Elijah was lonely. After initiating a famine, he went into hiding, living in the wilderness with ravens bringing him food (1 Kings 17:1-7), and then traveling to the Phoenician city of Zarephath and staying with a poor widow and her son (1 Kings 17:8-9). After three years evading the servants of King Ahab, who had... Continue Reading →
Finding Grace
When Ruth and her mother-in-law, Naomi, arrived in Bethlehem, they needed a way to obtain food. Ruth said, "Let me now go to the field, and glean [fallen grain] after him in whose sight I shall find grace" (Ruth 2:2). Even though the law required farmers to leave their extra grain for the poor, she... Continue Reading →
“The Lord Maketh Poor, and Maketh Rich”
After Hannah finally gave birth to Samuel and then "lent" him to the Lord forever (1 Samuel 1:28), she offered a prayer in the form of a psalm. One brief verse from that psalm caught my attention today: The Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.1 Samuel 2:7 This verse reminded me of the... Continue Reading →
Another Generation
How long does it take to lose our spiritual connection with God? After the ministry of Jesus Christ on the American continent, the people lived in peace and righteousness for several generations. (See 4 Nephi 1:22-24, 1 Nephi 12:12, 2 Nephi 26:9, Alma 45:10-12, 3 Nephi 27:32.) But at other times in their history, the... Continue Reading →
“Keep Thy Soul Diligently”
Remembering spiritual experiences and staying faithful to them doesn't just happen. It requires intentional effort on our part. As the children of Israel prepared to enter the promised land, Moses gave them a warning: Take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy... Continue Reading →
“The Lord Bless Thee, and Keep Thee”
While the Israelites lived in the wilderness, God instructed Aaron and his sons to offer the following blessing on the people: The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.Numbers 6:24-26 I've been focused... Continue Reading →
Exodus 35-40; Leviticus 1, 16, 19: “Holiness to the Lord” (May 2-8)
"Moses Calls Aaron to the Ministry," (detail) by Harry Anderson The Tabernacle On Mount Sinai, God gave Moses detailed instructions about how to build an elaborate portable house of worship for the Israelites to use during their journey to the promised land. The Hebrew word shakan (שָׁכַן) means to settle or to dwell, so the... Continue Reading →
Thou Shalt Not Covet
The first nine commandments are all about our behavior, but the tenth commandment is about our desires. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.Exodus 20:17, Mosiah 13:24 The word "covet" can mean simply to... Continue Reading →
Lessons from Genesis
During the first three months of 2022, following he Come, Follow Me curriculum, I studied the book of Genesis, together with the books of Moses and Abraham in the Pearl of Great Price. I also incorporated the Book of Mormon into my study. Here are some of the lessons I learned, organized by topic: 1.... Continue Reading →
Exodus 14-17: “Stand Still, and See the Salvation of the Lord” (April 4-10)
"Passage of the Jews through the Red Sea" (detail) by Ivan Aivazovsky Crossing the Red Sea One of the most dramatic miracles recorded in the scriptures is the passages of thousands of Israelites through the Red Sea on dry ground. The author of Exodus records that "the waters were a wall unto them on their... Continue Reading →
Book of Mormon Study Notes 