Nephi tells us near the end of his writings that we can receive the Holy Ghost by following the Son "with full purpose of heart." He goes on to clarify his meaning: "acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent" (2 Nephi 31:13). In subsequent passages, Jacob and Limhi use the... Continue Reading →
How Can I Be More Hopeful?
Hope is an expectation of a positive outcome. When we have hope, we believe that good things will come. Hope empowers us to persevere when we encounter obstacles and to avoid discouragement. In daily conversation, the word "hope" often conveys substantial uncertainty. "I sure hope that happens" often means "I doubt it will happen, but... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Obedience?
Some form of the word "obey" appears 31 times in the Book of Mormon: Book # Occurences 1 Nephi 4 2 Nephi 6 Jacob 5 Mosiah 7 Alma 9 TOTAL 31 "I must obey." Obedience is a very important topic for Nephi, and he frames most of his story in terms of the response of... Continue Reading →
What Does It Mean to Endure to the End?
Throughout the Book of Mormon, we are encouraged to endure to the end. The prophet Nephi heard the voice of the Father declaring, "He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved" (2 Nephi 31:15). Jesus Christ made the same promise during His visit to the American continent (3 Nephi 15:9). Near the... Continue Reading →
How Can I Be More Humble?
It’s hard to feel that you are sufficiently humble. If you did, you might not be. — Henry B. Eyring, "Come Unto Christ," BYU Speeches, 29 Oct 1989 The word "humble" (or "humbled") appears 68 times in the Book of Mormon. About 2/3 of the time (42 occurrences), the word functions as a reflexive verb:... Continue Reading →
How Can We Be Open to Change While Being “Steadfast and Immovable?”
Yesterday, I wrote about the importance of being steadfast as disciples of Jesus Christ. When we are converted to the gospel, we make covenants with God. Those covenants anchor us in our faith and cement our new relationship with Him. By making sacred promises, we intentionally constrain our future decisions. We speak on behalf of... Continue Reading →
What Does It Mean to Be Steadfast?
After the people of King Benjamin prayed and received a remission of their sins, they made a covenant with God to obey His commandments for the rest of their lives. King Benjamin told them that they were now the children of Christ, and he urged them to follow through consistently on the promises they had... Continue Reading →
What Does It Mean to Do Something with “Real Intent?”
After teaching us about the baptism of the Savior, Nephi pleads with us to "follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent" (2 Nephi 31:13). Moroni tells us that repentance leads to forgiveness when it is done "with real intent" (Moroni 6:8). Mormon... Continue Reading →
How Do Book of Mormon Prophets Use the Title “Savior?”
The atonement of Jesus Christ is universal. He saves us by revealing the gospel to us and entering into a covenant relationship with us. He is both willing and able to save us.
What Does It Mean for Jesus to Be Our “Redeemer?”
The Hebrew word "go'el" is sometimes translated "redeemer" and sometimes "near kinsman." When we enter a covenant relationship with Jesus, He becomes the "near kinsman" who will deliver us from bondage, even bondage of our own making.