.  I have been noticing inconsistencies between theory to practice either in my life or those around me.  I really want to be able to align all my thoughts, words, and deeds to be able to live what I believe.  It like James Allen says in “As a Man Thinketh” (somewhere around page 57) that we will get what we want when everything that we want is in alignment.  Sorry it’s not an exact quote (a friend is borrowing that book right now.)  I think the power to share with others and convince them  of lies that they may be trapped in, the crux is that we first apply and do in our own lives.  Convincing others becomes so much easier once we have convinced ourselves.  This is what the Savoir was talking about when He said, “First cast the mote out of thy own eye, then thou shalt see clearly to remove the beam out of thy brothers eye.”

p.162 “At the very least, we’ve come to realize that there is no other name, way or means (power) that can take us all the way to a state of healing and peace equal to the challenges in these last days.”

I think as the difficulty and trials of these ‘times that try men’s souls’ goes on that this will become increasingly true.  I long to see others turn away from distraction and sin and turn toward the Savoir to drink from the only living waters that can truly heal them.  I see such pain in people’s lives, but it’s a result of choice.  I hope we can all come to recognize our choices and the results we are getting because of those choices. 

“It’s my hope and prayer that you… have turned to the Book of Mormon and allowed it to bring you close to Heavenly Father.”

That reminds me of one of my goals this year, is to turn to the scriptures for problems solving.  Elder Scott gave a great talk on this last conference.  If fact, the first two talks confirmed the same principle in using the scriptures.  I know this is definitely going to improve my ability to spiritually see and hear. 

I like how she expresses her feelings and thoughts in approaching how to write this last chapter.  I like emotional openness. 

p.163 “It was only when I stopped trying to fix myself and admitted my need for the Savoir that I began to experience such love and kindness, such empowerment and redemption from Him, that changes—heart deep changes—began to happen.” 

I really love this truth and I can witness the same in my own life.  This is the seed of changing the world.  Did you notice that she felt compelled to share after she had changed herself?  I think this is the natural pattern of discipleship, missionary work, and living our personal missions.  The pattern I see is to I Change yourself through Christ to gain personal victory, II Build Family Unity and gain the power of the team, learning mission and vision individually and collectively, and lastly III is to reach out and share, to invite, even toward the end of building synergistic communities; in other words Zion.

“But gradually, my efforts failed and I realized I couldn’t live in this half-measure effort to repent.”

I remember this feeling: like I had tried everything else to fix myself and knew without question that I had no other options.  I don’t know why I didn’t try the sure one first and I had to put myself through all that suffering by kicking against the pricks.  The sad part is that I kept myself closed off to joy.  The good part is that now that I’m here I know it without equivocation: that He is the ONLY way.  I too would feel it a privilege to declare this before the world. 

“Only then was I prepared to receive His gift: a remission of my sinful nature, a complete change of disposition and desire to do harm to myself or others.”

I really love this.  To me this is the state of BE that we are in: our character of who we are to date.  I do think that a desire to harm others or ourselves by feeling sorry for ourselves or punishing ourselves so that others will feel sorry for us is a state of BE that we pass on to our children without even knowing it.  This disposition to do good is what they learn and absorb into their psyche and become.  I think this is one of the most important ‘traditions of our fathers’ that can be handed down for good or evil. 

Wow, I love this quote by Benson:

p.166 
”When we awake and are born of God, a new day will break and Zion will be redeemed.

May we be convinced that Jesus is the Christ, choose to follow Him, be changed for Him, captained by Him, consumed in Him, and born again.”

This is how we will establish Zion so that we will be ready to receive Christ when He comes again.  This is my vision and my joy.

Wow, is she saying that missionary work is our path to joy?  As well as our key to retaining a remission of sins?  Did I hear that right?  In the back of my mind sometimes I have been afraid of sounding like I’m being self-righteous, but she is saying is it our privilege and our obligation.  Hum.

Last paragraph on p.166:

Is she saying that being born again is more important than baptism?  This is kind of what I was trying to say the other day about baptism that it will all be worked out eventually.  The important part is what is happening on the inside, not necessarily when the ordinance is preformed on the outside. 

I really do feel like I missed out not being able to attend a group with this 12 Step process, but I can only hope that this has been a needed part of my path and necessary for me to learn to apply these principles to me.  I think it’s gone deeper for personal reasons, and not for reasons of showing others or telling others…  Maybe someday I will yet me able to attend a group.