True Spirit of Christmas (Come, Follow Me)

I thank our Father in Heaven for sending His Son to show us the way, a path that includes sharing with others that great gift of love that Jesus Christ freely gives us.  #LightTheWorld #ComeFollowMe

The true spirit of Christmas is in the call of Jesus to “love one another, as I have loved you” (John 15:12).  -The First Presidency 

Come Unto Christ (Come, Follow Me)

One of the Father's promises to covenant Israel is that if we come unto Christ and love him with all our might, mind and strength, by the grace of God can we can become perfect in Christ, sanctified unto the remission of our sins, holy, and without spot.  Christ is the way.  I just need to come unto Him and love Him.  #LightTheWorld

Moroni 10:

  32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.

  33 And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.

 

God Is Love (Come, Follow Me)

As I think this week about charity, the pure love of Christ (Moroni 7:45-47), my love and appreciation for Jesus Christ grows.  Knowing He came to earth in the humblest of circumstances and dedicated His life to loving and serving others to the very end leaves me filled with awe and gratitude.  I desire to be filled with that same love for others.  #givethanks #LightTheWorld

Meet Oft (Come, Follow Me)

I am grateful for the principle of gathering.  As brothers and sisters, children of a Heavenly Father who loves us all, connecting with one another is so important to our spiritual, emotional, and even physical health.  Coming together provides us with strength and enables us to feel the Lord's love.  It's especially important now, when so many are feeling isolation and loneliness, to know that Heavenly Father is mindful of us all.  #givethanks

Moroni 6

 5 And the church did meet together oft, to fast and to pray, and to speak one with another concerning the welfare of their souls.

 6 And they did meet together oft to partake of bread and wine, in remembrance of the Lord Jesus.

"Hope for a Better World" (Come, Follow Me)

"A more excellent hope" (Ether 12:32) for "a better world, ... at the right hand of God" (Ether 12:4), has often helped me see from an eternal perspective and served as an anchor during the storms of life.  That is my hope, for which I am so grateful.  #givethanks

Ether 12:4

Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.

 

Seek this Jesus (Come, Follow Me)

I am grateful for the Savior's grace which comforts, strengthens, and saves me.  #givethanks

Ether 12:41

And now, I would commend you to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written, that the grace of God the Father, and also the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of them, may be and abide in you forever. Amen.

Jesus Is My Anchor (Come, Follow Me)

I am grateful for Jesus Christ, my anchor in the storm (Ether 12:3-4).  #givethanks

Prepared from the Foundation of the World (Come, Follow Me)

In this week's Come, Follow Me reading (Ether 1-5), we get to glimpse the brother of Jared's sacred experience where he learned from Christ himself of the plan of redemption and the Christ's redeeming role in that plan.  I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who prepared a way for my return to Him and provided a Savior to bring me home.

Ether 3:14

Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold, I am Jesus Christ. I am the Father and the Son. In me shall all mankind have life, and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my name;

Come, Follow Me resources this week include:

 - The Book of Mormon: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/ether/1

 - The Come, Follow Me manual: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/come-follow-me-for-individuals-and-families-book-of-mormon-2020/44

 - The Ensign: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2020/11/come-follow-me-book-of-mormon-support-articles-and-activities/ether-1-5

 - The Friend: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/friend/2020/11/come-follow-me-for-little-ones

He Hath Risen (Come, Follow Me)

After witnessing the tragic downfall of the Nephite nation in last week's Come, Follow Me reading, we get to read Mormon 7-9 which brings a message of hope, that the Book of Mormon would come forth in the last days, preceding and preparing us for the second coming of Jesus Christ.

Mormon 7:5.  "Believe in Jesus Christ, that he is the Son of God, and that he was slain by the Jews, and by the power of the Father he hath risen again, whereby he hath gained the victory over the grave; and also in him is the sting of death swallowed up."

 

The Presence of God (Come, Follow Me)

In last week's Come, Follow Me reading (Mormon 1-6), I found a sad but insightful contrast that brings me hope in trying times.  Just as we see the Nephite nation descending into chaos and destruction, we see how turning to the Lord and quickly obeying Him can lead us to His presence.

Achieving unity, peace, and prosperity (Come, Follow Me)

We learn in 4 Nephi that following Jesus Christ can lead to real unity, peace, and prosperity for all:

Focusing on Jesus Christ …

• 2 The people were all converted unto the Lord….
• 12 They did
• walk after the commandments which they had received from their Lord and their God,
• continuing in fasting and prayer, and in 
• meeting together oft both to pray and to hear the word of the Lord.
• 15 The love of God … did dwell in the hearts of the people.

Leads to unity, peace, and prosperity …

• 2 There were no contentions and disputations among them, and 
• Every man did deal justly one with another.
• 3 They had all things common among them; therefore
• there were not rich and poor, bond and free, but 
• they were all made free, and partakers of the heavenly gift.
• 4 There still continued to be peace in the land.
• There were great and marvelous works wrought by the disciples of Jesus, … they did 
• heal the sick, and 
• raise the dead, and 
• cause 
• the lame to walk, and 
• the blind to receive their sight, and 
• the deaf to hear; and 
• 5 All manner of miracles did they work among the children of men … in the name of Jesus.
• 7 The Lord did prosper them exceedingly in the land
• They did build cities again where there had been cities burned.
• 10 The people of Nephi 
• did wax strong, and 
• did multiply exceedingly fast, and 
• became an exceedingly fair and delightsome people.
• 11 They were
• married, and given in marriage, and 
• blessed according to the multitude of the promises which the Lord had made unto them.
• 13 There was no contention among all the people, in all the land; but 
• There were mighty miracles wrought among the disciples of Jesus.
• 15 There was no contention in the land…. 
• 16 And there were no 
• envyings, nor 
• strifes, nor 
• tumults, nor 
• whoredoms, nor 
• lyings, nor 
• murders, nor 
• any manner of lasciviousness; and 
• Surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.
• 17 There were no robbers, nor murderers…. 
• Neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites….
• They were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God.
• 18 And how blessed were they! For the Lord did bless them in all their doings; yea, even they were blessed and prospered….
• There was no contention in all the land.

Ye shall be lifted up (Come, Follow Me)

I love our Come, Follow Me reading this week (3 Nephi 27–4 Nephi).  We continue to learn so much about the Savior, how we can become more like him, and how we can build our lives on His sure foundation.

3 Nephi 27:21-22

 Verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must do in my church; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do; for that which ye have seen me do even that shall ye do;

 Therefore, if ye do these things blessed are ye, for ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

 

I am the Light (Come, Follow Me)

I love this week's Come, Follow Me reading in 3 Nephi.  What perfect timing to learn from the Lord himself how we can get the most out of this weekend's General Conference.  In chapter 17, verses 2 and 3, He says:

 2 I perceive that ye are weak, that ye cannot understand all my words which I am commanded of the Father to speak unto you at this time.

 3 Therefore, 

  - go ye unto your homes, and 

  - ponder upon the things which I have said, and 

  - ask of the Father, in my name, that ye may understand, and 

  - prepare your minds for the morrow, and 

  - I come unto you again.

He is our Light.

3 Nephi 18:24

Love Your Enemies (Come, Follow Me)

The world needs more love, forgiveness, and goodness toward others, and less contention and judging.  I love the following words of Christ from this week's Come, Follow Me (#ComeFollowMe) reading, and as a follower of Christ, I commit to remember and do these things.

3 Nephi 15:1

Whoso remembereth these sayings of mine and doeth them, him will I raise up at the last day.

3 Nephi 11:28-30

And there shall be no disputations among you…. For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, … but this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away.

3 Nephi 12:7, 9

And blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.  And blessed are all the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.

3 Nephi 12:44

But behold I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you.

3 Nephi 13:14

If ye forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you….

3 Nephi 14:1-2

Judge not, that ye be not judged.  For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged….

3 Nephi 14:12

Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them, for this is the law and the prophets.

Hear Ye Him (Come, Follow Me)

Our Come, Follow Me readings this week have been so moving.  3 Nephi 11:1-7 teaches a pattern for receiving revelation, and I have found in my life that these acts of faith do enable me to #HearHim:  Gathering at the temple, conversing about Jesus Christ, and then opening my ears to hear and steadfastly looking toward heaven in a figurative sense.

Excerpts from 3 Nephi 11:1-7:

- there were a great multitude gathered together

- round about the temple

- marveling and wondering one with another

- showing one to another the great and marvelous change

- conversing about this Jesus Christ

they heard a voice as if it came out of heaven … and they understood it not

- they did … open their ears to hear it;

- their eyes were towards the sound thereof; and

- they did look steadfastly towards heaven, from whence the sound came.

they did understand the voice which they heard

Behold my Beloved Son,

in whom I am well pleased,

in whom I have glorified my name—

hear ye him

Arm of Mercy (Come, Follow Me)

Our Come, Follow Me reading this week (3 Nephi 8-11) reminds me how grateful I am to have a merciful Savior who always holds out his hand in love to lift me.  It also reminds me how much I need to do the same for others.

 14 Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me. (3 Nephi 9)

Here are a few links for those interested in reading this and learning more:

• Book of Mormon:  https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/3-ne/8
• Come, Follow Me manual:  https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/come-follow-me-for-individuals-and-families-book-of-mormon-2020/37

 

Lachoneus and Giddianhi: Types of the Savior and Satan (Come, Follow Me)

3 Nephi 3 provides us with a powerful allegory that illustrates the contrasting natures of Jesus Christ and Satan and the plans they promoted in the pre-Earth life and still carry out today.

The types and symbols in the Book of Mormon point me to the Savior and also demonstrate this book's literary richness, both of which strengthen my testimony that this book is of divine origin.

Be of Good Cheer (Come, Follow Me)

The fulfillment of Samuel's prophecy (Helaman 14:3; 3 Nephi 1:15), signifying the birth of Jesus Christ, came just in time to avert the killing (3 Nephi 1:9) of those faithful few who awaited His promised arrival.  Some of our earthly struggles are real tests of faith, but we can count on the Lord to fulfill His promises (3 Nephi 1:13-14) of deliverance, on His own time. 

3 Nephi 1

  13 Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfil all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets.

  14 Behold, I come unto my own, to fulfil all things which I have made known unto the children of men from the foundation of the world, and to do the will, both of the Father and of the Son—of the Father because of me, and of the Son because of my flesh. And behold, the time is at hand, and this night shall the sign be given.

The Light of the World (Come, Follow Me)

Our reading this week fills me with so much hope. In these chapters of Helaman, we read about the faithful few who listened to a prophet, turned to Christ, and looked forward to His coming. They faced a spiritually darkened world, and in so doing, they taught us what enduring to the end means -- remaining faithful despite persecution and threats. And they showed us that Christ, the Light of the World, will not abandon us.

Helaman 14:3-5
  And behold, this will I give unto you for a sign at the time of his coming; for behold, there shall be great lights in heaven, insomuch that in the night before he cometh there shall be no darkness, insomuch that it shall appear unto man as if it was day.
  Therefore, there shall be one day and a night and a day, as if it were one day and there were no night; and this shall be unto you for a sign; for ye shall know of the rising of the sun and also of its setting; therefore they shall know of a surety that there shall be two days and a night; nevertheless the night shall not be darkened; and it shall be the night before he is born.

  And behold, there shall a new star arise, such an one as ye never have beheld; and this also shall be a sign unto you.

The Lord Doth Bless and Prosper (Come, Follow Me)

It can be hard to have an eternal perspective from our mortal vantage, but the Lord will bless and prosper us if we can but trust Him.  I have always found that to be true in my life.

"the Lord in his great infinite goodness doth bless and prosper those who put their trust in him" (Helaman 12:1)

The Rock of Our Redeemer (Come, Follow Me)

I have found this past week's Come, Follow Me reading to be so rich with uplifting and hopeful truths about the peace, prosperity, and protection that the Savior offers us.  I also love the imagery that Jesus Christ is our rock and sure foundation.

I'm a visual learner.  I'm not much of a graphic artist, but I like to use images to learn and anchor messages into my mind.  I've often thought about lighthouses and the protective beacons that warn us of danger and show us the safe path.  But Helaman 5:12 showed me something new--that these lights are anchored in rock so that they can endure the storms and warn others.  If we build our foundations on the rock of Jesus Christ, we can let our "light so shine" to aid others even as we experience the storms of life.

A Sure Foundation (Come, Follow Me)

Jesus Christ provides "a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall" (Helaman 5:12).  We are certainly surrounded today by mighty winds, shafts in the whirlwind, hail, and mighty storms, but I take great comfort in knowing that Jesus Christ, our sure foundation will never fail us.  "But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever" (Moroni 7:47).

Ministering Leads to Peace in Christ (Come, Follow Me)

With all the turmoil in the world, I sometimes wonder if I, as an individual, can make a difference.  But then I remember these verses in Helaman 5 from our Come, Follow Me reading this week.  As we minister to individuals, they will feel the love and peace of Christ.  Then they will go on to minister to others.  Eventually, this can lead to a true and lasting peace in families, communities, nations, and the world.

Joy and Consolation (Come, Follow Me)

I love how we can see the sanctifying process laid out in Helaman 3:34-35.  It happens as we yield our hearts to God and leads to joy and consolation.

Remember how great things the Lord had done (Come, Follow Me)

I was listening this morning to Elder Renlund's talk from the last General Conference where he lists 

"remarkable fruits of remembering God’s goodness and mercy."

Afterward for Come, Follow Me, I read in Alma 62 how

"the Lord did bless [the Nephites], according to his word, so that they did wax strong and prosper in the land" after "they did remember how great things the Lord had done."

I especially appreciated Elder Renlund's promise that "By acknowledging that every good thing comes from Jesus Christ, we will ... be filled with the love of God [and] want to help those in need without being judgmental." The world needs more of this.

God Will Deliver (Come, Follow Me)

For Come, Follow Me (CFM) this week in Alma 53-63, we continue to learn about the power of God in sustaining and delivering us. These war-themed stories are meaningful to me. I see in them a pattern for receiving strength in trials and ultimately deliverance: 1. Following the prophet with exactness (Alma 57:21) 2. Pouring out our souls to God in prayer (Alma 58:10) 3. Trusting God even when it seems contrary to our own wisdom (Alma 58:37)

Finding Faith in the War Chapters (Come, Follow Me)

Our Come, Follow Me (CFM) readings this week in Alma 43-52 are the beginning of the war chapters. I look at them as I do parables: Stories I can liken to me, my family, and the world we live in. I've found that these stories can give me great insight into:

1. The ongoing battle between good and evil

2. The qualities of Christlike leadership

3. How we can defend ourselves against Satan's efforts

These chapters also strengthen my faith in Christ and my testimony that the Book of Mormon is the word of God.

That which ye do send out shall return unto you again (Come, Follow Me)

Much like "do unto others," these simple truths from this week's Come, Follow Me reading can bring peace and love to the world.

Alma 41:14-15

Remember Jesus Christ, a Chiasmus (Come, Follow Me)

Focusing on the theme of "remembering" in Alma 36, we can see Alma teaching his son Helaman the central message of the Book of Mormon, that Jesus Christ, the son of God, came to the world to atone for our sins, delivering us from captivity and death.

This central doctrine of Christ becomes evident in a chiasmus focused on remembering.

The Rewards of Your Faith (Come, Follow Me)

For Come, Follow Me this week in Alma 32-35, we learn about faith in Jesus Christ through the beautiful analogy of a seed.  If we will plant the word in our hearts and nourish it diligently and patiently, then we "shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit unto you" (Alma 32:43).  These rewards include God's gift "that your burdens may be light, through the joy of his Son" (Alma 33:23).

I have felt this gift in my life, sometimes because the burdens have been eased and other times because I have been strengthened to carry the burdens.  I know this promise is real.

Comfort My Soul (Come, Follow Me)

I'm so grateful to have in Alma 31 the prayer Alma shared before he and his brethren departed to declare the word to the Zoramites. It was meaningful to me that he prayed for
 1) strength to endure the afflictions they anticipated,
 2) comfort during those afflictions, and 
 3) success in their efforts to bring the people to Christ. 

30 ...O Lord, wilt thou give me strength, that I may bear with mine infirmities. For I am infirm, and such wickedness among this people doth pain my soul.

31 O Lord, my heart is exceedingly sorrowful; wilt thou comfort my soul in Christ. O Lord, wilt thou grant unto me that I may have strength, that I may suffer with patience these afflictions which shall come upon me, because of the iniquity of this people.

32 O Lord, wilt thou comfort my soul, and give unto me success, and also my fellow laborers who are with me—yea, Ammon, and Aaron, and Omner, and also Amulek and Zeezrom, and also my two sons—yea, even all these wilt thou comfort, O Lord. Yea, wilt thou comfort their souls in Christ.

33 Wilt thou grant unto them that they may have strength, that they may bear their afflictions which shall come upon them because of the iniquities of this people.

34 O Lord, wilt thou grant unto us that we may have success in bringing them again unto thee in Christ.

35 Behold, O Lord, their souls are precious, and many of them are our brethren; therefore, give unto us, O Lord, power and wisdom that we may bring these, our brethren, again unto thee.

36 Now it came to pass that when Alma had said these words, that he clapped his hands upon all them who were with him. And behold, as he clapped his hands upon them, they were filled with the Holy Spirit.

Alma 31:30-35

Comfort My Soul in Christ (Come, Follow Me)

I'm grateful that we can turn to the Lord for strength and comfort during the challenges of life.

"O Lord, my heart is exceedingly sorrowful; wilt thou comfort my soul in Christ. O Lord, wilt thou grant unto me that I may have strength, that I may suffer with patience these afflictions...." (Alma 31:31)

Free and Equal by God

For the freedom I enjoy, I am grateful to those who pledged everything so long ago to make this possible.

Pattern of Conversion (Come, Follow Me)

As we continue to study the missionary labors of Ammon and his brethren, and the permanent and enduring change of heart experienced by so many of their Lamanite brothers and sisters, I think we can look at their pattern of conversion to learn how we might become more converted. Here's one example from Alma 23:6

Alma 23:6

And as sure as the Lord liveth, so sure as many as believed, or as many as were brought to the knowledge of the truth, through the preaching of Ammon and his brethren, according to the spirit of revelation and of prophecy, and the power of God working miracles in them—yea, I say unto you, as the Lord liveth, as many of the Lamanites as believed in their preaching, and were converted unto the Lord, never did fall away.

Ammon, A Type of Christ (Come, Follow Me)

One of my favorite people in the Book of Mormon is Ammon, son of Mosiah, because he serves as a powerful and instructive type of Christ. I've listed some of the ways he typifies the Savior. I'm sure there are more.

Alma chapters 17 and 18 are powerful in helping us to understand the nature and mission of Jesus Christ.

Purpose in Christ's Suffering (Come, Follow Me)

In this week's Come, Follow Me readings, Alma helps us to understand why the Savior suffered and died for us. In a study of complementary contrasts, Jesus Christ suffered and died that we might be comforted, resurrected, and saved. He knows our pain, and turning to Him, we can find strength and relief.

Alma 7

11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

12 And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.


13 Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

The Source of Salvation (Come, Follow Me)

Our Come, Follow Me readings this week (Alma 5-7) have provided me with a powerful and poetic reminder that Jesus Christ is the source of salvation from spiritual and temporal captivity, sin and death.
These chapters, especially 5, have also demonstrated a remarkable literary depth and richness.  I love this book.

These chapters are filled with Hebrew-style parallelism like chiasmus.

Immovable in Keeping the Commandments (Come, Follow Me)

From Come, Follow Me this week, I was grateful for the reminder to follow the example of the Savior in keeping the commandments and being patient with one another.

"They were steadfast and immovable in keeping the commandments of God, and they bore with patience the persecution which was heaped upon them."  Alma 1:25

Complementary Contrasts and Come, Follow Me

All throughout the Book of Mormon, we see so many "complementary contrasts" of which Elder Gong spoke in General Conference. 

Mosiah 27:

28 Nevertheless, after wading through much tribulation, repenting nigh unto death, the Lord in mercy hath seen fit to snatch me out of an everlasting burning, and I am born of God.

29 My soul hath been redeemed from the gall of bitterness and bonds of iniquity. I was in the darkest abyss; but now I behold the marvelous light of God. My soul was racked with eternal torment; but I am snatched, and my soul is pained no more.

30 I rejected my Redeemer, and denied that which had been spoken of by our fathers; but now that they may foresee that he will come, and that he remembereth every creature of his creating, he will make himself manifest unto all.

Borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows (Come, Follow Me)

3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

6 All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all.

Mosiah 14

Through faith on his name (Come, Follow Me)

From our Come, Follow Me readings this week, I was grateful of the reminder that through Christ my heart can be changed, if I take upon myself his name, have faith in Him, remember Him, and Hear Him (Mosiah 5:7-12). #HearHim

7 And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters.

8 And under this head ye are made free, and there is no other head whereby ye can be made free. There is no other name given whereby salvation cometh; therefore, I would that ye should take upon you the name of Christ, all you that have entered into the covenant with God that ye should be obedient unto the end of your lives.

9 And it shall come to pass that whosoever doeth this shall be found at the right hand of God, for he shall know the name by which he is called; for he shall be called by the name of Christ.

10 And now it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall not take upon him the name of Christ must be called by some other name; therefore, he findeth himself on the left hand of God.

11 And I would that ye should remember also, that this is the name that I said I should give unto you that never should be blotted out, except it be through transgression; therefore, take heed that ye do not transgress, that the name be not blotted out of your hearts.


12 I say unto you, I would that ye should remember to retain the name written always in your hearts, that ye are not found on the left hand of God, but that ye hear and know the voice by which ye shall be called, and also, the name by which he shall call you.

Hear Him to Find Success, Happiness, and Joy

Pres. Nelson said in this last General Conference:  "In those two words—“Hear Him”—God gives us the pattern for success, happiness, and joy in this life. We are to hear the words of the Lord, hearken to them, and heed what He has told us!"  Pres. Nelson asks, "where can we go to hear Him?" and then suggests:

• "We can go to the scriptures."
• "We can also hear Him in the temple."
• "I promise that as you increase your time in temple and family history work, you will increase and improve your ability to hear Him."
• "We also hear Him more clearly as we refine our ability to recognize the whisperings of the Holy Ghost."
• "And, finally, we hear Him as we heed the words of prophets, seers, and revelators."

Hear Him

Every day I strive to do these things that I might Hear Him, and looking back through my life, I remember seeing many evidences that I have heard him and have been blessed with success, happiness, and joy.

I believe this "success" is another way to look at "prospering in the land", and the Lord continues to prosper me.  I testify that this is true.  It happens over and over and over again.

Understanding Isaiah in 2 Nephi 11-25 (Come, Follow Me)

For Come, Follow Me this week, we're covering 2 Nephi 11-25. In most of those, Nephi quotes Isaiah. In chapter 11, Nephi provides an introduction that can help us understand why he's including Isaiah's writings. The clue? Look at what Nephi's "soul delighteth in." I think his words give us a guide--some inter-related themes to look for as we read, study, and apply these chapters:

verse 4

  Behold, my soul delighteth in proving unto my people

  the truth of the coming of Christ; for, for this end hath the law of Moses been given

  and all things which have been given of God from the beginning of the world, unto man, are the typifying of him.

verse 5

  And also my soul delighteth in

  the covenants of the Lord which he hath made to our fathers;

  yea, my soul delighteth in

  his grace, and in his justice, and power, and mercy in the great and eternal plan of deliverance from death.

verse 6

  And my soul delighteth in proving unto my people that

save Christ should come all men must perish.

He Shall Consecrate Thine Afflictions

From our Come, Follow Me reading this week (2 Nephi 1-5).... This helps me to remember that storm clouds often have silver (or gold) linings.

"thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain." 2 Nephi 2:2

Monthly Come, Follow Me Flyer

Here's the February Come, Follow Me flyer which we distributed last week with our sacrament meeting program (slightly revised due to a few errors I found afterward).  If you'd like to make your own changes, I shared the Microsoft Word version of this flyer here:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/24acgx3pydxq01j/CFM_flyer_2020_02.docx?dl=0

The Plates of Nephi: Evidence the Book of Mormon is True

To me, one of the many evidences of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon is its consistency despite the complexity of its narrative.  In other words, a young and uneducated Joseph Smith translated a deeply complex book, but a study of this work reveals steady consistency which confirms to me that he was not the author.

In one example of this, it's interesting to see how the large and small Plates of Nephi are referenced throughout the Book of Mormon. When you see "these plates", it usually refers to the small plates which are those that contain items of spiritual importance. When you see "other plates", it usually refers to the large plates which contain the historical record of the Nephites.

Small Plates of Nephi

"more particularly devoted to spiritual matters and the ministry and teachings of the prophets"*

1 Nephi 6:3
“upon these plates … I may write of the things of God”

1 Nephi 6:5
“the things which are pleasing unto God and unto those who are not of the world”

1 Nephi 6:6
“my seed ... shall not occupy these plates with things which are not of worth unto the children of men”

1 Nephi 9:2-3
“I should make these plates, for the special purpose that there should be an account engraven of the ministry of my people”

1 Nephi 9:4
“these plates are for the more part of the ministry”

1 Nephi 9:5
“the Lord hath commanded me to make these plates for a wise purpose”

1 Nephi 19:3
“the ministry and the prophecies, the more plain and precious parts of them, should be written upon these plates”
“the things which were written should be kept for the instruction of my people, who should possess the land, and also for other wise purposes”

2 Nephi 4:15
“upon these I write the things of my soul, and many of the scriptures which are engraven upon the plates of brass.”

2 Nephi 5:30
“the Lord God said unto me: Make other plates; and thou shalt engraven many things upon them which are good in my sight, for the profit of thy people.  Wherefore, I, Nephi, to be obedient to the commandments of the Lord, went and made these plates upon which I have engraven these things.  And I engraved that which is pleasing unto God.”

Jacob 1:2
“I should write upon these plates a few of the things which I considered to be most precious; ... should not touch, save it were lightly, concerning the history of this people”

Words of Mormon 1:4
“the things which are upon these plates pleasing me, because of the prophecies of the coming of Christ”

Words of Mormon 1:6
“these plates … contain these prophesyings and revelations”

Large Plates of Nephi

"occupied mostly by a secular history of the peoples concerned (1 Nephi 9:2–4). From the time of Mosiah, however, the large plates also included items of major spiritual importance."*

1 Nephi 9:2
“a full account of the history of my people”

1 Nephi 9:4
“Upon the other plates should be engraven an account of the reign of the kings, and the wars and contentions of my people”
“the other plates are for the more part of the reign of the kings and the wars and contentions of my people"

1 Nephi 19:4
“I, Nephi, did make a record upon the other plates, which gives an account, or which gives a greater account of the wars and contentions and destructions of my people”

2 Nephi 4:14
“a more history part are written upon mine other plates”

2 Nephi 5:33
“if my people desire to know the more particular part of the history of my people they must search mine other plates”

Jacob 3:13
“a hundredth part of the proceedings of this people, which now began to be numerous, cannot be written upon these plates; but many of their proceedings are written upon the larger plates, and their wars, and their contentions, and the reigns of their kings”

Jacob 7:26
“the record of this people being kept on the other plates of Nephi”

Words of Mormon 1:10
“the other plates, which contained records which had been handed down by the kings, from generation to generation until the days of king Benjamin”

Note, however, in "A BRIEF EXPLANATION ABOUT THE BOOK OF MORMON", that "From the time of Mosiah, however, the large plates also included items of major spiritual importance." See Words of Mormon 1:11.

*Source:  A Brief Explanation about the Book of Mormon