Ezra Taft Benson said that pride manifests itself in different ways, which he called the "faces of pride." Some of the manifestations he identified were selfishness, contention, defensiveness, and unwillingness to repent. (See "Beware of Pride," General Conference, April 1989.) I've been thinking today about a few other manifestations of pride. These thoughts were prompted... Continue Reading →
Babylon
Don't get attached to temporary things. That's the message I hear when I read about the destruction of Babylon. A center of commerce and the capital of the powerful Babylonian Empire, the city of Babylon was formidable. The apostle John conveyed the enormity of the city's economy with the following list of things bought and... Continue Reading →
“Go Ye Forth of Babylon” – 1 Nephi 20:20
"The world is too much with us," wrote the poet William Wordsworth. He meant that our lives are influenced more than we realize by the society in which we live, leaving us unable to properly perceive "things as they really are" (Jacob 4:13). As Elder David R. Stone explained: Our culture tends to determine what... Continue Reading →
The Star
Why is a star such a powerful symbol for the birth of the Savior? Stars represent us. The Lord referred to stars to illustrate for the vast number of descendants he would have. "Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy... Continue Reading →
“My Time Is at Hand” – 3 Nephi 17:1
Near the end of the first day of the Savior's ministry on the American continent, He announced to the people that it would soon be time for Him to leave. "Behold, my time is at hand," He said, explaining that He was returning to His Father before going to visit another group of people (3... Continue Reading →
What Is Haughtiness?
I wrote yesterday that pride means thinking too highly of yourself, exaggerating your capabilities and minimizing your limitations. When pride leads you to treat other people with contempt, it is called haughtiness. The words "haughty" and "haughtiness" appear six times in the Book of Mormon. Five of those occurrences are quotations from Isaiah, and they... Continue Reading →
How Does Isaiah Point Us Toward Christ?
Nephi tells us that he read to his brothers from the books of Moses, "but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah" (1 Nephi 19:23). Just before quoting thirteen chapters in a row by Isaiah,... Continue Reading →
Which of Isaiah’s Writings Are Quoted in the Book of Mormon?
About a third of the book of Isaiah (21 out of 66 chapters) is quoted in the Book of Mormon. Here is a list of those chapters with a brief description of each: Isaiah 2 (2 Nephi 12) - There will be a great division in the last days: Many people will ascend to God's... Continue Reading →
What Is the Historical Context for the Book of Isaiah?
Nephi taught that the words of Isaiah "are plain unto all those that are filled with the spirit of prophecy" (2 Nephi 25:4). But he also acknowledged that he had an advantage over his descendants, because he had lived in Jerusalem and had "beheld the things of the Jews" (2 Nephi 25:5). Unlike the Book... Continue Reading →
Every Man’s Heart Shall Melt – 2 Nephi 23:6-8
6 Howl ye, for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. 7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, every man’s heart shall melt; 8 And they shall be afraid; pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be amazed one at another; their... Continue Reading →
Book of Mormon Study Notes 