Suboptimal circumstances can create glorious opportunities. When the kingdom of Israel was scattered by the Assyrians, it was a direct consequence of their disobedience to the commandments of God: They rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified against them; and they followed vanity, and... Continue Reading →
The Books
In Babylon, Daniel experienced a dream full of symbolism. He saw the Final Judgment. Ten thousand times ten thousand people stood before a throne. "The judgment was set," he wrote, "and the books were opened" (Daniel 7:9-10). Many years later, the apostle John received a revelation on the Isle of Patmos. Here's how he described... Continue Reading →
A Standard for My People
Isaiah prophesied that the Lord would one day erect a standard which would attract people from all nations: Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.Isaiah 49:22, 1 Nephi 21:22, 2 Nephi 6:6 Nephi... Continue Reading →
No End
A few months ago, I heard a presentation by Simon Sinek, author of The Infinite Game. He explained that many games we play, like football or chess, have clearly defined rules, consistent participants, and most importantly, endings. He called these "finite games." But other activities that we participate in might be better labeled as "infinite... Continue Reading →
The Stick of Ephraim
The prophet Ezekiel received the following symbolic instruction from the Lord: Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions: And join them one to another into one... Continue Reading →
Promises to Covenant Israel
Nephi told us that God "loveth those who will have him to be their God." As an example, "he loved our fathers, and he covenanted with them, yea, even Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and he remembered the covenants which he had made" (1 Nephi 17:40). In August of 1830, Joseph Smith received a revelation in... Continue Reading →
The Work, the Sword, the Sickle, and the Prayer
In the first half of 1829, Joseph Smith received a number of revelations on behalf of other people. Four of those revelations begin almost identically, with a set of four biblical concepts, all of which also appear in the Book of Mormon. Why did those four concepts warrant such frequent repetition, and why did the... Continue Reading →
“Revealed…Manifest…Loosed” – 2 Nephi 30:17
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 →
Overcoming Resistance to Change – 2 Nephi 28 & 29
When you are confident that your worldview is complete, it can be easy to ignore or reject inconvenient facts which fail to conform to your theories. That's human nature. We prefer for the data to fit neatly into our preconceived notions rather than to have to question those notions. But this resistance to change can... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Refute?
This is the third of six posts answering a series of questions raised by President Russell M. Nelson in the October 2017 general conference. So far, I have discussed what the Book of Mormon is and what it affirms. Today, I am listing some of the fallacies it refutes. It refutes the concept of original sin,... Continue Reading →