Of all the CFM podcasts that I listen to, yours is my favorite, and I make sure to listen to it because I learn the most. Thank you so much for your time and effort - and for the truth and Spirit you bring!
You two are amazing, thank you for sharing your knowledge with us! in particular, because it helps me to come closer to my Heavenly Father and love my Savior more by understanding our history. He has always been there for us and still is. Thank you, Thank you!!!
I just love to listen to your pod casts. In this show I loved how you talked about how we are not alone. How we don't need to feel alone because we can go to church and have so many venues ie: general conference, Pod casts, books etc. that let us feel connected and not alone. I Am so grateful for your talents and willingness to share them. You help me to have a greater understanding of the scriptures and definitely help me to think, ponder and ask more questions. I work with a hospice company and have time to listen to things as I drive to my next client and your pod cast is a weekly listen to must! Keep up the GREAT work and may the Lord bless you both for all your efforts in gathering Israel.
I don’t matter. My life has been & is a disaster. Everything I ever wanted has escaped me. I believe I am worth nothing. The spirit isn’t there & feel everything is combined against. Why do some people get all the blessings, talents, gifts, treasured family relationships, opportunities to serve, and some of us get zero’s?
Jabbles, you do matter! Infinitely! And your life has meaning. But you need to hear that from HIM, not from me or anyone else. I know He speaks. I know He will speak to you. I also know that sometimes it takes diligent effort and a humble heart, but He speaks. And when you connect with the divine, you will sense your worth. It is to Him that you are infinitely valuable. Connect with Him and He will tell you that. I just know it. As far as why do some people seem to have a tougher life than others? Perhaps this will help: Many years ago, when I was somewhere between nine and eleven, I participated in a community summer recreation program in the town where I grew up. I remember in particular a diving competition for the different age groups held at the community swimming pool. Some of the wealthier kids in our area had their own pools with diving boards, and they were pretty good amateur divers. But there was one kid my age from the less affluent part of town who didn't have his own pool. What he had was raw courage. While the rest of us did our crisp little swan dives, back dives, and jackknives, being ever so careful to arch our backs and point our toes, this young man attempted back flips, one-and-a-halfs, doubles, and so on. But, oh, he was sloppy. He seldom kept his feet together, he never pointed his toes, and he usually missed his vertical entry. The rest of us observed with smug satisfaction as the judges held up their scorecards that he consistently got lower marks than we did with our safe and simple dives, and we congratulated ourselves that we were actually the better divers. "He is all heart and no finesse," we told ourselves. "After all, we keep our feet together and point our toes." The announcement of the winners was a great shock to us, for the brave young lad with the flips had apparently beaten us all. However, I had kept rough track of the scores in my head, and I knew with the arrogance of limited information that the math didn't add up. I had consistently outscored the boy with the flips. And so, certain that an injustice was being perpetrated, I stormed the scorer's table and demanded an explanation. "Degree of difficulty," the scorer replied matter-of-factly as he looked me in the eye. "Sure, you had better form, but he did harder dives. When you factor in the degree of difficulty, he beat you hands down, kid." Until that moment I hadn't known that some dives were awarded "extra credit" because of their greater difficulty. I have a friend to whom life has been unkind. Though she married in the temple, her husband proved unfaithful and eventually abandoned her and their small children. Since he has never paid a penny in child support, my friend works full time to support herself and her kids. For several years she also went to school at night to improve her financial situation. Therefore, of necessity, she could not be with her children as much as she would have liked and could not always give them the guidance and discipline they needed. It just wasn't possible in her difficult circumstances. One result of her less-than-perfect family situation was troubled teenagers. Now in middle age she is faced with raising some of her grandchildren-again, all alone. Without a faithful companion, without the priesthood in her home, without the blessings that are realized where the ideal family setting is possible, it is almost inevitable that my friend should feel that her "scores" as a wife and mother, and perhaps even as a person, aren't very high. When she goes to church and sees other "ideal" LDS families, when she hears them bear their testimonies and give thanks for all their spiritual and temporal blessings, she sees in her mind the judges holding up scorecards that say 9.9 or 10.0. When she looks at her own life, her own failed marriage, her own troubled children, she knows that the scores are much lower, and she worries about her place in the kingdom. Well, she needn't worry, for she is as faithful to her covenants in her troubles as the rest of us are in our blessings. True, there are some things she cannot do, but these are the result of her circumstances, not choices pursued by her own free will, and where there is no choice, there can be no condemnation. I have no doubt that when the "degree of difficulty" is factored in for the life she leads, her crown will shine brighter than many others, for God always factors into his judgments the "degree of difficulty" (Stephen E. Robinson, Following Christ, 34-37).
I have no doubt (and I love the fact) that Elijah was jesting with the priests of Ba'al. In public settings anciently it was a public display of wits right? Jesus did that with the Saducees and Pharisees. He was very sarcastic. They hated him because in their public duels he outwitted them and shamed them. Also I think Elijah "played it up" as a witness to all that were there; nothing is happening. We will soon see if I have to awaken my God. Also, I think the wind, earthquake, fire was a representation of the gods the priests of ba'al worshipped. A god of sky, earth, fire, wind. I think our God was saying I AM all of those gods you worship. He left no doubt in their minds, he wasn't in the fire or earthquake they worshipped but small, beautiful acts of tender mercies. These are just my thoughts as I've studied the scriptures. Thanks brethren for everything. You get my brain thinking and pondering things. I'm sure that's a goal of yours! Love you both for your time.
You two don’t realize the great work you are doing. I sincerely appreciate this each week.
Of all the CFM podcasts that I listen to, yours is my favorite, and I make sure to listen to it because I learn the most. Thank you so much for your time and effort - and for the truth and Spirit you bring!
I hear you over and over again. You feed us with great information. Thank you!
You two are amazing, thank you for sharing your knowledge with us! in particular, because it helps me to come closer to my Heavenly Father and love my Savior more by understanding our history. He has always been there for us and still is. Thank you, Thank you!!!
I just love to listen to your pod casts. In this show I loved how you talked about how we are not alone. How we don't need to feel alone because we can go to church and have so many venues ie: general conference, Pod casts, books etc. that let us feel connected and not alone. I Am so grateful for your talents and willingness to share them. You help me to have a greater understanding of the scriptures and definitely help me to think, ponder and ask more questions. I work with a hospice company and have time to listen to things as I drive to my next client and your pod cast is a weekly listen to must! Keep up the GREAT work and may the Lord bless you both for all your efforts in gathering Israel.
Such a great way to start my scripture study. Love the conviction in your presentations. Bless you, dear brothers.
Thank you great lesson have great week.👍
This is my favourite come follow me discussion this week!
Beautiful! Just Beautiful 🥹
❤️ this was so wonderful!
Thanks for sharing
Thank you very much 😍👏
Thank you..
Hufg Nibley also said that the ancient prayer circle was most likely a dance.
I don’t matter. My life has been & is a disaster. Everything I ever wanted has escaped me. I believe I am worth nothing. The spirit isn’t there & feel everything is combined against. Why do some people get all the blessings, talents, gifts, treasured family relationships, opportunities to serve, and some of us get zero’s?
Jabbles, you do matter! Infinitely! And your life has meaning. But you need to hear that from HIM, not from me or anyone else. I know He speaks. I know He will speak to you. I also know that sometimes it takes diligent effort and a humble heart, but He speaks. And when you connect with the divine, you will sense your worth. It is to Him that you are infinitely valuable. Connect with Him and He will tell you that. I just know it.
As far as why do some people seem to have a tougher life than others? Perhaps this will help:
Many years ago, when I was somewhere between nine and eleven, I participated in a community summer recreation program in the town where I grew up. I remember in particular a diving competition for the different age groups held at the community swimming pool. Some of the wealthier kids in our area had their own pools with diving boards, and they were pretty good amateur divers. But there was one kid my age from the less affluent part of town who didn't have his own pool. What he had was raw courage. While the rest of us did our crisp little swan dives, back dives, and jackknives, being ever so careful to arch our backs and point our toes, this young man attempted back flips, one-and-a-halfs, doubles, and so on. But, oh, he was sloppy. He seldom kept his feet together, he never pointed his toes, and he usually missed his vertical entry. The rest of us observed with smug satisfaction as the judges held up their scorecards that he consistently got lower marks than we did with our safe and simple dives, and we congratulated ourselves that we were actually the better divers. "He is all heart and no finesse," we told ourselves. "After all, we keep our feet together and point our toes." The announcement of the winners was a great shock to us, for the brave young lad with the flips had apparently beaten us all. However, I had kept rough track of the scores in my head, and I knew with the arrogance of limited information that the math didn't add up. I had consistently outscored the boy with the flips. And so, certain that an injustice was being perpetrated, I stormed the scorer's table and demanded an explanation. "Degree of difficulty," the scorer replied matter-of-factly as he looked me in the eye. "Sure, you had better form, but he did harder dives. When you factor in the degree of difficulty, he beat you hands down, kid." Until that moment I hadn't known that some dives were awarded "extra credit" because of their greater difficulty. I have a friend to whom life has been unkind. Though she married in the temple, her husband proved unfaithful and eventually abandoned her and their small children. Since he has never paid a penny in child support, my friend works full time to support herself and her kids. For several years she also went to school at night to improve her financial situation. Therefore, of necessity, she could not be with her children as much as she would have liked and could not always give them the guidance and discipline they needed. It just wasn't possible in her difficult circumstances. One result of her less-than-perfect family situation was troubled teenagers. Now in middle age she is faced with raising some of her grandchildren-again, all alone. Without a faithful companion, without the priesthood in her home, without the blessings that are realized where the ideal family setting is possible, it is almost inevitable that my friend should feel that her "scores" as a wife and mother, and perhaps even as a person, aren't very high. When she goes to church and sees other "ideal" LDS families, when she hears them bear their testimonies and give thanks for all their spiritual and temporal blessings, she sees in her mind the judges holding up scorecards that say 9.9 or 10.0. When she looks at her own life, her own failed marriage, her own troubled children, she knows that the scores are much lower, and she worries about her place in the kingdom. Well, she needn't worry, for she is as faithful to her covenants in her troubles as the rest of us are in our blessings. True, there are some things she cannot do, but these are the result of her circumstances, not choices pursued by her own free will, and where there is no choice, there can be no condemnation. I have no doubt that when the "degree of difficulty" is factored in for the life she leads, her crown will shine brighter than many others, for God always factors into his judgments the "degree of difficulty" (Stephen E. Robinson, Following Christ, 34-37).
I have no doubt (and I love the fact) that Elijah was jesting with the priests of Ba'al. In public settings anciently it was a public display of wits right? Jesus did that with the Saducees and Pharisees. He was very sarcastic. They hated him because in their public duels he outwitted them and shamed them. Also I think Elijah "played it up" as a witness to all that were there; nothing is happening. We will soon see if I have to awaken my God.
Also, I think the wind, earthquake, fire was a representation of the gods the priests of ba'al worshipped. A god of sky, earth, fire, wind. I think our God was saying I AM all of those gods you worship. He left no doubt in their minds, he wasn't in the fire or earthquake they worshipped but small, beautiful acts of tender mercies. These are just my thoughts as I've studied the scriptures. Thanks brethren for everything. You get my brain thinking and pondering things. I'm sure that's a goal of yours! Love you both for your time.