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“Here’s a pretty little legend that I would like to tell,
Of the birth and death of Jesus, found in this lowly shell, If you examine closely, you’ll see that you find here, Four nail holes and a fifth one, made by a Roman’s spear. On one side the Easter lily, its center is the star, That appeared unto the shepherds and led them from afar. The Christmas Poinsettia etched on the other side, Reminds us of His birthday, our happy Christmastide. Now break the center open, and here you will release, The five white doves awaiting, to spread Good Will and Peace. This simple little symbol, Christ left for you and me, To help us spread His Gospel, through all Eternity.” -author unknown This is a poem that my aunt in Oregon has hanging on her wall in a frame with a sand dollar. I remember reading it in my youth. It made me think and I never forgot it. I absolutely loved the symbolism! Moses 6:63 says, "And behold, all things have their likeness, and all things are created and made to bear record of me, both things which are temporal, and things which are spiritual; things which are in the heavens above, and things which are on the earth, and things which are in the earth, and things which are under the earth, both above and beneath: all things bear record of me.” Symbolism is one of the ways the Lord teaches the most important truths of His Gospel. Our prophet, President Nelson, taught recently, “In coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.” Have you been wanting to strengthen your ability to use this gift and receive personal revelation? To receive strength in your ability to receive personal revelation, the only exercise equipment you need is your scriptures. The scriptures are full of symbolism. As you study them prayerfully, the Holy Ghost will help you understand their meaning and you will receive personal revelation. Back when the telegraph was the fastest method of long-distance communication, a young man applied for a job as a Morse Code operator. Answering an ad in the newspaper, he went to the office address that was listed. When he arrived, he entered a large, busy office filled with noise and clatter, including the sound of the telegraph in the background. A sign on the receptionist’s counter instructed job applicants to fill out a form and wait until they were summoned to enter the inner office.
The young man filled out his form and sat down with the seven other applicants in the waiting area. After a few minutes, the young man stood up, crossed the room to the door of the inner office, and walked right in. Naturally the other applicants perked up, wondering what was going on. They murmured among themselves that they hadn’t heard any summons. They assumed the man who went into the office made a mistake and would be disqualified. Within a few minutes, however, the employer escorted the young man out of the office and said to the other applicants, “Gentlemen, thank you very much for coming, but the job has just been filled.” The other applicants began grumbling to each other, and one spoke up saying, “Wait a minute, I don’t understand. He was the last to come in, and we never got a chance to be interviewed. Yet he got the job. That’s not fair!” The employer said, “I’m sorry, but all the time you’ve been sitting here, the telegraph has been ticking out the following message in Morse Code, ‘If you understand this message then come right in. The job is yours.’ None of you heard it or understood it. This young man did. The job is his.” (This version of the story has been modified from Character Out of Chaos: Daring to Be a Daniel in Today’s World by David O. Dykes, 2004, pp. 66-67). Essentially our Heavenly Father says the same thing to us. If we stay focused on Him and His voice we can receive all that He has, “And he that receiveth my Father, receiveth my Father’s kingdom; therefore all that my Father hath shall be given unto him.” D&C 84:38 To receive our Heavenly Father, we must hear His voice. The questions to ask then are... “How can I better hear the voice of God? How can I minimize distraction?” Think about it. |
AuthorThis blog is inspired by The Life of Our Lord, by Charles Dickens. Dickens hoped to teach his children about religion and faith. He wrote the book strictly for his children with zero desire to have it published, but it was later shared with others that it might stand as a source of light in a darkening world. It starts, "My Dear Children, I am very anxious that you should know something about the History of Jesus Christ. For everybody ought to know about Him..." Archives
May 2021
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