After Lehi and his family left Jerusalem but before they began their journey to the promised land in earnest, the Lord told Lehi that his group was incomplete. He said "that it was not meet" for Lehi to "take his family into the wilderness alone; but that his sons should take daughters to wife" (1... Continue Reading →
“Their Bounds Are Set”
Freedom to choose is not the same thing as unlimited power. That seems pretty obvious, but in our pursuit of freedom, we sometimes fail to acknowledge our constraints. And when other people are misbehaving, we may forget that they, too, operate within constraints, seen or unseen. Job pointed out that the ultimate constraint on every... 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 →
Forgiveness
Grudges and resentments are like dead weight which drag us down. Forgiveness is like dropping ballast from a balloon, allowing us to soar to new heights. During the final week of the Savior's mortal life, Peter asked Him how many times he should forgive someone who wronged him, even suggesting the generous number of seven... Continue Reading →
Lehi and Sariah’s Family
The Book of Mormon begins with a family. Not a blissful, idyllic family, but a troubled one. A family with sibling rivalry, parent-child discord, and even marital conflict. In other words, a real family. With God's help, this family achieved miraculous things: they escaped certain destruction in Jerusalem, traveled through the wilderness and across the... Continue Reading →
What Are the Roles of Persuasion and Punishment in Motivating Good Behavior?
This is the third of three posts in response to a question I received last week. The first post discussed God's love for us. The second discussed why God would "inflict" things on us. Today's post discusses the roles of persuasion and of punishment from God's perspective. The questioner wants to understand why a loving... Continue Reading →
What Should I Be Thankful For?
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving in the United States. In preparation for that holiday, I have been thinking about some of the things I am thankful for. Here are some ideas that occurred to me as I studied the Book of Mormon today: I'm grateful to be alive (Mosiah 2:20-21, Mosiah 7:12). I'm grateful for food and... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach about Sacrifice?
Early in the Book of Mormon, the concept of sacrifice appears. Lehi and his family had certainly given up much to follow the Lord's command, abandoning their comfortable living in Jerusalem to travel in the wilderness. But Lehi's son Nephi saves the word "sacrifice" for a more specific usage. When he and his brothers return... Continue Reading →
How Can I Be More Forgiving?
Near the beginning of the Book of Mormon, Nephi's brothers treat him very badly. As they travel with the family of Ishmael to their camp in the wilderness, the brothers become angry with Nephi, tie him up, and threaten to leave him to die in the wilderness. Nephi prays for help, and God gives him... Continue Reading →
How Does the Lord Strengthen Us?
Near the beginning of the Book of Mormon, Nephi affirms that God will take care of the people who strive to obey Him. Nephi listed three ways that God does this: "He doth nourish them" - helps them maintain their physical and spiritual health "and strengthen them" - empowers them to do things they couldn't... Continue Reading →
Book of Mormon Study Notes 