The prophet Joel foretold a time when people of all ages and economic statuses would receive revelation in abundance: I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my... Continue Reading →
Joseph, Daniel, and Nephi: Dream-Interpreters
Not all dreams are revelations from God, but some are. Joseph was a dreamer, and he clearly believed that some of his dreams were messages from God. (See Genesis 37:5-11.) Perhaps because of that experience, he was attuned to the dreams of others, and he was able to interpret the cryptic dreams of Pharaoh's chief... Continue Reading →
“Be Not Afraid of Their Words”
How would you like to receive a calling like this: Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day. For they are impudent children and stiffhearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God.... Ezekiel... Continue Reading →
A Tree of Life
Multiple scriptures discuss "the tree of life," referring either to the second named tree in the Garden of Eden, representing immortality (Genesis 2:9, 2 Nephi 2:15, Alma 12:22-26, Alma 42:2-5) or to the focal point of Lehi's dream, representing the love of God as manifest through Jesus Christ (1 Nephi 8:10, 1 Nephi 11:25, 1... Continue Reading →
The Book of Psalms and the Book of Mormon
The brass plates which Lehi and his family carried from Jerusalem contained a lot of content which overlaps with the Old Testament. Nephi describes three categories of writings, which correspond with three of the four groupings of books in the Old Testament: "The five books of Moses" - The Law (Genesis through Deuteronomy)"A record of... Continue Reading →
Accepting Feedback from Family
When Mordecai asked Esther to plead with the king on behalf of their people, her first response was simple: I can't do that. It's not possible. No one can approach the king without being invited, not even me, and I haven't been invited in over a month. (See Esther 4:11.) Mordecai's response was stern: Think... Continue Reading →
Roots Deeply Planted
How did Esther find the strength to risk her life on behalf of her people? She found it partly by broadening her perspective, remembering that God had given her specific missions to perform. Mordecai reminded her that she was in a unique position to help: "Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as... Continue Reading →
He Laughs
Is it good to laugh? According to the Mayo Clinic, laughter relieves stress by releasing endorphins, stimulating blood circulation, and aiding muscle relaxation. (See "Stress relief from laughter? It's no joke" on mayoclinic.org.) And laughing with other people is correlated with strong relationships and good feelings toward one another. (See Laura E. Kurtz and Sarah... Continue Reading →
Affection
When Enoch saw God weeping, he asked how it was possible for a perfect Being to feel sorrow. God explained by emphasizing the gap between His hopes for His children and their actual behavior: Unto thy brethren have I said, and also given commandment, that they should love one another, and that they should choose me, their... Continue Reading →
“Especial Care”
On July 9, 1841, Joseph Smith visited Brigham Young at his home in Nauvoo—a log cabin his wife had built in his absence while raising and caring for their children alone. Brigham had returned a week earlier from a mission to England and had immediately gotten to work helping her with a job which was... Continue Reading →