A disciple is a person who learns a discipline from someone who has already mastered it. You can't do that by simply memorizing facts or understanding concepts. A discipline is a set of habits and skills, and it requires practice. Self-directed learning is popular, and exploration has its place. But when you're trying to develop... Continue Reading →
The Book of Psalms and the Book of Mormon
The brass plates which Lehi and his family carried from Jerusalem contained a lot of content which overlaps with the Old Testament. Nephi describes three categories of writings, which correspond with three of the four groupings of books in the Old Testament: "The five books of Moses" - The Law (Genesis through Deuteronomy)"A record of... Continue Reading →
The King of Glory Shall Come In
Based on: Psalm 24 Core message: We can feel joy today because of a future event that is certain to happen. We need not wait until the event occurs to feel that happiness. Related Book of Mormon passages: Alma 5:50, Alma 13:25
Finding Grace
When Ruth and her mother-in-law, Naomi, arrived in Bethlehem, they needed a way to obtain food. Ruth said, "Let me now go to the field, and glean [fallen grain] after him in whose sight I shall find grace" (Ruth 2:2). Even though the law required farmers to leave their extra grain for the poor, she... Continue Reading →
“Until the Lord Hath Given Your Brethren Rest”
Before the children of Israel crossed the Jordan River, two and a half of the tribes requested permission to stay on the east side of the river. Moses granted them permission, on the condition that they agreed to help the remaining tribes secure land on the west side of the river. (See Numbers 32.) So,... Continue Reading →
Hardened Hearts
Why would the leader of a nation continue to pursue a harmful course of action in the face of increasing punishments? I'm not talking about Vladimir Putin's ongoing invasion of Ukraine in spite of severe international sanctions; I'm talking about Pharaoh's unwillingness to let the Israelites go free while his country was pummeled by plagues.... Continue Reading →
An Help, Meet for Him
After Lehi and his family left Jerusalem but before they began their journey to the promised land in earnest, the Lord told Lehi that his group was incomplete. He said "that it was not meet" for Lehi to "take his family into the wilderness alone; but that his sons should take daughters to wife" (1... Continue Reading →
Keeping Our Estates
In the Epistle of Jude, the author provides several examples of groups of people who suffered as a result of distancing themselves from God. One of those examples is heavenly rather than earthly: The angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.Jude 1:6... Continue Reading →
Glory
Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory.Psalm 24:9-10 What is glory? The word appears 225 times in the King James Version of the Old Testament,... Continue Reading →
First Lessons
Learning was an important part of our premortal existence. Joseph F. Smith saw in a vision many faithful spirits, including biblical prophets, gathered at the time of the death of Jesus Christ. Then, he noticed a number of people who had not yet been born, including his uncle, Joseph Smith, and his father, Hyrum Smith.... Continue Reading →
Book of Mormon Study Notes 