Lift Up Your Head

3 Nephi 1

This is one of my favorite chapters in the Book of Mormon.  Nephi, the son of Nephi, is given the records and authority.  The people are waiting for the sign that Christ is born.  The wicked people set a date and all those who believe will be executed for that belief if the sign has not come.  This caused Nephi to go to the Lord in prayer and the Savior himself responded to his prayer with these words:  “Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand. . . “  (v13)

Many times we become overburdened with the deadlines in our own lives and feel the time is far spent for a little relief.  We must remember to “look up”.  Go to Heavenly Father in sincere prayer and ask for that which we desire.  Will it always happen as we desire?  Probably not.   Why is that?  Because I believe Heavenly Father is going for the bigger lesson.   When we are in the middle of a trial, the easy answer is to remove the trial.  When we are on the other side of this trial and look back, we will be able to see the bigger lesson. 

I’ve recently had conversations with some people who have gone through unbelievable trials – trials I think would test me to the limit.  One friend nursed a very ill wife for 10 years before she was released from her earthly mission.  There wasn’t a whole lot fun about those ten years, but as he looks back he sees the growth in not only himself, but also his children.  It was a sacred time for their family and an experience he is grateful for.  Their testimonies seemed to increase in that time and they also grew in their ability to become responsible adults, and grew in their love for each other.  His children were teenagers through this trial.  Teenagers are usually caught up in the trials of being teenagers.  His five children were focused on caring for a sick mother and each other.  They were probably spared a lot of teenage grief and in the process blessed abundantly. 

This probably isn’t the biggest nugget I could have picked out of this chapter this morning, but it is where my mind wandered. 

The Savior is born and there is light for a day, a night and a day.  This is a miraculous experience all by itself, but to know that it was the announcement of the birth of our Savior would make it so lock-in incredible!  How could you ever forget such an experience?  Yet there were still unbelievers.  How does this happen?  What is it in the heart of man that makes him refuse to see the light?  V28 says they were “dissenters”.  In v29 – some were children who were led away by dissenters.  V30 suggests it was the rising generation.  How sad!  Is it any less prevalent today?  Many of our children are being led away by dissenters and become dissenters themselves.  Many of them were raised while being surrounded with goodness and blessings for goodness.  Since we are told that the world today is a repeat of 3 Nephi, it is even easier to see and should not be a surprise.  This doesn’t make it any less sad to watch.

What is my assignment today?  As a mother, grandmother and leader of young people in college, I need to be a righteous influence.  That is my only defense against the evil we have all around.    

Am I converted?

Helaman 15

Samuel continues talking to the people and tells them the Lord chastens those whom he loves.  He talks about the converted Lamanites and their firmness and steadfastness in the faith.  The Lord will be merciful to them.

I read a talk this week by Elder Bednar that was given at a Regional meeting.  It has given me a lot of things to think about.  For one, the difference between testimony and conversion.  Many of the people who have been baptized have testimonies.  In fact, it’s probably safe to say all have testimonies.  They know the gospel to be true and that it is the Lord’s true church.  What is missing?  Conversion.  What exactly is conversion?  I think Samuel answers that in this chapter.

V5 – The more part of the Lamanites are on the path of their duty.  They have studied what the Lord expects of them and they do it.  They walk circumspectly before God.  What does circumspectly mean?  The dictionary says:  Careful to consider all circumstances and their consequences.  Prudent.   Prudent is marked by wisdom, being judicious, and practical in their affairs. 

Samuel continues in v7 to say they have a change of heart.  I would imagine if your heart is changed, you would be a changed person since the heart is what keeps us alive.  In v8 he says they were firm and steadfast in the faith. 

Am I among a converted people or content to just have a testimony of the truth?  Which will sustain me when things get tough as they undoubtedly will?  I believe the firm and steadfast characteristic is one I need to hone.  How is this done?  Keep on keeping on – i.e. study the scriptures, sincere prayer, listen intently to the words of the prophet and make course corrections where the spirit guides me.  Easy?  Of course not!  Doable?  Absolutely!

Which is it going to be?

Helaman 14

Samuel prophesies the coming of Jesus Christ, the signs of his birth and the signs of his death.

This is a sobering chapter.  We know it happened because of the many things that have been written on Christ’s birth and death.  I can’t help but wander just a little as I read.  What will it be like when he comes again?  Will I be ready?  Will I be on the front row?  This is my strongest desire.  I’ve always liked the front row. 

But the comment that hit me like a brick as I read was in the last verse.  Throughout the chapter we are told we need to repent.  Of course, Samuel was speaking to the people then, but we’ve been told to liken the scriptures unto ourselves.  In that context, he is speaking to me.  The last two verses carry a punch – one that needs to be carefully thought about.  Samuel tells us to “. . . remember that whosoever perisheth, perisheth unto himself; and whosoever doeth iniquity, doeth it unto himself; for behold, ye are free: ye are permitted to act for yourselves. . .”  Nobody is holding a gun to our head forcing us either way.  Then in verse 31 it states that he (God) hath given you that ye might know good from evil.  How do we know that?  In Moroni 7:16 it tell us “For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil.”   This is a gift we did nothing to deserve – just because we were born.   We know when we’re doing bad things.  It’s that icky feeling that we prefer not getting. It can be snuffed out if we ignore it enough.  But he continues to tell us that we can “. . .choose life or death; and ye can do good and be restored unto that which is good, or have that which is good restored unto you; or ye can do evil, and have that which is evil restored unto you.” 

Which is it going to be?  I get to choose for myself only.  And so, I keep on keeping on.  Make course corrections as they come along, but try ever so hard to be working toward being in the presence of my Heavenly Father again.  That is the goal.

It's really quite simple

Helaman 13

Samual the Lamanite comes among the Nephites and tries to teach them of the terrible state they are in and if they don’t repent, they will be utterly destroyed.  In fact, he prophesies their destruction in 400 years. 

What exactly are the Nephites guilty of?  They have stoned and killed the prophets.  At the beginning of this chapter I have written that Pres. Benson said Chapters 13 & 14 were written precisely for our day and that we must take heed.  Well, I haven’t seen very many prophets be stoned or killed lately.  So why?   But wait?  How do we stone and murder the prophets?  Perhaps it isn’t in the literal sense, but when we ignore and put at naught the things of which they warn, aren’t we in a sense stoning the prophets?  This is something to give serious consideration to.

We’ve had a lot of counsel come from the brethren the last few years.  They have shifted the focus – no, the word isn’t shifted.  They have re-emphasized the importance of increasing faith and personal righteousness, strengthen home and family, and seeking and helping the poor and needy.  If that is not our focus in our daily lives and in our church callings, then perhaps we need to regroup.  It is truly all-encompassing in every calling in the church. 

How do we increase our own faith and personal righteousness?  The SS answers are simple: personal prayer, scripture study, FHE, temple attendance.  Drop by drop our lamps are filled and our personal righteousness will increase and we are set up for the second focus: strengthen home and family.

How do we strengthen home and family?  Similarly – Family scriptures study and prayer and doing good works, - temple attendance where we can as a family.  This sets us up to accomplish the third focus.  The Proclamation to the World gives wonderful counsel including quality recreation.  You can't beat that!

How do we seek the needy and help them?  The easy thing would be temple worship.  We are helping our kindred dead.  But also those who are around us.  There are needs in every household and we need to be praying constantly that we might be the answer to someone else’s prayer and then heed the promptings that come.  Oh, that is so much easier to write than it is to do.  Every day I say this same prayer, and so many days I return and report at the end of the day that I feel I have failed.  But we keep trying.  When the Lord sees we are willing servants, I believe he will put in our way people whom we can help. 

So how do we stone the prophets?  By ignoring their counsel.  It is simple.  The gospel is not complicated.  We make it complicated.  We design elaborate programs and activities to lure our members to participate when we need to be finding ways for them to feel the spirit such that they seek after those feelings.  This increases our own desire to feel the spirit and when we reach that point, it is a small step to desiring to helping others. 

The instructions for this day are simple.  I have started by having prayer and reading my scriptures.  That’s easy.  I think I’m going to adhere to my new year’s resolution to balance my life a little better and bag the gym today and attend the temple.  Wish me luck! 

Simple, but not without effort

Helaman 12

Moroni gives his commentary on the condition of men, their unstableness and what they can look forward to at the Day of Judgment. 

This is a sobering chapter.  How does Moroni describe the people? 

• Life is easy
• They are prospering
• They are vain
• Evil
• Devilish
• Iniquitous
• Slow to do good
• Quick to hearken to Satan
• Hearts are set on vain things
• Prideful
• Boastful
• Ignore righteous counsel

 What means does the Lord use to get our attention?

• Afflictions
• Terror
• Famine
• Pestilence

 It would seem to me that the Lord is currently trying to get the attention of the people – us!  The list is there folks.  Have we been terrorized the last ten and a half years?  We certainly have.  Have we experienced afflictions?  It is all around us.  What about famine?  We are teetering on the brink of famine if we don’t get the weather we need to sustain agriculture.  There are diseases afflicting the crops that can grow.  If that’s not bad enough, there are genetically engineered foods that are being incorporated into our diets that we have no idea what they are going to do to us.  Yes, I would say the Lord is trying to get our attention?

There is one key phrase in this chapter that boils the reason for the troubles.  REMEMBER HIM!  All the Lord wants is that we will remember him.  In verses 23-24 he will bless us according to our efforts to bless others, aka “grace for grace” (v24). 

Obviously, we can bear the afflictions if we will do good to others and heed the counsel of the Lord in all things.  Seems simple; yet it requires constant effort.