Alma 37:
12 And it may suffice if I only say they are preserved for a wise purpose, which purpose is known unto God; for he doth counsel in wisdom over all his works, and his paths are straight, and his course is one eternal round.
I love the faith shown by this statement. He does not know the purposes of God but he trusts God to direct his paths. He is saying so much about the character of God. He knows all. He has a plan for all things. We are his children and he will counsel us in wisdom. He sees the larger- eternal picture. He will not lead us down crooked paths- the way is clear if we follow him.
25 I will bring forth out of darkness unto light all their secret works and their abominations
and except they repent I will destroy them from off the face of the earth; and I will bring to light all their secrets and abominations, unto every nation that shall hereafter possess the land.
Spencer W. Kimball: “My young folks, since the Lord said, ‘Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect’ (Matthew 5:48), it would be well if all of us would take frequent inventory to see if hidden away under the rugs and in the corners of our lives there might be some vestige of hypocrisy and ugliness or error. Or could there be hidden under the blankets of personal excuse and rationalization some small eccentricities and dishonesties? Are there any cobwebs in ceilings and corners which we think will not be noticed? Are we trying to cover up the small pettinesses and the small gratifications we secretly allow ourselves-rationalizing the while that they are insignificant and inconsequential? Are there areas in our thoughts and actions and attitudes which we would like to hide from those we respect
most? Are we certain that all of our innermost secrets are kept confidential? The Lord revealed in 1831, ‘The rebellious shall be pierced with much sorrow; for their iniquities shall be spoken upon the housetops, and their secret acts shall be revealed.’ (D&C 1:3.) Would a frequent house cleaning be in order for all of us?” (BYU Speeches, February 25, 1964, p. 21)
harsh? maybe. But true. Everything is known unto the Lord and eventually we will have to face the truth of who we are. Now is the time to take advantage of the atonement of the Savior. To continually take and inventory of where we are...do do an occasional "house cleaning"
34 Teach them to never be weary of good works, but to be meek and lowly in heart; for such shall find rest to their souls.
Henry B. Eyring: “Alma gave his son advice that is good for us. He said: (quotes Alma 37:33-34.) The good works that really matter require the help of heaven. And the help of heaven requires working past the point of fatigue so far that only the meek and lowly will keep going long enough. The Lord doesn't put us through this test just to give us a grade; he does it because the process will change us.” (To Draw Closer to God, p. 95
Neal A. Maxwell: “Paradoxical as it sounds, more diligence actually brings more relief. Any selfishness, on the other hand, magnifies our weariness. Selfishness not only shrinks the quantity of service we render but also provides none of the needed renewal, no ‘rest to [our] souls.’” (If Thou Endure It Well, p. 113)
45 And now I say, is there not a type in this thing? For just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise.
46 O my son, do not let us be slothful because of the easiness of the way; for so was it with our fathers; for so was it prepared for them, that if they would look they might live; even so it is with us. The way is prepared, and if we will look we may live forever.
47 And now, my son, see that ye take care of these sacred things, yea, see that ye look to God and live. Go unto this people and declare the word, and be sober. My son, farewell.
It is an easy solution. Read the scriptures. A solution we take for granted. I have had my own copy of the scriptures since before I can remember- It took me quite a long time to appreciate them. I had to make the choice to search them myself. The answers were sitting on my nightstand my whole life, but to find those answers I had to pick up the book. Look to the words of Christ and life. Through the scriptures we can find direction for our paths. We will find wisdom and guidance to teach us to be righteous. We are reminded of the commandments. We learn the character of Jesus Christ and God the Father. We are chastened and comforted. Through the scriptures we find the path to eternal life.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Mary
Luke 1:
46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of
their hearts.
52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
54 He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
Women do not speak much in the scriptures. So when they do, I find I listen more closely. If someone took the time to write it down it is important. Can you feel the testimony of Mary? She is incredible. She is filled with the spirit of God and has no doubt in her mind what her divine mission is. She testifies of the things to come from the birth of the child she carries. "henceforth generations will call me blessed" she recognizes that through the birth of Christ all mankind will be saved. That it doesn't matter who she is, what positions her family does of does not hold...she has been chosen to carry and raise the Son of God. She recognizes her divine role in the plan of our Father and accepts without hesitation. She is incredible!!
Bruce R. McConkie said: “As there is only one Christ, so there is only one Mary. And as the Father chose the most noble and righteous of all his spirit sons to come into mortality as his Only Begotten in the flesh, so we may confidently conclude that he selected the most worthy and spiritually talented of all his spirit daughters to be the mortal mother of his Eternal Son.” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary. 3 vols. Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965-73, 1:85.)
46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of
their hearts.
52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
54 He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
Women do not speak much in the scriptures. So when they do, I find I listen more closely. If someone took the time to write it down it is important. Can you feel the testimony of Mary? She is incredible. She is filled with the spirit of God and has no doubt in her mind what her divine mission is. She testifies of the things to come from the birth of the child she carries. "henceforth generations will call me blessed" she recognizes that through the birth of Christ all mankind will be saved. That it doesn't matter who she is, what positions her family does of does not hold...she has been chosen to carry and raise the Son of God. She recognizes her divine role in the plan of our Father and accepts without hesitation. She is incredible!!
Bruce R. McConkie said: “As there is only one Christ, so there is only one Mary. And as the Father chose the most noble and righteous of all his spirit sons to come into mortality as his Only Begotten in the flesh, so we may confidently conclude that he selected the most worthy and spiritually talented of all his spirit daughters to be the mortal mother of his Eternal Son.” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary. 3 vols. Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1965-73, 1:85.)
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Live In Thanksgiving Daily
Alma 34:
28 And now behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need—I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold, your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing, and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith.
Elder S. Dilworth Young: “The revelations given to Joseph Smith on this subject
are numerous and were among the early ones. To care for the poor is one of the first and early
obligations. To help the needy and those who mourn follows close behind. All of us have some time, but those who are not given great responsibility in the organizations have more time to seek out the poor, needy, and helpless. And this help is badly needed. All about us are those in need of encouragement, assistance, and help—help of a kind we can all give, not money, but time and attention and personal encouragement, especially to those who must bear great responsibility for loved ones and who cannot pass it to others for the simple reason there are no others to whom to pass it. …Those with no ward assignments have more time to pursue this great work of the salvation of souls. Let us not sit back jealous of those giving attention to the stake, the ward, the auxiliaries, but seek our salvation where the Lord appointed us, among those who, weak in spirit, weak in body, or weak in desire, need to be encouraged, need to be raised up in the kingdom of God on this earth.” (Ensign, Dec. 1971, p. 66)
31 Yea, I would that ye would come forth and harden not your hearts any longer; for behold, now is the time and the day of your salvation; and therefore, if ye will repent and harden not your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you.
“Those who truly desire repentance and willingly turn to the Lord, forsaking their sins, find that the Savior Immediately effects the plan of redemption in their behalf. It would seem only fair that years of unrepentant sin would necessitate years of repentance and sorrow in order to eradicate the same; however, this is not the case. Great revolutionary changes can be
effected immediately through deep, heart-felt repentance. (See Alma 15:3-11; 22:1-23; 36:11-20.) This repentance can bring forgiveness, complete forgiveness. Amulek was speaking in 74 B.C., over a hundred years before Jesus would actually make the atoning sacrifice. But the people who lived before Christ did not have to wait for the time of his coming to have the Atonement become effective. It could be applied immediately if they exercised faith and repentance.” (Book of Mormon Student Manual, 1981,p. 303)
37 And now, my beloved brethren, I desire that ye should remember these things, and that ye should work out your salvation with fear before God and that ye should no more
deny the coming of Christ;
28 And now behold, my beloved brethren, I say unto you, do not suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need—I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold, your prayer is vain, and availeth you nothing, and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith.
Elder S. Dilworth Young: “The revelations given to Joseph Smith on this subject
are numerous and were among the early ones. To care for the poor is one of the first and early
obligations. To help the needy and those who mourn follows close behind. All of us have some time, but those who are not given great responsibility in the organizations have more time to seek out the poor, needy, and helpless. And this help is badly needed. All about us are those in need of encouragement, assistance, and help—help of a kind we can all give, not money, but time and attention and personal encouragement, especially to those who must bear great responsibility for loved ones and who cannot pass it to others for the simple reason there are no others to whom to pass it. …Those with no ward assignments have more time to pursue this great work of the salvation of souls. Let us not sit back jealous of those giving attention to the stake, the ward, the auxiliaries, but seek our salvation where the Lord appointed us, among those who, weak in spirit, weak in body, or weak in desire, need to be encouraged, need to be raised up in the kingdom of God on this earth.” (Ensign, Dec. 1971, p. 66)
31 Yea, I would that ye would come forth and harden not your hearts any longer; for behold, now is the time and the day of your salvation; and therefore, if ye will repent and harden not your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you.
“Those who truly desire repentance and willingly turn to the Lord, forsaking their sins, find that the Savior Immediately effects the plan of redemption in their behalf. It would seem only fair that years of unrepentant sin would necessitate years of repentance and sorrow in order to eradicate the same; however, this is not the case. Great revolutionary changes can be
effected immediately through deep, heart-felt repentance. (See Alma 15:3-11; 22:1-23; 36:11-20.) This repentance can bring forgiveness, complete forgiveness. Amulek was speaking in 74 B.C., over a hundred years before Jesus would actually make the atoning sacrifice. But the people who lived before Christ did not have to wait for the time of his coming to have the Atonement become effective. It could be applied immediately if they exercised faith and repentance.” (Book of Mormon Student Manual, 1981,p. 303)
37 And now, my beloved brethren, I desire that ye should remember these things, and that ye should work out your salvation with fear before God and that ye should no more
deny the coming of Christ;
Heber C. Kimball: “Jesus says, ‘Work out your salvation as it is my will to work within you.’ Then, again, we are commanded to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. All that hinders us and prevents us progressing faster, and going on from one step to another even as it was with our Father, even the Father and God pertaining to this earth, is our lack of confidence in the Almighty, and our slothfulness in the things of God. Joseph the Prophet said that our
heavenly Father went on from one degree of knowledge to another until he obtained the knowledge that made him God. So also will it be with us, we shall have to advance from one degree of faith to another until we get that knowledge that will prepare us for exaltation in our Father's kingdom. But we must first prove ourselves in this state of probation, then we rise from step to step till we reach that position that is promised to the people of God.” (Journal of Discourses, vol. 9, p. 371)
38 That ye contend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye receive it, and take upon you the name of Christ; that ye humble yourselves even to the dust, and worship God, in whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you.
"we will stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things and in all places" This scripture makes me think of the young women's motto. Something I have always loved. We must worship God no matter where we are or who we are with.
“When you walk with gratitude, you do not walk with arrogance and conceit and egotism, you walk with a spirit of thanksgiving that is becoming to you and will bless your lives (Gordon B. Hinckley)
Said the Greek philosopher Epictetus, “He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has"
See talk HERE
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
In Thee Is My Joy
Alma 32:
23 And now, he imparteth his word by angels unto men, yea, not only men but women also. Now this is not all; little children do have words given unto them
many times, which confound the wise and the learned.
President Joseph F. Smith said, “When messengers are sent to minister to the inhabitants of this earth, they are not strangers, but from the ranks of our kindred, friends, and fellow-beings and fellow-servants. The ancient prophets who died were those who came to visit their fellow creatures upon the earth. . . . In like manner our fathers and mothers, brothers, sisters and friends who have passed away from this earth, having been faithful, and worthy to enjoy these rights and privileges, may have a mission given them to visit their relatives and friends upon the earth again, bringing from the divine Presence messages of love, of warning, or reproof and instruction, to those whom they had learned to love in the flesh.” (Bruce D. Hafen, The Believing Heart, p. 101)
I have always loved this verse. I think because women, and children especially are not given enough credit. Youth does not always denote ignorance. Joseph Smith was 14 years old when he had the 1st vision. God is no respecter of persons and sometimes those with more earthly experience are too proud to recognize things of eternal significance. God speaks to the old as well as the young-men and women alike. Messages come not by years, but by desire and preparation.
27 But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words.
Gordon B. Hinckley: “Far more of us need to awake and arouse our faculties to an awareness of the great everlasting truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Each of us can do a little better than we have been doing. We can be a little more kind. We can be a little more merciful. We can be a little more forgiving. We can put behind us our weaknesses of the past, and go forth with new energy and increased resolution to improve the world about us, in our homes, in our places of employment, in our social activities. We have work to do, you and I, so very much of it. Let us roll up our sleeves and get at it, with a new commitment, putting our trust in the Lord.” (Church News, 04/08/95)
Alma 33:
8 Yea, thou art merciful unto thy children when they cry unto thee, to be heard of thee and not of men, and thou wilt hear them.
9 Yea, O God, thou hast been merciful unto me, and heard my cries in the midst of thy congregations.
11 And thou didst hear me because of mine afflictions and my sincerity; and it is because of thy Son that thou hast been thus merciful unto me, therefore I will cry unto thee in all mine afflictions, for in thee is my joy; for thou hast turned thy judgments away from me, because of thy Son.
God hears and answers prayers. I love how plain these verses are. Alma is quoting Zenos -I am a big fan of quoting prophets. Smart guys. I especially love verse 11. In thee is my joy. Through the atonement of Jesus Christ we can find joy through all of our afflictions. We can find forgiveness for our mistakes. We can find comfort in our pain and we always have someone to listen. Through Jesus Christ we can understand and see our trials through the lens of eternity.
23 And now, he imparteth his word by angels unto men, yea, not only men but women also. Now this is not all; little children do have words given unto them
many times, which confound the wise and the learned.
President Joseph F. Smith said, “When messengers are sent to minister to the inhabitants of this earth, they are not strangers, but from the ranks of our kindred, friends, and fellow-beings and fellow-servants. The ancient prophets who died were those who came to visit their fellow creatures upon the earth. . . . In like manner our fathers and mothers, brothers, sisters and friends who have passed away from this earth, having been faithful, and worthy to enjoy these rights and privileges, may have a mission given them to visit their relatives and friends upon the earth again, bringing from the divine Presence messages of love, of warning, or reproof and instruction, to those whom they had learned to love in the flesh.” (Bruce D. Hafen, The Believing Heart, p. 101)
I have always loved this verse. I think because women, and children especially are not given enough credit. Youth does not always denote ignorance. Joseph Smith was 14 years old when he had the 1st vision. God is no respecter of persons and sometimes those with more earthly experience are too proud to recognize things of eternal significance. God speaks to the old as well as the young-men and women alike. Messages come not by years, but by desire and preparation.
27 But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words.
Gordon B. Hinckley: “Far more of us need to awake and arouse our faculties to an awareness of the great everlasting truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Each of us can do a little better than we have been doing. We can be a little more kind. We can be a little more merciful. We can be a little more forgiving. We can put behind us our weaknesses of the past, and go forth with new energy and increased resolution to improve the world about us, in our homes, in our places of employment, in our social activities. We have work to do, you and I, so very much of it. Let us roll up our sleeves and get at it, with a new commitment, putting our trust in the Lord.” (Church News, 04/08/95)
Alma 33:
8 Yea, thou art merciful unto thy children when they cry unto thee, to be heard of thee and not of men, and thou wilt hear them.
9 Yea, O God, thou hast been merciful unto me, and heard my cries in the midst of thy congregations.
11 And thou didst hear me because of mine afflictions and my sincerity; and it is because of thy Son that thou hast been thus merciful unto me, therefore I will cry unto thee in all mine afflictions, for in thee is my joy; for thou hast turned thy judgments away from me, because of thy Son.
God hears and answers prayers. I love how plain these verses are. Alma is quoting Zenos -I am a big fan of quoting prophets. Smart guys. I especially love verse 11. In thee is my joy. Through the atonement of Jesus Christ we can find joy through all of our afflictions. We can find forgiveness for our mistakes. We can find comfort in our pain and we always have someone to listen. Through Jesus Christ we can understand and see our trials through the lens of eternity.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
We Will Go
Alma 27:
10: But the king said unto him; Inquire of the Lord, and if he saith unto us go, we will go; Otherwise we will perish in the land.
I love the king's faith in this verse. It stands out to me because I so often struggle. I inquire of the Lord but I don't always act on what I'm told. My lack of faith sometimes keeps me asking the same questions over and over again and not acting on the answers I receive. But it's stated so plainly here- If the Lord saith go, we will go. When the Lord tells me to go, I will go.
17 Now the joy of Ammon was so great even that he was full; yea, he was swallowed up in the joy of his God, even to the exhausting of his strength; and he fell again to the earth.
"A fullness of joy is found only among resurrected, exalted beings… In mortality men experience joy only in righteousness – that is, in obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel – the gospel being the “glad tidings of great joy.” Joy is characteristic of the presence of the Holy Ghost, from whom it comes. It is experienced only when the Spirit is present, and that most acutely in the manifestation that our sins have been remitted, in the knowledge that our path is pleasing to and approved of God, and in our helping others find the way to light and salvation." DCBM, 3:188-89
23 And behold, we will set our armies between the land Jershon and the land Nephi, that we may protect our brethren in the land Jershon; and this we do for our brethren, on account of their fear to take up arms against their brethren lest they should commit sin; and this their great fear came because of their sore repentance which they had, on account of their many murders and their awful wickedness.
I love this verse because of the character of the Nephites. They truly understand the atonement and the doctrine of repentance. They willingly give up part of their lands and offer their own lives to protect these Lamanites- the same lamanites who have, with their own hands, killed family and friends of the Nephites. The Nephites know the past sins of the Lamanites and yet they forgive them and offer protection. Protection from what many would say they deserved as payment for their past crimes. But these Lamanites have changed, they have even stopped calling themselves Lamanites. They have repented and become new creatures in Christ. What I find remarkable is that the Nephies were able to ALLOW them to change. So often people change, but those around them can't accept it. They can't let go of past hurts. They won't forget the injury of injustice caused by this person's actions. Those people do not understand the full measure of Christ's atonement. If he can forgive these people their murders how can we not forgive much smaller offenses?
28 And they did look upon shedding the blood of their brethren with the greatest abhorrence; and they never could be prevailed upon to take up arms against their brethren; and they never did look upon death with any degree of terror, for their hope and views of Christ and the resurrection; therefore, death was swallowed up to them by the victory of Christ over it.
Russell M. Nelson:
"The only way to take sorrow out of death is to take love out of life… As seedlings of God, we barely blossom on earth; we fully flower in heaven… Think of the alternative [to death]. If all sixty-nine billion people who have ever lived on earth were still here, imaging the traffic jam!... Scriptures teach that death is essential to happiness: Our limited perspective would be enlarged if we could witness the reunion on the other side of the veil, when doors of death open to those returning home… We need not look upon death as an enemy… I know by experiences too sacred to relate that those who have gone before are not strangers to leaders of this Church. To us and to you, our loved ones may be just as close as the next room – separated only by the doors of death." Ensign, May 1992, 72-74
10: But the king said unto him; Inquire of the Lord, and if he saith unto us go, we will go; Otherwise we will perish in the land.
I love the king's faith in this verse. It stands out to me because I so often struggle. I inquire of the Lord but I don't always act on what I'm told. My lack of faith sometimes keeps me asking the same questions over and over again and not acting on the answers I receive. But it's stated so plainly here- If the Lord saith go, we will go. When the Lord tells me to go, I will go.
17 Now the joy of Ammon was so great even that he was full; yea, he was swallowed up in the joy of his God, even to the exhausting of his strength; and he fell again to the earth.
"A fullness of joy is found only among resurrected, exalted beings… In mortality men experience joy only in righteousness – that is, in obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel – the gospel being the “glad tidings of great joy.” Joy is characteristic of the presence of the Holy Ghost, from whom it comes. It is experienced only when the Spirit is present, and that most acutely in the manifestation that our sins have been remitted, in the knowledge that our path is pleasing to and approved of God, and in our helping others find the way to light and salvation." DCBM, 3:188-89
23 And behold, we will set our armies between the land Jershon and the land Nephi, that we may protect our brethren in the land Jershon; and this we do for our brethren, on account of their fear to take up arms against their brethren lest they should commit sin; and this their great fear came because of their sore repentance which they had, on account of their many murders and their awful wickedness.
I love this verse because of the character of the Nephites. They truly understand the atonement and the doctrine of repentance. They willingly give up part of their lands and offer their own lives to protect these Lamanites- the same lamanites who have, with their own hands, killed family and friends of the Nephites. The Nephites know the past sins of the Lamanites and yet they forgive them and offer protection. Protection from what many would say they deserved as payment for their past crimes. But these Lamanites have changed, they have even stopped calling themselves Lamanites. They have repented and become new creatures in Christ. What I find remarkable is that the Nephies were able to ALLOW them to change. So often people change, but those around them can't accept it. They can't let go of past hurts. They won't forget the injury of injustice caused by this person's actions. Those people do not understand the full measure of Christ's atonement. If he can forgive these people their murders how can we not forgive much smaller offenses?
28 And they did look upon shedding the blood of their brethren with the greatest abhorrence; and they never could be prevailed upon to take up arms against their brethren; and they never did look upon death with any degree of terror, for their hope and views of Christ and the resurrection; therefore, death was swallowed up to them by the victory of Christ over it.
Russell M. Nelson:
"The only way to take sorrow out of death is to take love out of life… As seedlings of God, we barely blossom on earth; we fully flower in heaven… Think of the alternative [to death]. If all sixty-nine billion people who have ever lived on earth were still here, imaging the traffic jam!... Scriptures teach that death is essential to happiness: Our limited perspective would be enlarged if we could witness the reunion on the other side of the veil, when doors of death open to those returning home… We need not look upon death as an enemy… I know by experiences too sacred to relate that those who have gone before are not strangers to leaders of this Church. To us and to you, our loved ones may be just as close as the next room – separated only by the doors of death." Ensign, May 1992, 72-74
Monday, December 12, 2011
Patient in Our Sufferings
Alma 26:
27-Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success.
Ezra T. Benson said:
“There are times when you simply have to righteously hang on and outlast the devil until his depressive spirit leaves you. As the Lord told the Prophet Joseph Smith: ‘thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if you endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high’ (DC 121:7-8). To press on in noble endeavors, even while surrounded by a cloud of depression, will eventually bring you out on top into the sunshine.” (Ensign, Nov. 1974 as
taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 290)
28 And now behold, we have come, and been forth amongst them; and we have been patient in our sufferings, and we have suffered every privation; yea, we have traveled from house to house, relying upon the mercies of the world—not upon the mercies of the world alone but upon the mercies of God.
29 And we have entered into their houses and taught them, and we have taught them in their streets; yea, and we have taught them upon their hills; and we have also entered into their temples and their synagogues and taught them; and we have been cast out, and mocked, and spit upon, and smote upon our cheeks; and we have been stoned, and taken and bound with strong cords, and cast into prison; and through the power and wisdom of God we have been delivered again.
I read this and I think how much the mission field has not changed. Some missions are not this hard, but I know many who have suffered similarly. I know missionaries who have been mocked and some who have been beaten. I know missionaries who have suffered emotionally the rest of their lives because of the persecution they faced while striving to bring souls to God. I have seen them suffer their afflictions patiently...some afflictions spanning decades. But I have also seen the power of God, if they have allowed it, to deliver them from those afflictions.
35 Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began; yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful Being even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe on his name.
In our daily lives we get discouraged and we face hard things. Sometimes we are mocked and emotionally or mentally beaten. Sometimes we imprison our own minds and talents with doubt and fear. But God can free us from all of this. He is a merciful being. If we follow his commandments and turn to him in all things, if we are patient in our suffering, he can and will deliver us from our afflictions.
27-Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success.
Ezra T. Benson said:
“There are times when you simply have to righteously hang on and outlast the devil until his depressive spirit leaves you. As the Lord told the Prophet Joseph Smith: ‘thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if you endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high’ (DC 121:7-8). To press on in noble endeavors, even while surrounded by a cloud of depression, will eventually bring you out on top into the sunshine.” (Ensign, Nov. 1974 as
taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 290)
28 And now behold, we have come, and been forth amongst them; and we have been patient in our sufferings, and we have suffered every privation; yea, we have traveled from house to house, relying upon the mercies of the world—not upon the mercies of the world alone but upon the mercies of God.
29 And we have entered into their houses and taught them, and we have taught them in their streets; yea, and we have taught them upon their hills; and we have also entered into their temples and their synagogues and taught them; and we have been cast out, and mocked, and spit upon, and smote upon our cheeks; and we have been stoned, and taken and bound with strong cords, and cast into prison; and through the power and wisdom of God we have been delivered again.
I read this and I think how much the mission field has not changed. Some missions are not this hard, but I know many who have suffered similarly. I know missionaries who have been mocked and some who have been beaten. I know missionaries who have suffered emotionally the rest of their lives because of the persecution they faced while striving to bring souls to God. I have seen them suffer their afflictions patiently...some afflictions spanning decades. But I have also seen the power of God, if they have allowed it, to deliver them from those afflictions.
35 Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began; yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful Being even unto salvation, to those who will repent and believe on his name.
In our daily lives we get discouraged and we face hard things. Sometimes we are mocked and emotionally or mentally beaten. Sometimes we imprison our own minds and talents with doubt and fear. But God can free us from all of this. He is a merciful being. If we follow his commandments and turn to him in all things, if we are patient in our suffering, he can and will deliver us from our afflictions.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Bury the Weapons for Peace
Alma 24:
19-And thus we see that, when these Lamanites were brought to believe and to know the truth, they were firm, and would suffer even unto death rather than commit sin; and thus we see that they buried their weapons of peace, or they buried the weapons of war, for peace.
They were truly converted. The would not break their covenants even on pain of death.
In the play, A Man for All Seasons, Sir Thomas Moore, who would soon have his head removed because of a refusal to compromise his principles, said, When a man takes an oath, he's holding his own self in his own hands, like water, and if he opens his fingers then--he needn't hope to find himself again (p. 81) Your character is founded on your ability to keep your word.
The second part of this verse is really what stands out to me. Here are people who are about to be attacked, unjustly. They know they can fight back and protect themselves but they bury their weapons for peace. What are our "weapons of war"?
pride, sarcasm, humor at the expense of another, defensiveness, anger, taking offense, holding grudges, etc ??
Are these not things that can cause contention between ourselves and another. Could we not "bury" these things for peace?? Sometimes we would be totally justified, as these Lamanites were, in picking up those weapons and defending ourselves. But is it always the right thing? Even if we are justified. I think most would agree that Christ would have been justified in defending himself- but he chose his battles. We need to choose our battles as well.
In this chapter, over 1000 people are murdered. But also in this chapter, because of those deaths over 2000 are converted and choose to change their lives. I'm not saying it's always the right choice to be passive, but sometimes we have to surrender a battle to win our war. We have to bury our "weapons" for peace.
19-And thus we see that, when these Lamanites were brought to believe and to know the truth, they were firm, and would suffer even unto death rather than commit sin; and thus we see that they buried their weapons of peace, or they buried the weapons of war, for peace.
They were truly converted. The would not break their covenants even on pain of death.
In the play, A Man for All Seasons, Sir Thomas Moore, who would soon have his head removed because of a refusal to compromise his principles, said, When a man takes an oath, he's holding his own self in his own hands, like water, and if he opens his fingers then--he needn't hope to find himself again (p. 81) Your character is founded on your ability to keep your word.
The second part of this verse is really what stands out to me. Here are people who are about to be attacked, unjustly. They know they can fight back and protect themselves but they bury their weapons for peace. What are our "weapons of war"?
pride, sarcasm, humor at the expense of another, defensiveness, anger, taking offense, holding grudges, etc ??
Are these not things that can cause contention between ourselves and another. Could we not "bury" these things for peace?? Sometimes we would be totally justified, as these Lamanites were, in picking up those weapons and defending ourselves. But is it always the right thing? Even if we are justified. I think most would agree that Christ would have been justified in defending himself- but he chose his battles. We need to choose our battles as well.
In this chapter, over 1000 people are murdered. But also in this chapter, because of those deaths over 2000 are converted and choose to change their lives. I'm not saying it's always the right choice to be passive, but sometimes we have to surrender a battle to win our war. We have to bury our "weapons" for peace.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
They Would Not Hear
Alma 21:5-10
"5 Therefore, as Aaron entered into one of their synagogues to preach unto the people, and as he was speaking unto them, behold there arose an Amalekite and began to contend with him, saying: What is that thou hast testified? Hast thou seen an angel? Why do not angels appear unto us? Behold care not this people as good as thy people?
6 Thou also sayest, except we repent we shall perish. How knowest thou the thought and intent of our hearts? How knowest thou that we have cause to repent? How knowest thou that we are not a righteous people? Behold, we have built sanctuaries, and we do assemble ourselves together to worship God. We do believe that God will save all men.
7 Now Aaron said unto him: Believest thou that the Son of God shall come to redeem mankind from their sins?
8 And the man said unto him: We do not believe that thou knowest any such thing. We do not believe in these foolish traditions. We do not believe that thou knowest of things to come, neither do we believe that thy fathers and also that our fathers did know concerning the things which they spake, of that which is to come.
9. now Aaron began to open the scriptures unto them concerning the coming of Christ, and also concerning the resurrection of the dead, and that there could be no redemption for mankind save it were through the death and suffering of Christ, and the atonement of his blood.
10. And it came to pass as he began to expound these things unto them they were angry with him, and began to mock him; and they would not hear the words which he spake"
5- "Those who will not hear the word of God as preached by one such as Aaron will not hear it if preached by one who has come back from the dead. The issue is the message, not the messenger. DCBM, 3:152)
6- He is defensive. Which only proves Aaron's point. They are hard hearted and argumentative. The guilty take the truth to be hard.
7-8: They do not believe in Jesus Christ or the principle of revelation.
9-10: They chose to ignore him because if he were right, then they were wrong and would have to change. What do people do when they feel uncomfortable? Often they make a joke of it to lighten the situation or deflect the pressure. They Mock Aaron to take the focus off themselves.
This happens in daily life, to each of us I think. Maybe not in such a drastic way- we aren't usually calling people to repentance but it happens. Maybe we turn off an inappropriate song or movie, or we dress more modestly than those around us- living your personal standards can make others feel uncomfortable. Especially if they know they should be living the same standards. So to remove some guilt they will try and get you to feel that YOU are in the wrong. They will mock you so that you either change your standards or go away- either accomplishes the goal- THEY don't have to change and they no longer feel uncomfortable. I have, I'm ashamed to admit, been on both sides of this fence. But as I gain a greater understanding of my Savior Jesus Christ and his plan for each of us, I also gain a greater understanding of others and of myself. I am less inclined to pass judgement on others and more inclined to see my own faults and shortcomings. We are all a work in progress I guess.
"5 Therefore, as Aaron entered into one of their synagogues to preach unto the people, and as he was speaking unto them, behold there arose an Amalekite and began to contend with him, saying: What is that thou hast testified? Hast thou seen an angel? Why do not angels appear unto us? Behold care not this people as good as thy people?
6 Thou also sayest, except we repent we shall perish. How knowest thou the thought and intent of our hearts? How knowest thou that we have cause to repent? How knowest thou that we are not a righteous people? Behold, we have built sanctuaries, and we do assemble ourselves together to worship God. We do believe that God will save all men.
7 Now Aaron said unto him: Believest thou that the Son of God shall come to redeem mankind from their sins?
8 And the man said unto him: We do not believe that thou knowest any such thing. We do not believe in these foolish traditions. We do not believe that thou knowest of things to come, neither do we believe that thy fathers and also that our fathers did know concerning the things which they spake, of that which is to come.
9. now Aaron began to open the scriptures unto them concerning the coming of Christ, and also concerning the resurrection of the dead, and that there could be no redemption for mankind save it were through the death and suffering of Christ, and the atonement of his blood.
10. And it came to pass as he began to expound these things unto them they were angry with him, and began to mock him; and they would not hear the words which he spake"
5- "Those who will not hear the word of God as preached by one such as Aaron will not hear it if preached by one who has come back from the dead. The issue is the message, not the messenger. DCBM, 3:152)
6- He is defensive. Which only proves Aaron's point. They are hard hearted and argumentative. The guilty take the truth to be hard.
7-8: They do not believe in Jesus Christ or the principle of revelation.
9-10: They chose to ignore him because if he were right, then they were wrong and would have to change. What do people do when they feel uncomfortable? Often they make a joke of it to lighten the situation or deflect the pressure. They Mock Aaron to take the focus off themselves.
This happens in daily life, to each of us I think. Maybe not in such a drastic way- we aren't usually calling people to repentance but it happens. Maybe we turn off an inappropriate song or movie, or we dress more modestly than those around us- living your personal standards can make others feel uncomfortable. Especially if they know they should be living the same standards. So to remove some guilt they will try and get you to feel that YOU are in the wrong. They will mock you so that you either change your standards or go away- either accomplishes the goal- THEY don't have to change and they no longer feel uncomfortable. I have, I'm ashamed to admit, been on both sides of this fence. But as I gain a greater understanding of my Savior Jesus Christ and his plan for each of us, I also gain a greater understanding of others and of myself. I am less inclined to pass judgement on others and more inclined to see my own faults and shortcomings. We are all a work in progress I guess.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
His Arm is Extended to All...
Alma 18:
10: Now when king Lamoni heard that Ammon was preparing his horses and his chariots he was more astonished, because of the faithfulness of Ammon, saying: surely there has not been any servant among all my servants that has been so faithful as this man; for even he doth remember all my commandments to execute them.
I hope to one day be that kind of servant, to remember ALL the commandments of God. Some days are better than others but I am not perfect yet. I can remember the big ones but the smaller ones are much harder- "have charity" "be of good cheer" "fear not"...those are the ones that I forget.
32: And Ammon said: Yea, and he looketh down upon all the children of men; and he knows all the thoughts and intents of the heart; for by his hand were they all created from the beginning.
I love all reminders that we were created by God, in his image and that he knows each of us individually. He knows our thoughts and the intents of our hearts. He knows our joys and our pains and he is always there for his children.
Alma 19
36 And thus the work of the Lord did commence among the Lamanites; 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.
Those who chose to hear the words of Ammon and King Lamoni were blessed with the knowledge of their Savior. Again we see a true conversion of a king who killed his servants because someone else scattered their flock...this man really had no regard for human life, and yet the Lord loved him enough to send Ammon to teach him. The king repents and is forgiven. Everyone can repent and be forgiven. Not one person I know is unworthy of speaking with their Father in Heaven, confessing their sins, and starting with a clean slate. The word ALL means ALL. Not most or some but anyone.
10: Now when king Lamoni heard that Ammon was preparing his horses and his chariots he was more astonished, because of the faithfulness of Ammon, saying: surely there has not been any servant among all my servants that has been so faithful as this man; for even he doth remember all my commandments to execute them.
I hope to one day be that kind of servant, to remember ALL the commandments of God. Some days are better than others but I am not perfect yet. I can remember the big ones but the smaller ones are much harder- "have charity" "be of good cheer" "fear not"...those are the ones that I forget.
32: And Ammon said: Yea, and he looketh down upon all the children of men; and he knows all the thoughts and intents of the heart; for by his hand were they all created from the beginning.
I love all reminders that we were created by God, in his image and that he knows each of us individually. He knows our thoughts and the intents of our hearts. He knows our joys and our pains and he is always there for his children.
Alma 19
36 And thus the work of the Lord did commence among the Lamanites; 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.
Those who chose to hear the words of Ammon and King Lamoni were blessed with the knowledge of their Savior. Again we see a true conversion of a king who killed his servants because someone else scattered their flock...this man really had no regard for human life, and yet the Lord loved him enough to send Ammon to teach him. The king repents and is forgiven. Everyone can repent and be forgiven. Not one person I know is unworthy of speaking with their Father in Heaven, confessing their sins, and starting with a clean slate. The word ALL means ALL. Not most or some but anyone.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Be of Good Cheer
Alma 17:
2 Now these sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel first appeared unto him; therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God.
Joseph Smith: “Search the scriptures, search the revelations which we publish, and ask your Heavenly Father, in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, to manifest the truth unto you, and if you do it with an eye single to his glory nothing doubting, He will answer you by the power of His Holy Spirit. You will then know for yourselves and not for another. You will not then be dependent on man for the knowledge of God; nor will there be any room for speculation." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.11)
We all can be of sound understanding but it takes work. we have to put in the effort to be as the sons of Mosiah. We can't just casually read through a verse or two a day. We have to study and involve the Lord in those studies.
Later in the chapter Ammon goes to preach the the Lamanite people, but instead of marching in and preaching repentance right away he gains the king's trust by serving in his household. He is helping to guard the king's sheep when another group of Lamanites come and scatter the flock.
The other servants begin to be afraid because they don't want the King to kill them for their failure to protect his flock.
29 Now they wept because of the fear of being slain. Now when Ammon saw this his heart was swollen within him with joy; for, said he, I will show forth my power unto these my fellow servants, or the power which is in me, in restoring these flocks unto the king, that I may win the hearts of these my fellow-servants, that I may lead them to believe in my words.
30 And now, these were the thoughts of Ammon, when he saw the afflictions of those whom he termed to be his brethren.
31 And it came to pass that he flattered them by his words, saying: My brethren, be of good cheer and let us go in search of the flocks, and we will gather them together and bring them back unto the place of water; and thus we will preserve the flocks unto the king and he will not slay us.
these other servants just gave up. They sat and had a good cry because they failed and they were going to be killed. Ammon steps in and says, "hey, we don't have to die. This isn't over. Let's get up off our hind ends and find those sheep". Okay not in those words, but basically he tells them to forget themselves and go to work. Its time to find the lost sheep.
1. Ammon teaches us to press forward in our trials. To not give up. Bad things happen but we have a measure of control in how we choose to respond to those bad things. We can sit and cry about it, or we can learn what we can and move forward.
2. Huge missionary application. Be of good cheer. Have faith in the Lord and find those who have been prepared to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. Not everyone is ready to be "found" but you can't get discouraged over those people- be of good cheer and teach the ones who are ready to listen. They won't usually come to you so you have to search, and gather them to a place of "water"...another name for Jesus Christ is, "Living water"...or "the good shepherd"...do you see the significance and the parallels here??
Robert D. Hales: “What did Ammon say? ‘Be of good cheer’ (Alma 17:31). Now, we may read this as a story about some shepherd trying to round up some missing sheep, but the message is much more powerful and significant than that….Ammon not only led the force to recapture the sheep, he drove away the evil men who caused the problems; and his heroic efforts persuaded the king to follow him and to follow the Savior. Ammon teaches us that no matter our circumstances, we can be an example to others, we can lift them, we can inspire them to seek righteousness, and we can bear testimony to all of the power of Jesus Christ.” (Ensign, May 1997. p. 82 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 283)
2 Now these sons of Mosiah were with Alma at the time the angel first appeared unto him; therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently, that they might know the word of God.
Joseph Smith: “Search the scriptures, search the revelations which we publish, and ask your Heavenly Father, in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, to manifest the truth unto you, and if you do it with an eye single to his glory nothing doubting, He will answer you by the power of His Holy Spirit. You will then know for yourselves and not for another. You will not then be dependent on man for the knowledge of God; nor will there be any room for speculation." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.11)
We all can be of sound understanding but it takes work. we have to put in the effort to be as the sons of Mosiah. We can't just casually read through a verse or two a day. We have to study and involve the Lord in those studies.
Later in the chapter Ammon goes to preach the the Lamanite people, but instead of marching in and preaching repentance right away he gains the king's trust by serving in his household. He is helping to guard the king's sheep when another group of Lamanites come and scatter the flock.
The other servants begin to be afraid because they don't want the King to kill them for their failure to protect his flock.
29 Now they wept because of the fear of being slain. Now when Ammon saw this his heart was swollen within him with joy; for, said he, I will show forth my power unto these my fellow servants, or the power which is in me, in restoring these flocks unto the king, that I may win the hearts of these my fellow-servants, that I may lead them to believe in my words.
30 And now, these were the thoughts of Ammon, when he saw the afflictions of those whom he termed to be his brethren.
31 And it came to pass that he flattered them by his words, saying: My brethren, be of good cheer and let us go in search of the flocks, and we will gather them together and bring them back unto the place of water; and thus we will preserve the flocks unto the king and he will not slay us.
these other servants just gave up. They sat and had a good cry because they failed and they were going to be killed. Ammon steps in and says, "hey, we don't have to die. This isn't over. Let's get up off our hind ends and find those sheep". Okay not in those words, but basically he tells them to forget themselves and go to work. Its time to find the lost sheep.
1. Ammon teaches us to press forward in our trials. To not give up. Bad things happen but we have a measure of control in how we choose to respond to those bad things. We can sit and cry about it, or we can learn what we can and move forward.
2. Huge missionary application. Be of good cheer. Have faith in the Lord and find those who have been prepared to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. Not everyone is ready to be "found" but you can't get discouraged over those people- be of good cheer and teach the ones who are ready to listen. They won't usually come to you so you have to search, and gather them to a place of "water"...another name for Jesus Christ is, "Living water"...or "the good shepherd"...do you see the significance and the parallels here??
Robert D. Hales: “What did Ammon say? ‘Be of good cheer’ (Alma 17:31). Now, we may read this as a story about some shepherd trying to round up some missing sheep, but the message is much more powerful and significant than that….Ammon not only led the force to recapture the sheep, he drove away the evil men who caused the problems; and his heroic efforts persuaded the king to follow him and to follow the Savior. Ammon teaches us that no matter our circumstances, we can be an example to others, we can lift them, we can inspire them to seek righteousness, and we can bear testimony to all of the power of Jesus Christ.” (Ensign, May 1997. p. 82 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 283)
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Strengthened in the Lord
Alma 15:
In this chapter Alma and Amulek leave the city and find all the people who believe their words and were chased out of the city and stoned. With these people is Zeezrom- the awful attorney who tried to twist their words and have them arrested...this is the guy who riled everyone up ultimately causing the death of women and children and the imprisonment of Alma and Amulek.
3 And also Zeezrom lay sick at Sidom, with a burning fever, which was caused by the great tribulations of his mind on account of his wickedness, for he supposed that Alma and Amulek were no more; and he supposed that they had been slain because of his iniquity. And this great sin, and his many other sins, did harrow up his mind until it did become exceedingly sore, having no deliverance; therefore he began to be scorched with a burning heat.
Boyd K. Packer: “I recently asked a doctor of family medicine how much of his time was devoted purely to correcting physical disorders. He has a large practice, and after thoughtfully considering, he answered, ‘Not more than 20 percent. The rest of the time I seem to be working on problems that very much affect the physical well-being of my patients but do not originate in the body. ’These physical disorders,’ the doctor concluded, ‘are merely symptoms of some other kind of trouble.’… There is another part of us, not so tangible, but quite as real as our physical body. This intangible part of us is described as mind, emotion, intellect, temperament, and many other things. Very seldom is it described as spiritual. But there is a spirit in man; to ignore it is to ignore reality. There are spiritual disorders, too, and spiritual diseases that can cause intense suffering. The body and the spirit of man are bound together. Often, very often, when there are disorders, it is very difficult to tell which is which.” (Ensign, Nov. 1977, p. 59 as taken from the BOM Institute Manual,1981, p. 240)
4 Now, when he heard that Alma and Amulek were in the land of Sidom, his heart began to take courage; and he sent a message immediately unto them, desiring them to come unto him.
5 And it came to pass that they went immediately, obeying the message which he had sent unto them; and they went in unto the house unto Zeezrom; and they found him upon his bed, sick, being very low with a burning fever; and his mind also was exceedingly sore because of his iniquities; and when he saw them he stretched forth his hand, and besought them that they would heal him.
6 And it came to pass that Alma said unto him, taking him by the hand: Believest thou in the power of Christ unto salvation?
-Alma approaches him and not only speaks to him without any anger or a grudge of any kind, knowing this man's mistakes, he takes him by the hand....a sign of affection and mercy.
7 And he answered and said: Yea, I believe all the words that thou hast taught.
8 And Alma said: If thou believest in the redemption of Christ thou canst be healed.
9 And he said: Yea, I believe according to thy words.
10 And then Alma cried unto the Lord, saying: O Lord our God, have mercy on this man, and heal him according to his faith which is in Christ.
11 And when Alma had said these words, Zeezrom leaped upon his feet, and began to walk; and this was done to the great astonishment of all the people; and the knowledge of this went forth throughout all the land of Sidom.
12 And Alma baptized Zeezrom unto the Lord; and he began from that time forth to preach unto the people.
“That Zeezrom proves himself in the eyes of his mentor, Alma, is confirmed by the fact that he
regularly appears in the accounts of Alma’s ministry as one of his most trusted and reliable companions and fellow servants. Years after the events in Ammonihah and Sidom, when Alma undertakes one of the most difficult challenges of his life’s ministry-the conversion of the Zoramites-Zeezrom is chosen along with Ammon, Aaron, Omner, Amulek, and two of Alma’s sons to be a part of this seasoned missionary force (see Alma 31:6).” (Heroes From the Book of Mormon, pp. 118-9))
Zeezrom becomes a missionary- a great one!! Everything Alma and Amulek went through had a purpose- A further testimony that all things shall be for our good. There is a purpose to life and a purpose for all we go through, and the people who come into our lives can help us to become the best version of ourselves- if we let them.
16 And it came to pass that Alma and Amulek, Amulek having forsaken all his gold, and silver, and his precious things, which were in the land of Ammonihah, for the word of God, he being rejected by those who were once his friends and also by his father and his kindred;
18 Now as I said, Alma having seen all these things, therefore he took Amulek and came over to the land of Zarahemla, and took him to his own house, and did administer unto him in his tribulations, and strengthened him in the Lord.
Amulek is having a hard time. He has left his home and his posessions. He was a wealthy man. He has walked away from everything he has known, including his family and friends. He is alone and penniless for the sake of the Gospel. And I love in 18- Alma is a compassionate friend. He takes him back to his own home and listens. He comforts Amulek in his trial and shares his testimony. He strengthens Amulek as each one of us should do for our friends. I imagine after being imprisoned and mistreated together and having witnessed many miracles together that Alma and Amulek are more like brothers than just mission companions...I wouldn't mind having Alma on my list of friends.
In this chapter Alma and Amulek leave the city and find all the people who believe their words and were chased out of the city and stoned. With these people is Zeezrom- the awful attorney who tried to twist their words and have them arrested...this is the guy who riled everyone up ultimately causing the death of women and children and the imprisonment of Alma and Amulek.
3 And also Zeezrom lay sick at Sidom, with a burning fever, which was caused by the great tribulations of his mind on account of his wickedness, for he supposed that Alma and Amulek were no more; and he supposed that they had been slain because of his iniquity. And this great sin, and his many other sins, did harrow up his mind until it did become exceedingly sore, having no deliverance; therefore he began to be scorched with a burning heat.
Boyd K. Packer: “I recently asked a doctor of family medicine how much of his time was devoted purely to correcting physical disorders. He has a large practice, and after thoughtfully considering, he answered, ‘Not more than 20 percent. The rest of the time I seem to be working on problems that very much affect the physical well-being of my patients but do not originate in the body. ’These physical disorders,’ the doctor concluded, ‘are merely symptoms of some other kind of trouble.’… There is another part of us, not so tangible, but quite as real as our physical body. This intangible part of us is described as mind, emotion, intellect, temperament, and many other things. Very seldom is it described as spiritual. But there is a spirit in man; to ignore it is to ignore reality. There are spiritual disorders, too, and spiritual diseases that can cause intense suffering. The body and the spirit of man are bound together. Often, very often, when there are disorders, it is very difficult to tell which is which.” (Ensign, Nov. 1977, p. 59 as taken from the BOM Institute Manual,1981, p. 240)
4 Now, when he heard that Alma and Amulek were in the land of Sidom, his heart began to take courage; and he sent a message immediately unto them, desiring them to come unto him.
He hears that Alma and Amulek are there and he exercises his faith and incredible courage to ask these men to come to him. Because really, after what he has done, he probably should bury his head in the sand and not be wanting to see two men that he treated so poorly.
5 And it came to pass that they went immediately, obeying the message which he had sent unto them; and they went in unto the house unto Zeezrom; and they found him upon his bed, sick, being very low with a burning fever; and his mind also was exceedingly sore because of his iniquities; and when he saw them he stretched forth his hand, and besought them that they would heal him.
This verse is quite possibly one of my favorite. Why?
1. Alma and Amulek, could have held a grudge. But they didn't. He asked them to come and they didn't say "oh we'll get around to it sometime". They went immediately.
2. Zeezrom showed great humility by being able to ask these men to heal him. That would take a great amount of faith and humility to ask something of two men you tried so hard to hinder.
6 And it came to pass that Alma said unto him, taking him by the hand: Believest thou in the power of Christ unto salvation?
-Alma approaches him and not only speaks to him without any anger or a grudge of any kind, knowing this man's mistakes, he takes him by the hand....a sign of affection and mercy.
7 And he answered and said: Yea, I believe all the words that thou hast taught.
8 And Alma said: If thou believest in the redemption of Christ thou canst be healed.
9 And he said: Yea, I believe according to thy words.
10 And then Alma cried unto the Lord, saying: O Lord our God, have mercy on this man, and heal him according to his faith which is in Christ.
Perfect example of the atonement and what it can do for a person. Zeezrom has felt Godly sorrow, he asks for forgiveness and also asks to be healed. Alma no longer remembers Zeezrom's sin, or chooses not to. Then he asks the Lord for mercy on behalf of Zeezrom-that he may be healed according to his faith. Beautiful. When you consider all that Alma suffered because of the words of Zeezrom, to turn around and to forgive him so completely is incredible. What and example of charity.
11 And when Alma had said these words, Zeezrom leaped upon his feet, and began to walk; and this was done to the great astonishment of all the people; and the knowledge of this went forth throughout all the land of Sidom.
-He didn't just get up slowly like you would expect of someone who has been sick and nearly dying. He leaps out of his bed and walks. Makes me wonder- when I've been healed physically, emotionally, or spiritually, do I LEAP up and walk? Or do I sit and think about how sick I was or how terrible that experience was? I hope I leap. I hope I leap and cause all those around ME to be astonished and to spread the news through all the land of how great the healing power of the atonement can be!!
12 And Alma baptized Zeezrom unto the Lord; and he began from that time forth to preach unto the people.
“That Zeezrom proves himself in the eyes of his mentor, Alma, is confirmed by the fact that he
regularly appears in the accounts of Alma’s ministry as one of his most trusted and reliable companions and fellow servants. Years after the events in Ammonihah and Sidom, when Alma undertakes one of the most difficult challenges of his life’s ministry-the conversion of the Zoramites-Zeezrom is chosen along with Ammon, Aaron, Omner, Amulek, and two of Alma’s sons to be a part of this seasoned missionary force (see Alma 31:6).” (Heroes From the Book of Mormon, pp. 118-9))
Zeezrom becomes a missionary- a great one!! Everything Alma and Amulek went through had a purpose- A further testimony that all things shall be for our good. There is a purpose to life and a purpose for all we go through, and the people who come into our lives can help us to become the best version of ourselves- if we let them.
16 And it came to pass that Alma and Amulek, Amulek having forsaken all his gold, and silver, and his precious things, which were in the land of Ammonihah, for the word of God, he being rejected by those who were once his friends and also by his father and his kindred;
18 Now as I said, Alma having seen all these things, therefore he took Amulek and came over to the land of Zarahemla, and took him to his own house, and did administer unto him in his tribulations, and strengthened him in the Lord.
Amulek is having a hard time. He has left his home and his posessions. He was a wealthy man. He has walked away from everything he has known, including his family and friends. He is alone and penniless for the sake of the Gospel. And I love in 18- Alma is a compassionate friend. He takes him back to his own home and listens. He comforts Amulek in his trial and shares his testimony. He strengthens Amulek as each one of us should do for our friends. I imagine after being imprisoned and mistreated together and having witnessed many miracles together that Alma and Amulek are more like brothers than just mission companions...I wouldn't mind having Alma on my list of friends.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Our Work Is Not Finished
Alma 14
This is one of my favorite chapters- So much to learn.
14:6-7
6 And it came to pass that Zeezrom was astonished at the words which had been spoken; and he also knew concerning the blindness of the minds, which he had caused among the people by his lying words; and his soul began to be harrowed up under a consciousness of his own guilt; yea, he began to be encircled about by the pains of hell.
7 And it came to pass that he began to cry unto the people, saying: Behold, I am guilty, and these men are spotless before God. And he began to plead for them from that time forth; but they reviled him, saying: Art thou also possessed with the devil? And they spit upon him, and cast him out from among them, and also all those who believed in the words which had been spoken by Alma and Amulek; and they cast them out, and sent men to cast stones at them.
Be careful what you say. People are listening. These scriptures show to me the power of words. Even if you regret what you've said and try to take it back, you may not be able to. The damage has been done and people will believe what they want to believe.
10-11:
10 And when Amulek saw the pains of the women and children who were consuming in the fire, he also was pained; and he said unto Alma: How can we witness this awful scene? Therefore let us stretch forth our hands, and exercise the power of God which is in us, and save them from the flames.
11 But Alma said unto him: The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in glory; and he doth suffer that they may do this thing, or that the people may do this thing unto them, according to the hardness of their hearts, that the judgments which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against them, yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day.
Spencer W. Kimball: “Now, we find many people critical when a righteous person is killed, a young father or mother is taken from a family, or when violent deaths occur. Some become bitter when oft-repeated prayers seem unanswered. Some lose faith and turn sour when solemn administrations by holy men seem to be ignored and no restoration seems to come from repeated prayer circles. But if all the sick were healed, if all the righteous were protected and the wicked destroyed, the whole program of the Father would be annulled and the basic principle of the Gospel, free agency, would be ended. If pain and sorrow and total punishment immediately followed the doing of evil, no soul would repeat a misdeed. If joy and peace and rewards were instantaneously given the doer of good, there could be no evil -- all would do good and not because of the rightness of doing good. There would be no test of strength, no development of character, no growth of powers, no free agency, no controls. Should all prayers be immediately answered according to our selfish desires and our limited understanding, then there would
be little or no suffering, sorrow, disappointment, or even death; and if these were not, there would also be an absence of joy, success, resurrection, eternal life, and godhood. ("Tragedy or Destiny," Improvement Era, March 1966, pp. 180, 210 as taken from Daniel Ludlow, A Companion to Your Study of the Book of Mormon, p. 206)
12-13:
12 Now Amulek said unto Alma: Behold, perhaps they will burn us also.
13 And Alma said: Be it according to the will of the Lord. But, behold, our work is not finished; therefore they burn us not.
I love the faith of Alma, "be it according to the will of the Lord". He is not afraid. He is facing the possibility of being burned because of his testimony and he stands fearless in his charge to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. He knows his work is not finished and he has complete faith in the Lord to protect them.
22:
22 And many such things, yea, all manner of such things did they say unto them; and thus they did mock them for many days. And they did withhold food from them that they might hunger, and water that they might thirst; and they also did take from them their clothes that they were naked; and thus they were bound with strong cords, and confined in prison.
Their work was not done but the people were allowed to imprison them. They suffered great affliction, similar to Joseph Smith in liberty jail (D&C 121) They suffered this way for many days but they suffered patiently and without complain. With faith that the Lord would deliver. Then in the following verses the lawyers and judges come again to the prison to beat these men
25-27:
25 And it came to pass that they all went forth and smote them, saying the same words, even until the last; and when the last had spoken unto them the power of God was upon Alma and Amulek, and they rose and stood upon their feet.
26 And Alma cried, saying: How long shall we suffer these great afflictions, O Lord? O Lord, give us strength according to our faith which is in Christ, even unto deliverance. And they broke the cords with which they were bound; and when the people saw this, they began to flee, for the fear of destruction had come upon them.
27 And it came to pass that so great was their fear that they fell to the earth, and did not obtain the outer door of the prison; and the earth shook mightily, and the walls of the prison were rent in twain, so that they fell to the earth; and the chief judge, and the lawyers, and priests, and teachers, who smote upon Alma and Amulek, were slain by the fall thereof.
Finally it is time for Alma to act. He has given these men chance enough and through his faith in the Lord he asks for strength to deliver himself from bondage.
"There was a rush and there was an earthquake. You notice that miracles are in the timing, not in the event. This was earthquake country. It’s not surprising that there was an earthquake, but just at that moment was when it was helpful. They all made a rush for the gate, so naturally they crowded the exit. They jammed the exit, nobody could get out, the gate collapsed, and they were all killed there. The only safe people were Alma and Amulek who stayed behind. The people tried to get as far from them as they could". Hugh Nibley. TBM, 2:350.
Alma and Amulek were delivered from prison and the word of the Lord was fulfilled. Amazing.
This is one of my favorite chapters- So much to learn.
14:6-7
6 And it came to pass that Zeezrom was astonished at the words which had been spoken; and he also knew concerning the blindness of the minds, which he had caused among the people by his lying words; and his soul began to be harrowed up under a consciousness of his own guilt; yea, he began to be encircled about by the pains of hell.
7 And it came to pass that he began to cry unto the people, saying: Behold, I am guilty, and these men are spotless before God. And he began to plead for them from that time forth; but they reviled him, saying: Art thou also possessed with the devil? And they spit upon him, and cast him out from among them, and also all those who believed in the words which had been spoken by Alma and Amulek; and they cast them out, and sent men to cast stones at them.
Be careful what you say. People are listening. These scriptures show to me the power of words. Even if you regret what you've said and try to take it back, you may not be able to. The damage has been done and people will believe what they want to believe.
10-11:
10 And when Amulek saw the pains of the women and children who were consuming in the fire, he also was pained; and he said unto Alma: How can we witness this awful scene? Therefore let us stretch forth our hands, and exercise the power of God which is in us, and save them from the flames.
11 But Alma said unto him: The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in glory; and he doth suffer that they may do this thing, or that the people may do this thing unto them, according to the hardness of their hearts, that the judgments which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against them, yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day.
Spencer W. Kimball: “Now, we find many people critical when a righteous person is killed, a young father or mother is taken from a family, or when violent deaths occur. Some become bitter when oft-repeated prayers seem unanswered. Some lose faith and turn sour when solemn administrations by holy men seem to be ignored and no restoration seems to come from repeated prayer circles. But if all the sick were healed, if all the righteous were protected and the wicked destroyed, the whole program of the Father would be annulled and the basic principle of the Gospel, free agency, would be ended. If pain and sorrow and total punishment immediately followed the doing of evil, no soul would repeat a misdeed. If joy and peace and rewards were instantaneously given the doer of good, there could be no evil -- all would do good and not because of the rightness of doing good. There would be no test of strength, no development of character, no growth of powers, no free agency, no controls. Should all prayers be immediately answered according to our selfish desires and our limited understanding, then there would
be little or no suffering, sorrow, disappointment, or even death; and if these were not, there would also be an absence of joy, success, resurrection, eternal life, and godhood. ("Tragedy or Destiny," Improvement Era, March 1966, pp. 180, 210 as taken from Daniel Ludlow, A Companion to Your Study of the Book of Mormon, p. 206)
12-13:
12 Now Amulek said unto Alma: Behold, perhaps they will burn us also.
13 And Alma said: Be it according to the will of the Lord. But, behold, our work is not finished; therefore they burn us not.
I love the faith of Alma, "be it according to the will of the Lord". He is not afraid. He is facing the possibility of being burned because of his testimony and he stands fearless in his charge to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. He knows his work is not finished and he has complete faith in the Lord to protect them.
22:
22 And many such things, yea, all manner of such things did they say unto them; and thus they did mock them for many days. And they did withhold food from them that they might hunger, and water that they might thirst; and they also did take from them their clothes that they were naked; and thus they were bound with strong cords, and confined in prison.
Their work was not done but the people were allowed to imprison them. They suffered great affliction, similar to Joseph Smith in liberty jail (D&C 121) They suffered this way for many days but they suffered patiently and without complain. With faith that the Lord would deliver. Then in the following verses the lawyers and judges come again to the prison to beat these men
25-27:
25 And it came to pass that they all went forth and smote them, saying the same words, even until the last; and when the last had spoken unto them the power of God was upon Alma and Amulek, and they rose and stood upon their feet.
26 And Alma cried, saying: How long shall we suffer these great afflictions, O Lord? O Lord, give us strength according to our faith which is in Christ, even unto deliverance. And they broke the cords with which they were bound; and when the people saw this, they began to flee, for the fear of destruction had come upon them.
27 And it came to pass that so great was their fear that they fell to the earth, and did not obtain the outer door of the prison; and the earth shook mightily, and the walls of the prison were rent in twain, so that they fell to the earth; and the chief judge, and the lawyers, and priests, and teachers, who smote upon Alma and Amulek, were slain by the fall thereof.
Finally it is time for Alma to act. He has given these men chance enough and through his faith in the Lord he asks for strength to deliver himself from bondage.
"There was a rush and there was an earthquake. You notice that miracles are in the timing, not in the event. This was earthquake country. It’s not surprising that there was an earthquake, but just at that moment was when it was helpful. They all made a rush for the gate, so naturally they crowded the exit. They jammed the exit, nobody could get out, the gate collapsed, and they were all killed there. The only safe people were Alma and Amulek who stayed behind. The people tried to get as far from them as they could". Hugh Nibley. TBM, 2:350.
Alma and Amulek were delivered from prison and the word of the Lord was fulfilled. Amazing.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Mysteries of God
Alma 12:9-10
And now Alma began to expound these things unto him, saying: It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless they are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart only according to the portion of his word which he doth grant unto the children of men, according the the heed and diligence which they give unto him.
And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same receiveth the lesser portion of the word; and he that will not harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full.
I love in verse 9 Alma explains that there are those who know the mysteries of God but they are under strict command not to discuss their experiences unless moved to do so my the Holy Spirit. They are only to share that which the Lord commands in order to help another. Boyd K. Packer says,
"There are some things just too sacred to discuss: not secret, but sacred; not to be discussed, but to be harbored and protected and regarded with the deepest of reverence. There are many difficult questions, including some that we will not be able to answer, and many things are to be taken on faith....I have come to believe also that it is not wise to continually talk of unusual spiritual experiences. They are to be guarded with care and shared only when the Spirit itself prompts us to use them to the blessing of others... I heard President Romney once counsel mission presidents and their wives in Geneva. "I do not tell all I know. I have never told my wife all I know, for I found out that if I talked too lightly of sacred things, thereafter the Lord would not trust me." Ensign, Jan 1983, 53)
In verse 10 Alma tells us how we each can have our own sacred spiritual experiences and eventually know the mysteries of God. By softening our hearts and being teachable and faithful in all things we will learn a little bit at a time until we eventually know all the Lord has to teach us. Once we have gained our personal knowledge we must hold it sacred and use that knowledge under the direction of the Holy Ghost.
And now Alma began to expound these things unto him, saying: It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless they are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart only according to the portion of his word which he doth grant unto the children of men, according the the heed and diligence which they give unto him.
And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same receiveth the lesser portion of the word; and he that will not harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full.
I love in verse 9 Alma explains that there are those who know the mysteries of God but they are under strict command not to discuss their experiences unless moved to do so my the Holy Spirit. They are only to share that which the Lord commands in order to help another. Boyd K. Packer says,
"There are some things just too sacred to discuss: not secret, but sacred; not to be discussed, but to be harbored and protected and regarded with the deepest of reverence. There are many difficult questions, including some that we will not be able to answer, and many things are to be taken on faith....I have come to believe also that it is not wise to continually talk of unusual spiritual experiences. They are to be guarded with care and shared only when the Spirit itself prompts us to use them to the blessing of others... I heard President Romney once counsel mission presidents and their wives in Geneva. "I do not tell all I know. I have never told my wife all I know, for I found out that if I talked too lightly of sacred things, thereafter the Lord would not trust me." Ensign, Jan 1983, 53)
In verse 10 Alma tells us how we each can have our own sacred spiritual experiences and eventually know the mysteries of God. By softening our hearts and being teachable and faithful in all things we will learn a little bit at a time until we eventually know all the Lord has to teach us. Once we have gained our personal knowledge we must hold it sacred and use that knowledge under the direction of the Holy Ghost.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Abound in Good Works
Alma Chapter 7:
2: "And even I could not have come now at this time were it not that the judgement-seat hath been given to another, to reign in my stead; and that Lord in much mercy hath granted that I should come unto you"
Doesn't seem earth shattering does it? it probably isn't but it stood out to me. You see I am someone who gets caught up in getting things done. In taking care of business. Sometimes I get so caught up in the administration of things that I don't have time for the ministering. I get so stuck on the things that need to be done that I forget about the people who need to be helped. So I relate to what Alma is saying. He couldn't teach the people himself because he was doing his job. Which was a good thing, but not necessarily the best. (see reference here) He weights what the Lord wants him to do, delegate his responsibilities, and goes out to teach the people. He gives up a high government job to preach of Jesus Christ. Sometime the leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints choose to do. Also young men and women and senior couples do the same things- they leave everything to preach the gospel to those who are willing to listen. Amazing. Alms chooses the Best option and thanks God for allowing him the opportunity.
12: "And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities."
I have always loved this scripture. It talks of Christ suffering and the reason for it. He who was perfect suffered that he can comfort each of us. He is the only one who truly understands how to heal because He has felt all pain. There is nothing he does not understand.
24: And see that ye have faith, hope, and charity, and then ye will always abound in good works.
"Hope is critical to both faith and charity. When disobedience, disappointment, and procrastination erode faith, hope is there to uphold our faith. When frustration and impatience challenge charity, hope braces our resolve and urges us to care for our fellowmen even without expectation of reward. The brighter our hope, the greater our faith. The stronger our hope, the purer our charity." Dieter F. Uchtdorf (The Infinite Power of Hope)
"The things we hope for lead us to faith, while the things we hope in lead us to charity. The three qualities—faith, hope, and charity—working together, grounded on the truth and light of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, lead us to abound in good works"
This chapter teaches of Jesus Christ, His mercy and His love. This chapter gives me hope to face the future to know that "Present circumstances will give way to future blessings"
2: "And even I could not have come now at this time were it not that the judgement-seat hath been given to another, to reign in my stead; and that Lord in much mercy hath granted that I should come unto you"
Doesn't seem earth shattering does it? it probably isn't but it stood out to me. You see I am someone who gets caught up in getting things done. In taking care of business. Sometimes I get so caught up in the administration of things that I don't have time for the ministering. I get so stuck on the things that need to be done that I forget about the people who need to be helped. So I relate to what Alma is saying. He couldn't teach the people himself because he was doing his job. Which was a good thing, but not necessarily the best. (see reference here) He weights what the Lord wants him to do, delegate his responsibilities, and goes out to teach the people. He gives up a high government job to preach of Jesus Christ. Sometime the leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints choose to do. Also young men and women and senior couples do the same things- they leave everything to preach the gospel to those who are willing to listen. Amazing. Alms chooses the Best option and thanks God for allowing him the opportunity.
12: "And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities."
I have always loved this scripture. It talks of Christ suffering and the reason for it. He who was perfect suffered that he can comfort each of us. He is the only one who truly understands how to heal because He has felt all pain. There is nothing he does not understand.
24: And see that ye have faith, hope, and charity, and then ye will always abound in good works.
"Hope is critical to both faith and charity. When disobedience, disappointment, and procrastination erode faith, hope is there to uphold our faith. When frustration and impatience challenge charity, hope braces our resolve and urges us to care for our fellowmen even without expectation of reward. The brighter our hope, the greater our faith. The stronger our hope, the purer our charity." Dieter F. Uchtdorf (The Infinite Power of Hope)
"The things we hope for lead us to faith, while the things we hope in lead us to charity. The three qualities—faith, hope, and charity—working together, grounded on the truth and light of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, lead us to abound in good works"
This chapter teaches of Jesus Christ, His mercy and His love. This chapter gives me hope to face the future to know that "Present circumstances will give way to future blessings"
Sunday, November 27, 2011
We See Through a Glass Darkly
1 Corinthians 13:12
"For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face; now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known"
Glass=mirror
Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror in the dark? You can only see an outline really. You know you are there, you have an idea of what you should be seeing but its not completely clear. Then you turn on the light, or in this case, lift the veil and then you can see all things clearly, as they truly are.
I love this scripture. We know in part- we have only a fraction of the knowledge of who we are and who we can become. We do not see ourselves and others as God sees each of us. Once we pass through the veil we will know all things, we will see others and ourselves at our highest potential...we will know others and ourselves as God knows each one of us. We will see all we are- and then will we look back and say, "yes I did everything I could to reach my divine potential" or will we look back in sorrow asking ourselves why we sold ourselves short. Or why we didn't treat those around us with the respect and admiration they deserved.
Each of us has incredible potential- I know I forget this sometimes. But this scripture helps me to remember that I can't see everything as clearly as my Father in Heaven sees it-It helps me to remember that each person, including myself, is a child of God-heir to his kingdom and capable of great things!!
He goes on in vs 14 to say,
"And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity"
Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God. The souls of those around us, and the one inside each of us. We will see ourselves on day as God sees us- And I hope, for each one of us, that it is a happy day with no regret!
"For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face; now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known"
Glass=mirror
Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror in the dark? You can only see an outline really. You know you are there, you have an idea of what you should be seeing but its not completely clear. Then you turn on the light, or in this case, lift the veil and then you can see all things clearly, as they truly are.
I love this scripture. We know in part- we have only a fraction of the knowledge of who we are and who we can become. We do not see ourselves and others as God sees each of us. Once we pass through the veil we will know all things, we will see others and ourselves at our highest potential...we will know others and ourselves as God knows each one of us. We will see all we are- and then will we look back and say, "yes I did everything I could to reach my divine potential" or will we look back in sorrow asking ourselves why we sold ourselves short. Or why we didn't treat those around us with the respect and admiration they deserved.
Each of us has incredible potential- I know I forget this sometimes. But this scripture helps me to remember that I can't see everything as clearly as my Father in Heaven sees it-It helps me to remember that each person, including myself, is a child of God-heir to his kingdom and capable of great things!!
He goes on in vs 14 to say,
"And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity"
Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God. The souls of those around us, and the one inside each of us. We will see ourselves on day as God sees us- And I hope, for each one of us, that it is a happy day with no regret!
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Your Whole Soul
Mosiah 26:
13-14
13: And now the spirit of Alma was again troubled; and he went and inquired of the Lord what he should do concerning this matter, for he feared that he should do wrong in the sight of God.
14: And it came to pass that after he had poured out his whole soul to God, the voice of the Lord came to him...
I frequently am troubled by a million things every day. Am I going to school? where will I work? who will I date? Etc...small problems to big problems we all are troubled sometimes. But I love that Alma doesn't just sit and stew about his problem, he's thought it out and takes the problem to the Lord.
Lesson: The Lord is the answer to all our troubles, big or small
I love that it says that Alma Poured out his whole soul. That is not a memorized prayer. That is not a 2 second prayer. That is a heartfelt conversation. I think my prayers need to be more of an outpouring of my soul rather than a prayer. I am not even sure I know what it feels like to pour out my WHOLE soul. I do know that its work, its effort- we can't just have everything by simply saying please. We must show that we are sincere in our desires. I also love that his answer comes AFTER he has shown this pouring of faith. He hears the voice of the Lord.
Lesson: sincere prayer brings answers
The next few verses in the chapter are Alma's answer. But his answer doesn't come immediately. The Lord tells him other things before he gets to the answer Alma was seeking. The important thing to take away is that Alma keeps listening. I think sometimes we get caught up in what we want to hear that we neglect all the other things we need to hear. The Lord starts to speak and we tune him out because its not the exact answer to the questions we've asked. But if we wait, the Lord will answer us in the best way possible.
13-14
13: And now the spirit of Alma was again troubled; and he went and inquired of the Lord what he should do concerning this matter, for he feared that he should do wrong in the sight of God.
14: And it came to pass that after he had poured out his whole soul to God, the voice of the Lord came to him...
I frequently am troubled by a million things every day. Am I going to school? where will I work? who will I date? Etc...small problems to big problems we all are troubled sometimes. But I love that Alma doesn't just sit and stew about his problem, he's thought it out and takes the problem to the Lord.
Lesson: The Lord is the answer to all our troubles, big or small
I love that it says that Alma Poured out his whole soul. That is not a memorized prayer. That is not a 2 second prayer. That is a heartfelt conversation. I think my prayers need to be more of an outpouring of my soul rather than a prayer. I am not even sure I know what it feels like to pour out my WHOLE soul. I do know that its work, its effort- we can't just have everything by simply saying please. We must show that we are sincere in our desires. I also love that his answer comes AFTER he has shown this pouring of faith. He hears the voice of the Lord.
Lesson: sincere prayer brings answers
The next few verses in the chapter are Alma's answer. But his answer doesn't come immediately. The Lord tells him other things before he gets to the answer Alma was seeking. The important thing to take away is that Alma keeps listening. I think sometimes we get caught up in what we want to hear that we neglect all the other things we need to hear. The Lord starts to speak and we tune him out because its not the exact answer to the questions we've asked. But if we wait, the Lord will answer us in the best way possible.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Submit Cheerfully and With Patience
Mosiah 24
13: And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.
14: And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.
It has always been interesting here that God hears the cries of his children but does not REMOVE the burden they are carrying. but instead strengthens his children so the load is not so heavy to bear. He strengthens them and their 'burden' is made light.
John Taylor said: “I do not desire trials. I do not desire affliction….I used to think, if I were
the Lord, I would not suffer people to be tried as they are. But I have changed my mind on that subject. Now I think I would, if I were the Lord, because it purges out the meanness and corruption that stick around the Saints, like flies around molasses….I have seen men tempted so sorely that finally they would say, ‘I’ll be damned if I’ll stand it any longer.’ Well, you will be damned if you do not…We have learned many things through suffering. We call it suffering. I call it a school of experience.” (The Gospel Kingdom, pp. 332-4 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 228)
Joseph Smith said: “[From Liberty Jail, in a time of anguish and deep suffering for the gospel’s sake, the Prophet Joseph Smith wrote the following message to the Saints] Dear
brethren, do not think that our hearts faint, as though some strange thing had happened unto us, for we have seen and been assured of all these things beforehand, and have an assurance of a better hope than that of our persecutors. Therefore God hath made broad our shoulders for the burden. We glory in our tribulation, because we know that God is with us, that He is our friend, and that he will save our souls.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 123 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 229)
Thomas S. Monson said: “Remember that this work is not yours and mine alone. It is the Lord’s work, and when we are on the Lord’s errand, we are entitled to the Lord’s help. Remember that the Lord will shape the back to bear the burden placed upon it.” (Ensign, May 1992, p. 48 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 229)
George Q. Cannon said: “My theory is that when a man is conscious or a people are conscious that he or they are in the path of duty, doing that which is right in the sight of God, they should always be happy, no matter what the circumstances may be which surround them. I think that God has created us to be happy, and my belief is that he placed happiness within the reach of all, and it is man’s own fault if he is not happy and does not enjoy himself every day of his life. This is one of my reasons for liking my religion…because it bestows full happiness and joy upon its believers. They can be happy in the midst of the most adverse circumstances; they can rejoice when their lives are imperiled.” (Gospel Truths, p. 125 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 228)
15: And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.
They submitted CHEERFULLY and with PATIENCE. They didn't complain but instead found joy in their lives even though times were hard. They waited on the timing of the Lord.
Neal A. Maxwell: Concerning his personal suffering, Joseph was promised, “Thy heart shall be enlarged.” An enlarged Joseph wrote from Liberty Jail, “It seems to me that my heart will always be more tender after this than ever it was before… I think I never could have felt as I now do if I had not suffered. Ensign, May 1992,387.
If we are serious about our discipleship, Jesus will eventually request each of us to do those very
things which are most difficult for us to do… Sometimes the best people have the worst experiences, because they are the most ready to learn. Church New, 10 Aug 2002. The submission of one’s will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God’s altar. The many other things we “give,” brothers and sisters, are actually the things He has already given or loaned to us. However, when you and I finally submit ourselves by letting our individual wills be swallowed up in God’s will, then we are really giving something to Him! It is the only possession which is truly ours to give! CR, Oct. 1995, 30)
13: And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage.
14: And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.
It has always been interesting here that God hears the cries of his children but does not REMOVE the burden they are carrying. but instead strengthens his children so the load is not so heavy to bear. He strengthens them and their 'burden' is made light.
John Taylor said: “I do not desire trials. I do not desire affliction….I used to think, if I were
the Lord, I would not suffer people to be tried as they are. But I have changed my mind on that subject. Now I think I would, if I were the Lord, because it purges out the meanness and corruption that stick around the Saints, like flies around molasses….I have seen men tempted so sorely that finally they would say, ‘I’ll be damned if I’ll stand it any longer.’ Well, you will be damned if you do not…We have learned many things through suffering. We call it suffering. I call it a school of experience.” (The Gospel Kingdom, pp. 332-4 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 228)
Joseph Smith said: “[From Liberty Jail, in a time of anguish and deep suffering for the gospel’s sake, the Prophet Joseph Smith wrote the following message to the Saints] Dear
brethren, do not think that our hearts faint, as though some strange thing had happened unto us, for we have seen and been assured of all these things beforehand, and have an assurance of a better hope than that of our persecutors. Therefore God hath made broad our shoulders for the burden. We glory in our tribulation, because we know that God is with us, that He is our friend, and that he will save our souls.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 123 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 229)
Thomas S. Monson said: “Remember that this work is not yours and mine alone. It is the Lord’s work, and when we are on the Lord’s errand, we are entitled to the Lord’s help. Remember that the Lord will shape the back to bear the burden placed upon it.” (Ensign, May 1992, p. 48 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 229)
George Q. Cannon said: “My theory is that when a man is conscious or a people are conscious that he or they are in the path of duty, doing that which is right in the sight of God, they should always be happy, no matter what the circumstances may be which surround them. I think that God has created us to be happy, and my belief is that he placed happiness within the reach of all, and it is man’s own fault if he is not happy and does not enjoy himself every day of his life. This is one of my reasons for liking my religion…because it bestows full happiness and joy upon its believers. They can be happy in the midst of the most adverse circumstances; they can rejoice when their lives are imperiled.” (Gospel Truths, p. 125 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 228)
15: And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.
They submitted CHEERFULLY and with PATIENCE. They didn't complain but instead found joy in their lives even though times were hard. They waited on the timing of the Lord.
Neal A. Maxwell: Concerning his personal suffering, Joseph was promised, “Thy heart shall be enlarged.” An enlarged Joseph wrote from Liberty Jail, “It seems to me that my heart will always be more tender after this than ever it was before… I think I never could have felt as I now do if I had not suffered. Ensign, May 1992,387.
If we are serious about our discipleship, Jesus will eventually request each of us to do those very
things which are most difficult for us to do… Sometimes the best people have the worst experiences, because they are the most ready to learn. Church New, 10 Aug 2002. The submission of one’s will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God’s altar. The many other things we “give,” brothers and sisters, are actually the things He has already given or loaned to us. However, when you and I finally submit ourselves by letting our individual wills be swallowed up in God’s will, then we are really giving something to Him! It is the only possession which is truly ours to give! CR, Oct. 1995, 30)
Hush Your Fears
Mosiah 23
21: Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith.
22: Nevertheless-whosoever putteth his trust in him the same shall be lifted up at the last day. Yea, and thus it was with this people.
Neal A. Maxwell said: “Faith … includes faith in God’s developmental purposes, ... Still, some of us have trouble when God’s tutoring is applied to us! We plead for exemption more than we do for sanctification.” (Ensign, May 1991, p. 90.)
Howard W. Hunter said: “Mormon surely knew that no pain we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially
when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God.” (Ensign, Nov. 1987, p. 60 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 316)
Notwithstanding their desires for righteousness and the covenant that they had made with the Lord, the people of Alma were sorely tried and tested. Such is the purpose of mortality. Faith and obedience do not excuse one from the vicissitudes of a lone and dreary world, do not preclude the constant buffetings of Satan and his hosts. DCBM 2:285.
The Lord’s people must be tried as by fire. It is great challenges that produce great people, and great difficulties that produce great faith.
Of the Savior – and, by extension, all who seek society with him – we are told, “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him. We can hardly lay claim to any attribute of godliness unless we have been tried and tested on the matter. It is meaningless to say that someone is filled with love if he has never been in a situation that evokes hate; that he is courageous if he has never been in a situation that elicits fear; that he is generous if he has never been called upon to share; and so forth. It was an epic trial that merited for Abraham the title Father of the Faithful. There are no conquering heroes unless there are great battles to be fought. DCBM 2:285-86.
Neal A. Maxwell: Patience is not indifference. Actually, it is caring very much, but being willing, nevertheless, to submit both to the Lord and to what the scriptures call the “process of time.” Patience is tied very closely to faith in our Heavenly Father. Actually, when we are unduly impatient, we are suggesting that we know what is best—better than does God. Or, at least, we are asserting that our timetable is better than his. We read in Mosiah about how the Lord simultaneously tries the patience of his people even as he tries their faith (see Mosiah 23:21). One is not only to endure—but to endure well and gracefully those things which the
Lord “seeth fit to inflict upon [us]” (Mosiah 3:19), just as did a group of ancient American Saints who were beating unusual burdens but who submitted “cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord” (Mosiah 24:15). Sometimes that which we are doing is correct enough but simply needs to be persisted in—patiently—not for a minute or a moment but sometimes for years. Patience is a willingness, in a sense, to watch the unfolding purposes of God with a sense of wonder and awe—rather than pacing up and down within the cell of our circumstance. Too much anxious opening of the oven door and the cake falls instead of rising! So it is with us. If we are always selfishly taking our temperature to see if we are happy, we won’t be. Whereas faith and patience are companions, so are selfishness and impatience. Patience is, therefore, clearly not fatalistic, shoulder-shrugging resignation; it is accepting a divine rhythm to life; it is obedience prolonged. Patience stoutly resists pulling up the daisies to see how the roots are doing! Ensign, Oct. 1980, 28-30)
We are tried and tested, but if we put our faith in God he will fulfill his promises to each of us and we will be happy.
27: But Alma went forth and stood among them, and exhorted them that they should not be frightened, but that they should remember the Lord their God and he would deliver them.
28: Therefore they hushed their fears, and began to cry unto the Lord...
Put your faith in God and he will deliver you. Faith and fear cannot exist simultaneously in the same place- Hush your fears. I need to remember this. I get all anxious about how things are going to turn out but I just need to have faith and hush my own fears.
21: Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith.
22: Nevertheless-whosoever putteth his trust in him the same shall be lifted up at the last day. Yea, and thus it was with this people.
Neal A. Maxwell said: “Faith … includes faith in God’s developmental purposes, ... Still, some of us have trouble when God’s tutoring is applied to us! We plead for exemption more than we do for sanctification.” (Ensign, May 1991, p. 90.)
Howard W. Hunter said: “Mormon surely knew that no pain we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially
when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God.” (Ensign, Nov. 1987, p. 60 as taken from Latter-day Commentary on the Book of Mormon compiled by K. Douglas Bassett, p. 316)
Notwithstanding their desires for righteousness and the covenant that they had made with the Lord, the people of Alma were sorely tried and tested. Such is the purpose of mortality. Faith and obedience do not excuse one from the vicissitudes of a lone and dreary world, do not preclude the constant buffetings of Satan and his hosts. DCBM 2:285.
The Lord’s people must be tried as by fire. It is great challenges that produce great people, and great difficulties that produce great faith.
Of the Savior – and, by extension, all who seek society with him – we are told, “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him. We can hardly lay claim to any attribute of godliness unless we have been tried and tested on the matter. It is meaningless to say that someone is filled with love if he has never been in a situation that evokes hate; that he is courageous if he has never been in a situation that elicits fear; that he is generous if he has never been called upon to share; and so forth. It was an epic trial that merited for Abraham the title Father of the Faithful. There are no conquering heroes unless there are great battles to be fought. DCBM 2:285-86.
Neal A. Maxwell: Patience is not indifference. Actually, it is caring very much, but being willing, nevertheless, to submit both to the Lord and to what the scriptures call the “process of time.” Patience is tied very closely to faith in our Heavenly Father. Actually, when we are unduly impatient, we are suggesting that we know what is best—better than does God. Or, at least, we are asserting that our timetable is better than his. We read in Mosiah about how the Lord simultaneously tries the patience of his people even as he tries their faith (see Mosiah 23:21). One is not only to endure—but to endure well and gracefully those things which the
Lord “seeth fit to inflict upon [us]” (Mosiah 3:19), just as did a group of ancient American Saints who were beating unusual burdens but who submitted “cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord” (Mosiah 24:15). Sometimes that which we are doing is correct enough but simply needs to be persisted in—patiently—not for a minute or a moment but sometimes for years. Patience is a willingness, in a sense, to watch the unfolding purposes of God with a sense of wonder and awe—rather than pacing up and down within the cell of our circumstance. Too much anxious opening of the oven door and the cake falls instead of rising! So it is with us. If we are always selfishly taking our temperature to see if we are happy, we won’t be. Whereas faith and patience are companions, so are selfishness and impatience. Patience is, therefore, clearly not fatalistic, shoulder-shrugging resignation; it is accepting a divine rhythm to life; it is obedience prolonged. Patience stoutly resists pulling up the daisies to see how the roots are doing! Ensign, Oct. 1980, 28-30)
We are tried and tested, but if we put our faith in God he will fulfill his promises to each of us and we will be happy.
27: But Alma went forth and stood among them, and exhorted them that they should not be frightened, but that they should remember the Lord their God and he would deliver them.
28: Therefore they hushed their fears, and began to cry unto the Lord...
Put your faith in God and he will deliver you. Faith and fear cannot exist simultaneously in the same place- Hush your fears. I need to remember this. I get all anxious about how things are going to turn out but I just need to have faith and hush my own fears.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Nevertheless The Lord Did Hear Their Cries
Mosiah 21:15
"And now the Lord was slow to hear their cry because of their iniquities; nevertheless the Lord did hear their cries, and began to soften the hearts of the Lamanites that they began to ease their burdens; yet the Lord did not see fit to deliver them out of bondage"
Here the people of Limhi are suffering by the hand of the Lamanites and they are begging to Lord to remove their burden. It may sound harsh that the Lord does not answer this plea right away but these people had been warned. They were told they would suffer if they did not repent. But why let them suffer? Because repentance is not cheap or easy.
"The Lord who is patient and long-suffering even with evil may be equally slow to redeem the transgressor. The seeds of iniquity are not easily uprooted; time and suffering are a part of the healing process. The blessings of heaven are not cheaply obtained. One hardly merits the company of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and the exalted of all ages by the mere profession of faith or the lamentation for sin. A merely verbal repentance is hardly good training for the discipline necessary in keeping the commandments"
D&C 101:7-8 - 7
7. They were slow to hearken unto the voice of the Lord their God; therefore, the Lord their God is slow to hearken unto their prayers, to answer them in the day of their trouble.
8. In the day of their peace they esteemed lightly my counsel; but, in the day of their trouble, of necessity they feel after me.
I think we are all guilty of this sometime. We want to do what we want to do when we want to do it. We don't want someone to cramp our style or infringe upon our lifestyle. But when the tables turn and we need help or comfort then we fall upon our knees and beg the Lord for his help. But how fair is that. If you had a friend who never listened, never really talked to you and then one day came to your home and was begging you to sacrifice in order to do them a favor...how willing would you be to help the person who couldn't care less what you did the other 365 days of the year. That being said, I love the highlighted part of the scripture...'Nevertheless the Lord did hear their cries'. He does hear each one of us. But he also knows what is best for each of us and like any good parent, sometimes he has to allow us to cry in order for us to learn valuable lessons that will make us better in the end. We cannot have everything we want the instant we want it if we are going to be worthwhile individuals. He loves us, and because he loves us, our prayers sometimes remain unanswered.
"And now the Lord was slow to hear their cry because of their iniquities; nevertheless the Lord did hear their cries, and began to soften the hearts of the Lamanites that they began to ease their burdens; yet the Lord did not see fit to deliver them out of bondage"
Here the people of Limhi are suffering by the hand of the Lamanites and they are begging to Lord to remove their burden. It may sound harsh that the Lord does not answer this plea right away but these people had been warned. They were told they would suffer if they did not repent. But why let them suffer? Because repentance is not cheap or easy.
"The Lord who is patient and long-suffering even with evil may be equally slow to redeem the transgressor. The seeds of iniquity are not easily uprooted; time and suffering are a part of the healing process. The blessings of heaven are not cheaply obtained. One hardly merits the company of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and the exalted of all ages by the mere profession of faith or the lamentation for sin. A merely verbal repentance is hardly good training for the discipline necessary in keeping the commandments"
D&C 101:7-8 - 7
7. They were slow to hearken unto the voice of the Lord their God; therefore, the Lord their God is slow to hearken unto their prayers, to answer them in the day of their trouble.
8. In the day of their peace they esteemed lightly my counsel; but, in the day of their trouble, of necessity they feel after me.
I think we are all guilty of this sometime. We want to do what we want to do when we want to do it. We don't want someone to cramp our style or infringe upon our lifestyle. But when the tables turn and we need help or comfort then we fall upon our knees and beg the Lord for his help. But how fair is that. If you had a friend who never listened, never really talked to you and then one day came to your home and was begging you to sacrifice in order to do them a favor...how willing would you be to help the person who couldn't care less what you did the other 365 days of the year. That being said, I love the highlighted part of the scripture...'Nevertheless the Lord did hear their cries'. He does hear each one of us. But he also knows what is best for each of us and like any good parent, sometimes he has to allow us to cry in order for us to learn valuable lessons that will make us better in the end. We cannot have everything we want the instant we want it if we are going to be worthwhile individuals. He loves us, and because he loves us, our prayers sometimes remain unanswered.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
In My Anger
Mosiah Chapter 20 (read here)
Background: King Noah is dead. His priests are hiding out in the wilderness because they cowardly left their families to save their own lives. Noah's son, Limhi, has taken over the kingdom and entered into an oath with the king of the Lamanites. They pay half of all their income to the Lamanites and are in turn left to live in peace.
In this chapter, the priests of Noah kidnap 24 of the daughters of the Lamanites and in his rage, the Lamanite king attacks Limhi's People. So before asking questions he assumes they are guilty and goes in and starts killing people. Limhi fights back. The Lamanite king is wounded and brought to Limhi to explain his actions. Limhi in turn explains about his father and his priests. They then explain everything to the Lamanite people and they are at peace once again.
What I find interesting about this chapter is that the killing was needless and could have been completely avoided if everyone has stopped to ask some questions before charging in.
The king says in verse 15 "...I have broken the oath because they people did carry away the daughters of my people; therefore, in my anger I did cause my people to come up to war against thy people"
lesson: don't act in anger.
also verses 26-26
"And it came to pass that they followed the king, and went forth without arms to meet the Lamanites. And it came to pass that they did meet the Lamanites; and the king of the Lamanites did bow himself down before them, and did plead in behalf of the people of Limhi.
And when the Lamanites saw the people of Limhi, that they were without arms, they had compassion on them and were pacified towards them, and returned with their king in peace to their own land"
Without arms or without defense. They were not defensive. In the first part of the chapter the Lamanites get angry and come at the people of Limhi, to which the people of Limhi then defend themselves and their families. But then the Leader is wounded and humbled and must listen to Limhi's point of view. They are pacified and they part in peace.
Lesson: Don't act in anger. Ask questions. Understand an other's point of view. Be humble and not defensive. offensive behavior inspires defensive tactics from the opposing party. If you want to understand and solve a problem don't approach in anger, it will only cause unnecessary casualties.
Background: King Noah is dead. His priests are hiding out in the wilderness because they cowardly left their families to save their own lives. Noah's son, Limhi, has taken over the kingdom and entered into an oath with the king of the Lamanites. They pay half of all their income to the Lamanites and are in turn left to live in peace.
In this chapter, the priests of Noah kidnap 24 of the daughters of the Lamanites and in his rage, the Lamanite king attacks Limhi's People. So before asking questions he assumes they are guilty and goes in and starts killing people. Limhi fights back. The Lamanite king is wounded and brought to Limhi to explain his actions. Limhi in turn explains about his father and his priests. They then explain everything to the Lamanite people and they are at peace once again.
What I find interesting about this chapter is that the killing was needless and could have been completely avoided if everyone has stopped to ask some questions before charging in.
The king says in verse 15 "...I have broken the oath because they people did carry away the daughters of my people; therefore, in my anger I did cause my people to come up to war against thy people"
lesson: don't act in anger.
also verses 26-26
"And it came to pass that they followed the king, and went forth without arms to meet the Lamanites. And it came to pass that they did meet the Lamanites; and the king of the Lamanites did bow himself down before them, and did plead in behalf of the people of Limhi.
And when the Lamanites saw the people of Limhi, that they were without arms, they had compassion on them and were pacified towards them, and returned with their king in peace to their own land"
Without arms or without defense. They were not defensive. In the first part of the chapter the Lamanites get angry and come at the people of Limhi, to which the people of Limhi then defend themselves and their families. But then the Leader is wounded and humbled and must listen to Limhi's point of view. They are pacified and they part in peace.
Lesson: Don't act in anger. Ask questions. Understand an other's point of view. Be humble and not defensive. offensive behavior inspires defensive tactics from the opposing party. If you want to understand and solve a problem don't approach in anger, it will only cause unnecessary casualties.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
I will not recall my words
Mosiah 17:9-10
This chapter ties to the few previous. Abinadi is a prophet of God. He has come to call king Noah and his people to repentance. They are not following the laws of God and are angry with Abinadi for calling them out. He is arrested and brought before the king and his priests. He teaches about Christ and his atonement. The priests accuse him of blasphemy in his assertion that Christ will be among men. One Priest, Alma, believes the words of Abinadi and asks the king to spare his life. This makes the king angry and he sends out men to kill Alma. Alma hides and is not harmed. The priests of Noah tell Abinidi that he will be put to death unless he recalls his words against their people.
Abinadi says these words to king Noah:
9. Now Abinadi said unto him: I say unto you, I will not recall the words which I have spoken unto you concerning this people, for they are true; and that ye may know of their surety I have suffered myself that I have fallen into your hands.
10. Yea, and I will suffer even until death, and I will not recall my words, and they shall stand as a testimony against you. And if ye slay me ye will shed innocent blood, and this shall also stand as a testimony against you at the last day.
At this King Noah gets scared and is on the verge of freeing Abinidi but his evil priests stir up the King's pride and Abinidi is sentenced to death by fire. I LOVE these chapters. That sounds maybe a little gruesome but Abinadi is my favorite prophet in the Book Of Mormon. His courage, testimony, and integrity are incredible. He walks into a city where everyone hates him, he preaches of Christ and tells the highest ranking government official that he is wicked and needs to repent. He teaches of the atonement and love of Christ and begs them to be humble and repent. He is offered a way out of his punishment but on pain of death he refuses to retract his words because they are true. He has such faith in the Lord and in his divine calling. He had strength, "yea, and I will suffer even until death, and I will not recall my words..."
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
In the Strength of the Lord
Mosiah 9:17-19
"yea, in the strength of the Lord did we go forth to battle...."
"And God hear our cries and did answer our prayers; and we did go forth in his might; yea, we did go forth against the Lamanites, and in one day and a night we did slay tree thousand and forty-three; we did slay them even until we had driven them out of our land."
"And I, myself, with mine own hands, did help to bury their dead. And behold, to our great sorrow and lamentation, two hundred and seventy-nine of our brethren were slain."
Perhaps that doesn't sound like an earth shattering revelation. many of my friends find the scriptures about wars and battles boring but I find them just as enlightening as anything else.
1. They prayed before going out to face a challenge. They were strengthened by the Lord and had a sure foundation.
2. God hears and answers prayers
3. God will strengthen you as you face your trials
4. Impossible things can be accomplished with the help of the lord --
they only lost 279 compared to the lamanites 3,043
The Lord will protect his people, if not always physically, he will protect them spiritually. The Lord will answer prayers in his own way and his own time.
"yea, in the strength of the Lord did we go forth to battle...."
"And God hear our cries and did answer our prayers; and we did go forth in his might; yea, we did go forth against the Lamanites, and in one day and a night we did slay tree thousand and forty-three; we did slay them even until we had driven them out of our land."
"And I, myself, with mine own hands, did help to bury their dead. And behold, to our great sorrow and lamentation, two hundred and seventy-nine of our brethren were slain."
Perhaps that doesn't sound like an earth shattering revelation. many of my friends find the scriptures about wars and battles boring but I find them just as enlightening as anything else.
1. They prayed before going out to face a challenge. They were strengthened by the Lord and had a sure foundation.
2. God hears and answers prayers
3. God will strengthen you as you face your trials
4. Impossible things can be accomplished with the help of the lord --
they only lost 279 compared to the lamanites 3,043
The Lord will protect his people, if not always physically, he will protect them spiritually. The Lord will answer prayers in his own way and his own time.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Look Up
Mosiah 7: 18-19
"...O ye, my people, lift up your heads and be comforted.."
"Therefore, lift up your heads, and rejoice, and put your trust in God. "
so often we hang our heads in defeat but these scriptures, this chapter especially, repeatedly tells us to lift up our heads and rejoice. To lift up our heads and be comforted. That when we face trials we should look to God to heal us.
There was a talk given in General Conference this last October that talked about this very thing. (See whole talk HERE)
"... if we...exercise our faith and look to God for help, we will not be overwhelmed with the burdens of life. We will not feel incapable of doing what we are called to do or need to do. We will be strengthened, and our lives will be filled with peace and joy. We will come to realize that most of what we worry about is not of eternal significance—and if it is, the Lord will help us. But we must have the faith to look up and the courage to follow His direction."
"...O ye, my people, lift up your heads and be comforted.."
"Therefore, lift up your heads, and rejoice, and put your trust in God. "
so often we hang our heads in defeat but these scriptures, this chapter especially, repeatedly tells us to lift up our heads and rejoice. To lift up our heads and be comforted. That when we face trials we should look to God to heal us.
There was a talk given in General Conference this last October that talked about this very thing. (See whole talk HERE)
"... if we...exercise our faith and look to God for help, we will not be overwhelmed with the burdens of life. We will not feel incapable of doing what we are called to do or need to do. We will be strengthened, and our lives will be filled with peace and joy. We will come to realize that most of what we worry about is not of eternal significance—and if it is, the Lord will help us. But we must have the faith to look up and the courage to follow His direction."
Friday, November 11, 2011
See that ye do them
Mosiah 4:9-10
Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.
And again, believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves before God; and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you; and now, if you believe all these things see that ye do them.
I love these verses. Such a plain and simple statement of belief. But the part that stands out to me is the last line in verse ten...see that ye do them. It is one thing to believe silently and on your own but it takes a whole new level of courage and faith to actually act on the things we believe. Actions become public. Actions in and of themselves are a testimony to the world.
It is easy to believe that through Christs atonement sin can be forgiven. It is much harder for us to believe that OUR sin will be forgiven. And even if we believe that Jesus Christ and our Father in Heaven will forgive us...we don't always forgive ourselves. But if we believe...then we need to act. We need to humble ourselves and follow the direction we receive from our wise father...
Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.
And again, believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves before God; and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you; and now, if you believe all these things see that ye do them.
I love these verses. Such a plain and simple statement of belief. But the part that stands out to me is the last line in verse ten...see that ye do them. It is one thing to believe silently and on your own but it takes a whole new level of courage and faith to actually act on the things we believe. Actions become public. Actions in and of themselves are a testimony to the world.
It is easy to believe that through Christs atonement sin can be forgiven. It is much harder for us to believe that OUR sin will be forgiven. And even if we believe that Jesus Christ and our Father in Heaven will forgive us...we don't always forgive ourselves. But if we believe...then we need to act. We need to humble ourselves and follow the direction we receive from our wise father...
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Unprofitable Servants
Mosiah 2:21-22
I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another-I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.
And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.
I love these verses because King Benjamin really illustrates our relationship with God and also shows us the nature of our Heavenly Father. It makes me feel awful for ever complaining.
1. we are given life and a body
2. we are given our agency to choose for ourselves
3. we are supported in our trials and in the things that we need
4. God always follows through-he never falls short on his promises
we are given so much and all he asks in return is that we follow his commandments. And then when we do- we are blessed again with prosperity, peace, and happiness. So no matter how much we try and repay him by serving and keeping the commandments we are still in his debt. It just made me realize just how good I have things. I should be grateful for the blessings in my life and for a loving Father in Heaven who gives and gives and really doesn't ask for much in return.
Benjamin tells us that God does not vary from what he says...so if he says he will bless us for our obedience then he will. Makes me wonder why we all fight so hard against being obedient. If we truly believe that God keeps his promises, then why do we not strive to receive those promised blessings?
Ezra Taft Benson once said, "When obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, at that moment God will endow us with power"
Goal: to have faith in the nature of God and to be obedient to his commandments
I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another-I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.
And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.
I love these verses because King Benjamin really illustrates our relationship with God and also shows us the nature of our Heavenly Father. It makes me feel awful for ever complaining.
1. we are given life and a body
2. we are given our agency to choose for ourselves
3. we are supported in our trials and in the things that we need
4. God always follows through-he never falls short on his promises
we are given so much and all he asks in return is that we follow his commandments. And then when we do- we are blessed again with prosperity, peace, and happiness. So no matter how much we try and repay him by serving and keeping the commandments we are still in his debt. It just made me realize just how good I have things. I should be grateful for the blessings in my life and for a loving Father in Heaven who gives and gives and really doesn't ask for much in return.
Benjamin tells us that God does not vary from what he says...so if he says he will bless us for our obedience then he will. Makes me wonder why we all fight so hard against being obedient. If we truly believe that God keeps his promises, then why do we not strive to receive those promised blessings?
Ezra Taft Benson once said, "When obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, at that moment God will endow us with power"
Goal: to have faith in the nature of God and to be obedient to his commandments
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Hear My Father's Voice
Tonight I read a scripture I've read at least 100 times. But never before have I made the connection I made tonight. It is in the first chapter of Mosiah. King Benjamin is dying and asks his son Mosiah to gather the people together so that he may confer the kingdom publicly to Mosiah.
18: And now, it came to pass that Mosiah went and did as his father had commanded him, and proclaimed unto all the people who were in the land of Zarahemla that thereby they might gather themselves together, to go up to the temple to hear the words which his father should speak unto them.
Secular translation: Mosiah did as he was told and gathered the people together to hear the political statement made by a dying king.
Scriptural translation: Mosiah was obedient in following the commandments of the king. He exhorts his fellow saints to gather at the temple to hear the words of his father.
Application for us: The prophet is asking us to gather ourselves in the temple- which is the house of God- to hear the words of our Father.
I don't know how I missed that. I guess I always just take it literally. But tonight it was an invitation for me to be more diligent in keeping the commandments and in attending the temple so that I can receive direction and guidance for my own life.
In the dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple, the Prophet Joseph Smith petitioned the Father “that thy servants may go forth from this house armed with thy power, and that thy name may be upon them” (D&C 109:22). He also asked for a blessing “over thy people upon whom thy name shall be put in this house” (v. 26). And as the Lord appeared in and accepted the Kirtland Temple as His house, He declared, “For behold, I have accepted this house, and my name shall be here; and I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house” (D&C 110:7).
The Lord will manifest himself in mercy in his house- How can I choose not to have that? I can't.
Elder Bednar said,
"I bear solemn witness that the fire of the covenant will burn in the heart of every faithful member of this Church who shall worship and honorably hold a name and standing in the Lord’s holy house. Jesus the Christ is our Redeemer and Savior. He lives, and He directs the affairs of His Church through revelation to His anointed servants. Of these things I bear witness in the sacred name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen" (See whole talk here)
18: And now, it came to pass that Mosiah went and did as his father had commanded him, and proclaimed unto all the people who were in the land of Zarahemla that thereby they might gather themselves together, to go up to the temple to hear the words which his father should speak unto them.
Secular translation: Mosiah did as he was told and gathered the people together to hear the political statement made by a dying king.
Scriptural translation: Mosiah was obedient in following the commandments of the king. He exhorts his fellow saints to gather at the temple to hear the words of his father.
Application for us: The prophet is asking us to gather ourselves in the temple- which is the house of God- to hear the words of our Father.
I don't know how I missed that. I guess I always just take it literally. But tonight it was an invitation for me to be more diligent in keeping the commandments and in attending the temple so that I can receive direction and guidance for my own life.
In the dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple, the Prophet Joseph Smith petitioned the Father “that thy servants may go forth from this house armed with thy power, and that thy name may be upon them” (D&C 109:22). He also asked for a blessing “over thy people upon whom thy name shall be put in this house” (v. 26). And as the Lord appeared in and accepted the Kirtland Temple as His house, He declared, “For behold, I have accepted this house, and my name shall be here; and I will manifest myself to my people in mercy in this house” (D&C 110:7).
The Lord will manifest himself in mercy in his house- How can I choose not to have that? I can't.
Elder Bednar said,
"I bear solemn witness that the fire of the covenant will burn in the heart of every faithful member of this Church who shall worship and honorably hold a name and standing in the Lord’s holy house. Jesus the Christ is our Redeemer and Savior. He lives, and He directs the affairs of His Church through revelation to His anointed servants. Of these things I bear witness in the sacred name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen" (See whole talk here)
Monday, November 7, 2011
For a Wise Purpose
Omni 1:26
And now my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved.
The highlighted portion is the part I think people, myself included, struggle with. You have a testimony of Jesus Christ and you master fasting and you are pretty good with your prayers...but do we offer our WHOLE SOULS? I think most of the time we offer what's easy. Do we offer to give up our favorite hobby? or friends who aren't great influences? do we offer our pride?
"We must be willing to place all that we have- not just our possessions (they may be the easiest things of all to give up), but also our ambition and pride and stubbornness and vanity- we must place it all on the alter of God, kneel in silent submission, and willingly walk away" -Jeffrey R. Holland.
We must do the work. We must COME unto Christ and WILLINGLY offer our WHOLE souls.
Words of Mormon 1:7
And I do this for a wise purpose; for thus it whispereth me, according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord which is in me. And now, I do not know all things; but the Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore, he worketh in me to do according to his will.
Another one on faith. But there are several things that strike me about this verse
1. he trusts the Lord completely-he knows he wouldn't ask him to do something that wasn't going to serve a purpose at some point
2. The spirit of the Lord whispers- a still small voice inside that each person must learn to discern, to hear, and to follow
3. Recognizes his own limitations in opposition to the Lord's strength. We as mortals are limited in our scope of knowledge.
4. He is humble and submissive to the will of the Lord. He will do what has been asked and not ask questions even though he does not understand.
Recognizing and trusting in the wise purposes of the Lord would be beneficial for me to practice in my own life.
And now my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved.
The highlighted portion is the part I think people, myself included, struggle with. You have a testimony of Jesus Christ and you master fasting and you are pretty good with your prayers...but do we offer our WHOLE SOULS? I think most of the time we offer what's easy. Do we offer to give up our favorite hobby? or friends who aren't great influences? do we offer our pride?
"We must be willing to place all that we have- not just our possessions (they may be the easiest things of all to give up), but also our ambition and pride and stubbornness and vanity- we must place it all on the alter of God, kneel in silent submission, and willingly walk away" -Jeffrey R. Holland.
We must do the work. We must COME unto Christ and WILLINGLY offer our WHOLE souls.
Words of Mormon 1:7
And I do this for a wise purpose; for thus it whispereth me, according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord which is in me. And now, I do not know all things; but the Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore, he worketh in me to do according to his will.
Another one on faith. But there are several things that strike me about this verse
1. he trusts the Lord completely-he knows he wouldn't ask him to do something that wasn't going to serve a purpose at some point
2. The spirit of the Lord whispers- a still small voice inside that each person must learn to discern, to hear, and to follow
3. Recognizes his own limitations in opposition to the Lord's strength. We as mortals are limited in our scope of knowledge.
4. He is humble and submissive to the will of the Lord. He will do what has been asked and not ask questions even though he does not understand.
Recognizing and trusting in the wise purposes of the Lord would be beneficial for me to practice in my own life.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Short and to the point...
The book of Enos:
Enos tells of his guilt and his struggle for forgiveness- his mighty prayer unto the Lord and then in v5-8 he says,
5. And there came a voice unto me, saying : Enos, they sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.
6. And I, Enos, knew that God could not lie; wherefore, my guilt was swept away.
7. And I said: Lord, how is it done?
8. And he said unto me: "because of thy faith in Christ, whom thou hast never before heard nor seen. And many years pass away before he shall manifest himself in the flesh; Wherefore, go to, thy faith hath made the whole"
Several things stand out to me here.
1. Enos knew the nature and character of God. He knew that he could not lie. He had faith in his word. So when he said Enos was forgiven, Enos was able to believe him and forgive himself. He didn't hold on to the guilt but put it behind him and moved forward with his life.
2. Enos has a conversation with God. Its not just a prayer where Enos asks for things and then runs away...he is receiving revelation.
3. Faith was the key to his forgiveness and peace of mind. without his faith in Christ, Enos could have prayed all year and never felt forgiven. But because of his faith, when the Lord said he was forgiven- he allowed himself to believe it and was able to feel clean. He could have just as easily beaten himself up over and over for past mistakes and said, like so many people do, "well I believe the Lord will forgive that person- but I should not have messed up. He can't possibly forgive me." but he didn't say that. He prayed, he received, he believed.
V 12 and 15 :
12. And it came to pass that after I had prayed and labored with all diligence, the Lord said unto me: I will grand unto thee according to they desires, because of thy faith.
15. Wherefore, I knowing that the Lord God was able to preserve our records, I cried unto him continually, for he had said unto me: whatsoever thing yes shall ask in faith, believing that ye shall receive in the name of Christ, ye shall receive it.
Again with Faith. Are we understanding how important it is in our life? I guess I always knew it was key but i didn't realize just how much control I have in determining the course of my life.
What does Enos teach us about faith?
1. We must ask.
2. We mus labor w/ ALL diligence
3. pray continually
4. believe you will receive
I think the only other thing I will add to this is in V12- "according to thy desires"...I don't think this means we get whatever we want if we follow these steps. But if we educate our desires- so that they are righteous desires and in line with the will of the Lord then yes we can have whatever we desire. The Lord wants us to be happy. But we must ask for things that are right for us and at the right time. We must pray continually so that we can align our will with that of the Lord- and then we will never ask for that which is not right for us.
V16-17:
16.And I had faith, and I did cry unto God that he would preserve the records; and he covenanted with me that he would bring them forth unto the Lamanites in his own due time.
17. And I, Enos, knew it would be according to the covenant which he had made; where for my soul did rest.
we learn:
1. the Lord communicates with his children
2. The Lord fulfills his promises
3. He fulfills his promises in his own due time
4. when you get and answer- your sould can be at rest
we cannot rush the Lord. Enos got what he wanted, it just wasn't on his time schedule. Once we have received our answers from the Lord we need to let go. Have faith in his promises and don't worry so much about when and how. The Lord sees the end from the beginning and he knows when and how things will happen.
He closes in V. 27 by saying,
...And I rejoice in the day when my mortal shall put on the immortality, and shall stand before him; then shall I see his face with pleasure, and he will say unto me; Come unto me, ye blessed, there is a place prepared for you in the mansions of my father.
I can only hope to say the same thing when my time on this earth is complete.
" Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don't come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come." -Jeffrey R. Holland
Lesson: Have faith in the Lord's promises and wait on his timing.
Enos tells of his guilt and his struggle for forgiveness- his mighty prayer unto the Lord and then in v5-8 he says,
5. And there came a voice unto me, saying : Enos, they sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.
6. And I, Enos, knew that God could not lie; wherefore, my guilt was swept away.
7. And I said: Lord, how is it done?
8. And he said unto me: "because of thy faith in Christ, whom thou hast never before heard nor seen. And many years pass away before he shall manifest himself in the flesh; Wherefore, go to, thy faith hath made the whole"
Several things stand out to me here.
1. Enos knew the nature and character of God. He knew that he could not lie. He had faith in his word. So when he said Enos was forgiven, Enos was able to believe him and forgive himself. He didn't hold on to the guilt but put it behind him and moved forward with his life.
2. Enos has a conversation with God. Its not just a prayer where Enos asks for things and then runs away...he is receiving revelation.
3. Faith was the key to his forgiveness and peace of mind. without his faith in Christ, Enos could have prayed all year and never felt forgiven. But because of his faith, when the Lord said he was forgiven- he allowed himself to believe it and was able to feel clean. He could have just as easily beaten himself up over and over for past mistakes and said, like so many people do, "well I believe the Lord will forgive that person- but I should not have messed up. He can't possibly forgive me." but he didn't say that. He prayed, he received, he believed.
V 12 and 15 :
12. And it came to pass that after I had prayed and labored with all diligence, the Lord said unto me: I will grand unto thee according to they desires, because of thy faith.
15. Wherefore, I knowing that the Lord God was able to preserve our records, I cried unto him continually, for he had said unto me: whatsoever thing yes shall ask in faith, believing that ye shall receive in the name of Christ, ye shall receive it.
Again with Faith. Are we understanding how important it is in our life? I guess I always knew it was key but i didn't realize just how much control I have in determining the course of my life.
What does Enos teach us about faith?
1. We must ask.
2. We mus labor w/ ALL diligence
3. pray continually
4. believe you will receive
I think the only other thing I will add to this is in V12- "according to thy desires"...I don't think this means we get whatever we want if we follow these steps. But if we educate our desires- so that they are righteous desires and in line with the will of the Lord then yes we can have whatever we desire. The Lord wants us to be happy. But we must ask for things that are right for us and at the right time. We must pray continually so that we can align our will with that of the Lord- and then we will never ask for that which is not right for us.
V16-17:
16.And I had faith, and I did cry unto God that he would preserve the records; and he covenanted with me that he would bring them forth unto the Lamanites in his own due time.
17. And I, Enos, knew it would be according to the covenant which he had made; where for my soul did rest.
we learn:
1. the Lord communicates with his children
2. The Lord fulfills his promises
3. He fulfills his promises in his own due time
4. when you get and answer- your sould can be at rest
we cannot rush the Lord. Enos got what he wanted, it just wasn't on his time schedule. Once we have received our answers from the Lord we need to let go. Have faith in his promises and don't worry so much about when and how. The Lord sees the end from the beginning and he knows when and how things will happen.
He closes in V. 27 by saying,
...And I rejoice in the day when my mortal shall put on the immortality, and shall stand before him; then shall I see his face with pleasure, and he will say unto me; Come unto me, ye blessed, there is a place prepared for you in the mansions of my father.
I can only hope to say the same thing when my time on this earth is complete.
" Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don't come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come." -Jeffrey R. Holland
Lesson: Have faith in the Lord's promises and wait on his timing.
Friday, November 4, 2011
O Be Wise...
Jacob 6:12:
"O be wise; what can I say more?"
Short and to the point. I love this scripture. But what exactly is wisdom? Wisdom is based on knowledge. How much do you know and can you apply that knowledge correctly?
"Since knowledge is an acquaintance with, or clear perception of, facts; and wisdom is the capacity of judging soundly and dealing broadly with facts; especially in their practical application to life and conduct, it follows that wisdom is a product of, and is dependent upon knowledge." -Marion G Romney
so what if we don't have the knowledge? Can we still be wise? Yes.
"the inspiration of the Lord can and often does compensate for unknown facts—that is, for lack of knowledge" -Marion G Romney
The Lord knows all. So by following divine inspiration-it is as if we know all the facts. (see talk)
So to be wise we must have knowledge but we must also be humble. (D&C 136:32-33)
32 Let him that is ignorant learn wisdom by humbling himself and calling upon the Lord his God, that his eyes may be opened that he may see, and his ears opened that he may hear;
33 For my Spirit is sent forth into the world to enlighten the humble and contrite, and to the condemnation of the ungodly.
O be wise- learn all you can so you are able to make smart choices, but be humble enough to rely upon the Lord for inspiration in all things. That is how we act with wisdom. What can I say more?
"O be wise; what can I say more?"
Short and to the point. I love this scripture. But what exactly is wisdom? Wisdom is based on knowledge. How much do you know and can you apply that knowledge correctly?
"Since knowledge is an acquaintance with, or clear perception of, facts; and wisdom is the capacity of judging soundly and dealing broadly with facts; especially in their practical application to life and conduct, it follows that wisdom is a product of, and is dependent upon knowledge." -Marion G Romney
so what if we don't have the knowledge? Can we still be wise? Yes.
"the inspiration of the Lord can and often does compensate for unknown facts—that is, for lack of knowledge" -Marion G Romney
The Lord knows all. So by following divine inspiration-it is as if we know all the facts. (see talk)
So to be wise we must have knowledge but we must also be humble. (D&C 136:32-33)
32 Let him that is ignorant learn wisdom by humbling himself and calling upon the Lord his God, that his eyes may be opened that he may see, and his ears opened that he may hear;
33 For my Spirit is sent forth into the world to enlighten the humble and contrite, and to the condemnation of the ungodly.
O be wise- learn all you can so you are able to make smart choices, but be humble enough to rely upon the Lord for inspiration in all things. That is how we act with wisdom. What can I say more?
Thursday, November 3, 2011
A New Vantage Point
1st thought: Jacob 4:10
"Wherefore, brethren, seek not to council the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works"
I am guilty of telling the Lord what's best for me. It has occurred to me recently that I am a VERY good listener to everyone except the spirit of the Lord. Sometimes I'm good at it. When it concerns others- as in service opportunities or direction for my Sunday school lessons. But when it comes to listening to direction for myself...well...I kind of stink at that. I like to be in control. So trusting is really hard for me- but I think this scripture is interesting because he says "ye yourselves know he counseleth in wisdom..." I do know. I know that I am a daughter of God. I know he loves me. I know he has a plan for me and he wants me to be happy. I know all this...and still sometimes my faith is lacking and I somehow can convince myself that my plan is better...even though I can't see very far down the road. wouldn't it be smarter to take direction from someone with a less limited vantage point? Someone who knows everything and only has your best interest in mind? yes. the answer is yes.
My second thought for the evening is found in Jacob 4:18:
"Behold, my beloved brethren, I will unfold this mystery unto you; if I do not, by any means, get shaken from my firmness in the spirit, and stumble because of my over anxiety for you"
Why is this scripture interesting to me? because he illustrates a very important principle. Worry and anxiety overshadow faith. This is a man who spends all of chapter 4 bearing testimony of Jesus Christ and his atonement. He bears testimony of the prophets and the Holy Ghost-and then he tells us that he is suffering from anxiety for the welfare of his people. That this anxiety causes him to lose his firmness of faith-which will in turn rob him of the spirit of prophecy and revelation. Faith and Fear cannot exist in the same heart at the same time. This I know. But fear, anxiety, and stress are the unwanted house guest that just won't go away. Faith must fight a never ending battle for every inch of space. This scripture just reminds me that even the prophets have had to fight the same battle for ownership. Like Jacob, I have a testimony of Jesus Christ and his atonement. But sometimes I slip and let my worries cheat me of my faith. Not that the fear robs me of my testimony..I always have that. But rather my fear robs me of the faith to move mountains...it robs me of the faith to change lives and make miracles happen.
"Wherefore, brethren, seek not to council the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works"
I am guilty of telling the Lord what's best for me. It has occurred to me recently that I am a VERY good listener to everyone except the spirit of the Lord. Sometimes I'm good at it. When it concerns others- as in service opportunities or direction for my Sunday school lessons. But when it comes to listening to direction for myself...well...I kind of stink at that. I like to be in control. So trusting is really hard for me- but I think this scripture is interesting because he says "ye yourselves know he counseleth in wisdom..." I do know. I know that I am a daughter of God. I know he loves me. I know he has a plan for me and he wants me to be happy. I know all this...and still sometimes my faith is lacking and I somehow can convince myself that my plan is better...even though I can't see very far down the road. wouldn't it be smarter to take direction from someone with a less limited vantage point? Someone who knows everything and only has your best interest in mind? yes. the answer is yes.
My second thought for the evening is found in Jacob 4:18:
"Behold, my beloved brethren, I will unfold this mystery unto you; if I do not, by any means, get shaken from my firmness in the spirit, and stumble because of my over anxiety for you"
Why is this scripture interesting to me? because he illustrates a very important principle. Worry and anxiety overshadow faith. This is a man who spends all of chapter 4 bearing testimony of Jesus Christ and his atonement. He bears testimony of the prophets and the Holy Ghost-and then he tells us that he is suffering from anxiety for the welfare of his people. That this anxiety causes him to lose his firmness of faith-which will in turn rob him of the spirit of prophecy and revelation. Faith and Fear cannot exist in the same heart at the same time. This I know. But fear, anxiety, and stress are the unwanted house guest that just won't go away. Faith must fight a never ending battle for every inch of space. This scripture just reminds me that even the prophets have had to fight the same battle for ownership. Like Jacob, I have a testimony of Jesus Christ and his atonement. But sometimes I slip and let my worries cheat me of my faith. Not that the fear robs me of my testimony..I always have that. But rather my fear robs me of the faith to move mountains...it robs me of the faith to change lives and make miracles happen.
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