After His death and resurrection, Jesus gave His disciples an expansive assignment, often called the Great Commission. He told them to preach the gospel to everyone in the world, and He promised to bless everyone who believed in Him. Here is the commission, as recorded by Matthew and by Mark: Matthew 28:19-20Mark 16:15-18Go ye therefore,... Continue Reading →
Endure in Faith
Persevering through hardship is an essential component of discipleship. Fifteen times in the Book of Mormon, we are promised that those who endure to the end will be saved and will receive eternal life (1 Nephi 13:37, 1 Nephi 22:31, 2 Nephi 9:24, 2 Nephi 31:15, 16, 20, 2 Nephi 33:4, Omni 1:26, Alma 32:13, 15,... Continue Reading →
“I Know” / “I Know Not”
Recognizing the boundaries of our knowledge is an important element of self-awareness and a prerequisite to wise decision-making. Nephi opens the Book of Mormon with a testimony of its truthfulness: I know that the record which I make is true; and I make it with mine own hand; and I make it according to my knowledge.1... Continue Reading →
No End
A few months ago, I heard a presentation by Simon Sinek, author of The Infinite Game. He explained that many games we play, like football or chess, have clearly defined rules, consistent participants, and most importantly, endings. He called these "finite games." But other activities that we participate in might be better labeled as "infinite... Continue Reading →
“Deny Not the Power of God” – Moroni 10:7
Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). It's also often easier to give than to receive, particularly when the gift is viewed as necessary. No one wants to be a "project" or a "charity case." We all want to be viewed as self-sufficient and capable. But when we need... Continue Reading →
“Ask with a Firmness Unshaken, that Ye Will Yield to No Temptation” – Mormon 9:28
God will judge us in the end "according to the desire of [our] hearts" (Doctrine and Covenants 137:9). But our desires are not static and unchanging. They are affected over time by the decisions we make. As Elder Ulisses Soares recently taught, we are like a metal object, and temptation is like a magnet. The... Continue Reading →
Imperfections
Moroni was painfully aware of his limitations. Consider the following passages in the first two chapters of his writings (Mormon 8 and 9): "Behold, my father hath made this record, and he hath written the intent thereof. And behold, I would write it also if I had room upon the plates, but I have not; and ore... Continue Reading →
“If There Was No Mistake” – 3 Nephi 8:1-2
As Mormon prepares to relate the most extraordinary sequence of events in the Book of Mormon, he begins by emphasizing the reliability of his source, followed immediately by an admission that the source may have gotten some of the details wrong: And now it came to pass that according to our record, and we know... Continue Reading →
“That I Might Rid My Garments of Your Blood” – Mosiah 2:27-28
Blood on our clothing is a metaphor for unresolved sins at the Final Judgment. Alma asked the people of Zarahemla, "How will any of you feel, if ye shall stand before the bar of God, having your garments stained with blood and all manner of filthiness?" (Alma 5:22). He urged them to turn to the... Continue Reading →
What Does It Mean to “Dwindle in Unbelief?”
dwindle - Diminish gradually in size, amount, or strength (Oxford English Dictionary) Near the beginning of the Book of Mormon, Nephi learns from the Spirit that, without the brass plates containing the scriptures, his family would "dwindle and perish in unbelief" (1 Nephi 4:13). King Benjamin later emphasized this point to his sons: "Were it not for... Continue Reading →