Writing Styles of Ancient Times!

In Book of Mormon, I felt like we did a lot more academic studying than we usually do. A lot of it had to do with learning the history and the culture of that time. It was utterly fascinating. We talked about how Isaiah prophesied of Assyria's domination even though it was coming 150 years later. We also talked about how Isaiah tended to prophesy for three separate time periods: his, Christ's, and our time. Such as in 2 Nephi 11:2. This has happened in every one of these different times.

Mr. Griffith also talked about how Isaiah was a poet, and therefore had a lot of culturally beautiful aspects to his writings. He pointed out to us how in Hebrew, much of Isaiah's phrases and words were not only repeated three times (as was very poetic in that time) but they looked extremely similar to each other.

Different cultures have always fascinated me. I love studying what everyone's different beliefs are and why. I also love observing how that affected what we do in our day to day lives. It's incredible that we can also see this in the scriptures! It shows that Isaiah was reaching to his people on a very personal level. The fact that he knew of our time and was prophesying for us as well just makes it all the more special.

Also, being able to dive in such a way into the scriptures makes these prophets and their people feel more real to me. I can see that they were real people with struggles just like the people in our time. And that is why Isaiah can prophesy the way he does! Times through history are similar, and just as they needed to study Isaiah's words, we need to study his words and heed them. 3 Nephi 23:1-3 isn't just for Nephi's time or just our time, it is for all times.

I Stand All Amazed

I cannot express to you how I feel about this gospel. Words cannot describe. It's funny, because often times I feel like I almost can't share what I feel and learn about the Gospel because the things I learn feel so sacred and personal to me, but I also feel this deep desire to share and help everyone feel the way I feel. I want to show how important it is and how wonderful and how comforting, but it's hard to open up. Does anybody else feel like that?

I have started to understand how Jacob feels when he proclaims in 2 Nephi 9, "O the wisdom of God, his mercy and grace! ...O how great the goodness of our God... O how great the plan of our God! ...O the greatness and the justice of our God! ...O the greatness of the mercy of our God, the Holy One of Israel! ... O how great the holiness of our God! For he knoweth all things, and there is not anything save he knows it."

In Book of Mormon we have been going down the path of the Plan of Salvation. This week, we went extremely deep into the Atonement of the Savior. We talked about how because of Jesus Christ we can become like our Father in Heaven. We also talked about how he experienced all of our pains, sins, and the wrath of God. I can see our Savior in my mind's eye walking beside us and gently reminding us that he understands and asking us to let him be the one to carry the burden because he already has. I can see him helping us to stand a little straighter and gently taking our hands.

I never thought about the fact that our Brother and Savior also had to experience the wrath of God. I can only imagine how that must have been for our Father, the same Father that wept as He had to destroy His children. It helps me to understand how much our Heavenly Father loves us. It makes Him feel closer.

This is another point when I feel wholly inadequate to show what this means!
Oh, how great the plan of our God! Oh how great His love for His children!