In December of 1830, the Lord promised Edward Partridge that he would receive the Holy Ghost, which would teach him "the peaceable things of the kingdom" (Doctrine and Covenants 36:2). The following month, He made the same promise to James Covill (Doctrine and Covenants 39:6), and a month after that, He extended the promise to... Continue Reading →
Elias
I've been thinking today about two Old Testament prophecies, both of which are associated with John the Baptist, but both of which have much broader applicability. Isaiah prophesied that, following the Babylonian captivity, there would be a voice in the wilderness, crying "Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a... Continue Reading →
The Work, the Sword, the Sickle, and the Prayer
In the first half of 1829, Joseph Smith received a number of revelations on behalf of other people. Four of those revelations begin almost identically, with a set of four biblical concepts, all of which also appear in the Book of Mormon. Why did those four concepts warrant such frequent repetition, and why did the... Continue Reading →
Godliness
In an 1829 revelation to Joseph Smith, Sr., God listed ten attributes we should remember as we do His work (Doctrine and Covenants 4:6). Today, I studied the seventh of those attributes: godliness. As President Russell M. Nelson observed, "Godliness is an attribute that seems as difficult to define as it is to attain" ("These...Were... Continue Reading →
How to “Come unto Christ”
Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me.Doctrine and Covenants 88:63 The phrase "come unto Christ" only appears three times in the Book of Mormon. Jacob tells us that he labored diligently to persuade his people to come unto Christ (Jacob 1:7). Amaleki ends the small plates of Nephi with... Continue Reading →
“Inviteth and Enticeth” – Moroni 7:12-13
In his sermon in the synagogue, before teaching his people how to "lay hold upon every good thing," Mormon provided some instruction about how to distinguish between good and evil: All things which are good cometh of God; and that which is evil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy unto God, and fighteth against him... Continue Reading →
“The Gift of His Calling” – Moroni 7:2
Are we grateful for our responsibilities? As Mormon began a sermon to a group church members, he acknowledged that he was only able to speak to them because of God's grace and His will, manifest in "the gift of his calling unto me" (Moroni 7:2). In an earlier chapter, Moroni spoke of "the gifts and... Continue Reading →
“Charity Never Faileth” – Moroni 7:46
After describing the characteristics of charity, including suffering long and enduring all things, Mormon followed up in the same way that the apostle Paul did in his first epistle to the Corinthians. He said, "Charity never faileth" (Moroni 7:46). (See 1 Corinthians 13:8.) Paul contrasted charity with several gifts of the Spirit— prophecies, tongues, and... Continue Reading →
Faith, Hope, Meekness, and Love: Interdependent Virtues – Moroni 7:39-44
Christlike virtues do not exist in a vacuum. We might talk about them in isolation; we might even work on them individually. But as we develop one virtue, others naturally grow. Mormon emphasizes the interdependence of several virtues near the end of his sermon in the synagogue: "I judge that ye have faith in Christ... Continue Reading →
“With What Judgment Ye Judge…” – 3 Nephi 14:2
What does it mean to judge? It means to form an opinion or to make a decision. Mormon said, "I show unto you the way to judge" (Moroni 7:16), and then explained that we ought to make decisions according to what is right and good, which we can know by the light of Christ. "See... Continue Reading →
