Insights from my daily study of the Book of Mormon.
Martha was frustrated because her sister Mary was listening to Jesus while she was busy working. Jesus encouraged her to rethink the importance of Mary's decision. We can all review how we are spending our time and make necessary adjustments.
Jesus and Alma both emphasized that a tree begins as a very small seed. The practical application of this principle is simple: focus every day on making small contributions to big goals. The cumulative effect of those efforts can be extraordinary.
A major part of discipleship is letting things go. Jesus told his apostles what not to pack, how not to plan for speeches, and how to move on when treated badly. The principle is simple: find joy by focusing on the most important things.
Jesus told Jairus and his wife to "give place" for the miracle He was about to perform. Alma invited the Zoramites to "give place" for the word of God. We also need to make room in our schedules and in our hearts to receive God's grace.
Jesus promised that if we put the kingdom of God first, everything else that is needed will fall into place. Elder Uchtdorf explained that we can find more joy when we trust God to help us meet all of the demands on our time.
The prophet Jeremiah lamented the suffering his people were enduring because they had turned away from God and failed to repent. "Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people," he said, "The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved" (Jeremiah 8:19-20). The Lord used the same language in... Continue Reading →
Timing matters. The successful life isn't just about doing the right things. It's about doing them at the right time. "To every thing there is a season," said Solomon, "and a time to every purpose under the heaven" (Ecclesiastes 3:1). He also said, "A word spoken in due season, how good is it!" (Proverbs 15:23). Isaiah was grateful that God... Continue Reading →
There's a lot of change going on in my life right now. A couple of examples: I just started a new job, and the boundaries of our church congregation recently changed. Perhaps this explains why a simple sentence in 2 Kings caught my attention this week. The prophet Isaiah was reassuring King Hezekiah that he... Continue Reading →
After the natural disasters which coincided with the death of Jesus Christ, some inhabitants of the American continent experienced "thick darkness upon all the face of the land" for three days: And there could be no light, because of the darkness, neither candles, neither torches; neither could there be fire kindled with their fine and... Continue Reading →
I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments.Psalm 119:60 There is power in doing what needs to be done as soon as possible, without unnecessary delay. When the Lord instructed Alma to return to the city of Ammonihah, “he returned speedily” (Alma 8:18). Sometime later, when Zeezrom asked Alma and Amulek to visit... Continue Reading →
Book of Mormon Study Notes 