If you're like me, it's important to organize the hours of the day in order to maximize life and the happiness of it.

However, I don't like to suggest method without first contemplating philosophy.  I have a testimony that the only life giving philosophy is the truth of the Gospel.

2 Nephi 31:18,21 "And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive . . . And now, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God.  And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end.  Amen."

Use of time is sacred, and when I reflect deeply, time is a miracle -- life and its seasons unfold to eternity within the canvas of time.

Let me make two more remarks in connection with 'learning and being tested' in addition to the ones I have made in previous blogs.

1)  Gospel learning is not a mental process.  Knowledge of God is equal to becoming like God, and this is a record that is laid down in our BODIES, hearts and spirits through our experiences and the function of the Holy Ghost. (3-D! 4-D! 5-D!)  In terms of time use, we can facilitate these experiences by choosing to act according to the commandments.  (Knowledge is the 'law written in us'.)

Isaiah 51:7  "Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whoe heart is my law . . ."

Ether 3:13 " . . . the Lord showed himself unto him, and said: Because thou knowest these things ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I show myself unto you." see also 14-20

Moses 3:9, 17 & 4:11 " . . . And I, the Lord God, planted the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and also the tree of knowledge of good and evil . . . of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it, nevertheless, thou mayest choose for thyself, for it is given unto thee; but, remember that I forbid it, for in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die . . . God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil."

Alma 5:33-35 "Behold, he sendeth an invitation unto all men, for the arms of mercy are extended towards them, and he saith: Repent, and I will receive you.  Yea, he saith: Come unto me and ye shall partake of the fruit of the tree of life; yea, ye shall eat and drink of the bread and the waters of life freely; Yea, come unto me and bring forth works of righteousness . . . " see also 6-10, 14, 16, 19, 20, 28

D & C 130:18-19 "Whatever principle or intelligence we ATTAIN unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection.  And if a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so muc the advantage in the world to come." [notice in this verse knowledge comes by obedience not by reading or study or etc.]

Moroni 10:30-33 "And again I would exhort you that ye would come unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good gift, and touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing.  And awake, and arise from the dust, O Jerusalem; yea, and put on thy beautiful garments, O daughter of Zion . . . that thou mayest no more be confounded, that the covenants of the Eternal Father which he hath made unto thee . . . may be fulfilled.  Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.  And again, ifye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot."  see also v 21

1 Corinthians 15:2, 44-46, 49-58  "By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain . . . It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.  There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.  And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.  Howbeit that was not first, which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual . . . And as we have born the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.  Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption . .[read v 51-57] . . Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the WORK of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." see also 13:3

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2) Testing is a point in our experiences where our knowledge (testimony) [remember: obedience not 'mental'] provides immunity to the shafts of the devil, or the lack of knowledge leaves us vulnerable to destruction. [Helaman 5:12 "Remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his might winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."]

Always, always testing occurs in, or at, our weaknesses -- the purpose being to provide an opportunity of success, our weaknesses proved out, righteousness and strength remaining, RECEIVED. (I might add that often our test affects other people also:  we let them down; OR we choose to remain steadfast, faithful and loving.)  see Ether 12:27;  1 Nephi 14:14  "I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord . . . upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory."

Righteousness is a power or energy flowing from the Lamb, the Son of God, to a saint (sanctified human)  -- its effect IS to preserve us from Satan's power.  Never try to pass through testing without righteousness.  Preparations for the reception of righteousness include humility and living our covenants and priesthood/ temple ordinances.

The truth leaves you free to use your time without having to deal with misery -- either we never encounter a given adverse effect (lifted above it); OR/ as well, we experience redemption (in process of TIME) from the adversity we do encounter and pass through.

Alma 37:45  "Is there not a type in this thing?  For just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise."

1 Nephi 12:11  "And the angel said unto me: Look!  And I looked, and beheld three generations pass away in righteousness; and their garments were white even like unto the Lamb of God.  And the angel said unto me: These are made white in the blood of the Lamb, because of their faith in him."

1 Nephi 22:26  "And because of the righteousness of his people, Satan has no power . . . he hath no power over the hearts of the people, for they dwell in righteousness, and the Holy One of Israel reigneth."  see all v 11-27

[I wrote this is 1997. I do not present this writing as a representation of doctrine.  It is my own thoughts, feelings, study and belief -- or at least the condition it was in, in 1997.  I encourage you to not take my word for anything, but to do your own study, pondering, and asking of God.]

Tags: Time Management Eternity Knowledge Redemption Weakness Righteousness Misery