I spent the day yesterday serving with some people I haven’t seen in a long time. I was gratified when some of them who I don't know very well remembered my name (and when I remembered some of their names). Names are important. We like it when other people remember our names and when they... Continue Reading →
Spirit
Handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.Luke 24:39 Thousands of years before the birth of Jesus Christ, a prophet known as the brother of Jared saw and spoke with Him. After pointing out that He looked like a human being, Jesus explained: Behold, this body, which ye now behold, is the body of my spirit; and man... Continue Reading →
Willing
Yesterday, I wrote about King David's final sermon, in which he acknowledged God's power and glory. Earlier in that sermon, he had a message for his son, Solomon, who was to succeed him as king: And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Clarify?
This is the fifth of six 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, and what it fulfills. Today, I will write about what it clarifies. As I wrote yesterday, the Book of... Continue Reading →
What Is an Elder?
When Moses saw the burning bush on Mount Horeb, God commanded him to return to Egypt and lead his people out of slavery. Moses was somewhat concerned about fulfilling this assignment alone. But God explained that he wouldn't be alone: Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The Lord God... Continue Reading →
What Does It Mean to Minister?
When a rift developed among the apostles over the question of who would be greatest in the kingdom of heaven, Jesus called them together to teach them about leadership: Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be... Continue Reading →
Where Did the Sacrament Prayers Come From?
The prayers offered over the sacramental bread and water were given by revelation to Joseph Smith in 1820 (Doctrine & Covenants 20:75-79). They are nearly (but not precisely) identical to the prayers offered in the ancient American church as recorded by Moroni (Moroni 4, 5). Moroni recorded those prayers in about 421 A.D. But much... Continue Reading →
Why Are Some Prayers Fixed (the Sacrament Prayers, for Example) in Contrast to Our Normal Prayers?
We have significant latitude over the content of our prayers. For the most part, we can pray for the things we want to pray for, and our Heavenly Father wants us to share our genuine thoughts and feelings when we communicate with Him. However, the content of our prayers is constrained in some ways. A... Continue Reading →
What Can We Learn from the Differences Between the Sacrament Prayers?
Yesterday, I discussed the three-part structure of the sacrament prayers. Both prayers consist of a petition, a statement of purpose, and a list of promises. Today, I'd like to consider the differences between the prayers. Here is a side-by-side view of the two prayers with the differences highlighted: The Blessing on the Bread The Blessing... Continue Reading →
What Can We Learn from the Sacrament Prayers?
Moroni, the last prophet in the Book of Mormon, specified the words of the sacrament prayers (Moroni 4, Moroni 5). We use the same prayers today, with two modifications: The word "hath" has been replaced by the modern word "has" in the first prayer (as it appears in D&C 20:77). The word "wine" is replaced by... Continue Reading →
Book of Mormon Study Notes 