In 1832, the Lord gave church members the following counsel: Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;Doctrine and Covenants 88:119 I've been thinking today about... Continue Reading →
Willing
Yesterday, I wrote about King David's final sermon, in which he acknowledged God's power and glory. Earlier in that sermon, he had a message for his son, Solomon, who was to succeed him as king: And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a... Continue Reading →
“They Separated Themselves” – Alma 17:13, 17
Within the infinite work of the Lord, we each have a finite work to do. Our efforts complement one another, enabling us to collectively reach many more of Heavenly Father's children than any of us would have been able to do alone. When the sons of Mosiah and their colleagues arrived in the land of... Continue Reading →
“Ye Shall Not Cast Him Out” – 3 Nephi 18:22-32
Our Heavenly Father loves all of His children, and His Church is meant to be a welcoming place for all people. On the first day of the Savior's ministry on the American continent, He taught this principle clearly to the people gathered at the temple in the land of Bountiful: Ye shall meet together oft; and ye... Continue Reading →
“Pray Always” – 2 Nephi 32:9
Near the end of his writings, Nephi urged his readers to "pray always, and not faint." He went on to explain: Ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy... 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 →
“Ask in Faith” – Enos 1:15
Many times in the Book of Mormon, we are promised that God will answer our prayers. An essential element of effective prayers is faith—the belief or confidence that God will answer us. The Lord promised Enos, "Whatsoever thing ye shall ask in faith, believing that ye shall receive in the name of Christ, ye shall receive it"... Continue Reading →
“Cut Off from Among the People”
Relationships are essential for happiness. When Nephi's brothers trivialized his spiritual experiences, the Lord explained to him that those who keep His commandments will prosper, while those who rebel will be "cut off from the presence of the Lord" (1 Nephi 2:18-21). Later, Nephi quoted a prophecy of Moses to his brothers to emphasize the... Continue Reading →
Book of Mormon References in Moroni 6
Today as I studied Moroni 6, I found a number of phrases which referenced earlier passages in the Book of Mormon. Obviously, Moroni knew the Book of Mormon well. Still, I thought these references were striking, and I thought I'd share the connections I made today as I studied this chapter. Most of these phrases... Continue Reading →
“Meet Together Oft” – Moroni 6:5
Once you've started on the path of discipleship, how do you maintain your momentum? Believe it or not, part of the answer is meetings. As Nephi and his people organized a new city in the promised land, he consecrated his younger brothers, Jacob and Joseph, to be priests and teachers (2 Nephi 5:26). Their responsibility... Continue Reading →