An Instrument of God

Mosiah 17

Abinadi finishes his testimony and is scourged and then burned to death.  He seals his testimony with his life.

There was a young man, Alma, who was one of the priests in the wicked King Noah's court.  He believed and tried to get King Noah to let Abinadi go.  King Noah thought on it for a bit, but his other priests told him he'd been insulted by Abinadi and nobody does that to a king.  His pride got the best of him and they proceeded with the plan to kill Abinadi.

What a sad story.  Yet how many prophets like Abinadi have sealed their testimonies with their blood.  Joseph Smith was just the most recent, and his death was a violent one.  We know from written history the fate of those who murdered Joseph Smith.  None of them died having lived a life of ease or joy.  It is a interesting study.

But what of Alma?  What became of him?  Well, because I've read the book many times I know he becomes a great prophet of the Book of Mormon.  I'm fascinated at his ability to write all the words of Abinadi.  Where does this come from?  It is the Spirit.  The Lord wanted these things recorded and Alma was the tool the Lord used.

This is my desire - to be used by the Lord in fulfilling his purpose.  Whatever that task is, I want to do it.  I don't need to have it recorded in a great book.  I just want to know I am an instrument in the Lord's hands as was Alma.  Maybe it will be in helping to reactivate someone, or in helping someone with a course correction.  Whatever it is, that's where I want to be and pray daily that it can be so.

Blessings Abound

Mosiah 16 – Abinadi continues to speak to King Noah and those present. It's a pretty pointed discourse on what we can expect from the choices we've made in this life.

This choice to follow the Savior will be available to every nation, kindred, tongue and people (1). Each person will need to confess their sins and decide for themselves. Should they not choose to follow the Savior, they have some pretty awful stuff to look forward to, i.e. howl, weep, wail and gnash their teeth. This is a pretty visual description.

As awful as that is, and it is that, what else is lost? I realize this life is but a flash in the pan compared to eternity, but we only have one shot at it. It will be over some day. What will we take back with us? Will we have wasted our time here in riotous, self-centered living? Will our pursuits bring consequence of eternal joy or eternal sadness? Even should a person never marry, all have a family. Will they be part of that eternal family, or a lone wanderer throughout the eternities? Maybe this is pretty shallow of me, but I can't imagine being deprived of the joy I find in family, serving the Lord and having true purpose in pushing through some of the hard stuff.

That said, I must hurry and prepare for a very long sabbath day. And I'm just fine with it. My body is achy sore from the abuse of the week, but this is the Lord's day and I'm grateful for it. I'm grateful for the opportunity I have to renew my baptismal covenants again by partaking of the sacrament. I'm grateful for a Savior who rescued me from a living hell. I'm so grateful for the atonement and the blessing it is in my life.   

Opportunities to teach

Abinadi teaches some amazing things in this chapter.  Not all will I dwell on.  He tells us how the Father and Son are One and yet separate.  Easy doctrine to understand especially when we consider that we are to be one with the Savior.  We are to be like minded.

He teaches us that the Savior has suffered for the sins of his people.  What did he suffer?  Temptations, mocking, scourging, being cast out and disowned by his very own people!

As I observe the struggle my children have raising their families, I can't help but be transported to my days as a mother.  Oh how helpful it would have been to have had the luxury of actually sitting alone in the morning with my scriptures and studying them.  This morning's efforts would have helped as I struggled with a child who had a "poor little 'ole me" personality.  I would take him to this chapter that I had just read.  I would be excited about it, because it talks about some serious problems the Savior suffered.  I would ask this child "what are your temptations?  Have you ever been mocked by others?  If he thought so, I would talk about that mocking and then recall what I know about the Savior's mockings.  Have you ever been scouraged?  What is scourged?  It is a flogging with a whip that has sharp items woven into it to be sure to leave the skin torn, bleeding and very painful.  Have you ever been cast out?  Cast out of what?  School?  Your neighborhood friends?  Your family?  Community?  The Savior suffered this.  Everybody was mean to him!  Even his apostles turned away for fear of their own safety when he was in the very act of being crucified.  Have you ever been disowned?  Disowned by whom?  Friends?  Family?  Closest friend?   Yes, our troubles are few in comparison.  Yet, for whom did the Savior go through all this?  For us!

There are four groups of people Abinadi teaches are His seed:

• Those who hearken to the prophets (Do I?)
• The prophets
• Missionaries (Am I one?)
• Those who died without hearing the prophets, and little children

Then he says they are the heirs of the kingdom (v11)!  What is an heir?  Someone who inherits all the father hath.

Then Abinadi delivers the bad news.  Those who will not be considered heirs of the kingdom.  Who are they?  Those who perished (died) in their sins, who willfully rebelled against God having known the commandments but would not keep them.  The Savior cannot deny justice (v27).  This is sobering and a grave concern to a mother with a child who denies the teachings of the gospel.

One more teaching even though this entry is probably too long for anyone to hang on to the end.  In v28 we are told that the gospel, aka salvation of the Lord, will be declared to every nation, tongue and people!  They shall all see eye to eye.  This is huge.  And we know there is some serious work left to do before we reach this goal.

So how does this apply to me today?  Obviously, I need to be declaring the word of the Lord to whatever people I have stewardship over.

Careful what you pray for

Mosiah 14

This is Isaiah speaking of the Savior and his mission; how he makes his soul and offering for our sins and makes intercession with the Father for our transgressions.

Some words used to describe Jesus' life:

• despised
• rejected
• sorrows
• grief
• wounded
• oppressed
• afflicted
• silent at accusation
• without sin
• bruised
• grief

Words that describe those for whom he suffered:

• We see no beauty in him
• We esteem him not
• All of us sin and go astray
• He divides the spoil with the strong

I'm sure a more astute scriptorian could find more, but this is enough to impress me.  The Lord, Savior, Jesus Christ suffered for me – a sinner (as we all sin and go astray v6), and if I am strong (v12), He will divide the spoil with me!  Is this not an amazing concept?  What is the spoil?  Eternal Life, all that the Lord has will be given to me.  Is this not sufficient to make me want to do all in my power to attain this prize?  Yet, in human weakness, we all justify our actions.  There are always excuses for not being the best visiting teacher, for not going out of our way to be the best teacher, or whatever it is we are called to do, i.e. parenting, being a daughter/son, being a wife, a neighbor.  The list is really endless.  We all know where we are weak.  And in that weakness, we can go to the Savior and ask to be made stronger.  What does he do?  He gives us opportunities to overcome that weakness – not just sometimes; always.  We can count on some challenge or opportunity that will stretch us and that will directly correlate to the weakness we are experiencing.  This has been my experience through the years and has caused me to be a little cautious in my prayers.  The saying, “Be careful what you pray for” is a very real thing for me.  There is no doubt in my mind the Lord hears my prayers and answers them – always, and usually not in the way I am praying for them.

Pride and Leadership

As I studied Mosiah Chapter 11 this morning I could not help but think of the leadership of our country today.  As we watched the happenings shortly after Obama took office, we quickly saw him surround himself with leaders of like mindedness.  I don't see Obama as living riotously as did King Noah, but I do see him as one who has ". . .changed the affairs of the kingdom (v4)".  It is a huge concern.
When the Lamanites came against them, they were able to drive them back.  Again, pride is the enemy.  While they are taking credit for being strong, their cancerous pride is eating away at their spiritual strength.

Abinadi comes to warn them of the trouble they are in.  Life is good; why should they fear anything Abinadi has to say?  Abinadi becomes an enemy to the King and is sought after by the people who support King Noah.

It is fascinating to me at how quickly things seem to change.  It was King Noah's father who was a righteous man and lead in righteousness.  How does an offspring go so wrong so fast?  Once the spirit of the Lord ceases to dwell with a leader, he is left to his own carnal devices.  Because the natural man is an enemy to God, he becomes his own God so to speak.  Whatever he wants is right in his eyes and the means to achieve those desires is also right.  What is hard for me to understand is getting people to follow this mindset.  But King Noah didn't seem to have any problem with that either.  He used the taxes of the people to pay his people to support him in his riotous living.  Life was good for them; why not?
So what am I to learn from this chapter?  What am I to correct?  So many times when I read the scriptures and ask myself these questions, the answer seems to be a Sunday School answer, and is that wrong?  We must put the Lord first in our lives - worship him, keep his commandments, study the words of the Lord to know his will.  In other words, set a righteous example and keep on keeping on!

I Want a Redo!

Rather than focus on the scripture I read this morning, I'm going to write about what has been on my mind the last few days as I've been studying Handbook 2 – Administering in the Church.

Something Elder Holland said as he was talking about Fathers in the home and the Priesthood authority they hold, really rang a bell with me for some reason. As I see the struggles my children have in raising their children, it just seemed to resonate truth to me. He said that the father needs to be using his priesthood in the home more. As he said that I couldn't help but think about raising my own children. We had kids who occasionally had meltdowns. I wonder what it might have changed if, when they had a meltdown, a Priesthood blessing would have been given as well as the usual trying to talk it out, which is very hard to do to a child who is in meltdown mode. What child would not want to hear the words “your Heavenly Father loves you and He knows what you are going through. He knows the sorrows and frustrations of your heart. Go to Him in prayer and ask for help to understand that your parents love you too and want what is best for you. Ask him to help you in your struggles.” Could this not be empowering to a young child? And while the dad has a somewhat captive audience, wouldn't it be the best time of all to say “Your mother is your best friend. Learn to trust her wisdom and know that she is trying to teach you to be the best that you can be. She has sacrificed so much for you and continues to do so. Keep Heavenly Father's commandment to honor her.” As my mind thought on this resource parents have as they raise their families, all I could think about was “I want a redo!” Well, not really. Raising a family is hard work. I think I just might be getting lazy in my old age.   

Pride is Spiritual Cancer

As I studied Mosiah Chapter 11 this morning I could not help but think of the leadership of our country today.  As we watched the happenings shortly after Obama took office, we quickly saw him surround himself with leaders of like mindedness.  I don't see Obama as living riotously as did King Noah, but I do see him as one who has ". . .changed the affairs of the kingdom (v4)".  I is a huge concern.
When the Lamanites came against them, they were able to drive them back.  Again, pride is the enemy.  While they are taking credit for being strong, their cancerous pride is eating away at their spiritual strength.

Abinadi comes to warn the people of King Noah of the trouble they are in.  Life is good; why should they fear anything Abinadi has to say?  Abinadi becomes an enemy to the King and is sought after by the people who support King Noah.

It is fascinating to me at how quickly things seem to change.  It was King Noah's father who was a righteous man and lead in righteousness.  How does an offspring go so wrong so fast?  Once the spirit of the Lord ceases to dwell with a leader, he is left to his own carnal devices.  Because the natural man is an enemy to God, he becomes his own God so to speak.  Whatever he wants is right in his eyes and the means to achieve those desires is also right.  What is hard for me to understand is getting people to follow this mindset.  But King Noah didn't seem to have any problem with that either.  He used the taxes of the people to pay his people to support him in his riotous living.  Life was good for them; why not?

So what am I to learn from this chapter?  What am I to correct?  So many times when I read the scripture and ask myself these questions, the answer seems to be a Sunday School answer, and is that wrong?  We must put the Lord first in our lives - worship him, keep his commandments, and study the words of the Lord to know his will.

Prepare, Work, Guard

Mosiah 10

This will be short since I already did it once and static erased the entire entry.

Zeniff is the leader of the righteous Nephites.  He teaches his people righteous principles, aka work, prepare for the future, guard what is theirs.  The Lamanites grow uneasy and decide to invade them.  The people of Zeniff fight "with the strength of the Lord".  What does this mean?  I would suspect they prayed for protection and guidance.  Since the Lamanites know nothing about the Lord, they are left to their own devices.  They are the stronger of the two groups, but they are on their own.

Sad to me that this war is against two sides of a family.  The Lamanites feel they have been treated wrongly and have spread lies to their posterity.  These people don't even know what the war is about.  They just fight because that's what generations have done in the past.

Last night our HT reminded us that the Book of Mormon was written for us in our day - not the Nephites who actually never even saw the Book of Mormon.  So what am I to learn from this chapter?  I must be prepared against any future conflict with the adversary, remembering that it could be a family member.   Work!  Guard against the adversary invading my peace.  How do I do this?  Do all in my power to see that lies are corrected quickly, watch for attacks from the adversary, and continue serving and doing as I've been commanded to do.

Prayer and Action

Mosiah 9

Zeniff begins his account as he leads a group from Zarahemla to possess the land of Lehi-Nephi. The Lamanite king grants them permission to live there with the intent to take them captive. War ensues.

It would seem to me to be a chapter on the value of prayer. First Zeniff claims they were negligent in this commandment – to pray. He repents and is assisted by the Lord in protecting his people after they have built up the city of Lehi-Nephi. What changed? V17 says they were “ . . . awakened to a remembrance of the deliverance of our fathers.” The next verse goes on to say “. . .God did hear our cries and did answer our prayers. . .”

Is it that simple? It was for me. As soon as I reached out to the Lord and asked for His help in getting me out of the awful mess I had created, I saw miracle after miracle. This happened in putting me in the right place to avoid confrontation, it happened in unexpected phone calls, and visits from people not likely before to visit me. I began to wax strong in the gospel until I had the courage to do what was necessary to regain my freedom. Were there casualties? Most certainly. I feel my daughter was caught in the cross fire of my conflicts. But after years of her being in bondage, she has had the same courage to pull herself out and is enjoying the blessings of the gospel in her life.

Heavenly Father is true to his promise. If we will but turn to him in our extremities and remember him on a daily basis, he will bless us beyond our wildest imaginations. It may not be exactly as we are praying for. It will probably exceed our expectations. Sincere, heart-felt prayer is critical to our joy in this life. Of course, when we receive impressions as a result of our prayers, it is our responsibility to follow through on those impressions.   

The Gift that exceeds all others

Mosiah 8

Ammon teaches the people of Limhi. He learns about the Jaredite records and teaches about seers. The gift of seer exceeds all other gifts.

I have recently been made aware of scriptures.byu.edu, a web site that shows talks given by the brethren from the beginning of the restoration to the current where they have referenced the scripture passages you're reading. It is very interesting for sure. Orson Pratt gave quite a discussion on this chapter.

Joseph Smith only went into the grove of trees to know which church to join. He wasn't asking to become a prophet. Well, we know that is exactly what did happen to him. As a consequence of this one prayer and obedience to all the Lord's commands, he became not only a prophet, but a seer, a revelator – the gift that exceed all others. What exactly can a seer do? The answer is in verses 16 & 17

• Revelator
• Prophet
• Knows things past
• Knows things to come
• All things are revealed to him
• Secret things made known
• Hidden things come to light
• Miracles are worked
• He is a benefit to his people

In spite of this knowledge, the “children of men” (v20) are blind an impenetrable to the ways of God. Why would this be? Do we hold too lightly the things that the prophet says? Perhaps. Do we just not listen intently enough? Do we sleep through his talk? All these things are possibilities and we've seen them in ourselves and our close family members at times. The last item should be the one thing that causes us to sit up and listen – and act! “He is a benefit to his fellow beings.” If we know we can benefit from heeding the words of our prophet today, should that not be enough to know we need to take action?”

I need to listen to the conference talks again. What do I need to change? What warnings have I been given?

I know Pres. Monson is a prophet of God. I take seriously the things he says. I need to know what they are.

Happy Birthday to me!

Mosiah 5

I love this chapter. I remember it as the birthday chapter, for King Benjamin tells us how we can be born again and become children of Christ. It's a small chapter, but a powerful one.

Words that carry a lot of weight in this chapter:

• Willing – we do this because of our own desires.
• Obedient – we embrace the commandments because we want to.
• All things – in all things the Lord has asked of us.
• All our days – Every day without exception
• This day – It can happen in a day. King Benjamin's people had just heard his sermon and they were reborn.
• Hearts changed – This rebirth is a change of heart
• Faith on his name – It is through Christ that we can hope for a better day.
• Free – It frees us from torment that is ongoing otherwise.
• Name of Christ – We are then call Christians!
• Written always on your hearts – When it is written on the heart, it is there for keeps.
• Serve – The way to know if it is real is if we go about helping others to feel this same experience.
• Thoughts and intents – We are constantly thinking of the Savior and how we can serve him.
• Steadfast – It is constant; it is everyday
• Immovable – The opinions and actions of others, the circumstances that surround us will not change this change of heart.
• Good works – We will be about doing good always.
• Everlasting salvation – in doing these things, we will have faith in an everlasting salvation. Think on it. To be on the right hand of God and claim the same inheritance the Savior has. This is huge.
• Eternal life – We will live in this manner for eternity!

Well, the list turned out to be longer than I thought. But it tells in a nutshell how we are to become children of Christ. It happened with these people in a day “this day”. Their hearts were changed. Why? Because they heard the words of Christ and they were changed forever. Can it happen today. Yes! And it does. This chapter would be a good chapter for Mitt Romney to refer to when he's accused of not being Christian.

So what must be done to be considered a child of Christ? We must have faith in him, that he has the power to make us whole again. When we get to that point, we will be free (v8). Free from what? From experience I must say it is the torment that you are wasting your time here on earth. Freedom knowing you are pleasing Heavenly Father through serving him, constantly thinking about him, being steadfast in your commitment to help others. Immovable in your testimony. Doing good works. What does this freedom allow you to have? A conviction that you will have everlasting salvation and eternal life. This is faith and must be nurtured continually. It is easily lost as we see in the lives of many every day.

So how does one retain a remembrance of the Savior every day? I would hope it starts in the morning with a prayer to be an instrument in the Lord's hands that we might find someone whose life we can influence for good. This doesn't have to be huge. Just contact with another person with a cheerful attitude can be sufficient. I would hope it means not stopping there, but recording that experience and thinking on it sometime during the day. It is, as Elder Bednar has explained, a tender mercy.” This helps me remember that I'm on an errand to help save lives that others too might experience this rebirth which is a real thing. I will never forget my own experience. It is etched forever on the fleshy tables of my heart. It is a tender experience that I enjoy talking about. It is real.

We aren't ever "done".

Mosiah 4

A beautiful explanation of the Atonement, Repentance, Forgiveness, Parenting as pertaining to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I read today after a disturbing email. Could I forgive someone who hurt my daughter enough to accept him into my home again with full fellowship? Well, if I am sincere in my own repentance and desire eternal blessings I've been promised, then I guess there is only one answer to that question.

I believe in the power of the atonement to heal hurt. I believe it is real when it comes to changing us from the inside out. I know it has worked for me and that I am no more the same person I was 40 years ago than I am the stranger on the street. People change. That is the beauty of the atonement and blessing we have been given. However, make no doubt about it, there are steps that must be made to make sure the change is in the right direction. They take time and diligence in keeping the commandments because you want to please the Lord because you love him. It is trusting in the Lord that the things we read from the scriptures are true. We must be wise, patient, and long-suffering (v6). We must repent of our sins and forsake them. That means never doing them again (v10). We must not have a mind to injure one another, but to live peaceably (v13). It is not a quick fix, and the change is a gradual one.

Oh, and it doesn't end there either. If we want to retain a remission of our sins – that means, if we want the atonement to continue working for us, we will be charitable and impart of our substance to the needy (v26). So once we have repented, we aren't ever really “done”. It is a continued effort. I like the last verse “. . . if you do not watch yourselves, and your thoughts, and your words, and your deeds, and observe the commandments of God, and continue in the faith of what ye have heard concerning the coming of our Lord, even unto the end of your lives, ye must perish. And now, O man, remember, and perish not.”

Service for the Right Reason

Mosiah 2

This is one of my all-time favorite chapters in the Book of Mormon. There is so much meat to chew on and this morning my mind was spinning the entire time. It could be because it's Monday after another Ward Conference where I spoke and wish a little I could have a re-do. Oh well. That's of no consequence for now.

Mosiah gives an accounting of the talk King Benjamin gave as the people gathered around the temple. Interesting note that he caused the talk to be written for those who could not hear – just like today! (v8) I can't wait for my November Ensign so I can read the Conference talks.

Dallin H. Oaks said “Christianity is service for the right reason – unconcerned with self and heedless of personal advantage. Just because of the love we have for God.” Everything we do for others in the name of service must be for our love of God. When we serve in this manner, we will be blessed. We will see the blessings. Why does the Lord ask this of us? Because he knows it is our nature that when we serve like this, we will begin to have Charity, which is the pure love of Christ. We will begin to love because that is who we are.

Of course, I can't read the last nine or so verses of this chapter without serious concern for loved ones who have chosen to come out against God in open rebellion. I'm speaking of those who have been taught and know the commandments of God and have chosen to withdraw from the Spirit of the Lord (v36). They have basically said “thanks but no thanks” to the guidance of the Holy Ghost in wisdom's paths; to be blessed, prospered, and preserved. Think on it. Who would not want these four blessings in their lives? The fate of one who says “no” is in verses 38 through 41.

Shrink from the presence of God

Filled with guilt, pain, anguish like an unquenchable fire

Mercy hath no claim on you.

What does that mean? Mercy hath no claim? Well, we all make mistakes. Even when we are trying our hardest to serve and do as the Lord has asked us. For those who sincerely repent of their mistakes and move forward, mercy comes into play. We don't deserve it, but the Lord does forgive us and we are able to continue progressing. For this I am and will be eternally grateful. I have made some bad mistakes and I make mistakes even still. I'm able to be shown these mistakes and repent of them as I go along. I know the Lord forgives me because he continues to bless me more than I could ever repay – just as King Benjamin speaks in verse 21.

King Benjamin doesn't end on the down side of choices, and neither should I. In the last verse he tells us to consider the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. They are blessed temporally and spiritually. If they hold out faithful to the end they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. Doesn't that sound like a much better outcome of one's life? Service for the right reason is the answer.

American Covenant

Mosiah 1

I'll try to do this quickly before I go to church. I definitely saw things this morning as I read that I haven't really paid attention to before. The fireside I attended Tuesday has really opened my eyes a little bit.

King Benjamin is getting ready to hand the mantel of king to Mosiah. King Mosiah understood the “American Covenant” so to speak. It is mentioned numerous times throughout the scriptures. He knew how important it is to have the commandments continually before our eyes (v5 &6). He knew the importance of searching the scriptures. Why? Tim Ballard said these words about every other sentence it seemed - Protect, Prosper and Liberty! It is a covenant prophets have made with the Lord throughout the ages. If we will but keep his commandments and keep them continually before our eyes, we will have these three blessings. I know there's more, and I'm anxious still to start reading it. But this is what I got out of the fireside.

He mentioned in his fireside that there are numerous places in Washington D.C. where our founding fathers have put Holiness to the Lord, the Ten Commandments and other religious symbols are in buildings and monuments. Our Founding Fathers understood the Covenant. And our leaders today are doing all in their power to eradicate the memory of that covenant. If we allow them to be successful, we are headed for a terrible fate.

How to apply this to me? Do all in my power to see that the leaders are not allowed to suppress religion. Doing so will offend God and we will lose His protection, cease to prosper and be in bondage. Pretty simple   

GOoD vs dEVIL

Omni

For a short chapter, there is a lot of information in these 30 verses. For one, it covers over 200 years of history. The one commonality between all the writers: wars and the continuing efforts of righteous men to teach of Christ and keep the commandments of God.

It must be very frustrating to a prophet of God – and even just the righteous who know truth – to see the people not embrace the truth that when they are righteous the Lord will bless them and when they seek evil, there is destruction. The prophets see the train wreck coming.

Again, I can't help but be influenced by the things I'm reading. I'm trying to finish Joseph Smith's History by his mother, Lucy Mack Smith before I start reading American Covenant. I sat up last night reading in horror at the atrocities the saints suffered at the hands of evil men. Why? Because they had found truth and the evilness of the world would not accept it. I am appalled at how evil people can be. Where is the decency to another human? Is this really what our future is going to hold? We've been told the persecutions of the saints in the beginning is going to be similar to what we will have to endure? Can I sleep on a snow-covered ground with nothing but my own clothing to protect me as snow continues to fall? How did they do it? I thought you were supposed to die if you slept in the snow.

Amaleki talks about the days of Mosiah and calls people to come unto Christ. What does that mean? To believe in him. To believe in prophesying, revelations, and ministering of angels, the gift of tongues and in DOING GOOD!!! I really like verse 25. That which is good comes from God. That which is evil comes from the devil. Period! What an easy way to judge all things. And what does it require of us to Come unto Christ? To offer our whole souls as an offering, continue in fasting and prayer and endure to the end (v26). How does one offer their whole soul as an offering? Serve the Lord to the end of our days. Whatever it takes – even sleeping on a snow-covered ground. [sigh] The early saints got it. Will I?

Live After the Manner of Happiness

Jarom

One chapter, but it says a lot about the people of Nephi in this period of time. They lived after the manner of happiness. They were industrious, united and prepared against their enemy, the Lamanites. They had prophets who preached repentance to them continually. They “waxed strong in the land”.

I went to a fireside yesterday by Tim Ballard, the author of “American Covenant”. It was totally fascinating and is shedding a brighter light on what it is I am reading in the Book of Mormon. The Pilgrams were infused with a deeper understanding of the purpose in being on this great land. Some of the leaders who got them here had actually visited with angels and spoke of it. Columbus was one of them. He said he was driven by the Spirit to discover this land. The spirit they brought with them was what this author calls “The American Covenant”. This book tells of the many miracles that happened to find it, inhabit it, and preserve it. The American Covenant is the same as the Abrahamic Covenant. I bought the book, and it is quite likely I will be sharing some of the things I am reading – if I can find the time to read it.

What have I learned from reading this morning? Perhaps it is that our nation is in trouble. We are not living in the manner of happiness as the Nephites were in Jarom's time. We are ignoring the words of the prophets as a nation, and we are paying the price. Current events are reading like a very sad novel these days and we are all waiting for the Lord to say “enough!” In many places he has gotten the attention of many, and many rise to the occasion to help others. But we're still a long way from living after the manner of happiness. How can I personally live after this manner? Keep the commandments, prepare for the future, and help others see their responsibility to do the same.

Agency!

Enos

Enos is such a great example of “how it's done”. He prays to the Father for forgiveness of his sins. After he is given a confirmation that the Lord forgives him, he asks how it's done. He was told it was because of his faith in Christ whom he had never before seen.

Can we not have this same type of experience? Have I seen Christ? No! But I too have experienced a similar type of forgiveness. It begins with a hunger (v4) and then by humbling oneself to the point of kneeling down and just asking.

I've often wondered how a person could pray all day and into the night. This one doesn't bother me any more. I've experienced days when I've felt I prayed all day and into the night. The most recent was for the RS sisters in my stake who were struggling with their visiting teaching report. I had nowhere else I could turn. The Lord was my only resource. I prayed for each president personally. Sometimes I would pray for their presidencies individually. As I went about my day, if I got the impression to kneel down and go through my list again, that is what I did. I felt the Lord's blessings that day and wondered why I've not thought of this resource before in other problems I was dealing with. What a resource!

There is one key element in all of this, however. As we pray for others, we need to remember what the Lord told Enos in v10 - “. . . I will visit thy brethren according to their diligence in keeping my commandments.” He goes on to explain they've already been blessed by having this holy land. But they must be diligent in keeping the commandments. It won't be until those we pray for are similarly diligent in keeping the commandments that they will see the Lord's hand in their life. They must want the same thing.

And there you go. It always comes to agency. We have our agency to either keep the commandments and be blessed or not keep them and suffer the consequences.   

Tempt God and die

Chapter 7 of Jacob is an interesting chapter. It appeared that Jacob was through writing in Chapter 6. Then he decided to put this very enlightening chapter in for us. Why? Because in our day we are seeing many “Sherem” type individuals – some up close and personal. They won't believe truth even though they have seen numerous witnesses of it. They speak nonsense and actually tempt God to prove them wrong. The principles of the gospel seem hard for them to live, so they spin their own reality and tell themselves there is either no God or that he loves all his children and will not cast them out forever but just scold them a little. This is very dangerous territory to be in, as is demonstrated in this chapter.

What do I learn from this chapter? How does it apply to me? I guess I need to watch out for the Sherems in my own life. They are more to be pitied than contended with. Love them in a Christ-like manner and the Lord will deal with them in his own way. I guess.   

Just my thoughts

I have been bothered by a question asked of President Todd yesterday by one of the sisters during our Ward Conference. The question was asked with a little embarrassment and I have wondered how I would have answered. Pres. Todd asked his wife to respond, and she did a nice job. I felt like there was much more that could have been said, however. The question was this: We've been told all our lives that women bring into a marriage a spirituality that is special and that Heavenly Father thinks his daughters are special; that they are powerful because of this. What do men bring to the table, so to speak?

I think I've remembered the question just as she spoke it. It was like I'd been hit in the face with a glass of water, just a little. Have we as leaders done our jobs a little too well in some instances that young sisters feel so good about themselves that they feel superior and that the man they are looking for doesn't exist?

As I reflect back on the time that I was looking for an eternal companion, I remember one very critical experience in dating Clyde. He was not your standard return-missionary-looking guy. His hair was long, he had facial hair and he dressed like a hippy. He didn't have a suit, but wore a tie with his denim shirt to church. He really was a risk. However, he was a very good person. He had never seriously transgressed the commandments and he was seeking after righteousness. He was preparing to go to the temple. He was working on tempering his own imperfections. At this point, he really didn't believe that appearance was all that important. He was working hard on the “judging” others were doing of him. He actually told me the reason he looked as he did was because if others couldn't like him for who he is, he didn't want to know them. I thought this strange.

As we were becoming serious in our courtship, we spent a Sunday between meetings reading each others' Patriarchal Blessings. I was stunned at what the Lord saw in him. The potential for him to achieve was great. It was plain to me that he had the capacity to sit in high counsels in the church and at the same time be a successful business man in whatever field he chose. He would have children who would bring him great joy. All I could think after reading this was “Sign me up!” There were some warnings; one that has been slow in coming but has definitely been critical to him. The word that was used was “conform”. I remember the general idea but not the wording. It was that he would need to conform to the teachings of the gospel to achieve the blessings he had been promised.

So, to answer the question. What did Clyde bring to the table?

• For one, the Priesthood, without which none of the blessings promised in either of our blessings could have been fulfilled. It is what makes him who he is. As he has exercised his priesthood, he has blessed the lives of our children as well as my own. As he has tried to be a worthy priesthood holder, he has tempered his own desires for worldly behavior and sought after the things of eternal worth. He has encouraged his family to do the same.
• Perspective. Men bring to the table a more constant and unemotional perspective. They aren't as uptight about the things that really don't matter and they temper women to stay more grounded. This too is a two-way street, however.
• Calm. Men don't have mood swings. They can be injured and withdraw at times; but generally they stay calm through the storms.
• Protection. If the wife will allow it, they are there to protect us from the things of the world. We have a tendency to reach out a bit too much sometimes. They protect us from taking on too much which spreads us so thin that we can't be good at anything – especially rearing our families. They protect us from ourselves as we tend to be hard on ourselves because of the high standards we have set for ourselves and our families. They remind us that life is a process and we are all processing.
• They preside over our family. This too is something we as women need to let them do at all costs. It is a very hard thing to do because of our natures, but it is not in God's plan for the woman to preside. The insight of a righteous woman will allow a man to take this roll seriously and grow in it. She can gently encourage, but must never take over this roll. In doing so, the family becomes “tilted” and dysfunctional.  

As I was thinking on this, the thoughts were flowing and I thought there were more. I don't know that I articulated them very well. However, the man brings to the table things that the woman is slower to achieve. Yes, she can make a living. She can protect herself to a degree, but not like he can. It is a relationship designed by God and one would be wise to examine this question seriously before making a commitment of marriage. Is he bringing the right things to the table?   

TheSpirit speaketh truth

Jacob 4

Jacob speaks to the people about the prophets of old and their role in the plan of salvation. We are so blessed to have knowledge of this plan. It makes everything that happens in this earth life make more sense, and gives me hope for the future. Where does this hope come from? Only through the Savior, Jesus Christ.

As I read at this early hour on a Saturday when I really should still be asleep, I marvel at the correctness in the prophecies as it pertains to those who look to Christ as their “stone” as is spoken of in v15. For those who reject this “stone”, it will become as a stumbling block just as Jacob speaks of it concerning the Jews. But then in the next verse, this very stumbling block is said to be the only sure foundation. Until the Jews (and any of us for that matter) accept Christ as our Savior and look to him to be saved from our own foolishness, we will continue to stumble and fall.

In verse 13 it speaks of the Holy Spirit and how it speaks only truth and lieth not. In the next verse it talks about “stiffnecked people” and those who “despise the words of plainness”, aka the scriptures, and those who kill the prophets. Those who do these things cannot understand the things of righteousness. It seems to me to be a terrible cycle. Because a person doesn't have the spirit, they don't understand and reject the things of the spirit which causes them to make even more dumb mistakes and fall deeper into a life of misery. The only solution is to accept Christ but one can't help but wonder how that's going to happen.

Obviously, I'm troubled this morning by the sad state of a beautiful daughter who has turned against the teachings of Christ. She seems to have lost all cognitive thinking as it pertains to those things that bring real joy in life. She has turned against the church and its teachings and claims they are just stories. She has conjured up an imaginary life she lived as a child – that she was treated unfairly and was the unloved child. The interesting thing is that she says to others that her parents have given more to her siblings than they did to her. These are lies and we have the checkbook to prove it if one really wants to go there. She has been the costliest child we've raised. Her mistakes have cost us plenty not to mention the heartache, lost sleep and disappointment. How can she not see? How does this happen? Where does it come from? I can only believe it is from the loss of the spirit and thus being blinded by the lies Satan is telling her. I see a parallel between her and Laman and Lemuel like non other. These injustices are perceived by a blinded reality and she will pass them on to her children should she have them, and the chasm she has created will get even larger. I know she knows they're lies. It is so very sad, and even though I know she knows the truth, and that who she is today isn't really the daughter I raised, I know somehow things will be made right some day. She has every right to reach out to her Savior for help just as I did and her sister did – not to mention the many others who daily come to the reality that Christ is there for her to, and that this life is a probationary period and we are here to make righteous choices so we can return to our Heavenly Father. He too loves us just as parents on earth do. Oh how I hope she does this before she totally trashes her only chance at this earth life and her eternal happiness.

Prescription against Depression

Jacob 3

There are nuggets all through this chapter. I will focus on the 2^nd verse to begin though and more if time allows. Did you know there is a prescription for depression? I love this verse! Depression need not be. Yes, I know it is chemical, but much of it can be worked out through following this simple prescription:

• Be pure in heart.

What exactly does it mean to be pure in heart? As you read further, it suggests that not being filthy before God is a start. How could you go about that? Keep reading and it says “repent”. Repent of what? Anything you're doing that displeases God – one tiny infraction at a time.

• Lift up your heads.

How would I go about lifting up my head? What exactly would that mean? Perhaps knowing that I am a child of god, royalty in His eyes and worthy of better things would cause me to look up. Wasn't there a talk in Conference just last week on looking up? Look to God for a solution to all my concerns and problems. Look up!

• Receive the pleasing word of God. But of course! Read the scriptures; digest them. Know them like you would a good friend.
• Feast upon His love. How? I know of no better way than by doing his work; serving others and going about doing good. When you do, you feel much better about yourself and depression is less likely to infringe upon these good feelings. Again, I do know its chemical; but can this hurt? I don't think so.

I also love v11, where Jacob tells the people to “arouse the faculties of your souls; shake yourselves that ye may awake from the slumber of death; and loose yourselves from the pains of hell that ye may not become angels to the devil. . .” It is such a visual to me. Wake up! Shake the sleep from your eyes and realize the danger you are in. Reach out to your Savior for help in this. As I see some who are in this “slumber of death”, this verse jumps out at me. It is a real slumber that numbs the heart and soul to the reality of what this life is all about. They are numb to the fact they are in danger. It is the rest of us who are in their opinion, wasting our lives. Go figure.

Jacob 1

It's not that I don't read every day. But some days, I think I get more than others. Such is the case yesterday. I re-read Jacob 1 this morning. Why? Because yesterday I read it from my iPad and my page had not turned in my scriptures. It took me until the 7^th verse to really remember anything I'd read. This is not good!

But verse 7 got my attention this morning as I ponder my responsibility as a Stake Relief Society President. Sleep eludes me in the middle of the night and I cannot stop thinking about the sisters I serve and the responsibility I have to see that they understand the importance of visiting teaching.

Jacob said they did labor diligently that they might persuade them to come unto Christ (v7). Our Stake theme is “Come Unto Christ”. What does it mean to labor diligently? Somewhat that question is answered ten verses later in v19 – magnify my calling, being responsible, teach them the word of God. For me, that would mean teaching them as it pertains to their individual responsibilities as Relief Society sisters. How do I teach? I only have real access to the presidents who then teach their sisters. Some wards really do understand; others flounder. It is quite frustrating.

In v8 Jacob says that he wants to persuade “. . .all men [to] believe in Christ, and view his death and suffer his cross and bear the shame of the world. . .” What does it mean to view his death, suffer his cross and bear the shame of the world? Does it mean that as I truly visualize the atrocities that occurred as Christ was being persecuted, unjustly judged and crucified that I too suffer? That I literally pick up his cross and bear the shame? Why do wIe need to bear the shame? I wasn't there. I didn't crack the whip that shredded his back. No, but it is for me that these things were allowed to happen. He was perfect and without sin. There was no reason for these things to happen other than he wanted to spare me the same suffering. Not all the suffering occurred at the hands of evil people. This is what needs to be remembered. The bigger portion of his pain was suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane as he suffered for each of us the sins we would commit; the cruelty that the world would impose on each other, and the things of this imperfect world that we would suffer. When it is put like that, then the shame is mine. I was instrumental in his suffering and I need to view constantly the gift that is mine in his great atonement for me. His grace and love redeemed me from an awful existence. It is real. I don't understand it, but I have experienced it. And as I diligently serve in whatever calling it is for His sake, I must labor diligently to encourage others to take up his cross as well.   

Nuggets Galore!

2 Nephi 32 & 33

I couldn't resist the urge to finish the book of 2 Nephi since they were both small chapters. There were plenty of nuggets in each one, so now I debate on which were my favorite.

As I listened to conference this weekend, I determined to memorize more scripture as was suggested by one of the brethren. I believe it may have been Elder Hale. This is like spiritual food storage – to store up for a time when I am left to what I can only think about. It can't hurt in keeping the brain cells active either. Some of my favorites are the response to the question that arises in reading 2 Nephi 31:13 – How DO angels speak? In 32:3 the answer is: “Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.” In other words – they are nice!

This is another reason to memorize scripture. When we are in the heat of a trial that would take us from our scriptures, it is important to keep the Holy Ghost with us and to speak like angels. This could explain why older people who have had time to really digest the scriptures are so angelic.

One of my all-time favorites is v9 in Chapter 32. This has been my guide for years as I have performed a lot musically. But now it becomes a verse that guides me as I find myself counseling in Ward Conferences to full rooms of sisters. V9 “But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul.

Chapter 33 v2 explains to me the situation of some as they seem to stumble around in darkness, not really having a clue what this life is all about. “But behold there are many that harden their hearts against the Holy Spirit, that it hath no place in them; wherefore, they cast many things away which are written and esteem them as things of naught.” What is it that will cause a person to harden their hearts? They stop reading the scriptures. They stop caring what the prophets have to say. They go it on their own and in a very short time, their hearts are hard as flint. They are not content to just be their own miserable selves; they must convince others who cling to the words of the prophets of the wrongness of their path! It is no mystery how a person loses the spirit.

There are other nuggets but time limits me. I too glory in the plainness of scriptures as Nephi says in v6. I grieve that not all scripture is plain to me, but I am improving.