Book of Mormon Reading: 1 Nephi 13-14

In my Book of Mormon readying today, particularly in 1 Nephi 13, I have been pondering the great and marvelous revelations we have been given in the past 10 months through our prophet, President Russell M. Nelson.

I recognized today that it is in this manner that the Savior IS manifesting Himself in word, in power, and in deed.

His purpose? To take away our stumbling blocks.

Or, better said, to take away MY stumbling blocks.

In his "Beware of Pride" talk, President Ezra Taft Benson emphasized, "Pride is the great stumbling block to Zion. I repeat, pride is the great stumbling block to Zion."

How much I want to be a part of Zion! How much I want to be counted among those in His fold! So, I diligently try to strip myself of all pride that interferes from receiving His Holy Spirit and understanding His holy word.

But it's not as easy as I want it to be because of that dang, carnal woman part of me! That part always sets me back when I give into the enticings of the flesh, or heed the the enticings of the devil.

Yet, overcoming pride (that great stumbling block to Zion) IS attainable as I become a saint through the atonement of Christ. Because, as Elder Renlund taught, quoting Nelson Mandela, "A saint is a sinner who keeps on trying."

And as a child of God, I will try, try, try.

Visiting Teaching is NOT about me!

Last week my companion set up a visiting teaching appointment for this morning at 11:30 with a sister I have never met.  My companion has been her visiting teacher for a while.

The appointment was on my fridge calendar so I wouldn't forget.

And I remembered all week about visiting teaching - and even into yesterday.

But my early morning schedule changed and I completely forgot about visiting teaching because, you know, I got caught up in other stuff that was also pressing and also important.

So at exactly 11:18, as I was strategically planning my afternoon, the Spirit intervened and gently, yet emphatically reminded me that I had a visting teaching appointment.

Phew! I thought to myself. Now I won't look so bad on my first visit.

Well, just for the record, that is NOT what I should have been thinking nanoseconds after the Spirit had reminded me so tenderly of my covenant duty!

And because of my abundance of pride, I was immediately chastized!

For I learned the reason the Spirit reminded me of my visiting teaching appointment - It was NOT because God wanted me to look good . . .

It was because He wanted the sister to whom I have been assigned to know how much He loves her.