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!