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13: “I Have Remembered My Covenant” (Exodus 1–6)

Fri Mar 18 17:50:08 EDT 2022
Episode 13

President George Q. Cannon once said, “No matter how serious the trial, how deep the distress, how great the affliction, [God] will never desert us.” But sometimes it’s only in hindsight that we can see how God was with us all the way. Take the lives of the enslaved Israelites, for example. For generations, the Israelites suffered at the hands of the Egyptians without deliverance. But as we study Exodus 1–6, we’ll see how God never once abandoned them. In fact, we’ll even discover how God worked in the lives of His servants to bring to pass deliverance for the Israelites through His servant, Moses.



Seg 1:

Scriptures:

Genesis 50:26

Exodus 1:7–12

Definitions:

Hebrew:

Wisely = Shrewdly, harshly

Grieved = Dreaded, afflicted

Quotes:

“No matter how serious the trial, how deep the distress, how great the affliction, [God] will never desert us. He never has, and He never will. He cannot do it. It is not His character [to do so]. … He will [always] stand by us” (“Remarks,” Deseret Evening News, Mar. 7, 1891, 4); see also Jeffrey R. Holland, “Come unto Me,” Ensign, Apr. 1998, 16–23.

Seg 2:

Scriptures:

Exodus 1:14–16, 19, 21–22

Exodus 2:1–7, 10–11

Acts 7:23

Moses 1:25

Definitions:

Shiprah = Brightness or fairness

Puah = Splendid or glitter

Make Houses = Increase family

Hebrew:

Fear = Awe, reverence, honor

Goodly = Beautiful

Links: “Unnamed Women of the Old Testament: Pharaoh’s Daughter” Podcast Episode

Seg 3:

Scriptures:

Exodus 2:11–12, 15–25

Exodus 18:1

Hebrew:

Hebrew = Anyone who comes from the line of Shem

Reuel = Friend of God

Gershom = Drive out or cast out

Sighed = Groan

Quotes

The word “Hebrew” in the Hebrew language is עברי (Ivrie). The root letters are used to mean cross over, or pass through. In the Bible, it seems to have primarily referred to those who traversed rivers. It is speculated that Abraham earned the name “Ivrie”, or “One that has traversed” to be referring to the fact that he came from the other side of the river. He and his family had traveled from close to the river Euphrates, crossed over into Haran, and then God called him back over the river again to the land which we now know to be Israel. He also had an ancestor with that name (עבר – Eber, Gen. 11:14) which might explain the link, but either way, the association between these Hebrews (עברים – Ivrim, plural) and the crossing of rivers appears a few times in the Bible (“What Does the Word “Hebrew” Mean?” One for Israel, June 2, 2016).

“My brothers and sisters, the first great commandment of all eternity is to love God with all of our heart, might, mind, and strength—that’s the first great commandment. But the first great truth of all eternity is that God loves us with all of His heart, might, mind, and strength. That love is the foundation stone of eternity, and it should be the foundation stone of our daily life” (Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, “Tomorrow the Lord will Do Wonders among You,” April 2016 General Conference).

“This is a paradox of man: compared to God, man is nothing; yet we are everything to God. While against the backdrop of infinite creation we may appear to be nothing, we have a spark of eternal fire burning within our breast. We have the incomprehensible promise of exaltation—worlds without end—within our grasp. And it is God’s great desire to help us reach it” (Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “You Matter to Him,” October 2011 general conference).

Seg 4:

Pictures of Moses and the burning bush:

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2  of  3
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Scriptures:

Exodus 3:1–7, 11–14

Definitions:

Angel of the Lord = Presence of the Lord (JST Exodus 3:2)

Hebrew:

I AM = I will become who I will become, an eternal essence.

Quotes:

“[Exodus 3:2] indicates that the flame of fire signaled the actual presence of the Lord, whose glory was described by Joseph Smith as eternal fire” (Joseph Smith, History of the Church 6:366).

Seg 5

Scriptures

Exodus 3:19–22

Exodus 4:1–18, 21, 24–26, 29–31

Exodus 35

Definitions:

I will harden his heart = Pharoah will harden his heart (JST Exodus 4:21)

Hebrew:

Borrow = Ask

Quotes:

“The circumcision was performed, and Moses went on. Zipporah met the demands of justice, spared Moses further upset from the Lord, and ransomed him, as it were, giving him a fresh start” (D. Kelly Ogden, Andrew C. Skinner, Verse by Verse: The Old Testament, Deseret Book, 188)

“The Hebrew indicates that the Israelites asked for (not borrowed) the jewels and raiment, and the Egyptians ‘let them have’ (not lent) such things as they required. It should be remembered that the Lord earlier had commanded Moses to have the Israelites follow this procedure in order that they would not ‘go empty’ out of Egypt. (See the commentary for Ex. 3:21-22.)” (Daniel Ludlow, Companion to Your Study of the Old Testament, “Exodus,” Deseret Book)

Seg 6:

Scriptures:

Exodus 5

Exodus 6:1–9

Ellery with her scriptures:

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Tammy 0:01

Okay, you guys, if the quote that I'm about to read is the only thing you hear from today's episode, it will have totally been worth it. I want you to listen to it and then sit with its truth. President George Q Cannon once taught: "No matter how serious the trial, how deep the distress, how great the affliction, God will never desert us. He never has, and He never will. He cannot do it. It's not in His character to do so. He will always stand by us." Today we begin our study of the Book of Exodus. The Book of Exodus is a fulfillment of this quote, and it will teach us that we can emerge from our trials believing in a God who sees us, who hears us, and knows us.

Welcome to the Sunday on Monday Study Group, a 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. If you're new to our study group, we just want to make sure you know how to use this podcast, so please follow the link in our description, and it's going to explain how you can best use this podcast to enhance your quality study, just like my friend Cicely Tidwell from Idaho. Hi, Cicely.

Okay, now another awesome, fabulous thing about our study group, and it's my favorite thing is that each week I get to be joined by two of my friends so it's always a little bit different. And today we have a powerhouse duo. I love putting these two together. They're my favorite pair. We have Sharon Staples and Ellery Howarth. Hi, ladies.

Sharon Staples 1:29

Hi, Tammy. Hi, everyone.

Ellery Howarth 1:32

Hey, guys. Glad to be back.

Tammy 1:34

We're so glad to have you both back and Ellery's in Texas now, living there, teaching. She's been there for about a year, right?

Ellery Howarth 1:42

Like six months.

Tammy 1:43

Oh, yeah. Six months. How's that going as an elementary school teacher?

Ellery Howarth 1:46

Aweful. Just kidding. Oh, it's it's going. Spring Break's next week. So it's going really well now.

Tammy 1:55

And how has the Spanish going? Because you speak a lot of Spanish, don't you?

Ellery Howarth 1:58

Not my class. Most of my students are Middle Eastern refugees, actually.

Tammy 2:03

Oh, I didn't realize that. I thought you were using your Spanish.

Ellery Howarth 2:06

Yeah, I was originally going to but then I got moved to my school that I'm at now.

Tammy 2:11

Okay

Ellery Howarth 2:11

So I work mostly with refugees.

Tammy 2:15

Wow,

Ellery Howarth 2:15

Middle Eastern. So I've got a lot of like, Poshtu, Arabic. So I can't use any of my language skills with that.

Tammy 2:25

No, not at all. Wow.

Sharon Staples 2:27

That's a tough road to hoe.

Tammy 2:28

Yeah,

Ellery Howarth 2:29

But when I see the bilingual kids, I can discipline them in Spanish, which always freaks them out.

Tammy 2:34

I bet it does - this white gringa.

Ellery Howarth 2:36

Yeah, I'm always, like, Get on the wall! And they're like, Who said that?

Tammy 2:40

How do you say, "Get on the wall" in Spanish?

Ellery Howarth 2:42

I just say "Ala pared." Like, 'on the wall'. And they're like, who said that? I'm like, Me. Get on the wall.

Tammy 2:50

That's awesome, I love it. Okay, well, and we have Sharon, so good to have you back, Sharon.

Sharon Staples 2:56

Thank you. It's good to be back.

Tammy 2:57

You ready to do this?

Sharon Staples 2:59

You bet.

Tammy 3:00

Sharon's the gospel doctrine teacher in our ward now and I could not be happier about that.

Ellery Howarth 3:04

Oh, I didn't know you're in the same ward.

Tammy 3:06

We are. That's how we met.

Ellery Howarth 3:07

Cool, lucky ducks.

Tammy 3:09

Yeah. And she is just, it's awesome that she does it.

Sharon Staples 3:12

Thank you.

Tammy 3:13

All I'm going to say because I know how much you hate people talking about you like that. So just look at it, shape it, shape it. I love it. Well, for those of you listening, if you want to know more information about my guests, you can find their pictures and bios in our show notes, which are found at LDS living.com/sunday on Monday. So we are going to dive into Exodus one through six. So everybody grab your scriptures and your scripture journals and let's dig in.

Okay, you two. Here's my question. So I have a question to start us out with, I want you to think back to like your childhood. And I'm just curious to know, were either of you known as "the sister of" or was there a name associated with you like, Oh, you're the sister of so and so. Or you're the daughter of so and so.

Sharon Staples 3:56

Nope, never had that problem. or the blessing, never did.

Tammy 4:00

What about you, Ellery?

Ellery Howarth 4:01

Oh, I'm Holly's daughter.

Tammy 4:02

Oh, sure. Your Holly's, Yeah.

Ellery Howarth 4:05

Well, I like to think my brothers are Ellery's brothers, though. I'm definitely Holly's daughter, though.

Tammy 4:11

Yeah. I would say that is true. Everyone knows you as that. Sharon, why did you say you didn't, luckily you didn't have the blessing of that. What is there about being associated with your siblings.

Sharon Staples 4:22

Well, I didn't, I didn't have to live up to or live down to anybody. I didn't have to prove myself better or realize that I was worse. Or, you know, there was no comparison. I was just who I was and I was able to be me. I didn't have to compare with anybody.

Tammy 4:37

Okay. Well, the reason I asked this question is because in Exodus chapter 1, there is something significant with being associated with someone's name. We learned in Genesis chapter 50, that Joseph passed away in verse 26. But his whole entire family were now living in Egypt, and things were good because Joseph was over everything. He was the one in control of the food and so everyone was doing pretty well. So Sharon, will you read for us in Exodus chapter 1, verse 7 please.

Sharon Staples 5:04

7 "And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeded mighty; and the land was filled with them."

So there were a lot of them a lot of them.

Tammy 5:16

A lot of them and things were going really well for them. Right? And I think it's interesting, all those words in there: fruitful, mighty, increased abundantly. And it was going so well. And then we have an unfortunate thing in verse 8

8 "There arose a new king over Egypt, which knew not Joseph."

So now the children of Israel are not associated with Joseph. So why would it be problematic then, that the new king over Egypt doesn't know Joseph? How could verse 7 be a threat to him?

Ellery Howarth 5:46

There were a lot of them.

Sharon Staples 5:47

Yeah, there are too many of them and he was afraid of being overthrown.

Tammy 5:50

Mm hmm. That is exactly right. And he expresses that in verse 9 and verse 10. He says, "they are more and mightier than we", he says that at the end of verse 9. And so he decides he's going to do something to them in verse 10, Ellery, read verses 10 and 11. And as you do, let's find out what the king of Egypt then decided to do with the children of Israel.

Ellery Howarth 6:11

10 "Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.

11 "Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh treasure cities, Pitthom and Raamses."

Tammy 6:31

Awesome, okay, first of all, Ellery I love how you said, "come on."

In verse 10; that's how I read it too. "Come on! Let us deal wisely". Highlight the word 'wisely' right there, because it means something different in Hebrew. And it's important for us to know: What that really is he's saying, 'Let us deal shrewdly', which would mean severe or hard or sharp. And so that's what the king is saying, like, let's deal hardly with, let's, be mean, right? And we're going to make it really rough for these people to live. And so he sets these taskmasters over them, and it was so difficult for them. But were you surprised by verse 12? This is the verse that just struck me in all of this.

Sharon Staples 7:12

Well, they became stronger. The more they were afflicted, the stronger they became. And Pharaoh wasn't prepared for that. He said, Wait a minute here. Something's wrong. But then well, later on we'll read that he inflicted even more pain. But they became stronger, which he did not expect.

Tammy 7:30

No. And nor did I, like, I read that and I thought, okay. Like, can that really happen, though? Do either of you have an experience in your life where you felt like it was bitter and hard, and you came out stronger because of it?

Sharon Staples 7:46

Well, it's not A time in my life, it's life. I don't know about Ellery, but umm, it seems as if, you know, whatever is going on in my life, I have to deal with it. And hopefully, I'm dealing with it positively. But I can't remember of a particular time in my life that was exceptionally bitter or bad or impossible. But there are a lot of them along the way. My assumption is that those things along the way are pretty much for a lot of people in the Gospel, if you want to stay strong in the Gospel. Our religion is a way of life, not just to go to church on Sunday. So yeah, my mind has been 'be ready for whatever comes your way' kind of thing.

Ellery Howarth 8:33

Yeah, I'm just thinking of my junior and senior year of college, I was experiencing really bad depression. And I was incredibly embarrassed of it. And I hid it actually, I hid it from everyone. The only people who knew were me, God, and my therapist. You know, and I was failing. I was failing school. I didn't my parents don't even know the story. Really. I was about to fail. Out of my second last semester of college. I remember going to Thanksgiving dinner. We got a hotel room up and Snowbird, that year. And I remember like standing in front of a mirror and trying to like put on a good face. So that way my family wouldn't know. Because I was just embarrassed.

Actually, I talked to you about it, Tammy, do you remember that?

Tammy 9:22

I do.

Ellery Howarth 9:22

I just I just remembered that anyways, and I was so angry with God about it, because I felt like He gave it to me. And I had to you know, finally I have an incredible therapist to talk to me to get through university accommodations and to get medicated. And I look back on that time and I could sit there and think God is cruel because I truly do believe, well, I by believed that He allowed that to happen. But now I look at it and I've grown so much and now I've learned that you know, I've accepted you know, my depression. I've accepted, you know, the use of medication. And also I work out now; I have a dog now, so I'm forced to go outside and go on walks.

But from that trial, that awful, awful time in my life, I learned that I could do hard things. Because I got through school, I passed everything, I was able to communicate with my professors, you know, I got into the program I'm in now. So I learned that I could do hard things from that. And I guess I also learned to like, I guess, trust in the Lord. I don't know. I mean, I'm not gonna sit here and say, I'm happy with them still.

I don't know if this story applies, because like, I'm still mad at Him. Like, He's very angry. But, um, but I am grateful for that experience, because I have learned so much from it. And I have grown and I know how I need to take care of myself, more than just pray it away. You know, because that's just what I was doing. Because that's what I've been told, right? I've been told to read my scriptures, go to the temple, workout, and pray and you won't have depression. Done. And that's just simply not the case.

Sharon Staples 11:05

Not true.

Tammy 11:05

No. They're great tools to have in your toolbox, but boy, we need to fill that toolbox with everything we can that will help us. So Ellery, I appreciate you sharing that story. And Sharon, I love your story, because, like how you said, Ellery, I'm still kind of mad. And it goes back to what Sharon said, like, she doesn't have one experience for her. It's just life in general. And, and here's this wise woman in her 80s, who, who's coming from this perspective that like, it's life. And I really appreciate your candidness about that. Because here we are, three of us different ages, going through different things, learning to rely on the Lord, learning to trust that He really does have our backs.

Sharon Staples 11:49

I think a blessing of all of that, for me and my attitude and for Ellery and hers, is if we become more understanding and empathic with other, who may be going through the same thing, we can say to ourselves, Okay, I've been there, I've done that, I know, maybe I can help this person if I can do this, this, or this, or this. So I think for me, it has broadened my scope of looking beyond myself to look to others who may be, who may be struggling in some form, in any form. I don't, you know whatever it is, a struggle is a struggle. And if I can be kind and understanding and helpful, instead of critical, and condemning and damning, then then the struggle that I went through was worth it.

Tammy 12:37

Amen. So I think it's really interesting in here where it says in verse 12,

12 "but the more they [were] afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were grieved because of the children of Israel."

That word 'grieved', the Egyptians were grieved, right. And I think that word is important. That means 'in dread' in Hebrew; they didn't grieve, they were in dread. They were fearing for how well the Israelites were doing. When it says that they multiplied and grew. I mean, honestly, what do we think that means? It's so easy to go, Oh, that means they have more children. And they have posterity, but what about people who are single? How are they multiplying and growing? Like those two words go beyond just having more children, right?

Sharon Staples 12:49

Right. Yes. You multiply in understanding and you grow in empathy, and it just all kinds of things can come of that.

Tammy 13:21

Yes. And that's what both of you just shared. You have grown in empathy, you have multiplied in understanding.

Sharon Staples 13:27

I think so, I have.

Tammy 13:29

Yeah, well, and I think and the Lord needs you to do that.

Sharon Staples 13:33

All of us to do that.

Tammy 13:34

Yeah. Well, yeah. Yes.

Sharon Staples 13:35

Oh, yeah You're not off the hook, Tammy.

Tammy 13:37

I kinda am. But I think of you've come in contact with, the both of you, and how, because you have multiplied and grown through your experiences, you can now help other people through their experiences. And that's what this is all about. This whole life.

Sharon Staples 13:52

Yep. Love your neighbor as yourself.

Tammy 13:55

Mm hmm. So you better love yourself. Let's multiply and grow in that area.

Sharon Staples 13:59

That's right.

Tammy 13:59

I love that Ellery figured that out and you're figuring it out still. And God wants you to love yourself. That's how you're gonna multiply and grow. So, thank you, ladies, thank you so much for that discussion. So let's then apply this teaching. Let's apply this multiplying and growing to the next story. And in the next segment, we're going to see if it works for two women whose bitter experience may equal growth for them. We'll talk about that next.

Segment 2 14:25

.....

Tammy 14:25

So let's just jump in and read some really cool stories about situations that seemed bitter or hard, but really turned to growth and multiplying, because these are so good. Okay, so first up, I love these women so much in this story. So we are going to be in Exodus chapter 1. And we're going to start in verse 14. So because the children of Israel grew and multiplied in all the various ways that they could possibly do that, the king of Egypt has a plan. Let's put 'plan #1' next to verse 15 because he doesn't like that the children of Israel are multiplying and growing. He is not comfortable with this.

In fact, he decided, Let's just make life so hard for them. You know, they're making bricks or creating their own mortar. And that is not hard enough for them. So the king says, I know what we're gonna do. Sharon Ellery, tell us the story - what did the King come up with?

Ellery Howarth 15:14

He got some midwives. And he said, When you're delivering babies, if it's a girl she should live, if it's a boy, you should kill him.

Let's mark their names in first 15 because they're such = we just have to say their name.

Shiphrah and Puah.

Tammy 15:28

Mm hmm. So Shiphrah can mean 'brightness' or 'fairness', and Puah means 'splendid' or 'glitter'. And I just love these names because let me tell you what, nobody shines brighter, or is more awesome than these two women in the story of Moses.

Sharon Staples 15:43

Well, it doesn't tell you right off the bat that they are believers in God. It doesn't tell you that they're Israelites. So you think who are these strange women? But as you get into the story, you find out that it's because of their belief that they did what is plan three probably, I don't know.

Tammy 16:00

Well, I was surprised to read that some scholars think Shiphrah and Pua were Egyptian women who were midwives that worked for the king, but they believed. Isn't that interesting? You know,

Sharon Staples 16:09

Yeah, that they believed in God, yeah.

Tammy 16:11

The same God as the Israelites. So yeah, he said, Okay, you're supposed to kill all the little baby boys when they are born. And these are midwives. And so it's interesting. I thought the wording in verse 16. He says, When they, when they're sitting upon their stools, - that's a birthing stool, a specific stool that women would sit on - I thought that was fascinating - to kill these little boys, but let the girls live. And Sharon, you brought this up in verse 17. Let's mark this because you said that they were believers. There's something unique about a word in there. Tell us about that in verse 17.

Sharon Staples 16:43

Well, feared is not being afraid of God; it is being a believer in God and trusting in Him and loving Him. It's not like we say, Oh, I'm afraid of the lightning, or I'm afraid; it's not that kind of fear. It's a, it's kind of a misnomer really.

Ellery Howarth 16:59

Well, when you guys were talking about it, the first thing I thought is, even if they were Egyptian, to me it makes sense that they if they're spending time with the Israelite woman, and they're in childbirth, how could they not, you know, believe in God, especially if the Israelites at this time are multiplying and growing. I'm sure their light was so bright. So when you're spending time bringing children into the world and being around people who have this light of Christ in them, how could you not believe? I feel like even if Egyptians or Israelites that like, of course, they're gonna believe in God.

Tammy 17:34

That is great insight Ellery. It was great insight. I like that a lot. So he knew who these women are - they're fearing God. And then the king of Egypt calls them in and he has words with the women, right? Tell me about that conversation.

Sharon Staples 17:49

Like in verses 18 and 19. He called the midwives and he said, Why have you done this thing and saved the men children alive? Their response is just classic, I love it. And they said, yeah, the women are so strong, they don't need midwives, so we're not there. So they're out of the picture. I think it's a classic. I just love it that they came up - and maybe they didn't even come up with that - but they knew that. But that's what he, they told the king of Egypt, that they are so strong, and deliver babies so beautifully without needing assistance that we were not called in. So we did not know that the birth was either male or female. I love that.

Tammy 18:30

They're so smart to come up with that on the sly. And, you know, this is so fascinating to me because, one of the things I like about this - so we have a whole series this year called unnamed women of the Old Testament, and you can find it on Apple podcasts - where we just dive in deep into who these women are. We've chosen six women who have stories in the Old Testament, but don't have names. And we had to include Shiphrah and Puah when we told the story about Pharaoh's daughter, because it's awesome, so go and listen to it.

But I love how Becky Farley, she was my guest on that episode, and we talked in such great detail about these two women. And she tells the story in verse 19, which is like, 'There's nothing we could do about it. We just weren't fast enough.' And as a midwife, you didn't just come in and deliver the baby and leave. You had a relationship with these mothers. I mean, you as a midwife, you were with these women from the moment they were thinking about having children until years after they have the child, Like, these midwives would have had a relationship with the women. So they would have known when they were going to have the birth, they would have known all this stuff. And so I love how quick they were on their feet to just say, and Pharaoh can't, what does he know? He's a man, right?

Sharon Staples 19:37

Yeah, right He doesn't know.

Tammy 19:39

He's like, Oh, huh. I never thought of that before. And so he doesn't even kill these women, which is so fascinating because he probably could have. They didn't follow through on his orders, but he doesn't. And then we get this really great verse in verse 21. Ellery, read 21 for us, because here's what happened as a result of these women keeping the baby boys alive.

Ellery Howarth 20:02

21 "And it came to pass, that because the midwives feared God, that He made them houses."

Tammy 20:07

Okay highlight that: "he made them houses." In Hebrew, Sharon, did you find what that meant?

Sharon Staples 20:11

Well, yes, I did find what that meant. It means that He didn't actually build them physical houses, but He allowed them to bear children and increase their families in a way that was so important in those days. Just having children, especially male children was so significant. So when He says that they - He built them houses - it means that He allowed them, but no, permitted them, blessed them with children. So sweet.

Tammy 20:40

Wow, and I, it goes back to the whole growing and multiplying. Because they grew and multiplied in their knowledge to help these women to have their baby boys. And then the Lord will help them to grow and multiply in more ways than they ever imagined. So, very cool story. Okay, so plan #1 doesn't work, so Pharaoh, he's got to come up with something. So he comes up with plan #2. And we're going to write that at the very end of verse 22. I'm going to read verse 22. This is plan #2.

22 "And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive."

So isn't that interesting? Okay, well, we can't kill 'em all at birth, so now I'm just gonna make everyone throw their sons in the river. So then we go into Exodus chapter two. And here we're introduced to- oh, I love these verses. I love, Oh, my gosh, I know I keep saying I love, but I really do. I love Exodus so much. It's such a great book of Scripture. So Sharon, will you read for us verses 1 and 2?

Sharon Staples 21:37

Of chapter 2?

Tammy 21:38

Yes, please.

Sharon Staples 21:40

2:1 "And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi.

2 "And the woman conceived, and bare a son; and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months."

Tammy 21:55

Okay. Go, Sharon, what do you have? I feel like Sharon is chomping at the bit to talk and I love it; jump in.

Sharon Staples 22:02

Well, it's the, it's the precursor to what we're going to learn about Moses. I mean, this is the child, Moses. And so you kind of get this anticipatory feeling that something's coming. Hid him three months so that he would not be cast into the river. And then the rest of the story tells us about this kid that she kept for three months. And then of course the other, when she couldn't hide him any longer, then the story unfolds. But I just think it was so smart of her to hide him because she loved him and didn't, was not going to throw him in the river and she wasn't gonna let anybody else throw him in the river. God wasn't gonna let him be thrown in the river; we know that much.

Tammy 22:45

Exactly. So let's talk about this. Ellery, I want to know your thoughts. Tell me what you thought when you read these verses.

Ellery Howarth 22:51

I mean, I thought what an incredible woman; she is literally defying the law, and Pharaoh, who is the most powerful human being on earth at this time. And so this one woman is just defying everything she knows to save her son. You know, that's just mother's love, though. That's what I think about it's so pure. You know, I love hearing Sharon talk about how he's going to be Moses, but she didn't know that. It's just her son.

Tammy 23:20

Well, and when I read this story, too, I, listen. Ellery, you're, you are his sister. I'm sorry, you are. When I read this story, I think of little Ellery, who in verse 4 his sister stood afar off to know what would be done for him. Like you, you and your mom are walking down to the river. I can just see it in my - there's Holly and Ellery and they're walking down and Holly's crying because she's got to put her little baby in the river. But Holly's smart, So she's gonna make this basket. And she's been given the skills to do it because, you know, the pharaoh over here has been making her, teaching her how to make mortar so she knows how to make it waterproof.

So she makes this incredible basket cuz she has a plan: I'm, okay, fine, I'll take it to the river, but I'm going to put in a basket. And then Ellery, you're going to follow that basket and find out where it goes. I can totally see you doing this. It's so sweet, her little brother. So here's Miriam, and she follows the basket. And then we have the story in verses 5-7, follows the basket, it ends up in the riverside. Pharaoh's daughter goes out and fetches it and then she asks this awesome question, and she looks around. And then we have in verse 7, because she doesn't know what to do with this little baby, and Ellery, read what Miriam says in verse 7, since you're my Miriam.

Ellery Howarth 24:30

7 "Then set his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?

Tammy 24:38

Don't you love that? ;You're like, Oh. 'Do you want me to find somebody that can nurse this baby, that'll help you out? I might know someone', right? And so how beautiful is this story; finish the story for me.

Ellery Howarth 24:50

Yeah, and she goes home and she gets her mom and said, Found the baby. And guess what? I got you a job.

Tammy 24:56

Yeah. Keep the wages, huh? Isn't that so cool?

Ellery Howarth 24:59

and you get paid to be his mom again.

Tammy 25:01

Yeah, so it's a win-win, talk about taking your situation and making it better. Yeah. And you're gonna make money to nurse the child. So then we have in verse 10, the child grew. And she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses. And she said, "Because I drew him out of the water". That's what 'Moses' means. So there's a really cool connection there to the names. And then in verse

11 "And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown...". Highlight that. So I think this is so interesting that when Moses was grown, we don't really know how old he is. Some scholars say he's 18 to 20 years old, but in Acts, chapter 7, verse 23 - if you want to put a cross reference right there - Acts chapter 7, verse 23, actually gives him at the age around 40. So he would have been living with Pharaoh for quite a while and definitely grew. So it kind of gives us a perspective of what we're dealing with when we get into the next story. Anything else you want to add with this story, this narrative?

Sharon Staples 25:59

Well, it's nice to read a story. I mean, it is a, it's a, it's like, it's almost like reading fiction, but we know that it isn't fiction. But it's a true story and it's an engaging story. I mean, put your baby in a basket and you put him in the river, but down the river he goes, and sister follows, and gets the Pharaoh's daughter. It's just a wonderful story.

Ellery Howarth 26:26

It's women driven.

Sharon Staples 26:28

Right. It is women-driven.

Tammy 26:30

Women getting the job done. My favorite theme for the whole Old Testament when it comes to women - they just do, they do. I think something that struck me as I was studying this is I was taken to Moses chapter 1, verse 25. So in Moses chapter 1, verse 25, the Lord is speaking with Moses. And He says to Moses, You will have power over the waters. I kind of wonder, did he, did he, did God already give him the ability to have power over the waters, knowing he would need this as a young baby? Like it kind of makes me think of the spiritual gifts every one of us have been given. Don't you think that the Lord knows what we're going to need in this life, and that he'll give it to us ahead of time?

Sharon Staples 27:12

Or allow us to earn it, put it in our way so we can capture those gifts and multiply them. And we can ask for gifts if we don't think we have them. We can ask for gifts that we think we need and want, then if it's in our best interest, then we can have those gifts.

Tammy 27:32

And just a really quick side note, in verse 1, I want everybody to highlight, he took a wife of the daughter of Levi, and that the dad was from the tribe of Levi. That's going to be very important coming up in the next couple of weeks. You just need to know that Moses is from the tribe of Levi. Okay, I just have to give you that little piece, so make sure you highlight that. Alright, so thank you, ladies. Thank you for that awesome discussion on those verses. Now, in the next segment, we will continue the story of Moses and find out what happens after he has grown.

Segment 3 28:00

......

Tammy 28:01

So this segment starts out with a very shocking action in Exodus chapter 2, verses 11 and 12. What happens, you two?

Ellery Howarth 28:11

Moses committed murder.

Tammy 28:12

Uh, HELLO. He totally did. What's going on? Why did he commit murder?

Sharon Staples 28:18

He was protecting an Israelite. He was protecting someone from being murdered. So he was trying to save a life by taking a life.

Tammy 28:28

Now this is interesting, though. Why is he trying to save their lives? He was raised under the eye of Pharaoh. He shouldn't be liking the Israelites, right?

Ellery Howarth 28:38

Well, who was his wet-nurse?

Tammy 28:38

Uh-huh? So some scholars believe this was an open adoption. He was very aware of who his mother was and where he came from. Isn't this so interesting? Because he would have no reason to stand up for the Hebrews, right?

Sharon Staples 28:54

Well, unless he had a kind heart.

Tammy 28:57

Well, that's true. Yeah. So he I absolutely saw what was going on, and he's gonna stand up for these people. Now this is a really interesting part of the story. So he, I love how you said it Ellery, he commits murder. So and then after he kills the person, what did he do with the body?

Ellery Howarth 29:14

He hit it.

Sharon Staples 29:15

He hit it, he buried it.

Tammy 29:16

Yeah. So there, there was a level of him knowing that what he did was wrong, correct? Yeah, definitely. Now, in verse 11, a lot of people have asked this question, so we're just gonna kind of talk about it really quickly. It says right there that the Egyptian was fighting a Hebrew. So people have asked, Where does that name 'Hebrew' come from? And who are the Hebrews exactly? So I'm going to put all of this in our show notes.

But just so you know, it dates clear back to Genesis chapter 10, verse 24, a man by the name of Eber - E b e r -, who comes from the line of Shem. And anyone who comes from the line of Shem is a Hebrew. And the very first person called a Hebrew is Abraham, in Genesis chapter 14, verse 13. And then later Joseph is called a Hebrew in Genesis chapter 39. So go ahead and you can just read these really cool quotes that we have in there. But that's kind of where it comes from. And so when you read the name Hebrew from here on out, we're talking about the children of Israel, basically; 12 tribes and everybody, right? Does that sound about right? Anything Sharon that we need to add to that?

Sharon Staples 30:15

Oh, I think that's right. They're all Hebrews.

Tammy 30:17

Okay. Because people are wondering what is up with that name 'Hebrew'. So that's just another way. Probably a shorter way of saying 'the children of Israel', maybe? Okay, perfect. Okay, so he does, he kills the Egyptian and then he flees, and where does he go to?

Sharon Staples 30:32

Midian?

Tammy 30:33

So Ellery, have you seen the old movie "The 10 commandments"?

Ellery Howarth 30:36

Oh, yeah.

Cuz you're younger so I just want to make sure. Okay, so Ellery and Sharon, did either of you have in your mind this scene when you were reading these verses about Moses fleeing the land and going into Midian? And who he meets at the well with all the sheep and stuff?

Oh, I mean, I did.

Sharon Staples 30:51

Oh, dear. Too long ago.

Tammy 30:52

Oh, Sharon. I should have given you the assignment to watch this before we met.

Sharon Staples 30:56

Yes, I should have watched it before we discussed this.

Tammy 30:59

Okay, let's read the verses, then. Let's go to Exodus chapter 2, verses 15-17. Sharon, will you read for us please.

Sharon Staples 31:05

15 "Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.

15 "Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock.

17 "And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock."

Tammy 31:28

Thank you. And so they, then the all the daughters ran back to their dad's tent. Look at verse 18. It says, "And when they came to Reuel their father". Highlight the name Reuel. This is also Jethro, but I love how he's called Ruel right here. That name in Hebrew means 'friend of God'. He is a friend of God, which we have learned last year and this year, that the word 'friend' is synonymous with 'covenants'. And verse 16 teaches us that he is the priest. Now this is kind of cool, because you can cross reference this, and we'll get to it later.

But in Exodus chapter 18, verse 1, the footnote for the word, (b) is describing Jethro. Footnote (b) says "priest", and it is "the great high priest". He is the great High Priest of Midian. So he is a man of God. So that's pretty cool. That tells us a lot about Jethro right here. He is a friend of God. He is a covenant keeper. And so they come to him. And they say, You're not going to believe what happened, dad. And so they tell him the whole story about Moses saving the flocks and sticking up for the daughters. And so Reuel or Jethro, then invites this Egyptian, is what he's known as in verse 19. He's the Egyptian and he invites them into his tent. Now this is kind of cool, because let's go back to this thing we studied at the very beginning of the year.

Jethro is the head kinsman. This is his tribe. This is his clan that Moses is now becoming a part of. So Moses comes and meets up with Jethro. And this is an opportunity. We've talked about this, where Moses is literally fleeing for his life. He needs to find safety. And he will come to the tent of Jethro and he will say, Let me in; is there any way I can become part of your tribe? And Jethro has an opportunity to either wrap his robe around the neck of Moses, or say, Sorry, Moses, hit the road. You're an Egyptian, we don't trust you. So let's see what happens. Let's find out if Jethro welcomes Moses in. We're going to read verses 20-22; Ellery read those for us.

Ellery Howarth 33:21

20 "And he said unto his daughters, and where is he? why is it that ye have left the man? call him, that he may eat bread.

21"And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter.

22 "And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in the strange land."

Tammy 33:43

So what happened?

Ellery Howarth 33:44

He was embraced.

Tammy 33:46

Very good. Yeah, welcomed in. Not only welcomed him, but was then offered, he offered his daughter Zipporah, so highlight that; that's who Moses will marry. I love that their first named son is Gershom and Gershom literally means 'to drive out' or 'to be cast out'. And so that's why they named him that. So he has this family, and now he becomes an in-law. His in-law is Jethro and he becomes, he enters into that kinship-in- law that we've talked about at the very beginning of the year. I think this is so cool. I love how it's all starting to connect here.

So in this story, then, ".... it came to pass [ I love this in verse 23] "in process of time that the king of Egypt died, and the children of Israel [let's mark a couple of words in these verses, it says] "the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage," Highlight the word 'sighed', right there. They didn't just, they didn't sigh. In Hebrew it actually says 'groaned'. What does that tell us about them if they're groaning by reason of the bondage? How bad is it?

Sharon Staples 34:41

Bad.

Tammy 34:42

Yeah, it's tough. "And they cried, and their cry came up unto God" - highlight the word 'God', I had to look this up, because that word in Hebrew is Elohim. And so for me, I just wanted to connect it to Heavenly Parents, like their cry came up to their Heavenly Parents. "by reason of their bondage." And then verse 24, and 25. I want us to read these verses. And as we do, I want us to mark the Lord's reaction to the cries of the children of Israel. Okay, so highlight any words that describe how the Lord reacts to the cries of the children of Israel. And we'll start with you, Ellery. Will you read verse 24. And then Sharon, will you read verse 25.

Ellery Howarth 35:23

24 "And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.

Sharon Staples 35:29

25 "And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them."

Tammy 35:35

What words did you mark?

Sharon Staples 35:37

'looked upon' and 'respect'

Tammy 35:42

Very good, what about in verse 24, what did God do?

Sharon Staples 35:46

Remembered them; remembered His covenant.

Tammy 35:48

Very good. And one more thing at the very beginning: he what?

Ellery Howarth 35:53

he heard them

Yeah. Heard, remembered, looked, and respected. And highlight the word 'respected'. In Hebrew, it actually means to take notice, or that He knew them. So He didn't just respect them, He knew them. So here we have: He heard, He remembered, He looked, and He knew. Those are some pretty powerful action words. I want us to write those down in our journals for a minute. I want us to write heard, remembered, looked and knew.

I'm going to share a quote by Elder Holland. And as I share this, I want you guys to tell me after we get done reading this quote, how does this quote connect to being heard, being remembered, being looked upon, and being respected, or having the Lord know you? So here's the quote, and Ellery, will you read this quote for us.

"My brothers and sisters, the first great commandment of all eternity is to love God with all of our heart, might mind, and strength. That's the first great commandment. But the first great truth of all eternity is that God loves us with all of his heart, might, mind, and strength. That love is the foundation stone of eternity. And it should be the foundation stone of your daily life.

Tammy 37:18

Tell me how this quote connects to being heard, remembered, looked upon, and known.

Sharon Staples 37:25

Well, it brings it to our day. It's not just Abraham, or Moses, or Isaac, or Jacob; it's for us, for each of us. He hears us, He remembers us, and He loves us with His heart, might, mind, and strength. That is so forceful, so beautiful, and so reassuring for me, just reassuring.

Tammy 37:47

Okay, Sharon, I got to just stop for a second, because I really like those words that you just used. You said, forceful, beautiful, and reassuring. Hold, please, cuz I'm writing those words next to that verse. Oh, my gosh, that was good. Okay, what about Ell?

Ellery Howarth 38:01

Whenever I think of Moses, specifically, I think to Moses in the Pearl of Great Price. I think it's chapter 1, verse 10, you know, after he has his first experience with God, and he says something like, 'I now realize man is nothing'. Something which I never thought before. And there's a talk by President Uchtdorf, and he talks about this scripture. And he Hoes, 'You know, compared to all of creation, man really is nothing. But yet we are everything to him.' And so I think about that all the time when I read this quote, specifically, and think about Him hearing you and well, hearing the Israelites and respecting them.

Tammy 38:45

I want to know how you remember that?

Ellery Howarth 38:48

How do I remember that?

Tammy 38:49

How do you, how can you remember that on a daily basis when you're in the middle of bitterness, and hardship? Like, if you were speaking to the children of Israel, how could you convince them that the Lord really does hear them, remember them, know them and look and respect them?

Ellery Howarth 39:03

Now you're making me think of myself? I'm like, how do I know that? Um, oh see, that's hard Tammy, asking, like, questions that will keep me up at night. I don't know. I think a way I can know that and remember that is by remembering that we are His children. And He loves us like a father. And Heavenly Mother loves us like a mother. So, you know, going back to the story of Moses, his mom doing everything she could to save him. I feel like our parents would do the same, our heavenly parents. But how can I remember that daily?

Tammy 39:45

That's a big question, huh?

Ellery Howarth 39:47

Oh, I feel like that's all about perspective. Do you want to remember it daily? Because sometimes I don't want to remember it. Some days I'm just content being angry.

Tammy 39:58

Let me ask you this: How do you know it from your earthly parents?

Ellery Howarth 40:03

I mean, I know it from my earthly parents, because - and I say this very lightly - because I know that I am unique, in my earthly parents, especially recently with the new people I'm meeting in my job. I understand that my home life and my parents are not everyone's. But my parents love unconditionally. And this year, they have shown it more than just said it. And I've seen them grow in their capacity to love. And I've seen them, I truly believe, learn to love in a Christ-like way. And so if my earthly parents are able to do that, I can't even fathom what my heavenly parents are capable of.

Tammy 40:57

Yeah. I think your earthly parents are a great model and reminder. I think that might be the answer. They're the reminder of, if they love you that much, then yeah, heavenly parents - so much more, on a scale, we can't even measure. What about you Sharon, any thoughts? How do you remember on a daily basis that you're heard, that you remembered that you're looked upon and known?

Sharon Staples 41:24

Well, little incidents throughout a person's life, where you stumble and you don't break your ankle; where you pull out on a road and the car doesn't hit you; when you know, little things like that that say, Hmm, someone's watching out for me. And then in prayer, I think my prayers, I would not pray if I did not believe that He would hear me and remember me and love me. I just wouldn't. I'd think you're nobody, but because I believe in Him, I believe in God, the Father, and our Mother, Heavenly Mother, and our Savior. And because I believe in them, then I'm willing to go to them in prayer in hardship and in joy, knowing, believing that they love me, and that whatever I've done that day, and I feel bad about, they'll say, okay, you'll do better tomorrow.

I mean, it will be that reassuring. We know you're trying, We know you're doing your best. Just, you know, get up and be braver on the morrow, and be braver today. So I think, it's for me, it's the fact that I am willing to go daily more than one or two or three times to Them. Knowing that They that they will hear. If I didn't believe that or know that then, you know, prayer is empty; prayer is just like, you know, nothing. So it's for me, it's prayer. And I think the other time I'm reminded of Their love is when I attend the temple, and I concentrate on those blessings that I have been promised through the covenant. How, I mean, who can promise you those kinds of things for your body and your mind and your soul if you will just do your best? Only God the Father, and our Mother, and Jesus Christ. It's, well, that's how I, that's how I know.

Tammy 43:40

Thank you, Sharon.

Sharon Staples 43:41

You're welcome, thank you for asking.

Tammy 43:43

Yeah, I appreciate that. Well, when you said prayer, it reminded me of Ellery, because I think Ellery knows. When I said, when you compared it to your earthly parents, in my mind, I'm like, wow, you know, your parents love you because you talk to them every day. It's the coolest relationship. Ellery talks to her parents every single day, she checks in with them. And that blows my mind. Because when I was your age, that was never happening. Like, my parents didn't call me every day, first of all, because long distance cost a ton of money back then. And I just think how cool that that example to me is.

And then you brought up prayer, Sharon. I mean, if that right there is the only thing we can do is just check in everyday with our Heavenly Parents. Just so we can be reminded that He hears us, He remembers us, He looks upon us, and He knows us. And that is the theme of the whole book of Exodus. We have to write those four words down, put them on a sticky note, write them with a dry erase marker on your mirror, whatever it is. Put those words down to remind you that you are heard, remembered looked upon, and known. And that is going to get you through everything.

Sharon Staples 44:50

And it's a process. My prayers are not going to be answered just because I kneel and say I need this, I want this, please forgive me, da-da-da-da-da. I mean, we're in the 2nd Estate and we have millions of years to go yet. And we're struggling now. And we will continue to struggle until, who knows when? So that, it's immediate gratification, I think, is a desire of the devil. I think, for anyone to want immediate gratification in the Gospel is in the wrong gospel, because line upon line, precept upon precept, He will answer our prayers, but on his timeframe, not ours.

So our struggles today are about a nanosecond in eternity. And I need to realize that I am on a journey. And I need to take one mile at a day, one foot a day, one yard a day and just keep going, and just keep trying and figuring out who I am, why I am. When God says, you know, "I Am that I am", and it, we'll probably talk about this. It's about His essence. Well, I am an essence who is becoming, you know. And even though right now it may seem harsh, it's a process, you have to get through it. You know, people tell you, if you're going through hell, keep going. Don't stop, you know, just keep going. And I think that's what you have to do. And that's what's really a card. Where do you get the energy, the strength, the wherewithal, the faith, the courage to keep going? Because it will eventually turn out if we do our part.

Tammy 46:42

Wow, Sharon, thank you. We'll just end the segment with that. Because the next segment is going to teach us the answer to the question that you just asked. And I can't wait to discuss that next.

Segment 4 46:52

.....

Tammy 46:54

Ladies, I brought three different pictures that depict the story that we're going to tell right now. They're all different pictures, but they're about the same event. So take a look at these. Tell everybody what you're seeing in these pictures.

Ellery Howarth 47:07

They're all different pictures of Moses and the burning bush, in different styles, if you must know.

Tammy 47:14

Yes. What's so unique about the last picture?

Sharon Staples 47:17

Well, he's taking off his shoes because he's going to walk on sacred ground.

Tammy 47:21

Very good. Yes. So let's go into Exodus chapter 3. Here's where the story begins. Now, let's look at verse 1. This is really cool to me. One of the words we've just learned this year is similitude. And many of the stories of the people we've learned in the Old Testament are in similitude of Jesus Christ. Moses is the same. So as we study the life of Moses, look for so many cool comparisons between Moses and the Savior, and here's one of them. In verse 1, it says,

Ex 3:1 "Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb."

It is so incredible to me that Jethro, in his wisdom made Moses a shepherd. Listen, Jethro had people that could have done this for him. He was a kinsman. There were people that worked for him. And yet, in his wisdom, he thought, You know what, I'm going to make Moses a shepherd. I'm going to have him learn how to shepherd sheep. But the beauty of it is that he will end up shepherding people, he will end up being the shepherd over God's people. And I think it's so cool that we have this little learning moment for Moses. So he's, he's living with Jethro. He's married. He's raising his son. And here he is a shepherd now and he has this really cool experience in verse 2. Sharon hit it, read verse 2 for us.

Sharon Staples 48:38

2 "And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed."

Tammy 48:52

Now, what do you have about that verse Sharon?

It's one of those miracle experiences where something is burning, and it doesn't burn up. Well, it's not going to burn up because God wants it to be there for Moses to experience what he's going to experience. So if you burned it up, then the bush would be just ashes. And that wouldn't work.

Okay, read this quote by Joseph Smith, because here's what he has to say about this experience. In verse two, highlight the word 'angel' and look down at the footnote. It's going to tell us it's not really an angel. It's the "presence of the Lord." That's a mistranslation. So highlight that. And then here's something cool that Joseph Smith said about this experience.

Sharon Staples 49:27

"This Scripture indicates that the flame of fire signaled the actual presence of the Lord, whose glory was described by Joseph Smith as eternal fire."

Tammy 49:39

Awesome, thank you. So to the outside of that verse, I just put a bunch of yellow and orange it looks like fire. It looks like that verses on fire in my scriptures, so I can remember that. But I think it's really cool the presence of the Lord and then sharing. You mentioned this in the painting that I showed. Go to verse 5, and Ellery, will you read verse 5 for us, please, and tell us what the Lord told Moses to do?

Ellery Howarth 50:02

5 "And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

Tammy 50:12

When is another time we're asked to do that?

Ellery Howarth 50:15

In the temple,

Sharon Staples 50:15

In the temple.

Tammy 50:16

Why? I mean, that's a, that's significant for us to understand. Because I remember as a kid, I just thought it was to save on the bills for cleaning carpet. Honestly, I did. I was like, we can't wear our shoes in the temple? Just clean the carpets. But there's a real lesson we're being taught there - that it is sacred and holy ground. And here's a prophet, and it's just dirt, right? And the Lord's like, No, you take your shoes off. So he takes them off, and then they have this great conversation. So let's read, I want us to just pretend we're a fly on the wall and we're hearing these words, a conversation between Moses and the Lord. Let's go to Exodus chapter 3, verses 6-7, Sharon, will you please read those for us.

Sharon Staples 50:53

6 "Moreover, he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

7 "And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;"

Tammy 51:19

Now remember how last segment we talked about how the Lord hears, looks, remembers, and knows? Look at verse 7 again, because here's what I want you to do: I'm going to read it aloud and I want you to mark what the Lord sees, hears, and knows now. So look at verse 7. "And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people, which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows." What does He see?

Ellery Howarth 51:46

The afflictions

Tammy 51:47

What does He hear?

Ellery Howarth 51:48

Their cries.

Tammy 51:49

And what does He know?

Ellery Howarth 51:50

Their sorrows.

Don't you love how he then validates what he just taught us in the last segment? Like, let me prove to you what I do see here and know, yeah, all of it. Like I am in the thick of it with them. And so he says to Moses, I'm going to send you and you're going to go to Pharaoh, and you're going to bring these children of Israel out of Egypt. And I love how we have in verse 11, Ellery, read this verse for us how you would read it if you were Moses.

11 "And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharoah, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?"

Tammy 52:23

That's so good. Do it again, do it again.

Ellery Howarth 52:26

"And Moses said unto God, who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

Tammy 52:35

That is awesome. Yeah, right? He's like, Uh, who am I? And I love the Lord's answer to him. He says, "...Certainly I will be with you", in verse 12, like, I'm going to help you do this. And I'm going to help you bring the children of Israel out. But then in verse 13, Moses goes, so be Moses, again for us Ellery. And here's what Moses says to God.

Ellery Howarth 52:54

13 "And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come into the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, what is his name? what shall I say unto them?"

Tammy 53:09

Isn't that great?

Sharon Staples 53:11

What's amazing to me is the dialogue.

Tammy 53:13

And tell me about that, Sharron.

Sharon Staples 53:15

That God and Moses are in constant dialogue about what he is to do, mainly because Moses doesn't have a lot of confidence in himself at this point in time. He doesn't have a lot of confidence. He says, you know, "Who am I to do this?", like Ellery read so beautifully. Why me? Why now? His questions are questions that I think many of us have asked, when we've been called to a position. Why me, Heavenly Father? I don't know anything about this, I've never done this. I don't know how to do it, I don't know who the people are. Whatever the calling is, male or female, all of us have the situation of why me?

Tammy 53:15

I mean, Moses could have been like, You know they want to kill me, right? Like, Pharoah tried to kill me because I killed somebody. I'm wanted, a wanted man in Egypt, and You want me to go back? He has all the reason not to, and the Lord yet is like, I know that. Yeah, I've seen, I've heard, I know. Yeah, you're still gonna do it. It's so good. Thank you, Sharon, for saying that. I'm so glad you pointed that out. Because then when he says, They're going to ask for your name, what am I going to say? And here we have, oh, so good. Sharon, read verse 14.

Sharon Staples 54:23

14 "And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: And he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you."

Tammy 54:38

Highlight that name. What is his name there?

Ellery Howarth 54:42

I AM.

Tammy 54:43

Wow! I mean, this name had confused me forever, until I started Hebrew. I was like, That seems like an odd name. And why would the children of Israel know that? why would they? Oh, sure. "I AM" sent you; that doesn't make sense to us, right? The weirdest thing ever - "I AM"? But then Hebrew changed all of that. Okay, Sharon, my Hebrew cohort, will you please teach us what you know about this name? What do you remember? and what have you learned?

Sharon Staples 55:09

It's His essence. The I AM is His essence. It's who He is, it's His personality, It's His attitude, It's His goal, It's His charge. It's, everything is in that name. And God says to Moses, and he will say to the people of Israel, they will know that. They will know that he is Jehovah, which comes later. But they will know that, because they will know the I AM means the essence of the person. That's all I know.

Tammy 55:38

Well, I think that's awesome. So let's add to that. In Hebrew, it translates as 'I will become who I will become'. And it is from the Hebrew verb, meaning 'to be'. Now this verb can be past, present, and future, which is like you said, Sharon, the essence of God. So the children of Israel understood this as: He who was, who is, and who will become, like when He comes again. His essence is everywhere; He is eternal. And I just think it's awesome. How would the name I AM spans all space and time.

And it's so cool, because in the Book of Mormon, when they're saying Apply the Atoning Blood of Jesus Christ, clear before he's even born we are seeing the effects the Atonement can have on people before He is, and then when He is, and then after He is. That's what I AM means. I love that application for all of us. When we talk about I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me. I mean, we've talked about this before, and I think it's so powerful when you think about your baptismal covenants. Okay, Ellery. How would you answer this question: Are you mourning with those that mourn?

Ellery Howarth 56:46

I'm reading your book. So I know where you're going with this!

Tammy 56:49

I know, what's your answer? Are you mourning with those that mourn?

Ellery Howarth 56:53

I am.

Tammy 56:54

I am. Are you comforting those who stand in need of comfort?

Ellery Howarth 56:57

I am!

Tammy 56:58

I am. When we can answer in the Lord's name,I AM. And sometimes it might be, I am... doing the best I can. Like you can even answer that way, or I am... trying. You're acknowledging that it is only with the help of Jesus Christ that you can become who you were sent to become. Like that name should be so significant to us in verse 14. "Tell them I AM sent you." I am the person who is, who was, and is to come. And all of us are doing that right now. We are all little mini I ams. We are all just trying to become who we were sent to become. And we can only do that with the help of our Savior Jesus Christ. That's why I love that name. Any thoughts? Tell me what you're thinking?

Ellery Howarth 57:42

Well, like I said, I'm reading your book. And I literally read a chapter where you talked about this last night.

That's so cool, Ell.

I know. But on page 41, you're talking about covenants. Obviously, it's what the book's about but, and you said exactly that. But I like this phrase that you say that, "when we answer in His name, I AM, we acknowledge that we may not be perfect at keeping our covenants, but that through his enabling power we can." And I like that you say, "through his enabling power."

Tammy 58:15

Tell me why you like that.

Ellery Howarth 58:17

Well, because like, phttt. Okay, well, to be very upfront, I'm not the best covenant-keeper right now. And so you know, when people talk about the temple right now and talk about the blessings and the, and the covenants, and I just sit there and think, I'm, I'm not getting those, it's really hard for me. And so, you know, for the longest time, I've felt useless in the terms of, like the church basically, or just like, who I am as a person. Because I made these covenants and I'm not keeping them to the extent that I thought I had to, but when I read this in your book, you know, I'm sitting in my bed, and I'm sobbing. Because it finally clicked in me that as long as I can say that I'm trying, though, through His enabling power, even though I'm not perfect, I'm going to get there. I mean, that's the way I interpreted it, right?

Tammy 59:13

Yeah.

Ellery Howarth 59:15

I'm going to be able to become like Him - perfect in Him, you know? I am.

Tammy 59:21

I am. Ellery, thank you for sharing that. I appreciate that. I know how personal that was for you. So, thank you. What I love about this whole conversation we've had is that nothing is impossible for our Lord. Nothing is impossible for God. That because of that power that they have, they can overcome all things for us. And so, that for me, makes me realize, Oh, my gosh, I can do this. And I think that's the message that the Lord wanted Moses to understand was, here's a little Moses going, I can't do this. There's no way; all the odds are against me. I don't know if you know who you're asking to do this, because I have a past. And here's God, no, I'm deity, like I am your father. We are your Heavenly Parents, we love you, and I'm going to help you get through this.

And just so you don't think that this is just one big old platitude that I'm trying to make everybody feel better about life, I'm going to show you actual application and proof that it is true. And we're going to do that in the next segment.

Segment 5 1:00:29

....

Tammy 1:00:35

Okay, let's do the rallying cry. You guys ready for this? I just think these verses are awesome. So let's go to Exodus chapter 3, verses 19-22. I want to read them. And as I do, Ellery and Sharon, highlight words that stand out to you that make this such a great rallying cry from someone who has all the power possible to help Moses. Here we go.

Ex 3:19 "And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand.

20 "And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that, he will let you go.

21 "And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when you go, you shall not go empty;

22 "But every woman shall borrow of her neighbor, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment; and you shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil the Egyptians."

You guys, there's so much good stuff in these verses that we don't even realize. Okay, what did you mark, first of all. Anything stand out to you?

Sharon Staples 1:01:38

Verse 20, "with all my wonders", you realize that He is going to enact the powers of His godliness. Among my wonders, and it will be so powerful that he'll, going to let you go. And then "give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians". So He's going to change the way people look at the Hebrews by the Egyptian people. "And ye shall not go empty." And then he promises everything that He promises in verse 22.

Tammy 1:02:08

Very cool. Ellery, anything stand out to you in those verses?

Ellery Howarth 1:02:11

I think it's interesting, He starts out being like, I'm gonna send you and I know it's not gonna work. Don't worry about that. Like, he sets the expectation of like, yeah, it's gonna be pretty rough. But then, like Sharon said, Then He goes and like, don't worry, I'll send my wonders.

Tammy 1:02:27

Oh, my gosh, I've never connected that Ellery, where you just said He actually points out, it's not going to work. It's actually really hard. Isn't that fascinating. Like, I want you to go do this. And it's not going to really turn out the way you think it's going to. So thank you Ellery, thank you so much for that.

Okay. Let's go to verse 22 because it is unique, and it will be repeated a few more times in this story of the children of Israel leaving. I've been studying this verse a ton, and I think it is so awesome. We're gonna see this said often in a couple of other chapters. It's interesting because you when you read verse 22, what do you automatically assume when He says "every woman shall borrow of her neighbor, [and of her] that sojourneth ....[with] jewels of silver, [and] jewels of gold, [or] raiment? Like, what do you imagine? Or what do you think when you read that verse?

Sharon Staples 1:03:11

Borrow in Hebrew means 'ask', rather than borrow. So you're going to ask, you're going to ask of these the Egyptian women, their jewels, and one author suggests, Brother Ludlow suggests that it might be payment for the hardships that the Hebrews have suffered under the hands of the Egyptians.

Tammy 1:03:31

Okay, so kind of like in my mind, like a mass looting. Like they're gonna run house to house.

Sharon Staples 1:03:37

Yeah, no, it's just

Can we have your gold and silver?

It's payback for what they, what the Egyptians have allowed to have happen through the Pharaoh. The spoils means to empty out; the sentence in Hebrew has no connotation of stealing, or of borrowing for temporary use only. This is payback time.

Tammy 1:03:56

Payback time. Okay. I want to share something really cool about verse 22 that I think is so neat. Write the word 'covenants' next to it. Oh, this verse actually is a foreshadowing of the tabernacle and the covenants that the Lord will ask the children of Israel to enter into once they are in the wilderness, because I read that I'm like, alright, well, okay, jewels, gold, silver, but was that what good is that going to do them in the wilderness? I mean, if it's payment, that doesn't make sense to me.

And then when we get to Exodus, chapter 35, when the Lord sets out to build His tabernacle, He then calls the women to bring all of the jewels to Him, now bring them back. And we are going to decorate and ornament this tabernacle. And so this is a foreshadowing of the covenants these people will enter into. They have no idea what's about to come to them. They're in the middle of the most bitter, difficult phase of life. It is hard, they are praying with all of their hearts: Please get us out of this. And isn't it interesting? The Lord says to Moses, it's probably not going to work. And I'm going to foreshadow; get all these jewels and silver. And I wonder if Moses is even like, alright, I'll tell the women to grab it. I'm sure they don't mind getting jewels and gold, and silver.

Sharon Staples 1:05:05

But they have no idea. They have no idea what's in for them.

Tammy 1:05:08

Yeah, and the Lord's like, but I'm setting this up, because I have all the power to make this work out for everyone, not just physically, but spiritually. I'm going to spiritually deliver all of my beautiful children of Israel. And Moses, I'm going to need you to do it. And so then we get into Exodus chapter 4. And boy, Moses is struggling, isn't he? He is having a hard time to believe that he's really the man that's called to do this. So tell me what his concerns are. Let's look first of all, in Exodus chapter 4, verse 1. What's the first thing that Moses has an issue with?

Sharon Staples 1:05:42

They're not going to believe me.

Tammy 1:05:43

I'm an Egyptian, they know who I am, they're not going to believe me, right? That's the first thing he says. And so the Lord says to Moses, 'Alright, fine, Moses.' Here's what we're gonna do: bracket off verses 2-5. And what's the miracle, Ellery, that the Lord tells Moses to do?

Ellery Howarth 1:05:59

He put out the rod. And it became a snake, right, yeah, a serpent.

Tammy 1:06:05

Yep. And what did Moses do? How did he react to that when his rod turned into a snake at the end of verse 3? What did he do?

Ellery Howarth 1:06:11

He fled,

Sharon Staples 1:06:12

He fled.

Ellery Howarth 1:06:12

He was scared.

Tammy 1:06:14

He's scared of snakes.

Ellery Howarth 1:06:15

I would have, too!

Sharon Staples 1:06:15

Why is there a snake on my rod?

Tammy 1:06:18

Totally. And then the Lord tells Moses, 'Okay, and now do this with the rod: Go back, grab it, and it'll turn back into the rod.' I'm sure Moses is like, I'm not touching the snake. But he does it and then it turns back. So it's like, that's the first thing you're going to do. You're going to perform this miracle if they don't believe you. And then he has another miracle in verses 6-8; bracket those off; what's that next miracle in their Sharon, in verses 6-8.

Sharon Staples 1:06:39

Is that the leper's hand?

Tammy 1:06:40

It is. Tell us about that?

Sharon Staples 1:06:43

Well, the Lord tells Moses to put his hand into his bosom. And he does, and it brings it out again, and it was leprous. And then the Lord says, put thy hand into thy bosom again, and put his hand in his bosom and pumped it out of his, and it turned again to his other flesh. Then He says in verse 8: "they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign." So he says, We've got to keep trying. They're not going to believe the rod thing. But they may believe the leper's hand thing. And if they don't believe those signs, then he goes on to say, water of the river, and they turned it into blood. Yeah, we're into the 10 plagues, right here. It's what we're into.

Tammy 1:07:20

Yeah. And the Lord is saying, Moses, I have all the power. I can do this, you know I can, I'm going to help you. And then what does Moses say in verse 10? Read that verse for Ellery as if you were Moses; you're our designated Moses today.

Ellery Howarth 1:07:33

If Moses was a, you know, 20-something year-old, annoying person, okay.

10 And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither herertofor, nor since has that spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue."

Tammy 1:07:53

What's he saying there?

Ellery Howarth 1:07:55

He's got a speech impediment.

Tammy 1:07:56

Yeah. He's like I don't speak well. Why would you help me be the vocal voice for you? I can't do this. And oh, the Lord, you just, don't you love how much He loves Moses? He's like, ah, Moses. Sharon, tell us the story.

Sharon Staples 1:08:11

Well, he says, "Who hath made man's mouth?" Hello, you're talking to me, Moses. "Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing? or the blind? have not I, the Lord done all this?" You got to start believing me, Moses, got to have more faith in me. I'm here, I'm on your right, I'm on your left, I'm before you, I'm giving you these miracles. You know, listen up.

Tammy 1:08:35

And then verse 14 made me, I read verse 14 as an impatient parent. I just imagined me doing this with my child who doesn't believe and I'm like, Alright, fine.

14 "And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and he said, is not Aaron the Levite by Brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart."

He's like, Alright, fine, then your brother can do it. We'll have your brother be the spokesman. I'll give you the words, then you tell Aaron what to say. And then Aaron will say to Pharaoh. So I think that is awesome how the Lord's like, Alright, fine, then. You win: you can't speak, I'll find a way to do this. What does that tell us about the Lord?

Ellery Howarth 1:09:11

Well, it just reminds me of the brother of Jared, you know, when he has to find a way for light to come into the vessel. The Lord was like, 'Find a way.' And so you know, Jared came to Him like, K, this is what I came up with. I think this is another example of the Lord gave us a brain and gave us thoughts and personalities. And He respects them to a degree as well. Moses is like, Yeah, I can't, I can't do this. I'm willing, but I can't. So He's like, Okay. You made this decision. I'll follow through with it.

Tammy 1:09:44

I'll honor that. Alright. Great input Ellery. I think that's awesome. So let's continue on in the story then. Moses goes back to Jethro and says, I have to go. The Lord has spoken to me. And we just love Jethro's response at the very end of verse 18. What does Jethro say to Moses?

Ellery Howarth 1:10:02

Go in peace.

Tammy 1:10:04

Highlight that. It's just beautiful. Go in peace. Remember, Jethro is a friend of God. He is not questioning Moses, he is supporting Moses' incredible vision. I mean, this is amazing that any other father-in-law might be like, You're crazy Moses, but he isn't. Go in peace. And so he's going to go back to the land of Egypt. And he's going to have this incredible experience. Let's go into these verses, and we're going to look at verse 21. There's something we need to highlight here. Sharon, can you read verse 21.

Sharon Staples 1:10:32

21 "And the Lord said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand; but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go."

Tammy 1:10:48

Highlight "I will harden his heart". And let's look down at the footnote below. We need to know this in order to understand next week's discussion about all of the plagues. The Lord doesn't harden Pharaoh's heart. No, he doesn't. Read the Joseph Smith translation for us, Sharon.

And Pharaoh will harden his heart.

Very good. Thank you. So let's make sure we understand that. Okay, so go back with me in the story then, because we're talking about women who get the job done. And we just have to tell this really awesome story about Moses' wife. Did you like this Ellery?

Ellery Howarth 1:11:21

Yeah, I mean, when I went to the Jerusalem center, we talked about this.

Tammy 1:11:25

Oh, tell us about it. This is a story about Zipporah. Moses' wife, and what she does. And tell us the whole story, what do you remember?

Ellery Howarth 1:11:32

So they had left, they're gone by this point. So the Lord had come and was mad with Moses. And so Zipporah took a sharp rock and circumcised their son, and then threw, you know, threw it at her husband's fee. And, you know, said, 'a bloody husband art thou to me.

Tammy 1:11:54

Why is the Lord mad at Moses? What was Moses refusing to do?

Ellery Howarth 1:11:58

He didn't circumcise his son. It had been past eight days. So he wasn't keeping a covenant. I mean, he was being annoying. Like, just another example, to me; this is this is why I love the Old Testament, personally, is that these prophets that God pick are the most human of humans. They forget things. They make mistakes all the time. And God is constantly like, upset with them. And I love it. It makes me like, okay, like, they're human.

Tammy 1:12:32

And that is the whole point of this story of Moses is that he is human. And what I think I love about this is - I wrote this down Ellery - we didn't even talk about this. And I'm so glad you brought this up. Because I said, the point isn't to talk about how Moses is a weak man, but rather that he's a hu-man. Like, he's not perfect. He's trying to figure out this whole disciple thing on a daily basis and so are we, right? Every day. I mean, look at this conversation. He literally has an experience with a burning bush hearing the Lord's voice, and he still isn't sure if it's gonna work out. And then he has all these miracles performed, and he still isn't sure. And then he's not keeping a covenant. And Zipporah has to step in and save Moses from being killed by the Lord? I mean, that's just amazing to me.

And so we get to see this beautiful balance and, and I love the growth that we get to see in Moses; he's still figuring it out. And it's okay, the Lord still uses him. Can we all just take a big sigh of relief? Ah, that is awesome. That is such a great message to all of us. Wow. Okay, then we're just going to end this little bit of a story with verses 27-31. We have to do this because this whole life is about just becoming a disciple on a daily basis. And what we have to know is that Moses is teaching us what discipleship looks like. I feel like it's a combination of hits and misses. And so these verses right here are a couple of definitely a win for Aaron and Moses, because Moses just had a miss. So now he needs to hit. So let's look at one of his hits. We're going to go into verse 29-31. And Sharon, can you read these verses for us, please.

29 "And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel;

Sharon Staples 1:14:17

30 "And Aaron spake all the words which the Lord had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.

31 "And the people believed: and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped."

Tammy 1:14:36

Look at verse 31 one more time, believing this is the win. This is the win for Moses, and they were so worried. Yeah, read it, Sharon read it again.

Sharon Staples 1:14:44

31 "And the people believed: and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bow their heads and worshipped."

Tammy 1:14:57

Why is that a win for Moses Sharon?

Sharon Staples 1:14:59

Well, because he saw the fruition of the Lord's promises to him; he saw the Lord's power come to pass.

Tammy 1:15:07

He made me think of our modern-day Prophet today, President Nelson. And I wonder if he's ever felt like Moses. You know, if when he prepares his conference talks, is he so nervous? And is he hoping that at the end, we'll believe. That we'll bow our heads and worship? And that's kind of made me think of my reaction with him and us as saints. What do you thinkin, Ell; you look deep in thought.

Ellery Howarth 1:15:29

I'm just thinking, if I were Moses, how relieved I would be. Because, you know, the whole time we were reading about his doubts, I was thinking like, Yeah, you should be a little worried. Because, you know, he wasn't really an Israelite, right? He was like, he was like, almost a "mudblood", if you will, to quote Harry Potter. He was raised Egyptian. I almost feel like if I was in Israel, I would feel like he would be condescending to me. Like this man who was raised in Egypt coming who got cast away all the sudden coming back and telling me God's coming? I'm like, Alright, you've gone crazy in the wilderness, got too hot. Like, you don't even know the name of our God, like calm down. But so, the fact that it worked, I'm sure he's so relieved.

Tammy 1:16:18

You're absolute, both of you, your comments are spot on. Okay, so in the next segment, we will go into some verses that will pull all of this together, to the believing and the unbelieving, to those who are in the messy middle, and to those who aren't. It's okay, wherever you are, Exodus, chapter5-6 will remind us of who the Lord is, and what He can and will do for all of us.

Segment 6 1:16:42

.....

Tammy 1:16:45

Sharon is going to give us a summation of Exodus chapter 5. Here's what happened to these believing Israelites who bowed their heads and worshipped.

Sharon Staples 1:16:55

Well, Pharaoh increases their workload tremendously. You have to find your own straw. You have to chop up your own straw, you have to do all these things.

Tammy 1:17:06

Oh, and they still have to make the same amount of bricks as they were making the day before.

Sharon Staples 1:17:09

Oh, absolutely.

Tammy 1:17:10

But now they have to find their own straw. So now they're like, how are we going to do this?

Sharon Staples 1:17:12

And not only that, but the people blame Moses for their troubles. He says, Moses, it's your fault, because you're, you're nettling the Pharaoh, you know, you're edging him on in some way. And so Moses returns to the Lord. And in verse 22, we hear what Moses is saying, why "hast thou so evil entreated this people ? why is it that thou has sent me? 23 "For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, He hath done evil to this people;" Moses is getting back at the Lord again. He said, Look, you told me to do this. And now I did it. And now they're blaming me, and now I'm in trouble and I can't do this. And he's backsliding again.

Tammy 1:17:13

Thank you, Sharon. Okay, let's go into Exodus chapter 6, then, because here's the Lord's response to Moses. I'm going to read an Exodus chapter 6, verses 2-5. And as I do, Ellery, and Sharon, I want you to tell me, What is the Lord trying to impress upon Moses with these verses? Here's what he says,

6:2 "And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the Lord:

3 "And I appeared to Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known unto them.

4 "And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers.

5 "And I have also heard their groanings of the children of Israel, from the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant."

What's he trying to impress upon Moses? Again, in Moses 1:10, when he realizes man is nothing, I think he's trying to put in perspective like, Hey, I am God, I am Jehovah. What's not clicking?

You just said that with such incredible power, Ellory. And I appreciate that you added, 'what's not clicking?' Like that was so good. In fact, I like how the Joseph Smith translation down below footnote 3c, it actually changes it. It says, "And unto Jacob, I am the Lord God Almighty, the Lord Jehovah, and was not my name known unto them? with a question mark. He's like, They knew who I was. You know who I am. I can do this.

So before we met, I asked the two of you to look at Exodus chapter 6, verses 6-8. And I asked you to mark all of the 'I Will' statements in these verses. Because the Lord then says to Moses, 'And guess what, here's what I will do. Remember who I am, I can do this. So here's what I will do.' So tell me what did you guys mark in these verses? Sharon, start with verse 6.

Sharon Staples 1:19:49

Okay. He says 6: "I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians...I will rid you out of their bondage....I will redeem you with a stretched out arm and with great judgements.

Tammy 1:20:01

Ellery, do 7.

Ellery Howarth 1:20:03

7 "And I will take you to me for a people and I will be to you of God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God which bring it to you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians."

Tammy 1:20:18

And verse 8,

Ellery Howarth 1:20:19

"And I will bring you in unto the land concerning the which, I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, and I will give it to you for heritage, I am the Lord."

Tammy 1:20:34

Tell me how these I will statements affect you in your own life.

Ellery Howarth 1:20:39

'I will' is such a strong verb. It is an incredibly strong verb. Because when someone says I will, they're going to do it.

Tammy 1:20:53

What does the statement 'I will' from God mean to Ellery Howarth?

Ellery Howarth 1:20:58

It means it will get done. Oh, ummm, yeah, yeah, it means it will get done.

Tammy 1:21:10

Or do you hear 'I will' with a bit of cynicism, maybe?

Ellery Howarth 1:21:14

I do. Yeah. I feel like for me, it's conditional, that 'I will' if.....is a big, you know, silent if, after all of these for when it refers to me. And you know, everyone can be like, Well, you're a child of God. And I'm like, Okay, thanks. Can you shut up? I don't feel it.

Tammy 1:21:37

Ellery, were there any ifs in those three verses that we read?

Ellery Howarth 1:21:41

No, there weren't.

Tammy 1:21:43

Were there any conditions on the children of Israel or Moses?

Ellery Howarth 1:21:47

No.

Tammy 1:21:48

There weren't.

Ellery Howarth 1:21:49

There weren't.

Tammy 1:21:50

So when the Lord says 'I will' to Ellery Howarth, what does He mean?

That he'll do it? Someday, though. Maybe.

He will. I think that's the beauty of these verses, is you have such a disbelieving group of people. And here's the Lord saying, I will. And then He does.

Sharon Staples 1:22:11

I think it's a beautiful testimony of the Lord bearing His testimony about Himself. He says all these things, and then He doesn't say Because I am the Lord. He just says, At the end of all those wheels, I am the Lord. Hello. Can you hear me now? I think of, you know, that terrible commercial on television of an iPhone years ago when the man holding the phone was in the mountain, and then he was at the seaside, and then he was in the hospital. And he was and then he said, Can you hear me now? Well, He's saying to Moses, can you hear me now? I am the Lord. I will do these things. Believe in me, believe who I am. Believe what I've said, I put you in the bullrushes. I took you to Midian, I took you to Egypt, I took you out of Egypt. Hello there. Can you hear me now? I am the Lord. To me that is powerful. It's powerful testimony to me. And it confirms my testimony and it enhances my testimony of God, and of my savior. I am the Lord.

Tammy 1:23:27

I think that is the most powerful way you could end this, is 'I will because I am the Lord.' And there were no if and then statements in here. And that's what's so beautiful about Him. And yeah, I think all of us can relate to Moses; we are all little mini Moseses like, but how? How are you going to do this? There's no way; maybe in the next life, not this, you know. There's so many ways that his faith is faltering, and the children of Israel. In fact, in verse 9, Moses is so excited. He goes back to tell the children of Israel, Hey, guess what? The Lord's gonna do it. And they're like, Yeah, no, no, he's not actually. No. And Moses has to keep reminding them. No, he is the Lord. 'I will'.

And so when you are faltering in your face, and when you are in that place where you're just not sure I hope we all can remember Ellery 's beautiful statement about 'I will'; it is so powerful. It's not I might, it's not I could or I can. It's I will. And then Sharon's because 'I am the Lord. I have all the power that's needed to help.' And that's the beauty of this story. Because these are insurmountable odds. They should not be able to do what they're going to do next week. But they do it because He is the Lord.

Thank you ladies. That's the end of our episode. Gosh, that was so good. Okay, so take a minute and gather your thoughts. And just kind of tell us what was your takeaway from today? What's something that struck you or that you'll take with you?

Ellery Howarth 1:25:00

For me, today's International Women's Day, good old woman.

Tammy 1:25:04

Yes. Oh, and just for those of you who are listening, at the time of this recording, it is actually National Women's Day. Pretty cool.

Ellery Howarth 1:25:11

So when I read, you know, these chapters on my own, I didn't really think much about the midwives, or Moses' mom and his sister, and Moses' wife, right? Like he was surrounded by strong women his whole life, starting right off the bat. And so nothing creates a great man like strong woman. That's what I'm taking away.

Tammy 1:25:37

That's a great takeaway. I love it. Thank you, Sharon.

Sharon Staples 1:25:41

Mine was: Believe in the Lord when He says He will do something. And even though I doubt or question, or whatever goes on in my head, He will do it, that He is the one person to whom I can turn, no matter what.

Tammy 1:26:02

Absolutely. Thank you, Sharon.

Sharon Staples 1:26:04

Your bet.

Tammy 1:26:05

My takeaway was at the beginning, when both of you shared your own personal experiences, about how we can multiply and grow in the midst of bitterness and hardship. And I loved our discussion on that, and the stories that you shared. I think that the Lord really will help us multiply and grow in the middle of and in despite of all of our hardships. So thank you for sharing. Ladies.

Sharon Staples 1:26:30

Thank you. That's it.

Ellery Howarth 1:26:31

Thank you.

Tammy 1:26:31

I love you both so much!

Sharon Staples 1:26:33

Love you, too. Thank you.

Tammy 1:26:34

That was awesome. Okay, well, we would love to hear what your big takeaway was from this episode. So share whatever it is you're thinking, go on to Facebook or Instagram. And if you haven't already joined the discussion on Facebook and Instagram, go there, do it. And then, at the end of the week, on a Saturday, we do a post that's calling for your big takeaway. So comment on the post that relates to this specific lesson to let us know what you guys learned as we studied Exodus 1-6. And I love reading them. And then I usually share a takeaway on Tuesday that stood out to me. So go do it.

You can get to both our Facebook and Instagram by going to the show notes for this episode on LDSliving.com/sundayonmonday, and go there too, because it's where we're gonna have a link to all the references that we used today as well as a complete transcript of this whole discussion and some really cool glue ins, like the quote that I shared at the very beginning. You're gonna find that in our show notes.

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 really brilliant study group participants were Sharon Stapels and Ellery Howarth and you can find more information about these ladies at LDS living.com/sunday on Monday. Our podcast is produced by Katy Lambert and me. It is recorded and mixed by Mix At Six Studios and our executive producer is Erin Hallstrom. Thanks for being here. We'll see you next week.

And please remember when He says "I will", He will because you are God's favorite.

Ellery Howarth 1:28:00

When I was doing the readings for this, you know, I pull out my my little scriptures that I've had forever. And I remember Tammy, you gave me these.

Tammy 1:28:09

I did?

Ellery Howarth 1:28:11

Yes. They were from the lost and found of the East High seminary because Holly didn't want to buy scriptures and you said, Oh, I can just bring some.

Tammy 1:28:21

For sure. Kids are leaving scriptures behind. Whose name is on 'em? Is it your name?

Ellery Howarth 1:28:26

My name. Holly went to the Deseret Book. That's when she worked there at the time.

Tammy 1:28:29

Oh, that's right. Sure. Sure we did, we did.