When God appeared to Moses in the burning bush, He didn't introduce Himself as the Creator of the Universe or as the Father of all people. He didn't say where He lives or what He is trying to accomplish. Instead, He introduced Himself in terms of three of Moses's ancestors: I am the God of thy father, the God... 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 →
The Desire of Their Hearts
Only by educating and training our desires can they become our allies instead of our enemies!Neal A. Maxwell, "According to the Desire of [Our] Hearts," General Conference, October 1996 To the ancient prophet Jeremiah, God said, "I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways" (Jeremiah 17:10). Alma reaffirmed this principle: "I know... Continue Reading →
Room Enough
Alma wished he could speak with the thunderous voice of the angel who had called him to repentance. (See Alma 29:1-2, Mosiah 27:11.) As he saw his friends, the sons of King Mosiah, return home from a fourteen year mission with thousands of converts, it would have been natural to compare their success with his... Continue Reading →
“The Work to Which I Have Been Called” – Alma 29:6
Contributing to a greater cause is fulfilling, but it requires us to set aside our ego, be modest in our expectations, and recognize the contributions of others. Alma was so committed to bring others to Christ that he wrote, "O that I were an angel!" He wanted to "speak with the trump of God, with... Continue Reading →
Declare Repentance
Both John Whitmer and his brother Peter asked God many times what they could do which would be of the greatest worth. His response to both of them was the same: The thing which will be of the most worth unto you will be to declare repentance unto this people, that you may bring souls unto me, that you may rest with... 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 →
What Are the Roles of Persuasion and Punishment in Motivating Good Behavior?
This is the third of three posts in response to a question I received last week. The first post discussed God's love for us. The second discussed why God would "inflict" things on us. Today's post discusses the roles of persuasion and of punishment from God's perspective. The questioner wants to understand why a loving... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Abraham?
Near the beginning of the Book of Mormon, Lehi's sons risk their lives in order to obtain a set of brass plates which contains, among other things, the five books of Moses. A central character in those books is the prophet Abraham. Even though he had lived nearly 2,000 years earlier, his influence is felt... Continue Reading →
What Should I Do When I Feel Inadequate?
Nephi wrote poignantly about his failure to live up to his own expectations. "O wretched man that I am!" he said. "I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me" (2 Nephi 4:17-18). He tried to overcome his failings by willpower alone, but in the end, it was... Continue Reading →
Book of Mormon Study Notes 