One of my daughters returned home last week from serving as a full-time missionary in Brazil. As we have heard about her experiences and seen first-hand her enthusiasm to continue sharing the gospel with others, I've asked myself this question: What can I do to be a better missionary? To answer this question, I've thought... Continue Reading →
What Can I Do to Feel More Joy?
When Ammon and his three brothers were reunited with their good friend Alma after fourteen years of separation, they were all filled with joy. Ammon, however, had an unusually dramatic reaction to this meeting: He was swallowed up in the joy of his God, even to the exhausting of his strength; and he fell...to the... Continue Reading →
Why Are Reunions Important?
After serving as missionaries among the Lamanites, the sons of Mosiah returned home. While en route, they encountered their good friend Alma, whom they had not seen in fourteen years. "Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren" (Alma 17:2). He was delighted to see how well they had done and how much they had... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Refugees?
The king of the Lamanites was troubled. His people had accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ after being taught by a group of Nephite missionaries. They had made a solemn oath never to fight again. Their own people had turned against them and were slaughtering them mercilessly. Now, Ammon, the leader of the missionaries, had... Continue Reading →
When Is Violence Justified?
"Thou shalt not kill" (Exodus 20:13). The sixth of the Ten Commandments which the Lord gave to Moses on Mount Sinai is clear and uncontroversial. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus expanded the commandment: Not only is it wrong to kill. It's wrong to be angry. It's wrong to call people names. These small... Continue Reading →
What Is Joy?
The Greek word for joy is chara (χαρά). It is related to the word charis (χάρις), which means "grace." Thus, Strong's Concordance defines the term as "joy because of grace" or "the awareness of God's grace." No wonder that Enos sought forgiveness of his sins after remembering his father's words about "the joy of the... Continue Reading →
How Can I Recognize the Temptations of the Devil?
The Book of Mormon teaches that there is a being in the universe who is trying to harm us and to thwart God's plan. His name is Satan (שָׂטָן - the Hebrew word for "adversary"), and he is commonly known as the devil, from the Greek word diabolos (διάβολος), which means "slanderer." He was once... Continue Reading →
How Can I Avoid Overzealousness?
zeal - Great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective (Oxford English Dictionary) When the Nephites welcomed a large number of Lamanite refugees into their land, they not only had to give them a place to live; they also had to provide protection for them. That's because these Lamanites had taken... Continue Reading →
How Should We Respond When Others Threaten or Attack Us?
As I wrote yesterday, we need to forgive others in order to be forgiven by God. That's because an unforgiving heart is unable to receive God's healing power. But what should we do when we, or the people we are responsible for, are in danger? How can we protect and defend ourselves and them without... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About the Resurrection?
Today, I reviewed all 35 passages in the Book of Mormon which use the word "resurrection." Here are some of the principles I saw: Because of the fall of Adam and Eve, we will all die (2 Nephi 9:6). There is no way for us to overcome the consequences of this without divine intervention (2... Continue Reading →