The Hebrew word mauz (מָעוֹז) means a place of safety or protection. In the King James Version of the Bible, it is usually translated "strength," sometimes "rock," "fortress" or "fort," and once, in the book of Nahum, it is translated "strong hold:" The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them... Continue Reading →
Finding Favor
Luke tells us that as a young man, "Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man" (Luke 2:52). He was following in the footsteps of his mother. The angel Gabriel had assured her, "Thou hast found favour with God" (Luke 1:28-30). What is God's favor, and how can we find... Continue Reading →
“Especial Care”
On July 9, 1841, Joseph Smith visited Brigham Young at his home in Nauvoo—a log cabin his wife had built in his absence while raising and caring for their children alone. Brigham had returned a week earlier from a mission to England and had immediately gotten to work helping her with a job which was... Continue Reading →
In Light and Truth
In May 1833, God taught Joseph Smith about several interrelated concepts: light, truth, spirit, and intelligence (Doctrine and Covenants 93:1-40). After explaining that everyone on earth has received the light of Christ (v. 2), that truth is knowledge of the way things really are (v. 24), that obedience to God's commandments invites truth and light... Continue Reading →
“We Do Not Doubt Our Mothers Knew It” – Alma 56:48
Just before their first battle, Helaman asks his 2,000 young soldiers if they will take a risk and attack the Lamanite army which has been pursuing them. These young warriors (whom he called his "sons") respond with great faith: Our God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should fall; then let... Continue Reading →
What Can We Learn from the Women in the Book of Mormon?
Today, I have been pondering the lessons I have learned from some of the women in the Book of Mormon. Here are a few of those lessons: "Now I know of a surety..." Sariah trusted the revelations received by her husband, Lehi. She, along with the rest of the family, abandoned her home in Jerusalem... Continue Reading →
What Should I Do When I Have Doubts?
To doubt is to vacillate, to be paralyzed by indecision. The word descends from the Latin word dubitare, which is related to duo ("two"). Together with the related words dubiosus ("doubtful"), and dubium ("doubt") it suggests an inability to decide between two incompatible alternatives (Online Etymology Dictionary, "doubt," "dubious"). In the Greek New Testament, one of... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Being an Effective Parent?
From the first phrase in the Book of Mormon, the importance of parents is emphasized (1 Nephi 1:1). What can we learn from the Book of Mormon about how to be a good parent? 1. "With all the feeling of a tender parent" Lehi and Sariah loved their children. Even though some of their children... Continue Reading →
How Can We Overcome Our Doubts?
To doubt something is to feel uncertain about it, to lack conviction. The word is also closely associated with fear. (See the definition of doubt in the Oxford Dictionary.) When new evidence calls an accepted fact into question, reasonable people will begin to doubt what they thought they knew before. This is wise, and is part... Continue Reading →
We Were Not Sufficiently Strong – Alma 56:39-40
39 And it came to pass that before the dawn of the morning, behold, the Lamanites were pursuing us. Now we were not sufficiently strong to contend with them; yea, I would not suffer that my little sons should fall into their hands; therefore we did continue our march, and we took our march into... Continue Reading →
Book of Mormon Study Notes 