Jeremiah bought land. If you're wondering about the significance of that transaction, consider the following: Prophets since Moses had foretold the captivity of the children of Israel and the destruction of Jerusalem. Jeremiah had told the people clearly that this event was no longer in the distant future. It was going to happen to them... Continue Reading →
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 →
Practicable
Do you ever feel like there isn't enough time to do everything that you need to do? How do you deal with that situation? In January of 1832, Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon had multiple competing demands on their time. They had taken a break from translating the Bible to preach the gospel (Doctrine and... Continue Reading →
Book of Mormon References in Moroni 6
Today as I studied Moroni 6, I found a number of phrases which referenced earlier passages in the Book of Mormon. Obviously, Moroni knew the Book of Mormon well. Still, I thought these references were striking, and I thought I'd share the connections I made today as I studied this chapter. Most of these phrases... Continue Reading →
Cumorah
Mormon was 73 years old when he gathered his people for their final battle (Mormon 6:5). He had begun leading Nephite armies nearly 60 years earlier, at the age of 15 (Mormon 2:2). He had seen a lifetime of battles, and he knew the likely outcome of this conflict, but he believed that his people's... Continue Reading →
“Hid up unto the Lord” – Mormon 1:2, 4:23, 5:12
We don't know much about Ammaron, the caretaker of the Nephite records who selected Mormon as his successor. We know that he was the brother of Amos, and therefore a descendant of Alma, who organized the church at the waters of Mormon about 450 years earlier. And we know that he was "constrained by the... Continue Reading →
“The Strength of the Lord” – Mormon 2:26
Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.Jeremiah 17:5 I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust... Continue Reading →
How Can I Teach My Children to Be Resilient?
In the September 2019 issue of the Ensign magazine, Elder Lynn G. Robbins expresses his concern that many young people have not developed sufficient resilience. He defines resilience as “an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change,” and he encourages parents to increase their efforts to help their children develop this... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Sadness?
Yesterday, I wrote about what the Book of Mormon teaches us about happiness. Today, I would like to consider what the Book of Mormon teaches us about sadness. 1. Sadness is a fact of life. Alma referred to mortal life as "this vale of sorrow" (Alma 37:45). Jacob said that he and his people "did... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About Grace?
The word "grace" appears 31 times in the Book of Mormon. Today, I reviewed each of those passages and learned the following principles: Grace is an attribute of Jesus Christ. It is often listed with other attributes, including: mercy, truth, patience, equity, justice, power, and long-suffering (2 Nephi 2:6. 2 Nephi 2:8, 2 Nephi 9:8, 2... Continue Reading →
Book of Mormon Study Notes 