One of my favorite passages in the Book of Mormon is 3 Nephi 17. It is one of the passages that resonates most with me of who Christ truly is and what great love he has for each of his children. I especially love verses 5-7,
"5 And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus spoken, he cast his eyes round about again on the multitude, and beheld they were in tears, and did look steadfastly upon him as if they would ask him to tarry a little longer with them.
6 And he said unto them: Behold, my bowels are filled with compassion towards you.
7 Have ye any that are sick among you? Bring them hither. Have ye any that are lame, or blind, or halt, or maimed, or leprous, or that are withered, or that are deaf, or that are afflicted in any manner? Bring them hither and I will heal them, for I have compassion upon you; my bowels are filled with mercy."
Here Christ doesn't just leave when his message is finished as it seems was his plan. Seeing the deep love the people had for him he decides to stay and to heal their sick and afflicted. He takes the time to heal each one individually as they were brought to him.
This is just one of the many examples of Christ's deep love for each individual person and his willingness to take the time to care for them one by one. Often we (and most religions) think of God almost as a great administrator, that He loves his children and takes care of them, but not that he really knows and takes care of us individually.
Or if we do know it in our head we don't fully understand it's deep meaning in our heart. When and as we come to understand how much God loves us individually then it changes how we look at the gospel and others. The gospel becomes less about law and duty and more about love. When we feel and understand God's love for us then our hearts are changed, we want more and more to follow the gospel. It changes us in amazing ways.
Sometimes it's easy as long time members to become rote in our membership, to just go through the motions, but if we simply seek to draw closer to Christ, to understand His love, then our hearts will naturally change. We will go from "going through the motions" to having real intent and a desire to serve God and the gospel will become so much more meaningful to us.
Friday, March 31, 2017
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
When Revelation Seems Wrong
Sometimes in our lives we receive revelation that later seems to be wrong. It can be confusing if we only take it at surface value. However, this week I read a passage in the Book of Mormon that gave me valuable insights into these situations.
In Alma 60:33 Moroni, in his anger of feeling neglected by the Government, says to Pahoran,
"Behold, the Lord saith unto me: If those whom ye have appointed your governors do not repent of their sins and iniquities, ye shall go up to battle against them."
Here Moroni specifically says that he received revelation from God saying that if the appointed Governors (ie. Pahoran and his councilors) didn't repent he should go to battle against them. This implies that God is confirming that Pahoran and the government are sinners. But in reality that's not the case. Unbeknownst to Moroni Pahoran has actually been faithful this whole time.
So what happened? Was Moroni confused about the revelation he received? That's possible, but more I believe that God was using Moroni to answer someone else's question. It was revelation for Moroni in a sense, but even more so it was actually meant to be revelation for Pahoran.
In Alma 61:19-20 Pahoran writes back to Moroni,
" And now, Moroni, I do joy in receiving your epistle, for I was somewhat worried concerning what we should do, whether it should be just in us to go against our brethren.
But ye have said, except they repent the Lord hath commanded you that ye should go against them."
Moroni's revelation wasn't wrong! Perhaps Moroni misunderstood it's full meaning, but it had a powerful purpose in telling both of them how they should solve the problem they were currently facing. This spiritual confirmation was exactly what both of them needed to confront the difficult civil war they had to fight to save their people.
Often in our lives, we may similarly receive revelations that end up seeming to be wrong, but actually have a purpose beyond their face value. As we continue to be patient and wait upon the Lord he does answer our prayers often in miraculous ways we don't expect.
Revelation does come. God does answer prayers, but it doesn't always happen the way we think it will. However if we have faith and trust in God we can have a firm confidence that He will hear our prayers. This is something I want to have more faith in. As I do I know that like Moroni I will eventually see the purpose of the revelation I receive even if it isn't clear until the end.
In Alma 60:33 Moroni, in his anger of feeling neglected by the Government, says to Pahoran,
"Behold, the Lord saith unto me: If those whom ye have appointed your governors do not repent of their sins and iniquities, ye shall go up to battle against them."
Here Moroni specifically says that he received revelation from God saying that if the appointed Governors (ie. Pahoran and his councilors) didn't repent he should go to battle against them. This implies that God is confirming that Pahoran and the government are sinners. But in reality that's not the case. Unbeknownst to Moroni Pahoran has actually been faithful this whole time.
So what happened? Was Moroni confused about the revelation he received? That's possible, but more I believe that God was using Moroni to answer someone else's question. It was revelation for Moroni in a sense, but even more so it was actually meant to be revelation for Pahoran.
In Alma 61:19-20 Pahoran writes back to Moroni,
" And now, Moroni, I do joy in receiving your epistle, for I was somewhat worried concerning what we should do, whether it should be just in us to go against our brethren.
But ye have said, except they repent the Lord hath commanded you that ye should go against them."
Moroni's revelation wasn't wrong! Perhaps Moroni misunderstood it's full meaning, but it had a powerful purpose in telling both of them how they should solve the problem they were currently facing. This spiritual confirmation was exactly what both of them needed to confront the difficult civil war they had to fight to save their people.
Often in our lives, we may similarly receive revelations that end up seeming to be wrong, but actually have a purpose beyond their face value. As we continue to be patient and wait upon the Lord he does answer our prayers often in miraculous ways we don't expect.
Revelation does come. God does answer prayers, but it doesn't always happen the way we think it will. However if we have faith and trust in God we can have a firm confidence that He will hear our prayers. This is something I want to have more faith in. As I do I know that like Moroni I will eventually see the purpose of the revelation I receive even if it isn't clear until the end.
Monday, March 20, 2017
Bringing Hope
This morning I was reading in Alma 56 and I came upon a scripture that reminded me of a powerful lesson I learned on my mission. The scripture is Alma 56:16-17. It describes the effect Helamen's reinforcement of 2000 stripling warriors had on the warriors of Antipus. It says,
"16 Yea, and they were depressed in body as well as in spirit, for they had fought valiantly by day and toiled by night to maintain their cities; and thus they had suffered great afflictions of every kind.
17 And now they were determined to conquer in this place or die; therefore you may well suppose that this little force which I brought with me, yea, those sons of mine, gave them great hopes and much joy."
On my mission sometimes I unrighteously judged other missionaries especially older ones that I saw as having lost their missionary fire. I thought myself better than them and judged them without trying to truly understand why they were the way they were. However, one day when I read this story on my mission I realized that many of these missionaries were just like Antipus's soldiers.
Just like these soldiers these missionaries had fought valiantly, but many of them suffered great afflictions in the course of their mission, whether it was beloved investigators disappearing the week before baptism, or maybe terrible news from home or difficult circumstances, all of these missionaries I had judged were simply struggling because of afflictions they had faced.
I'm sure when Helamen's stripling warriors saw the warriors of Antipus and the state they were in they had no judgement, only respect for the valiance with which they had fought. The soliders' afflictions were very clear and present before their eyes. However in these days many of the afflictions and struggles the people around us go through are unseen to us. We see their struggling, but not their afflictions.
If we act with love towards our struggling family and friends and treat them not as unworthy, but rather as struggling because of their valiance in fighting a great battle we can see them and their struggles with love. And that is when we will be able to truly help lift their spirits as the stripling warriors did.
"16 Yea, and they were depressed in body as well as in spirit, for they had fought valiantly by day and toiled by night to maintain their cities; and thus they had suffered great afflictions of every kind.
17 And now they were determined to conquer in this place or die; therefore you may well suppose that this little force which I brought with me, yea, those sons of mine, gave them great hopes and much joy."
On my mission sometimes I unrighteously judged other missionaries especially older ones that I saw as having lost their missionary fire. I thought myself better than them and judged them without trying to truly understand why they were the way they were. However, one day when I read this story on my mission I realized that many of these missionaries were just like Antipus's soldiers.
Just like these soldiers these missionaries had fought valiantly, but many of them suffered great afflictions in the course of their mission, whether it was beloved investigators disappearing the week before baptism, or maybe terrible news from home or difficult circumstances, all of these missionaries I had judged were simply struggling because of afflictions they had faced.
I'm sure when Helamen's stripling warriors saw the warriors of Antipus and the state they were in they had no judgement, only respect for the valiance with which they had fought. The soliders' afflictions were very clear and present before their eyes. However in these days many of the afflictions and struggles the people around us go through are unseen to us. We see their struggling, but not their afflictions.
If we act with love towards our struggling family and friends and treat them not as unworthy, but rather as struggling because of their valiance in fighting a great battle we can see them and their struggles with love. And that is when we will be able to truly help lift their spirits as the stripling warriors did.
Wednesday, March 8, 2017
Prayer
This week I was studying the references to prayer in the Book of Mormon. One verse in 1 Nephi 18 particularly stood out to me while I was studying.
"And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things." - 1 Nephi 18:3
Nephi does two important things here. First he prays often and second he goes up to the mountain to pray. To me this is significant because it shows Nephi definitely isn't just praying to pray. To him it's a special event. He takes time to do it. You don't go up to the mountain to pray for a few minutes and then leave. If you're going up to the mountain you're going to stay there and really pour your heart out to God.
This scripture also shows the result of Nephi's diligent prayers. Because of Nephi's diligence and sincere prayers the Lord shows him great things. I think these are things about the kingdom of God and his own life and what God wants him to do.
Like just about every college student I have a lot of questions about my future. What do I want to do after BYU? What kind of jobs should I pursue? What kind of person should I become? I believe Nephi might very well have been asking similar questions to the Lord about his future and this verse teaches me that as I sincerely and diligently seek the Lord in prayer He will show me great things and give me answers to my prayers.
"And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things." - 1 Nephi 18:3
Nephi does two important things here. First he prays often and second he goes up to the mountain to pray. To me this is significant because it shows Nephi definitely isn't just praying to pray. To him it's a special event. He takes time to do it. You don't go up to the mountain to pray for a few minutes and then leave. If you're going up to the mountain you're going to stay there and really pour your heart out to God.
This scripture also shows the result of Nephi's diligent prayers. Because of Nephi's diligence and sincere prayers the Lord shows him great things. I think these are things about the kingdom of God and his own life and what God wants him to do.
Like just about every college student I have a lot of questions about my future. What do I want to do after BYU? What kind of jobs should I pursue? What kind of person should I become? I believe Nephi might very well have been asking similar questions to the Lord about his future and this verse teaches me that as I sincerely and diligently seek the Lord in prayer He will show me great things and give me answers to my prayers.
Monday, March 6, 2017
Power of Scriptures
This week as I was reading in Mosiah 1 I was struck by King Benjamin's teachings about the power of the scriptures. In Mosiah 1 verse 5 he says,
"I say unto you, my sons, were it not for these things, which have been kept and preserved by the hand of God, that we might read and understand of his mysteries, and have his commandments always before our eyes, that even our fathers would have dwindled in unbelief, and we should have been like unto our brethren, the Lamanites, who know nothing concerning these things, or even do not believe them when they are taught them, because of the traditions of their fathers, which are not correct."
It's fascinating to consider that without the scriptures even many of the righteous prophets of the Nephites would likely have dwindled in unbelief. It illustrates how much we need these records today. We have the easiest access to the scriptures of any generation. Yet if we don't read them, then it's as if we never had them at all. This really testifies to me of how important cherishing these records and scriptures we have and how important they are in our day in keeping our faith strong.
"I say unto you, my sons, were it not for these things, which have been kept and preserved by the hand of God, that we might read and understand of his mysteries, and have his commandments always before our eyes, that even our fathers would have dwindled in unbelief, and we should have been like unto our brethren, the Lamanites, who know nothing concerning these things, or even do not believe them when they are taught them, because of the traditions of their fathers, which are not correct."
It's fascinating to consider that without the scriptures even many of the righteous prophets of the Nephites would likely have dwindled in unbelief. It illustrates how much we need these records today. We have the easiest access to the scriptures of any generation. Yet if we don't read them, then it's as if we never had them at all. This really testifies to me of how important cherishing these records and scriptures we have and how important they are in our day in keeping our faith strong.
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