This is the last of six blog 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, what it fulfills, and what it clarifies. Here are some of the truths that the book reveals to... Continue Reading →
What Is Joy?
The Greek word for joy is chara (χαρά). It is related to the word charis (χάρις), which means "grace." Thus, Strong's Concordance defines the term as "joy because of grace" or "the awareness of God's grace." No wonder that Enos sought forgiveness of his sins after remembering his father's words about "the joy of the... Continue Reading →
Why Is It Important to Lift Up Our Heads?
As he looked forward to the temple which his son would build, King David wrote a psalm about the joy of welcoming God's presence into that holy house. "Lift up your heads, O ye gates" he wrote; "and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in" (Psalm 24:7,... Continue Reading →
How Should I Deal with Anxiety?
Anxiety can be helpful or harmful. Multiple prophets in the Book of Mormon acknowledge feelings of anxiety, and those feelings are generally caused by their love for others. When Lehi spoke with his sons near the end of his life, he shared with them the confidence he felt: "The Lord hath redeemed my soul from... Continue Reading →
What Does It Mean to Be “Past Feeling?”
Sensitivity is good. Callousness is not. The Book of Mormon is very clear on that point: After sharing a spiritual dream with his children, Lehi "did exhort them then with all the feeling of a tender parent" to keep the commandments of God (1 Nephi 8:37). At the end of his life, Lehi spoke to... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Anger?
As we've discussed the last couple of days: We feel sadness when something bad happens to us or to someone we love. We feel fear when we think something bad is likely to happen to us or to someone we love. Anger is also triggered by a negative experience. But unlike sadness and fear, anger... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Fear?
Fear is an unpleasant feeling caused by the anticipation of a negative event (Oxford English Dictionary). We feel sadness when something bad has already happened; we feel fear when we think something bad is going to happen . Near the beginning of the Book of Mormon, Nephi and his brothers find themselves in a treacherous... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Sadness?
Yesterday, I wrote about what the Book of Mormon teaches us about happiness. Today, I would like to consider what the Book of Mormon teaches us about sadness. 1. Sadness is a fact of life. Alma referred to mortal life as "this vale of sorrow" (Alma 37:45). Jacob said that he and his people "did... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Happiness?
Near the beginning of the Book of Mormon, the prophet Lehi tells his family about a spiritual dream he has experienced. The central symbol in this dream was "a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy" (1 Nephi 8:10). Lehi's focus for the rest of the dream was on inviting his family to... Continue Reading →
What Does It Mean to “Bridle All Your Passions?”
It would be ludicrous for a human being to attempt to subdue a horse by brute force. Yet by placing a small piece of metal against sensitive areas in the horse's mouth, a human can guide the animal with relatively little effort (See "Bit by Bit," Equestrian Magazine, November 2007). A passion is a "strong and... Continue Reading →