Coming Back

So I know I havent posted on here since coming home, but since it is a new year and all I have decided that I am going to post my daily scripture reading on here along with what happened the day before. So this will become my study journal and my real journal as well.

Well yesterday was Sunday of course, and with it being the first of the month it was Fast and Testimony meeting. This used to be the most nerve racking Sunday out of the month as a missionary. Especially if you had brought an investigator. What if someone went on a tangent about something controversial in the church, or said something only long time members would understand. As a normal member( which I am still not used to. I freak out that I dont have my nametag on half the day, and I still dont like wearing pants.) it is just nice and you can feel the Spirit no matter what. Yesterday was just what I needed to get my butt into gear, and be doing everything I needed to be doing. Like study my scriptures for an hour, having sincere non repetitive prayers, enjoying the gift of the Atonement, and remembering that I am still a missionary even though I am home, and I better start acting like it.
Well the ward I go to now is a YSA ward. For those of you who know me, I hate the YSA wards because they all are there just to get you on a date and get you married, the main focus is not on learning the gospel. Well that's exactly what I thought the first time I went to this ward a few weeks ago. The bishop didnt come and introduce himself to me, all the people were all cozied up to one another during sacrament meeting, and no one was genuinely listening they all had their phones out. Well yesterday was different, I actually talked to the first counselor and the bishop. I met another newly returned missionary during sacrament, I talked to the first counselor's wife. Then I went to a new member class during second hour. Were I met a lot more RMs one of which is form Josh's mission. So fun. in the first class we talked about how we can learn about God's will for us, and how we can make a plan to follow it. I realized that I had truly been lazy since coming home, and I have really slacked on scripture study, and praying sincerely. So I began to develop a plan that I could start to help me to get back on the same track I was on while I was a missionary. That plan was simple just wake up the same time i did as a missionary although I did change the schedule around a little. I am first going to read my scriptures then eat the exercise and then get ready for the day. I felt like i could still follow my routine if I did it this way.
The Relief Society lesson was even better. It was about repenting. Well who doesnt need a reminder of how important it is to repent so that we can get back to Heavenly Father and His plan for us. Cause I know that lesson was perfect for me. Especially since I hadnt been doing everything that I needed to be doing. I was also able to pay my tithing, talk to my bishop and start to make new friends.
Now to my scripture study well I decided to start where i left off which was in 2 Nephi. I know that is everyones favorite the Isaiah chapter. Now I read the Book Of Mormon about 3 times on my mission but I never took the time to really look up every footnote and understand the Isaiah chapters well I started to do that the last could months of my mission. It takes a lot longer but I actually started to get a greater understanding of it. So today I was in chapter 13. This is when Heavenly Father begins to punish Jerusalem and Judah for their disobedience. And HF takes about the gospel from their lives because they are no longer willing to listen. They use their own wisdom instead of what the Lord has taught them. However in verse 13 something that stood out to me was that it says the Lord will still stand with us in the last days to plead for us. He is never going to leave us for our actions. We only leave Him. Then it talks about how the natural man has taken the people over and they only care about the things of the world instead of the things that will take with them in the next life. The Lord is going to take those things away from us, and show us that they have no meaning, because we can lose all that we have obtain by material wealth.
In chapter 14 it talks about how we can become cleansed in the millenium because the Lord is our refugee in the world and He will save us.
Chapter 15 is the parable of the vineyard. How we are compared to the branches and grapes ,but the grapes are wild and that they are not worth saving. The Lord is no longer taking care of the wild grapes because they are growing and doing what they want. The people are drinking all day long, buying wealth, and forgetting what the Lord has done for them. in verse 12 it says they regard not the work of the Lord. So the people become scattered,they get taken, and times are once again hard. All because they have taken the Lord for granted. The pride cycle has started. Until one day the people once again turn their hearts to the Lord, and repent. They become a humble people again. The Lord always has His hand stretched forth to His people.
Chapter 16 tells of how Isaiah becomes a prophet. He sees the Lord and is purged of his sin.Then volunteers to tell others. The Lord asks him to go convert the people, so he goes and does what the Lord asks. While Isaiah is prophesying it is told that there will be a sign that the Lord will send his only Begotten to a virgin. His son will be named Imannuel, and he will be the rock of defense. He will testify to all about the glory of HF and those will follow Him.
I also read in Preach my Gospel this morning about the importance of the Book of Mormon. How Heavenly Father gave it to us. The only way to truly know that the BOM is true is to honestly seek it, and pray to know. Then the power of the Holy Ghost will come upon you to testify of the truthfulness of the book. However the only way for the Holy Ghost to testify to you if you ask if the book is true or not. You have to know by the feelings that you have had the whole time reading, and the Holy Ghost just confirms those feelings to tell you that you are true. That is how it is for any question that you ask Heavenly Father about. You have to know what you think the answer is and then you just get a confirmation that you are right or wrong. That is one of the greatest gifts Heavenly Father could have ever given us, is the gift of the Holy Ghost. Without the constant guidance of the Holy Ghost we would never know the will of the Lord or when we are doing right or wrong. He is our constant companion in this life. Just like it says in one of my favorite scriptures D&C 121:46.
Well I hope that you have an amazing day and remember the importance of repentance and being worthy to always have the companion of the Holy Ghost.