When we truly have faith in God, we trust His timing. The author of the book of Ecclesiastes reminds us that many of our experiences occur on a schedule beyond our control: To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a... Continue Reading →
Who Were Zenos and Zenock?
The authors of the Book of Mormon quoted a number of prophets who lived in Israel before Lehi's family left Jerusalem (about 600 B.C.). Some of those prophets, like Moses and Isaiah, also appear in the Bible. But others do not. Two of these prophets are Zenos and Zenock. Here's what we know about them:... Continue Reading →
“Ye Shall Have Joy” – Jacob 5:71, 75
At the end of the allegory of the olive tree, the Lord of the vineyard implements a massive plan to recover his olive trees. He and his servant, who have been working alone, recruit more people to help with the work (Jacob 5:61). As he instructs the new recruits, the Lord of the vineyard makes... Continue Reading →
Innovation Lessons from the Allegory of the Olive Tree – Jacob 5
As I listened to Jacob 5 this morning, it occurred to me that Zenos's allegory of the olive tree teaches us how to innovate successfully. Here are some of the principles I noticed: Don't expect your first idea to work. In the allegory, the master of the vineyard sees an olive tree beginning to decay... Continue Reading →
“It Grieveth Me That I Should Lose This Tree” – Jacob 5:7
Eight times during the allegory of the olive tree, the Lord of the vineyard says something similar to, "It grieveth me that I should lose this tree" (Jacob 5:7, 11, 13, 32, 46, 47, 51, 66). What is the significance of this statement? It testifies of his enduring love, and it clarifies why he keeps... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Diligence?
Today, I studied all 56 passages in the Book of Mormon which use some form of the word "diligent." To be diligent is to "[show] care and conscientiousness in one's work or duties" (Oxford English Dictionary). The word also carries a connotation of eagerness. It comes from the Latin word diligere, which means to "esteem,"... Continue Reading →
How Can I Be a Better Employee?
Many of us spend a large amount of time at work, contributing to the goals of an organization and interacting with peers, subordinates, and managers. Today, I found the following principles in the Book of Mormon to help me be a better employee: Principle #1: Take ownership. Three days after Ammon accepted the assignment to... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Obedience?
Some form of the word "obey" appears 31 times in the Book of Mormon: Book # Occurences 1 Nephi 4 2 Nephi 6 Jacob 5 Mosiah 7 Alma 9 TOTAL 31 "I must obey." Obedience is a very important topic for Nephi, and he frames most of his story in terms of the response of... Continue Reading →
Counsel Me Not – Jacob 5:21-22
21 And it came to pass that the servant said unto his master: How comest thou hither to plant this tree, or this branch of the tree? For behold, it was the poorest spot in all the land of thy vineyard. 22 And the Lord of the vineyard said unto him: Counsel me not; I... Continue Reading →
That We May Labor – Jacob 5:15
15 And it came to pass that a long time passed away, and the Lord of the vineyard said unto his servant: Come, let us go down into the vineyard, that we may labor in the vineyard.(Jacob 5:15)There are a number of leadership lessons in Zenos's allegory of the olive trees. One of those lessons... Continue Reading →
