She was a young Israelite woman, who had been captured by the Syrian army and was now a slave in the house of Naaman. She felt empathy toward her master, who was captain of the Syrian army but who was afflicted with leprosy. She said to Naaman's wife, "Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in... Continue Reading →
“Behold the Seer”
MUSTAFA: Do you know what you would like this evening, sir?EGO: Yes, I think I do.... You know what I'm craving? A little perspective.Ratatouille (2007), screenplay by Brad Bird There was a lot to be unhappy about in the time of Enoch. Just six generations after the Fall of Adam and Eve, people had largely... Continue Reading →
An Effectual Door
In his first epistle to the Corinthian saints, Paul promises to spend some time with them in the future, but not right away. "I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost," he says. "For a great door and effectual is opened unto me" (1 Corinthians 16:9). The word effectual means "successful in producing a desired or... Continue Reading →
Wisdom’s Paths – Helaman 12:5
I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in the right paths.Proverbs 4:11 King Limhi lamented the fact that people are often unwilling to put forth the effort to gain wisdom. He further sorrowed that people often failed to follow the wisdom they had already received. "They will not seek... Continue Reading →
Gazelem – Alma 37:23
The record of the Jaredite people was engraved on twenty-four plates (Ether 1:2). The Lord gave the brother of Jared two stones to store with the plates. He explained that those stones would enable future readers to understand the words he would write. For behold, the language which ye shall write I have confounded; wherefore... 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 Should I Be Thankful For?
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 Do We Know About the Jaredite Plates?
Like a play within a play, the Book of Mormon, an ancient record translated by the power of God, contains a story of another ancient record which was translated by the power of God. The first mention of this record appears in the Book of Omni, near the end of the Small Plates of Nephi.... Continue Reading →
Why Is Jesus Called “the Good Shepherd?”
Jesus provides gentle and dedicated leadership. He leads by invitation, not by compulsion, and He invites us to follow His example, becoming shepherds of other people.
What Is the Urim and Thummim?
Shortly after the Lord confounded the language of people at the tower of Babel and scattered them "upon the face of all the earth" (Genesis 11:9), a group of people led by a man named Jared and his brother traveled to the American continent. As they prepared to board barges to cross the sea, the... Continue Reading →