What I wish I would have known...when I was a teenager

GENESIS 25-28

"Fear no, for I am with thee, and will bless thee"

I always wanted an instruction manual for my teenage years. 

And now, that I am nearly passed the time that some have labeled "those terrible teenage" years, I appreciate President Monson who called it, "the terrific teenage" years....I realize that a guide for my teenage years was there all along in Genesis, and I was too ignorant to find it. 

These few chapters alone make inspire me to be a Seminary teacher. And these are definitely chapters that can really influence the path we choose to make in our future life. 

I liken the story of Jacob and Esau to our daily life today. Making their story--OUR story. 

This is the story of two brothers, born from Isaac (son of Abraham & Sarah) and Rebekah. 

Isaac was 40 years old when he married Rebekah. And if you look down in verse 26, you see that Isaac was threescore when Rebekah gave birth. (Score=20, so times by 3, equals 60 years old.)

Isaac and Rebekah are one of my favorite couples in the scriptures. 

"And Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife..." why? "because she was barren...." They couldn't have children for 20 years. This makes me wonder how many heartfelt, sincere and pleading prayers were offered in between those 20 years of a trial of their faith--between marriage and birth.

Not only does it talk about Isaac intreating of the Lord, but in verse 22, Rebekah says, "If it be so, why am I thus? and she went to enquire of the Lord." This is a very righteous couple indeed. Rather then turning away from God in their extremities, they turned towards God by never cutting off their communication with them and offering their hearts in prayer for 20 years. 

Rebekah had a vision..."two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be seperated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger." At the time, this was of significance because the elder serving the younger was against the cultural norm. 

The Elder Son: Esau... "cunning hunter"

The Younger: Jacob..."a plain man"

The difference between the two. Esau doesn't value his covenants or his birthright, he wanted pleasure now. Jacob, cherishes his covenants, and remains an eternal perspective in all of his dealings. 

"Jacob said, 'Sell me this day thy birthright...:

"Esau said, 'what profit shall this birthright do to me?'"

"And he sold his birthright unto Jacob....then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles....and Esau despised his birthright." 

Q: So whats the big deal?
A: "The Birthright is the right or inheritance of one of the sons, and he was usually the first born, His inheritance included land and the authority to preside upon the death of the father."

Esau eventually marries outside of the covenant...really selling his birthright with this actions. And 26:36-38 we read of Esau's reaction when he doesn't get the birthright. "He took away my birthright...he hath taken away from me..." Esau essentially blames Jacob for taking away his birthright, and does not take accountability for himself. "Esau lifted up his voice and wept." Now Esau values his birthright after he lost it. 

This becomes My Story:

After reading the story of the birthright, some questions to ponder might be....

-My 'noble birthright' is to become like my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, what am I doing today and always to show that I 'cherish' that?

-What are some "pottages" today that others are selling their birthright for, and how do I avoid falling into that?

-When are times when I have made choices, and blame them on others like Esau did to Jacob? 

-What can I do to prevent having a moment in my future where I realize that I lost something really important after it was too late? 

The greatest lesson I have learned from all of this, is to obey--follow my own mother and father and my Heavenly Father. Obedience is the chief-cornerstone for Happiness. I will always be accountable for my actions--because there is a consequence to everything (good and bad). Decide now to make the right choices and follow our Heavenly Father, because we don't want to give away what we have now for something that is not of value or worth--that is when the true sorrow comes. In my teenage mind I was an Esau with that fixated mind of the "now, now, now," but if we could only appreciate the eternal perspective....there we would find where all the happiness and joy can be found. Lastly, as Genesis continues, about ten chapters later, Esau and Jacob reunite--which is one of the sweetest reunites in the scriptures. After much hatred and problems they "embrace one another..." I think the greatest lesson I learned is from that is when President Monson said, "Never let a problem to be solved, more important than a person to be loved." Yes, things may happen in life where we lose something so valuable and we don't even know it...but don't let that stop us from being loving to one another. 

The Greatest Love Story

GENESIS 24-27

I am a sucker for love stories. My parents love story, my grandparents, my siblings, and yes, I'll admit, I love reading random peoples love stories on blogs. But, there is still one story that always wins my heart... 

In Genesis 24, let me introduce to you, the damsel, who was kind, fair, and a virgin...my friend, Rebekah.

"The servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of they pitcher."

"And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted and let down her pitcher...when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking."

She offered to let the camels drink until they were done drinking. Did you know that camels drink about 26 gallons of water. 26 gallons--and she wasn't just feeding one camel, she was feeding many. 

I admire Rebekah, because her daily action reflected charity. I think sometimes we are hard on ourselves, feeling we are no different then any other woman, when in reality its the way we choose to do the simply daily things--with a charitable heart and a attitude of service--that really distinguish us from others. 

I admire this damsel for her willingness to serve at the earliest inconvenience. I admire this damsel because she acted on what she knew what was right as it was confirmed by the Holy Ghost. 

I don't know if Rebekah realized the outcome of this one act of service she was giving. Did she realize what the Lord had in store for her as she fetched water for camels. Because of this....she became the mother to millions. And because of that...this family has influenced many for dispensations to come. 

When Abraham's servant was going to leave, and Rebekah's mother and brother Laban wanted her to stay, they asked Rebekah what she would do. 

"And she said, I will go."

I love the Rebekah didn't say, actually, wait until I have a new wardrobe, or lost a few pounds, or have better jewelry, but she was willing to delve right into what the Lord wanted her to do, and she resolutely said, "I will go." 

Now here comes the sweetest part....

"And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and behold the camels were coming."

"And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel."

"And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her...."

Those three words are so powerful--because the scriptures left out their courtship, their interaction with each, and their growing love--it does tell us the sweetest part, that he loved her. He Loved Her! 

And in the words of President Uchtdorf...

"In most languages there exists a phrase as magical and full of promise as perhaps any in the world. That phrase is “Once upon a time.”

Aren’t those wonderful words to begin a story? “Once upon a time” promises something: a story of adventure and romance, a story of princesses and princes. It may include tales of courage, hope, and everlasting love. In many of these stories, nice overcomes mean and good overcomes evil. But perhaps most of all, I love it when we turn to the last page and our eyes reach the final lines and we see the enchanting words “And they lived happily ever after.”

I look forward to that day--to be married in the Temple--The House of the Lord, because I believe in happy endings. 

I really do. 

The Journey

Come join me on this journey of reading the entire Standard Works in 1 Year. 

Its never too late to join, and I promise you will never regret it.