that ye might feel and see

Reading 3 Nephi is probably one of the coolest things to do with my time. EVER. I haven't read it in a very very long time (except for the yearly run through the first few chapters around Christmas time) and I'm almost grateful for that. It's making this time through a thrilling and almost new experience.

A few verses from today that I just wanted to grab and remember for later...

From chapter 18:

 18 Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, ye must watch and pray always lest ye enter into temptation; for Satan desireth to have you, that he may sift you as wheat.

 19 Therefore ye must always pray unto the Father in my name;

 There's another verse that says something very similar which I've had in my mind lately as well. From D&C 10:5 (which is also Christ speaking):

 5 Pray always, that you may come off conqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work.

 6 Behold, they have sought to destroy you...

I remember learning that last one in seminary and coming up with an interpretive dance to help us remember it. It worked.

The concept of being protected from temptation is...kind of new. To me at least. I lead a sheltered, awkward girl life. There hasn't been a lot of temptation to speak of in my life. My teen years were spent with boys who thought I was too tall and the drama geek set who all came out of the closet at once and never did drugs. It was pretty...low key. It wasn't until I became an adult with means and TIME and a place of my own that I understood how susceptible I am to temptation. The opportunity to be protected from it became something that I actively had to seek out. And I can say truthfully that prayer is the key. Actually, I believe that the Holy Spirit is the key. He's the protector. But I have to seek him out, show him that I'm willing to try. And then He'll come. It might sound nuts, but I've definitely felt the difference between days I tried (prayed) and days I didn't.

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 And some more from chapter 18 of 3 Nephi (emphasis mine):

22 And behold, ye shall meet together oft; and ye shall not forbid any man from coming unto you when ye shall meet together, but suffer them that they may come unto you and forbid them not;

 23 But ye shall pray for them, and shall not cast them out; and if it so be that they come unto you oft ye shall pray for them unto the Father, in my name.

 24 Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up—that which ye have seen me do. Behold ye see that I have prayed unto the Father, and ye all have witnessed.

 25 And ye see that I have commanded that none of you should go away, but rather have commanded that ye should come unto me, that ye might feel and see; even so shall ye do unto the world; and whosoever breaketh this commandment suffereth himself to be led into temptation.

I loved that phrase so much. "That ye might feel and see." He'll never tell us to go away. He wants us. All of us. Imperfect, sinning, repeat offending, mean, sad US. None of us should 'go away'. These verses are important to my heart and soul right now.

"Hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up..." Gosh. It's so true. When we focus on anything but the Savior, His example, and our own relationship with Him, it's kind of...pointless. We end up going round and round. We end up in the self-congratulatory rut of .... all the other stuff we could 'hold up' as a light. Instead of Him. My testimony of Him, His work, His life, and His sacrifice is the light I need to hold aloft. I am a bit of a coward, so I will work on that.

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 Today's a hard day for a lot of folks. My heart is rather achy in general about everything. I'm grateful that these words were in my reading today when I really needed them. From chapter 18 (emphasis mine):

29 For whoso eateth and drinketh my flesh and blood unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to his soul; therefore if ye know that a man is unworthy to eat and drink of my flesh and blood ye shall forbid him.

 30 Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out from among you, but ye shall minister unto him and shall pray for him unto the Father, in my name; and if it so be that he repenteth and is baptized in my name, then shall ye receive him, and shall minister unto him of my flesh and blood.

 31 But if he repent not he shall not be numbered among my people, that he may not destroy my people, for behold I know my sheep, and they are numbered.

 32 Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out of your synagogues, or your places of worship, for unto such shall ye continue to minister; for ye know not but what they will return and repent, and come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal them; and ye shall be the means of bringing salvation unto them.