Where Did the Time Go?

This week has been so busy, that I realized last night that I hadn't posted since Monday! Now here it is almost midnight Thursday, and I'm just now getting a chance to write. Oh, well. Life goes on, as I often say.

Today I got to enjoy a rare treat. My mom and I went to the temple together. The last time we got this chance was about 9 years ago. I am so blessed to have a temple close to me and the ability do the Lord's work today just as the ancient people of the Bible did long ago. I am also blessed that I could have my mother as a companion doing so. Thanks, Mom!

As my mom and I conversed today over many topics, she brought up Moroni (from the Book of Mormon) and how he must have felt when he had to seclude himself during war. For those of you unfamiliar with the story, here is a rough summary:
The Native American People had 2 main tribes long ago, the Nephites and the Lamanites. The Nephites were the righteous ones (most of the time) and the Lamanites sought to destroy them (most of the time). The last recorded war between them was in the time of Moroni (son of Captain Mormon, who was the leader of the Nephite army). The Nephites had started to turn unrighteous and were warned to repent or be destroyed. They didn't listen. The Lamanites won. The Nephites were wiped out, and the Lamanites became righteous unto the Lord. During the war though, Moroni knew that his and his father's efforts to turn their hearts was futile, and he needed to preserve himself and the records of their forefathers, and the Holy Scriptures that were passed down through generations (the Jewish cannon). So he hid in a cave on the side of the mountain where he could still see all the destruction going on. He hid for a long time, all the while finishing his father's work on their people's recorded history.

So why do I bring up this subject, amongst all the others to choose from today? It's because we can learn so much from the experiences and knowledge from these ancient people in the scriptures. They were people, just like us. They had trials and hardships, just like us. They struggled with the same emotions we do: trust/distrust, denial, joy/pain, anger, longing, heartache, confusion, peace, growing, rejoicing, and acceptance. There are so many stories in our scriptures that can help us in our journeys. Male or female alike, both have great merit in the Lord's eyes, and I'm sure He would want us to learn from our ancestors as much as possible to help alleviate heartache and pain in our lives. But when we do come into these situations, we can turn to them for guidance. We have solid proof in writing how things can turn out when we put the Lord in our lives and follow Him.

The Holy Scriptures have much more meaning to me than great fanciful stories, or tales with a good moral ending as some might say. They are proof to me that no matter what I am faced with, the Lord has paved the way for me to return to Him, and it works! There are others that have been tested and proved themselves! It is possible, no matter how rough along the way. When we feel weary and trodden down, then more than ever, plead for the Father's loving embrace. He can take away the loneliness. Maybe not all at once, but He will comfort you. He has promised us this. All we have to do is ask.

I hope that one day I will know all the scriptures so well, that I won't have to look through the topical guide to find quoted text as I have to do now (but didn't have to for the story above). I want to know ALL the stories by heart and with detail. They are so easy to liken them unto myself, just like we're told to do with them. I hope that all of you can find or have found the same joy, and take from God's Words what is there to be taken, but not taken for granted. His words are the perfect way to fill your cup.