We live in a very interesting time in the history of the world. All of the previous generations of the world
have looked to our time with great anticipation and excitement. They know that there would be amazing
miracles occurring and that the opportunities to share and teach the Gospel would be a lot greater than
what they currently faced. They also knew that while there would be great advances in the Kingdom,
the opposition from the adversary would also increase. A prophet-historian that lived in the American
continent named Mormon wrote for the future generations. He shared with us the way that we need to live
our life so that we would be able to overcome the trials and temptations that the adversary would use to
detour us from the path leading to eternal life.

The first lesson that Mormon shares with us is the importance of loving our Heavenly father and keeping the commandments that He has given us. He teaches us about the people who lived just after the Savior visited the American continent. They were a very righteous people and lived for nearly 300 years in peace. The reason that they were able to be so righteous is because they first loved God and as a result they treated each other with respect and dignity. They were more concerned with serving and helping others that they didn’t focus on themselves. We can improve our lives the majority of the time by starting to forget about ourselves and starting to serve our Heavenly Father and our fellow man.

The second lesson that Mormon teaches us is the importance of praying with real intent. He shares a
personal experience of when his prayers start to lose their meaning because he is starting to pray without
faith. He had been fighting in wars for a majority of his life and had spent a lot of time teaching the people
that they needed to repent or they would be destroyed. As a result he also spent a lot of time praying for
the people and hoping that they would change. He says that over time his prayers changed to where he
was praying without faith. I think that we also have the same thing happen to us today when we spend a
lot of time praying for things that we want to happen, but often we don’t expect them to be answered.
My hope and prayer is that we can start to show that we love God by serving others and that we also
have faith that our prayers will be answered. By doing these things we will be able to be the people our
Heavenly Father wants us to be.

Hi Andrea,

Our selection in the Book of Mormon for this last week has been from 4 Nephi though Mormon 6. It
has been very interesting reading especially from the perspective of having returned recently from my
mission. I am very grateful for missions because of how they bring one’s focus to the basic principles
of the Gospel and their role in daily life. While reading in Mormon this week I found it very interesting to
compare the faith of Mormon and Moroni with the fear and despair of the fallen Nephites. This section of
the Book of Mormon is of course the section where Mormon witnesses the total destruction of his people
in the final battle at Cumorah. Over these final chapters of the Book of Mormon the people are given
many chances to call on God and ask him to help them but reject this opportunity. I can only imagine
just how dark it must have been to be so uncertain as to the future of their civilization and their individual
lives. The final battle at Cumorah is of course the climax and ultimate fall. In this darkest moment I found
verse 7 of Mormon 6 to be especially descriptive of the people’s lack of faith. It says: “And it came to pass
that my people, with their wives and their children, did now behold the armies of the Lamanites marching
towards them; and with that awful fear of death which fills the breasts of all the wicked, did they await to
receive them.” Without Christ and faith in God there is nothing left but to fear. We don’t know the end and
what will happen to us at any given moment.

Moroni, just as his father Mormon, had a different point of view with regard to his purpose and future. Interestingly, Moroni was also unsure of his future. He had people hunting him that wanted him dead. His attitude, however, was completely different from that of the fallen Nephites. Repeatedly throughout Mormon chapter 8 he says “it mattereth not” speaking of his life and future. I think we can learn a lot from this example because in the end it really doesn’t matter as long as we have faith in Christ. If we live by his law and by his commandments what happens will always what he wants to have happen and we do not need to concern ourselves with the details. We can place ourselves in his hands with complete certainty that there is nothing more to be done. I know that I have felt many times a feeling of complete peace and tranquility while in the midst of some of my biggest challenges. It is a wonderful feeling and
truly overcomes the sadness and despair of any external events. If we are here on earth and want to be happy then we can do what the Lord has asked and be certain that we will have happiness. I know this is true and am very grateful that I have felt many times in my life certainty and faith in God’s plan. My goal is to strive everyday to live with an attitude of faith and complete trust, seeking to complete the tasks that the Lord has planned for me. He wants the best for me and wants to guide me to find happiness.

I love you bunches and am glad for the wonderful life you live and the great example you are of service
and love. I hope the best for you every day and that you can have the inward peace the spirit brings.

Love,
Luke

This last week in Book of Mormon class we entered a new book within the Book of Mormon. Its name
is Ether. To help you to understand and to give my words some context I will tell a little about where
the book of Ether comes from and what it is about. Although there is a lot to say about it, I will keep the
explanation brief, because I have much to say about a particular passage from it today. Ether is a record
of an ancient group of people who were lead to the Americas, then referred to as the promised land, by
the hand of the Lord around the time of the tower of Babel. They are called the Jaredites. Their story,
within the book of Mormon, comes from a set of plates whose discovery is recorded of earlier in the Book
of Mormon. Portions of the record are translated and included in the Book of Mormon by a prophet named
Moroni.

Now with a little background established, I will now get into my subject. The portion of the Jaredite history
included by Moroni details the journey of these people from the Dead Sea area to the Americas.

“5 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded them that they should go forth into the wilderness, yea,
into that quarter where there never had man been…”

We discussed this verse in class and as I looked closer and listened to the words of my teacher, I realized how significant this verse is in a scriptural history context, but also in a personal context.Throughout scriptures there is this recurring moment when the Lord sends His prophets or people into the wilderness as they begin a journey. Adam and Eve were cast out the garden and into the wilderness. Moses and the children of Israel journeyed in the wilderness for 40 years. Nephi (in the beginning of the Book of Mormon) were brought through the wilderness and now, here, the story includes an exodus to the unknown and untamed wilderness.

First, this journey IS the plan of Salvation. Before we came here to earth, we dwelled in the presence of our Father. In order for us to grow and to become more like Him, the earth was created and we were brought here—a wilderness. As we live this life and strive to rely on the Lord, we will be led to the Promised Land—to salvation and exaltation.

Second, within this mortal life we too experience times of struggle. When I think about what a wilderness is, I picture a time when comfort and resources are not readily available. A place where I must struggle to exist. Like the stories of the scriptures, provisioning of our necessities (whether temporal, emotional or spiritual) seems uncertain. It can be easy to feel alone, but we are not. The verse above continues,

“5…And it came to pass that the Lord did go before them…and gave directions whither they should
travel.”

As in other stories in the scriptures, our needs can be taken care of by our Lord as we have faith in Him
and seek Him and to keep His commandments. Like manna from heaven or direction from His lips, we will
be taken care of. Certainly, the reality of these mortal experiences that seem as wildernesses to us show
us that the Lord is not seeking to make our lives easy, but that we must go through hard times to learn to
rely on Him and to grow.

I witness that the Lord has been there for me in my times of struggle and that I have found help in
Him. Whether by the Spirit or by someone else, I am always sent help. The story of Ether is a powerful
reminder to me that I am never alone as I travel on this earth or through its wildernesses (both literally
and figuratively!).

In my Book of Mormon class this week, we discussed the book of Ether and how it provides a second witness of the Book of Mormon; showing us another nation and its destruction through pride and wickedness. I always feel sad at the end of this book, thinking about the literally millions who died because of their failure to repent and accept God.

Once Jared and Akish start their secret combinations in chapter 8, it’s the signal that things are about to officially go downhill with few righteous generations in between. I’ve always thought it was depressing, reading about the destruction of these people. However, I really saw the purpose of this in chapter 8, verses 25 and 26. Moroni says about secret combinations;

“whoso buildeth it up seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries;and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by the devil […] wherefore, I, Moroni,am commanded to write these things that evil may be done away, and that the time may come that Satan may have no power upon the hearts of the children of men”.

The Book of Mormon teaches principles that bring blessings and happiness.

We talked in class about how Moroni and Mormon included all of these things for our benefit and for our day so that we may learn and help bring to pass the time where evil is nonexistent and Satan has no power. Unfortunately our world is full of secret combinations and evil people who seek to take away our liberty. This is a continuation of the war in heaven where Satan tried desperately to remove our agency.

Now that we are here on earth, he has many more opportunities to tempt us and the things that take away our freedom and happiness are paramount in his plan of destruction. Luckily we have the examples of the Nephites, Jaredites and many others in history. It is up to us to remember the past and learn from it; doing all we can to protect liberty. Satan will tempt us with short term pleasures that seem appealing but in the long run take away our freedom and agency.

We must fight every day to remember that although we go through trials and difficulties, our eternal reward is waiting for us as long as we remain faithful and repent when we fall. Take advantage of the Atonement and let its healing power change your life for the better. Protect your agency with all your might and reject things that take away your freedom and peace of mind.

This week in Book of Mormon we read the story of the Brother of Jared, who (fun fact) is actually named Mohonri Moriancamur! I probably spelled that really wrong…anyway, I read this scripture and was hit with how applicable this imagery is to so many different gospel principles.

We must keep our relationships and marriages “tight like unto a dish”. We can’t allow “cracks” such as pornography, pride, or judgmental thoughts through. Because in the end, even just one crack in a ship can be enough for water to get in and eventually sink a vessel, no matter how big or well-made it is.

We also must keep our relationship with the Holy Ghost, Heavenly Father, and Jesus Christ “tight” so that we can make it through the storms of life and finally to the “Promised Land”, or the Celestial Kingdom. I think that this has become one of the biggest struggles in the world today. If we could have a physical list of every person’s list of priorities in the world, the phrase “Celestial Kingdom and eternal life” would probably not be at the top of most lists. It’s important that we keep our line of communication with our Heavenly Father free from any static that can be distracting us from our real goal.

Third, we’re always encouraged to keep our standards high and be immovable in situations where these are tested. Once again, one little sin, one little crack in the side of a ship, can be enough to sink the best of us! Thus it’s important to identify “the line”, and then stay far from it.

Someone shared a story with me once that outlined this idea really well…let’s see if I can remember it!

Once, there was a rich man looking for a new driver for his carriage. He had several applicants for the job. Eventually only three applicants were left. According to them, they had the most experience of all of those who had wanted the position. The wealthy man couldn’t choose between them, so he decided to ask them each a simple question: How far would you be able get to the side of a cliff-road without falling off?

The first answered, “Well I can drive so that the wheel closest to the drop off is skimming the very edge!” The second answered, “I can drive with one wheel on the road and one wheel off without falling off the cliff!” The third answered, “I suppose I wouldn’t know. I always try to stay as far from the edge as possible. It’s not worth the risk!” Who do you think the wealthy man chose for his driver?

Finally, a common phrase is “Hold tight to the iron rod”. We must always stick to the ‘straight and narrow’. The beauty of this gospel is that it isn’t a 50% or 80% or even a 99.9% gospel. It’s 100%, all or nothing. Ironically, we all know that it’s pretty impossible to be that perfect, but , because of Christ’s Atonement for us, we can make it all the way, as long as we try our best and strive to keep ourselves “tight like unto a dish”.

BYU (Brigham Young University) is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church.”  As part of their undergraduate coursework, BYU students take multiple semesters of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes.

In this series (see below), students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the Book of Mormon in the form of letters to someone they know. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures.

In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to speak to all of us of the relevance, power and beauty of the Book of Mormon, a second witness of Jesus Christ and complement to the Bible. The Book of Mormon includes the religious history of a group of Israelites who settled in ancient America.  (The names they use are those of prophets who taught the Book of Mormon peoples to look forward to the coming of Christ—Nephi, Lehi, Alma, Helaman, and other unfamiliar names.  We hope those names will become more familiar to you as you read their inspiring words and feel the relevance and divinity of their messages through these letters.)

Let us know if you’d like to receive your own copy of the Book of Mormon, and/or if these messages encourage and assist you spiritually as well.

Book of Mormon: Going Through Hard Things in Life

Let me share some things I learned from Book of Mormon class this week. In Ether 6, the Jaredites had gotten into the barges and “the Lord God caused that there should be a furious wind blow upon the face of the waters, towards the promised land.” Notice that the Lord didn’t cause a gentle breeze to blow them towards the promised land but He caused a furious wind to blow. Not only should we be concerned about where we are going, but also who we are becoming in the process. The Lord gives us trials during our journey here on Earth so that we may grow and gain experience that comes from going through hard times. In the next verse it says “they were many times buried in the depths of the sea,” and in our lives there are many times where we feel overwhelmed. In spite of that, the people “did sing praises unto the Lord” and they “did thank and praise the Lord all the day long.” We can still be cheerful and see the good in our trials as long as we trust in the Lord. These trials are making us the best people we can become and if we look at it with that perspective then it will be easier to have a good attitude.

In Ether 12, Moroni writes some dialogue he has with the Lord when he says that he not very good at writing these things. The Lord tells him that if we humble ourselves before Him and have faith in Him then will He make weak things become strong unto them. Sometimes we don’t see the weakness made into a strength but others do. To us Moroni’s writings seem just as good as the rest of the Book of Mormon, so the Lord did make his writing a strength to us, but maybe not necessarily to Moroni. Sometimes we may think we are a weak missionary but to that particular investigator we are a strength and help them feel the Spirit who converts them.

BYU (Brigham Young University) is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church.”  As part of their undergraduate coursework, BYU students take multiple semesters of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes.

In this series (see below), students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the Book of Mormon in the form of letters to someone they know. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures.

In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to speak to all of us of the relevance, power and beauty of the Book of Mormon, a second witness of Jesus Christ and complement to the Bible. The Book of Mormon includes the religious history of a group of Israelites who settled in ancient America.  (The names they use are those of prophets who taught the Book of Mormon peoples to look forward to the coming of Christ—Nephi, Lehi, Alma, Helaman, and other unfamiliar names.  We hope those names will become more familiar to you as you read their inspiring words and feel the relevance and divinity of their messages through these letters.)

Let us know if you’d like to receive your own copy of the Book of Mormon, and/or if these messages encourage and assist you spiritually as well.

Book of Mormon: Condemn It Not

Hey there,

This week in Book of Mormon we were studying the end of Mormon and beginning of Ether. While reading these in preparation for the class, I took note of Mormon’s ‘disclaimer’ found in verses 12 and 17 of chapter 8. They read “And whoso receiveth this record, and shall not condemn it because of the imperfections which are in it, the same shall know of greater things than these…(12)…and if there be faults, they be the faults of man. (17)” Now let’s pair these with a verse from the previous chapter, namely chapter 7 verse 9; “for behold, this is written for the intent that ye may believe…”

Though this is not quite the context that they were initially meant for them to be interpreted, these verses constructively provide an interesting insight. Especially when thought of in the realm of sacrament talks and other prepared lessons. What I took from it was that speakers, teachers, leaders, all of them mean the absolute best, and have prepared to teach and touch the souls of those they are reaching out to. Despite of human error or minor faux pas, their message is to be heard and humbly received, not to turn a blind eye based on past faults or small errors in their delivery. These lessons and talks were prepared by the Spirit of Inspiration and Revelation, and are to be taken as such. I hope this helps you and those around you through your example. We are all here to help one another through this mortal existence.

 BYU (Brigham Young University) is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often mistakenly called the “Mormon Church.”  As part of their undergraduate coursework, BYU students take multiple semesters of spiritually uplifting, stimulating religion classes.

In this series (see below), students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the Book of Mormon. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures.

In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to speak to all of us of the relevance, power and beauty of the Book of Mormon, a second witness of Jesus Christ and complement to the Bible. The Book of Mormon includes the religious history of a group of Israelites who settled in ancient America.  (The names they use are those of prophets who taught the Book of Mormon peoples to look forward to the coming of Christ—Nephi, Lehi, Alma, Helaman, and other unfamiliar names.  We hope those names will become more familiar to you as you read their inspiring words and feel the relevance and divinity of their messages.)

Let us know if you’d like to receive your own copy of the Book of Mormon, and/or if these messages encourage and assist you spiritually as well.

Parallels Between Prophets

I’ve been pondering the Lord’s use of patterns and similitudes this week. It’s so interesting to match ancient prophets with modern day prophets, or trials of certain prophets with the trials of Christ. In particular this week we talked about the similarities between the prophet Mormon and the prophet Joseph Smith in countenance, stature, family history, and deed.

Both Mormon and Joseph were large in stature for their age and given to sobriety and thinking. Both were approached by a prophet (whether angelic or otherwise) to take care of records when they came of age. Both had to move as children, and both were called after the name of their father. Both had to become leaders of some sort and endure great wickedness and persecution throughout the people of their time. Both were able to see the Lord Jesus Christ at a young age and know of his goodness (see Mormon 1:15 and JSH 1:17). Because of this visit, both trod a lonely road. Also because of this, both were spiritual giants, and had strength and courage beyond most people in the history of the Earth.

It’s fascinating to me that these types of parallels between people exist, and I find them to be highly significant. The examples of these two men stand as a witness to the mercy and goodness of God and the love of our Savior, Jesus Christ. The testimony of these men stands and will stand through the ages and rings true in my heart – that we must all come unto repentance and look upon Christ and be saved; that Christ “hath brought to pass the redemption of the world”; and that He is the only name given under Heaven whereby man can be saved (Mormon 7:7). I’m grateful for divine patterns and am also grateful for the scriptures and the prophets both living and dead. I am eternally grateful for the atonement and for Jesus!

If you are reading this post and have any questions or comments, I would be happy to hear from you.

In this series (see below), students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the Book of Mormon in the form of letters to someone they know. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures.

In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to speak to all of us of the relevance, power and beauty of the Book of Mormon, a second witness of Jesus Christ and complement to the Bible. The Book of Mormon includes the religious history of a group of Israelites who settled in ancient America.  (The names they use are those of prophets who taught the Book of Mormon peoples to look forward to the coming of Christ—Nephi, Lehi, Alma, Helaman, and other unfamiliar names.  We hope those names will become more familiar to you as you read their inspiring words and feel the relevance and divinity of their messages through these letters.)

Let us know if you’d like to receive your own digital copy of the Book of Mormon, and/or if these messages encourage and assist you spiritually as well.

Book of Mormon: Ordinances, Progression, and Becoming the Children of Christ

Dear Addison,

This might be a little scatterbrained, but I feel like I’m grasping trying to understand something both infinitely important and infinitely bigger than me. So perhaps it will, of necessity, be a little dazed. I have a question for you that I have been pondering for the past several months:

Do you feel like you understand why ordinances are critical for progression?

I don’t. And I am about to receive some of the most critical ordinances of my life in just two and a half weeks. I’m also about to embark on a mission to hopefully be an instrument in the hands in the Lord in persuading others to make and keep sacred covenants. And that necessarily involves ordinances.

In response to this ignorance of mine, this semester I have been endeavoring to understand the import of ordinances. I made that topic the theme of my Book of Mormon project. It is changing how I read the scriptures, both the New Testament and the Book of Mormon. Now my central focus has been: “What do the actions of this person/people teach me about ordinances?” And I’ve been studying The Holy Temple by Boyd K. Packer.

This is one of the scriptures that struck me as pertaining to ordinances and covenants as I was studying:

“And as many as have received me, to them have I given to become the sons of God… And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost” (3 Nephi 9:17, 20, emphasis added).

Reading this, especially within the context of ordinances and covenants, made me realize how critical this essential principle is. Yes, we are children of God. But are we worthy to be called by that name? Are we in the paths of progression, becoming the person the Savior wants us to be? Can we say we are becoming very much “one” with the Savior, so that His thoughts are our thoughts, and His desires for us are our desires, and His actions are ours? Are we His little children? Will we not only allow ourselves to be adopted by Him, but try to understand what that truly entails?

I know we’ve already been taught this principle, but I think it’s one principle that we recognize is so critical, and yet we truly know so little about. And while the connection to ordinances is not always explicit in the scriptures, I think it is very real in far more scriptural passages than we realize, this one included. The scheme of eternity and the role of ordinances in our progression is so much bigger than I initially and currently realize—I’m kind of like the blind man feeling a boundless, limitless elephant; you remember that story, right?

I promise you, if you make the topic of ordinances a pursuit in your scripture study, your historical analysis of scripture, your prayer and temple attendance (are you going regularly?), you will be blessed far more than you can realize. It’s such an incredibly rich, poignant, beautiful thing, and I still understand so very little about it.

To end, here is what C.S. Lewis has to say on progression:

“‘Make no mistake,’ He says, ‘if you let me, I will make you perfect. The moment you put yourself in My hands, that is what you are in for. Nothing less, or other, than that. You have free will, and if you choose, you can push Me away. But if you do not push Me away, understand that I am going to see this job through. Whatever suffering it may cost you in your earthly life, whatever inconceivable purification it may cost you after death, whatever it costs Me, I will never rest, nor let you rest, until you are literally perfect—until my Father can say without reservation that He is well pleased with you, as He said He was well pleased with me. This I can do and will do. But I will not do anything less.” ~C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Perhaps we would do well to keep in mind that the Greek word for “perfect” in the New Testament can be better translated to mean “whole.”

I love you. May God ever be with you, not only because His Spirit will guide and protect you, but also because He will become so much a part of who you are that His face may be engraven in your countenance.

Morgan

Additional Resources:

Mormon Beliefs

In this series (see below), students enrolled in scripture study classes have shared their thoughts, insights, and reflections on the Book of Mormon in the form of letters to someone they know. We invite you to take a look at their epiphanies and discoveries as they delve into the scriptures.

In publishing these, we fulfill their desire to speak to all of us of the relevance, power and beauty of the Book of Mormon, a second witness of Jesus Christ and complement to the Bible. The Book of Mormon includes the religious history of a group of Israelites who settled in ancient America.  (The names they use are those of prophets who taught the Book of Mormon peoples to look forward to the coming of Christ—Nephi, Lehi, Alma, Helaman, and other unfamiliar names.  We hope those names will become more familiar to you as you read their inspiring words and feel the relevance and divinity of their messages through these letters.)

Let us know if you’d like to receive your own digital copy of the Book of Mormon, and/or if these messages encourage and assist you spiritually as well.

Book of Mormon: Nephi Typifies Christ

In the Book of Mormon there is a prophet named Samuel. He has a prophecy in which he says five years from now will be the sign of Jesus Christ’s birth. After approximately 5 years had passed, the enemies of the Church decided they had had enough of the Christians and their prophets. They decided that they would choose a day to put the Christians to death, unless the sign occurred. This ultimatum was troubling to the prophet Nephi; rather than be afraid, he turned to the Lord in faith and prayed for the safety of his people. The Lord heard his prayer and consoled him, explaining that the time was at hand and the signs would begin. The scriptures I am referring to can be found in 3 Nephi 1:9-11, and they read as follows:

Now it came to pass that there was a day set apart by the unbelievers, that all those who believed in those traditions should be put to death except the sign should come to pass, which had been given by Samuel the prophet. Now it came to pass that when Nephi, the son of Nephi, saw this wickedness of his people, his heart was exceedingly sorrowful. And it came to pass that he went out and bowed himself down upon the earth, and cried mightily to his God in behalf of his people, yea, those who were about to be destroyed because of their faith in the tradition of their fathers.

In my life I have never had to deal with such an extreme test of my faith. I have never been threatened with death, I have never feared for the safety of my family because of our beliefs, and I have never had to pour my heart out to the Lord in order to try and save what I believe in. I hope that if a similar circumstance arose in my life that I too would turn to the Lord in prayer, not only in hopes that He would save me, but for the welfare of all those in danger.

I like these scriptures because it teaches us how we should respond when faced with trials. Nephi typifies Christ in his concern for others even over his concern for himself. I have a testimony of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know that it is true, and I know that I can become more like Christ as I follow the teachings and examples found in the Book of Mormon. These scriptures highlight just one example, but it is my hope and prayer that I will be able to follow Nephi’s example and live my life as the Savior lived His.

 Additional Resources:

Mormon Beliefs