The Fiery Poker of the Spirit

Today during Sacrament I felt something. It touched my heart and stirred my spirit. I was sitting there during the prayer thinking about the words of the hymn we had sang (Tis Sweet to Sing the Matchless Love) and as I put the bread in my mouth, in an instant, my mind was hijacked by another thought completely; Mosiah 18:8-10. The baptismal covenants, or those things which we promise with the Lord that we will do as His disciple. It was so touching. So wonderfully loving that I was brought near to tears. I tried to think of all the words in my head and it should be possible, knowing how many times we are read these verses in relation to baptism, but the words were not all there. A few were: "Mourn with those that mourn, comfort those that stand in need of comfort, be persecuted for my sake." I'm not sure that last one is in there, but it was in my mind.

So here is the real deal:

Mosiah 18:8-10
8. And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people and are willing to bear one another's burdens, that they may be light;
9. Yeah, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and to comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life --
10. Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him , that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?

I love that! It is so crazy to think that we are the only thing holding ourselves back from having the Spirit of the Lord poured out more abundantly upon us. We love Him, we have to serve Him, and do all the things mentioned in verses eight and nine, but sometimes we are anxious and even hesitant to engage ourselves in that covenant making process. Out of fear perhaps that if we mess up, we're done? Out of a lack of resolve to always be on our game and doing what is right? Out of selfishness of our time, talents, energies, and blessings? Possibly because of all of those things. But what an invitation! He just lays it out for them; "If this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized?" I would ask that of so many of the people in this world who want to do good and serve the Lord, but do not want to be tied down by organized religion and the perceptions it invokes. It is sad. They are missing out.

But enough about other people, today was about me and my own personal growth of testimony. I was stirred on multiple occasions today. In Sunday school, being taught to see that all of the accounts in the Book of Mormon have shadows of Lehi & Nephi's visions of the Tree of Life in them, and how that vision is a shadow and type of Christ. It was amazing finding the relation between my favorite Book of Mormon story, Samuel the Lamanite, and the correlation to the vision. There stood Samuel on the wall, he had tasted of the fruit of the tree and he wanted his brethren to partake also, so he proclaimed unto them the things the Lord asked of him, inviting them, in a way, to come and partake also. Yet they threw slings, arrows, spears, and stones at him. They were mocking him from the great and spacious building. It is awesome! I would not have made that connection if I had not been at church today.

The gospel is just so marvelously personal, as is the Lord's love for us. I am constantly amazed and in awe of how much he knows me and what things are put in place so that I may learn something new or be reminded of his care. It blows me away. So my faith is rekindled, stoked by the fiery poker of the Spirit. I am humbled by it and grateful for it.

It is my witness that He, Jesus Christ, Lives.