She was a young Israelite woman, who had been captured by the Syrian army and was now a slave in the house of Naaman. She felt empathy toward her master, who was captain of the Syrian army but who was afflicted with leprosy. She said to Naaman's wife, "Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in... Continue Reading →
Wise Hearted
To build the tabernacle, Moses needed all who were "willing hearted" to donate materials. (See Exodus 25:2, Exodus 35:5, 21-22, 29.) He also needed people who were "wise hearted" to donate labor. (See Exodus 28:3, Exodus 31:6, Exodus 35:10, 25, Exodus 36:1, 2, 8.) What does it mean to be wise hearted? You can tell... Continue Reading →
What Is It?
Shortly after passing through the Red Sea on dry ground, the children of Israel became hungry and worried aloud that they would starve to death. In response, God promised Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you" (Exodus 16:4). The following day, as they emerged from their tents, they discovered scattered across the ground "a... Continue Reading →
The Brass Serpent and COVID-19
Moses and the Brass Serpent, by Judith Mehr There is a brief but dramatic story in the book of Numbers. The children of Israel are being bitten by poisonous snakes. Moses heals them by means of a small sculpture mounted on a pole: And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people... Continue Reading →
Talent
Five talents, two talents, one talent. The wealth was not evenly distributed. But it didn't matter, because this wasn't a permanent gift. The owner was merely leaving town, and he had entrusted three of his servants to look after his wealth in his absence. What were they to do with all this money? He didn't... Continue Reading →
Spiritual Gifts
Moroni exhorted us to "deny not the gifts of God" (Moroni 10:8). Paul counseled us to "eagerly desire the greater gifts" (1 Corinthians 12:31, New International Version). And through Joseph Smith, the Lord admonished us, "Seek ye earnestly the best gifts, always remembering for what they are given" (Doctrine and Covenants 46:8). All three of... Continue Reading →
The Gift to Be Healed
When Paul and Moroni listed some of the gifts of the Spirit, they both referred to healing in the same way: "the gifts of healing" (1 Corinthians 12:9, Moroni 10:11). When the Lord reaffirmed those lists in an 1831 revelation, He identified two separate gifts related to healing: To some it is given to have faith to... Continue Reading →
“Diversities of Operations”
The apostle Paul introduces the gifts of the Spirit with three parallel statements: "There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.""There are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.""There are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all." (1 Corinthians 12:4-6) These three statements are even more similar in... Continue Reading →
Gifts and Callings
We all have capabilities (gifts), and we all have opportunities to serve (callings). The apostle Paul encouraged the members of the church in Ancient Rome to be patient with their friends who were non-believers. Perhaps these friends were not currently using their gifts and fulfilling their callings, but "the gifts and calling of God are... Continue Reading →
“The Greatest of All the Gifts of God” – 3 Nephi 15:36
The central symbol in Lehi's dream was "a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy" (1 Nephi 8:10) After eating some of the fruit, his greatest desire after that was to help others experience that same joy, beginning with his own family. When one of Lehi's sons, Nephi, prayed to understand his father's dream, he experienced a... Continue Reading →
Book of Mormon Study Notes 