the stone on the road..la piedra en el camino

The Stone in the Road

There is an old story about a king who ordered a massive stone to be placed in the middle of a busy road. He then hid nearby and watched to see what people would do.

Throughout the day, merchants, travelers, and wealthy citizens approached the stone. Many complained. Some blamed the king. Others shook their heads in frustration and simply walked around it.

But no one stopped to move it.

Until finally, a poor farmer came down the road carrying vegetables on his back. When he saw the stone, he set his baskets down and began pushing against it. He strained, dug his heels into the dirt, and struggled with all his strength until he finally rolled the stone out of the way.

Underneath it, he found a small bag of gold and a note from the king that said:

“The obstacle in the path becomes the path.”

That phrase contains one of the deepest truths about mortality.

Most people spend their lives asking:

Why is this happening to me?

Why is life unfair?

Why this delay?

Why this heartbreak?

Why this weakness?

Why this trial?

But the gospel teaches something very different from the mindset of the world.

The world teaches us to avoid discomfort.

God uses discomfort to transform us.

The world teaches us that hardship is proof God has abandoned us.

The scriptures teach that hardship is often evidence that God is shaping us.

Elder Neal A. Maxwell once said:

“Faith in God includes faith in His timing.”

Sometimes the stone stays in the road longer than we want because the Lord is producing something inside us that could not be developed any other way.

Strength is almost never created in comfort.

Patience is not developed when everything arrives quickly.

Faith is not developed when every prayer is answered immediately.

Forgiveness is not developed when nobody hurts us.

Courage is not developed when there is nothing to fear.

Even the Savior Himself “learned… obedience by the things which he suffered” (Hebrews 5:8).

That scripture alone should change the way we see suffering.

If suffering was part of Christ’s mortal experience, why would we assume we could become like Him without carrying difficult things ourselves?

President taught:

“The Lord loves effort.”

That statement sounds simple, but it changes everything.

Because sometimes we think God only values results.

But often, heaven is watching the effort.

The farmer in the story was rewarded not because the stone was easy to move, but because he was willing to struggle against it when everyone else walked away.

That is often how discipleship works.

The Lord is less interested in how polished we appear and more interested in who we are becoming while pushing against the weight of mortality.

Some people become bitter because of trials.

Others become deeper.

Some become angry.

Others become compassionate.

The same stone that hardens one person can refine another.

The difference is not always the trial itself.

The difference is what the person allows the trial to produce inside them.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland once said:

“Don’t you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead.”

That is one of the great messages of the gospel:

Your trial is not meaningless.

Your loneliness is not meaningless.

Your unanswered prayers are not meaningless.

Your waiting is not meaningless.

Your weakness is not meaningless.

God wastes nothing.

Even the painful seasons can become sacred if they drive us toward Him.

Very often, the obstacle is not only blocking the road.

It is revealing the road.

It reveals our patience.

Our humility.

Our endurance.

Our faith.

Our willingness to continue walking with God even when we do not understand why the stone is there in the first place.

And sometimes, years later, we look back and realize something astonishing:

The very thing we begged God to remove was the thing He used to shape us into someone stronger, wiser, softer, humbler, and closer to Him.

The obstacle became the path.

And beneath the stone, there was gold.

Eve Was Not Made From Dust....Eva No Fue creada Del Polvo

Adam Came From Earth

Genesis tells us that God formed Adam from the dust of the ground and breathed into him the breath of life. Adam was earth born, dust made, formed from the soil of creation itself. Dust is symbolic throughout scripture. It reminds us of mortality, weakness, and our connection to the earth. Adam represents formation. God took what was below and raised it into life.

Eve Came From Life

Eve was not gathered from the ground or shaped from dust. She was taken from life. Genesis says God caused Adam to sleep, took from his side, and formed the woman. The Hebrew word tsela, often translated as “rib,” has a broader meaning. It can mean side, something taken from beside him. This matters because Eve was not created beneath Adam or above Adam. She came from his side, close to the heart, created for covenant, unity, and partnership.

The Symbolism of Life

Adam came from dust, but Eve came from living flesh. That distinction carries powerful symbolism. Dust points toward the earth, but flesh points toward life already awakened. Adam received breath, but Eve would carry life forward. After the Fall, Adam called her Eve, “the mother of all living.” The woman formed from life became the one through whom life would continue. Through her would come children, families, prophets, kings, disciples, nations, and eventually the Savior Himself.

The Sacred Influence of Women

Scripture does not teach that women are spiritually superior to men, but it does show that women often carry a sacred kind of spiritual influence. In Latter-day Saint thought, men are given priesthood offices and responsibilities that repeatedly call them upward into service, sacrifice, leadership, and spiritual maturity. Women, meanwhile, often strengthen faith in quieter but powerful ways. They preserve, nurture, heal, connect, and build spiritual life within homes, families, and relationships. Writers such as Sheri Dew, Wendy Ulrich, and Stasi Eldredge have explored this theme of feminine spiritual strength, divine identity, and sacred influence.

The Side of Adam

The symbolism of Eve coming from Adam’s side is beautiful because it reveals unity. Adam sees Eve and immediately recognizes her. He does not call her a stranger or a separate creature. He says, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh.” There is recognition. There is connection. There is return. The one formed from his side now stands beside him again.

The Last Adam and the Last Bride

Scripture gives one final image. The first Adam sleeps, his side is opened, and a bride comes forth. Then Christ, the Last Adam, dies, His side is pierced, and blood and water flow. From that sacrifice comes His covenant people, His bride, the Church. The first bride came from living flesh. The final bride came from redeeming flesh. Eve came from life. The Church came from sacrifice.

The Forgotten Symbol

Woman was never an afterthought. She was not pulled from dust as a lesser creation. She was formed from life itself. Perhaps that is why she carries life. Perhaps that is why she nurtures it. Perhaps that is why God placed within her the ability not only to bring life into the world, but to preserve hearts, homes, faith, and generations. Adam was formed from the dust of the earth. Eve was formed from life. Together they became humanity.

Adán Vino De La Tierra

Génesis nos dice que Dios formó a Adán del polvo de la tierra y sopló aliento de vida en él. Adán nació de la tierra, hecho del polvo, formado del suelo mismo de la creación. El polvo tiene un simbolismo profundo en las Escrituras porque nos recuerda la mortalidad, la fragilidad y nuestra conexión con la tierra. Adán representa la formación; Dios tomó aquello que estaba abajo y lo levantó hacia la vida.

Eva Vino De La Vida

Eva no fue tomada del suelo ni formada del polvo. Ella fue tomada de la vida. Génesis dice que Dios hizo caer a Adán en un profundo sueño, tomó de su costado y formó a la mujer. La palabra hebrea tsela, comúnmente traducida como “costilla”, tiene un significado más amplio y también puede significar “lado” o “costado”, algo tomado de aquello que estaba junto a él. Esto es importante porque Eva no fue creada por debajo de Adán ni por encima de él. Vino de su lado, cerca del corazón, creada para el convenio, la unidad y el compañerismo.

El Simbolismo De La Vida

Adán vino del polvo, pero Eva vino de carne viva. Esa diferencia tiene un simbolismo poderoso. El polvo apunta hacia la tierra, mientras que la carne apunta hacia la vida ya existente. Adán recibió el aliento, pero Eva llevaría esa vida hacia adelante. Después de la Caída, Adán la llamó Eva, “madre de todos los vivientes”. La mujer formada de la vida se convirtió en aquella por medio de quien continuaría la vida. A través de ella vendrían hijos, familias, profetas, reyes, discípulos, naciones y finalmente el Salvador mismo.

La Influencia Sagrada De La Mujer

Las Escrituras no enseñan que las mujeres sean espiritualmente superiores a los hombres, pero sí muestran que muchas veces poseen una influencia espiritual especial. Dentro del pensamiento de los Santos de los Últimos Días, los hombres reciben oficios y responsabilidades del sacerdocio que constantemente los llaman al servicio, al sacrificio, al liderazgo y al crecimiento espiritual.

Mientras tanto, muchas mujeres fortalecen la fe de maneras diferentes, pero igualmente poderosas. Nutren, preservan, sanan, unen y construyen vida espiritual dentro del hogar, la familia y las relaciones. Autoras y pensadoras como Sheri Dew, Wendy Ulrich y escritores cristianos como Stasi Eldredge han explorado estos temas relacionados con la fortaleza femenina, la identidad divina y la influencia espiritual de la mujer.

Quizás exista simbolismo en esto. El hombre vino del polvo y muchas veces es atraído hacia construir, proteger, organizar y establecer orden. La mujer vino de carne viva y muchas veces es atraída hacia nutrir, sostener, preservar, sanar y dar vida. Ninguno es menor ni mayor; ambos se complementan.

El Costado De Adán

El simbolismo de que Eva haya venido del costado de Adán es hermoso porque revela unidad. Cuando Adán ve a Eva no la llama extraña ni la ve como una nueva criatura separada. Él dice: “Esto es ahora hueso de mis huesos y carne de mi carne”. Hay reconocimiento, hay conexión y hay regreso. Aquella que fue formada de su costado ahora está nuevamente a su lado.

El Último Adán Y La Última Novia

Las Escrituras nos muestran una imagen final. El primer Adán duerme, su costado es abierto y de allí surge una esposa. Luego viene Cristo, llamado el Último Adán. Él muere, su costado es traspasado y de allí salen sangre y agua. De ese sacrificio nace Su pueblo del convenio, Su novia, la Iglesia.

La primera novia vino de carne viva. La última novia vino de carne redentora. Eva vino de la vida. La Iglesia vino del sacrificio.

El Simbolismo Olvidado

La mujer nunca fue presentada como una idea de último momento. No fue tomada del polvo como una creación menor. Fue formada de la vida misma. Quizás por eso lleva vida. Quizás por eso la nutre. Quizás por eso Dios colocó dentro de ella la capacidad no solo de traer vida al mundo, sino también de preservar corazones, hogares, fe y generaciones.

Adán fue formado del polvo de la tierra. Eva fue formada de la vida. Juntos se convirtieron en la humanidad.

When we stop teaching the soul...Cuando dejamos de ensenar a nuestro espiritu...

 

When We Stop Teaching the Soul

A great grandfather spends his life working with his hands. He sacrifices, struggles, and after years of effort, finally buys a small car. His son grows up watching those sacrifices and learns the value of hard work. He does a little better and buys a better car. The grandson grows up with more opportunity and eventually enjoys comforts that the great grandfather could never have imagined.

Then comes another generation. A generation born into blessings but unfamiliar with sacrifice. The stories are forgotten. The struggle is no longer remembered. Gratitude begins to disappear. Eventually the wealth is lost, not because opportunity vanished, but because memory vanished. And then the cycle begins again. The child of comfort must once again become the child of struggle.

History has repeated this pattern over and over. Some summarize it this way: Hard times create strong people. Strong people create good times. Good times create comfort. Comfort, if we are not careful, can create weakness. And weakness creates hard times again.

Today we live in one of the most advanced generations in history. We have information in our pockets, unlimited entertainment, instant communication, and technology that previous generations would have considered impossible. Yet many people feel more alone, more disconnected, and more uncertain.

Technology has brought incredible blessings. It allows us to learn faster, connect across the world, preserve memories, and access knowledge that previous generations could never reach. But every gift has consequences when it is left without balance.

Many children today grow up interacting more with screens than with people. Previous generations spent afternoons outside. They learned facial expressions, conflict, compromise, how to disagree, how to lose, how to apologize, how to read emotions, and how to simply sit with another human being. Those moments built social skills naturally.

Today many conversations happen through texts, comments, short videos, and algorithms. Because of this, some young people struggle socially in ways previous generations did not. Many become uncomfortable with face to face interaction. Some become isolated. Others become dependent on digital approval and validation.

When most ideas come through screens, algorithms, influencers, social media, and endless news feeds, something subtle can happen. People stop examining ideas and begin inheriting them. This can create closed minds, not because people lack intelligence, but because they never learned to pause and ask questions.

This is where faith, family, discussion, mentorship, and spiritual education become important. They pull people away from the noise long enough to think.

Young people today hear thousands of opinions every week, yet many are rarely encouraged to ask the deepest questions: Why am I here? What gives life meaning? Why should I care about others? What kind of person am I becoming? What happens when society gains comfort but loses purpose?

This is why conversations about faith, scripture, spirituality, morality, and meaning still matter. Not because everyone must believe the same things. Not because religion should replace education. But because education without character can create intelligence without wisdom. Success without purpose can create achievement without meaning. Knowledge without compassion can create progress without humanity.

Religion gives roots. It teaches that life has value. That people matter. That service matters. That sacrifice matters. That choices matter. That actions have consequences. That we belong to something greater than ourselves.

But faith alone is not enough. We also need minds willing to think. The strongest minds are not always the loudest minds. Truly wise people are willing to listen. They do not fear questions. They do not reject ideas simply because they came from another religion, culture, generation, or viewpoint.

Being open minded does not mean accepting everything. It means examining everything. It means asking: Why do I believe this? Is it true? Is it good? Will this make me better?

Read widely. Learn deeply. Study many ideas. Keep what is good. Reject what is harmful. Refine what is incomplete.

Read it all. Analyze it. Keep what is true. Reject what is false.

Faith should not fear learning. Truth should not fear questions. And people who seek wisdom should never fear thinking.

There are three reasons religion still matters for future generations.

First, religion gives identity. When young people know they have purpose and believe their lives matter, they become harder to break when life becomes difficult.

Second, religion teaches empathy. Service, forgiveness, compassion, sacrifice, and seeing value in others are principles found throughout many faith traditions. Religion reminds us that life is not only about ourselves.

Third, religion gives direction. Technology can answer questions. Money can buy comfort. Education can provide knowledge. But spirituality still asks the questions that matter most: Who am I? Why am I here? Who am I becoming?

Perhaps that is why humanity keeps returning to these questions. Because after progress advances and comfort arrives, people still search for the same things: meaning, purpose, love, and truth.

And maybe the greatest thing we can give future generations is not only a better world, but the wisdom and spirituality needed to live in it.

Cuando Dejamos de Enseñarle al Alma

Un bisabuelo pasa su vida trabajando con sus manos. Se sacrifica, lucha y, después de años de esfuerzo, finalmente logra comprar un pequeño automóvil. Su hijo crece viendo esos sacrificios y aprende el valor del trabajo duro. Le va un poco mejor y compra un automóvil mejor. El nieto crece con más oportunidades y eventualmente disfruta comodidades que el bisabuelo jamás habría imaginado.

Entonces llega otra generación. Una generación que nace rodeada de bendiciones, pero que nunca conoció el sacrificio. Las historias se olvidan. La lucha deja de recordarse. La gratitud empieza a desaparecer. Eventualmente la riqueza se pierde, no porque desaparecieron las oportunidades, sino porque desapareció la memoria. Y entonces el ciclo vuelve a comenzar. El hijo de la comodidad tiene que convertirse nuevamente en el hijo del esfuerzo.

La historia ha repetido este patrón una y otra vez. Algunos lo resumen así: Los tiempos difíciles crean personas fuertes. Las personas fuertes crean buenos tiempos. Los buenos tiempos crean comodidad. La comodidad, si no tenemos cuidado, puede crear debilidad. Y la debilidad vuelve a crear tiempos difíciles.

Hoy vivimos en una de las generaciones más avanzadas de la historia. Tenemos información en nuestros bolsillos, entretenimiento ilimitado, comunicación instantánea y tecnología que generaciones anteriores habrían considerado imposible. Y aun así, muchas personas se sienten más solas, más desconectadas y más inseguras.

La tecnología ha traído bendiciones increíbles. Nos permite aprender más rápido, conectarnos con personas al otro lado del mundo, conservar recuerdos y acceder a conocimiento que generaciones pasadas jamás habrían alcanzado. Pero todo regalo tiene consecuencias cuando pierde el equilibrio.

Muchos niños hoy crecen interactuando más con pantallas que con personas. Las generaciones anteriores pasaban las tardes afuera. Aprendían expresiones faciales, conflicto, compromiso, cómo estar en desacuerdo, cómo perder, cómo pedir perdón, cómo leer emociones y simplemente cómo sentarse junto a otro ser humano. Esos momentos construían habilidades sociales de forma natural.

Hoy muchas conversaciones ocurren por mensajes, comentarios, videos cortos y algoritmos. Debido a esto, algunos jóvenes tienen dificultades sociales que generaciones anteriores no tenían. Muchos se sienten incómodos interactuando cara a cara. Algunos se aíslan. Otros se vuelven dependientes de la aprobación y validación digital.

Cuando la mayoría de las ideas llegan a través de pantallas, algoritmos, influencers, redes sociales y flujos interminables de noticias, algo sutil puede ocurrir. Las personas dejan de examinar las ideas y comienzan a heredarlas. Esto puede crear mentes cerradas, no porque falte inteligencia, sino porque nunca aprendieron a detenerse y hacerse preguntas.

Aquí es donde la fe, la familia, las conversaciones, la mentoría y la educación espiritual se vuelven importantes. Porque alejan a las personas del ruido el tiempo suficiente para pensar.

Los jóvenes de hoy escuchan miles de opiniones cada semana, pero pocas veces se les anima a hacerse las preguntas más profundas: ¿Por qué estoy aquí? ¿Qué le da sentido a la vida? ¿Por qué debería preocuparme por los demás? ¿Qué clase de persona me estoy convirtiendo? ¿Qué sucede cuando una sociedad gana comodidad, pero pierde propósito?

Por eso las conversaciones sobre fe, escrituras, espiritualidad, moralidad y propósito siguen siendo importantes. No porque todos deban creer lo mismo. No porque la religión deba reemplazar la educación. Sino porque la educación sin carácter puede crear inteligencia sin sabiduría. El éxito sin propósito puede crear logros sin significado. El conocimiento sin compasión puede crear progreso sin humanidad.

La religión da raíces. Enseña que la vida tiene valor. Que las personas importan. Que el servicio importa. Que el sacrificio importa. Que las decisiones importan. Que las acciones tienen consecuencias. Que pertenecemos a algo más grande que nosotros mismos.

Pero la fe por sí sola no es suficiente. También necesitamos mentes dispuestas a pensar. Las mentes más fuertes no siempre son las más ruidosas. Las personas verdaderamente sabias están dispuestas a escuchar. No le temen a las preguntas. No rechazan ideas simplemente porque vienen de otra religión, cultura, generación o punto de vista.

Tener una mente abierta no significa aceptar todo. Significa examinarlo todo. Significa preguntarse: ¿Por qué creo esto? ¿Es verdad? ¿Es bueno? ¿Me hará una mejor persona?

Lee mucho. Aprende profundamente. Estudia muchas ideas. Conserva lo bueno. Rechaza lo dañino. Mejora lo que está incompleto.

Léelo todo. Analízalo. Quédate con lo verdadero. Rechaza lo falso.

La fe no debería temerle al aprendizaje. La verdad no debería temerle a las preguntas. Y las personas que buscan sabiduría nunca deberían temer pensar.

Hay tres razones por las que la religión sigue siendo importante para las futuras generaciones.

Primero, la religión da identidad. Cuando los jóvenes saben que tienen propósito y creen que sus vidas tienen valor, es más difícil que se quiebren cuando llegan las dificultades.

Segundo, la religión enseña empatía. El servicio, el perdón, la compasión, el sacrificio y ver valor en los demás son principios presentes en muchas tradiciones de fe. La religión nos recuerda que la vida no gira solamente alrededor de nosotros.

Tercero, la religión da dirección. La tecnología puede responder preguntas. El dinero puede comprar comodidad. La educación puede dar conocimiento. Pero la espiritualidad sigue haciendo las preguntas que más importan: ¿Quién soy? ¿Por qué estoy aquí? ¿En quién me estoy convirtiendo?

Tal vez por eso la humanidad siempre vuelve a estas preguntas. Porque después del progreso, después de la comodidad y después de todos los avances, las personas siguen buscando las mismas cosas: significado, propósito, amor y verdad.

Y quizá lo más grande que podamos dejarle a las futuras generaciones no sea solamente un mundo mejor, sino la sabiduría y la espiritualidad necesarias para vivir dentro de él.

XoXo Tino XoXo

HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD Today we are going to talk about

HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD 

Today we are going to talk about the theme Holiness unto the Lord. After the Israelites were freed from Egypt, God didn’t just want them to be free—He wanted them to become a holy people. And that brings us to an important question: What does it really mean to be holy?

Many times we think being holy means being perfect or never making mistakes, but in these chapters, God teaches that holiness is a process. It is a path where we are cleansed, we change, and we draw closer to Him. It’s not something that happens overnight—it’s something lived little by little. And everything we’re going to see today points to one person, and that person is Jesus Christ.

Now, in Exodus 35 through 40, God commands Israel to build the tabernacle. This was not just a place to worship—it was a symbolic representation of the path back to God. We can see it this way: outside the tabernacle represents the world, the altar represents sacrifice, the laver represents cleansing, the Holy Place represents daily life with God, and the Most Holy Place represents the presence of God. God was teaching step by step how to return to His presence. When we read, “and let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them,” we see that God didn’t want distance—He wanted closeness. God didn’t just bring them out of Egypt; He was teaching them how to come back to Him.

When we enter Leviticus, we see many sacrifices, and if we’re honest, sometimes this can feel strange or repetitive. But these sacrifices were not empty rituals—they were symbols pointing directly to Jesus Christ. The sacrifice had to be without blemish, clean, perfect. Why? Because it represented perfection. And there is only one who was truly perfect—Jesus Christ. When John says, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,” he is connecting all of this. Every sacrifice the people performed was preparing them to understand the Savior. They didn’t fully understand it at the time, but God was teaching them through symbols.

Now we connect this to the Passover in Exodus 12. God commands them to take a lamb without blemish, sacrifice it, and place its blood on the door. They used a plant called hyssop to apply the blood to the doorposts and lintel. And when death passed through Egypt, it passed over the houses that were covered with that blood. And here is the powerful truth: the Israelites were not saved because they were perfect—they were not saved because they didn’t make mistakes—they were saved because they were covered. The blood of the lamb was the sign, and that sign was enough for death not to enter. So the question is: how does this connect to Jesus Christ?

Let’s talk about hyssop. Hyssop was a simple plant used as a tool, like a brush, to apply the blood. It was also used in purification rituals, which is why the scriptures say, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean.” Hyssop didn’t have power by itself, but it became a symbol of cleansing. And this teaches us something very important: it’s not enough that the blood exists—it has to be applied. The lamb could die, but if the blood wasn’t applied to the door, there was no protection. In the same way, Christ has already shed His blood, but we must apply it in our lives through repentance, obedience, and covenants.

Now we see something very interesting in the New Testament. Six days before the Passover, Mary anoints the feet of Jesus with costly perfume. Then, shortly before His death, another woman anoints His head. Jesus Himself says this was preparation for His burial. This is important because it teaches us that Christ was not an accidental victim. He was not surprised by what was going to happen. He was prepared, He knew, and He accepted that sacrifice. Although we do not teach as doctrine that the Passover lamb was anointed this way, we do see a symbolic parallel in Christ. His feet were anointed, His head was anointed, and He was being prepared for the greatest sacrifice of all.

Now we return to hyssop, but this time at the cross. When Jesus is on the cross and says, “I thirst,” they take a sponge with vinegar, put it on hyssop, and lift it to His mouth. That detail is not accidental. In the Passover, hyssop touched the blood of the lamb that saved from physical death. At the cross, hyssop appears again when the true Lamb of God is shedding His blood. This connects both moments directly. In Egypt, the blood of the lamb protected from physical death. At the cross, the blood of Christ saves us from spiritual death. It is not coincidence—it is fulfillment.

Now we look at the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16. Once a year, there were two goats. One was sacrificed, and the other carried the sins of the people and was sent into the wilderness. This teaches two things about Christ. First, Christ dies for our sins. Second, Christ not only forgives sin, but He removes it. Many times we think God forgives us, but we still carry guilt. But this symbol teaches that sin can be completely removed. We are not only forgiven—we can be cleansed and freed from that burden.

Inside the tabernacle there was a veil that separated man from the presence of God. Only the high priest could enter, and only at certain times. This represented the separation between God and man. But when Christ dies, the veil is torn. That means access is now open. There is no longer that barrier. Through Jesus Christ, we can approach the Father. Christ not only forgives us—He opens the way. And that’s why when we read “be holy,” it does not mean pretending to be perfect. It means changing, growing, repenting, and allowing Christ to transform us. Holiness is not an act—it is a real transformation.

And we end with this. Today we saw that the tabernacle is a path back to God, that the sacrifices point to Jesus Christ, that the Passover teaches us we are saved by the blood of the Lamb, that hyssop connects the Passover to the cross, that Christ was prepared through anointing, that the Day of Atonement teaches that He not only forgives but removes sin, and that the veil was torn because He opened the way back to the Father.

We are not saved because we are perfect—we are saved because we are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ.

And the final question is this:

What can you do this week to come closer to Christ and allow Him to make you more holy?

---

Holiness doesn’t begin with you,,,

 Holiness doesn’t begin with you

it begins with Him

Through the grace of Jesus Christ
we are changed
not all at once
but piece by piece

Step by step
choice by choice
His grace reshapes the heart
until we start to reflect Him

So draw closer
not out of pressure
but out of purpose

Because the closer you get to the Savior
the more you become
who you were always meant to be

A little stronger today
A little purer today
A little more like Him today

***We Believe (ChatGPT)

What is Grace?

Grace isn’t a vague religious word. It’s very specific.

The grace of Jesus Christ is His power given to you that you did not earn.

Not just forgiveness.
Not just a second chance.
Power.

Power to change.
Power to overcome what you haven’t been able to fix on your own.
Power to become someone you’re currently not.

In The Book of Mormon, grace is described as something that comes after all we can do but that phrase gets misunderstood. It doesn’t mean “earn it first.” It means:

You act. You try. You choose Him.
And then His power meets you in that effort and takes you further than you could ever go alone.

In The Bible, especially through Paul the Apostle, grace is described as something that saves, strengthens, and sustains. Not just at the end of your life—but right now.

Here’s the blunt truth most people miss:

You are not just forgiven by Christ.
You are enabled by Him.

Grace is what:
• forgives your past
• strengthens your present
• transforms your future

It’s why two people can struggle with the same weakness—
and one slowly breaks free while the other stays stuck.

The difference isn’t willpower.
It’s whether they’re actually letting Christ’s power in.

So a better question is not just “what is grace?”
It’s:

Are you using it…
or still trying to do everything alone?

When oil touched the head, it wasn’t just a symbol, it was a setting apart, a quiet declaration that heaven was near.

In scripture, oil represents light, it feeds the flame. In ancient times, oil was what kept the lamps burning through the night. Without it, the light would fade.

It represents healing, soothing what is broken. It represents consecration, being set apart for something holy.

Kings were anointed. Priests were anointed. The sick were anointed. Not randomly, but through a pattern God established from the beginning.

Because God works through patterns. He takes something simple, something physical, and uses it to teach, to mark, to invite His power into our lives.

And still today, in simple, sacred moments, that same pattern remains. Hands are placed, oil is used, and heaven listens.

And in the House of the Lord, we are anointed not just to be blessed, but to be prepared, set apart from the world and dedicated to God.

And maybe that’s why Christ taught about the oil in our lamps.

Because faith is like oil. It has to be gathered, little by little. It has to be protected. It has to be there before the moment you need it.

Five were ready. Five were not.

Not because they didn’t believe…
but because they didn’t prepare.

Because when the moment came, borrowed light wasn’t enough.

Because anointing isn’t about the oil itself. It’s about what God does through it. It is a reminder that He still reaches down to heal, to strengthen, and to consecrate.

So when oil touches you, it’s not just a drop on the skin, it’s a message. You are seen. You are covered. You are set apart.

And the real question is

are our lamps full

or running dry

is our light burning
or fading

do we live
as anointed heirs
of the Kingdom of God

Cuando el aceite tocó la cabeza, no era solo un símbolo, era una consagración, una declaración silenciosa de que el cielo estaba cerca.

En las escrituras, el aceite representa luz, alimenta la llama. En la antigüedad, el aceite era lo que mantenía las lámparas encendidas durante la noche. Sin él, la luz se apagaba.

Representa sanación, alivia lo que está quebrado. Representa consagración, ser apartado para algo santo.

Los reyes eran ungidos. Los sacerdotes eran ungidos. Los enfermos eran ungidos. No al azar, sino siguiendo un patrón que Dios estableció desde el principio.

Porque Dios obra por medio de patrones. Toma algo simple, algo físico, y lo usa para enseñar, para marcar, para invitar Su poder a nuestras vidas.

Y aún hoy, en momentos simples y sagrados, ese mismo patrón permanece. Se imponen las manos, se usa aceite, y el cielo escucha.

Y en la Casa del Señor, somos ungidos no solo para ser bendecidos, sino para ser preparados, apartados del mundo y dedicados a Dios.

Y quizá por eso Cristo enseñó acerca del aceite en nuestras lámparas.

Porque la fe es como el aceite. Hay que recogerla poco a poco. Hay que cuidarla. Tiene que estar ahí antes del momento en que la necesites.

Cinco estaban preparadas. Cinco no.

No porque no creyeran…
sino porque no se prepararon.

Porque cuando llegó el momento, la luz prestada no fue suficiente.

Porque la unción no se trata del aceite en sí, sino de lo que Dios hace a través de él. Es un recordatorio de que Él todavía desciende para sanar, para fortalecer y para consagrar.

Así que cuando el aceite te toca, no es solo una gota sobre la piel, es un mensaje. Eres visto. Estás cubierto. Has sido apartado.

Y la verdadera pregunta es

¿están nuestras lámparas llenas

o se están quedando sin aceite

está nuestra luz encendida
o se está apagando

vivimos
como herederos ungidos
del Reino de Dios?

Take the first step..Toma el primer paso..

 

Miracles don’t happen

before we take the first step…

they happen once we do.

The children of Israel
walked forward
even when it didn’t make sense.

A path had opened…
but it still required faith
to step into it.

Water on both sides.
Uncertainty all around.

And still…
they moved.

And only then
did they cross through.

We want clarity
before we move.

God asks for faith
before He reveals.

So today…

don’t wait
for everything to make sense.

Take the step.

Because you don’t need
to see the miracle to move…

you need to move
so God can show it.

Trusting the Lord....Confiando en el Senor

 

The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

There are moments in life when the path forward feels impossible… and even turning back seems just as uncertain. Moments where, because of what we are going through, we may not even want to get out of bed… when giving up feels easier than trying again.

In those moments, it may be that the Lord is preparing to reveal His power.

So we keep moving. We stay grounded in faith in our daily walk. We trust that Jesus Christ is the way… and He will guide us step by step.

As we quiet our hearts before Him despite the turmoil we feel, listen for His voice, and act on the quiet impressions He gives, the help we need begins to unfold. As we continue seeking His guidance through prayer and the scriptures, He will lead us… and give us the strength to get through.

Trust the Lord today.

El Señor peleará por vosotros, y vosotros estaréis tranquilos.

Hay momentos en la vida en los que el camino hacia adelante parece imposible… y aun retroceder se siente igual de incierto. Momentos en los que, por lo que estamos atravesando, puede que ni siquiera queramos levantarnos de la cama… cuando rendirse parece más fácil que intentarlo otra vez.

En esos momentos, puede ser que el Señor esté preparándose para manifestar Su poder.

Así que seguimos adelante. Nos mantenemos firmes en la fe en nuestro caminar diario. Confiamos en que Jesucristo es el camino… y Él nos guiará paso a paso.

Al aquietar nuestros corazones delante de Él, a pesar del conflicto interior que sentimos, escuchar Su voz y actuar según las impresiones que nos da, la ayuda que necesitamos comienza a manifestarse. Al seguir buscando Su guía mediante la oración y las Escrituras, Él nos guiará… y nos dará la fortaleza para salir adelante.

Confía en el Señor hoy.