Missionary Monday: Sister C's Thoughts on Abish and Other Things

So I got this a few weeks ago from my lovely new friend, Sister C who is currently serving an LDS mission on the East Cost (USA) and has found the joy of Kundalini Yoga and meditation while on her mission. Hooray! She emailed me these insights and I love them. I have capitolized a few things and changed it from one long paragraph to several (She had to type fast.) but left it much in her voice. I love these insights and I added a few thoughts in brackets in purple and at the end, but if you love Sister C after you read this, you are not the only one. 

I'm going to try and type out what I learned. But I don't have my scriptures or my journal because we walked to the computer lab today after our hike to the waterfalls. I did some yoga on the rocks and accidentally fell in--oops ;) Anyways, I did kundalini meditation and then I studied. I am currently reading in Alma.

 I read the chapter where Ammon converts king Lamoni. It was great and uplifting and lots of insights on how to teach and all of those things. Well when I studied it after my meditation it was completely different! And AMAZING. I feel like Abish was almost in the room with me! So my interpretation of it all is this...

First though some background: [If you don't know this scripture story you can read it in Alma 17-19. Link is here] this is after Ammon had served the king, and cut the arms off of the men who scattered the sheep--which I also think is very symbolic and I have been studying that for quite some time. The scriptures often talk about "extending his arm" and how Christ's arm is always extended. So I had been studying this for quite sometime now leading up to this study--and I really think that when it talks about their arm being extended its a symbol of exercising priesthood.... So ammon teaches king lamoni and he is over come by the Spirit and becomes unconscious. [In a state of religious ecstasy is probably a better explanation for what happened. religious ecstasy is defined as an altered state of consciousness in which the body and outward senses are not really active, but there is great inward expasion, visions, etc. But it appeared to others to be unconscious. This state of religious ecstasy is no uncommon among experienced meditators and even beginning meditators]

So the queen, whose best friend was Abish, has to face this trial of her husband being unconscious. People are telling her that he is dead and he should be buried. But she comes to Ammon. The scriptures explain the queens opinion when they say "Therefore, what the queen desired of him was his only desire" so she comes to Ammon, not desiring that he would rise the king, just desiring what Ammon would desire because she knew that he was a man of God, so they discuss this and Ammon blesses her and tells her you will be so blessed! You have more faith than any other Nephite. And the Nephites have been converted for years and this woman exercising her faith.. and through the trial of her faith was blessed by Ammon.. and she had moral authority.. so she waits for her king to rise and he does rise and the FIRST thing he does when he rises is extend his arm to her! and begins to testify of what he just experienced.. so then the queen and the king and the servants all become unconscious. and Ammon is "prostrate upon the ground"
Side note... um why don't we ever bow in our church?? its an amazing feeling to just bow down and become prostrate upon the earth.. anyways. [I totally agree! I love bowing!]

 So then Abish comes into play.. and Abish was an amazing woman.. who had an amazing patriarch in her home--her father! and she became converted because of the things that her father had taught her. So Abish has been converted for years. It says "save it were one of the Lamanitish women, whose name was Abish, she having been converted unto the Lord for many years, on account of a remarkable vision of her father—"  

So I believe that the reason the queen was so prepared for this experience was because of Abish. ABISH KNEW THE TRUTH!! and she understood that MEDITATION WAS THE KEY that it was one of the most secret most sacred doors through which we pass into the presence of the Lord. But she silently persevered. and she totally obtained the Christ like attribute of long suffering. so then after years of patiently waiting to share all she knew.. all these people become unconscious. and she knows its of God so she takes this opportunity to share what she knows. So she runs from house to house and is yelling and screaming and trying to gather this multitude so they can understand what she understands.. and they tell her that shes crazy and that its of satan and say mean hurtful things. 

And so this poor woman who was trying so hard to fulfill her purpose and to be who the Lord wanted her to be and was trying so hard to bring light to these people who so bitterly rejected it--she just begins to cry.. and all that she can think to do is go to the queen.. and she extends her arm and grabs the queens hand. AND THE QUEEN RISES!! 

And then the queen extends her hand to the king and he rises!! and then he testifies and teaches this multitude. and these people become converted and a church is established and a NATION is changed!! because of Abish and her long suffering and patience and diligence and boldness and bravery!! and then it ends with "thus the Lord did begin to pour out his Spirit upon them; and we see that his arm is extended to all people who will repent and believe on his name." I believe that those women exercised their priesthood that day. 

It gave me much comfort to be able to relate to Abish. I'm sure we were great friends once.  

Anyways. THANK YOU. You have given me so much. I don't know how I could ever thank you enough.. but today I had a "real pleasure" and I went hiking with my district And my district leader asked if I'd give a council on meditation! cool huh? I'll send some pics of Elder Richins and myself meditating on some tree roots. I love you! thank you thank you. SAT NAM.

I love her thoughts on the arm being extended. I have been thinking much lately of all the scriputres that talk about extending one's arms while praying, which constitutes a mudra. There are many mudras that include raised hands. This is just one of the goodies:

Ego Erradicator 

One of the great things about extending the arms is that it physically opens the heart center. But this is not just physical of course. I love this scripture in Job.

If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him; (Job 11:13) \

I wrote about this outstretched arm thing more in my forthcoming book, but I love it could also symbolize the priesthood. So  much to ponder. Love this girl.