Segment 1
When was the last time you saw your shadow? Do you guys even remember discovering your shadow? Or maybe you've witnessed a small child figuring it out and trying to outrun it or get it unattached from them. It's so cute. Now, what about the use of shadows in art? This word is so interesting. You know, shadows are vital for creating depth, dimension, and contrast in visual perception in art.
Well, this week's come, follow me lesson contains many examples of a shadow. And we are going to show you who the shadow belongs to and the depth and dimension and contrast that it adds to the overall story found in Genesis chapters 42 through 50. Welcome to the Sunday on Monday Study group at Deseret Bookshelf Plus original, brought to you by LDS Living, where we take the come Follow Me lesson for the week, and we really dig into the scriptures together.
I'm your host, Tammy Uzelac Hall. Now, if you're new to our study group, follow the link in our description and it's going to explain how you can best use this. Podcast to enhance your come Follow Me study just like my longtime listening friend, [00:01:00] Jean Bunker Miller. Hello Jean. I loved meeting you. Now, the most awesome thing about this study group is each week we're joined by two of my friends, so it's always a little bit different.
And today we were just dying at the very beginning when they got on the Zoom. I can't believe we haven't made this connection yet. I cannot believe I've had each one of these women on separately and then I put them together and I was like, we. I've been in the trenches. We've known each other since the nineties.
I have Larissa Wilhelm Waldron, and Diane Gerie Eman, and for the record, we all knew. I knew them as Larissa Wilhelm and Diane Gerdy. And now they're married. You too. It's crazy. And I'm married to Yes, yes, yes. Now when I say we were in the trenches, this is so fun. Larissa, where are you right now? Because right when you got on, you said, guess where I am?
Yes. Guess where I am. Well, 25 years ago, the three of us, we were seminary teachers and we were brought up to what was then Rick's college to do seminar teacher training, [00:02:00] and I am here at the former Rick's College. That's so cool. Idaho. Just, just. So joyful in the same building that we were trained in together, the three of us who would've guessed you broke a major glass ceiling.
You're teaching at BYUI Idaho. Who would've ever thought back in the day? I. I mean, back in the day, all we were doing was eating in the cafeteria and flirting with the football team because we could Amen. Yeah, right, because we could, we were still single back then. Oh my gosh. And now, then we all got married.
I mean, we were, you know, single rider for a very long time. All three of us. Well, Diane, not as long. You got married pretty, you were pregnant actually, at that training weren't. And married. I must say I was married to, right? Pregnant and married. Yes. Yeah. You were a Bel snitch. We were not. Well, you know, you know.
True. But Larissa and I go back even further. What? Yeah. Yes. How know this Do you each other? I don't. This is fun. You tell it, Dan. Beyond fun. Larissa and I were in the MTC [00:03:00] together. Stop it. Right on the same floor. I have chills. No idea. Yeah. Yeah. We were on the same floor of like our classrooms. Okay. We're next door to each other.
Yeah. Yes. Because we both went to Eastern Europe. I went to Bulgaria and uh, and I went to the Czech Republic. Mm-hmm. Wow. And we knew each other there. And then Tammy and I were in a singles ward together. That's how we met. And then we made the connection. We were seminary teachers. We were in the same singles ward.
We immediately became friends. And then when we found out, we teach seminary, we're like, oh, well now we have to be friends. Right. And then the three of us got super close Uhhuh when we all talked together. 'cause we were all hired at the same time, I think. Same time. Yeah. It was this crazy all female hiring the church did.
There were like, so Barbara Morgan Gardner was part of that hiring. There were so many of us, but I went through BYU. Where did you guys go through? The U. The U, okay. Yep. Because I was the only girl hired out of BYU. Oh, that year. Hey, [00:04:00] who's fancy? Look at you. Well, you know, I bleed the list. You were like one of the OGs because there weren't very many of us at the time.
I think, I wanna say, and I don't, don't quote me on this, but I thought it was Barbara that came up to me at another training we had, and she said to me, she went around and told everybody what numbers they were. She said you were the 23rd woman in the history of the church to get hired. And I was like, what?
Isn't that fancy nuts you guys? Yeah. So you guys, you guys were somewhere in those twenties I'm sure. So look at us and now here, we're so excited to talk about this today. Yeah. We've stayed friends, we're still in the teaching world. Diane is is, oh my gosh, prayers for Diane because she might do some stuff with F-S-Y-E-F-Y.
How cool would that be? Big stuff. Mm-hmm. Wonderful. You belong there. Those are, you're be so good for that. Thank you. So, yeah. 'cause you're master teacher and excited. I mean, I'm so lucky to have you guys on because we are gonna have a great discussion about these. Oh, Tammy, we are excited. Yeah. And we love, I [00:05:00] love listening to you, Tammy.
I'm telling you, you know that I've listened to you. You have from day one of this, day one, and I have so many notes. Isn't it fun? The things say yes when you know the Hebrew, it's so good for me. Yes. I'm loving your Hebrew. It's, it makes a difference. It's so good for me. It it, it does. Thank you. Yes, so thank you.
Okay, well, we're just gonna jump into these chapters. So if you guys wanna know what my friends look like and you wanna read their bios, check those out in our show notes. You're gonna find that at lds living.com/sunday on Monday. So everyone grab your scriptures and something to mark them with, 'cause we are gonna mark these chapters up.
And let's dig into Genesis chapters 42 through 50. Are you two? First things first, what did the Holy Ghost teach you as you read and prepared for this discussion? Edit it. Larissa Nose Ghost. Just kidding. Not it. Sometimes I, I talk about what we're gonna be talking about, but today I, I'm going to do a very personal one if that's all right.[00:06:00]
Please. I was so touched by Israel and, you know, Jacob renamed Israel and his story and. He had been through so much in his life, so many trials, so much, and at this point, you know, he, he thinks that Joseph is gone and now his sons are coming back and they're asking to take Benjamin. And in Genesis 43, 14, he finally agrees that Benjamin can go with the brothers.
Back to this man who of course he doesn't know as Joseph. And he says, and God Almighty, I'm sorry for the emotion and God Almighty give you mercy before the man that he may send away your other brother and Benjamin other brother being Simeon. If I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved I something about Jacob's acceptance of life as it [00:07:00] is.
Yeah. I think is a gift of age where you just finally are okay with. Whatever life brings you. Even though, wow, there's sorrow. Even though there's frustration and worry. And concern, he still believes in God after all of this it, it is who he is. One who prevails with God, Israel, you know? Yeah. And with that mission change age.
Uh huh. My, my second daughter, my oldest got married and she's still here close in Rexburg, but my second daughter is a senior and she is preparing to go and, oh, it's hitting hard for me when everybody else sent their children. It's like, great, that's so great for you, but when it's your own child, right?
Right. If I'm bereaved of my daughter, I'm bereaved and I trust, I trust God in this process. There's no other thing for it, you know? What can you do? Wow. So that's what the [00:08:00] spirit was teaching me personally. Well, it taught me definitely. In fact, I'm writing this in my scriptures. I love that you brought up his name, because I feel like for him, he at that moment literally believed in the meaning of his name.
Like, all right, let God prevail. I don't know what else to do, because I love that. It's, I I love that so much. Larissa, he believed in his name. Thank you. That's beautiful. I love what you did with it. You're so great, Tammy. That's really cool. And let me tell you your sweet little mom heart. Okay. Diane, what about you?
I loved so much in this, I think that the biggest lesson that the Holy Ghost taught me was about forgiveness. Mm-hmm. And Joseph was such a good example to me about forgiveness, not holding a grudge. And just the way that he treated his brothers and that he said to them, let me find one [00:09:00] of, he said it a few times, um, if you go to Genesis 45, 11, he said, I will nourish thee.
So he's saying, you know, here, I'm gonna take care of you. I'm going to feed you, I'm going to, I'm gonna do these things for you because I love you. I'm gonna clothe you, I'm gonna feed you. I'm gonna do all the opposite things. That you did to me and boy, that is, I'm so far from that. And, uh, I needed to learn that from the Holy Ghost this week.
Yeah, you really did learn that, and you're gonna tell us more about it when we get to your segment on forgiveness, but I loved that you pointed, I, I had not really considered it the way the spirit taught it to you, so I'm looking forward to what we have to discuss in that segment. So thank you ladies. I love what the Holy Ghost taught you so everyone can already see 'em.
We've already felt the spirits. This is really fantastic, you guys. I knew you wouldn't disappoint. So because I have these two master teachers, then we are going to just, it's gonna guarantee an awesome discussion today. And this discussion is [00:10:00] going to include a huge discussion on something about a shadow.
We'll tell you what that is in the next segment.
Segment 2
So if we were teaching this lesson, I think we would all agree if we had a class of students, wouldn't we go outside and make 'em walk in the sun? Right. Yeah. See their shadow. Shadow, right. Or we'd create a shadow in our classroom with a big, like light and make 'em stand and look at their shadow, for sure.
Mm-hmm. Shadow puppet animal. Right? Right. Yes. Okay. So tell me really quickly, I'm gonna write down your answers. Just imagine a shadow, like how similar is it to you or is it not? Like, what is the difference between my body and my shadow? I think, well, you can make it bigger or smaller. Great. Okay. You can have it come closer, it can be close to you or far.
Mm-hmm. Yeah. I, I [00:11:00] think it's, you know, it's an imperfect representation. It's not, it's not perfect, right. You're, yeah. You don't see all the different parts and like you just said, like when sometimes you can make your fingers look longer or, you know, it's kind of fun when you're a kid to do the things, but they're not, they're not this perfect representation of you at all.
Correct. In fact, I was thinking about it like when I created, because I was doing this little video, this visual thing with a shadow with my kids, and I said, you can tell that it looks like the image that I'm putting the shadow on. I had a little tiny cow and the shadow was long, and you can tell it's a cow by its shadow, but you can't see everything on the actual cow.
You can't see the little face on the shadow. But it's very similar to what it's looking like. And so I'm gonna add similar to that. But I like that you said imperfect. That is so perfect and that you can, you can make it bigger or smaller. So we're gonna take this idea of shadows. Let's turn to Genesis chapter 42.
And we are going to be introduced to a shadow. Now this is, we've [00:12:00] already been talking about this person, and so this is not new. We're still discussing Joseph an amazing technicolor dream coat, which we now know what that means. But the really cool thing is that Joseph is a shadow of Jesus Christ. And when applying all these things, he's an imperfect representative.
He's not exactly like Jesus. He's very similar to Jesus. I love this idea. You can make him bigger or smaller, closer or farther away depending on the storyline and the, and the actual application. And my two guests found so many examples of how Joseph is a shadow of Jesus Christ. So we're gonna get into one of them right now.
Here's our first example throughout Genesis 42. Through 45, just those three chapters. I wanted to talk about this 'cause you brought it up. How is Joseph testing his brothers a shadow of Christ? That kind of blew my mind. So talk to me about that one. You know, I find it very, very interesting that Joseph just doesn't say, Hey, look right, you're my brothers.
And look, you just did what I told you you would do. [00:13:00] And you know, I mean, I mean he didn't, I broke it and you did it. Yeah. And look at this, I mean, I mean. You know, he, he, I think honestly. It, it's probably a very surreal moment for him. Mm-hmm. And I think there is some, some level of needing to know what, who they are at this point, right?
Yeah. Like, or can they be trusted? I mean, the last time he saw them, uh, in fact it's the, it's the verse and they say, we are very guilty concerning our brother in that we saw the English of his soul when he besaw us, and we would not hear Wow. Do you know what I mean? I mean, they are recognizing it, but that's the last time Joseph has seen his brothers, like he is begging them for help and they leave him.
So I, I think he needs to kind of test the relationship honestly and kind of make sure that there's some change in there. You know, see what their hearts are [00:14:00] like, if you will. And, and so he, in verse seven. Joseph sees his brethren, he knows who they are, but he makes himself strange unto them, right? Mm-hmm.
He, he change, he makes sure that they don't, they can't, they don't recognize him, right? He doesn't speak the language. He speaks through an interpreter, keeps himself away a little bit. Yeah. Hides himself away, which is really, really interesting considering Right, that the savior does the exact same thing.
You're talking about shadows. You look at, for example, Isaiah 53, 2, right? That there is no beauty that we should. Him desire or that we, we can't see in him that he's the savior when he's on earth. Oh, wow. The people who, who saw him we're not recognizing him, and I think that's part of the test that he does with us.
Right. There are times that he will speak to everyone. I mean, Jeremiah 31, 31 is talking about the new covenant in our day. Yeah, with Israel and Judah, and he says in verse 33, in the new covenant, after those days, sayeth the Lord, I will put [00:15:00] my law in their inward parts and write it on their hearts, and I will be their God and they shall be my people.
And they shall teach no more. Every man, his neighbor, and every man, his brother saying, no, the Lord, for they shall all know me from the least of them into the greatest of them sayeth the Lord I, I think that. All of us have this ability to come to know the savior, but I think it is a, a real test to make sure that we know that he is speaking to us, that he's speaking to us through the Holy Ghost, that there is this, this test to see if we can really, truly know who he is through all of it.
You know, I'd love that cross-reference. So next to verse seven, it's Jeremiah 31, 33. 33 and 34. Yeah. Oh my goodness. How cool is that, that we will all know him and his brothers didn't, but they're going to know him as well. Oh, this is so cool. Now in our show notes, if you guys wanna go and look it up, we have many references listed [00:16:00] where there are examples of the brothers who change.
Joseph gets to witness this, and he's watching the people change, and eventually through this change they'll come to see Joseph. And so I love that you pointed this out and, and how this is a shadow of Jesus Christ and how we do that, the, the Savior allows us to change. Through that change, through that process of becoming, and we love that talk by Elder Oaks, then we begin to recognize him and we start to see more clearly.
Just like that scripture that you shared, such a great shadow of Christ. Wow. Can I do one more? I would love it. Okay. You're so sweet. This makes me, I don't think you understand how happy this makes me carry on. You're so wonderful. You make me feel good about myself. Oh, just love you. Well, we, we need to keep people around us that just make us feel rightful and joyful.
I'll stay alright. Those five ways. What do you got? Love it. So I. I also went on a [00:17:00] deep dive on the word prove, right? Oh, yes. Um, because in 42, uh, Genesis 42, he is saying to his brothers, right? He keeps talking in verse 15. Yeah. Yeah. He's telling them your spies. I know your spies, right? I mean, he, he's setting up a test for them, and then he says.
You'll, I want you to prove that you are not spies by bringing me this other brother that you're talking about, right? Mm-hmm. And so I went on a deep dive on the word proved, and I started to look at all the different ways that the Lord proves us and the scriptures where he talks about the fact that he does prove us, for example, Abraham 3 25, we shall prove them now herewith.
Yeah. Whether or they will keep my commandments right, Dr. In covenants. Section 98 verses 12 through 14, line upon line, I will try you and prove you. Deuteronomy eight, two. He, he kept them in the [00:18:00] wilderness for 40 years to prove them and know what was in their heart, right? Mm-hmm. We could go on, but this is, this is a part of our testing, like making sure that we are becoming as you were talking about, right?
Yeah. Who heaven father wants us to be and, and those. Not only reveal to God who we are, but they reveal to ourselves who we are, you know? Mm-hmm. I mean, Peter was proved. Yeah. Yeah. And he failed miserably, right at the, the Cox Crow. Right. But then he changed and he never, never went back, you know what I mean?
To the point of being crucified for, for the savior, for, for his testimony. Right. And, and so I think there is something really, really powerful to, to the proving of the Lord. Yeah. And, and that's a, it's, it's a beautiful part of the structure of being the, here on earth, the experience of, of life that proving.
Anyway, we'll talk more, but thank you. That is No, that is such a great word. Beautiful. [00:19:00] But let me tell you why I love that word. And I've talked about this before, so some of the listeners know when I hear that, when I see that word, I think of. When you have to proof yeast when you're making something and how it takes time, like that's what I love about that word proof, is that God is giving us all the time he can give us to get us where he needs us so he can use that, that yeast or that cake, whatever you wanna call it.
'cause I don't bake you two. Fun fact. In fact, I was laughing the other day. I am like, well, maybe there's a saying, isn't there? An old saying that says, those who can't bake, teach? Yes, I cannot. In fact, my daughter is babysitting someone right now and she called me. I'm not even kidding you. She called me last night and said, mom.
I got some bad news for you. And I'm like, okay, what are you okay? And she goes, oh, I'm fine. I just wanted to let you know that I made some cinnamon rolls tonight with the kids that I'm babysitting and it's chaos here. And I didn't even follow a recipe. I just threw all my yeast in with all my water and my flour, and I even forgot to put an egg in.
And mom, she takes 'em outta the oven and she goes, look [00:20:00] at these. And they were perfection. And she goes, you really don't know how to cook. Like you really can't bake cinnamon rolls. And I said, I teacher lesson, I told you that like I cannot get yeast. There might be something in me that doesn't allow yeast to rise, but when I see the word prove, it is a trigger word for me because I think I love it.
I'm so thankful that God allows us time and when the batch doesn't work and I have to throw it out and start over. Okay, let's just use the time. We got to prove you now here with Save the Lord. So. When I'm seeing this, you hereby, ye shall be proved. That is a great word that he uses. Yes. And how the Lord uses that with us.
Like, I'm gonna prove you. Yeah. Let's see. Let's see what you do with this experience, this test, or this, this moment that you're going through. And so that is Larissa. I love that you brought that up and I, I think that is a great word for us to mark. In section four, in Genesis 42. So, well, that's just one thing, but I mean, how fun was that [00:21:00] discussion?
There we go. So that is exactly how Joseph is a, is a shadow of Jesus Christ. I will add one that I loved, and I'm just gonna fit it right here in this one. For me, it stood out how many times Joseph Weeps, because every time I read Joseph Wept. I, I thought of the savior who weeps to, and you can look for those.
That's a fun little game. But you're gonna find it in Genesis 42, verse 24. You're gonna find it in Genesis 43, verse 30, and then you're gonna find it in Genesis 45 verses one and two. And he's just a weeper. And I love that. But you know why he's weeping. And I, I think it's so cool, the verse 21, you had us, mark I, that I've never read that way.
We saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us, and we would not hear. Whoa. Right. And whoa, and right down under it, right. 23, they knew not that Joseph understood them. Mm-hmm. So there's, they're having this whole conversation about, oh yeah, what they've been through. Of course, he's gonna weep over this because he's [00:22:00] seeing, okay, they're still hanging onto this and they're hanging onto it with, with sorrow.
They have learned a lesson. They're not. They have. I mean it, it's the first indication I think he sees of the change because when he weeps in verse 24, it would've been so, nobody would've thought anything different if Joseph would've been like, serves you right. You jerks, ha ha, I've been waiting for this moment.
He's weeping 'cause he loves them so much. And he knows what's about to happen. So, wow, this has been, what a great discussion. Okay, so in the next segment then we're gonna dive into some more examples of a, the shadow that Joseph is for Jesus Christ. We'll do that next.
Segment 3
I wanna know from you two, is there a catch phrase that you say when things just work out and it's so awesome? For instance, in my family, [00:23:00] common catch phrase is when everything works out, my girls will say, God is good. God is good. Or My youngest loves the one God is good all the time. And then I have to say back all the time, God is good.
Like that Evangelical Baptist saying, I love it. Do you guys have one when everything works out? Things don't work out for us. No, I just, just kidding. You can borrow mine when it does Stop it. Just teasing. Oh, that's so good. Not the end of our story yet. Right? If, if, if you aren't at the happy ending, you Not yet.
Like how do react? How did you react? Yeah, exactly. How did you react when your daughter told you she was going on a mission or getting married? Oh. You know so much joy, but I can't think of a catchphrase. How about you, Diane? Yeah, I think I say God is good. Mm-hmm. Yep. I wanted you to think about these ideas of catchphrases.
'cause I kind of think that Joseph had one 'cause he repeats it a couple of times. This is a good one. Ooh, let's find it. This is the moment. [00:24:00] This is the moment where he is going to start to talk to his brothers. They're gonna recognize who he is. He actually weeps aloud in Genesis 45 verse two. Love that moment.
He tried to conceal it and send them away. He weeps out loud and then he has this awesome moment. And so the moment happens right here. So we are in Genesis chapter 45 and we're gonna read verses three through eight. That's what we wanna do, and we'll each take a turn reading a verse. We'll go Larissa, Diane, then me.
And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph death, my father, yet live. And his brethren could not answer him for they were troubled at his presence. And Joseph said unto his brethren, come near to me, I pray you. And they came near and he said, I am Joseph, your Bren, whom me sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved nor angry with yourselves.
Oh, it goes back to that verse you shared with us, Larissa. Nice job. That yeast sold me. Hither for God did send me before you to preserve life for these two years, have the famine been in the land and yet [00:25:00] there are five years in the which there shall be. Neither be Ernie Earring or Harvest, nor. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
And here it is in verse eight. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God. Highlight it right there. That's it. But God, but God and He just, it's, it blows my mind that he gives all this credit to God. Like, that's why you sold me. That's why this all worked out and why I had to be in prison and, and everything because God had a plan.
He's going to repeat that phrase again. We're gonna cross reference verse eight. Two, Genesis 50, verse 20. Let's go there where he rehearses the same thing again. So turn to Genesis, chapter 50, verse 20.
I'm writing really quickly. I really like where you said with the, but God, because God had a plan. So I like that [00:26:00] because God had a friend, God. God says 50 verse what? Verse 20. We read that. Diane, you bet. 50 verse 20. Mm-hmm. Oh, I love this one. But as for you, he thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good to bring to pass as it is this day to save much people alive.
So in verse 20, there it is, but God meant it unto good, but God, I have a sweatshirt that says, but God on it. I had a friend give it to me when I was going through a time and he was like, SIS, but God, you just gotta remember, but God. So next of verse 20, let's do a cross reference. We're gonna do like a little scripture chain here.
Let's go to second Ephi chapter two, verse two. And this is Lehigh speaking to his son Jacob and Larissa E. Read verse two. Sure. Nevertheless, Jacob, my born in the wilderness, thou knows the greatness of God and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain. But God. Okay, we have another cross-reference next to that one.
You wanna put Romans chapter [00:27:00] eight verse 28. So let's go there. Romans chapter eight, verse 28, and Diane, will you read that for us? Yes. I wanna mark this first. Sorry, go ahead, mark away. Romans 8 28. I love it. All right. Romans 8 28. And we know that all things work together for good. To them that love God to them who are called according to his purpose, but God.
Okay, and we have one more doctrine and covenant section 90 verse 24. And you can put that and that will end your scripture chain. And when you go to section 90 verse 24, just go ahead and put Genesis 45 verses five through eight, and here's what that scripture says. Search diligently, pray always, and be believing and all things shall work together for your good.
But God, there it is. If you walk up rightly and remember the covenant wherewith, you have covenanted one with another. I mean that is Joseph to a T right [00:28:00] there. But God, I had this really great quote. This is from Elder Garrett w Gong, and he talks about this idea that all things work together for our good.
And so I'm gonna put this quote up and Larissa, can you please read this quote from Elder Gong. Love to all things for our good. A remarkable promise, comforting assurance from God himself in a miraculous way. The purpose of creation and the nature of God are to know, beginning and end, to bring about all that is for our good, and to help us become sanctified and holy through Jesus.
Christ's grace and atonement, Jesus Christ's atonement can deliver and redeem us from sin. But Jesus Christ also intimately understands. Our every pain, affliction, sickness, sorrow, separation in time, and eternity. His triumph over death and hell can make all things right. He helps heal the broken and disparaged.
Reconcile the angry and divided comfort, the lonely and isolated. Encourage the uncertain and imperfect, and bring forth miracles possible only with God. [00:29:00] But God, that is the best, but God right there. Mm-hmm. It all works out for us. And so I think for me, I loved reading these and seeing this catchphrase for Joseph.
He gives all the credit to God and didn't Jesus Christ do the same throughout his whole ministry? But God, he just loved God. And when I was thinking about this, I had this question come into my mind. I'm just curious to know if either one of you have an experience where you have seen this in your life, where you can say, but God, like it all just worked out like hindsight 2020.
Like Joseph had, but God, do you have a moment like that? So many. Yeah. So many. Gimme one. Do you wanna go, Diane? No, you go first. You're good. Um, okay. Um, just, and, and I guess I'll, I'll go into seminary teaching if that's all right. You know, I mean, please do. That's mine too. All all of us [00:30:00] had this wonderful career that we loved and all of us left, um, because we had children and mm-hmm.
And in my case, it was a very, very hard leave because, uh, my husband had some, um. And, uh, disability, that that caused things to be difficult for our family, for me to not have a job anymore. And for years, I, I taught adjunct English and I kept asking the Lord, why? Why am I not working, you know, full-time. I have two degrees.
Why are you not having me work? And I kept getting this strong, strong impression that I needed to allow my husband to work. And it was wonderful. During those years, it was very difficult. We lived with my family, which was so humbling. So absolutely humbling to live with my parents. You bet. Yeah. And because you're not in your early twenties.
No, no. This point I'm [00:31:00] in my thirties. No, you're not struggling. Yeah. It wa it, it was humbling. You know, sometimes you look at the, at the Joseph story and, and you think, why, why are you taking me on this journey? I know that Joseph had these moments where the Lord had told him, you know, this is your future.
And he's looking at it going, I don't, I don't see this future. From the walls of a prison, you know? Mm-hmm. I don't see the future that you promised heavenly father from, from my parents' basement. Do you know? Yes. Not working. And, and I felt very prompted that I needed to get these degrees and I, I felt prompted to move forward.
I felt prompted to get married and, and now we're, we're like on the throes of being homeless and having no food, which just is so. Scary. So scary. Yeah. And, and we kept following the spirit. And, and to my husband's credit, even with, with hard, difficult, um, illness and issue, he got [00:32:00] two degrees and he just did the best that he could for our family, which was incredible.
Um. But then they, um, made some changes in church education and in 2014, right after I had, um, about a year after I had our final daughter, um, they had changed some policies that allowed women with dependent children to, to work in the system again. Yeah. And I remember calling someone and saying, can I, can I please come back?
Great. Right. Said, yeah, but you'll have to do pre-service again. And as you know, it's, it's very, very difficult. Anyway, long, long, long, long, long story short, I, I walk every day into BYU Idaho and I teach full-time religion here at BYU Idaho, which, um. Is absolutely such a dream job and a dream come true.
But all of it was this path that I, [00:33:00] I could, I remember sitting in my car realizing how sick my husband was when I was pregnant with our first daughter and saying, heavenly father, I give up all my dreams for the future. I just need you to take care of my husband and help him with his health. I, I don't lay claim on anything that I hoped for.
I just need him to be okay. If you'll help him then, then. Whatever happens, happens. So to be in this space of, you know, um, safety and mm-hmm. And prosperity for our family has been such a, a, but God and God is good and, and the path here has been just him taking us through each. Each step and, and still, you know, Brian still has a lot and Brian is my husband.
He's wonderful. A lot of struggles, but he's, he is phenomenal. What a blessing. What a blessing he is in my life. So anyway. Wow, what a [00:34:00] great story. And, and I remember you going through that thinking 'cause you're one of the only women to actually say, okay, I'll do pre-service. The rest of us were like, no, I don't have two years.
I'm not doing it. Uh, I'll find something else to do. And you did it and I, I remember praying for you. Yes. And help her please. 'cause that was such so hard. Like, I'm like, heavenly father, let her pass all the things she has to pass. Let her get this employment. I mean, we prayed for you, but God. Wow. Great story.
Thank you. Thank you for sharing that. What about you, Diane? Yeah, so mine isn't as, I mean, that was amazing. Mine was amazing in my life though. So mine was pre that. So mine was when I was in college and I had just come home from my mission and I was at BYU and I was studying elementary ed. And I was getting close to graduating.
I had about a year left.[00:35:00]
At that time, every girl at BYU wanted to be an elementary school teacher and they told us that we had to take this test. Right? Oh, sure. Elementary ed, right? Everybody wanted to do it and because I had no desire to work once I got married and had kids, and I was like, yeah, that's what I wanna do, but I do wanna teach.
And so I'm going through this program and they said, you have to take this standardized test even to just be in the major. And I was like, well, I'm almost done with my major. I had already done student teaching, all of these things. I just had, like I said, I was about not even a year left, and they said, well, you have to take the standardized test.
I take this test and I do grade in everything but the math, and so I get a tutor, you know, and I'm just. Studying, studying and I take these pre-tests and like I rock 'em, do. So well go in and I take [00:36:00] the test again and I fail it even worse in the math. And I'm like, what in the world is going on? Like I'm doing so great in school, I have As on everything, but I cannot pass this math.
And I'm praying and I'm praying and I'm praying and I don't understand what's going on at the time I'm working in the religion department. I talked to some of of my professors and they said, Diane, why don't you be a seminary teacher? You would do so great. And I'm like, oh, I just dunno. I go to the temple and I'm praying about it and I feel like, wow, you know, that might be something that I need to do.
I'll take the test one more time. Take the test, blow it. Wow. Other things happen. Um, I ended up changing my major to family science, going to the seminary program and it was such an amazing thing. I ended up putting, get, get engaged, you know, get married, put my husband through school, and then [00:37:00] we ended up having children.
And boy, I'll tell you, looking back, that was the best thing for my family. Was that preparation that I had, um, really digging into the scriptures and um, you know, elementary teaching. That was a great preparation too for my kids, you know? Awesome. But being able to learn the gospel like I did nothing could have been better.
Yeah. You know, so I think my kid's phrase really is, thank the Lord. That's a big one that I say all the time. That's a good one. Thank the Lord. I say that all the time. Thank the Lord for that, because that changed my life completely and it still has. Awesome. So definitely not where I thought I would be.
No. Not at all. Not at all. Oh, these stories are so good, and I, I thank you both of you for sharing those. Those were [00:38:00] awesome. And spirit, definitely spirit filled and, and that connection to the but God moment. And you know, you can even just look at our savior. And he had so many where he was just like, but God, like I can't explain it.
And, and you just, you see that throughout. You weave it throughout the New Testament with his ministry. And so I'm, I'm just grateful for everything that you guys shared. What a fun way to discuss that. Okay. So that's one. There's another shadow. So then, then in the next segment we're gonna talk about another shadow.
And this one is actually, I think, one of the most difficult shadows. In fact, it's so difficult that our president, sorry, it's so difficult that our prophet, our past prophet president Nelson, made it a focus and a challenge for all of the Saints. We'll talk about that next.
Segment 4
So this is a shadow, and we kind of teased it a little bit at the very beginning because this is the one thing that stood out to Diane and I loved it that I [00:39:00] just said, Diane, teach it. I want you just to go for it and tell us how does Joseph connect to the challenge the prophet gave us to forgive peacemakers wanted all of that stuff.
Yeah. Boy, when you asked me about this, I thought. This is something that I have worked on for so long and I have struggled with for so long, and Joseph and the Savior are such incredible examples to me of forgiveness As I look at Joseph. Okay, here's, here's the deal. When you say that you have, I can't even imagine.
Larissa and I are kind of like, wait a minute, you've had a hard time forgiving. 'cause you're the most happy, upbeat, loving person. I gotta know, like, come on, talk to me straight. What? Gimme an example. What's something you have to forgive? What do you mean you like to hold grudges? Because I don't see that in you.
Why did forgiveness stand out to you in this story? I, I think a big [00:40:00] one is forgiving myself. Oh, okay. Is a big one. And letting things go. Mm, mm-hmm. You know, here we see Joseph. But I would even say just little things, even with if I got upset with my kid, which I do have practically perfect children. You do.
You do. But I really do. You know, but, or upset with Kyle or, you know, with, with anybody. We see that Joseph did not hold a grudge. You know, he looks and he thinks, okay, you know, this is a horrible thing. Yes. Yep. They hurt me, but I am not going to, I'm not gonna hold this against them. I am going to, I'm gonna sit in this for a minute, and then I am going to,
I'm going to not dwell on the fact [00:41:00] that they wronged me. You know, he, he's not wanting to, to dwell on that and be frustrated. He looks at the circumstances and then he lets them. He looks at, he thinks, okay, have they, they, I'm giving them the opportunity to, to change, and I think that that's something that I've struggled with is.
Well, maybe somebody hasn't changed. Mm-hmm. Or maybe I haven't changed. I, I think that, um, Joseph so beautifully says in Genesis 50 verse 19, when this is after, after their father. Has died. Died. Mm-hmm. Died. And the brothers are now saying, [00:42:00] shoot, so maybe, maybe you really didn't forgive us. And so we are really sorry.
Yeah. And he's like, okay guys, stop. I've already told you. Yep. I forgive you. You know, and it's all good. And Joseph says in verse 19, and Joseph said unto him, fear not for, am I in the place of God? Mm-hmm. How incredible is that? Is it our place to judge? No. And that's what he's saying. You know, I like that.
Am I the one that gets to judge? No. And look at that. That's that imagery here that Joseph comforts them and, and says, you know what? I love you. Let's be brothers. Yeah. I, I don't want you guys to be my slaves and I don't get to judge you. Yep. I [00:43:00] haven't experienced, and, and this is kind of one of those wacky ones, but.
When I was at Rick's College my freshman year, I had a roommate, darling, darling. But we kind of had a falling out at the end of the year and we never made up. Okay. Fast forward like three years. All right. Here I am. I'm in Prague. Czech Republic, it's Christmas time and it is transfers, and I'm on this Metro by the Mission Home.
Going to pick up my new companion. And I said to my, my companion that I was just getting ready to drop off and leave. I said, oh my gosh, that girl on the corner looks like my freshman roommate and I hated my freshman roommate. And everybody's just laughing right there. And I was like, oh my gosh. [00:44:00] That would be the funniest thing if she's here.
So I go into the mission home. President Bryson says, sister Gertie, I want you to meet your new companion. Her name is Sister Day. And I'm like, what? It was my freshman roommate was my companion at Christmas time. What Like, okay, what is happening? Like Twilight Zone here? So here I'm Christmas time in this crazy land with like this girl that didn't like me and I didn't like her.
How weird is that, right? I had held a grudge against this girl for so young. She really didn't do much to me. No, but I stewed over that for three years. Just like these brothers did. They sat in stewed where, you know, Joseph is like, duck, come on guys. Mm-hmm. I kind of forgot about [00:45:00] it. So I pick up sister day and we're like kind of weird with each other.
So a little time goes by and we're sitting on this park bench and we're like saying to each other, you know, this is really weird. We kind of need to clear the air. We. C. Mm-hmm. And like we gotta just like start talking about like, wow, why did we act this way? And it was kind of nutty because she was supposed to go to Serbia, her mission called changes in the MTC to the Czech Republic.
Wow. Wow. And so we're sitting there on this park bench eating seat talks like. It's like 20 below zero and we're sitting here talking about how we hated each other and we're like, you know what? Neither of us would be able to move on in our lives and be able to go to the slush kingdom if [00:46:00] we do not let go to the, if we did not learn to forgive.
And the Lord has pretty good sense of humor because we have been thrown into this situation together. I mean, what a weird story that I'm even telling you that this happened, but boy did Sister Day and I have a killer few months together. Oh, we ripped it up. We talked to everybody in the Czech Republic.
We, yeah. This girl to this day, is one of my very best friends, and she taught me to love like the savior and to forgive like the savior. I still struggle and I still struggle to forgive myself. Hmm. But she taught me that it's not good to hold a grudge. So another big thing that I learned from. From the story of Joseph [00:47:00] and his brothers is this term, Michael Wilcox has quoted it twice.
Blessed you were twice blessed for forgiveness. The person that forgives is blessed and the person that is forgiven is blessed. Yes, I like that. And boy, did my life change that day. Yeah, when I forgave Susie, Susie forgave me. And I forgave myself most of all. Mm-hmm. And, um, that's really changed my life and as I parent, especially when there's hard situations.
Mm-hmm. And as I've been learning to forgive sooner. Mm-hmm. And kind of just give people the benefit of the doubt. I like how you said forgive sooner. 'cause this whole discussion on forgiveness made me think of Nephi, how he frankly forgave his brothers. Yes. But you know, Diane, I have to thank you for pointing out the, the shadow of forgiveness and how the savior can forgive.
How he can freely forgive, and how the brothers forgave. [00:48:00] And one of the things I had never noticed before, or even I guess I hadn't considered this point of view, was the ability for Israel, for Jacob to forgive. Yes. Could you imagine him? How he must have felt? Hello? My kid has been alive this whole time.
I was shocked about his reaction. Go to Genesis chapter 45. We're gonna read how he reacted when he found out Joseph was alive. And I, and I just, again, it's really fascinating to me. I don't read anywhere in here that he had a heart to heart with his boys, that he was mad at them. In fact, it's really fascinating what he does in the next chapter.
So let's go to Genesis 45 and we're going to read verses 26 through 28. But then again, remember we've talked about this, that there are not chapter breaks in the actual Bible. Like we've put them in. And so if you're reading the storyline, you just want to read verses 26, 27, 28, and then verse one and two of chapter 46, because I think this is how Israel reacted and this is [00:49:00] how he forgave.
It's so cool. So let's just go ahead and start. We'll each read a verse and go again, Larissa, Diane, and me. And then when we get done, tell me what you noticed about how he reacted and how he forgave. And they came up out of the Egypt and came into the land of Canaan and to Jacob, their father. Told him saying Joseph is yet alive and he is governor over all the land of Egypt.
And Jacob's heart fainted for, he believed them not, I mean, that's the only part of the story. That's a little bit like, I don't believe you. What? Okay. And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them. And when he saw the wagons, which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob, their father revived, and Israel said.
It is enough Joseph, my son, is yet alive. I will go and see him before I die, and Israel took his journey with all that he had and came to Bathsheba and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father. Isaac. [00:50:00] And God spoken to Israel in the visions of the night and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, here am I.
And then he tells him where to go. But can we just focus on chapter 46 verse one right there? What does he do? What's as soon as he finds out his son is alive, rather than having a heart to heart with his horrible wicked sons, what does he do in verse one? Give sacrifices. Yes. In fact, highlight, be Sheba.
Be Sheba, however you wanna say that. Beer in Hebrew means well, and Sheba means covenant, and it's named after. What Abraham named this place. Abraham named it the Well of Covenant and you can cross reference it to Genesis chapter 21, verse 31, after his whole experience with Hagar and life not turning out the way he thought it should and ha not having kids in all of that.
And he finds this place in names at Be Sheba, a well of Covenant. It's almost like to me, I read verse four, verse one, that he's offering sacrifices at a place of covenant. Oh, that's, to me, that's the temple. Beautiful. Isn't that [00:51:00] great? Yes. So rather than holding a grudge and being so angry at his sons, which again, nobody would fault him for that, isn't it great?
He just, he goes to the temple, I love it. He offers sacrifices to the Lord, and then as a result, God can speak to him. I. And say, okay, wrap it up. Let's go now. We've got stuff to do. We don't have time to be sad and sorry about this. We don't have time to be angry. I got work and I've got you. I've gotta get all your family and we've gotta get, make an account for them and we're gonna count 'em all up in section in Genesis 46 and we're gonna get everybody into Egypt and we've got a lot to do.
And Jacob, I need you to do some stuff for your sons before you die. I mean, he probably didn't tell me he was gonna die, but he's like, there's stuff you gotta do. We don't have time. Probably knew he was gonna die probably. He was probably pretty old. But don't you love that? I, I kind of feel like his storyline is.
You don't have time to be angry. We got a lot to do. And even Joseph was like that, I don't have time to be angry. We gotta get my family safe. 'cause you know, we're hungry. Yeah. So it's just, it's such a great message to all of us when we're in the throes of forgiveness. Like, just turn to the Lord. Yep. Get your butt to the temple.
Let it go. Yeah, let it go. Turn to him so he can speak to [00:52:00] you. So turn to him so he can speak to you. Yeah, I love that. Thank you. Thank you. Okay, so that is one of the shadows, is the shadow of forgiveness. And again, we saw the savior do that. The savior didn't have time to hold grudges. He had a lot of work to do and so do we.
So in the next segment we are gonna learn about another shadow. And this one you cannot outrun or get rid of, and honestly, you really don't want to. And we'll discuss what we mean by that in the next segment.
Segment 5
Larissa, this was what stood out to you. This was a shadow that you showed me and I thought it was so cool. So I'm like, I need you to just teach it. So talk to us about the shadow you found, how it connects to Christ. I think one of the things that I love watching in people is the transition of what the Lord is doing to us and staying in that person that we are [00:53:00] the whole time, if that makes sense.
I wanna just look at it from a couple of layers, right? Okay. We've got Joseph's brothers. We know that they made mistakes. We, I mean, even in their blessings from Jacob in 46, we talk about kind of their mistakes, which is pretty ugly, but that's another story for another segment, for another podcast. Sure.
But what I think is so incredible, and I loved what Diane said about meeting up with her companion again, I think God is a God of reconciliation. Yes. And God is God that will take those hard moments, and he wants us to reframe them and have experience with them again. And so you will find that the patterns that he is trying to train you in are, are really, really fascinating.
So for the brothers, Joseph Brothers, right, they. They let Joseph go, but then Joseph made Simeon stay so [00:54:00] they could have left Simeon and gone back and, I mean, they didn't have any food, but they could have, you know, gone to another land or tried another back door somewhere. They could have just left Simeon the brother because they had already done it with Joseph, even though.
You know, they were being tested. Mm-hmm. I mean, Joseph was testing them. He was proving them. The Lord was proving them and they didn't leave their brother Simeon. They didn't just leave him rotting there. Who knows what, what was happening with him. Right. Then another brother Benjamin. Right. They, they went with Benjamin and they made surety for Benjamin.
Judah went in and said, I will take the place of Benjamin and. When Joseph put the cup in Benjamin's. Mm-hmm. Again, to keep Benjamin there to do some more proving Juda in such a beautiful type of the Savior right, says, I will be the surety for him. Right. What an incredible moment this is That, that the savior, you know, also is this, I will assure [00:55:00] that all your children come back.
Father, would it? What a beautiful thing. It's that Judah does. Right? And so I guess, you know, another thing that they did was they brought back their money. They mm-hmm. You know, Joseph put their money back in their sax and they went, what's happening? And so they bring it back to him, Hey, uh, here's this money, and we have more money for more food yet, right.
They are being true to what the Lord is trying to prove them in, if that makes sense. Mm. And I, I like that. I think that if you look through your life. Uh, if, if we were in a classroom, I would have you open up a journal and I would have you start thinking about what the Lord is proving you in. What are the patterns that you're seeing?
What is happening over and over and over? What relationships are coming back to you like Diane talked about, right? Hmm. What is happening and, and what markers is the Lord putting in your life on the way? I loved Tammy, if this is all right. I loved the way that you talked about [00:56:00] Jacob. If you go all the way back to when Joseph tells the dream to begin with, there's this moment where his father in Genesis 37, 11, the brothers are kind of just dismissing him, but it says.
Israel or Jacob observed the saying, and in this instance, what it means is to notice or perceive and register as being significant. Wow. So Joseph, by the spirit is being told. This is important. He may not have understood it. He didn't, you know, I mean, he didn't love Joseph and say, ah, that's what's gonna happen.
Do you know? But the spirit was teaching him. And I think that that when we see the proving in our lives, there are gonna be these. Really incredible moments where the spirit is gonna come in and say, this is significant. Pay attention to this. Mm-hmm. And what's so [00:57:00] beautiful in the proving is that later on you have that with God moment like you were talking about, and, and you can see what's happening, right?
In Genesis 42, 6, gosh, how. How would this have felt for Joseph? Joseph is the governor of the land. And he, it was that sold to all the people of the land, and Joseph's brethren came and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth. I mean, this is this moment all coming together. What a moment this is.
Mm-hmm. Right? Mm-hmm. And then, you know, this happens a few times. And then one more go to in this one, this is Joseph Smith translation, Genesis 48, and it's when Israel is bringing in Ephraim and Manas as his sons, and I'm sure you'll talk about that in a minute, Tammy, but he says in verse 10, [00:58:00] for thou has prevailed, which is again that, that name Israel, right.
Where President Nelson has asked us to. Mm-hmm. Prevail with God. So now Joseph has prevailed with God and thy father's house. House hath bowed down unto the. Even was shown unto the, even as it was shown unto thee before that was sold into Egypt by the hands of thy brethren. Wherefore, thy brethren shall bow down unto thee from generation to generation under the fruit of thy loins forever.
Joseph is spiritual, or sorry, Jacob. Israel is spiritual and he understands the significance of all of what has happened and all of what is happening, and I, I love that. About Jo, about Jacob and can I connect it also to the weeping? Sorry. Yes, please do. You were talking about Joseph weeping and there's this beautiful moment in Genesis 33, 4.
Where Jacob and Issa have their own [00:59:00] reconciliation. Yes. And they weep together. And this is, you know, brothers who have been separated and wronged. And so if anybody understands what that feels like, you know. Jacob is the brother who did the wronging in this, and perhaps that's one of the reasons that he's okay with his sons.
Wow. You know, because he goes forward and has this beautiful reconciliation with his brother. He saw where there's weeping and joy, and then Diane was talking about how Joseph says in 50, I don't want you to be my slaves. I want you to be my brothers. Right brothers? Yeah. Yeah. This is the savior showing us who he is and who through his proving he has become and who he always will be.
He could say to us, you should be my servants. And I mean servants in like, because of course we're his servants, but I mean, servants is in, but, but in Romans, he tells us You will be joint heirs with him. I. How [01:00:00] incredible is that? Right, right. Incredible. And and again, Joseph, all through the testing that he's still willing to nourish, like di Diane pointed out.
Right. And so anyway, going back to ourselves, if you were in my class and we were looking at the patterns and we were looking the patterns of testing, then I would invite you to find the attribute of Christ that would help you overcome the level of trial that you're in. Oh, wow. Whatever level of trial or whatever is coming back to you, there's some attribute of Christ that you need to be asking for.
And I don't mean that in a rude way when I say, you need to be doing this 'cause. Mm-hmm. Definitely I need to do it as well. But, but what is the gift that you need? Do you need patience to overcome this trial that keeps coming over and over and over? Do you need Yeah. Forgiveness for this child that comes over and over.
Does Diane need to pray to love herself a little bit more? Yes. And to forgive herself a little bit more? Mm-hmm. Yep. Diane, I remember a time when I was, [01:01:00] I was every night going to Heavenly Father and saying, I did this again and I didn't do this and I didn't do that. And I thought, I am bumming him out.
I'm sure. And I bumming myself out. Exactly right. 'cause that's what the Lord is saying too. I have forgiven you so many times. Right. Forget it. Yeah. And I remember going and as sad as I meet him, right, I need to start telling him what I am doing. That's good. I love that. Mm. So I remember kneeling down and saying, father, you know, today with the little tiny babies.
I changed their diapers and I fed them, and I got a load of laundry done. Yeah. But that's about it today. Do you know what I mean? Yeah. And I started to just celebrate the wins in the becoming. And so I. I invite you to do that. I love that. Celebrate the wins in the becomings. Yeah. I invite you to do that too, because that proving that's beautiful.
That proving is going to be [01:02:00] effective. There are so many scriptures that talk about that you will go into God's kingdom with your father's, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to go no more out is what the scriptures say. You and I are gonna get to the point where we are and have become like president. Is taught in the challenge to become, yeah, those beings through the atonement of Jesus Christ and through our hard work.
I have absolutely no doubt that all of us have that ability and capacity. Wow. That was beautifully said Larissa. What a, what a great practice or, or ask of your class to do, to think about what Christlike attribute you need in your life to help you get through what you're going through at that time.
Because, you know, it made me think about back on a time in my life when I had married my husband Jim, and he had two little girls, and I became Insta mom overnight and I didn't know what I was doing and I was just like drowning, right? And I can remember getting on my knees and begging the Lord to bless me.
With [01:03:00] gentleness and long suffering because I thought, what are the gifts of the spirit that I need to do this job because this is way harder than I thought it would be. And I, for years, that's all I prayed at night long suffering and gentleness, help me get through this 'cause I don't know what I'm doing.
And, and it just, it's amazing 'cause it works like the one thing you need. It really, like, I love how you said ask for it and he will give it to you to help you get through your hard time. And he did. I, I have a testimony of that, so I'll just be a second witness to what Larissa challenged us to do. That it, it really does work.
When you ask the Lord, he will give that to you so. I'm gonna pray for Diane that she'll be able to, to just have the Lord say, I don't got time for this anymore. Diane, you're forgiven. Move on. I got so much work to do. And you don't have time. No. You've got so much you gotta do. We have to make out of you.
We've got so much that we need to do. I mean, he's got more in store for you Diane. We don't have time to worry about being forgiven like you've been forgiven. Move on. Yeah, you're your fate, Diane. You're his favorite. Come on. I am his favorite. [01:04:00] Ah, geez. I need to remember that. Absolutely. Yes. Yes. So thank you girls.
I needed that. What a great exercise. Yes, lo, I love that you challenged us to do that. That's great. Everybody think of what you need. 'cause what she said is true. It really does work. So there you go. That's the shadow you don't wanna get rid of. Let it stick to you. Don't outrun it. You wanna see who God sees that you are and who he has consistently wanted you to be, and he will get you there.
He will absolutely get you there. And even if it means you're gonna have to spend some time in jail like Joseph did or you know, whatever it is, maybe you wanna go to jail 'cause you got three hots and a co and it's a nice break. I'm just saying what I, God will get you there. And I like how you said that at the end, Larissa, that was beautiful.
So thank you. Thank you. Okay, so we have one more shadow and that shadow is going to come in when we talked about the Lord saying to Jacob, I got stuff for you to do. And this one last thing that Jacob does is so important. We'll talk about that last and [01:05:00] next.
Segment 6
So the very last thing that Jacob does for all of his children is he calls them around. They all gather together. Let's go to Genesis chapter 49 and to the outside of chapter 49, you wanna write patriarchal blessings. He leaves his children with their patriarchal blessings. This is such a fun chapter to study 10 outta 10 highly recommend because if you wanna know what the blessings are for each one of these tribes, especially if you know people from these tribes.
Find out what the blessing is 'cause this is where this is your first go-to is Genesis 49. So if you start in verse three, you can highlight there's Reuben's blessing. In verse five, there's Simeon and Levi's blessing. Verse eight is Judah's blessing. Then in verse 13 is Zebulon. Verse 14 is Isah. Verse 16 is Dan.
Verse 19 is ga. 20 is Asher. 21 is Naftali, and then verse 22 is Joseph, and by that also is Ephraim and Manasseh. So if you [01:06:00] wanna know, if you're like, oh, Ephraim, that's my tribe. We're gonna talk a little bit about that because here it is again, a shadow of Jesus Christ. Who would've ever guessed a patriarchal blessing could be a shadow of the Savior.
So Larissa, talk to us about the blessing given to Joseph and also E from and Manasseh. I, I love that. I love so much that one of the things, again, if you go over to the. Joseph Smith translation of Genesis 50, right? Mm-hmm. That's where we're gonna see Joseph prophesying about what his future is going to be, right, his future children, and he talks about Abraham and man Vanessa.
We know that Jacob Israel has adopted those two in, and the reason that he has is because Joseph now is the birthright son. He is going to have the birthright blessing. And his two children, eman are going to lead out in Israel. We're told in the Joseph Smith translation in Genesis 49 about Judah, verse 10, [01:07:00] the scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a lawgiver come between his feet until Shiloh, meaning Jesus christless Savior.
Unto him shall be the gathering of the people. So, so the gathering of the people have to be to Judah and the rule is gonna be to Judah until the savior comes. But once the savior comes, the rule is now gonna go over to e from, and Vanessa, right? Mm-hmm. That they're gonna lead out because with, with the birthright blessing is going to be given a double portion and.
Man is the oldest and, and Israel says, I know he will be a great people, but Ephraim gets the birthright blessing. Mm-hmm. And he doesn't quite understand why, but he just knows that Ephraim is gonna have it. And with that double portion, he is going to go forward and he is going to nourish the house of Israel in the same way that Joseph is nourishing Israel's house and bringing them in.
I highly recommend we won't have time to do this, but I highly recommend going into [01:08:00] Joseph Smith translation, Genesis 50, spend some time in there, spend some time learning about the promises that are for E from, absolutely go into Genesis 50 and study that because it's so applicable. It is obviously applicable to us today, and we need to know what this is about because when you read in Genesis 49, verse 22, that Joseph is a fruitful bow, even a fruitful bow by a well whose branches run over the wall, I mean, you love that imagery, like it's just gonna grow.
And get bigger and bigger and fill, fill the earth. And we see that today. And here's an interesting story. So whenever my seminary students would say, well, how do you know when you should get your patriarchal blessing? My answer's always the same. Now if you're thinking about it, that's the spirit telling you to get it.
So go and make your appointment with your bishop and then. Hurry and make your point with your patriarch, because Satan has such a way of distracting you once you get that recommend for your patriarchal blessing. And the next thing you know, the time's lapsed and you gotta go through the whole thing all over again.
And so one of my students went and got his patriarchal blessing. He said to me on a Friday, sister Lac, when I was teaching, I'm gonna get my patriarchal blessing on Sunday. And I [01:09:00] said, I cannot wait. I want you to come and tell me all about it. So on Monday he comes to school and he tells me he got it. And I said, okay, what tribe are you from?
And he goes, E, from like everybody else. And I go, oh no, you from like everybody else. This is so exciting. And he was like, why? And I said, oh, oh boy, this is so cool. And we talked about how Ephraim was one of, it's the only tribe that gets to prepare for the second coming of Jesus Christ. And Manasseh gets to help and there is so much the Lord needs you to do.
And I found these really two really cool quotes about Ephraim in the latter days. So I'm gonna put these up. And Larissa, will you read the first one by President Packer and Diane, will you read the second one? By, uh, Joseph F. Smith from Doctrines of Salvation. In the great majority of cases, latter Day Saints are the tribe of Ephraim, the tribe to which has been committed.
The leadership of the latter day work. Whether this lineage is of blood or adoption does not matter. Perfect. Okay. And then Diane, here's this one. It is Ephraim today who holds the priesthood. It is with Ephraim that [01:10:00] the Lord has made covenant. And has revealed the fullness of the everlasting Gospel. It is Ephraim who is building temples and performing the ordinances in them for both the living and for the dead when the lost tribes come.
And it will be a most wonderful site and a marvelous thing when they do come to Zion in fulfillment of the promises made through Isaiah and Jeremiah. They will have to receive the crowning blessings from their brother e from the firstborn in Israel. Thank you. So that is why so many people are coming from Ephraim right now is because we are getting ready for Jesus Christ to come.
Can't think of a better shadow than that. We, it ha like we're the shadow and we get to prepare for the second coming of Jesus Christ. We get to participate in the gathering of Israel. This is so exciting bringing our brothers and sisters home through the covenant of baptism, through the covenants that we make in the temple and, and we're just all a big happy family in this [01:11:00] huge, gigantic tent that just keeps getting bigger and bigger, which is why I love Maroni so much because it goes back to this idea where it says to um, in fact, this is kind of fun.
Everyone just go to Moroni chapter 10. This is really fascinating to me because when I learned about this idea of the House of Israel and that the role that the tribe of Efram has, I was studying the Book of Mormon and I was in Moroni, and here's Moroni, he's writing in chapter 10. He gives the, you know, the Moroni promise, the challenge to pray, and you're reading and he's giving, and, and he doesn't have a lot of place.
On the plates to write. And we also know it's really difficult to write on the plates. And so he's careful with his words. And then right outta nowhere, he just throws this verse in and he kind of conflates two Isaiah verses together. And the verse is Maronite, chapter 10 verse 31, and awake and arise from the dust.
O Jerusalem. Yay. Put all my beautiful garments. Oh daughter of Zion and here it is, and strengthen thy stakes and enlarge thy borders forever. That thou may us no more be confounded [01:12:00] for that the covenants of the eternal father, which she has made unto the Oh House of Israel may be fulfilled. And that idea.
Of strengthening th stakes and enlarging my borders forever is this kinsman and the savior's, the kinsman and it, and we're under his tent and he says, we've gotta make room. So many more people are coming. So you would have to lift up the stakes of that tent and stretch it out. In fact, when you joined in Old Testament times, when you would join a kinsman or a tribe, you would get a piece of material in a wedding.
And they would sew on that piece of goats there to the tent to make it bigger. And so we're just sewing so many panels at such a rapid pace. And Maroni saying, you know, he's talking, talking. And he goes, oh, by the way, you're, you're gonna need to know this. You're gonna have to enlarge your borders and strengthen your stakes because we're gonna add so many people in the last days.
And that will be I, you know, I just think about all the past prophets and apostles who said things about Ephraim and all the different tribes. I don't even know if they could have imagined that we would have, first of all, all the tribes represent right now and how close we are. Like we are [01:13:00] literally gathering the House of Israel for the second coming of Jesus Christ.
Can I, can I say something here please? I love that you said that because we are gathering so many of the different tribes. I mean, Diane and I went to areas of the world where we were getting, getting so many of the different tribes. Yeah. What I, what I want is for people to understand one thing about it, because a lot of times we'll talk so much about Ephraim and we'll, we'll talk about, you know, Ephraim's this and Ephraim's that, and then you get someone like my little seminary students who are like.
Are you guys better than my tribe? You know what I mean about Lon, right? I'm trying to Dan or Yeah, James z Fausta in 1980. That, um, the tribes of Israel are so mixed. The blood is so mixed that there's possibility that there are different people that could come from different tribes. And so this is the one thing I wanted to teach, right, is that each tribe had a different symbol.
Yes. Soda was the lion, and Asher was a, was a tree, and [01:14:00] Zebulon was a ship. Okay. And, and Benjamin was a, a wolf and Ephraim was an ox. Mm-hmm. Asse was, uh, also an ox. And what I find very, very interesting is that in the baptismal font, there are not 12 different symbols. Right? Right. You don't have the ship or the lion.
You have Oxford. Fabulous. Which means that every tribe needs to take on the responsibility of Ephraim. Mm-hmm. Every tribe needs to do and become kings and queens who are nourishing mothers and fathers who bring everybody. These people that you're talking about that are gonna come into the tent. Yes. You take on that characteristic and you become like the savior.
One who would build and nourish and, and give Right. And nurse and, and like Joseph did, right? That's, that's what all of our work is in this day and age. And so I've had students will come to me and say, what does [01:15:00] this mean that, that Zebulon is this or that Asher? And, and, you know, I go into a few little ideas mm-hmm.
Here and there. But, but the real, real blessing is that we are all oxen. It's, it's our job to, to get this work to move forward. Wow. Isn't that fantastic? Awesome. I love the connection you made to that because every tribe has something to do to prepare for the second coming, and every tribe will fulfill.
Like you've got the tribe of Levi, who is the priesthood. You know, everybody, every tribe has an important role to play, and I love the imagery of the oxen and that we're all on the backs of that and that we, we need each other. In order to really build this house of Israel the way the Lord wants it, so, wow.
Thank you ladies. Thank you. That's the end of our discussion. That was so cool. That was awesome. To take this familiar story with Joseph and the brothers and the dad and just to take. Shadows that we found throughout where Joseph is a shadow. He's a type and a shadow of Jesus Christ and so is his dad. So that was a pretty [01:16:00] great discussion.
Okay. Gather your thoughts and just tell me what is an eternal truth that you learned, something that the spirit just spoke to your heart during our discussion today. I'm gonna go first. 'cause you guys, you were the talkers. I was the listener for sure. I'm going to say at the very beginning, Larissa, when you talked about his dad and the spirit taught me, he believed in his name when he was like, if I'm bereaved of my child, I'm bereaved.
And both of us are sending daughters out on missions. And you have to almost get to that point where you're like, I'm sending her into your hands. Like, protect my child and, and just, I'm gonna let God prevail. So I love the spirit. And I've been really, really struggling The same way you are like, oh, your mama heart, my set, my first one on a mission.
I was worried about her and I'm just worried again. So thank you. And then for sure, Diane, I loved it when you pointed out the idea of forgiveness being a shadow of Christ. And when you had us read section Genesis 50, verse 19, who am I to judge? I thought that was really great, but then it just opened my eyes to help.
Jacob was also one, a shadow of Christ with [01:17:00] forgiveness and that he went to the temple. That was a great discussion, so thank you. Okay. I, I love the idea. Proving takes time. Mm-hmm. That was fun. That was, it is just going to take time to become who heavenly father wants you to be, that the yeast takes time.
It's going to take time. It's going to be effective a hundred percent that it will be effective, but it will take time and, and there's nothing wrong with that. You've got time to, to relearn how to do it over and over and over again. So, yes. I wish I could teach it in seminary or in your class. I would bring yeast.
I would stir it in my ball in front of my class and let them watch it. It would be so fun. Okay, Diane. I think one of the big things that I learned was, um, with the reconciliation moments, with these reunions that Joseph had with, with his brothers, how they wept on and, and they wept on his [01:18:00] neck mm-hmm.
And how they had lived in pain and hurt for so long. And, uh, just the thought that through Jesus Christ, we can let God prevail. And we can choose God, we can choose to be healed and um, we can turn to him. I loved what you guys said. Turn to him so that he can speak to you. That I need to let God prevail in my life.
I need to turn things over to him 'cause he wants us to and let him speak to me. But God, but God, praise the Lord. But God so good. Wow. I love you both. Thank you so much. This was a real treat for me. My heart is so happy. Thank you. Thank you. I love you girls. Wow. Okay. What did you guys learn? What did the spirit teach you throughout this discussion as you were thinking about the things that my friend shared?
We want you to join our group on [01:19:00] Facebook or follow us on Instagram and share what you have learned. And then throughout the week, at some point, we're gonna post a question from this discussion, here's what I wanna know. What's your catchphrase? What do you say when things go right? Comment on the post that relates to this lesson and share your thoughts.
You can get to both our Facebook and Instagram by going to the show notes for this episode@ldsliving.com slash Sunday on Monday and go there anyway, because it's where we have links to all of the references and a transcript of this whole discussion. So go check it out. The Sunday on Monday Study Group is a Deseret Bookshelf plus original, brought to you by LDS Living.
It's written and hosted by me, Tammy Uzelac Hall. And today our perfect study group participants were Larissa Wilhelm Waldron and Diane Gerdy Eman. And you can find more information about my friends at ldsliving.com Sunday on Monday. Our podcast is produced by Cole Wissinger and me. It is edited and mixed by Cole Wissinger, and our executive producer is Erin Hallstrom.
Thanks for being here. We'll. See you next week, and please remember that you are God's favorite.