A few days ago, I wrote about the complementary natures of men and women and the need for both to value and leverage the strengths and perspectives of each other. Today, I want to write about what that looks like in a marriage. Sister Jean B. Bingham pointed out that Adam and Eve reacted differently... Continue Reading →
Mother Eve
Among the biblical characters Joseph F. Smith saw in his vision of the Redemption of the Dead, was "our glorious Mother Eve" (Doctrine and Covenants 138:39). In the Hebrew Bible, her name appears as Chavvah (חַוָּה), which means "life." She was given this name because she was "the mother of all living," or in other... Continue Reading →
We Need Our Ancestors—and They Need Us
The word "fathers" appears 182 times in the Book of Mormon, usually meaning "ancestors." For example: On the title page, we read that one of the purposes of the book is "to show unto the remnant of the House of Israel what great things the Lord hath done for their fathers."Lehi was delighted to find... Continue Reading →
“Build Up Cities”
When the Lord warned Nephi to flee from his brothers, he did not go alone. He took with him everyone who "believed in the warnings and the revelations of God" (1 Nephi 5:5-6). They traveled many days in the wilderness and chose a place to settle, where they constructed buildings, planted crops, and established a new community.... Continue Reading →
The Ancient of Days
With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.Job 12:12 There are many reasons for us to love and respect Adam and Eve. As the first man and woman on the earth, they pioneered the way for us, learning by experience so many things which we take for granted.They made our mortal experience possible, making... Continue Reading →
Oblations
In ancient Israel, an essential element of worship was giving gifts to God. Worshippers would bring animals or grain to the temple—the very best they had—to offer as a sacrifice. The King James Version of the Bible most frequently refers to these gifts as "offerings," but it sometimes calls them "oblations." An oblation is a... Continue Reading →
Every Nation, Kindred, Tongue, and People
In the Book of Revelation, the apostle John repeatedly uses four words to convey the expansiveness of God's saving work: He sees heavenly beings worshipping Jesus Christ and acknowledging that He has redeemed them "out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation" (Revelation 5:9).He later sees a huge crowd, "of all nations, and kindreds,... Continue Reading →
“In the Very Hour”
It is more important to be prepared than to have a plan. Plans rely on assumptions about things we can't control. The most brittle plans rely heavily on these assumptions, while more resilient plans allow for adaptation under changing circumstances. A good plan recognizes that the participants will be actors, not merely executors, and will... Continue Reading →
“As He Read, He Was Filled with the Spirit of the Lord”
The Book of Mormon opens with a vision. As the prophet Lehi prayed on behalf of his people, a "pillar of fire" appeared before him, "and he saw and heard much." Returning to his home, while lying on his bed, the vision continued. He saw "God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of... Continue Reading →
Record-keeping
The first sentence in the Book of Mormon is about the importance of keeping records. Nephi tells us that, because the Lord had blessed him with "goodly parents," who taught him, and because he had been "highly favored of the Lord" in spite of enduring many afflictions, "therefore I make a record of my proceedings... Continue Reading →