Moses, plagues, and Passover

         So I’m going to try to be better about writing in my blog, but I want to focus on Spiritual things I learn as I study my scriptures, and modern revelation.  

         Right now I’m studying the Old Testament, there is so much I am learning, so to catch you up, before sharing what I learned about Moses, plagues and Passover, here are the favorites, in my opinion. Adam and Eve, they wanted to progress, so they chose to take the hard path, they had to give up the comforts of the Garden of Eden, give up walking and talking with God every day, face to face. All because they wanted to learn and progress. When they found out that there loving Heavenly Father was going to send His Son, as the Savior for them, so that if they would choose to repent, when they messed up, and follow Gods commandments, they would be able to return to His presence, they must have rejoiced. I’m so grateful they chose to progress, because even though they suffered and had hardships the rest of there lives, it opened the door for each of us to come to earth, hopefully progress, and return to God one day.  I’m grateful for Adam and Eve,

     Next Abraham, I love the story of Abraham, I love that he had the courage to obey the Lord, I love that the Lord sent a ram, to replace Isaac, as the sacrifice, something our Heavenly Father did not get. There was no replacement, when He sent His beloved Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, no one or thing so that Christ wouldn’t have to suffer and be killed for us. How Fathers heart must have grieved, as He watched Him suffer. I love Father for sending Jesus, I love Jesus for willingly coming and completing His Atonement for me. I love that He was resurrected, and overcame physical death, so each of us can also. I love that He showed us the way back, and that it is our choice if we follow Him. I think Abraham was commanded to sacrifice his beloved son, Isaac, not because God needed to see if Abraham would obey, God knew Abraham, He knew Abraham would not withhold his son, but Abraham had to learn something about Abraham, he needed to learn that he was totally in, totally committed and converted to the Lord.  I think each of us at sometime in our lives, will have to have our Abraham moment, it will be the price we pay to know God. I hope I can pass the test, when I have my Abraham moment.

        Next Joseph, ( you know the guy with the Amazing Technic Colored Dream Coat, and the brothers that sold him into slavery , out of jealousy) what a story of Love, Forgiveness, and recognizing the Lords hand, especially in the trials and hard times in our lives. Can  we forgive and save those that betray us, that hurt us. Can we love those who cause us to suffer. Joseph teaches me to look to God, in all things, and find out what He is trying to teach me in every moment. 

       Now Moses, plagues and Passover…….., so we all know how Moses was saved, from being killed as a child, how he grew up in Pharaohs courts, gets kicked out, wanders in the desert, marries, and finds God, actually talks to Him and is called to be His prophet, to free the Israelites, who have been in bondage for 100+ years. So now, he is going before Pharaoh, to tell him to let Gods people go. So let’s look at the plagues/miracles he did, with Gods power. 1. Rod turns to serpent, 2. Nile River and all water turned to blood, 3. Frogs, 4. Lice, 5. Swarms of flies. The first ones, were more of an inconvenience that the Egyptians as well as the Israelites suffered. What and who is the Lord trying to teach here? Next, 6. Cattle, animals die, 7. Boils, 8. Hail that turns to fire and kills anyone and thing it hits, 9. Locusts, 10. Total darkness for 3 days. These plagues would only affect the Egyptians, the only safe place was to go to Goshen, where the Israelites were. The Egyptians had a choice to make. These plagues took food, and sent fear throughout Egypt, yet Pharaoh still hardened his heart. 

         The final plagues, if pharaoh refuses to let Gods people go. The first born child of every house, Egyptians and Israelites would die, the Lord was sending the destroying Angel and all first born, of each household would die.  But…..the Lord sent a way to save the firstborn, they were to take the blood of a lamb, without blemish, sacrifice it and put the blood above their doors.  When the Destroying Angel saw the blood over the doors, he would pass by those houses. 

          So the Israelites were to bring the lamb in, in the morning, spend the day with it, and when evening came, they were to sacrifice the lamb, put the blood over the doors, stay inside and eat unleavened bread and bitter herbs, fully clothed and ready to leave, and then wait through the night, so the destroyer would pass by there homes.  What great Faith that would have taken  

          The Destroying Angel comes, all firstborn of Egypt, including Pharaoh’s own son, die, the Israelites are only saved, if they have been obedient to the commandment to sacrifice the lamb and put the blood over the doorway…..Pharaoh finally tells them to leave  

          So what did I learn? God was not just trying to teach the Israelites who He was, and save them. He was trying to teach Pharaoh and the Egyptians also.  He loved them as well as the Israelites. He even gives them an opportunity to make a choice, there was safety in Goshen.  But with the last Plagues, the Destroying Angel, the only protection, even in Goshen, was to obey God, and do exactly what His Prophet warned them to do. 

            I like to think of Goshen as a symbol for the church, Gods Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. For a while, even the Egyptians could have gone to Goshen and found safety and protection from the Plagues, but in the end, each individual household, each individual person had to make a choice of belief and obedience.  

          In the last days, OUR DAY, it will not be enough to just be a member of the right church, Gods Church on earth, we each will have to make a choice, if we will have the Faith, in Jesus Christ, to follow, with exactness Gods Commandments, Follow Gods Prophet.  Being in the church won’t be enough, we each, individually will need to be converted to the Lord. 

           I’m so grateful for the Scriptures and the Holy Ghost, that can guide and teach me, if I will choose to listen, learn and do, heed His warnings. 

Mickelle

          I have a sweet, dear friend, Mickelle Baker.  She has been fight cancer for 5+ years, and lost that battle a week and a half ago. She and her husband, Ben, helped me so much during 2021, they were some of the few that knew what had happened, and Mickelle and I would get together and chat regularly.  Ben would send me conference talks to read and music to listen to. It helped a lot to heal my soul. 

        The Friday before, Mickelle died, I received a text from her husband Ben, letting me know that Mickelle had taken a turn for the worst, and she wanted me and a very few others to come up to the hospital.  Of course we left immediately. She couldn’t talk, because of being on a respirator, but she would write things on a clip board, for us to read and answer her questions. She told me how much she valued our friendship and how much it had meant to her, that I had stayed close, while she went through Cancer. She asked me to watch over her family and help Ben.  It was a sweet sacred few hours, in that ICU room with her. The Lord was there.  I love Mickelle, I will miss her dearly, but I am so grateful she is not suffering anymore and she is whole again. I got some pictures of her, trying to smile under her respirator, as I took pictures of her with Ben, and her with her 3 girls.  Her 2 boys were gone, so I wasn’t able to get pictures of her with them. Saturday, about 2:30, she went through the veil, peacefully, surrounded by her family. God Be With You, Til We Meet Again, my dear friend 

The rest of 2020/2021

 Life has flown by, I can’t believe it’s already 2022. I haven’t been very good at keeping up my blog. Let’s see if I can do better now.

     2020, went by in a blur, with the Covid -19 virus, killing so many people and leaving scores of others with long lasting health issues. We stayed home, as much as possible, wore 😷, wherever we went. All the regular family traditions were spent alone, in our individual homes, Thanksgiving and Christmas, the family did not get together, but as we each had our meals and opened presents, we joined in ZOOM, so even though we were all in separate houses, we were together via technology. I’m so grateful for technology that provided a way for us to kind of be together. 

      The sunday after Thanksgiving, I was released from serving in the YW, in my church. It was an extremely hard time for me, there were some very hurtful things that happened, some betrayal etc.  I was very grateful to not be able to go to church in person, because of Covid-19.  I struggled a lot all of 2021, went down a dark “rabbit hole”.  It took me a long time to be able to talk to our Bishop, and to trust several people, I still have trust issues with them. 

        Looking back now, I have been able to see the Lords hand in those dark days.  He never left my side, and although I kind of forgot Him for a short period of that time, He never forgot me   I have realized He is who got me through that hard year. He usually did it through other people, who knew what had happened and how I’d been treated and loved me and helped me come out of those dark days. I’m so grateful the Lord put them in my path. I love Him, and I know He loves me.  It was also a learning time, learning to forgive and let go of hurts. Learning to see my own sins, and repent and humble myself.  Dad died also in January of 2021.  I am grateful for the lessons I learned, for the hand of the Lord, for the people that were His hands.

     Now on to 2022………………