Doctrine & Covenants 10-11: "That Ye May Come Off Conquerer"

 The Come Follow Me Study material for February 1-7 is Doctrine and Covenants 10-11.

• Doctrine and Covenants 10 - The Lord tells Joseph that they will not retranslate the lost 114 pages of the manuscript because Satan has a plan to manipulate the original manuscript to make it look like Joseph's translations are inconsistent, and therefore, not of God.
• Doctrine and Covenants 11 - The Lord responds to Joseph's questions from Hyrum and explains the functions of the Holy Spirit.

There's always so much inspiration in studying the scriptures, and I'm trying to hold back and no overwhelm, so I've picked three topics that I will touch on briefly, that aligns with topics in the Come Follow Me guide:

1. Satan seeks to destroy the work of God
One of the themes and discussion points for Doctrine and Covenants 10 is the different ways that Satan tries to destroy the work of the Lord. In learning about these ways, we see that Satan continues to use the same methods today. That means that his methods work on enough people that it's worth his effort. Isn't that a scary thought?

I've made a chart below but I'll focus on just one of the way that Satan seeks to deceive. In Doctrine and Covenants 10:7, the Lord says:

7 And for this cause I said that he is a wicked man, for he has sought to take away the things wherewith you have been entrusted; and he has also sought to destroy your gift.

What gifts do you have today that the devil might be trying to steal away from you? I've talked about spiritual gifts many times in the past, particularly here "Moroni 10: Come Unto Christ and Be Perfected in Himk" so I won't go into detail about this again. However, I do want to share a simple chart about spiritual gifts from "Friend" magazine, March 2017, called "What Are Your Spiritual Gifts?"

One of the spiritual gifts you could be given, for example, is "showing love." Can you see how the wicked might want you to lose that gift, so that you didn't go about doing good for others? 

(Click to enlarge)

2. The Lord's "wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil."
In Doctrine and Covenants 10:43, it says:

43 I will not suffer that they shall destroy my ^awork; yea, I will show unto them that my ^bwisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil.

I think one of the faith-building things about the pandemic is how much members of our church have been able to see the guidance that the Lord has given with this in mind. What examples can you think of? 

A few that come to mind for me:

• The Lord guided Moroni to abridge a second record knowing that Joseph Smith would lose the 114 translated pages of the manuscript, so that the records of these people wouldn't be lost.
• The prophet creating two-hour church and home-centered church in advance of the pandemic.
• The guidance from church leaders for decades to build up our home storage and reserves for emergencies like this one.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf said:

There are still a lot of unknowns about this virus. But if there is one thing I do know, it is that this virus did not catch Heavenly Father by surprise. He did not have to muster additional battalions of angels, call emergency meetings, or divert resources from the world-creation division to handle an unexpected need.

My message today is that even though this pandemic is not what we wanted or expected, God has prepared His children and His Church for this time. 

"God will do Something Unimaginable," October 2020 General Conference 

 

3. If we ask of God, we will receive
I still have my seminary scriptures, from when I was a teenager, with these verses of Doctrine and Covenants 11:12-14 highlighted, with my note on the side that these are "functions of the Spirit."

12 And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put your ^atrust in that ^bSpirit which ^cleadeth to do ^dgood—yea, to do ^ejustly, to walk ^fhumbly, to ^gjudge righteously; and this is my Spirit.

13 Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall ^aenlighten your ^bmind, which shall fill your soul with ^cjoy;

14 And then shall ye know, or by this shall you know, all things whatsoever you desire of me, which are pertaining unto things of ^arighteousness, in faith believing in me that you shall receive.

What an incredible gift. When we are baptized, we are given the gift of the Holy Ghost, and that gift, that Spirit, "leadeth to do good." I love to read the different ways that the Holy Spirit can guide us, and that if we turn to him, he can "enlighten your mind" and "fill your soul with joy."

A decade ago, President Boyd K. Packer said:

“The gift of the Holy Ghost, if you consent, will guide and protect you and even correct your actions. It is a spiritual voice that comes into the mind as a thought or a feeling put into your heart. … It is not expected that you go through life without making mistakes, but you will not make a major mistake without first being warned by the promptings of the Spirit. This promise applies to all members of the Church.”

President Boyd K. Packer, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Counsel to Youth,” Ensign, Nov. 2011, 17–18.

I am so grateful that I can go through this life, and the trials that inevitably come, knowing that with God, all things are possible, and that with the gift of the Holy Ghost, and my faith in my Savior, I can "come off conquerer."

Ether 6-11: Prayer and Gratitude

I'm privileged to share some thoughts from the book of Ether today.

While much of Ether 6-11 encompasses greed, treachery, and a line of both good and bad kings, to keep my comments to a reasonable length, I've chosen to focus most of my thoughts on Ether 6, though I do briefly address Ether 7-10. You can focus more on other topics by visiting the Come Follow Me manual.

A painting by Robert T. Barrett depicting Ether 

recording the history of the Jaredites; 

Primary manual 4-54

First, a Recap (Ether 1-5)
Last week, I talked about how the Brother of Jared prayed, and led followers of God to the seashore, where they camped for four years before building barges and preparing to depart for the Promised Land. The Lord had to rebuke the Brother of Jared for camping at the seashore for four years and for not praying for further direction and guidance. I think that seashore seemed "pretty good" to them, and they were tired of traveling, but the Lord had something better in store for them, the Promised Land. To get there, they would need to take a long and rough journey across a vast sea. In other words, they would need to leave the pleasant seashore where they had camped for four years, where things were pretty good, for something a whole lot better than pretty good. 

It May Get Worse Before It Gets Better
I am reminded of the many promises we received from many of our leaders during October General Conference, that things will be better on the other side of tribulation. Some of the assurances given in October 2020 General Conference:

• "Truly, for those faithful hearts and eyes to see, the Lord's tender mercies are manifest amidst life's challenges. Faithfully met challenges and sacrifice do bring the blessings of heaven. In this mortality, we may lose or wait for some things for a time, but in the end we will find what matters most. That is His promise." (Gerrit W. Gong, "All Nations, Kindreds, and Tongues")
  
  
• "Our best days are ahead of us, not behind us. That is why God gives us modern revelation! ... Now, this does not mean we won't experience turbulence in our flight through mortality. It doesn't mean there won't be unexpected instrument failures, mechanical malfunctions, or serious weather challenges. In fact, things might get worse before they get better." (Dieter F. Uchtdorft, "God Will Do Something Unimaginable")
  
  
• "Opposition is an essential part of the divine plan for helping us grow, and in the midst of that process, we have God's assurance that, in the long view of eternity, opposition will not be allowed to overcome us. With his help and our faithfulness and endurance, we will prevail. Like the mortal life of which they are a part, all tribulations are temporary." (Dallin H. Oaks, "Be of Good Cheer")

For the Jared, Jared's brother, and their family and friends, it did get worse before it got better. They were stuck in those barges for 344 days, often "buried in the depths of the sea" because of "great and terrible tempests." (Ether 6:6). Yet, the Brother of Jared and his people never forgot their Savior or lost their gratitude.

A Spiritual Prescription: Daily Prayer and Gratitude
In fact, they way they handled their trials is consistent with the guidance that our prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, gave on November 20, 2020 last week, regarding the Healing Power of Gratitude. As a man who has lost a first wife and two daughters, and known his share of heartache, he said of gratitude:

Over my nine and a half decades of life, I have concluded that counting our blessings is far better than recounting our problems. No matter our situation, showing gratitude for our privileges is a fast-acting and long-lasting spiritual prescription. 

Does gratitude spare us from sorrow, sadness, grief, and pain? No, but it does soothe our feelings. It provides us with a greater perspective on the very purpose and joy of life.

Second, he advised us to pray. He said:  

Second, let us unite in thanking God through daily prayer. Jesus Christ taught His disciples to pray by first expressing gratitude to God and then petitioning Him for the things we need. Prayer brings forth miracles.

The people of Jared were happy because waaaay back then, they were doing the things that the prophet is advising us to do today.

First, they continued to pray. In Ether 6:7 it says, "therefore when they were encompassed about by many waters they did cry unto the Lord, and he did bring them forth again upon the top of the waters."

Second, they praised the Lord continually. In Ether 6:9, it says, "... they did sing praises unto the Lord; yea, the brother of Jared did sing praises unto the Lord, and he did thank and praise the Lord all the day long; and when the night came, they did not cease to praise the Lord."

In Ether 6:10, it talks about how they had light continually, "whether it was above the water or under the water." From this, I assume that based on previous scriptures about the plugs that could be removed, they either received natural light through the plugs being removed when they were above water, or light from the stones that the Lord touched at the Brother of Jared's request.

This light can be seen both as a literal light and as the Light of Christ. The people of Jared were so focused on gratitude and praising the Lord that they didn't have time to complain about being stuck in a boat for a year. In fact, the first thing they did when they stepped on the shore of the promised land was to "humble themselves before the Lord, and did shed tears of joy before the Lord, because of the multitude of his tender mercies over them." (Ether 6:12).

Always Remember
Unfortunately, as Jared and his brother grew old, we learn at the end of chapter 6, their many descendants wanted to name a king. Just like King Benjamin in the Bible,  the Brother of Jared was concerned that having a king would lead to the unrighteous desire for power and eventually, "leadeth into captivity." (Ether 6:23).

The story in the next few chapters is an unrelenting cycle of greed vs. good, one we've seen repeated over and over in the Book of Mormon and Bible, of how we lose the way when we forgot God and focus on greed and pride. Kings rose and fell as they used "secret combinations" and dishonest means to rise to power. Fathers and sons threw each other in prison and killed each other to take over kingdoms. Good Kings brought peace to the land. Bad Kings drove the spirit away. Through it all, we see many of the same patterns we've already learned in previous chapters:

1. The Lord loves us all and continues to send prophets to lead and guide. 

"And there came prophets in the. land again, crying repentance unto them - that they must prepare the way for Lord or there should come a curse upon the face of the land ..." (Ether 9:28)

"And in the days of Coriantor there also came many prophets, and prophesied of great and marvelous things, and he cried repentance unto the people, and except they should repent the Lord God would execute judgement against them to their utter destruction." (Ether 11:20)  

2. When we repent and humble ourselves before the Lord, he is waiting and willing to act on our behalf.

"... they began to repent ... and it came to pass that when they had humbled themselves sufficiently before the Lord he did send rain upon the face of the earth; and the people began to revive again." (Ether 9:34-35)

3. We are blessed when we remember.

"... Shez began to build up a broken people. and it came to pass that Shez did remember the destruction of his father, and he did build up a righteous kingdom, for he remembered what the Lord had done in bringing Jared and his brother across the deep; and he did walk in the ways of the Lord ..." (Ether 10:1-2)

Ether 1-5: The Brother of Jared Prayed - What we can learn about sincerely praying, listening, and heeding the Lord's guidance

Update: I did not include the timelines and maps I made about the Book of Ether in this post but you can find it in a follow-up post here.

I am teaching virtual adult Sunday School this Sunday. It has been many months since I taught. We have several Adult Sunday School teachers, and we didn't start having virtual Sunday School for a long time so it just hasn't come around to me yet. 

I read all of the verses that are part of this week's lesson by Monday, then spent the rest of the week re-reading some scriptures, reading the Come Follow Me manuals, and reading General Conference talks that came to my mind as I studied. I consider those thoughts to be promptings that should be investigated. Why am I sharing all of this?

This afternoon (Saturday), I prayed to my Heavenly Father, and asked for his guidance in focusing on the things that the class would need to hear. I asked that I might have his Spirit with me, the way I have felt so many times this year as I have spoken to Him in prayer and listened for a response through feelings and through my scripture study. As I said these words aloud, I felt overwhelmed by his love for me. I know Heavenly Father listens and that if we are obedient, he will answer our prayers in his own time and his own way. He loves us. He loves us so much.

As I reflected on this powerful affirmation that my Heavenly Father is listening to me, I recalled how many times I have felt flooded with love this year. I think I have Heard Him more times this year than at any other point in my life. I have also sought him more deeply than at any other point in my life, and I don't think it's a coincidence that as I have sought to Hear Him, he has responded with love and kindness, and in some cases, he has responded with comfort. I shared one experience with feeling the Lord comfort me when I gave a pre-recorded talk in May, which I called "Turn to the Lord for Peace - the Importance of Remembering."

One of the big focuses of the Book of Ether is prayer, and how the Brother of Jared prayed, so this experience this afternoon was particularly meaningful. 

Brother of Jared Sees the Finger of God

by Robert T. Barrett

The Brother of Jared Prayed
One of the overwhelming lessons we learn from Ether is the power of prayer. The Come Follow Me Manual for Sunday School summarizes it by saying, "As we continually call upon the Lord, He will reveal his will."

Let's look at how the Brother of Jared Prayed. Click to enlarge the images below.

Some of the things to point out is:

1. The brother of Jared goes to the Lord with a specific problem but also a specific solution for the problem. "Please don't confound the language of my family." Followed by, "Please don't confound the language of my friends."

2. The brother of Jared goes to the Lord many times. 

3. The brother of Jared listens to the Lord. When his fears about the vessel being too dark are too broad of a request for the Lord, and the Lord asks him to come up with a solution, Jared comes up with a miraculous idea that takes great faith.

4. The Lord answers the Brother of Jared's prayers because of their great faith and "because this long time ye have cried unto me:"

I am reminded of Elder Uchtdorf's talk  that we're fine, because of our God that can do miraculous things and is always there for us, but that things might worse before they get better.

Again, I spoke about this in this video talk: "Turn to the Lord for Peace - the Importance of Remembering.", but when Alma fled evil King Noah with his followers, then were discovered by the wicked Lamanites and the priest of Noah, things worse better ... but they were faithful and they turned to the Lord, their fears were hushed, and things worse, but then they got better.

We just need "calm and clear-headed trust," as Elder Uchtdorf advises. "You muster your faith. And you listen for the guiding word of the Lord and His prophet to lead you to safety."

To be successful in turning to the Lord, we need to humble ourselves, and we need to remember how to recognize answers to prayer.

It's important to remember that we ALL have opportunities to be chastened and improve. The brother of Jared was "a man highly favored of the Lord" yet the Lord chastened him for three hours because he remembered not to call upon the name of the Lord." This was in Ether 2:14, after the families had reached the seashore and camped there for four years. The Lord wanted them to cross the great sea and go to the Promised Land, as they had requested, but I think when they arrived at the shore, they had been traveling for some time and felt pretty comfortable resting there. I imagine the Lord patiently waited and after four years, he had to have a talk with the Brother of Jared. 

Our church leaders and the scriptures have reminded us that the Lord rebukes whom he loves. **Update: In my lesson today, P.W. from my ward gave an example of a high school coach that was really tough on him. This coach was maybe a little hard on a group of young sixteen-year-olds. However, the coach one day said that they would know that the coach had given up on them if he stopped rebuking them and stopped showing interest in how to improve them." When we liken this to our Father in Heaven, he famously rebuked the Brother of Jared and the Latter-day prophet Joseph Smith. Obviously, these are great men that we look to for guidance on how to better follow in Jesus' footsteps. A rebuke doesn't mean less love. It means an opportunity to revaluate ourselves, repent, and improve.

 

While it's tempting to rest by the seashore like the Brother of Jared's family did for four years, as the trials in our lives ebb and flow, we need to always look to the Lord for gratitude, guidance, and needed course corrections. I'm so grateful for my Father in Heaven and the care he took to protect these records so that we can learn from these great men. 

"There Could Not Be a Happier People" - 3 Nephi 27 - 4 Nephi

As I was reading this week's "Come Follow Me" recommended reading, 3 Nephi 27 - 4 Nephi,  the themes of 1) follow Jesus Christ,  2) prayer, and 3) unity quickly came to mind.

The opening verse in this section, 3 Nephi 27:1, states that as the disciples of Jesus were teaching and baptizing in the Savior's name, they "were united in mighty prayer and fasting." This verse encompasses all three of those themes, as the disciples were teaching in the way the Savior taught, praying in the way the Savior taught, and unified together in their purpose. 

In the October 2020 General Conference talk, "Watch Ye Therefore and Pray Always," President M. Russell Ballard powerfully stated, "During the past few months I have had the impression come to me that the best way to help the current world situation is for all people to rely more fully upon God and to turn their hearts to Him through sincere prayer. Humbling ourselves and seeking heaven's inspiration to endure or conquer what is before us will be our safest and surest way to move confidently forward through these troubling times."

In the same talk, President Ballard reminds us, "The Savior taught us not to limit who we pray for." 

We need more faith in the Savior, more prayers, and more striving for unity as we head into particularly troubling times. Yet, the Savior promises us, "And whoso taketh upon him my name, and endureth to the end, the same shall be saved at the last day." (3 Nephi 27:6). I also love this promise because it is for everyone. Nobody is excluded from this promise, regardless of race, gender, how we were raised, what trials we've had in life, or what mistakes we have made, if we turn to the Lord and trust in the Lord. This is reaffirmed in the same chapter in verse 16, "... whoso repenteth and is baptized in my name shall be filled; and if he endureth to the end, behold, him will I hold guiltless before my Father at that day ..."

Christ with the Three Nephite Disciples by Gary L. Kapp

In the October 2020 General Conference talk, "By Union of Feeling We Obtain Power with God," Sharon Eubank said, "Each of us is going to have deeply wounding experiences, things that should never happen. Each of us will also, at various times, allow pride and loftiness to corrupt the fruit we bear. But Jesus Christ is our Savior in all things. His power reaches to the very bottom and is reliably there for us when we call on Him. We all beg for mercy for our sins and failures. He freely gives it. And He asks us if we can give that same mercy and understanding to each other.

In the April 2018 General Conference talk, "With One Accord," Reyna I. Aburto referenced when the Savior was on earth as discussed in the Bible, as well as this time in 3 Nephi and 4 Nephi. 

She said, "In order to reach our sublime destiny, we need each other, and we need to be unified. The Lord has commanded us, 'Be one; and if ye are not one year not mine.' Jesus Christ is the ultimate example of unity with His Father. They are one in purpose, in love, and in works, with 'the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father.'"

Later she adds. "Miracles happen when the children of God work together guided by the Spirit to reach out to others in need."

The people that saw Jesus Christ and were taught by him and by the twelve disciples were full of joy and wanted to follow his teachings and his example. This is after hundreds of years of warring and contention in the land that eventually ended in 3 Nephi 8 with the city of Zarahemla being burned down, the city of Moroni sunk into the sea and its people drowned, the city of Moronihah destroyed by an earthquake that turned the city into a mountain, and other great destruction for a people and a land that would not repent.

When Jesus visited, the repentant and humbled people came together, followed him, listened to him, and experienced many miracles in the name of Jesus, from healing the sick, to having the deaf become able to hear. The great city Zarahemla, which did "take fire" (3 Nephi 8) among many other cities that were destroyed because of their wickedness, was "built again."

"And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people." (4 Nephi 1:15). 

Unfortunately, in the scriptures, we constantly see the pride cycle at work, where the people forget the source of their blessings and begin to sin and create destruction again. In this case, the peace from having personally been visited by the Lord lasted for about 200 years. On the one hand, this was much longer than other previous times of peace throughout the land, which in some cases, lasted only for one year before they forgot and became prideful. On the other hand, they did eventually forget. We see the importance of record-keeping, and how carefully the Lord instructed his prophets to guard the records that became the Book of Mormon. We also see the importance of teaching our children so they can remember and know how to find peace.

How are you striving to follow Jesus Christ, seek him through prayer, and find unity with those around you? Here are a few things I've been doing recently.

1. One of the ways I am trying to follow Jesus Christ better is to committing to saying a five-minute prayer each day. This not my only prayer of the day but this is my prayer where I try a little harder to remember that I'm "calling home" and to really talk. I make it a point to look at a clock and make sure that by the time my personal prayer is over, five minutes has passed. Yes, prayers shouldn't be timed but neither should they be rote and sometimes saying a prayer with that new parameter can help. This is something that our Stake President challenged us to do a while back (a 5-10 minute prayer each day), and that we were reminded of in our last Stake Conference meeting.

2. My calling is that I am an adult Sunday School teacher. I committed to myself when we stopped having in-person church that I would try to do my calling anyway by blogging some of my thoughts. This made me make sure to read not only the scriptures, but the lesson plans, maybe a little more closely and thoughtfully.

3. I have been trying to pause more in my prayers, and write down the things that come into my mind when I ask, "What should I start doing? What should I stop doing? Who needs my help today?" I don't always remember to ask those questions, and I don't always pause, but I am trying to do these things better and more thoughtfully. Sometimes a thought pops into my mind that I'm not sure if it's just what I was thinking about, or if it's divine inspiration. I feel it helps to write it down and ponder on it as I read scriptures and pray.

4. I have been reading and pondering my patriarchal blessing along with my scriptures as I've sought answers to questions. Here are some additional thoughts about patriarchal blessings here (on the Church of Jesus Christ website). 

We are ALL Children of the Covenant: 3 Nephi 20-26

Today's Come Follow Me Study was called, "Ye are Children of the Covenant" and covers 3 Nephi 20-26. That sounds a little exclusive but we learn in 3 Nephi 20:25-27 that, as the Individuals and Families manual explains, "anyone who is baptized and makes covenants with His is also of the house of Israel," and therefore, can have the same blessings, "no matter who you descend from or where you live. In other words, when Jesus speaks to the house of Israel, He is talking about you."

In the October 2020 talk "Eyes to See," Michelle D. Craig stated, "Jesus Christ sees people deeply. He sees individuals, their needs, and who they can become. Where others saw fishermen, sinners, or publicans, Jesus saw disciples; where others saw a man possessed by devils, Jesus looked past the outward distress, acknowledged the man, and healed him."

In the October 2020 talk "Hearts Knit in Righteousness and Unity," Quentin L. Cook stated, "With our all-inclusive doctrine, we can be an oasis of unity and celebrate diversity. Unity and diversity are not opposites. We can achieve greater unity as we foster an atmosphere of inclusion and respect for diversity. … The Savior’s ministry and message have consistently declared all races and colors are children of God. We are all brothers and sisters."

What scriptures stuck out for you as you studied? Here are a few that really spoke to me this time with a quick comment about each:

3 Nephi 20:1 "... And he commanded them that they should not cease to pray in their hearts."

We are constantly reminded that we can and should pray always, that this pathway is open for all to communicate with our Father in Heaven, that prayers are not reserved only for times of trial. However, I felt it was also very powerful that in the October 2020 talk, "Watch Ye Therefore, and Pray Always," M. Russell Ballard said, "During the past few months I have had the impression come to me that the best way to help the current world situation is for all people to rely more fully upon God and to turn their hearts to Him through sincere prayer. Humbling ourselves and seeking heaven's inspiration to endure or conquer what is before us will be our safest and surest way to move confidently forward through these troubling times."

3 Nephi 21:8 "And when that day shall come, it shall come to pass that kings shall shut their mouths; for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they not heard shall they consider."

There is so much more in the world to come, so much more faith to give, and so many more miracles that will occur, so great that even kings "shall shut their mouths," I believe, in amazement. 

3 Nephi 22:7 "For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee."

Our Lord will never forsake us, though it may feel like it sometimes. Later, in 3 Nephi 26:11, he says, "I will try the faith of my people." In General Conference 2020, in the talk, "God Will Do Something Unimaginable," Dieter F. Uchtdorf says, "In a way, we are seeds. And for seeds to reach their potential, they must be buried before they can sprout. It is my witness that though at times we may feel buried by the trials of life or surrounded by emotional darkness, the love of God and the blessings of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ will bring something unimaginable to spring forth."

3 Nephi 22:10-11 "For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of any peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee. O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted! Behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colors, and lay thy foundations with sapphires."

I was especially touched by this scripture as I thought about a world where I am seeing a war between those that are prideful and selfish and teaching this behavior to others in leadership roles, and those that are striving to be kind and Christlike. The footnote for this scripture explains that "kindness" here means "Israel, blessings of." This covenant is available for anyone that wants it, for our Lord is merciful.

3 Nephi 23:1 "And now, behold, I say unto you, that ye ought to search these things. Yea, a commandment I give unto you that ye search these things diligently; for great are the words of Isaiah."

I think about leaders like Henry B. Eyring, who has read the scriptures every day for many decades, on repeat, and is constantly learning new things from the scriptures. It was the Savior himself who told us to search the scriptures diligently. 

3 Nephi 23:7-14 - "And it came to pass that he said unto Nephi; Bring forth the record which ye have kept ... Verily I say unto you, I commanded my servant Samuel, the Lamanite, that he should testify unto this people, that at the day that the Father should glorify his name in me ... ... And Jesus said unto them; How be it that ye have not written this thing, that many saints did arise and appear unto many did minister unto them?

I have paid special attention this time through reading the Book of Mormon to see how keeping records is important, and what kind of records are important, not petty lists of grievances but what you want to teach your posterity. In the Book of Mormon, there are frequently spans of 100s of years where nothing in the history is recorded, and times where a prophet writes that they are only touching on a small piece of what has happened. Samuel the Lamanite is a well-known and much beloved story for children that grow up reading the Book of Mormon, and we almost didn't have this story. The Savior himself had to ask, essentially "why has this not been recorded?" It makes me especially grateful for what we have, but also thoughtful about what I want to make sure to record.

3 Nephi 24:5-6 "... and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers ... and against those that oppress ... and fear not me, saith the Lord of Hosts. ... For I am the Lord, I change not."

While I am seeing a lot of good in the world today, I have also been extremely concerned about what I see as a rise of evil powers/practices and people that are believing in them a little too readily. This scripture gives me assurance that the Lord changes not and in the long run, the righteous will be able to overcome.

3 Nephi 25:1 "For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name, shall the Son of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth and grow up as calves in the stall."

Today feels a bit like a literal and metaphorical burning as I can hear the helicopters and airplanes overhead working to put out a fire in the canyon nearby our home, and I can see the impact of Covid-19 and other stressors in lives around the world. While, as Uchtdorf said, "things might get worse before they get better," I am grateful for the reassurance that "the Son of Righteousness" shall "arise with healing in his wings."

In the same talk I referenced above, Uchtorf says, "Focus on the things you can do and not on the things you cannot do. You muster your faith. And you listen for the guiding word of the Lord and His prophet to lead you to safety."

I'm so grateful for the scriptures, the treasure box full of wisdom and comfort that they give me every time I open and read with an open mind and willingness to learn.

Preparing, Pondering, and Prayer - 3 Nephi 17-19

One of the themes that stood out for me as I studied 3 Nephi 17-19 was how the Savior taught about prayer, both by reiteration and by example. He emphasized this in 3 Nephi 17 and 18, as he spoke to the multitude of 2,500 men, women, and children.

Christ Praying with the Nephites, by Ted Henninger

In 3 Nephi 17:3, the Savior said, "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."

The Savior then reiterated asking of the Father by being an example, as he knelt down and prayed before the multitude.

In 3 Nephi 17:16-17, it says "And after this manner do they bear record: The eye hath never seen, neither hath the ear heard, before, so great and marvelous things as we saw and heard Jesus speak unto the Father; And no tongue can speak, neither can there be written by any man, neither can the hearts of men conceive so great and marvelous things as we both saw and heard Jesus speak; and no one can conceive of the joy which filled our souls at the time we heard him pray for us unto the Father."

The Savior specifically called out that his prayer was a model for the multitude in 3 Nephi 18:15-16 as he emphasizes that we need to "watch and pray always," and that he is "the light, I have set an example for you."

He talked in 3 Nephi 19:7-10 about praying in the Lord's name, praying as individuals, and praying as families. In 3 Nephi 19, he said the word "pray" over 20 times as he both prayed to the Father and taught about prayer.

He also emphasized that if someone was unworthy to take the sacrament, we shouldn't cast them out but "minister unto him and ... pray for him unto the Father." (3 Nephi 18:30, 32). 

Reflecting upon the current state of the world, and in the October 2020 session of General Conference last weekend, Elder M. Russell Ballard stated, "During the past few months I have had the impression come to me that the best way to help the current world situation is for all people to rely more fully upon God and to turn their hearts to Him through sincere prayer. Humbling ourselves and seeking heaven's inspiration to endure or conquer what is before us will be our safest and surest way to move confidently forward through these troubling times." (Watch Ye Therefore, and Pray Always.)

He continues, "The world's current chaotic situation may seem daunting as we consider the multitude of issues and challenges. But it is my fervent testimony that if we will pray and ask Heavenly Father for needed blessings and guidance, we will come to know how we can bless our families, neighbors, communities, and even the countries in which we live. The Savior prayed and then He 'went about doing good" ... He continues to reach out to us."

Alma 32-35: Alma Taught the Zoramites Faith, Humility, and Prayer

Ten days ago, a six-year-old boy threw himself in front of his four-year-old sister when a German shepherd began charging them. They had just entered the backyard of the home that their family was visiting when the dog began to charge them. The six-year-old successfully protected his sister, while being bitten in the face, a wound that required 90 stitches to close.

I first read this story on KSL News, where it stated that in the account repeated by his father, the boy, Bridger Walker, said that “after the dog bit him, he yelled for his sister to run away; and when the dog released his grip, he ran to his sister, leading her to a safe part of the yard.” 

I thought of this boy’s bravery and sacrifice as I read Alma 32-35 in the Book of Mormon. If I were to summarize each of the four chapters of Alma 32-35 in one word per chapter, the words I would choose are: humility, prayer, prepare, and faith. In summary, these chapters are about Alma preaching to the poor among the Zoramites who had not been allowed into the synagogues to worship. Alma taught that if we humble ourselves before God, if we understand that we can pray to him anytime, anywhere, and if we listen and prepare for the day when we will one day meet God and be held accountable for how we have lived this life, our faith will make us whole. In these chapters, many people turned away from the incorrect beliefs they had been following in order to turn to God. They were persecuted for their beliefs and had to leave their homes to find somewhere to worship safely.

Faith

I compare these themes and stories to this boy’s faith and how he had been taught. His family had studied the scriptures and in a Sunday discussion shortly before the attack, talked about personal sacrifice and service. Bridger knew what was important to him, his family. His sister was smaller than him, and he made his decisions without hesitation.

Remember, Bridger was only six, and while suffering from a wound that required 90 stitches, his top-most thought wasn’t calling for help, or how much he hurt, or if he was scared, it was making sure that his sister was safe. The heroism is even more significant when you realize that the boy thought he might die. In the hospital, the boy explained to his father, “If someone had to die, I thought it should be me.” 

The faith that leads to sacrifice and service comes in all shapes and sizes. It doesn’t always have to be a big, grand gestures, and it is often thankless and unnoticed, like Alma and the sons of Mosiah that earnestly taught about God in lands where they weren’t always welcome and like the followers of God that had to give up their homes to worship safely.

Alma 32:21-22 says, “21. And now as I said concerning faith - faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true. 22. And now, behold, I say unto you, and I would that ye should remember, that God is merciful unto all who believe on his name; therefore he desireth, in the first place, that ye should believe, yea, even on his word.”

The worshippers of God showed faith that by choosing the right way they would be doing the right thing, and that was what what mattered the most. Little Bridger showed faith in the stories of sacrifice and service that his father had taught, and did what he felt was the right thing, and that was what mattered the most.

Humility

One of the big themes of this set of scriptures is humility, and how we are blessed for our humility, even more so when we are humble by choice instead of by circumstance. Alma 32:16 says, “Blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble.” The poor had become humbled in these scriptures because they were deprived of the right to worship, and while that humility led them to the truth, Alma taught that it would be even better if they were humble out of choice.

The story about Bridger’s heroism was first shared by family members on social media but as the story has gained momentum, people have reached out to contribute to bills. I admire the humility of the family in stating that they weren’t seeking gain, and instead prayerfully identifying three charities that they asked people to consider donating to instead (Mission 22, Operation Undergroud Railroad, and The Wounded Warrior Project).

Prayer

At no point did Bridger’s family blame the family friends whose yard Bridger and his sister entered before the dog attacked Bridger. Instead, they asked those reading about their story to include the owners of the dog in their thoughts and prayers, expressing their love for that family.

Alma 33 focuses on prayer and how it is welcome to all. It quotes the prayer of the prophet Zenos, as he recounted to the Lord in prayer that he was able to prayer to him in the wilderness, in his field, in his house, in his closet, and no matter where, the Lord heard his prayers. 

The scriptures are of great hope. They share that even if we have just a little bit of hope, a little bit of faith, if we nurture it like a good seed, it will grow. In Alma 33:23, Alma concludes the chapter, “And now, my brethren, I desire that ye shall plant this word in your hearts, and as it beginneth to swell even so nourish it by your faith. And behold, it will become a tree, springing up in you unto everlasting life. And then may God grant unto you that your burdens may be light, through the joy of his Son. And even all this can ye do if ye will. Amen.”