"Gather yourselves together," says Zephaniah, "...before the day of the Lord's anger come upon you." What should we do to prepare for those difficult days? "Seek ye the Lord," he says, "all ye meek of the earth." How should we do this? "Seek righteousness," he clarifies, "seek meekness." Then, he adds, "it may be ye... Continue Reading →
The Poor Among Men Shall Rejoice
After identifying a severe societal problem—rampant hypocrisy—Isaiah prophesies that God will address this issue by doing a "marvellous work" which will cause "the wisdom of [the] wise men [to] perish" (Isaiah 29:13-14, 2 Nephi 27:25-26). Included in this marvelous work will be the arrival of a "sealed book," which will be rejected by the learned.... Continue Reading →
John the Baptist
The prophet Isaiah spoke of a prophet who would prepare the way for the coming of Jesus Christ: The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.Isaiah 40:3 After studying the brass plates, which contained the writings of Isaiah, and while living in the wilderness himself, the... Continue Reading →
Faith, Hope, Meekness, and Love: Interdependent Virtues – Moroni 7:39-44
Christlike virtues do not exist in a vacuum. We might talk about them in isolation; we might even work on them individually. But as we develop one virtue, others naturally grow. Mormon emphasizes the interdependence of several virtues near the end of his sermon in the synagogue: "I judge that ye have faith in Christ... Continue Reading →
“You Have Censured Me, But It Mattereth Not.” – Alma 61:9
When Captain Moroni learned that reinforcements had not been sent to Helaman, he immediately wrote to Pahoran, the chief judge, requesting assistance. Shortly after, the city Nephihah fell to the enemy because reinforcements had not been sent there either. Moroni became gravely concerned about the state of the war and the lack of support from... Continue Reading →
What Is Meekness?
Mormon identified meekness as the foundational virtue: [A man] cannot have faith and hope, save he shall be meek, and lowly of heart. If so, his faith and hope is vain, for none is acceptable before God, save the meek and lowly in heart; and if a man be meek and lowly in heart, and... Continue Reading →
How Will the Meek Inherit the Earth?
Why do dishonest, unkind, and undisciplined people succeed in life? All around us, we see decent, hard-working people with more than their fair share of suffering, while people who should be penalized for their actions appear to get off scot-free. This temporary injustice has been a cause of consternation throughout history. King David warned his... Continue Reading →
Mormon’s Sermon in the Synagogue – Moroni 7
Setting Near the end of the Book of Mormon, Moroni quotes a sermon his father, Mormon, delivered in a synagogue on the topic of "faith, hope, and charity" (Moroni 7:1). This sermon was delivered to a group of believing church members. (See Moroni 7:3-5.) Purpose Mormon’s intent was to help a group of believers receive... Continue Reading →
Lessons from Sermons to Believers
During the month of June, I studied sermons in the Book of Mormon which were delivered to believers. Besides writing posts about those sermons, I also wrote a brief summary of each sermon in outline form. Here is a list of the sermons that I studied: Jacob's first sermon to the people of Nephi, delivered... Continue Reading →
Meek and Lowly in Heart – Moroni 7:43-44
43 And again, behold I say unto you that he cannot have faith and hope, save he shall be meek, and lowly of heart. 44 If so, his faith and hope is vain, for none is acceptable before God, save the meek and lowly in heart; and if a man be meek and lowly in... Continue Reading →
Book of Mormon Study Notes 