What does it take to be born again? When Jesus warned Nicodemus that we can't enter the kingdom of God without being reborn, He specified that we must be "born of water and of the Spirit" (John 3:3-5). We usually associate this instruction with the ordinances of baptism and confirmation, but is that sufficient? According... Continue Reading →
Dead Works – Moroni 8:23
Some things we do simply aren't worth our energy. In a letter to his son, Mormon discussed an issue that had caused some contention in the church: Do small children need to be baptized? Mormon responded that baptism is for people who are old enough to know right from wrong. "Little children are alive in... Continue Reading →
Immersion
The word "baptism" comes from the Greek word baptisma (βάπτισμα), which refers to dipping or submerging something. Jesus instructed His disciples on the American continent how to perform baptisms. They should stand in the water with the person being baptized, call the person by name, pronounce some specific words, and then "immerse them in the water,... Continue Reading →
“The Fold of God” – Mosiah 18:8
When Alma invited a group of people to be baptized at the waters of Mormon, he began his invitation with the following words: "As ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people..." (Mosiah 18:8). He then described the obligation they would have to one another: bearing one... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Clarify?
This is the fifth of six posts answering a set of questions recommended by President Russell M. Nelson. So far, I have written about what the Book of Mormon is, what it affirms, what it refutes, and what it fulfills. Today, I will write about what it clarifies. As I wrote yesterday, the Book of... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Affirm?
This is the second in a series of posts answering a set of questions recommended by President Russell M. Nelson. In yesterday's post, I discussed what the Book of Mormon is. Today, I will discuss what the Book of Mormon affirms. The Book of Mormon affirms many truths. As I've pondered this question today, I've... Continue Reading →
Why Did Ammon Consider Himself Unworthy to Baptize?
One of my daughters asked me last week if Ammon had authority to baptize. Ammon was the leader of a search party sent by King Mosiah to find a group of people who had established a colony among their enemies many years earlier. When he found them, they were in bondage, forced to pay a... Continue Reading →
What Does It Mean to Bear One Another’s Burdens?
After defending the words of Abinadi and being banished by King Noah, Alma preached to a growing group of followers in secret. One day, he challenged them to make their commitment to the gospel and to each other more formal: And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters... Continue Reading →
What Offering Will the Sons of Levi Make in Righteousness?
The last prophet of the Old Testament, Malachi, prophesied that "the messenger of the covenant" would "suddenly come to his temple." This sounds like a reference to the Savior's Second Coming, especially when Malachi asks, "Who may abide the day of his coming?" He tells us that this messenger will refine and purify the sons... Continue Reading →
What Can We Learn from the Baptisms of the Twelve Disciples?
On the first day of the Savior's visit to the American continent, He selected twelve men and gave them authority to baptize (3 Nephi 11:18-22). He told the assembled people that, if they would listen to the words of these men and would choose to be baptized with water, then He would baptize them with... Continue Reading →
Book of Mormon Study Notes 