Bereshith

Recently I finished reading the book of Genesis for the first time.  Previous attempts were met with stalling around chapter 11.  For this recent success, I utilized a version which was translated from Hebrew manuscripts, and the words Lord and God were replaced with Hebrew characters to be more specific.  It helped quell some confusion.

Some questions that came to mind:

• What was Adam's biggest priority?  
• What was the commandment given to Adam and Eve? 
• Is the doctrine of following a prophet present in Genesis?
• Is there any current, modern doctrine found in Genesis?
• Who really belongs to the House of Isra'el?
• Where did Eve's name come from? 
• Why was Joseph so preferred over the other children?  
• Why couldn't Pharoah interpret his own dream?  Why was Joseph needed?
• Why did King James need to change all the names to English, rather than keeping the transliterated versions as made available in this translation? 
• Why did King James omit YHWH's name, and replace it all with LORD or GOD?  
• Why is it not called Bereshith in the KJV, the standard bible in most churches these days?
• What language do you suppose Adam and Eve spoke in the garden?  Do you suppose they spoke the same language after they departed?  Do you suppose their language remains on the earth?  Do you suppose this language would be important to learn, if so?  Or do you suppose the language was taken from the earth at the time of the tower?  

I don't expect answers, yet asking questions sometimes unravels some of the most beautiful mysteries.  By the way, the word for "mysteries" in this edition is replaced with "secrets".  YHWH loves to reveal His secrets to those who seek answers.  However it is interesting that the secrets are best kept that way by the general disinterest of the people. 

URL and Massage News

I have news!  This site has been down a few days, and the reason?

One is a new URL!  The new address for this website is www.amajorshift.com.  (The www.amajorshift.blogspot.com is still active as well and will also come here.)  This move is simple, but seemed to take several days to figure out proper coding, links to godaddy.com, etc.  But now it's done! YAY!!! 

The reason for a new URL?  While I don't know how this will play out, I am trusting that I am moving in the right direction with the things I have been learning.  The end goal is to open up an emotional healing practice when we get settled in Pennsylvania.  While I hope to establish a literal business, I also want to have a website already well established with proper links for information and such, on what I do.  Hopefully by then, this will be more appropriately squared away! 

The other change (which will appear momentarily) is that I've been trained in "Aromatouch^®" massage, and will be offering them for free of charge for those in the local area over the next month or so.  The massage technique requires only the exposure of the back, neck, head, feet, and hands, and is by no means a deep tissue massage.  While the training only focused on the physical methods and benefits, I hope to also bring the emotional aspect into it, to allow for a more well-rounded experience.

In Utah, I am not legally licensed as a massage therapist, so I am not allowed to charge for this service.  However, I am able to charge for the oils and allow for donations.  For the time being though, I'll not be charging anything, so if you know of someone in the area you'd like to receive this, let me know.  I'm looking for 30 individuals.  (Only one offer per household, however.  After the first one, I'd charge the cost of oils.)    

With the excitement of learning this new technique, I've done poorly at my studies and don't have much insightful to share, but hopefully I'll get back on track soon.  I've decided to get back into the Book of Mormon again for another 6 month challenge.  My Genesis challenge is needing a boost, so I hope someone will decide to join in to share some comments!  Let me know if you decide to join me!

­­¡Que Dios te bendiga!

April 6, 2012, OT Challenge - Genesis

It's April 6, 2012.  It's also Good Friday, the day that Christians honor the crucifixion of the Savior.  Here in Utah we've had weather in the 60s/70s all week, but this morning we woke up to snow.  How fitting.  I never know what to feel on this day.  Remorse, sadness, and a bit of melancholy seem to top the list.  I know the Atonement is the reason we're all here, but it seems improper to be treating it like any other day. 

When reading the "Road to Emmaus" section of Eighteen Verses (by Denver Snuffer), he points out that despite the pain of Jesus' suffering, that those of us who approved of the Savior's plan "rejoiced".  He quotes this verse from the Pearl of Great Price:

"And behold, Enoch saw the day of the coming of the Son of Man, even in the flesh; and his soul rejoiced, saying: The Righteous is lifted up, and the Lamb is slain from the foundation of the world; and through faith I am in the bosom of the Father, and behold, Zion is with me."  (Moses 7:47)

Because of Jesus's Atonement, Enoch "rejoiced".  I don't think he was a hateful man.  He must have understood the significance of the sacrifice made and fulfilled.  It means so much for all of us. 

Old Testament (OT) Challenge:

I really enjoyed Eighteen Verses.  One of these days I'll write up an actual review.  The "Road to Emmaus" talked so much of the Law of Moses and events in the Old Testament, that I feel quite led to read the Old Testament.  I'm embarrassed to say that I've never read it, cover to cover, and I want to.  

That said, I'm inviting anyone who wants to join me in this challenge to do so.  I don't know if I should expect this challenge to last any given amount of time.  I am setting this as a monthly goal, and rather than use dates on a calendar, I'm going to go by the "lunar cycle".  It's a full moon this week, so I plan to read Genesis by the next full moon.  (In my King James version of the Bible, that's 78 pages.)  Then I'll go from there.   

(Liz Lemon Swindle's "The Road to Emmaus")

I hope everyone has a memorable and special Resurrection Sabbath!  Remember it's more than about bunnies, eggs, candy, and family dinners of ham and mashed potatoes!  xoxo