Elder
Bednar teaches that the deepest power in the scriptures (Reservoir of Living
Water) is when we look for “connections, patterns, and themes.” Here are my
notes that I review regularly to remind myself that the Lord “customizes our curriculum”
(Elder Maxwell), so we can find Him in a way we wouldn’t otherwise.
In my notes, I bold the parts that I feel help me see the theme, so sometimes I just read the bolded phrases:
The
Grace of Jesus Christ & the Strength of the Lord - All based on the Atonement of Jesus Christ
- Theme: Through the Atonement of Jesus
Christ, he can ease our burdens by strengthening us.
- Theme: When we know the strength of the
Lord is the only reason we made it, we will know of a surety the Lord
helps his people and that he is the only reason we can perform miracles.
- Theme: The Lord gives us weakness and trials, so we
have to be humble and rely on His atonement.
BURDENS: Mosiah 24:14-15 I will also ease the
burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon
your backs; and this will I do that ye
may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that
I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions. ...Yea the Lord
did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they
did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.
THORNS 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 And lest I should
be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was
given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I
should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice,
that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for
thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my
infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I take
pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in
distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Job
1:21-22: The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of
the Lord. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. [Theron
taught me that Job is thanking the Lord for his trials.]
Mosiah
3:19: and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and
becometh as a child, submissive, …willing to submit to all things which the
Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his
father.
WEAKNESS
Ether 12:27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be
humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves
before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then
will I make weak things become strong unto them.
BURDENS: Alma 33:23 Plant this word in your
hearts...nourish it by your faith...And then may God grant unto you that
your burdens may be light, through the joy of his son. And even all this
can ye do if ye will.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ
which strengtheneth me.
2 Corinthians 4:8–10, 17 We are troubled on every side, yet not
distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken;
cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the
Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For
our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far
more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
Jacob 4:6-7 Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations
and have the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a
hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us,
or the mountains, or the waves of the sea. Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth
us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great
condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things.
Elder Kearon: "1 Peter 4:12–13. Think of those
surprises and think of the shocks we are dealt: Beloved, think it not strange
concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing
happened unto you: But rejoice [what a word to use in that context], inasmuch as
ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be
revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
1 Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of
gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto
praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.
1 Ne. 17:12-13 For the Lord had not hitherto suffered that we
should make much fire, as we journeyed in the wilderness; for he said: I will
make thy food become sweet, that ye cook it not; And I will also be your light in the wilderness;
and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my
commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be
led towards the promised land; and ye
shall know that it is by me that ye are led.
14 Yea,
and the Lord said also that: After ye have arrived in the promised land, ye shall know that I, the Lord, am God; and
that I, the Lord, did deliver you from destruction; yea, that I did bring you
out of the land of Jerusalem.
1 Ne 1:20 I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord
are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them
mighty, even unto the power of deliverance.
1 Ne 3:7 For I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children
of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they many accomplish the
thing which he commandeth them.
Francis
Webster “Not
one of that company ever apostatized or left the Church, because everyone of us
came through with the absolute knowledge that God lives for we became
acquainted with him in our extremities. The price we paid to become
acquainted with God was a privilege to pay, and I am thankful that I was
privileged to come in the Martin Handcart Company.”
Elder
Patrick Kearon: https://speeches.byuh.edu/commencements/give-me-a-light-that-i-may-tread-safely-into-the-unknown
I would
like to share some words written by the poet Minnie Louise Haskins:
“And I
said to the man who stood at the gate of the year: ‘Give me a light that I may
tread safely into the unknown.’
And he replied: ‘Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of
God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.’
So I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night.
And He led me towards the hills and the breaking of day." [1]
