Nephi taught that God invites all people "to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him" (2 Nephi 26:33). When the Savior visited the American continent, He demonstrated this inclusiveness by His actions. Immediately after descending from heaven and announcing who He was, He said: Arise and... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Abraham?
Near the beginning of the Book of Mormon, Lehi's sons risk their lives in order to obtain a set of brass plates which contains, among other things, the five books of Moses. A central character in those books is the prophet Abraham. Even though he had lived nearly 2,000 years earlier, his influence is felt... Continue Reading →
What Is the Significance of God’s Promise to Nephi?
Like the prophet Abraham, Nephi received a conditional promise from the Lord with an intergenerational impact. After the Lord commanded his father, Lehi, to abandon their home in Jerusalem and "depart into the wilderness" with his family, Nephi's brothers were angry. Nephi must have also been unhappy about the sudden change, but he prayed, and... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Self-Reliance?
A core message of the Book of Mormon is that we are nothing compared with God. King Benjamin reminded his people that God created them, and that he preserves them from day to day "by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you... Continue Reading →
Why Is Family History Important?
Heavenly Father wants us to build strong relationships with each other, and those relationships are not limited to people who are currently living. After Lehi left Jerusalem with his family, He sent his sons back on a dangerous mission. They were to acquire a valuable spiritual record engraved on brass plates which were in the... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Say About Teaching the Gospel in Families?
The Book of Mormon begins with a family. The Lord commands Lehi, a prophet in Jerusalem whose life is in danger, to "take his family and depart into the wilderness" (2 Nephi 2:2). During their journey, he teaches his children the gospel, he urges them to keep the commandments, and he warns them when their... Continue Reading →
Where Did the Sacrament Prayers Come From?
The prayers offered over the sacramental bread and water were given by revelation to Joseph Smith in 1820 (Doctrine & Covenants 20:75-79). They are nearly (but not precisely) identical to the prayers offered in the ancient American church as recorded by Moroni (Moroni 4, 5). Moroni recorded those prayers in about 421 A.D. But much... Continue Reading →
What Does It Mean to “Hearken?”
We don't use the word "hearken" in modern English. But it's an important word in the scriptures: It appears 229 times in the Old Testament, 9 times in the New Testament, and 100 times in the Book of Mormon. Deepening our understanding of the word "hearken" will help us better appreciate God's messages to us... Continue Reading →
What Should I Do When I Have Doubts?
To doubt is to vacillate, to be paralyzed by indecision. The word descends from the Latin word dubitare, which is related to duo ("two"). Together with the related words dubiosus ("doubtful"), and dubium ("doubt") it suggests an inability to decide between two incompatible alternatives (Online Etymology Dictionary, "doubt," "dubious"). In the Greek New Testament, one of... Continue Reading →
What Should I Do When I Feel Inadequate?
Nephi wrote poignantly about his failure to live up to his own expectations. "O wretched man that I am!" he said. "I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me" (2 Nephi 4:17-18). He tried to overcome his failings by willpower alone, but in the end, it was... Continue Reading →