Week 4: Helaman 5:12

Helaman 5:12 (Pookie)

Week 3: D&C 27:15-18

D&C 27:15-18  (Will)

15 Wherefore, lift up your hearts and rejoice, and gird up your loins, and take upon you my whole armor, that ye may be able to withstand the evil day, having done all, that ye may be able to stand.

 16 Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, which I have sent mine angels to commit unto you;

 17 Taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked;

 18 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of my Spirit, which I will pour out upon you, and my word which I reveal unto you, and be agreed as touching all things whatsoever ye ask of me, and be faithful until I come, and ye shall be caught up, that where I am ye shall be also. Amen.

Week 2: Alma 26:1-3

Alma 26:1-3 (Dad)

1 And now, these are the words of Ammon to his brethren, which say thus: My brothers and my brethren, behold I say unto you, how great reason have we to rejoice; for could we have supposed when we started from the land of Zarahemla that God would have granted unto us such great blessings?

 2 And now, I ask, what great blessings has he bestowed upon us? Can ye tell?

 3 Behold, I answer for you; for our brethren, the Lamanites, were in darkness, yea, even in the darkest abyss, but behold, how many of them are brought to behold the marvelous light of God! And this is the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work.

Dad: How does this apply to our family?

Ponderize & Ether 12:27

My Heart Pondereth Them Continually

While watching the October 2015 General Conference on Sunday, Elder Durrant's talk inspired me to act on his invitation.  While listening I sent a text out to the Sparrow Family to see if we could take this on as a family to "ponderize."  It's my hope that the thoughts shared here continue to unite us more as a family though the distance keeps us apart.

Week 1: Sunday October 4th, 2015
Ether 12:27 (Emmalee)

Family Comments:  
Sunday October 11, 2015

Dad: Two words stood out to me. ....humble & strength.  Humility brings strength!  The most humble person to walk this earth was also the strongest.  Christ was strong of body, mind, and spirit.  We can be also.

Mom: As I thought about this Scripture I came to realize that that is the plan of salvation.  We come to earth as babies.  Not much weaker than that.  We learn to trust - to try things - to fail- learn from mistakes - ask for help- then try again.  As I watch the seasons change I can see beauty in all stages.  But sometimes the old has to be stripped away before we can make a new start in the spring.  The plants can't do it themselves they need the sun. Rain and soil to help them become what they should be.  Sister Marjory said the healing of a heart will only happen after it is broken.  Also a thought about self-evaluation.  Sister Marriott said at conference the perfect place for self-evaluation is at the sacrament table.

Jen: So this week as I ponderized this verse I kept being drawn to the part that says "if they will humble themselves before me". I think that is the key to progress and receiving blessings- if we haven't experienced either one of those recently then maybe it's time to self reflect and change something we are or are not doing.

Melissa: My thought on the scripture was how reluctant we can be to take our weakness to the Lord for help. How easy it is to just say I'm no good at that or I'll never succeed and throw our hands in the air. But if we humbly go to the Lord he truly can help us.

Mariah: Good thoughts mom ! As I have been reflecting this scripture I have noticed that we have weaknesses and I have made my weaknesses my strengths this week ! My Heavenly Father had helped me overcome my weaknesses !

Will: As I have thought about the scripture this week, the first line has made the deepest impression. "And if men come unto me I will show unto them there weakness".
The process or the journey coming to Christ/Heavenly Father/becoming pure starts with a promise... I will show you where you are week. Then it is up to use to choose our response. Do we self evaluate and agree that we are week or do we disregard it. If we are truly on His path them we will humble ourselves and change can happen (see Jen's) thought. We are given a promise that we will be shown how to be worthy of living with our father again, what will be my choice? We are faced with a decision just like the rich young man (Matt 19:16-22).

Emmalee:  I replaced the word "men" with the word mother.  As a mother I am definitely challenged and my weaknesses are made manifest more often that I would like. It has humbled me greatly to rely more fully on the Lord to guide me through this journey of motherhood to become the mom my children need me to be. Then the verse following that tells is when we being the process of being humble we gain access to faith, hope, and charity.

Jen: This is making me feel like we are all gathered in the living room having Sunday gospel study- good times!  I have missed this!  Also look at Hymn 130- be thou humble- we sang that in RS today after we had the Beware of Pride Lesson from President Benson. It all fit with the Ponderize scripture.

Dad:  We sang 130 in our Sacrament mtg! !!!!  Do you think God has his eye on the Sparrow?  Now as to next; I'm younger than Emm so I'll go next.  Then we can start with you old folks. Ok?