The leper expressed both uncertainty and certainty: "If thou wilt" (I don't know if you're willing to heal me), "thou canst make me clean" (I know you're able to do it). True faith includes a belief that God can heal us and an willingness to defer to Him.
“Whatsoever He Saith Unto You, Do It.”
Should you follow arbitrary instructions from a random person? Of course not. But you might follow seemingly arbitrary instructions from someone you trust. Mary was willing to believe in words that Jesus hadn't yet spoken, because she trusted Him.
Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness
To ancient Israel, the Lord declared, "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour" (Exodus 20:16, Deuteronomy 5:20, Mosiah 13:23). He subsequently elaborated on this commandment: You must not pass along false rumors. You must not cooperate with evil people by lying on the witness stand.You must not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you are... Continue Reading →
50, 45, 40, 30, 20, 10
Why would a perfect God allow imperfect people to influence His decisions? Surely He knows the best course of action, and surely He wants what is best for each of us. Why tarnish impeccable decisions by accommodating our preferences? This question has been on my mind today as I pondered an unusual exchange between God... Continue Reading →
The Image of God
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.Genesis 1:27 How much are we like God? We see daily evidence of how far we—and the people around us—fall short of perfection. So how can we think we have anything in common with a perfect Being? The... Continue Reading →
Spirit
Handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.Luke 24:39 Thousands of years before the birth of Jesus Christ, a prophet known as the brother of Jared saw and spoke with Him. After pointing out that He looked like a human being, Jesus explained: Behold, this body, which ye now behold, is the body of my spirit; and man... Continue Reading →
He Who Liveth
Today is Easter Sunday, when Christians all over the world celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, His triumph over death. "I am he who liveth," said the Savior when He appeared to Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon in the Kirtland Temple on April 3, 1836 (Doctrine and Covenants 110:4). The Come Follow Me lesson manual... Continue Reading →
Daughters of Christ
After King Benjamin taught his people about the Atonement of Jesus Christ, they fell to the ground and pleaded with the Lord to forgive their sins. In response, they received an assurance from the Holy Ghost that their sins were remitted, and they were filled with peace and joy (Mosiah 4:2-3). They subsequently turned their... Continue Reading →
Truth
Our relationship with the truth is a fundamental part of our moral character. The prophet Jacob defined "truth" as "things as they really are, and...things as they really will be"(Jacob 4:13). (See also Doctrine and Covenants 93:24.) The Lord revealed to the prophet Joseph Smith that "All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed... Continue Reading →
“That They May Shine Forth in Darkness” – Ether 3:4
Humans hate uncertainty. We want to be able to accurately predict the future. We want to be able to explain things that seem mysterious. We don't like being left in the dark. As the Jaredites prepared to embark on a journey of unknown duration across the ocean, the brother of Jared became concerned about two... Continue Reading →
Book of Mormon Study Notes 