Then I added the yellow words below which are antonyms or opposite words. We had a discussion about those words. Of course our discussion was more positive. Sister Gehring, clever lady she is, even noticed the difference in color and said something to affect, the color used for the positive is more vibrant and cheerful. What do you think of these words? We talked about our natures. The need to change our natures if we have tendencies more like the tan colors. How do we incorporate the more positive words into our nature?
Thankfully the word above came into the conversation. How grateful we are that we have a Savior that offers us the option to Repent. To shake off the negative parts of our nature, then we are able to replace them with a more positive new nature. Our agency to choose this option is such a blessing in our lives.
Joseph Smith-Matthew 1:37- And whoso treasureth up my word, shall not be deceived, for the Son of Man shall come, and he shall send his angels before him with the great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together the remainder of his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
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Matthew 24:27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
On the majority of temples Moroni is facing east which is the direction our Savior Jesus Christ will come from.
Moroni calls us to repent and come to the temple so that we maybe prepared for the arrival of our Savior.
It is no coincident that the Book of Mormon was brought forth during the Jewish Holiday Rosh Hashanah or the Feast of the trumpets. The article below is a portion taken from an Ensign Article January 2000, "The Golden Plates and the Feast of the Trumpets", written by Lenet Hadley Read
A Time to Prepare for the Millennium
Part
of the significance of the Feast of Trumpets lies in its relation to the other
holy days connected to Israel’s last harvest. To begin with, the placement of
this whole series of holy days in the seventh month of Israel’s calendar brings
special meaning, in that the seventh period of a month, year, or so forth, is
generally considered holy and symbolic of completion and fulfillment.
So
significant are these three days—the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah), the Day
of Atonement (Yom Kippur), and the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot)—that together
they are called by Jews the High Holy Days and the Days of Awe.
The
placement of the Feast of Trumpets as the first in the set shows its importance
in the preparation for the significant days ahead. Indeed, the very nature of
the signals that the trumpet makes show the need for repentance as an essential
part of this preparation. First, the
rabbis teach, God offers hope, symbolically demonstrated by a long, lengthy
note. Then man’s weeping for his transgressions with a desire to forsake them
is manifested by a series of short notes. Finally, God’s forgiveness to those
truly repentant is represented by another long note. What beautiful symbolism
for us to be aware of!
Established
prayers on this day urge repentance for the coming reign of the Messiah. And
some teach that God will establish judgment of “who shall live and who shall
die; … who shall be cast down and who elevated.” 19 This judgment is based, of
course, upon who is truly repentant and who continues to be worthy. It is
believed that the ultimate judgment is not “sealed” upon one until the Day of
Atonement.
The
space between the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement can signify the
time one has left to repent. Thus the trumpet of the Feast of Trumpets sounds a
final warning: time is crucial for returning to God and to righteousness. 20
Judaic
scholars teach that the Day of Atonement represents the time when the
unrepentant are doomed, whereas at that time the repentant are forgiven and
reconciled to God. Worshipers believe that on this day they spiritually enter
the Holy of Holies, which is symbolic of entering into God’s presence. This
time is represented as providing them with their “highest and deepest communion
with God.” 21
For
Latter-day Saints who understand the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, a study
of the relationship between these holy days verifies what prophets and
scriptures teach about what will occur in the last days. While Christ performed
the great act of Atonement in His mortal life, His work is not yet complete.
His return will further fulfill reconciliation between Him and mankind, serving
as a time of At-one-ment, a time repentant individuals can physically enter His
presence.
For
Jews, because Israel’s last three holy days signify something momentous to
come, the period between the Feast of Trumpets and the Feast of Tabernacles is
called the Days of Awe. We have already noted that the Feast of Tabernacles
signifies a completed harvest, Christ’s millennial reign. As we anticipate
further fulfillment of all the works of the Lord, Latter-day Saints know that they
truly will be Days of Awe.
Was
the coming forth of the Book of Mormon on the Feast of Trumpets coincidental?
Latter-day Saints who know about these events do not think so. Scriptural and
prophetic truth is often manifest through fulfillment. The golden plates were
delivered to the young Prophet Joseph Smith early in the morning of 22
September 1827. The Feast of Trumpets, with prayers pleading for God’s
remembrance of his still-exiled people, had begun at sundown the previous
evening. The services continued that morning, with a worldwide sounding of the
ram’s horn. Unbeknown to Judah, all that those horns represented was now to be
fulfilled. For on that day, God remembered His people and set in motion His
plan to regather them. On that day, God’s final harvest began. On that day, new
revelation was granted which would bring a return to renewed covenants. From
that day onward, Israel would be called to repentance in preparation for
Christ’s return and reign. The Book of Mormon exists to serve these ends.
Today, Moroni’s image trumpets from temple spires around the world a final call
to awaken, repent, and prepare.
For
Latter-day Saints, knowing this is the final harvest with an ever-shortening
time to labor should further motivate us to thrust in our sickles with our
might. In that spirit, as we feel joy in that harvest we should make known
the marvelous work that the Lord has brought forth in these latter days (see
D&C 65:4).
We further talked about the phrase "Thrust in our Sickles". If you have ever watched someone use a sickle you would realize the hard labor involved. As a girl we had a large field in back of our house and Dad would go back there and use his sickle to clear areas for us to play. The sweat would pour off his face as he labored using this sharp tool.
Story from Brother Pace
When
I was young I was overly dependent on my older sister. For example, I was a
fussy eater, and when we went to visit our grandparents I was constantly faced
with being offered food I didn’t like. To minimize my embarrassment, when the
plate was passed to me, I would turn to my sister and ask, “Collene, do I like
this?”
If
it was familiar and she knew I didn’t like it, she would say, “No, he doesn’t
like that.”
I
could then say to Grandma, “She’s right, I don’t like it.”
If
it was something we hadn’t eaten before she would say, “Just a minute,” and
taste it, and then tell me if I liked it or not. If she said I didn’t like it,
no amount of coaxing could get me to eat it.
I know it is past time for me to rely on
my own taste buds and stop denying myself healthy food just because my sister
told me I didn’t like it.
On
a much more serious note, I believe the time has come for all of us to feast on
the fruit of our own testimony as opposed to the testimony of another person.
The testimony of which I speak is much deeper than knowing the Church is true.
We need to progress to the point of knowing we are true to the Church. We also
need to increase our capacity to receive personal revelation. It is one thing
to receive a witness that Joseph Smith saw God and Christ. It is quite another
to have spiritual self-confidence in your ability to receive the revelation to
which you are entitled.
Many
of us take the blessings of the gospel for granted. It is as if we are
passengers on the train of the Church, which has been moving forward gradually
and methodically. Sometimes we have looked out the window and thought, “That
looks kind of fun out there. This train is so restrictive.” So we have jumped
off and gone and played in the woods for a while. Sooner or later we find it isn’t
as much fun as Lucifer makes it appear or we get critically injured, so we work
our way back to the tracks and see the train ahead. With a determined sprint we
catch up to it, breathlessly wipe the perspiration from our forehead, and thank
the Lord for repentance.
While
on the train we can see the world and some of our own members outside laughing
and having a great time. They taunt us and coax us to get off. Some throw logs
and rocks on the tracks to try and derail it. Other members run alongside the
tracks, and while they may never go play in the woods, they just can’t seem to
get on the train. Others try to run ahead and too often take the wrong turn.
I
would propose that the luxury of getting on and off the train as we please is
fading. The speed of the train is increasing. The woods are getting much too
dangerous, and the fog and darkness are moving in.
Although
our detractors might as well “stretch forth [their] puny arm[s] to stop the
Missouri river in its decreed course, or to turn it up stream” (D&C 121:33)
as try to derail this train, they are occasionally successful in coaxing
individuals off. With all the prophecies we have seen fulfilled, what great
event are we awaiting prior to saying, “Count me in”? What more do we need to
see or experience before we get on the train and stay on it until we reach our
destination? It is time for a spiritual revival. It is time to dig down deep
within ourselves and rekindle our own light.
President
Joseph F. Smith said, “One fault to be avoided by the Saints, young and old, is
the tendency to live on borrowed light [and] to permit … the light within them
to be reflected, rather than original” (Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed. [Salt Lake
City: Deseret Book Co., 1939], p. 87).
(October 1992 Ensign Glenn L Pace of the
First Quorum of the Seventy)
When I was semi less active I every now and then would attend conferences. This story had a huge impact on me. My nature was much like those tan pictures at the beginning of this lesson. I was not only those words but I was critical of my fellow Saints. My attitude was...these people make me crazy. To the point one day in my frustration I was praying in my head to Heavenly Father "Can't you do something with these people...they are making me nuts!" "They are so annoying, I can't deal with this place one more minute." This thought came loud and clear to my mind..."Are you part of the problem, or part of the solution" All of this came around the same time I heard this address by Brother Pace. I promise you, I do not talk to myself like that...I know who that message was from and it was a call for me to repent and realize my part in the building of the Kingdom of God. I made a decision to "thrust in my sickle" and get to work realizing time is short and this final harvest is well on its way. I am not perfect, there are still many times I allow Satan to put thoughts into my head that for moments derail me. But because of the wonderful sacrifice of a loving "Big Brother" I can repent and have a new start.
What a great blessing the restored gospel is in our lives. What a great opportunity we have to learn and to grow. Thrust in those sickles Sisters as Sister Sheryl A. said in one of her comments sharing the scripture 2 Nephi 4:28
" Awake, my soul! No longer droop in
sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul".
