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 →
The Sorrowing of the Damned / They Began to Boast in Their Own Strength – Mormon 2:12-13, 3:9-11
12 And it came to pass that when I, Mormon, saw their lamentation and their mourning and their sorrow before the Lord, my heart did begin to rejoice within me, knowing the mercies and the long-suffering of the Lord, therefore supposing that he would be merciful unto them that they would again become a righteous... Continue Reading →
It Was One Complete Revolution – Mormon 2:8
8 But behold, the land was filled with robbers and with Lamanites; and notwithstanding the great destruction which hung over my people, they did not repent of their evil doings; therefore there was blood and carnage spread throughout all the face of the land, both on the part of the Nephites and also on the... Continue Reading →
The Sorrowing of the Damned – Mormon 2:12-14
12 And it came to pass that when I, Mormon, saw their lamentation and their mourning and their sorrow before the Lord, my heart did begin to rejoice within me, knowing the mercies and the long-suffering of the Lord, therefore supposing that he would be merciful unto them that they would again become a righteous... Continue Reading →
My Heart Did Sorrow Because of This – Mormon 2:25-27
25 And it came to pass that we did contend with an army of thirty thousand against an army of fifty thousand. And it came to pass that we did stand before them with such firmness that they did flee from before us.26 And it came to pass that when they had fled we did... Continue Reading →