Insights from my daily study of the Book of Mormon.
There is a serenity in knowing that our work is done, but there is also a calm assurance in the sense that we have more to do and that there will be enough time to do it. Simeon's confidence that he would see the Messiah and his contentment when that promise was fulfilled illustrate the calming influence of faith.
Callings can be challenging. They can stretch us in unexpected ways. They can make us uncomfortable or anxious. They can also reveal latent talents, spark new relationships, and expand our perspectives. Moses was hesitant to accept the call to free his people from bondage. "Who am I?" he asked the Lord (Exodus 3:11). Enoch protested... Continue Reading →
Did the authors of the Book of Mormon have access to the book of Judges? They did have the brass plates, which contained "the five books of Moses...and also a record of the Jews...and also the prophecies of the holy prophets" (1 Nephi 5:10-13). It seems reasonable to assume that some version of the book... Continue Reading →
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 →
The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles is a proclamation published by leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 1 January 2000. The document speaks of the Savior's mission before birth, during His mortal ministry, and after His death and resurrection, including in our day. It also testifies that He... Continue Reading →
Freedom to choose is not the same thing as unlimited power. That seems pretty obvious, but in our pursuit of freedom, we sometimes fail to acknowledge our constraints. And when other people are misbehaving, we may forget that they, too, operate within constraints, seen or unseen. Job pointed out that the ultimate constraint on every... Continue Reading →
When God warned Abraham that the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah would be destroyed, Abraham pleaded with Him to spare the righteous. God agreed. If there be ten righteous people in those cities, He promised, I will not destroy them. (See Genesis 18:17-32.) Messengers from God subsequently warned Lot and and his family to leave... Continue Reading →
Included in Alma's list of soul-searching questions to the people of Zarahemla was the following: "Is there one among you that doth make a mock of his brother, or that heapeth upon him persecutions?" Alma added, "Wo unto such an one, for he is not prepared, and the time is at hand that he must repent or he cannot... Continue Reading →
Periodically, as Mormon relates the history of his people, he interrupts the narrative to share a lesson he hopes we're learning. He often begins these editorial notes with the phrase, "and thus we see." Many of these editorial notes appear during the Lamanite mission of the sons of Mosiah. Here are some of them: "And... Continue Reading →
A martyr is a witness. The word "martyr" appears three times in the King James version of the Bible. It is a translation of the Greek word martus (μάρτυς), which is translated many other places as "witness." Perhaps standing up for what is right always requires some courage, but when a person is willing to... Continue Reading →
Book of Mormon Study Notes 