The Lord invited Frederick G. Williams to "succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees." It begins with awareness: we need to notice the need. Then we can provide appropriate assistance, whether that be emergency relief, encouragement, or training and coaching.
From Vision to Practice: The Relationship Between Doctrine and Covenants 76 and 78
The practical instructions given in Doctrine and Covenants 78 make frequent reference to the transcendent vision recorded two weeks earlier in Doctrine and Covenants 76. Spiritual experiences lead seamlessly to practical instructions. Celestial glory is a continuation and amplification of what we are building today with God's help.
What and How to Teach Your Children
Moses and King Benjamin emphasized the importance of parents teaching our children spiritual truths. In modern revelation, the Lord specifically emphasized repentance, faith, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and prayer. President Nelson also explained the importance of teaching by persuasion, not by compulsion. How we teach is as important as what we teach.
Proactive Steadiness: Anxiously Engaged, but Not in Haste
In an 1831 revelation, the Lord gave two contrasting admonitions, urging church leaders to be anxiously engaged but not to work in haste nor by flight. We can balance eager initiative with careful restraint by (1) counseling continually with the Lord, (2) pacing ourselves, and (3) being fervently patient.
Staying the Course
Success often requires persistence, and our discipleship is no different. Jesus promises salvation to those who “endure to the end.” The Greek hupoménō means “remain under,” evoking His yoke and cross. It's important to pace ourselves, but also to keep moving toward the goal.
Our Emerging Redemption
The Atonement of Jesus Christ can uplift and purify us today, as Alma and King Benjamin's people can testify. This "preparatory redemption" foreshadows the perfected redemption promised in Doctrine and Covenants 45, when every wound is healed and every obstacle to our eternal joy has been removed.
Caring for the Poor and the Needy: Three Principles from God’s Law
Doctrine and Covenants 42 and 44 teach three principles to help us care for the poor and needy: 1. When you have more than enough, share. 2. A gift is a gift. Once given, it is no longer yours. 3. Do something now; don't wait for the perfect organization before giving.
Easter: Peace, Becoming, and Belonging
Elder Gerrit W. Gong identified three gifts we remember at Easter— Atonement, Resurrection, and Restoration. 1. The Atonement of Jesus Christ brings us peace. 2. The Resurrection represents becoming: realizing our full potential. 3. The Restoration of the gospel strengthens relationships, enabling us to have a sense of eternal connection and belonging.
Grace and Agency in Doctrine and Covenants 20
Doctrine and Covenants 20 teaches us about the relationship between grace and agency. Jesus Christ suffered so that we could be saved. We can choose to accept that gift (justification) and retain it over time (sanctification). Baptism enables us to accept it. The sacrament helps us retain it.
Thy Daily Walk
The Lord emphasized to Martin Harris that we need to focus on our "daily walk," living every day according to the counsel we have received. Two essential components of our daily walk with Him are prayer and gratitude.