So this year I've tried really hard to revert back to my excellent mission study habits and daily devote time for myself to seriously study the scriptures, instead of just read them. I have found over many years that I really do love learning about Christ and His gospel, but in order for me to truly do so I have to put in the time and effort. Last spring I decided to do something about it since I hadn't been learning too much about the gospel in stinky diapers and late night feedings. I signed up to take an institute class at the local LDS Institute. The class was on the second half of Isaiah and believe it or not; I was ecstatic. I remember my mom attending such classes while I was in high school and college and how she would excitedly teach us things she would learn. As I enjoyed remembering those fond memories, I realized I should still be doing something to be learning and knew a class on Isaiah would definitely be something I could learn from.
The class is now over, but I can't believe how much I looked forward to it and loved learning all about Isaiah's writings. Unfortunately, this fall I missed the boat on signing up for another institute class, but one day stumbled upon the BYU channel that we've had for quite a while. I've always known we had it, but somehow never really registered in my crazy head that the BYU channel actually broadcasts current and old devotionals and talks. I realized that I didn't need to get in my car, find a volunteer sitter for my children, and rearrange my schedule to be religiously educated. I just needed to turn on the tv!
Since then, I've listened to some really inspiring talks that have helped me either bring or keep the spirit in my home and feel enlightened and educated during my special quiet time of the day. One of my favorites was a talk given by Sheri Dew at Education Week. She spoke on how living the gospel really includes sharing the gospel. She said we should be using all of our means to share our feelings for the gospel and actually mentioned using our blogs for a religious outlet. Ever since she said this my conscience has not let me rest.
I've decided that although different from most blogs that I see, I'm going to try to include my own spiritual insights or learnings occassionally because not only do these things truly excite me, but also because I'd love to hear those of others, and I figure why not, there's more to me than kids and cleaning house.
Given this post is already really long, I'll keep my first insight short. As I was studying the upcoming Book of Mormon chapters a few weeks ago, I read in the Book of Mormon Institute Manual something I always knew, but never really pieced together in my head before so clearly.
In 3 Nephi 2: 5-8, there is reference to 100 years passing since Mosiah, king over the people of the Nephites, and 609 years since Lehi left Jerusalem, and 9 years since the sign was given of Christ's birth or "coming." Because I've never been a great historian, I haven't previously paid much attention to dates in the scriptures, but the manual laid it out very clearly for me.
It explained that the Nephites used three systems of reckoning time: 1) the number of years since Lehi left Jerusalem used from 600 BC to 92 BC (see Mosiah 29:44-47, Alma 1:1), 2) the number of years from the beginning of the reign of the judges used for about one hundred years, from 92 BC to AD 9 (see Nephi 2:5-7), and 3) the years "to reckon their time from [the] period when the sign was given, or from the coming of Christ" (3 Nephi 2:8, in reference to his birth) which was the system used for the remainder of the Nephite record. Now I knew the BC and AD systems, but the 2nd one of the 'reign of the judges' always kind of left me puzzled and now I feel like the puzzle pieces fit so much more clearly because they overlap. It's a lot like standard time and army time, i.e. using 17 instead of 5 pm. Anyhow, there it is, something new or maybe not and the "click" in my head went off a little later than it did for the rest of you.
.JPG)
