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.