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Author: Mindy Zeigler

Jesus In The Book of Mormon

Mindy Zeigler 0 Comments

I have read The Book of Mormon several times in my life.  In fact, last year a friend and I read it together in ninety days.  We finished right before October General Conference.  General Conference is a gathering of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints that happens twice a year in April and October in Salt Lake City, Utah and is broadcast to all the world.  It is a two-day event where our prophet and other church leaders speak to us giving us counsel and direction.  While watching the Women’s Session of conference our Prophet Russell M. Neslon challenged the women of the church to read The Book of Mormon by the end of the year, focusing on the Savior.

I thought well, I just finished reading The Book of Mormon so I’ve already got that done! Someone then reminded me that President Nelson asked us to read it focusing on the Savior. 

That made me think…I had never read The Book of Mormon focusing on the Savior. 

President Nelson said, “As you read, I would encourage you to mark each verse that speaks of or refers to the Savior. Then, be intentional about talking of Christ, rejoicing in Christ, and preaching of Christ with your families and friends. You and they will be drawn closer to the Savior through this process. And changes, even miracles, will begin to happen.” (Sisters’ Participation in the Gathering of Israel, By President Russell M. Nelson, October 2018 General Conference)

So, I decided to read it again in about a ninety-day time period.  As I did, I highlighted every time it mentioned the Savior.  I took notes every time it mentioned who the Savior was and what He does for us.  I also took notes on all the interactions the people in the scriptures had with Him and the things we should and should not do to focus on Him.  I ended up with over 6,300 highlights and notes about the Savior in The Book of Mormon.

I found that as I read, focusing on Jesus Christ, I began to think and talk more of Him.  I grew closer to Him and I saw miracles as I received the strength I needed to get through some tough times that I had no idea were even going to happen.

This time when I read, it changed me.
I went from thinking this is “the church,” to this is “His church.”
I went from thinking we should keep “the commandments,” to I must keep “His commandments.”

As I read and focused on Him, taking notes of his qualities and interactions with us.  I wanted a way to remember some of them.  So I used the alphabet a-z and assigned a quality of Christ that I was reading about to each letter so I could memorize it and think of it when I needed to focus more on Him.  I repeat this to myself every time I am angry, sad, disappointed, or simply need to think of Him more.  It has brought me peace and helped me feel calm when I have needed it.

Jesus…

Is ALMIGHTY (1 Nephi 1:14)
Was BAPTIZED to fulfill all righteousness (2 Nephi 31:5)
Is the CREATOR of heaven and earth (Jacob 2:5)
Is able to DELIVER me (1 Nephi 4:3)
Is one ETERNAL God (Alma 11:44)
FORGIVES me as often as I repent (Mosiah 26:30)
Is the GOOD shepherd that calls me in His name (Alms 5:38)
HEARS my cries (Mosiah 21:15)
INVITES me to repent (Alma 5:33)
His JUDGEMENTS are always just (Mosiah 29:12)
KNOWS the thoughts of my heart (Mosiah 24:12)
Is the LIGHT and life of the world (3 Nephi 11:11)
Is MIGHTY to save (Alma 34:18)
NOURISHES me when I keep His commandments (1 Nephi 17:3)
Is ONE with the Father (3 Nephi 11:27)
PREPARES the way (1 Nephi 17:13)
The hills and mountains QUAKE at His voice (Helaman 12:9)
Shall REDEEM His people (Alma 11:40)
Is the SAVIOR of the world (1 Nephi 13:40)
His TENDER mercies are over me because of my faith (1 Nephi 1:20)
Is UNCHANGEABLE from all eternity (Moroni 8:18)
VISITS me with assurances (Alma 58:11)
His WISDOM is greater than the devil (3 Nephi 21:10)
Sets the EXAMPLE before me (2 Nephi 31:9)
Is the same YESTERDAY, today, and forever (1 Nephi 10:18)
Will establish ZION again among His people (3 Nephi 21:1)

Then after reading The Book of Mormon and focusing on the Savior at the end of last year, this year as a church and as a family, we have studied the New Testament.   I enjoyed reading the Gospels and learning even more about Jesus and His life.  After He was crucified and was no longer with the people, I was afraid as I continued to read the New Testament that I would miss Him.  But, as I read on, I realized that just as in The Book of Mormon, the entire book continued to testify and teach of Him. 

During Jesus’ life there are numerous examples of Him extending the invitation like He did to Peter and Andrew when He said, “follow Me and I will make you fishers of men (Matt 4:19).”

“And they straightway left their nets, and followed him (Matt 4:20).

Everyone who followed the Savior was changed. 

That’s what the atonement of Jesus Christ is about-changing and becoming more like Him. 
If you straightway leave your nets and follow Him, what will He make of you?

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2015 – 1 Second Everyday

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Here is a snapshot of our 2015!

Midway through the year I found the app, 1 Second Everyday.  It is so easy to use.  All you have to do is take a quick video everyday.  The app will easily let you choose which second you want and then will compile it into a video.  If you want to add music you have to do that in another program.  I used movie maker.  It’s a great way to capture your everyday life!

This year I have the app for the entire year.  I plan on having the video ready to view on New Year’s Eve.  I think it will become a new tradition for us!

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52 Scriptures About the Savior

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Camille over at Chicken Scratch n Sniff posted a free printable with 52 scriptures about Jesus Christ.  There are four scriptures to a page.  You can print them off and use them in a variety of ways.  In her post, she even gives 10 ways to use these scripture cards!

52 Scriptures to Help You Remember the Savior All Year

I printed out the pages on card stock and cut each page into fourths so there was one scripture per card.  Then, I printed out a picture of the Savior for the front cover.  I copied and pasted her ten uses for these cards and printed them out as a last page.  I laminated the front and back covers and punched holes in the top left corner and used a ring to make a booklet.

I have been looking for a way to bring myself and my family closer to Jesus Christ.  I am excited to use this booklet all next year to help us learn about and remember our Savior.

I am going to keep this booklet in our gospel study basket that you can read about HERE.

Here are some ways I am thinking of using this booklet in our family.  I got all these ideas from watching Camille’s video and reading her post.
-I would like to focus on one scripture each week next year.  We will read it during scripture study each day that week.  Hopefully we will memorize some of them and it will spur some conversation about the Savior too.
-I printed each scripture on card stock but did not laminate each page (only the covers) so we could write any thoughts we have about the scripture on the back of each one.
-Whenever anyone in our family gets upset, we will read through the booklet in hopes of calming down and bringing some peach and spirit into our lives!

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Family Scripture Study

Mindy Zeigler 1 Comment

 

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Several years ago we had three young children and were struggling to have family scripture study.  I was an overwhelmed mom who had no idea when to do it or how to get my kids to sit still and listen.  Then, twice within a few months I heard two different talks that mentioned holding family scripture study during dinner time.  When I heard the first talk I thought that sounded like a good idea.  Then I quickly forgot about it. The second time I heard it, it stuck with me.  We almost always have dinner together as a family and the children are already sitting!  So, I purchased an inexpensive copy of the scriptures so it would be okay to have them at the table with messy kids and we started reading a few verses from the Book of Mormon each day.  That worked great for us.

As we continued reading and had another child, I began to feel like this was not enough.  We did our best to hold Family Home Evening and daily scripture reading; but, I had a nagging feeling that I needed to be teaching them more-more doctrine, more testimony.  I wrote down a list of all the things I wanted to teach my children and pondered a way to fit it all into our family scripture study.

After a few weeks, I saw something (this post)  that gave me a great idea.  I gathered everything I wanted to teach the kids and put them in a basket.  I sat the basket on the counter right beside out table so we could see it at dinner as a reminder to study.  It also sits out all day so the kids can grab something out of it anytime they want to read or study.

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Then, I found an old spinner game piece laying around the house from a fast food kids meal and converted it to a gospel study spinner.  I had a space for all the things I wanted to study during scripture study.  Our kids already had a specific “prayer day” where they say the family prayers that day (or they can pick someone else to say the prayer once that day), so I let them spin the spinner on their day.  Wherever it lands is what we study that day.  It’s fun for the kids, it adds variety to our study, and we are able to learn a lot more.

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The spaces on my spinner are:
–Book of Mormon-It’s on there three times because I feel it’s really important!  We read a few verses wherever we left off last time.
–Scripture Story-I have the old gospel art kit that has scripture story pictures on the front and the story written on the back.  I put them all in a notebook and the kids open up to a story and we read and talk about it.
–Basic Doctrines-These are the basic doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints that are emphasized in Seminary and Institute classes.  Every time we spin this we cover one or part of one of the doctrines listed.
–Church Magazine-We read a story in the Friend Magazine.
–Scripture Mastery-I have all the scripture mastery cards on a ring and we will open up to one and study it.
–FTSOY-We study a topic in the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet.
–Family Proclamation-We study one paragraph each time.
–Articles of Faith-We study a new one each time.

I keep everything we need to study each of these in my basket by the table.  It’s so easy to grab what we need and study.  I am amazed at what we have covered over the last few years doing this!  If I feel the need to switch out topics I can easily create a new face for my spinner.

If you want to create your own spinner there are a few other options I found (click on the pictures to go to the source for directions:

-Cover up a spinner from an old board game.

-Make your own spinner.
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-Use the Decide Now app-available from itunes and google play.

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-Buy a spinner from Amazon
blank spinners
board game spinner
transparent spinners

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Is a New Table Worth It?

Mindy Zeigler 0 Comments

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This is my kitchen table.  It is always covered in crayons, paper, markers, playdough, matchbox cars, and an array of other toys and papers.  It has nicks and cuts all over the top of it.  It is covered in pencil and crayon marks.  Every chair is completely broken.  It is a well used, worn out kitchen table.  Sometimes I wish for a nicer table.  I realize that a new table would come with one of two problems.  The first would be that the kids would just ruin that table too and then I would be really angry.  The second would be that I would have to basically keep the kids out of the kitchen and off the table so I could keep it nice.  That would be even worse.  I spend most of my time in the kitchen.  If I am in there, and they aren’t allowed to sit at the table doing crafts, homework, and playtime etc. then I wouldn’t get to spend very much time with them.  When I think about it that way, I am grateful that my table is falling apart.  I am grateful that my kids have a place to sit and spend time with me and as a family.  If getting a new table would mean getting rid of that, I realize it’s not worth it.

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