Once you've started on the path of discipleship, how do you maintain your momentum? Believe it or not, part of the answer is meetings. As Nephi and his people organized a new city in the promised land, he consecrated his younger brothers, Jacob and Joseph, to be priests and teachers (2 Nephi 5:26). Their responsibility... Continue Reading →
“There Was Nothing Short of These Things…” – Enos 1:23
"He's a hard worker, and he will follow the rules—as long as you remind him constantly and give him occasional severe warnings." That's not exactly a resounding endorsement, but it's pretty much the characterization of the Nephites provided by Enos and by his son Jarom. I love very long sentences with a punchline at the... Continue Reading →
What Is the Significance of God’s Promise to Nephi?
Like the prophet Abraham, Nephi received a conditional promise from the Lord with an intergenerational impact. After the Lord commanded his father, Lehi, to abandon their home in Jerusalem and "depart into the wilderness" with his family, Nephi's brothers were angry. Nephi must have also been unhappy about the sudden change, but he prayed, and... Continue Reading →
Why Is Family History Important?
Heavenly Father wants us to build strong relationships with each other, and those relationships are not limited to people who are currently living. After Lehi left Jerusalem with his family, He sent his sons back on a dangerous mission. They were to acquire a valuable spiritual record engraved on brass plates which were in the... Continue Reading →
What Is the Plan of Redemption?
The word "plan" doesn't appear in the King James Version of the Bible. But it appears 51 times in the Book of Mormon. Book of Mormon prophets, particularly Jacob and Alma, teach clearly that God created a plan for us, and that by following His plan, we can overcome every challenge we face and achieve... Continue Reading →
They Did Prick Their Hearts – Jarom 1:11-12
11 Wherefore, the prophets, and the priests, and the teachers, did labor diligently, exhorting with all long-suffering the people to diligence; teaching the law of Moses, and the intent for which it was given; persuading them to look forward unto the Messiah, and believe in him to come as though he already was. And after... Continue Reading →
According to the Commandment of My Father – Jarom 1:1, 15
1 Now behold, I, Jarom, write a few words according to the commandment of my father, Enos, that our genealogy may be kept.... 15 And I deliver these plates into the hands of my son Omni, that they may be kept according to the commandments of my fathers. (Jarom 1:1, 15) I'll admit that I've... Continue Reading →
They Did Prick Their Hearts With the Word – Jarom 1:11-12
11 Wherefore, the prophets, and the priests, and the teachers, did labor diligently, exhorting with all long-suffering the people to diligence;...12 And it came to pass that by so doing they kept them from being destroyed upon the face of the land; for they did prick their hearts with the word, continually stirring them up... Continue Reading →