“Be faithful, praying always, having your lamps trimmed and burning, and oil with you, that you may be ready at the coming of the Bridegroom” (D&C 33:17)
In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints we keep the parable of the Ten Virgins pretty close to heart. The Virgins represent each one of us in the church. We are those who are linked to the "Bridegroom" who is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Our lamps can and do represent different things to us ranging from our Testimony in the Savior, our relationship with the Holy Spirit, our own personal Spirit (or Soul), even our Temple recommends. All in all the key here isn't specifics, it's overall what the lamp is and what it does for you. The lamp is the culmination of your preparedness for when you meet the Lord, regardless if it's at the Second Coming, or when it's time for you to go Home. The oil represents the variety of actions and habits each Latter Day Saint should be cultivating consistently to fill his or her lamp. Spencer W. Kimball (one of our previous Prophets) said this:
“Attendance at sacrament meetings adds oil to our lamps, drop by drop over the years. Fasting, family prayer, home teaching, control of bodily appetites, preaching the gospel, studying the scriptures—each act of dedication and obedience is a drop added to our store. Deeds of kindness, payment of offerings and tithes, chaste thoughts and actions, marriage in the covenant for eternity—these, too, contribute importantly to the oil with which we can at midnight refuel our exhausted lamps.”
President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985), Faith Precedes the Miracle (1972), 256.
A couple of weeks ago my daughter was sick and while she was sick she constantly fought hard to remain as happy as she could be and tried to play. For me, her being sick and her attitude to prevail was a big learning experience. I started thinking about everything else she's been teaching me since I was blessed with her and then my mind wandered to thinking about the parable of the ten virgins. This though came over me at that time.
God gave me my daughter to be my lamp; to help give me light in my life both mentality and spiritually. She does in abundance in too numerous of ways to list here. She is my physical reminder as to what the lamp means in the parable. Then I realized that I need to do my part. I must always make sure that she is "full of oil" and her "wick is trimmed". I must treat and take care of her the way God intended this precious little gift of mine to be. In addition to food, clothing, shelter, love and attention. I must also make sure that feels the Spirit of God and always remember Him. I love her for all she's taught me so far.
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| My Little lamp! |
In addition to her is my wife who I now realize that is also one of my lamps. So will the rest of my children when I am blessed with them and then their children will be as well. This is why family is so very important, they help me to have Light in my life and in turn I must take care of them to insure that they light up the lives of others. Our light is an extension of the Light of Christ, I hope that the light I receive while taking care of my Lamps is also shared with others because it's too precious of a gift. And in the end, we are all family and we are all able to receive this gift, no matter how dark it seems currently in your life. I am thankful for my Savior, my God, His Gospel, and this Church!
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