God leads by persuasion, not coercion, because His goal is our long-term growth, not immediate compliance. As his disciples, we should lead the same way: sharing truth with clarity and gentleness as we humbly and patiently persuade others to make wise decisions.
How to Recognize the Holy Ghost
God taught Oliver Cowdery four principles about personal revelation which can help us recognize messages from God: 1. Messages from God enlighten us. 2. Messages from God dispel fear and build faith. 3. God speaks to both our mind and our heart. 4. The Spirit of God confirms positive choices with positive feelings.
“Touch Them Not”
Moroni instructed Joseph Smith not to touch the portion of the plates which he had sealed shut. Curiosity can be a powerful motivator and a powerful distraction. We need to act upon our current knowledge while patiently waiting for additional information.
Biblical Bookends in the Book of Ether
A key message of the Book of Mormon is that we should study the Bible. The book of Ether underscores this point by referencing the first book, Genesis (the tower of Babel), and the last book, Revelation (in conjunction with the brother of Jared's vision).
Rending That Veil
After descending from Sinai, Moses had to wear a veil or the children of Israel would not come near him. Are we sometimes similarly hesitant to approach God? Moroni urged us to "rend that veil" which covers our heart.
Blind
After healing a man who was born blind, Jesus taught the Pharisees about spiritual blindness. Unlike physical blindness, spiritual blindness is often willful, caused by trying to prove what we want to believe instead of accepting evidence at face value.
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 →
Call Upon His Name
In Genesis 4 there is a potentially confusing passage. After reporting that Seth had a son named Enos, the author writes, "then began men to call upon the name of the Lord" (Genesis 4:26). Joseph Smith's revision of this passage adds a critical word: "Then began these men to call upon the name of the Lord," his version... 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 →
Hidden Treasures
On February 27, 1833, the Lord promised that those who obey His commandments will "find wisdom and great treasures of knowledge, even hidden treasures" (Doctrine and Covenants 89:19). A week and a half later, He instructed Joseph Smith not to produce a translation of the Apocrypha. Joseph had been studying the King James Version of... Continue Reading →