Nephi tells us that he "did liken all scriptures" to himself and to his family. Here's an example of a passage from Isaiah which he identified with personally: And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall... Continue Reading →
Seeking the Lord Diligently – 1 Nephi 10:17-19
Moses prophesied that his people would eventually forget the Lord and would be scattered among all nations. But he made a promise about what would happen next: If from thence thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul (Deuteronomy 4:29,... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Reveal?
This is the last of six blog posts answering a set of questions recommended by President Russell M. Nelson. So far, I have written about what the Book of Mormon is, what it affirms, what it refutes, what it fulfills, and what it clarifies. Here are some of the truths that the book reveals to... Continue Reading →
How Does the Gospel Bring Us Joy?
The angel who appeared to King Benjamin declared that his message would bring joy to Benjamin and to his people: I am come to declare unto you the glad tidings of great joy. For the Lord hath heard thy prayers, and hath judged of thy righteousness, and hath sent me to declare unto thee that... Continue Reading →
What Is Wisdom?
Near the beginning of the Book of Mormon, the prophet Jacob gives us the following counsel: "O be wise; what can I say more?" (Jacob 6:12). Near the end of the book, the prophet Moroni advises us, "Be wise in the days of your probation" (Mormon 9:28). The words "wisdom" and "wise" appear exactly 100... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About the Creation of the Earth?
It's so easy to have a narrow perspective. Our brains have finite capacity, and we all have tasks that must be done today. Focusing on the here and now may seem to be imperative. But provincial thinking can result in distorted perception and poor decisions. Book of Mormon prophets understood the importance of seeing the... Continue Reading →
What Does It Mean to Ponder?
Near the end of the first day of the Savior's ministry on the American continent, He announced that it was time for Him to leave. He promised to return the following day, and He gave them the following guidance about how to spend their time that evening: Go ye unto your homes, and ponder upon... Continue Reading →
How Is Christ the Judge of “Both Quick and Dead?”
Moroni ends the Book of Mormon by bidding us farewell until he meets us at the Final Judgment. In his description, he refers to the Savior as "the Eternal Judge of both quick and dead" (Moroni 10:34). What does that mean? The phrase actually appears three times in the King James Version of the Bible:... Continue Reading →
How Can I Become More Holy?
Holy - Properly, whole, entire or perfect, in a moral sense. Hence, pure in heart, temper or dispositions; free from sin and sinful affections. Applied to the Supreme Being, holy signifies perfectly pure, immaculate and complete in moral character; and man is more or less holy as his heart is more or less sanctified, or... Continue Reading →
Will We Be Judged by the Apostles?
During His mortal ministry, Jesus told His twelve apostles that they would one day "sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Matthew 19:28). An angel explained to the prophet Nephi that the apostles would judge the tribes of Israel and that the twelve disciples chosen on the American continent would in turn... Continue Reading →
