Nephi taught that God invites all people "to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him" (2 Nephi 26:33). When the Savior visited the American continent, He demonstrated this inclusiveness by His actions. Immediately after descending from heaven and announcing who He was, He said: Arise and... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Say About Teaching the Gospel in Families?
The Book of Mormon begins with a family. The Lord commands Lehi, a prophet in Jerusalem whose life is in danger, to "take his family and depart into the wilderness" (2 Nephi 2:2). During their journey, he teaches his children the gospel, he urges them to keep the commandments, and he warns them when their... Continue Reading →
Where Did the Sacrament Prayers Come From?
The prayers offered over the sacramental bread and water were given by revelation to Joseph Smith in 1820 (Doctrine & Covenants 20:75-79). They are nearly (but not precisely) identical to the prayers offered in the ancient American church as recorded by Moroni (Moroni 4, 5). Moroni recorded those prayers in about 421 A.D. But much... Continue Reading →
What Does It Mean to “Fulfill” God’s Commandments?
Fulfill (or fulfil) - put into effect, meet the requirements of, measure up to, bring to an end, develop the full potentialities of, convert to reality (Merriam-Webster Dictionary) I wrote last week about the concept of "keeping" God's commandments. A friend of mine pointed out that in Spanish, the word "keep" is sometimes translated "guardar" (to... Continue Reading →
What Does It Mean to “Watch and Pray?”
Just after participating in the Last Supper, the Savior walked with His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane, at the foot of the Mount of Olives. Telling His disciples, "Pray that ye enter not into temptation," He walked a little further, and knelt to pray (Luke 22:40-41, Mark 14:32-36, Matthew 26:36-39). Returning a little later, He... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Family Prayer?
During the Savior's visit to the American continent, after healing the sick, He invited the people to bring their children forward. The children sat around the Savior, and the adults knelt behind the children. Jesus also knelt and prayed. After the prayer, He said, "My joy is full," and He wept. Then, "he took their... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Forgiving Others?
Near the beginning of the Book of Mormon, Laman and Lemuel feel remorse for something they have done to their brother Nephi. They plead with him to forgive them. Nephi tells us that he "did frankly forgive them all that they had done." He encourages them to pray to God for forgiveness, which they do... Continue Reading →
How Do I Know If I’m Worthy to Take the Sacrament?
Immediately after introducing the sacrament during His visit to the American continent, the Savior gave a warning to the twelve disciples whom He had chosen: they should be careful not to allow people to participate in this sacred ordinance unworthily. Ye shall not suffer any one knowingly to partake of my flesh and blood unworthily,... Continue Reading →
What Can We Learn from the Differences Between the Sacrament Prayers?
Yesterday, I discussed the three-part structure of the sacrament prayers. Both prayers consist of a petition, a statement of purpose, and a list of promises. Today, I'd like to consider the differences between the prayers. Here is a side-by-side view of the two prayers with the differences highlighted: The Blessing on the Bread The Blessing... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About the Sacrament?
Shortly before His death and resurrection, Jesus shared a meal with His apostles in Jerusalem. The purpose of this meal, which is known as the Last Supper, was to celebrate Passover, a Jewish feast commemorating the deliverance of Israel from Egypt 1,500 years earlier. During the meal, Jesus blessed and broke bread, telling His disciples,... Continue Reading →