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.
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