We had a relief society activity about the four different seasons, and they asked me to talk about Fall, activities to do with your family, holidays etc... I love the fall and this was a great opportunity for me to remember why I love the Fall, it's all about the GATHERING!
I love the imagery of the spiritual gathering that is taking place with the beginning of the restoration of the gospel and i was reminded with doing this class about the Feast of Trumpets that is celebrated by the Jewish people for centuries. Most of us know and recognize that the early harvest which occurs in the springtime along with Passover represents the Lord’s first coming, his death, crucifixion and resurrection.
Ancient Israel and those of the Jewish faith today celebrate three holy days or “holidays” in the fall, the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah), the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), and the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). Together they are called by Jews the “High Holy Days.” These holy days have an important relationship to the Lord’s spiritual gathering in the latter days. “For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not” (D&C 4:4).
Many Jewish scholars believe that the final spiritual gathering of Israel would begin with the Feast of Trumpets also known as the Day of Remembrance. The Lord commanded Israel to blow trumpets on this day so Israel would remember that their God delivered them out of bondage from Egypt, and ultimately that their God the Great Jehovah would deliver them from the bondage of sin and for God to remember his ancient covenants with Israel. The sound of the “shofar, ”or ram’s horn calls for Israel to repent and prepare for the King’s coming, for new revelation and for the beginning of Israel’s final harvest.
It is not by coincidence that the golden plates were delivered to Joseph Smith early in the morning of 22 September 1827 the same day as the Jewish people celebrated The Feast of Trumpets. Israel’s trumpets sounded throughout the world with prayers pleading for God to remember his people, a call for new revelation and the beginning of the gathering of Israel.
“Unknown to Judah, all that those horns represented was now to be fulfilled. For on that day, God remembered His people and set in motion His plan to regather them. On that day, God’s final harvest began. On that day, new revelation was granted which would bring a return to renewed covenants. From that day onward, Israel would be called to repentance in preparation for Christ’s return and reign. The Book of Mormon exists to serve these ends. Today, Moroni’s image trumpets from temple spires around the world a final call to awaken, repent, and prepare. For Latter-day Saints, knowing this is the final harvest with an ever-shortening time to labor should further motivate us to thrust in our sickles with our might. In that spirit, as we feel joy in that harvest we should make known the marvelous work that the Lord has brought forth in these latter days (see D&C 65:4).” Lenet Hadley Read, “The Golden Plates and the Feast of Trumpets,” Ensign, Jan 2000, 25
In the fall we gather for General Conference as a world wide church to listen to the wonderful and inspired messages from the Prophet and and apostles....it is one of our families most loved time of the year! one of my favorites... http://lds.org/general-conference/2011/10/waiting-upon-the-lord-thy-will-be-done?lang=eng Im not really good with waiting for anything...ask my kids they never move fast enough for me...but this really pricked my heart that we must learn to "wait upon the Lord" In the scriptures, the word wait means to hope, to anticipate, and to trust. To hope and trust in the Lord requires faith, patience, humility, meekness, long-suffering, keeping the commandments, and enduring to the end.
We gather our harvest and crops from our gardens....kenny harvested alot of pumpkins and tomatoes this year! We lived off of pumpkin bread and salsa! but is also a time for farmer's markets and State fairs!
We gather our family together for the World Series(at least us baseball families)and college football....and loved having the college kids down from USU for fall break (ashley, spencer, Kylee and a few others) while we watched the Texas Rangers almost beat the Cardinals!
We gather together the first tuesday of the month of November to vote and elect those individuals we want to represent us...we are so lucky to live in this country! Then we celebrate the Marine Corp B-day and Veteran's day and give thanks for all those who have sacrificed that we might have our liberties and freedom!
