As we've studied 2 Nephi 26-30 this week, I've noticed a pattern. Every one of these chapters affirms God's desire to bless us with knowledge: "He manifesteth himself unto all those who believe in him, by the power of the Holy Ghost" (2 Nephi 26:13). "The Lord God shall bring forth unto you the words... Continue Reading →
“Come Unto Me” – 2 Nephi 26:25
In 2 Nephi 26, Nephi asks a series of rhetorical questions to illustrate the universality of the Savior's love: "Doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me?" (2 Nephi 26:25) "Hath he commanded any that they should depart out of the synagogues, or out of the houses of worship?" (2 Nephi 26:26) "Hath he... Continue Reading →
Internalizing Isaiah
Nephi loved the words of Isaiah. He read them to his family to "persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer" (1 Nephi 19:23). He assigned his brother Jacob to preach a sermon about a passage from Isaiah (2 Nephi 6:4). He quoted 16 chapters from the book of Isaiah in his writings. And... Continue Reading →
What Is a “Flaxen Cord?” – 2 Nephi 26:22
Nephi prophesied that, in the last days, the devil would lead people "by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever" (2 Nephi 26:22). It's clear from the context that the "flaxen cord" described here was not strong. I envision a person with a very thin thread wrapped... Continue Reading →
What Does It Mean to “Dwindle in Unbelief?”
dwindle - Diminish gradually in size, amount, or strength (Oxford English Dictionary) Near the beginning of the Book of Mormon, Nephi learns from the Spirit that, without the brass plates containing the scriptures, his family would "dwindle and perish in unbelief" (1 Nephi 4:13). King Benjamin later emphasized this point to his sons: "Were it not for... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Affirm?
This is the second in a series of posts answering a set of questions recommended by President Russell M. Nelson. In yesterday's post, I discussed what the Book of Mormon is. Today, I will discuss what the Book of Mormon affirms. The Book of Mormon affirms many truths. As I've pondered this question today, I've... Continue Reading →
Would God Lead Us Into Temptation?
During the Lord's Prayer, which the Savior gave as an example of how we should pray, He makes the following request: And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil (Matthew 6:13, Luke 11:4, 3 Nephi 13:12). The words are the same all three times this prayer appears in the scriptures: twice in... Continue Reading →
What Do We Know About God’s Love for Us?
Yesterday, I received a question about one of my posts, entitled Willing to Submit – Mosiah 3:19. Here is the question: God is love right? So how can love inflict when the term inflict has to do with punishment. Surely love knows how to be persuasive. This is such an important question that I've decided to... Continue Reading →
How Are We “All Alike Unto God?”
Today, I've been pondering two closely related scriptures: He invited them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile (2 Nephi... Continue Reading →
What Is Pride?
Today, I reviewed the 77 appearances of the words "pride" and "proud" in the Book of Mormon. Here is what I learned: Pride means thinking too highly of yourself, failing to acknowledge your limitations. Throughout the Book of Mormon, prophets use phrases like "lifted up" or "puffed up" to describe proud people. For example, Nephi... Continue Reading →