Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God" (Matthew 5:9, 3 Nephi 12:9). And the apostle Paul made this plea in his epistle to the Romans: "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men" (Romans 12:18). The prophet Mormon applied that teaching to... Continue Reading →
Blessings
The angel who appeared to Amulek commanded him to return home. He told Amulek that he would meet a prophet of God along the way, whom he should invite into his home. The angel promised that this prophet "shall bless thee and thy house; and the blessing of the Lord shall rest upon thee and... Continue Reading →
“Stronger than the Cords of Death”
"The cords of death entangled me," wrote David; "the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me" (Psalm 18:4, NIV; see also Psalm 116:3, NIV, 2 Samuel 22:6, NIV). Alma used similar language as he cried out to God for deliverance from his own overwhelming feelings of guilt: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me, who am in the gall... Continue Reading →
The Rising Generation
Twice in the Book of Mormon, we read of times when young people turned away from the faith of their parents: "Now it came to pass that there were many of the rising generation that could not understand the words of king Benjamin, being little children at the time he spake unto his people; and they did not... Continue Reading →
“Any of Them”
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 →
“Strengthen Thy Brethren”
At the Last Supper, Jesus warned Peter that Satan would try to destroy the faith of the apostles. "But I have prayed for thee," He said, "that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren" (Luke 22:32). Peter might have thought that the warning was to prevent him from succumbing to... Continue Reading →
A Pure People
John wrote that we can become like God. "When he shall appear, we shall be like him," he wrote, "for we shall see him as he is." Then, he added, "[Everyone] that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure" (1 John 3:2-3). Mormon described a similar future state for those... Continue Reading →
In Darkness at Noon-Day
In a revelation received by Joseph Smith in 1833, the Lord laments the state of church members who fail to recognize what they have. He described them as "walking in darkness at noon-day" (Doctrine and Covenants 95:6). This imagery is reminiscent of the following passage in the book of Job: They meet with darkness in... Continue Reading →
“Prepare the Minds of Their Children”
In 1833, the Lord instructed several church leaders to pay more attention to their families. He told them to teach their children "light and truth," to set in order their homes, and to be "more diligent and concerned at home" (Doctrine and Covenants 93:41-50). The prophet Alma explained to his son Corianton that one reason... Continue Reading →
“A Lively Member”
When Frederick G. Williams became a member of the First Presidency of the church, he also became part of an organization called the United Firm, which had been established to help fund the work of the church. After instructing existing members of the Firm to "receive him into the order," the Lord directed Brother Williams... Continue Reading →