February 17-23, 2020

2 Nephi 11:4 “Behold, my soul delighteth in proving unto my people the truth of the coming of Christ; for, for this end hath the law of Moses been given; and all things which have been given of God from the beginning of the world unto man, are the typifying of him.”

In Come Follow Me this week, it quotes, “It might help to remember that many of Isaiah’s teachings about the Savior are conveyed through symbols. For example, you may see the Savior in symbols such as the lord of the vineyard, a stone, and a light…”

I took a summer while I was pregnant with my daughter to study Isaiah in depth. The biggest principle for understanding Isaiah was to understand Jewish history (or at least in my opinion). If we were to better understand their history and lifestyle, it would be very easy for us to find layers and layers of meaning in what Isaiah tries to teach us.

But that isn’t exactly what I wanted to share today. What I really wanted to talk about is found in the verse above. “…all things which have been given of God…are the typifying of him.” 

Elder Bednar, in his talk about cheetahs this conference, taught the following:

“Just as important lessons can be learned by observing the behavior of cheetahs and topis, so each of us should look for the lessons and warnings found in the simple events of everyday life. As we seek for a mind and heart open to receive heavenly direction by the power of the Holy Ghost, then some of the greatest instructions that we can receive and many of the most powerful warnings that can safeguard us will originate in our own ordinary experiences. Powerful parables are contained in both the scriptures and in our daily lives.”

I remember this quote from conference because I asked the question, “How can I possibly devote adequate time to studying the gospel?” The Holy Ghost answered me through Elder Bednar, and it taught me that I don’t have to be sitting down with a pen, paper, and book of scripture to be learning of Jesus Christ. Just as Isaiah took ordinary symbols and taught masterful sermons, I wish to do the same. Here are a couple of symbols that might teach you something as I was taught. As you read the blurb behind the “symbol,” try to think of a parallel from the gospel.

CEO- A CEO will often send loyal employees to go and make decisions for them in other locations. These employees may not get the CEO’s desires perfectly every single time, but they are incredible and talented. There is a reason the CEO has chosen them, and the CEO will honor the employee’s words.

Starting to feed a baby solid food- My baby did not like solids at first. They were new and strange to him. He really fought me on it at first, but he grew to love new things more than just the old stuff. 

Practicing the piano- I practice the piano three times a week for twenty minutes at a time (sometimes ten minutes to be totally honest). I’ve been doing this for a very long time, and for this very long time, it was really frustrating to me. Just as I felt like I was starting to improve on a song, my twenty minutes would be up. I would need to move on to the next task for the day (mom life). There were many times I wanted to just give up because every practice session was a struggle. However, because it was short enough, I never completely gave it up. Just this week, I realized the vast improvement I’ve made over this long period of time. It was imperceptible at first, but I look at where I started and it feels eons back. I’m not very far yet, but I know that this small thing will eventually help me become a decent pianist.

There are a million things we encounter everyday that can teach and testify of Christ and His gospel. All we have to do is notice and ask. Here are a couple more symbols. Try thinking about how they might testify of Christ.

Pacifiers 

Cars

Clouds

Bonus: Pizza (There’s gotta be some kind of lesson; I know it.)

If you’re having trouble thinking of a way that they testify of Christ, try listing everything you know about them. Ideas will start to form. Then, open your eyes throughout your day because, “To those who have eyes to see and ears to hear, it is clear that the Father and the Son are giving away the secrets of the universe!” -Neal A. Maxwell

Open your eyes, ears, and heart for today and see what lessons He wants to teach you. It will make your day feel much more extraordinary.