Sacred times and places are important, and we benefit from treating them with reverence. But as Jesus taught the Samaritan woman, and as Alma and Amulek taught the Zoramites, the ultimate goal is communion with God.
The Acceptable Year of the Lord
David pleaded with God to save him "in an acceptable time." Paul and Amulek both testified that the acceptable time is now. Part of the Savior's mission was to proclaim that grace is available to us immediately if we are willing to receive it.
He Will Save
At the end of his book, the prophet Zephaniah paints a picture of what it will be like for modern Israel to be gathered and delivered. Here is part of his description: The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love,... Continue Reading →
The Harvest Is Over
The prophet Jeremiah lamented the suffering his people were enduring because they had turned away from God and failed to repent. "Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people," he said, "The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved" (Jeremiah 8:19-20). The Lord used the same language in... Continue Reading →
Thy Name, My Name
I spent the day yesterday serving with some people I haven’t seen in a long time. I was gratified when some of them who I don't know very well remembered my name (and when I remembered some of their names). Names are important. We like it when other people remember our names and when they... 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 →
How Lovely Is Thy Dwelling-place
Based on: Psalm 84 Core message: Holy places on earth can prepare us to return to God's presence. Related Book of Mormon passage: Mosiah 2:41
The Mercy Seat
The Hebrew word kaphar (כָּפַר) means "to cover," but it can also mean "to make an atonement" or "to make reconciliation." The imagery is powerful: someone "covers" whatever is causing the rift, so that the relationship can be healed. In everyday English we sometimes use the word "cover" in a similar way. We may "cover... 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 →
Moses
When Pharaoh's daughter discovered a Hebrew baby floating in a small basket in the river, she decided to adopt him. The writer of Genesis explains that she named him Moses, or Mosheh (משֶׁה) because she "drew him out of the water" (Exodus 2:10). The Hebrew word mashah (מָשָׁה) means "to draw out" or "to pull... Continue Reading →
Book of Mormon Study Notes 