Become As Little Children

In Matthew 18:3-4 and D&C 78:13-14 it talks about becoming as little children. As I pondered this, the words to "I am a Child of God" came to mind.

I am a Child of God

and He has sent me here.

Has given me an earthly home

with parents kind and dear.

Lead me, guide me,

walk beside me,

help me find the way.

Teach me all that I must do,

to live with Him someday.

These words are so simple, yet they explain everything we know about the Plan of Salvation. In D&C 78:18 it says that "I will lead you along." When we become trusting in our Heavenly Father to lead us along, as little children are, we become humble enough to accept His guidance. Children are not afraid to ask Heavenly Father for things like puppy, or a little sister, or to help them not have bad dreams. When we can trust in Him in that simplistic way, He will guide our paths and keep us on track to return back to Him.

In Mosiah 3:19 it gives the traits of becoming like a child:

For the natural man is an enemy to God,

and has been from the fall of Adam,

and will be, forever and ever,

unless he yields to the enticings

of the Holy Spirit,

and putteth off the natural man

and becometh a saint through 

the Atonement of Christ, the Lord,

and becometh as a child,

submissive, meek, humble, patient,

full of love, 

willing to submit to all things

which the Lord seeth fit to inflict on him,

even as a child doth submit to his father.

 

Christ Walks On Water

In Matthew 14 we read about how Christ walks on the sea towards his apostles. Christ bids the apostles to get aboard the ship and then He leaves to pray. The sea becomes rough and the apostles are tossed aboard the ship. They see Christ walking towards them, but they do not know it is Him. They think it is a spirit and they are afraid. Christ "straightway" tells them that it is Him and to not be afraid. Peter calls out and says "Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water." He has faith that is the Savior and faith that he can walk on the water to Him if it is indeed Christ. Christ bids him to come so he comes out of the boat to go towards Him. When he sees the wind and the waves Peter's faith falters and he becomes afraid and begins to sink. He calls out to Christ to save him and Christ immediately" reaches for him and saves him.
In Doctrine and Covenants 88:67 it says, "And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things." When Peter took his steps upon the water he allowed himself to be filled with light. He focused upon the Savior. It was only when he allowed himself to look at the waves and feel strong winds that he became afraid and began to sink. As we travel through the seas of our lives we can keep our focus upon returning to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. We do this by doing the small and simple things that keep our paths aligned with His. We attend our church meetings, fulfill our callings, have family prayers and scriptures, hold family home evenings, personal prayers, attend the temple, and keep our homes filled with the light of Christ.





Doctrine and Covenants
Old and New Testament

Parables

This week is on parables. My definition of a parable is a story used to teach a gospel truth. Some of the parables I studied this week included: the parable of the tares (Matthew 13:24-30); parables of the mustard seed and the leaven (Matthew 13:47-50); parables of the treasure and the pearl of great price (Matthew 13:44-46); parable of the gospel net (Matthew 13:47-50). These parables are comparable to gospel principles.

-What describes the future growth of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints?
The parable of the mustard seed.
-Why does the Church send out so many missionaries?
The parables of the leaven and the gospel net.
-How do you explain the remarkable growth of the Church, considering that it is fairly new compared to most world religions and started small in the American frontier?
The parable of the mustard seed.
-Why are some members of the Church willing to sacrifice so much worldly wealth and recognition in order to maintain membership in the Church?
The parable of the pearl of great price.
-Why do some Church member choose to leave the Church?
The parables of the tares and the gospel net.

In the parable of the gospel net the net refers to the Church. To be gathered into the net is to join the Church. When it talks about gathering the good vessels and casting the bad away, the good are those who are active Church members and keep the commandments. The bad are those who fall away and do not.

Here is a bible video from lds.org that is the parable of the wheat and the tares:
http://www.lds.org/bible-videos/videos/jesus-declares-the-parable-of-the-wheat-and-the-tares?lang=eng