Tomorrow is Thanksgiving in the United States. In preparation for that holiday, I have been thinking about some of the things I am thankful for. Here are some ideas that occurred to me as I studied the Book of Mormon today: I'm grateful to be alive (Mosiah 2:20-21, Mosiah 7:12). I'm grateful for food and... Continue Reading →
What Does It Mean to Be Ordained?
We generally think of order as a good thing and its opposite—disarray, mismanagement, or chaos—as a bad thing. Most of us work hard to organize our lives and to fulfill our responsibilities in an orderly way. Furthermore, when we participate in an organization, we want to see evidence that things have been thought through, that... Continue Reading →
What Is a High Priest?
After leading the children of Israel out of slavery, Moses consecrated his brother Aaron and Aaron's sons to serve as priests. They were given special clothing to wear, but Aaron's clothing was distinct from the others. He wore a vest or apron called the ephod (אֵפוֹד). He wore a breastplate which contained the Urim and... Continue Reading →
What Does the Book of Mormon Teach About the Relationship Between Church and State?
Before the time of King Mosiah, religion and government were commingled in Nephite society. Mosiah's father, King Benjamin, had served not only as the political leader but also as the spiritual leader of his people, and Mosiah had followed suit. But when Alma arrived with a group of people whom he had organized into a... Continue Reading →
What Is the Relationship Between the Family and the Church?
Elder D. Todd Christofferson has pointed out that the gospel was originally taught in families. The organization of the church came later: Beginning with Adam, the gospel of Jesus Christ was preached, and the essential ordinances of salvation, such as baptism, were administered through a family-based priesthood order. As societies grew more complex than simply... Continue Reading →
What Is “the Immediate Goodness of God?”
When the people of Alma miraculously escaped their captors and arrived in the land of Zarahemla, the people there "knew not what to think" (Mosiah 25:8). They were filled with mixed emotions: They were horrified at the treatment which the people of Alma had endured, but they were grateful for the goodness of God in... 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 →
They Were All One Church – Mosiah 25:19-22
19 And it came to pass that king Mosiah granted unto Alma that he might establish churches throughout all the land of Zarahemla; and gave him power to ordain priests and teachers over every church. 20 Now this was done because there were so many people that they could not all be governed by one... Continue Reading →
Notwithstanding There Being Many Churches – Mosiah 25:19-22
19 And it came to pass that king Mosiah granted unto Alma that he might establish churches throughout all the land of Zarahemla; and gave him power to ordain priests and teachers over every church.20 Now this was done because there were so many people that they could not all be governed by one teacher;... Continue Reading →
