The Parable of Wheat and the Tares teaches that God doesn't right every wrong immediately. We can flourish even when surrounded by negative influences by studying the Savior, making covenants with Him, and safeguarding the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Bullish
Prophets have foretold difficult days ahead, but they have also encouraged us to be confident and enthusiastic about the future. That's because the Savior has promised to give us power which will enable us to overcome the challenges we face.
He Shall Purify
Malachi's people were guilty of negligence and carelessness in their religious observances. After calling the people to repentance, the prophet had some specific words of correction for the priests: "I have sent you this warning so that my covenant with Levi may continue,” says the Lord Almighty.“ My covenant was with him, a covenant of life and... Continue Reading →
The Desire of All Nations
Speaking on behalf of the Lord, Haggai prophesied: Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land; And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts. Haggai 2:6-7 In the King James... Continue Reading →
“Yet Have Ye Not Returned Unto Me”
There's an interesting refrain in Amos 4. Five times, the Lord describes calamities which the children of Israel have experienced, and five times, he repeats the same words of lamentation: "Yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord" (Amos 4:6-11). It's an interesting pattern, and it says something about the Lord's motivation in allowing us to... Continue Reading →
The Spirit of Heaviness
Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would replace negative things in our lives with positive ones: ashes with beauty, mourning with joy, and "the spirit of heaviness" with "the garment of praise" (Isaiah 61:3). The word "heaviness" is a translation of the Hebrew word kehah (כֵּהָ֣ה), which means literally dim or faint. Other English translations render... Continue Reading →
Cast Thy Burden Upon the Lord
Based on: Psalm 55 Core message: God will ease our burdens as we draw nearer to Him. Even if He doesn't take them away, He can make them seem light. Related Book of Mormon passages: Mosiah 24:14-15, Alma 33:23
Consoled, Restored, Refined
When we are passing through difficulties, what kind of assistance can we expect from God? As Elder Dale G. Renlund has pointed out, we can expect at least three things: Consolation: The prophet Jacob assured his people that God "will console you in your afflictions" (Jacob 3:1).Restoration: At the end of the book of Job, we read, "The Lord gave... Continue Reading →
“I Will Gather Them from Thence”
While serving in the palace of the king of Persia, Nehemiah was devastated to learn of the sorry state of the city of Jerusalem. The people who were left there were "in great affliction and reproach." The walls of the city were broken, and the gate had been burned. As Nehemiah pleaded with God for... Continue Reading →
Forty Years
How long does it take to become spiritually mature? Answer: it is an ongoing process, and God guides us through that process by stages. The Lord led Abraham to the land of Canaan and promised that he and his descendants would live there. But immediately afterward, Abraham was forced to move south, to the land... Continue Reading →
Book of Mormon Study Notes 