John the Baptist described the effect of the Holy Ghost with a striking metaphor: I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire. Matthew 3:11; see also Luke 3:16 As far as I know, that is the only place... Continue Reading →
Dry Bones
As disciples of Christ, we can in our day rise above those ancient Israelites who moaned, “Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost.” Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, "A Perfect Brightness of Hope," General Conference, April 2020 In one of Ezekiel's many visions, he found himself in the middle of a valley full of... Continue Reading →
“I Will Build Thee an House”
Sometimes we need to be reminded just how unequal our relationship with God is. King Benjamin taught that if we serve God with all of our souls for the rest of our lives, we would still be "unprofitable servants." God has already given us far more than we could ever hope to repay, and the... Continue Reading →
“Thou Mighty Man of Valour”
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf has shared the following words of advice: I learned in my life that we don’t need to be “more” of anything to start to become the person God intended us to become.God will take you as you are at this very moment and begin to work with you. All you need is... Continue Reading →
“Slow of Speech”
Enoch was shocked when God called him to preach the gospel. "Why is it," he asked, "that I have found favor in thy sight, and am but a lad, and all the people hate me; for I am slow of speech; wherefore am I thy servant?" (Moses 6:31). Communication effectiveness can't be measured, and it's easy to be hypercritical as... Continue Reading →
The Living Christ and the Book of Mormon
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 →
“None Shall Slumber”
In 1837, Thomas B. Marsh was concerned about the state of the Church. In Missouri, church members had been driven from their homes. In Ohio, many members and even church leaders were becoming disaffected. As president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Thomas must have felt a deep desire to help curb the chaos... Continue Reading →
Seeing as We Are Seen
Self-awareness is incredibly elusive. After describing the spiritual gift of charity, the apostle Paul observed, "We see through a glass, darkly" (1 Corinthians 13:12). The Greek word translated "glass" in this passage, esoptron (ἔσοπτρον), actually means a mirror, and a mirror made of metal, not of glass. These mirrors produced an image that was helpful... Continue Reading →
John Whitmer, Record-keeper
Why does the Lord ask us to keep written records? One reason is to communicate our experiences to others, including future generations. But another reason is more immediate: the process of writing forces us to think things through more carefully. We learn and we grow as we write. In March 1831, John Whitmer was called... Continue Reading →
Out of Weakness…
Near the end of his life, Lehi spoke with son Joseph. He spoke of a future seer who would publish his words and the words of his descendants. He didn't say this seer would be perfect. He said, "Out of weakness he shall be made strong" (2 Nephi 3:13). He said something similar about the... Continue Reading →
Book of Mormon Study Notes 