Christs Parables

The parables of the treasure and the pearl of great price (Matthew 13:44-46)

If you went into a field of grain that was for sale and while looking it over you found an underground tunnel that led to a great treasure.  You would be set for the rest of your life.  It would be possible for you to take out a loan, buy the property, own the treasure, then pay for the property, what a deal.  This is the parable of the treasure. 

The parable of the pearl of great price is a similar concept.  When a merchant found a pearl that was magnificent he sold all that he had to obtain it.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is that desired treasure or pearl.  It is the only thing that can bring us true happiness in life.  In my life I have made sacrifices of time, money, talents, and perceived worldly pleasantries to obtain this treasure.  I still need more of the Gospel in my life, which means I will have to learn to do what it takes to obtain it.  Some things that I could work on to gain this pearl is to give more time to the Lord by sharing his word with my neighbors and friends.  I am still working on being better at that as well as being sure I always am good to my family and co-workers.  I have seen some that have sacrificed all that they had to know Christ, a woman I taught in Thailand was rejected by her own sister because she believed in Christ.  My wife has sacrificed vacation, family, and work time to help others in need because she knows that it is what Christ would want her to do.

The Net that was cast into the sea in Matt 13:47 is the Gospel of Christ.  It accepts all who enter into it with no respecter of persons.  To be gathered into the net is to start following the teachings of Christ.  Then the good are kept and the bad are cast away.  This represents the final day when we will be judged.  If we have been found to be good servants of God we will be worthy to dwell with him.   However, if we have chosen not to strive to follow him, yet we knew of him, we will not be able to dwell with him in his Kingdom.

Zacharias's Big Surprise

Zacharias was a little shocked when he found out that he was going to have a baby because it was impossible.  He was lucky that he and his wife didn’t have to think of a name the Lord had already taken care of that for him.  I had a similar feeling when I found out that my wife and I were able to get Pregnant.  I must say I am glad that I was not struck dumb for my lack of faith.  John’s entry into this world was a miracle, that is something to rejoice over.  His parent’s were unable to have children until him.  It was prophesied that John would prepare the way for the Messiah.  This is something to rejoice over as well.  Not to mention John received that authority to baptize.  Anyone who had a good understanding of the gospel at that time would have been thrilled to be able to make the first important covenant that would help them qualify to be with God after this life.

CAPSTONE: Education

We have been commanded and asked to get as much education as possible.  God has asked us to do this for a reason.  The only thing we get to take with us in the next life is our education.  Being educated also helps us in so many ways.  We are able to protect ourselves if we are educated and we are able to keep things fair if we are educated.  We need to gain education in temporal matters as well as in spiritual matters.  It has been said that it isn’t just a suggestion, that it is a commandment and we need to be putting forth all the effort we can to get our education.  I am going to be graduating with my Bachelors Degree in July.  I have been so thankful for the opportunities to get an education and to learn so much as I have been going to college.  I have recently been considering getting a Masters degree as well because I know that it is so important for us to get as much education as possible.  I need to be making the most out of the education that I am given and prepare to educate the children that I will be blessed with some day.  If I do not do so, I will be held accountable before God.

CAPSTONE: Prayer

Oh, what a blessing prayer is.  God truly loves His children and wants them to pray unto Him about everything.  Praying sincerely when we are going through a hard time is the easy part.  It is also just as important to pray to God when we are having good times and when we have had successes and are thankful to Him.  Without prayer, we cannot have a relationship with our Father in Heaven.  Without this, we cannot have the faith that is required for us to make it back to live with Him again someday.  Because of the importance of this, we are asked to “pray always.”  I have found this kind of hard for me to do.  I really have to think about it if I want to pray always throughout the day.  I think it would e a good measure to get a CTR ring or something that I can look at that will remind me that I can always pray and should always pray, especially when I could use help from God.  God always answers our prayers.  I know this is true.  He does not always answer them when we would like Him to, and He doesn’t always answer them the way we would like Him to but He truly does know what is best for us and He can see and understand so much more than we can.  We should involve God in our lives by praying always.

CAPSTONE: Forgiveness

This seems to be such an important yet sensitive topic.  It is so hard at times for us to forgive others and even harder at times for us to forgive ourselves.  It is so helpful to know that God does not expect us to be perfect nor does He expect anyone else to be perfect.  I have learned that I should not expect others to be perfect either.  The Lord requires us to forgive all men, so we must do so.  If not, that is a great sin.  It is so important for us to remember to forgive others and to realize that it is ultimately up to them to take care of whatever it may be, but it is not our place to judge.  I have held grudges in the past in my life and have been learning to never hold grudges and to just forgive others right away.  I can just take a look at myself and remember that I am not perfect and it makes it that much easier for me to forgive others when they make mistakes.  I have also come to realize that I should forget the things that have happened that I forgive others and myself of.  It is never healthy to be thinking about the issues and problems of the past.  We must keep those things in our past.

CAPSTONE: Roles of Men & Women in the Church

This has been such a wonderful topic to study.  It is such a great reminder to know what is expected of me as the wife and what the roles of my husband are as well.  We have been given the roles that God knows we can best perform and carry out.  The best part about it though is that even though men and women both have different roles in the family and in the church, they are still equal in God’s eyes.  They are to work together as equal partners.  My husband and I have talked about this quite a bit and have come to the conclusion that we truly are a team on everything and we must counsel with each other all the time on every aspect of our lives.  When we have children, we plan to continue being a team and counseling with each other.  It is so divinely inspired the way the family unit is set up.  God knows what is best for His children and He knows what His children do best.  I have felt that I need to continually review the roles of women in the church so that I can carry out my duties and responsibilities all throughout my life.

CAPSTONE: Pornography

Pornography is one of the biggest problems in the church and it has been said in the past that it is like a plague.  I will always avoid it like the plague.  I have taken measures so that I will hopefully never come across it (at least as much as I can control).  I have put filters on both mine and my husband’s computers so that we can not run into it ever when we are on our computers.  Pornography is such a degrading thing.  It can ruin lives and can tear apart families.  Once it has been tapped into, a person can almost never forget that.  The prophets and apostles’ hearts ache when they are required to speak on this matter, especially in the regular sessions of General Conference.  The world is getting worse and worse and this horrible plague is becoming more and more available to everyone.  As future parents, my husband and I plan to talk to our children about these things and to avoid them and to keep our kids away from them.  I know that it is so important to always pray to God for strength, and with the right attitude and feeling in our hearts, we can overcome anything that may be a temptation for us or that may come our way.  We must trust in God.