In his dedicatory prayer for the ancient temple in Jerusalem, Solomon raised a series of hypothetical situations, asking God for specific blessings in each of them. Here is one of those situations: When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and... Continue Reading →
“Clean But Not All”
At the Last Supper, when the meal was finished, Jesus washed the feet of each of His apostles, apparently without explaining why. When it was Peter's turn, he refused to allow the Savior to wash his feet. Jesus responded, "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me." Peter responded impulsively: "Lord, not my feet... Continue Reading →
Holy
To ancient Israel, the Lord said, "Sanctify yourselves...and be ye holy: for I am the Lord your God" (Leviticus 20:7). The apostle Peter later reiterated this admonition: "As he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation [and behavior]. Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy" (1 Peter 1:15-16). And Moroni described an... Continue Reading →
“My Soul Did Rest” – Enos 1:17
Faith in God can help us manage anxiety and recover from discouragement. When Enos prayed all day and into the night, the Lord answered him with the assurance that his sins were forgiven. Enos said, "I knew that God could not lie; wherefore, my guilt was swept away" (Enos 1:6). Notice that his trust in... Continue Reading →
“In Part, but Not All”
In 1831, the Lord instructed Leman Copley, a recent convert, to return to his former congregation and share with them the truths he had learned in his new faith. The Lord described his former colleagues as being partly, but not fully, receptive: They desire to know the truth in part, but not all, for they... Continue Reading →
“Ye Are Clean, but Not All”
At the Last Supper, before beginning the meal, the Savior washed the feet of His disciples. Emphasizing the symbolic nature of this action to them, He said, "Ye are clean, but not all" (John 13:10). John explained that this statement referred to Judas Iscariot, who was among them, but who had already committed to betray... Continue Reading →
“Their Souls Are Precious” – Alma 31:35
As Alma prepared to preach the gospel to the Zoramites, a group of people who "were perverting the ways of the Lord" and who had separated themselves from Alma's people (Alma 31:1-2), he began by praying that he and his missionary companions would have success: Behold, O Lord, their souls are precious, and many of them are... Continue Reading →
Declare Repentance
Both John Whitmer and his brother Peter asked God many times what they could do which would be of the greatest worth. His response to both of them was the same: The thing which will be of the most worth unto you will be to declare repentance unto this people, that you may bring souls unto me, that you may rest with... Continue Reading →
“Preach Nothing Save It Were Repentance” – Mosiah 18:20
When Alma organized the church at the waters of Mormon, he ordained priests to teach the people. What were they to teach? The same things he had taught, and the same things prophets before him had taught: "He commanded that they should preach nothing save it were repentance and faith on the Lord, who had... Continue Reading →
“They Were Also Admonished” – Mosiah 26:39
Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.Ecclesiastes 4:13 When Alma organized the church at the waters of Mormon, he ordained priests to teach the people. But these priests weren't given carte blanche, to speak on any topic they wanted. Alma instructed them... Continue Reading →
