Matthew 25 and 26

Chapter 25

These parables were given to the 12 apostles.  In the parable of the ten Virgins,  all of the virgins had lamps, all of the lamps were burning at one point, and all of them had received invitations to the wedding of the bridegroom.  The fact they are virgins symbolizes their goodness.  So this isn't a question of some being bad and some being good.  I think the oil symbolizes our testimonies and what we do with them.  Five of the virgins had oil to keep their lamps burning.  Five were spiritually lazy and let their lamps burn out.  When the critical time came and they realized they needed a lit lamp, they had no way to light them.  It's like a hot coal.  As long as it remains in the fire, it will stay hot.  But even the hottest coal will loose it's heat and eventually go out when it's removed the fire.  Without the fire, the coal cannot reheat itself.  It's the same with our testimonies.  If we keep ourselves close to the Holy Ghost and those things that help us have the Holy Ghost, our testimonies will stay strong.

Chapter 26

In Gethsemane, the Savior suffered the greatest and worst of everything that can be suffered.  Every guilt, illness, emotional or physical pain, plus paying the price for every sin from the least to the worst.  Under the weight of this all, I appreciate the fact that he prayed three times for the Father to find another way, to get him out of it.  Since Heavenly Father is capable of all things, he knew he could pray for that.  But he also knew he had to endure it.  And since he was praying all of the time he was in Gethsemane, we can be sure he was praying for strength to get through it too.  At one point, an angel was sent to bless him.  Life will bring us difficulties and we will pray to have the difficulty removed, but some things we have to endure.  We are here to learn to deal with the opposition and while we would pray that there might be a different way, this is the way that we have to go, as painful as it may be.  If we can accept accept it, and endure our way through it, the experience will eventually pass.  And like the Savior's experience, great things will come to pass, things that would not have been achieved in any other way, whose results will not only bless our lives, but bless the lives or others in ways far beyond our comprehension.