Roger Owen Koehler

Daily Reading 45 - 2 Nephi 7:4 - 8:12

2012-02-14T00:00:00.001-08:00

The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season unto thee, O house of Israel. When ye are weary he waketh morning by morning. He waketh mine ear to hear as the learned.

The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.

I gave my back to the smiter, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. I hid not my face from shame and spitting.

For the Lord God will help me, therefore shall I not be confounded. Therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.

And the Lord is near, and he justifieth me. Who will contend with me? Let us stand together. Who is mine adversary? Let him come near me, and I will smite him with the strength of my mouth.

For the Lord God will help me. And all they who shall condemn me, behold, all they shall wax old as a garment, and the moth shall eat them up.

Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness and hath no light?

Behold all ye that kindle fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks, walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks which ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand--ye shall lie down in sorrow.

Hearken unto me, ye that follow after righteousness. Look unto the rock from whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit from whence ye are digged.

Look unto Abraham, your father, and unto Sarah, she that bare you; for I called him alone, and blessed him.

For the Lord shall comfort Zion, he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and the voice of melody.

Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation; for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light for the people.

My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arm shall judge the people. The isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust.

Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath; for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment; and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner. But my salvation shall be forever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.

Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart I have written my law, fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.

For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool. But my righteousness shall be forever, and my salvation from generation to generation.

Awake, awake! Put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake as in the ancient days. Art thou not he that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon?

Art thou not he who hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over?

Therefore, the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy and holiness shall be upon their heads; and they shall obtain gladness and joy; sorrow and mourning shall flee away.

I am he; yea, I am he that comforteth you. Behold, who art thou, that thou shouldst be afraid of man, who shall die, and of the son of man, who shall be made like unto grass?

Daily Reading 44 - 2 Nephi 6:6 - 7:3

2012-02-13T00:00:00.001-08:00

And now, these are the words: Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people; and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.

And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers; they shall bow down to thee with their faces towards the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord; for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.

And now I, Jacob, would speak somewhat concerning these words. For behold, the Lord has shown me that those who were at Jerusalem, from whence we came, have been slain and carried away captive.

Nevertheless, the Lord has shown unto me that they should return again. And he also has shown unto me that the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, should manifest himself unto them in the flesh; and after he should manifest himself they should scourge him and crucify him, according to the words of the angel who spake it unto me.

And after they have hardened their hearts and stiffened their necks against the Holy One of Israel, behold, the judgments of the Holy One of Israel shall come upon them. And the day cometh that they shall be smitten and afflicted.

Wherefore, after they are driven to and fro, for thus saith the angel, many shall be afflicted in the flesh, and shall not be suffered to perish, because of the prayers of the faithful; they shall be scattered, and smitten, and hated; nevertheless, the Lord will be merciful unto them, that when they shall come to the knowledge of their Redeemer, they shall be gathered together again to the lands of their inheritance.

And blessed are the Gentiles, they of whom the prophet has written; for behold, if it so be that they shall repent and fight not against Zion, and do not unite themselves to that great and abominable church, they shall be saved; for the Lord God will fulfil his covenants which he has made unto his children; and for this cause the prophet has written these things.

Wherefore, they that fight against Zion and the covenant people of the Lord shall lick up the dust of their feet; and the people of the Lord shall not be ashamed. For the people of the Lord are they who wait for him; for they still wait for the coming of the Messiah.

And behold, according to the words of the prophet, the Messiah will set himself again the second time to recover them; wherefore, he will manifest himself unto them in power and great glory, unto the destruction of their enemies, when that day cometh when they shall believe in him; and none will he destroy that believe in him.

And they that believe not in him shall be destroyed, both by fire, and by tempest, and by earthquakes, and by bloodsheds, and by pestilence, and by famine. And they shall know that the Lord is God, the Holy One of Israel.

For shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?

But thus saith the Lord: Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered; for the Mighty God shall deliver his covenant people. For thus saith the Lord: I will contend with them that contendeth with thee--

And I will feed them that oppress thee, with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood as with sweet wine; and all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Savior and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

Yea, for thus saith the Lord: Have I put thee away, or have I cast thee off forever? For thus saith the Lord: Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement? To whom have I put thee away, or to which of my creditors have I sold you? Yea, to whom have I sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.

Wherefore, when I came, there was no man; when I called, yea, there was none to answer. O house of Israel, is my hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem, or have I no power to deliver? Behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make their rivers a wilderness and their fish to stink because the waters are dried up, and they die because of thirst.

I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering.

Daily Reading 43 - 2 Nephi 5:21 - 6:5

2012-02-12T00:00:00.001-08:00

And he had caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even a sore cursing, because of their iniquity. For behold, they had hardened their hearts against him, that they had become like unto a flint; wherefore, as they were white, and exceedingly fair and delightsome, that they might not be enticing unto my people the Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them.

And thus saith the Lord God: I will cause that they shall be loathsome unto thy people, save they shall repent of their iniquities.

And cursed shall be the seed of him that mixeth with their seed; for they shall be cursed even with the same cursing. And the Lord spake it, and it was done.

And because of their cursing which was upon them they did become an idle people, full of mischief and subtlety, and did seek in the wilderness for beasts of prey.

And the Lord God said unto me: They shall be a scourge unto thy seed, to stir them up in remembrance of me; and inasmuch as they will not remember me, and hearken unto my words, they shall scourge them even unto destruction.

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did consecrate Jacob and Joseph, that they should be priests and teachers over the land of my people.

And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness.

And thirty years had passed away from the time we left Jerusalem.

And I, Nephi, had kept the records upon my plates, which I had made, of my people thus far.

And it came to pass that 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. And if my people are pleased with the things of God they will be pleased with mine engravings which are upon these plates.

And if my people desire to know the more particular part of the history of my people they must search mine other plates.

And it sufficeth me to say that forty years had passed away, and we had already had wars and contentions with our brethren.

The words of Jacob, the brother of Nephi, which he spake unto the people of Nephi:

Behold, my beloved brethren, I, Jacob, having been called of God, and ordained after the manner of his holy order, and having been consecrated by my brother Nephi, unto whom ye look as a king or a protector, and on whom ye depend for safety, behold ye know that I have spoken unto you exceedingly many things.

Nevertheless, I speak unto you again; for I am desirous for the welfare of your souls. Yea, mine anxiety is great for you; and ye yourselves know that it ever has been. For I have exhorted you with all diligence; and I have taught you the words of my father; and I have spoken unto you concerning all things which are written, from the creation of the world.

And now, behold, I would speak unto you concerning things which are, and which are to come; wherefore, I will read you the words of Isaiah. And they are the words which my brother has desired that I should speak unto you. And I speak unto you for your sakes, that ye may learn and glorify the name of your God.

And now, the words which I shall read are they which Isaiah spake concerning all the house of Israel; wherefore, they may be likened unto you, for ye are of the house of Israel. And there are many things which have been spoken by Isaiah which may be likened unto you, because ye are of the house of Israel.

Daily Reading 42 - 2 Nephi 5:3-20

2012-02-11T00:00:00.001-08:00

Yea, they did murmur against me, saying: Our younger brother thinks to rule over us; and we have had much trial because of him; wherefore, now let us slay him, that we may not be afflicted more because of his words. For behold, we will not have him to be our ruler; for it belongs unto us, who are the elder brethren, to rule over this people.

Now I do not write upon these plates all the words which they murmured against me. But it sufficeth me to say, that they did seek to take away my life.

And it came to pass that the Lord did warn me, that I, Nephi, should depart from them and flee into the wilderness, and all those who would go with me.

Wherefore, it came to pass that I, Nephi, did take my family, and also Zoram and his family, and Sam, mine elder brother and his family, and Jacob and Joseph, my younger brethren, and also my sisters, and all those who would go with me. And all those who would go with me were those who believed in the warnings and the revelations of God; wherefore, they did hearken unto my words.

And we did take our tents and whatsoever things were possible for us, and did journey in the wilderness for the space of many days. And after we had journeyed for the space of many days we did pitch our tents.

And my people would that we should call the name of the place Nephi; wherefore, we did call it Nephi.

And all those who were with me did take upon them to call themselves the people of Nephi.

And we did observe to keep the judgments, and the statutes, and the commandments of the Lord in all things, according to the law of Moses.

And the Lord was with us; and we did prosper exceedingly; for we did sow seed, and we did reap again in abundance. And we began to raise flocks, and herds, and animals of every kind.

And I, Nephi, had also brought the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass; and also the ball, or compass, which was prepared for my father by the hand of the Lord, according to that which is written.

And it came to pass that we began to prosper exceedingly, and to multiply in the land.

And I, Nephi, did take the sword of Laban, and after the manner of it did make many swords, lest by any means the people who were now called Lamanites should come upon us and destroy us; for I knew their hatred towards me and my children and those who were called my people.

And I did teach my people to build buildings, and to work in all manner of wood, and of iron, and of copper, and of brass, and of steel, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious ores, which were in great abundance.

And I, Nephi, did build a temple; and I did construct it after the manner of the temple of Solomon save it were not built of so many precious things; for they were not to be found upon the land, wherefore, it could not be built like unto Solomon's temple. But the manner of the construction was like unto the temple of Solomon; and the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine.

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did cause my people to be industrious, and to labor with their hands.

And it came to pass that they would that I should be their king. But I, Nephi, was desirous that they should have no king; nevertheless, I did for them according to that which was in my power.

And behold, the words of the Lord had been fulfilled unto my brethren, which he spake concerning them, that I should be their ruler and their teacher. Wherefore, I had been their ruler and their teacher, according to the commandments of the Lord, until the time they sought to take away my life.

Wherefore, the word of the Lord was fulfilled which he spake unto me, saying that: Inasmuch as they will not hearken unto thy words they shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord. And behold, they were cut off from his presence.

Daily Reading 41 - 2 Nephi 4:16 - 5:2

2012-02-10T00:00:00.001-08:00

Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard.

Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.

I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me.

And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.

My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.

He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh.

He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the causing of them to quake before me.

Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me knowledge by visions in the nighttime.

And by day have I waxed bold in mighty prayer before him; yea, my voice have I sent up on high; and angels came down and ministered unto me.

And upon the wings of his Spirit hath my body been carried away upon exceedingly high mountains. And mine eyes have beheld great things, yea, even too great for man; therefore I was bidden that I should not write them.

O then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his condescension unto the children of men hath visited men in so much mercy, why should my heart weep and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow, and my flesh waste away, and my strength slacken, because of mine afflictions?

And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my soul? Why am I angry because of mine enemy?

Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.

Do not anger again because of mine enemies. Do not slacken my strength because of mine afflictions.

Rejoice, O my heart, and cry unto the Lord, and say: O Lord, I will praise thee forever; yea, my soul will rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my salvation.

O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin?

May the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because that my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite! O Lord, wilt thou not shut the gates of thy righteousness before me, that I may walk in the path of the low valley, that I may be strict in the plain road!

O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies! Wilt thou make my path straight before me! Wilt thou not place a stumbling block in my way--but that thou wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge not up my way, but the ways of mine enemy.

O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm.

Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen.

Behold, it came to pass that I, Nephi, did cry much unto the Lord my God, because of the anger of my brethren.

But behold, their anger did increase against me, insomuch that they did seek to take away my life.

Daily Reading 40 - 2 Nephi 3:24 - 4:15

2012-02-09T00:00:00.000-08:00

And there shall rise up one mighty among them, who shall do much good, both in word and in deed, being an instrument in the hands of God, with exceeding faith, to work mighty wonders, and do that thing which is great in the sight of God, unto the bringing to pass much restoration unto the house of Israel, and unto the seed of thy brethren.

And now, blessed art thou, Joseph. Behold, thou art little; wherefore hearken unto the words of thy brother, Nephi, and it shall be done unto thee even according to the words which I have spoken. Remember the words of thy dying father. Amen.

And now, I, Nephi, speak concerning the prophecies of which my father hath spoken, concerning Joseph, who was carried into Egypt.

For behold, he truly prophesied concerning all his seed. And the prophecies which he wrote, there are not many greater. And he prophesied concerning us, and our future generations; and they are written upon the plates of brass.

Wherefore, after my father had made an end of speaking concerning the prophecies of Joseph, he called the children of Laman, his sons, and his daughters, and said unto them: Behold, my sons, and my daughters, who are the sons and the daughters of my first-born, I would that ye should give ear unto my words.

For the Lord God hath said that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land; and inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my presence.

But behold, my sons and my daughters, I cannot go down to my grave save I should leave a blessing upon you; for behold, I know that if ye are brought up in the way ye should go ye will not depart from it.

Wherefore, if ye are cursed, behold, I leave my blessing upon you, that the cursing may be taken from you and be answered upon the heads of your parents.

Wherefore, because of my blessing the Lord God will not suffer that ye shall perish; wherefore, he will be merciful unto you and unto your seed forever.

And it came to pass that after my father had made an end of speaking to the sons and daughters of Laman, he caused the sons and daughters of Lemuel to be brought before him.

And he spake unto them, saying: Behold, my sons and my daughters, who are the sons and the daughters of my second son; behold I leave unto you the same blessing which I left unto the sons and daughters of Laman; wherefore, thou shalt not utterly be destroyed; but in the end thy seed shall be blessed.

And it came to pass that when my father had made an end of speaking unto them, behold, he spake unto the sons of Ishmael, yea, and even all his household.

And after he had made an end of speaking unto them, he spake unto Sam, saying: Blessed art thou, and thy seed; for thou shalt inherit the land like unto thy brother Nephi. And thy seed shall be numbered with his seed; and thou shalt be even like unto thy brother, and thy seed like unto his seed; and thou shalt be blessed in all thy days.

And it came to pass after my father, Lehi, had spoken unto all his household, according to the feelings of his heart and the Spirit of the Lord which was in him, he waxed old. And it came to pass that he died, and was buried.

And it came to pass that not many days after his death, Laman and Lemuel and the sons of Ishmael were angry with me because of the admonitions of the Lord.

For I, Nephi, was constrained to speak unto them, according to his word; for I had spoken many things unto them, and also my father, before his death; many of which sayings are written upon mine other plates; for a more history part are written upon mine other plates.

And upon these I write the things of my soul, and many of the scriptures which are engraven upon the plates of brass. For my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them, and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children.

Daily Reading 39 - 2 Nephi 3:7-23

2012-02-08T00:00:00.000-08:00

Yea, Joseph truly said: Thus saith the Lord unto me: A choice seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and he shall be esteemed highly among the fruit of thy loins. And unto him will I give commandment that he shall do a work for the fruit of thy loins, his brethren, which shall be of great worth unto them, even to the bringing of them to the knowledge of the covenants which I have made with thy fathers.

And I will give unto him a commandment that he shall do none other work, save the work which I shall command him. And I will make him great in mine eyes; for he shall do my work.

And he shall be great like unto Moses, whom I have said I would raise up unto you, to deliver my people, O house of Israel.

And Moses will I raise up, to deliver thy people out of the land of Egypt.

But a seer will I raise up out of the fruit of thy loins; and unto him will I give power to bring forth my word unto the seed of thy loins--and not to the bringing forth my word only, saith the Lord, but to the convincing them of my word, which shall have already gone forth among them.

Wherefore, the fruit of thy loins shall write; and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write; and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together, unto the confounding of FALSE doctrines and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to the knowledge of their fathers in the latter days, and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord.

And out of weakness he shall be made strong, in that day when my work shall commence among all my people, unto the restoring thee, O house of Israel, saith the Lord.

And thus prophesied Joseph, saying: Behold, that seer will the Lord bless; and they that seek to destroy him shall be confounded; for this promise, which I have obtained of the Lord, of the fruit of my loins, shall be fulfilled. Behold, I am sure of the fulfilling of this promise;

And his name shall be called after me; and it shall be after the name of his father. And he shall be like unto me; for the thing, which the Lord shall bring forth by his hand, by the power of the Lord shall bring my people unto salvation.

Yea, thus prophesied Joseph: I am sure of this thing, even as I am sure of the promise of Moses; for the Lord hath said unto me, I will preserve thy seed forever.

And the Lord hath said: I will raise up a Moses; and I will give power unto him in a rod; and I will give judgment unto him in writing. Yet I will not loose his tongue, that he shall speak much, for I will not make him mighty in speaking. But I will write unto him my law, by the finger of mine own hand; and I will make a spokesman for him.

And the Lord said unto me also: I will raise up unto the fruit of thy loins; and I will make for him a spokesman. And I, behold, I will give unto him that he shall write the writing of the fruit of thy loins, unto the fruit of thy loins; and the spokesman of thy loins shall declare it.

And the words which he shall write shall be the words which are expedient in my wisdom should go forth unto the fruit of thy loins. And it shall be as if the fruit of thy loins had cried unto them from the dust; for I know their faith.

And they shall cry from the dust; yea, even repentance unto their brethren, even after many generations have gone by them. And it shall come to pass that their cry shall go, even according to the simpleness of their words.

Because of their faith their words shall proceed forth out of my mouth unto their brethren who are the fruit of thy loins; and the weakness of their words will I make strong in their faith, unto the remembering of my covenant which I made unto thy fathers.

And now, behold, my son Joseph, after this manner did my father of old prophesy.

Wherefore, because of this covenant thou art blessed; for thy seed shall not be destroyed, for they shall hearken unto the words of the book.

Daily Reading 38 - 2 Nephi 2:19 - 3:6

2012-02-07T00:00:00.000-08:00

And after Adam and Eve had partaken of the forbidden fruit they were driven out of the garden of Eden, to till the earth.

And they have brought forth children; yea, even the family of all the earth.

And the days of the children of men were prolonged, according to the will of God, that they might repent while in the flesh; wherefore, their state became a state of probation, and their time was lengthened, according to the commandments which the Lord God gave unto the children of men. For he gave commandment that all men must repent; for he showed unto all men that they were lost, because of the transgression of their parents.

And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end.

And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin.

But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things.

Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy.

And the Messiah cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the children of men from the fall. And because that they are redeemed from the fall they have become free forever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves and not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of the law at the great and last day, according to the commandments which God hath given.

Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself.

And now, my sons, I would that ye should look to the great Mediator, and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit;

And not choose eternal death, according to the will of the flesh and the evil which is therein, which giveth the spirit of the devil power to captivate, to bring you down to hell, that he may reign over you in his own kingdom.

I have spoken these few words unto you all, my sons, in the last days of my probation; and I have chosen the good part, according to the words of the prophet. And I have none other object save it be the everlasting welfare of your souls. Amen.

And now I speak unto you, Joseph, my last-born. Thou wast born in the wilderness of mine afflictions; yea, in the days of my greatest sorrow did thy mother bear thee.

And may the Lord consecrate also unto thee this land, which is a most precious land, for thine inheritance and the inheritance of thy seed with thy brethren, for thy security forever, if it so be that ye shall keep the commandments of the Holy One of Israel.

And now, Joseph, my last-born, whom I have brought out of the wilderness of mine afflictions, may the Lord bless thee forever, for thy seed shall not utterly be destroyed.

For behold, thou art the fruit of my loins; and I am a descendant of Joseph who was carried captive into Egypt. And great were the covenants of the Lord which he made unto Joseph.

Wherefore, Joseph truly saw our day. And he obtained a promise of the Lord, that out of the fruit of his loins the Lord God would raise up a righteous branch unto the house of Israel; not the Messiah, but a branch which was to be broken off, nevertheless, to be remembered in the covenants of the Lord that the Messiah should be made manifest unto them in the latter days, in the spirit of power, unto the bringing of them out of darkness unto light--yea, out of hidden darkness and out of captivity unto freedom.

For Joseph truly testified, saying: A seer shall the Lord my God raise up, who shall be a choice seer unto the fruit of my loins.

Daily Reading 37 - 2 Nephi 2:4-18

2012-02-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

And thou hast beheld in thy youth his glory; wherefore, thou art blessed even as they unto whom he shall minister in the flesh; for the Spirit is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. And the way is prepared from the fall of man, and salvation is free.

And men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil. And the law is given unto men. And by the law no flesh is justified; or, by the law men are cut off. Yea, by the temporal law they were cut off; and also, by the spiritual law they perish from that which is good, and become miserable forever.

Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth.

Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.

Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise.

Wherefore, he is the firstfruits unto God, inasmuch as he shall make intercession for all the children of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved.

And because of the intercession for all, all men come unto God; wherefore, they stand in the presence of him, to be judged of him according to the truth and holiness which is in him. Wherefore, the ends of the law which the Holy One hath given, unto the inflicting of the punishment which is affixed, which punishment that is affixed is in opposition to that of the happiness which is affixed, to answer the ends of the atonement--

For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my first-born in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.

Wherefore, it must needs have been created for a thing of naught; wherefore there would have been no purpose in the end of its creation. Wherefore, this thing must needs destroy the wisdom of God and his eternal purposes, and also the power, and the mercy, and the justice of God.

And if ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there is no sin. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also say there is no righteousness. And if there be no righteousness there be no happiness. And if there be no righteousness nor happiness there be no punishment nor misery. And if these things are not there is no God. And if there is no God we are not, neither the earth; for there could have been no creation of things, neither to act nor to be acted upon; wherefore, all things must have vanished away.

And now, my sons, I speak unto you these things for your profit and learning; for there is a God, and he hath created all things, both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are, both things to act and things to be acted upon.

And to bring about his eternal purposes in the end of man, after he had created our first parents, and the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and in fine, all things which are created, it must needs be that there was an opposition; even the forbidden fruit in opposition to the tree of life; the one being sweet and the other bitter.

Wherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other.

And I, Lehi, according to the things which I have read, must needs suppose that an angel of God, according to that which is written, had fallen from heaven; wherefore, he became a devil, having sought that which was evil before God.

And because he had fallen from heaven, and had become miserable forever, he sought also the misery of all mankind. Wherefore, he said unto Eve, yea, even that old serpent, who is the devil, who is the father of all lies, wherefore he said: Partake of the forbidden fruit, and ye shall not die, but ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil.

Daily Reading 36 - 2 Nephi 1:19 - 2:3

2012-02-05T00:00:00.000-08:00

O my sons, that these things might not come upon you, but that ye might be a choice and a favored people of the Lord. But behold, his will be done; for his ways are righteousness forever.

And he hath said that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land; but inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my presence.

And now that my soul might have joy in you, and that my heart might leave this world with gladness because of you, that I might not be brought down with grief and sorrow to the grave, arise from the dust, my sons, and be men, and be determined in one mind and in one heart, united in all things, that ye may not come down into captivity;

That ye may not be cursed with a sore cursing; and also, that ye may not incur the displeasure of a just God upon you, unto the destruction, yea, the eternal destruction of both soul and body.

Awake, my sons; put on the armor of righteousness. Shake off the chains with which ye are bound, and come forth out of obscurity, and arise from the dust.

Rebel no more against your brother, whose views have been glorious, and who hath kept the commandments from the time that we left Jerusalem; and who hath been an instrument in the hands of God, in bringing us forth into the land of promise; for were it not for him, we must have perished with hunger in the wilderness; nevertheless, ye sought to take away his life; yea, and he hath suffered much sorrow because of you.

And I exceedingly fear and tremble because of you, lest he shall suffer again; for behold, ye have accused him that he sought power and authority over you; but I know that he hath not sought for power nor authority over you, but he hath sought the glory of God, and your own eternal welfare.

And ye have murmured because he hath been plain unto you. Ye say that he hath used sharpness; ye say that he hath been angry with you; but behold, his sharpness was the sharpness of the power of the word of God, which was in him; and that which ye call anger was the truth, according to that which is in God, which he could not restrain, manifesting boldly concerning your iniquities.

And it must needs be that the power of God must be with him, even unto his commanding you that ye must obey. But behold, it was not he, but it was the Spirit of the Lord which was in him, which opened his mouth to utterance that he could not shut it.

And now my son, Laman, and also Lemuel and Sam, and also my sons who are the sons of Ishmael, behold, if ye will hearken unto the voice of Nephi ye shall not perish. And if ye will hearken unto him I leave unto you a blessing, yea, even my first blessing.

But if ye will not hearken unto him I take away my first blessing, yea, even my blessing, and it shall rest upon him.

And now, Zoram, I speak unto you: Behold, thou art the servant of Laban; nevertheless, thou hast been brought out of the land of Jerusalem, and I know that thou art a TRUE friend unto my son, Nephi, forever.

Wherefore, because thou hast been faithful thy seed shall be blessed with his seed, that they dwell in prosperity long upon the face of this land; and nothing, save it shall be iniquity among them, shall harm or disturb their prosperity upon the face of this land forever.

Wherefore, if ye shall keep the commandments of the Lord, the Lord hath consecrated this land for the security of thy seed with the seed of my son.

And now, Jacob, I speak unto you: Thou art my first-born in the days of my tribulation in the wilderness. And behold, in thy childhood thou hast suffered afflictions and much sorrow, because of the rudeness of thy brethren.

Nevertheless, Jacob, my first-born in the wilderness, thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain.

Wherefore, thy soul shall be blessed, and thou shalt dwell safely with thy brother, Nephi; and thy days shall be spent in the service of thy God. Wherefore, I know that thou art redeemed, because of the righteousness of thy Redeemer; for thou hast beheld that in the fulness of time he cometh to bring salvation unto men.

Daily Reading 35 - 2 Nephi 1:3-18

2012-02-04T00:00:00.000-08:00

And he also spake unto them concerning the land of promise, which they had obtained--how merciful the Lord had been in warning us that we should flee out of the land of Jerusalem.

For, behold, said he, I have seen a vision, in which I know that Jerusalem is destroyed; and had we remained in Jerusalem we should also have perished.

But, said he, notwithstanding our afflictions, we have obtained a land of promise, a land which is choice above all other lands; a land which the Lord God hath covenanted with me should be a land for the inheritance of my seed. Yea, the Lord hath covenanted this land unto me, and to my children forever, and also all those who should be led out of other countries by the hand of the Lord.

Wherefore, I, Lehi, prophesy according to the workings of the Spirit which is in me, that there shall none come into this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord.

Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto him whom he shall bring. And if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down into captivity; if so, it shall be because of iniquity; for if iniquity shall abound cursed shall be the land for their sakes, but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever.

And behold, it is wisdom that this land should be kept as yet from the knowledge of other nations; for behold, many nations would overrun the land, that there would be no place for an inheritance.

Wherefore, I, Lehi, have obtained a promise, that inasmuch as those whom the Lord God shall bring out of the land of Jerusalem shall keep his commandments, they shall prosper upon the face of this land; and they shall be kept from all other nations, that they may possess this land unto themselves. And if it so be that they shall keep his commandments they shall be blessed upon the face of this land, and there shall be none to molest them, nor to take away the land of their inheritance; and they shall dwell safely forever.

But behold, when the time cometh that they shall dwindle in unbelief, after they have received so great blessings from the hand of the Lord--having a knowledge of the creation of the earth, and all men, knowing the great and marvelous works of the Lord from the creation of the world; having power given them to do all things by faith; having all the commandments from the beginning, and having been brought by his infinite goodness into this precious land of promise--behold, I say, if the day shall come that they will reject the Holy One of Israel, the TRUE Messiah, their Redeemer and their God, behold, the judgments of him that is just shall rest upon them.

Yea, he will bring other nations unto them, and he will give unto them power, and he will take away from them the lands of their possessions, and he will cause them to be scattered and smitten.

Yea, as one generation passeth to another there shall be bloodsheds, and great visitations among them; wherefore, my sons, I would that ye would remember; yea, I would that ye would hearken unto my words.

O that ye would awake; awake from a deep sleep, yea, even from the sleep of hell, and shake off the awful chains by which ye are bound, which are the chains which bind the children of men, that they are carried away captive down to the eternal gulf of misery and woe.

Awake! and arise from the dust, and hear the words of a trembling parent, whose limbs ye must soon lay down in the cold and silent grave, from whence no traveler can return; a few more days and I go the way of all the earth.

But behold, the Lord hath redeemed my soul from hell; I have beheld his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love.

And I desire that ye should remember to observe the statutes and the judgments of the Lord; behold, this hath been the anxiety of my soul from the beginning.

My heart hath been weighed down with sorrow from time to time, for I have feared, lest for the hardness of your hearts the Lord your God should come out in the fulness of his wrath upon you, that ye be cut off and destroyed forever;

Or, that a cursing should come upon you for the space of many generations; and ye are visited by sword, and by famine, and are hated, and are led according to the will and captivity of the devil.

Daily Reading 34 - 1 Nephi 22:17 - 2 Nephi 1:2

2012-02-03T00:00:00.000-08:00

Wherefore, he will preserve the righteous by his power, even if it so be that the fulness of his wrath must come, and the righteous be preserved, even unto the destruction of their enemies by fire. Wherefore, the righteous need not fear; for thus saith the prophet, they shall be saved, even if it so be as by fire.

Behold, my brethren, I say unto you, that these things must shortly come; yea, even blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke must come; and it must needs be upon the face of this earth; and it cometh unto men according to the flesh if it so be that they will harden their hearts against the Holy One of Israel.

For behold, the righteous shall not perish; for the time surely must come that all they who fight against Zion shall be cut off.

And the Lord will surely prepare a way for his people, unto the fulfilling of the words of Moses, which he spake, saying: A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass that all those who will not hear that prophet shall be cut off from among the people.

And now I, Nephi, declare unto you, that this prophet of whom Moses spake was the Holy One of Israel; wherefore, he shall execute judgment in righteousness.

And the righteous need not fear, for they are those who shall not be confounded. But it is the kingdom of the devil, which shall be built up among the children of men, which kingdom is established among them which are in the flesh--

For the time speedily shall come that all churches which are built up to get gain, and all those who are built up to get power over the flesh, and those who are built up to become popular in the eyes of the world, and those who seek the lusts of the flesh and the things of the world, and to do all manner of iniquity; yea, in fine, all those who belong to the kingdom of the devil are they who need fear, and tremble, and quake; they are those who must be brought low in the dust; they are those who must be consumed as stubble; and this is according to the words of the prophet.

And the time cometh speedily that the righteous must be led up as calves of the stall, and the Holy One of Israel must reign in dominion, and might, and power, and great glory.

And he gathereth his children from the four quarters of the earth; and he numbereth his sheep, and they know him; and there shall be one fold and one shepherd; and he shall feed his sheep, and in him they shall find pasture.

And because of the righteousness of his people, Satan has no power; wherefore, he cannot be loosed for the space of many years; for he hath no power over the hearts of the people, for they dwell in righteousness, and the Holy One of Israel reigneth.

And now behold, I, Nephi, say unto you that all these things must come according to the flesh.

But, behold, all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people shall dwell safely in the Holy One of Israel if it so be that they will repent.

And now I, Nephi, make an end; for I durst not speak further as yet concerning these things.

Wherefore, my brethren, I would that ye should consider that the things which have been written upon the plates of brass are true; and they testify that a man must be obedient to the commandments of God.

Wherefore, ye need not suppose that I and my father are the only ones that have testified, and also taught them. Wherefore, if ye shall be obedient to the commandments, and endure to the end, ye shall be saved at the last day. And thus it is. Amen.

And now it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had made an end of teaching my brethren, our father, Lehi, also spake many things unto them, and rehearsed unto them, how great things the Lord had done for them in bringing them out of the land of Jerusalem.

And he spake unto them concerning their rebellions upon the waters, and the mercies of God in sparing their lives, that they were not swallowed up in the sea.

Daily Reading 33 - 1 Nephi 22:2-16

2012-02-02T00:00:00.000-08:00

And I, Nephi, said unto them: Behold they were manifest unto the prophet by the voice of the Spirit; for by the Spirit are all things made known unto the prophets, which shall come upon the children of men according to the flesh.

Wherefore, the things of which I have read are things pertaining to things both temporal and spiritual; for it appears that the house of Israel, sooner or later, will be scattered upon all the face of the earth, and also among all nations.

And behold, there are many who are already lost from the knowledge of those who are at Jerusalem. Yea, the more part of all the tribes have been led away; and they are scattered to and fro upon the isles of the sea; and whither they are none of us knoweth, save that we know that they have been led away.

And since they have been led away, these things have been prophesied concerning them, and also concerning all those who shall hereafter be scattered and be confounded, because of the Holy One of Israel; for against him will they harden their hearts; wherefore, they shall be scattered among all nations and shall be hated of all men.

Nevertheless, after they shall be nursed by the Gentiles, and the Lord has lifted up his hand upon the Gentiles and set them up for a standard, and their children have been carried in their arms, and their daughters have been carried upon their shoulders, behold these things of which are spoken are temporal; for thus are the covenants of the Lord with our fathers; and it meaneth us in the days to come, and also all our brethren who are of the house of Israel.

And it meaneth that the time cometh that after all the house of Israel have been scattered and confounded, that the Lord God will raise up a mighty nation among the Gentiles, yea, even upon the face of this land; and by them shall our seed be scattered.

And after our seed is scattered the Lord God will proceed to do a marvelous work among the Gentiles, which shall be of great worth unto our seed; wherefore, it is likened unto their being nourished by the Gentiles and being carried in their arms and upon their shoulders.

And it shall also be of worth unto the Gentiles; and not only unto the Gentiles but unto all the house of Israel, unto the making known of the covenants of the Father of heaven unto Abraham, saying: In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.

And I would, my brethren, that ye should know that all the kindreds of the earth cannot be blessed unless he shall make bare his arm in the eyes of the nations.

Wherefore, the Lord God will proceed to make bare his arm in the eyes of all the nations, in bringing about his covenants and his gospel unto those who are of the house of Israel.

Wherefore, he will bring them again out of captivity, and they shall be gathered together to the lands of their inheritance; and they shall be brought out of obscurity and out of darkness; and they shall know that the Lord is their Savior and their Redeemer, the Mighty One of Israel.

And the blood of that great and abominable church, which is the whore of all the earth, shall turn upon their own heads; for they shall war among themselves, and the sword of their own hands shall fall upon their own heads, and they shall be drunken with their own blood.

And every nation which shall war against thee, O house of Israel, shall be turned one against another, and they shall fall into the pit which they digged to ensnare the people of the Lord. And all that fight against Zion shall be destroyed, and that great whore, who hath perverted the right ways of the Lord, yea, that great and abominable church, shall tumble to the dust and great shall be the fall of it.

For behold, saith the prophet, the time cometh speedily that Satan shall have no more power over the hearts of the children of men; for the day soon cometh that all the proud and they who do wickedly shall be as stubble; and the day cometh that they must be burned.

For the time soon cometh that the fulness of the wrath of God shall be poured out upon all the children of men; for he will not suffer that the wicked shall destroy the righteous.

Daily Reading 32 - 1 Nephi 21:8 - 22:1

2012-02-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

Thus saith the Lord: In an acceptable time have I heard thee, O isles of the sea, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee; and I will preserve thee, and give thee my servant for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;

That thou mayest say to the prisoners: Go forth; to them that sit in darkness: Show yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.

They shall not hunger nor thirst, neither shall the heat nor the sun smite them; for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.

And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.

And then, O house of Israel, behold, these shall come from far; and lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.

Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; for the feet of those who are in the east shall be established; and break forth into singing, O mountains; for they shall be smitten no more; for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.

But, behold, Zion hath said: The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me--but he will show that he hath not.

For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee, O house of Israel.

Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.

Thy children shall make haste against thy destroyers; and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee.

Lift up thine eyes round about and behold; all these gather themselves together, and they shall come to thee. And as I live, saith the Lord, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on even as a bride.

For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants; and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away.

The children whom thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the first, shall again in thine ears say: The place is too strait for me; give place to me that I may dwell.

Then shalt thou say in thine heart: Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? And who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where have they been?

Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people; and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.

And kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers; they shall bow down to thee with their face towards the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord; for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.

For shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captives delivered?

But thus saith the Lord, even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered; for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.

And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; they shall be drunken with their own blood as with sweet wine; and all flesh shall know that I, the Lord, am thy Savior and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

And now it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had read these things which were engraven upon the plates of brass, my brethren came unto me and said unto me: What meaneth these things which ye have read? Behold, are they to be understood according to things which are spiritual, which shall come to pass according to the spirit and not the flesh?

Daily Reading 31 - 1 Nephi 20:10 - 21:7

2012-01-31T00:00:00.000-08:00

For, behold, I have refined thee, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.

For mine own sake, yea, for mine own sake will I do this, for I will not suffer my name to be polluted, and I will not give my glory unto another.

Hearken unto me, O Jacob, and Israel my called, for I am he; I am the first, and I am also the last.

Mine hand hath also laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens. I call unto them and they stand up together.

All ye, assemble yourselves, and hear; who among them hath declared these things unto them? The Lord hath loved him; yea, and he will fulfil his word which he hath declared by them; and he will do his pleasure on Babylon, and his arm shall come upon the Chaldeans.

Also, saith the Lord; I the Lord, yea, I have spoken; yea, I have called him to declare, I have brought him, and he shall make his way prosperous.

Come ye near unto me; I have not spoken in secret; from the beginning, from the time that it was declared have I spoken; and the Lord God, and his Spirit, hath sent me.

And thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I have sent him, the Lord thy God who teacheth thee to profit, who leadeth thee by the way thou shouldst go, hath done it.

O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments--then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea.

Thy seed also had been as the sand; the offspring of thy bowels like the gravel thereof; his name should not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me.

Go ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter to the end of the earth; say ye: The Lord hath redeemed his servant Jacob.

And they thirsted not; he led them through the deserts; he caused the waters to flow out of the rock for them; he clave the rock also and the waters gushed out.

And notwithstanding he hath done all this, and greater also, there is no peace, saith the Lord, unto the wicked.

And again: Hearken, O ye house of Israel, all ye that are broken off and are driven out because of the wickedness of the pastors of my people; yea, all ye that are broken off, that are scattered abroad, who are of my people, O house of Israel. Listen, O isles, unto me, and hearken ye people from far; the Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name.

And he hath made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished shaft; in his quiver hath he hid me;

And said unto me: Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified.

Then I said, I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for naught and in vain; surely my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God.

And now, saith the Lord--that formed me from the womb that I should be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him--though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength.

And he said: It is a light thing that thou shouldst be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel. I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the ends of the earth.

Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nations abhorreth, to servant of rulers: Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the Lord that is faithful.

Daily Reading 30 - 1 Nephi 19:15 - 20:9

2012-01-30T00:00:00.000-08:00

Nevertheless, when that day cometh, saith the prophet, that they no more turn aside their hearts against the Holy One of Israel, then will he remember the covenants which he made to their fathers.

Yea, then will he remember the isles of the sea; yea, and all the people who are of the house of Israel, will I gather in, saith the Lord, according to the words of the prophet Zenos, from the four quarters of the earth.

Yea, and all the earth shall see the salvation of the Lord, saith the prophet; every nation, kindred, tongue and people shall be blessed.

And I, Nephi, have written these things unto my people, that perhaps I might persuade them that they would remember the Lord their Redeemer.

Wherefore, I speak unto all the house of Israel, if it so be that they should obtain these things.

For behold, I have workings in the spirit, which doth weary me even that all my joints are weak, for those who are at Jerusalem; for had not the Lord been merciful, to show unto me concerning them, even as he had prophets of old, I should have perished also.

And he surely did show unto the prophets of old all things concerning them; and also he did show unto many concerning us; wherefore, it must needs be that we know concerning them for they are written upon the plates of brass.

Now it came to pass that I, Nephi, did teach my brethren these things; and it came to pass that I did read many things to them, which were engraven upon the plates of brass, that they might know concerning the doings of the Lord in other lands, among people of old.

And I did read many things unto them which were written in the books of Moses; but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah; for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning.

Wherefore I spake unto them, saying: Hear ye the words of the prophet, ye who are a remnant of the house of Israel, a branch who have been broken off; hear ye the words of the prophet, which were written unto all the house of Israel, and liken them unto yourselves, that ye may have hope as well as your brethren from whom ye have been broken off; for after this manner has the prophet written.

Hearken and hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, or out of the waters of baptism, who swear by the name of the Lord, and make mention of the God of Israel, yet they swear not in truth nor in righteousness.

Nevertheless, they call themselves of the holy city, but they do not stay themselves upon the God of Israel, who is the Lord of Hosts; yea, the Lord of Hosts is his name.

Behold, I have declared the former things from the beginning; and they went forth out of my mouth, and I showed them. I did show them suddenly.

And I did it because I knew that thou art obstinate, and thy neck is an iron sinew, and thy brow brass;

And I have even from the beginning declared to thee; before it came to pass I showed them thee; and I showed them for fear lest thou shouldst say--Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image hath commanded them.

Thou hast seen and heard all this; and will ye not declare them? And that I have showed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them.

They are created now, and not from the beginning, even before the day when thou heardest them not they were declared unto thee, lest thou shouldst say--Behold I knew them.

Yea, and thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time thine ear was not opened; for I knew that thou wouldst deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.

Nevertheless, for my name's sake will I defer mine anger, and for my praise will I refrain from thee, that I cut thee not off.

Daily Reading 29 - 1 Nephi 19:1-14

2012-01-29T00:00:00.000-08:00

And it came to pass that the Lord commanded me, wherefore I did make plates of ore that I might engraven upon them the record of my people. And upon the plates which I made I did engraven the record of my father, and also our journeyings in the wilderness, and the prophecies of my father; and also many of mine own prophecies have I engraven upon them.

And I knew not at the time when I made them that I should be commanded of the Lord to make these plates; wherefore, the record of my father, and the genealogy of his fathers, and the more part of all our proceedings in the wilderness are engraven upon those first plates of which I have spoken; wherefore, the things which transpired before I made these plates are, of a truth, more particularly made mention upon the first plates.

And after I had made these plates by way of commandment, I, Nephi, received a commandment that the ministry and the prophecies, the more plain and precious parts of them, should be written upon these plates; and that 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, which purposes are known unto the Lord.

Wherefore, 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. And this have I done, and commanded my people what they should do after I was gone; and that these plates should be handed down from one generation to another, or from one prophet to another, until further commandments of the Lord.

And an account of my making these plates shall be given hereafter; and then, behold, I proceed according to that which I have spoken; and this I do that the more sacred things may be kept for the knowledge of my people.

Nevertheless, I do not write anything upon plates save it be that I think it be sacred. And now, if I do err, even did they err of old; not that I would excuse myself because of other men, but because of the weakness which is in me, according to the flesh, I would excuse myself.

For the things which some men esteem to be of great worth, both to the body and soul, others set at naught and trample under their feet. Yea, even the very God of Israel do men trample under their feet; I say, trample under their feet but I would speak in other words--they set him at naught, and hearken not to the voice of his counsels.

And behold he cometh, according to the words of the angel, in six hundred years from the time my father left Jerusalem.

And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men.

And the God of our fathers, who were led out of Egypt, out of bondage, and also were preserved in the wilderness by him, yea, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, yieldeth himself, according to the words of the angel, as a man, into the hands of wicked men, to be lifted up, according to the words of Zenock, and to be crucified, according to the words of Neum, and to be buried in a sepulchre, according to the words of Zenos, which he spake concerning the three days of darkness, which should be a sign given of his death unto those who should inhabit the isles of the sea, more especially given unto those who are of the house of Israel.

For thus spake the prophet: The Lord God surely shall visit all the house of Israel at that day, some with his voice, because of their righteousness, unto their great joy and salvation, and others with the thunderings and the lightnings of his power, by tempest, by fire, and by smoke, and vapor of darkness, and by the opening of the earth, and by mountains which shall be carried up.

And all these things must surely come, saith the prophet Zenos. And the rocks of the earth must rend; and because of the groanings of the earth, many of the kings of the isles of the sea shall be wrought upon by the Spirit of God, to exclaim: The God of nature suffers.

And as for those who are at Jerusalem, saith the prophet, they shall be scourged by all people, because they crucify the God of Israel, and turn their hearts aside, rejecting signs and wonders, and the power and glory of the God of Israel.

And because they turn their hearts aside, saith the prophet, and have despised the Holy One of Israel, they shall wander in the flesh, and perish, and become a hiss and a byword, and be hated among all nations.

Daily Reading 28 - 1 Nephi 18:10-25

2012-01-28T00:00:00.000-08:00

And I, Nephi, began to fear exceedingly lest the Lord should be angry with us, and smite us because of our iniquity, that we should be swallowed up in the depths of the sea; wherefore, I, Nephi, began to speak to them with much soberness; but behold they were angry with me, saying: We will not that our younger brother shall be a ruler over us.

And it came to pass that Laman and Lemuel did take me and bind me with cords, and they did treat me with much harshness; nevertheless, the Lord did suffer it that he might show forth his power, unto the fulfilling of his word which he had spoken concerning the wicked.

And it came to pass that after they had bound me insomuch that I could not move, the compass, which had been prepared of the Lord, did cease to work.

Wherefore, they knew not whither they should steer the ship, insomuch that there arose a great storm, yea, a great and terrible tempest, and we were driven back upon the waters for the space of three days; and they began to be frightened exceedingly lest they should be drowned in the sea; nevertheless they did not loose me.

And on the fourth day, which we had been driven back, the tempest began to be exceedingly sore.

And it came to pass that we were about to be swallowed up in the depths of the sea. And after we had been driven back upon the waters for the space of four days, my brethren began to see that the judgments of God were upon them, and that they must perish save that they should repent of their iniquities; wherefore, they came unto me, and loosed the bands which were upon my wrists, and behold they had swollen exceedingly; and also mine ankles were much swollen, and great was the soreness thereof.

Nevertheless, I did look unto my God, and I did praise him all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord because of mine afflictions.

Now my father, Lehi, had said many things unto them, and also unto the sons of Ishmael; but, behold, they did breathe out much threatenings against anyone that should speak for me; and my parents being stricken in years, and having suffered much grief because of their children, they were brought down, yea, even upon their sick-beds.

Because of their grief and much sorrow, and the iniquity of my brethren, they were brought near even to be carried out of this time to meet their God; yea, their grey hairs were about to be brought down to lie low in the dust; yea, even they were near to be cast with sorrow into a watery grave.

And Jacob and Joseph also, being young, having need of much nourishment, were grieved because of the afflictions of their mother; and also my wife with her tears and prayers, and also my children, did not soften the hearts of my brethren that they would loose me.

And there was nothing save it were the power of God, which threatened them with destruction, could soften their hearts; wherefore, when they saw that they were about to be swallowed up in the depths of the sea they repented of the thing which they had done, insomuch that they loosed me.

And it came to pass after they had loosed me, behold, I took the compass, and it did work whither I desired it. And it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord; and after I had prayed the winds did cease, and the storm did cease, and there was a great calm.

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did guide the ship, that we sailed again towards the promised land.

And it came to pass that after we had sailed for the space of many days we did arrive at the promised land; and we went forth upon the land, and did pitch our tents; and we did call it the promised land.

And it came to pass that we did begin to till the earth, and we began to plant seeds; yea, we did put all our seeds into the earth, which we had brought from the land of Jerusalem. And it came to pass that they did grow exceedingly; wherefore, we were blessed in abundance.

And it came to pass that we did find upon the land of promise, as we journeyed in the wilderness, that there were beasts in the forests of every kind, both the cow and the ox, and the ass and the horse, and the goat and the wild goat, and all manner of wild animals, which were for the use of men. And we did find all manner of ore, both of gold, and of silver, and of copper.

Daily Reading 27 - 1 Nephi 17:49 - 18:9

2012-01-27T00:00:00.000-08:00

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto them that they should murmur no more against their father; neither should they withhold their labor from me, for God had commanded me that I should build a ship.

And I said unto them: If God had commanded me to do all things I could do them. If he should command me that I should say unto this water, be thou earth, it should be earth; and if I should say it, it would be done.

And now, if the Lord has such great power, and has wrought so many miracles among the children of men, how is it that he cannot instruct me, that I should build a ship?

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said many things unto my brethren, insomuch that they were confounded and could not contend against me; neither durst they lay their hands upon me nor touch me with their fingers, even for the space of many days. Now they durst not do this lest they should wither before me, so powerful was the Spirit of God; and thus it had wrought upon them.

And it came to pass that the Lord said unto me: Stretch forth thine hand again unto thy brethren, and they shall not wither before thee, but I will shock them, saith the Lord, and this will I do, that they may know that I am the Lord their God.

And it came to pass that I stretched forth my hand unto my brethren, and they did not wither before me; but the Lord did shake them, even according to the word which he had spoken.

And now, they said: We know of a surety that the Lord is with thee, for we know that it is the power of the Lord that has shaken us. And they fell down before me, and were about to worship me, but I would not suffer them, saying: I am thy brother, yea, even thy younger brother; wherefore, worship the Lord thy God, and honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God shall give thee.

And it came to pass that they did worship the Lord, and did go forth with me; and we did work timbers of curious workmanship. And the Lord did show me from time to time after what manner I should work the timbers of the ship.

Now I, Nephi, did not work the timbers after the manner which was learned by men, neither did I build the ship after the manner of men; but I did build it after the manner which the Lord had shown unto me; wherefore, it was not after the manner of men.

And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft, and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great things.

And it came to pass that after I had finished the ship, according to the word of the Lord, my brethren beheld that it was good, and that the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine; wherefore, they did humble themselves again before the Lord.

And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came unto my father, that we should arise and go down into the ship.

And it came to pass that on the morrow, after we had prepared all things, much fruits and meat from the wilderness, and honey in abundance, and provisions according to that which the Lord had commanded us, we did go down into the ship, with all our loading and our seeds, and whatsoever thing we had brought with us, every one according to his age; wherefore, we did all go down into the ship, with our wives and our children.

And now, my father had begat two sons in the wilderness; the elder was called Jacob and the younger Joseph.

And it came to pass after we had all gone down into the ship, and had taken with us our provisions and things which had been commanded us, we did put forth into the sea and were driven forth before the wind towards the promised land.

And after we had been driven forth before the wind for the space of many days, behold, my brethren and the sons of Ishmael and also their wives began to make themselves merry, insomuch that they began to dance, and to sing, and to speak with much rudeness, yea, even that they did forget by what power they had been brought thither; yea, they were lifted up unto exceeding rudeness.

Daily Reading 26 - 1 Nephi 17:32-48

2012-01-26T00:00:00.000-08:00

And after they had crossed the river Jordan he did make them mighty unto the driving out of the children of the land, yea, unto the scattering them to destruction.

And now, do ye suppose that the children of this land, who were in the land of promise, who were driven out by our fathers, do ye suppose that they were righteous? Behold, I say unto you, Nay.

Do ye suppose that our fathers would have been more choice than they if they had been righteous? I say unto you, Nay.

Behold, the Lord esteemeth all flesh in one; he that is righteous is favored of God. But behold, this people had rejected every word of God, and they were ripe in iniquity; and the fulness of the wrath of God was upon them; and the Lord did curse the land against them, and bless it unto our fathers; yea, he did curse it against them unto their destruction, and he did bless it unto our fathers unto their obtaining power over it.

Behold, the Lord hath created the earth that it should be inhabited; and he hath created his children that they should possess it.

And he raiseth up a righteous nation, and destroyeth the nations of the wicked.

And he leadeth away the righteous into precious lands, and the wicked he destroyeth, and curseth the land unto them for their sakes.

He ruleth high in the heavens, for it is his throne, and this earth is his footstool.

And he loveth those who will have him to be their God. Behold, he loved our fathers, and he covenanted with them, yea, even Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and he remembered the covenants which he had made; wherefore, he did bring them out of the land of Egypt.

And he did straiten them in the wilderness with his rod; for they hardened their hearts, even as ye have; and the Lord straitened them because of their iniquity. He sent fiery flying serpents among them; and after they were bitten he prepared a way that they might be healed; and the labor which they had to perform was to look; and because of the simpleness of the way, or the easiness of it, there were many who perished.

And they did harden their hearts from time to time, and they did revile against Moses, and also against God; nevertheless, ye know that they were led forth by his matchless power into the land of promise.

And now, after all these things, the time has come that they have become wicked, yea, nearly unto ripeness; and I know not but they are at this day about to be destroyed; for I know that the day must surely come that they must be destroyed, save a few only, who shall be led away into captivity.

Wherefore, the Lord commanded my father that he should depart into the wilderness; and the Jews also sought to take away his life; yea, and ye also have sought to take away his life; wherefore, ye are murderers in your hearts and ye are like unto them.

Ye are swift to do iniquity but slow to remember the Lord your God. Ye have seen an angel, and he spake unto you; yea, ye have heard his voice from time to time; and he hath spoken unto you in a still small voice, but ye were past feeling, that ye could not feel his words; wherefore, he has spoken unto you like unto the voice of thunder, which did cause the earth to shake as if it were to divide asunder.

And ye also know that by the power of his almighty word he can cause the earth that it shall pass away; yea, and ye know that by his word he can cause the rough places to be made smooth, and smooth places shall be broken up. O, then, why is it, that ye can be so hard in your hearts?

Behold, my soul is rent with anguish because of you, and my heart is pained; I fear lest ye shall be cast off forever. Behold, I am full of the Spirit of God, insomuch that my frame has no strength.

And now it came to pass that when I had spoken these words they were angry with me, and were desirous to throw me into the depths of the sea; and as they came forth to lay their hands upon me I spake unto them, saying: In the name of the Almighty God, I command you that ye touch me not, for I am filled with the power of God, even unto the consuming of my flesh; and whoso shall lay his hands upon me shall wither even as a dried reed; and he shall be as naught before the power of God, for God shall smite him.

Daily Reading 25 - 1 Nephi 17:15-31

2012-01-25T00:00:00.000-08:00

Wherefore, I, Nephi, did strive to keep the commandments of the Lord, and I did exhort my brethren to faithfulness and diligence.

And it came to pass that I did make tools of the ore which I did molten out of the rock.

And when my brethren saw that I was about to build a ship, they began to murmur against me, saying: Our brother is a fool, for he thinketh that he can build a ship; yea, and he also thinketh that he can cross these great waters.

And thus my brethren did complain against me, and were desirous that they might not labor, for they did not believe that I could build a ship; neither would they believe that I was instructed of the Lord.

And now it came to pass that I, Nephi, was exceedingly sorrowful because of the hardness of their hearts; and now when they saw that I began to be sorrowful they were glad in their hearts, insomuch that they did rejoice over me, saying: We knew that ye could not construct a ship, for we knew that ye were lacking in judgment; wherefore, thou canst not accomplish so great a work.

And thou art like unto our father, led away by the foolish imaginations of his heart; yea, he hath led us out of the land of Jerusalem, and we have wandered in the wilderness for these many years; and our women have toiled, being big with child; and they have borne children in the wilderness and suffered all things, save it were death; and it would have been better that they had died before they came out of Jerusalem than to have suffered these afflictions.

Behold, these many years we have suffered in the wilderness, which time we might have enjoyed our possessions and the land of our inheritance; yea, and we might have been happy.

And we know that the people who were in the land of Jerusalem were a righteous people; for they kept the statutes and judgments of the Lord, and all his commandments, according to the law of Moses; wherefore, we know that they are a righteous people; and our father hath judged them, and hath led us away because we would hearken unto his words; yea, and our brother is like unto him. And after this manner of language did my brethren murmur and complain against us.

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, spake unto them, saying: Do ye believe that our fathers, who were the children of Israel, would have been led away out of the hands of the Egyptians if they had not hearkened unto the words of the Lord?

Yea, do ye suppose that they would have been led out of bondage, if the Lord had not commanded Moses that he should lead them out of bondage?

Now ye know that the children of Israel were in bondage; and ye know that they were laden with tasks, which were grievous to be borne; wherefore, ye know that it must needs be a good thing for them, that they should be brought out of bondage.

Now ye know that Moses was commanded of the Lord to do that great work; and ye know that by his word the waters of the Red Sea were divided hither and thither, and they passed through on dry ground.

But ye know that the Egyptians were drowned in the Red Sea, who were the armies of Pharaoh.

And ye also know that they were fed with manna in the wilderness.

Yea, and ye also know that Moses, by his word according to the power of God which was in him, smote the rock, and there came forth water, that the children of Israel might quench their thirst.

And notwithstanding they being led, the Lord their God, their Redeemer, going before them, leading them by day and giving light unto them by night, and doing all things for them which were expedient for man to receive, they hardened their hearts and blinded their minds, and reviled against Moses and against the TRUE and living God.

And it came to pass that according to his word he did destroy them; and according to his word he did lead them; and according to his word he did do all things for them; and there was not any thing done save it were by his word.

Daily Reading 24 - 1 Nephi 16:38 - 17:14

2012-01-24T00:00:00.000-08:00

Now, he says that the Lord has talked with him, and also that angels have ministered unto him. But behold, we know that he lies unto us; and he tells us these things, and he worketh many things by his cunning arts, that he may deceive our eyes, thinking, perhaps, that he may lead us away into some strange wilderness; and after he has led us away, he has thought to make himself a king and a ruler over us, that he may do with us according to his will and pleasure. And after this manner did my brother Laman stir up their hearts to anger.

And it came to pass that the Lord was with us, yea, even the voice of the Lord came and did speak many words unto them, and did chasten them exceedingly; and after they were chastened by the voice of the Lord they did turn away their anger, and did repent of their sins, insomuch that the Lord did bless us again with food, that we did not perish.

And it came to pass that we did again take our journey in the wilderness; and we did travel nearly eastward from that time forth. And we did travel and wade through much affliction in the wilderness; and our women did bear children in the wilderness.

And so great were the blessings of the Lord upon us, that while we did live upon raw meat in the wilderness, our women did give plenty of suck for their children, and were strong, yea, even like unto the men; and they began to bear their journeyings without murmurings.

And thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them; wherefore, he did provide means for us while we did sojourn in the wilderness.

And we did sojourn for the space of many years, yea, even eight years in the wilderness.

And we did come to the land which we called Bountiful, because of its much fruit and also wild honey; and all these things were prepared of the Lord that we might not perish. And we beheld the sea, which we called Irreantum, which, being interpreted, is many waters.

And it came to pass that we did pitch our tents by the seashore; and notwithstanding we had suffered many afflictions and much difficulty, yea, even so much that we cannot write them all, we were exceedingly rejoiced when we came to the seashore; and we called the place Bountiful, because of its much fruit.

And it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had been in the land of Bountiful for the space of many days, the voice of the Lord came unto me, saying: Arise, and get thee into the mountain. And it came to pass that I arose and went up into the mountain, and cried unto the Lord.

And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me, saying: Thou shalt construct a ship, after the manner which I shall show thee, that I may carry thy people across these waters.

And I said: Lord, whither shall I go that I may find ore to molten, that I may make tools to construct the ship after the manner which thou hast shown unto me?

And it came to pass that the Lord told me whither I should go to find ore, that I might make tools.

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did make a bellows wherewith to blow the fire, of the skins of beasts; and after I had made a bellows, that I might have wherewith to blow the fire, I did smite two stones together that I might make fire.

For the Lord had not hitherto suffered that we should make much fire, as we journeyed in the wilderness; for he said: I will make thy food become sweet, that ye cook it not;

And I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the promised land; and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led.

Yea, and the Lord said also that: After ye have arrived in the promised land, ye shall know that I, the Lord, am God; and that I, the Lord, did deliver you from destruction; yea, that I did bring you out of the land of Jerusalem.

Daily Reading 23 - 1 Nephi 16:19-37

2012-01-23T00:00:00.000-08:00

And it came to pass that we did return without food to our families, and being much fatigued, because of their journeying, they did suffer much for the want of food.

And it came to pass that Laman and Lemuel and the sons of Ishmael did begin to murmur exceedingly, because of their sufferings and afflictions in the wilderness; and also my father began to murmur against the Lord his God; yea, and they were all exceedingly sorrowful, even that they did murmur against the Lord.

Now it came to pass that I, Nephi, having been afflicted with my brethren because of the loss of my bow, and their bows having lost their springs, it began to be exceedingly difficult, yea, insomuch that we could obtain no food.

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did speak much unto my brethren, because they had hardened their hearts again, even unto complaining against the Lord their God.

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did make out of wood a bow, and out of a straight stick, an arrow; wherefore, I did arm myself with a bow and an arrow, with a sling and with stones. And I said unto my father: Whither shall I go to obtain food?

And it came to pass that he did inquire of the Lord, for they had humbled themselves because of my words; for I did say many things unto them in the energy of my soul.

And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came unto my father; and he was truly chastened because of his murmuring against the Lord, insomuch that he was brought down into the depths of sorrow.

And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord said unto him: Look upon the ball, and behold the things which are written.

And it came to pass that when my father beheld the things which were written upon the ball, he did fear and tremble exceedingly, and also my brethren and the sons of Ishmael and our wives.

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the pointers which were in the ball, that they did work according to the faith and diligence and heed which we did give unto them.

And there was also written upon them a new writing, which was plain to be read, which did give us understanding concerning the ways of the Lord; and it was written and changed from time to time, according to the faith and diligence which we gave unto it. And thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about great things.

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did go forth up into the top of the mountain, according to the directions which were given upon the ball.

And it came to pass that I did slay wild beasts, insomuch that I did obtain food for our families.

And it came to pass that I did return to our tents, bearing the beasts which I had slain; and now when they beheld that I had obtained food, how great was their joy! And it came to pass that they did humble themselves before the Lord, and did give thanks unto him.

And it came to pass that we did again take our journey, traveling nearly the same course as in the beginning; and after we had traveled for the space of many days we did pitch our tents again, that we might tarry for the space of a time.

And it came to pass that Ishmael died, and was buried in the place which was called Nahom.

And it came to pass that the daughters of Ishmael did mourn exceedingly, because of the loss of their father, and because of their afflictions in the wilderness; and they did murmur against my father, because he had brought them out of the land of Jerusalem, saying: Our father is dead; yea, and we have wandered much in the wilderness, and we have suffered much affliction, hunger, thirst, and fatigue; and after all these sufferings we must perish in the wilderness with hunger.

And thus they did murmur against my father, and also against me; and they were desirous to return again to Jerusalem.

And Laman said unto Lemuel and also unto the sons of Ishmael: Behold, let us slay our father, and also our brother Nephi, who has taken it upon him to be our ruler and our teacher, who are his elder brethren.

Daily Reading 22 - 1 Nephi 15:36 - 16:18

2012-01-22T00:00:00.000-08:00

Wherefore, the wicked are rejected from the righteous, and also from that tree of life, whose fruit is most precious and most desirable above all other fruits; yea, and it is the greatest of all the gifts of God. And thus I spake unto my brethren. Amen.

And now it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had made an end of speaking to my brethren, behold they said unto me: Thou hast declared unto us hard things, more than we are able to bear.

And it came to pass that I said unto them that I knew that I had spoken hard things against the wicked, according to the truth; and the righteous have I justified, and testified that they should be lifted up at the last day; wherefore, the guilty taketh the truth to be hard, for it cutteth them to the very center.

And now my brethren, if ye were righteous and were willing to hearken to the truth, and give heed unto it, that ye might walk uprightly before God, then ye would not murmur because of the truth, and say: Thou speakest hard things against us.

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did exhort my brethren, with all diligence, to keep the commandments of the Lord.

And it came to pass that they did humble themselves before the Lord; insomuch that I had joy and great hopes of them, that they would walk in the paths of righteousness.

Now, all these things were said and done as my father dwelt in a tent in the valley which he called Lemuel.

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, took one of the daughters of Ishmael to wife; and also, my brethren took of the daughters of Ishmael to wife; and also Zoram took the eldest daughter of Ishmael to wife.

And thus my father had fulfilled all the commandments of the Lord which had been given unto him. And also, I, Nephi, had been blessed of the Lord exceedingly.

And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord spake unto my father by night, and commanded him that on the morrow he should take his journey into the wilderness.

And it came to pass that as my father arose in the morning, and went forth to the tent door, to his great astonishment he beheld upon the ground a round ball of curious workmanship; and it was of fine brass. And within the ball were two spindles; and the one pointed the way whither we should go into the wilderness.

And it came to pass that we did gather together whatsoever things we should carry into the wilderness, and all the remainder of our provisions which the Lord had given unto us; and we did take seed of every kind that we might carry into the wilderness.

And it came to pass that we did take our tents and depart into the wilderness, across the river Laman.

And it came to pass that we traveled for the space of four days, nearly a south-southeast direction, and we did pitch our tents again; and we did call the name of the place Shazer.

And it came to pass that we did take our bows and our arrows, and go forth into the wilderness to slay food for our families; and after we had slain food for our families we did return again to our families in the wilderness, to the place of Shazer. And we did go forth again in the wilderness, following the same direction, keeping in the most fertile parts of the wilderness, which were in the borders near the Red Sea.

And it came to pass that we did travel for the space of many days, slaying food by the way, with our bows and our arrows and our stones and our slings.

And we did follow the directions of the ball, which led us in the more fertile parts of the wilderness.

And after we had traveled for the space of many days, we did pitch our tents for the space of a time, that we might again rest ourselves and obtain food for our families.

And it came to pass that as I, Nephi, went forth to slay food, behold, I did break my bow, which was made of fine steel; and after I did break my bow, behold, my brethren were angry with me because of the loss of my bow, for we did obtain no food.

Daily Reading 21 - 1 Nephi 15:18-35

2012-01-21T00:00:00.000-08:00

Wherefore, our father hath not spoken of our seed alone, but also of all the house of Israel, pointing to the covenant which should be fulfilled in the latter days; which covenant the Lord made to our father Abraham, saying: In thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, spake much unto them concerning these things; yea, I spake unto them concerning the restoration of the Jews in the latter days.

And I did rehearse unto them the words of Isaiah, who spake concerning the restoration of the Jews, or of the house of Israel; and after they were restored they should no more be confounded, neither should they be scattered again. And it came to pass that I did speak many words unto my brethren, that they were pacified and did humble themselves before the Lord.

And it came to pass that they did speak unto me again, saying: What meaneth this thing which our father saw in a dream? What meaneth the tree which he saw?

And I said unto them: It was a representation of the tree of life.

And they said unto me: What meaneth the rod of iron which our father saw, that led to the tree?

And I said unto them that it was the word of God; and whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction.

Wherefore, I, Nephi, did exhort them to give heed unto the word of the Lord; yea, I did exhort them with all the energies of my soul, and with all the faculty which I possessed, that they would give heed to the word of God and remember to keep his commandments always in all things.

And they said unto me: What meaneth the river of water which our father saw?

And I said unto them that the water which my father saw was filthiness; and so much was his mind swallowed up in other things that he beheld not the filthiness of the water.

And I said unto them that it was an awful gulf, which separated the wicked from the tree of life, and also from the saints of God.

And I said unto them that it was a representation of that awful hell, which the angel said unto me was prepared for the wicked.

And I said unto them that our father also saw that the justice of God did also divide the wicked from the righteous; and the brightness thereof was like unto the brightness of a flaming fire, which ascendeth up unto God forever and ever, and hath no end.

And they said unto me: Doth this thing mean the torment of the body in the days of probation, or doth it mean the final state of the soul after the death of the temporal body, or doth it speak of the things which are temporal?

And it came to pass that I said unto them that it was a representation of things both temporal and spiritual; for the day should come that they must be judged of their works, yea, even the works which were done by the temporal body in their days of probation.

Wherefore, if they should die in their wickedness they must be cast off also, as to the things which are spiritual, which are pertaining to righteousness; wherefore, they must be brought to stand before God, to be judged of their works; and if their works have been filthiness they must needs be filthy; and if they be filthy it must needs be that they cannot dwell in the kingdom of God; if so, the kingdom of God must be filthy also.

But behold, I say unto you, the kingdom of God is not filthy, and there cannot any unclean thing enter into the kingdom of God; wherefore there must needs be a place of filthiness prepared for that which is filthy.

And there is a place prepared, yea, even that awful hell of which I have spoken, and the devil is the preparator of it; wherefore the final state of the souls of men is to dwell in the kingdom of God, or to be cast out because of that justice of which I have spoken.

Daily Reading 20 - 1 Nephi 15:1-17

2012-01-20T00:00:00.000-08:00

And it came to pass that after I, Nephi, had been carried away in the spirit, and seen all these things, I returned to the tent of my father.

And it came to pass that I beheld my brethren, and they were disputing one with another concerning the things which my father had spoken unto them.

For he truly spake many great things unto them, which were hard to be understood, save a man should inquire of the Lord; and they being hard in their hearts, therefore they did not look unto the Lord as they ought.

And now I, Nephi, was grieved because of the hardness of their hearts, and also, because of the things which I had seen, and knew they must unavoidably come to pass because of the great wickedness of the children of men.

And it came to pass that I was overcome because of my afflictions, for I considered that mine afflictions were great above all, because of the destruction of my people, for I had beheld their fall.

And it came to pass that after I had received strength I spake unto my brethren, desiring to know of them the cause of their disputations.

And they said: Behold, we cannot understand the words which our father hath spoken concerning the natural branches of the olive-tree, and also concerning the Gentiles.

And I said unto them: Have ye inquired of the Lord?

And they said unto me: We have not; for the Lord maketh no such thing known unto us.

Behold, I said unto them: How is it that ye do not keep the commandments of the Lord? How is it that ye will perish, because of the hardness of your hearts?

Do ye not remember the things which the Lord hath said? If ye will not harden your hearts, and ask me in faith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things shall be made known unto you.

Behold, I say unto you, that the house of Israel was compared unto an olive-tree, by the Spirit of the Lord which was in our father; and behold are we not broken off from the house of Israel, and are we not a branch of the house of Israel?

And now, the thing which our father meaneth concerning the grafting in of the natural branches through the fulness of the Gentiles, is, that in the latter days, when our seed shall have dwindled in unbelief, yea, for the space of many years, and many generations after the Messiah shall be manifested in body unto the children of men, then shall the fulness of the gospel of the Messiah come unto the Gentiles, and from the Gentiles unto the remnant of our seed--

And at that day shall the remnant of our seed know that they are of the house of Israel, and that they are the covenant people of the Lord; and then shall they know and come to the knowledge of their forefathers, and also to the knowledge of the gospel of their Redeemer, which was ministered unto their fathers by him; wherefore, they shall come to the knowledge of their Redeemer and the very points of his doctrine, that they may know how to come unto him and be saved.

And then at that day will they not rejoice and give praise unto their everlasting God, their rock and their salvation? Yea, at that day, will they not receive the strength and nourishment from the TRUE vine? Yea, will they not come unto the TRUE fold of God?

Behold, I say unto you, Yea; they shall be remembered again among the house of Israel; they shall be grafted in, being a natural branch of the olive-tree, into the TRUE olive-tree.

And this is what our father meaneth; and he meaneth that it will not come to pass until after they are scattered by the Gentiles; and he meaneth that it shall come by way of the Gentiles, that the Lord may show his power unto the Gentiles, for the very cause that he shall be rejected of the Jews, or of the house of Israel.

Daily Reading 19 - 1 Nephi 14:12-30

2012-01-19T00:00:00.000-08:00

And it came to pass that I beheld the church of the Lamb of God, and its numbers were few, because of the wickedness and abominations of the whore who sat upon many waters; nevertheless, I beheld that the church of the Lamb, who were the saints of God, were also upon all the face of the earth; and their dominions upon the face of the earth were small, because of the wickedness of the great whore whom I saw.

And it came to pass that I beheld that the great mother of abominations did gather together multitudes upon the face of all the earth, among all the nations of the Gentiles, to fight against the Lamb of God.

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory.

And it came to pass that I beheld that the wrath of God was poured out upon that great and abominable church, insomuch that there were wars and rumors of wars among all the nations and kindreds of the earth.

And as there began to be wars and rumors of wars among all the nations which belonged to the mother of abominations, the angel spake unto me, saying: Behold, the wrath of God is upon the mother of harlots; and behold, thou seest all these things--

And when the day cometh that the wrath of God is poured out upon the mother of harlots, which is the great and abominable church of all the earth, whose founder is the devil, then, at that day, the work of the Father shall commence, in preparing the way for the fulfilling of his covenants, which he hath made to his people who are of the house of Israel.

And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me, saying: Look!

And I looked and beheld a man, and he was dressed in a white robe.

And the angel said unto me: Behold one of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

Behold, he shall see and write the remainder of these things; yea, and also many things which have been.

And he shall also write concerning the end of the world.

Wherefore, the things which he shall write are just and true; and behold they are written in the book which thou beheld proceeding out of the mouth of the Jew; and at the time they proceeded out of the mouth of the Jew, or, at the time the book proceeded out of the mouth of the Jew, the things which were written were plain and pure, and most precious and easy to the understanding of all men.

And behold, the things which this apostle of the Lamb shall write are many things which thou hast seen; and behold, the remainder shalt thou see.

But the things which thou shalt see hereafter thou shalt not write; for the Lord God hath ordained the apostle of the Lamb of God that he should write them.

And also others who have been, to them hath he shown all things, and they have written them; and they are sealed up to come forth in their purity, according to the truth which is in the Lamb, in the own due time of the Lord, unto the house of Israel.

And I, Nephi, heard and bear record, that the name of the apostle of the Lamb was John, according to the word of the angel.

And behold, I, Nephi, am forbidden that I should write the remainder of the things which I saw and heard; wherefore the things which I have written sufficeth me; and I have written but a small part of the things which I saw.

And I bear record that I saw the things which my father saw, and the angel of the Lord did make them known unto me.

And now I make an end of speaking concerning the things which I saw while I was carried away in the spirit; and if all the things which I saw are not written, the things which I have written are true. And thus it is. Amen.

Daily Reading 18 - 1 Nephi 13:39 - 14:11

2012-01-18T00:00:00.000-08:00

And after it had come forth unto them I beheld other books, which came forth by the power of the Lamb, from the Gentiles unto them, unto the convincing of the Gentiles and the remnant of the seed of my brethren, and also the Jews who were scattered upon all the face of the earth, that the records of the prophets and of the twelve apostles of the Lamb are true.

And the angel spake unto me, saying: These last records, which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, shall establish the truth of the first, which are of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, and shall make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away from them; and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be saved.

And they must come according to the words which shall be established by the mouth of the Lamb; and the words of the Lamb shall be made known in the records of thy seed, as well as in the records of the twelve apostles of the Lamb; wherefore they both shall be established in one; for there is one God and one Shepherd over all the earth.

And the time cometh that he shall manifest himself unto all nations, both unto the Jews and also unto the Gentiles; and after he has manifested himself unto the Jews and also unto the Gentiles, then he shall manifest himself unto the Gentiles and also unto the Jews, and the last shall be first, and the first shall be last.

And it shall come to pass, that if the Gentiles shall hearken unto the Lamb of God in that day that he shall manifest himself unto them in word, and also in power, in very deed, unto the taking away of their stumbling blocks--

And harden not their hearts against the Lamb of God, they shall be numbered among the seed of thy father; yea, they shall be numbered among the house of Israel; and they shall be a blessed people upon the promised land forever; they shall be no more brought down into captivity; and the house of Israel shall no more be confounded.

And that great pit, which hath been digged for them by that great and abominable church, which was founded by the devil and his children, that he might lead away the souls of men down to hell--yea, that great pit which hath been digged for the destruction of men shall be filled by those who digged it, unto their utter destruction, saith the Lamb of God; not the destruction of the soul, save it be the casting of it into that hell which hath no end.

For behold, this is according to the captivity of the devil, and also according to the justice of God, upon all those who will work wickedness and abomination before him.

And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me, Nephi, saying: Thou hast beheld that if the Gentiles repent it shall be well with them; and thou also knowest concerning the covenants of the Lord unto the house of Israel; and thou also hast heard that whoso repenteth not must perish.

Therefore, wo be unto the Gentiles if it so be that they harden their hearts against the Lamb of God.

For the time cometh, saith the Lamb of God, that I will work a great and a marvelous work among the children of men; a work which shall be everlasting, either on the one hand or on the other--either to the convincing of them unto peace and life eternal, or unto the deliverance of them to the hardness of their hearts and the blindness of their minds unto their being brought down into captivity, and also into destruction, both temporally and spiritually, according to the captivity of the devil, of which I have spoken.

And it came to pass that when the angel had spoken these words, he said unto me: Rememberest thou the covenants of the Father unto the house of Israel? I said unto him, Yea.

And it came to pass that he said unto me: Look, and behold that great and abominable church, which is the mother of abominations, whose founder is the devil.

And he said unto me: Behold there are save two churches only; the one is the church of the Lamb of God, and the other is the church of the devil; wherefore, whoso belongeth not to the church of the Lamb of God belongeth to that great church, which is the mother of abominations; and she is the whore of all the earth.

And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the whore of all the earth, and she sat upon many waters; and she had dominion over all the earth, among all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people.

Daily Reading 17 - 1 Nephi 13:25-38

2012-01-17T00:00:00.000-08:00

Wherefore, these things go forth from the Jews in purity unto the Gentiles, according to the truth which is in God.

And after they go forth by the hand of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, from the Jews unto the Gentiles, thou seest the formation of a great and abominable church, which is most abominable above all other churches; for behold, they have taken away from the gospel of the Lamb many parts which are plain and most precious; and also many covenants of the Lord have they taken away.

And all this have they done that they might pervert the right ways of the Lord, that they might blind the eyes and harden the hearts of the children of men.

Wherefore, thou seest that after the book hath gone forth through the hands of the great and abominable church, that there are many plain and precious things taken away from the book, which is the book of the Lamb of God.

And after these plain and precious things were taken away it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles; and after it goeth forth unto all the nations of the Gentiles, yea, even across the many waters which thou hast seen with the Gentiles which have gone forth out of captivity, thou seest--because of the many plain and precious things which have been taken out of the book, which were plain unto the understanding of the children of men, according to the plainness which is in the Lamb of God--because of these things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them.

Nevertheless, thou beholdest that the Gentiles who have gone forth out of captivity, and have been lifted up by the power of God above all other nations, upon the face of the land which is choice above all other lands, which is the land that the Lord God hath covenanted with thy father that his seed should have for the land of their inheritance; wherefore, thou seest that the Lord God will not suffer that the Gentiles will utterly destroy the mixture of thy seed, which are among thy brethren.

Neither will he suffer that the Gentiles shall destroy the seed of thy brethren.

Neither will the Lord God suffer that the Gentiles shall forever remain in that awful state of blindness, which thou beholdest they are in, because of the plain and most precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb which have been kept back by that abominable church, whose formation thou hast seen.

Wherefore saith the Lamb of God: I will be merciful unto the Gentiles, unto the visiting of the remnant of the house of Israel in great judgment.

And it came to pass that the angel of the Lord spake unto me, saying: Behold, saith the Lamb of God, after I have visited the remnant of the house of Israel--and this remnant of whom I speak is the seed of thy father--wherefore, after I have visited them in judgment, and smitten them by the hand of the Gentiles, and after the Gentiles do stumble exceedingly, because of the most plain and precious parts of the gospel of the Lamb which have been kept back by that abominable church, which is the mother of harlots, saith the Lamb--I will be merciful unto the Gentiles in that day, insomuch that I will bring forth unto them, in mine own power, much of my gospel, which shall be plain and precious, saith the Lamb.

For, behold, saith the Lamb: I will manifest myself unto thy seed, that they shall write many things which I shall minister unto them, which shall be plain and precious; and after thy seed shall be destroyed, and dwindle in unbelief, and also the seed of thy brethren, behold, these things shall be hid up, to come forth unto the Gentiles, by the gift and power of the Lamb.

And in them shall be written my gospel, saith the Lamb, and my rock and my salvation.

And blessed are they who shall seek to bring forth my Zion at that day, for they shall have the gift and the power of the Holy Ghost; and if they endure unto the end they shall be lifted up at the last day, and shall be saved in the everlasting kingdom of the Lamb; and whoso shall publish peace, yea, tidings of great joy, how beautiful upon the mountains shall they be.

And it came to pass that I beheld the remnant of the seed of my brethren, and also the book of the Lamb of God, which had proceeded forth from the mouth of the Jew, that it came forth from the Gentiles unto the remnant of the seed of my brethren.

Daily Reading 16 - 1 Nephi 13:6-24

2012-01-16T00:00:00.000-08:00

And it came to pass that I beheld this great and abominable church; and I saw the devil that he was the founder of it.

And I also saw gold, and silver, and silks, and scarlets, and fine-twined linen, and all manner of precious clothing; and I saw many harlots.

And the angel spake unto me, saying: Behold the gold, and the silver, and the silks, and the scarlets, and the fine-twined linen, and the precious clothing, and the harlots, are the desires of this great and abominable church.

And also for the praise of the world do they destroy the saints of God, and bring them down into captivity.

And it came to pass that I looked and beheld many waters; and they divided the Gentiles from the seed of my brethren.

And it came to pass that the angel said unto me: Behold the wrath of God is upon the seed of thy brethren.

And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was separated from the seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the man; and he went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the promised land.

And it came to pass that I beheld the Spirit of God, that it wrought upon other Gentiles; and they went forth out of captivity, upon the many waters.

And it came to pass that I beheld many multitudes of the Gentiles upon the land of promise; and I beheld the wrath of God, that it was upon the seed of my brethren; and they were scattered before the Gentiles and were smitten.

And I beheld the Spirit of the Lord, that it was upon the Gentiles, and they did prosper and obtain the land for their inheritance; and I beheld that they were white, and exceedingly fair and beautiful, like unto my people before they were slain.

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles who had gone forth out of captivity did humble themselves before the Lord; and the power of the Lord was with them.

And I beheld that their mother Gentiles were gathered together upon the waters, and upon the land also, to battle against them.

And I beheld that the power of God was with them, and also that the wrath of God was upon all those that were gathered together against them to battle.

And I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles that had gone out of captivity were delivered by the power of God out of the hands of all other nations.

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld that they did prosper in the land; and I beheld a book, and it was carried forth among them.

And the angel said unto me: Knowest thou the meaning of the book?

And I said unto him: I know not.

And he said: Behold it proceedeth out of the mouth of a Jew. And I, Nephi, beheld it; and he said unto me: The book that thou beholdest is a record of the Jews, which contains the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; and it also containeth many of the prophecies of the holy prophets; and it is a record like unto the engravings which are upon the plates of brass, save there are not so many; nevertheless, they contain the covenants of the Lord, which he hath made unto the house of Israel; wherefore, they are of great worth unto the Gentiles.

And the angel of the Lord said unto me: Thou hast beheld that the book proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew; and when it proceeded forth from the mouth of a Jew it contained the fulness of the gospel of the Lord, of whom the twelve apostles bear record; and they bear record according to the truth which is in the Lamb of God.

Daily Reading 15 - 1 Nephi 12:8 - 13:5

2012-01-15T00:00:00.000-08:00

And the angel spake unto me, saying: Behold the twelve disciples of the Lamb, who are chosen to minister unto thy seed.

And he said unto me: Thou rememberest the twelve apostles of the Lamb? Behold they are they who shall judge the twelve tribes of Israel; wherefore, the twelve ministers of thy seed shall be judged of them; for ye are of the house of Israel.

And these twelve ministers whom thou beholdest shall judge thy seed. And, behold, they are righteous forever; for because of their faith in the Lamb of God their garments are made white in his blood.

And the angel said unto me: Look! And I looked, and beheld three generations pass away in righteousness; and their garments were white even like unto the Lamb of God. And the angel said unto me: These are made white in the blood of the Lamb, because of their faith in him.

And I, Nephi, also saw many of the fourth generation who passed away in righteousness.

And it came to pass that I saw the multitudes of the earth gathered together.

And the angel said unto me: Behold thy seed, and also the seed of thy brethren.

And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the people of my seed gathered together in multitudes against the seed of my brethren; and they were gathered together to battle.

And the angel spake unto me, saying: Behold the fountain of filthy water which thy father saw; yea, even the river of which he spake; and the depths thereof are the depths of hell.

And the mists of darkness are the temptations of the devil, which blindeth the eyes, and hardeneth the hearts of the children of men, and leadeth them away into broad roads, that they perish and are lost.

And the large and spacious building, which thy father saw, is vain imaginations and the pride of the children of men. And a great and a terrible gulf divideth them; yea, even the word of the justice of the Eternal God, and the Messiah who is the Lamb of God, of whom the Holy Ghost beareth record, from the beginning of the world until this time, and from this time henceforth and forever.

And while the angel spake these words, I beheld and saw that the seed of my brethren did contend against my seed, according to the word of the angel; and because of the pride of my seed, and the temptations of the devil, I beheld that the seed of my brethren did overpower the people of my seed.

And it came to pass that I beheld, and saw the people of the seed of my brethren that they had overcome my seed; and they went forth in multitudes upon the face of the land.

And I saw them gathered together in multitudes; and I saw wars and rumors of wars among them; and in wars and rumors of wars I saw many generations pass away.

And the angel said unto me: Behold these shall dwindle in unbelief.

And it came to pass that I beheld, after they had dwindled in unbelief they became a dark, and loathsome, and a filthy people, full of idleness and all manner of abominations.

And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me, saying: Look! And I looked and beheld many nations and kingdoms.

And the angel said unto me: What beholdest thou? And I said: I behold many nations and kingdoms.

And he said unto me: These are the nations and kingdoms of the Gentiles.

And it came to pass that I saw among the nations of the Gentiles the formation of a great church.

And the angel said unto me: Behold the formation of a church which is most abominable above all other churches, which slayeth the saints of God, yea, and tortureth them and bindeth them down, and yoketh them with a yoke of iron, and bringeth them down into captivity.

Daily Reading 14 - 1 Nephi 11:27 - 12:7

2012-01-14T00:00:00.000-08:00

And I looked and beheld the Redeemer of the world, of whom my father had spoken; and I also beheld the prophet who should prepare the way before him. And the Lamb of God went forth and was baptized of him; and after he was baptized, I beheld the heavens open, and the Holy Ghost come down out of heaven and abide upon him in the form of a dove.

And I beheld that he went forth ministering unto the people, in power and great glory; and the multitudes were gathered together to hear him; and I beheld that they cast him out from among them.

And I also beheld twelve others following him. And it came to pass that they were carried away in the Spirit from before my face, and I saw them not.

And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked, and I beheld the heavens open again, and I saw angels descending upon the children of men; and they did minister unto them.

And he spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked, and I beheld the Lamb of God going forth among the children of men. And I beheld multitudes of people who were sick, and who were afflicted with all manner of diseases, and with devils and unclean spirits; and the angel spake and showed all these things unto me. And they were healed by the power of the Lamb of God; and the devils and the unclean spirits were cast out.

And it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again, saying: Look! And I looked and beheld the Lamb of God, that he was taken by the people; yea, the Son of the everlasting God was judged of the world; and I saw and bear record.

And I, Nephi, saw that he was lifted up upon the cross and slain for the sins of the world.

And after he was slain I saw the multitudes of the earth, that they were gathered together to fight against the apostles of the Lamb; for thus were the twelve called by the angel of the Lord.

And the multitude of the earth was gathered together; and I beheld that they were in a large and spacious building, like unto the building which my father saw. And the angel of the Lord spake unto me again, saying: Behold the world and the wisdom thereof; yea, behold the house of Israel hath gathered together to fight against the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

And it came to pass that I saw and bear record, that the great and spacious building was the pride of the world; and it fell, and the fall thereof was exceedingly great. And the angel of the Lord spake unto me again, saying: Thus shall be the destruction of all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, that shall fight against the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

And it came to pass that the angel said unto me: Look, and behold thy seed, and also the seed of thy brethren. And I looked and beheld the land of promise; and I beheld multitudes of people, yea, even as it were in number as many as the sand of the sea.

And it came to pass that I beheld multitudes gathered together to battle, one against the other; and I beheld wars, and rumors of wars, and great slaughters with the sword among my people.

And it came to pass that I beheld many generations pass away, after the manner of wars and contentions in the land; and I beheld many cities, yea, even that I did not number them.

And it came to pass that I saw a mist of darkness on the face of the land of promise; and I saw lightnings, and I heard thunderings, and earthquakes, and all manner of tumultuous noises; and I saw the earth and the rocks, that they rent; and I saw mountains tumbling into pieces; and I saw the plains of the earth, that they were broken up; and I saw many cities that they were sunk; and I saw many that they were burned with fire; and I saw many that did tumble to the earth, because of the quaking thereof.

And it came to pass after I saw these things, I saw the vapor of darkness, that it passed from off the face of the earth; and behold, I saw multitudes who had not fallen because of the great and terrible judgments of the Lord.

And I saw the heavens open, and the Lamb of God descending out of heaven; and he came down and showed himself unto them.

And I also saw and bear record that the Holy Ghost fell upon twelve others; and they were ordained of God, and chosen.

Daily Reading 13 - 1 Nephi 11:6-26

2012-01-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

And when I had spoken these words, the Spirit cried with a loud voice, saying: Hosanna to the Lord, the most high God; for he is God over all the earth, yea, even above all. And blessed art thou, Nephi, because thou believest in the Son of the most high God; wherefore, thou shalt behold the things which thou hast desired.

And behold this thing shall be given unto thee for a sign, that after thou hast beheld the tree which bore the fruit which thy father tasted, thou shalt also behold a man descending out of heaven, and him shall ye witness; and after ye have witnessed him ye shall bear record that it is the Son of God.

And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me: Look! And I looked and beheld a tree; and it was like unto the tree which my father had seen; and the beauty thereof was far beyond, yea, exceeding of all beauty; and the whiteness thereof did exceed the whiteness of the driven snow.

And it came to pass after I had seen the tree, I said unto the Spirit: I behold thou hast shown unto me the tree which is precious above all.

And he said unto me: What desirest thou?

And I said unto him: To know the interpretation thereof--for I spake unto him as a man speaketh; for I beheld that he was in the form of a man; yet nevertheless, I knew that it was the Spirit of the Lord; and he spake unto me as a man speaketh with another.

And it came to pass that he said unto me: Look! And I looked as if to look upon him, and I saw him not; for he had gone from before my presence.

And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the great city of Jerusalem, and also other cities. And I beheld the city of Nazareth; and in the city of Nazareth I beheld a virgin, and she was exceedingly fair and white.

And it came to pass that I saw the heavens open; and an angel came down and stood before me; and he said unto me: Nephi, what beholdest thou?

And I said unto him: A virgin, most beautiful and fair above all other virgins.

And he said unto me: Knowest thou the condescension of God?

And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.

And he said unto me: Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh.

And it came to pass that I beheld that she was carried away in the Spirit; and after she had been carried away in the Spirit for the space of a time the angel spake unto me, saying: Look!

And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms.

And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father! Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw?

And I answered him, saying: Yea, it is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things.

And he spake unto me, saying: Yea, and the most joyous to the soul.

And after he had said these words, he said unto me: Look! And I looked, and I beheld the Son of God going forth among the children of men; and I saw many fall down at his feet and worship him.

And it came to pass that I beheld that the rod of iron, which my father had seen, was the word of God, which led to the fountain of living waters, or to the tree of life; which waters are a representation of the love of God; and I also beheld that the tree of life was a representation of the love of God.

And the angel said unto me again: Look and behold the condescension of God!

Daily Reading 12 - 1 Nephi 10:9 - 11:5

2012-01-12T00:00:00.000-08:00

And my father said he should baptize in Bethabara, beyond Jordan; and he also said he should baptize with water; even that he should baptize the Messiah with water.

And after he had baptized the Messiah with water, he should behold and bear record that he had baptized the Lamb of God, who should take away the sins of the world.

And it came to pass after my father had spoken these words he spake unto my brethren concerning the gospel which should be preached among the Jews, and also concerning the dwindling of the Jews in unbelief. And after they had slain the Messiah, who should come, and after he had been slain he should rise from the dead, and should make himself manifest, by the Holy Ghost, unto the Gentiles.

Yea, even my father spake much concerning the Gentiles, and also concerning the house of Israel, that they should be compared like unto an olive-tree, whose branches should be broken off and should be scattered upon all the face of the earth.

Wherefore, he said it must needs be that we should be led with one accord into the land of promise, unto the fulfilling of the word of the Lord, that we should be scattered upon all the face of the earth.

And after the house of Israel should be scattered they should be gathered together again; or, in fine, after the Gentiles had received the fulness of the Gospel, the natural branches of the olive-tree, or the remnants of the house of Israel, should be grafted in, or come to the knowledge of the TRUE Messiah, their Lord and their Redeemer.

And after this manner of language did my father prophesy and speak unto my brethren, and also many more things which I do not write in this book; for I have written as many of them as were expedient for me in mine other book.

And all these things, of which I have spoken, were done as my father dwelt in a tent, in the valley of Lemuel.

And it came to pass after I, Nephi, having heard all the words of my father, concerning the things which he saw in a vision, and also the things which he spake by the power of the Holy Ghost, which power he received by faith on the Son of God--and the Son of God was the Messiah who should come--I, Nephi, was desirous also that I might see, and hear, and know of these things, by the power of the Holy Ghost, which is the gift of God unto all those who diligently seek him, as well in times of old as in the time that he should manifest himself unto the children of men.

For he is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever; and the way is prepared for all men from the foundation of the world, if it so be that they repent and come unto him.

For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come; wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round.

Therefore remember, O man, for all thy doings thou shalt be brought into judgment.

Wherefore, if ye have sought to do wickedly in the days of your probation, then ye are found unclean before the judgment-seat of God; and no unclean thing can dwell with God; wherefore, ye must be cast off forever.

And the Holy Ghost giveth authority that I should speak these things, and deny them not.

For it came to pass after I had desired to know the things that my father had seen, and believing that the Lord was able to make them known unto me, as I sat pondering in mine heart I was caught away in the Spirit of the Lord, yea, into an exceedingly high mountain, which I never had before seen, and upon which I never had before set my foot.

And the Spirit said unto me: Behold, what desirest thou?

And I said: I desire to behold the things which my father saw.

And the Spirit said unto me: Believest thou that thy father saw the tree of which he hath spoken?

And I said: Yea, thou knowest that I believe all the words of my father.

Daily Reading 11 - 1 Nephi 8:34 - 10:8

2012-01-11T00:00:00.000-08:00

These are the words of my father: For as many as heeded them, had fallen away.

And Laman and Lemuel partook not of the fruit, said my father.

And it came to pass after my father had spoken all the words of his dream or vision, which were many, he said unto us, because of these things which he saw in a vision, he exceedingly feared for Laman and Lemuel; yea, he feared lest they should be cast off from the presence of the Lord.

And he did exhort them then with all the feeling of a tender parent, that they would hearken to his words, that perhaps the Lord would be merciful to them, and not cast them off; yea, my father did preach unto them.

And after he had preached unto them, and also prophesied unto them of many things, he bade them to keep the commandments of the Lord; and he did cease speaking unto them.

And all these things did my father see, and hear, and speak, as he dwelt in a tent, in the valley of Lemuel, and also a great many more things, which cannot be written upon these plates.

And now, as I have spoken concerning these plates, behold they are not the plates upon which I make a full account of the history of my people; for the plates upon which I make a full account of my people I have given the name of Nephi; wherefore, they are called the plates of Nephi, after mine own name; and these plates also are called the plates of Nephi.

Nevertheless, I have received a commandment of the Lord that I should make these plates, for the special purpose that there should be an account engraven of the ministry of my people.

Upon the other plates should be engraven an account of the reign of the kings, and the wars and contentions of my people; wherefore these plates are for the more part of the ministry; and the other plates are for the more part of the reign of the kings and the wars and contentions of my people.

Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me to make these plates for a wise purpose in him, which purpose I know not.

But the Lord knoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men; for behold, he hath all power unto the fulfilling of all his words. And thus it is. Amen.

And now I, Nephi, proceed to give an account upon these plates of my proceedings, and my reign and ministry; wherefore, to proceed with mine account, I must speak somewhat of the things of my father, and also of my brethren.

For behold, it came to pass after my father had made an end of speaking the words of his dream, and also of exhorting them to all diligence, he spake unto them concerning the Jews--

That after they should be destroyed, even that great city Jerusalem, and many be carried away captive into Babylon, according to the own due time of the Lord, they should return again, yea, even be brought back out of captivity; and after they should be brought back out of captivity they should possess again the land of their inheritance.

Yea, even six hundred years from the time that my father left Jerusalem, a prophet would the Lord God raise up among the Jews--even a Messiah, or, in other words, a Savior of the world.

And he also spake concerning the prophets, how great a number had testified of these things, concerning this Messiah, of whom he had spoken, or this Redeemer of the world.

Wherefore, all mankind were in a lost and in a fallen state, and ever would be save they should rely on this Redeemer.

And he spake also concerning a prophet who should come before the Messiah, to prepare the way of the Lord--

Yea, even he should go forth and cry in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight; for there standeth one among you whom ye know not; and he is mightier than I, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose. And much spake my father concerning this thing.

Daily Reading 10 - 1 Nephi 8:12-33

2012-01-10T00:00:00.000-08:00

And as I partook of the fruit thereof it filled my soul with exceedingly great joy; wherefore, I began to be desirous that my family should partake of it also; for I knew that it was desirable above all other fruit.

And as I cast my eyes round about, that perhaps I might discover my family also, I beheld a river of water; and it ran along, and it was near the tree of which I was partaking the fruit.

And I looked to behold from whence it came; and I saw the head thereof a little way off; and at the head thereof I beheld your mother Sariah, and Sam, and Nephi; and they stood as if they knew not whither they should go.

And it came to pass that I beckoned unto them; and I also did say unto them with a loud voice that they should come unto me, and partake of the fruit, which was desirable above all other fruit.

And it came to pass that they did come unto me and partake of the fruit also.

And it came to pass that I was desirous that Laman and Lemuel should come and partake of the fruit also; wherefore, I cast mine eyes towards the head of the river, that perhaps I might see them.

And it came to pass that I saw them, but they would not come unto me and partake of the fruit.

And I beheld a rod of iron, and it extended along the bank of the river, and led to the tree by which I stood.

And I also beheld a strait and narrow path, which came along by the rod of iron, even to the tree by which I stood; and it also led by the head of the fountain, unto a large and spacious field, as if it had been a world.

And I saw numberless concourses of people, many of whom were pressing forward, that they might obtain the path which led unto the tree by which I stood.

And it came to pass that they did come forth, and commence in the path which led to the tree.

And it came to pass that there arose a mist of darkness; yea, even an exceedingly great mist of darkness, insomuch that they who had commenced in the path did lose their way, that they wandered off and were lost.

And it came to pass that I beheld others pressing forward, and they came forth and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press forward through the mist of darkness, clinging to the rod of iron, even until they did come forth and partake of the fruit of the tree.

And after they had partaken of the fruit of the tree they did cast their eyes about as if they were ashamed.

And I also cast my eyes round about, and beheld, on the other side of the river of water, a great and spacious building; and it stood as it were in the air, high above the earth.

And it was filled with people, both old and young, both male and female; and their manner of dress was exceedingly fine; and they were in the attitude of mocking and pointing their fingers towards those who had come at and were partaking of the fruit.

And after they had tasted of the fruit they were ashamed, because of those that were scoffing at them; and they fell away into forbidden paths and were lost.

And now I, Nephi, do not speak all the words of my father.

But, to be short in writing, behold, he saw other multitudes pressing forward; and they came and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree.

And he also saw other multitudes feeling their way towards that great and spacious building.

And it came to pass that many were drowned in the depths of the fountain; and many were lost from his view, wandering in strange roads.

And great was the multitude that did enter into that strange building. And after they did enter into that building they did point the finger of scorn at me and those that were partaking of the fruit also; but we heeded them not.

Daily Reading 9 - 1 Nephi 7:15 - 8:11

2012-01-09T00:00:00.000-08:00

Now behold, I say unto you that if ye will return unto Jerusalem ye shall also perish with them. And now, if ye have choice, go up to the land, and remember the words which I speak unto you, that if ye go ye will also perish; for thus the Spirit of the Lord constraineth me that I should speak.

And it came to pass that when I, Nephi, had spoken these words unto my brethren, they were angry with me. And it came to pass that they did lay their hands upon me, for behold, they were exceedingly wroth, and they did bind me with cords, for they sought to take away my life, that they might leave me in the wilderness to be devoured by wild beasts.

But it came to pass that I prayed unto the Lord, saying: O Lord, according to my faith which is in thee, wilt thou deliver me from the hands of my brethren; yea, even give me strength that I may burst these bands with which I am bound.

And it came to pass that when I had said these words, behold, the bands were loosed from off my hands and feet, and I stood before my brethren, and I spake unto them again.

And it came to pass that they were angry with me again, and sought to lay hands upon me; but behold, one of the daughters of Ishmael, yea, and also her mother, and one of the sons of Ishmael, did plead with my brethren, insomuch that they did soften their hearts; and they did cease striving to take away my life.

And it came to pass that they were sorrowful, because of their wickedness, insomuch that they did bow down before me, and did plead with me that I would forgive them of the thing that they had done against me.

And it came to pass that I did frankly forgive them all that they had done, and I did exhort them that they would pray unto the Lord their God for forgiveness. And it came to pass that they did so. And after they had done praying unto the Lord we did again travel on our journey towards the tent of our father.

And it came to pass that we did come down unto the tent of our father. And after I and my brethren and all the house of Ishmael had come down unto the tent of my father, they did give thanks unto the Lord their God; and they did offer sacrifice and burnt offerings unto him.

And it came to pass that we had gathered together all manner of seeds of every kind, both of grain of every kind, and also of the seeds of fruit of every kind.

And it came to pass that while my father tarried in the wilderness he spake unto us, saying: Behold, I have dreamed a dream; or, in other words, I have seen a vision.

And behold, because of the thing which I have seen, I have reason to rejoice in the Lord because of Nephi and also of Sam; for I have reason to suppose that they, and also many of their seed, will be saved.

But behold, Laman and Lemuel, I fear exceedingly because of you; for behold, methought I saw in my dream, a dark and dreary wilderness.

And it came to pass that I saw a man, and he was dressed in a white robe; and he came and stood before me.

And it came to pass that he spake unto me, and bade me follow him.

And it came to pass that as I followed him I beheld myself that I was in a dark and dreary waste.

And after I had traveled for the space of many hours in darkness, I began to pray unto the Lord that he would have mercy on me, according to the multitude of his tender mercies.

And it came to pass after I had prayed unto the Lord I beheld a large and spacious field.

And it came to pass that I beheld a tree, whose fruit was desirable to make one happy.

And it came to pass that I did go forth and partake of the fruit thereof; and I beheld that it was most sweet, above all that I ever before tasted. Yea, and I beheld that the fruit thereof was white, to exceed all the whiteness that I had ever seen.

Daily Reading 8 - 1 Nephi 6:1 - 7:14

2012-01-08T00:00:00.000-08:00

And now I, Nephi, do not give the genealogy of my fathers in this part of my record; neither at any time shall I give it after upon these plates which I am writing; for it is given in the record which has been kept by my father; wherefore, I do not write it in this work.

For it sufficeth me to say that we are descendants of Joseph.

And it mattereth not to me that I am particular to give a full account of all the things of my father, for they cannot be written upon these plates, for I desire the room that I may write of the things of God.

For the fulness of mine intent is that I may persuade men to come unto the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and be saved.

Wherefore, the things which are pleasing unto the world I do not write, but the things which are pleasing unto God and unto those who are not of the world.

Wherefore, I shall give commandment unto my seed, that they shall not occupy these plates with things which are not of worth unto the children of men.

And now I would that ye might know, that after my father, Lehi, had made an end of prophesying concerning his seed, it came to pass that the Lord spake unto him again, saying that it was not meet for him, Lehi, that he should take his family into the wilderness alone; but that his sons should take daughters to wife, that they might raise up seed unto the Lord in the land of promise.

And it came to pass that the Lord commanded him that I, Nephi, and my brethren, should again return unto the land of Jerusalem, and bring down Ishmael and his family into the wilderness.

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did again, with my brethren, go forth into the wilderness to go up to Jerusalem.

And it came to pass that we went up unto the house of Ishmael, and we did gain favor in the sight of Ishmael, insomuch that we did speak unto him the words of the Lord.

And it came to pass that the Lord did soften the heart of Ishmael, and also his household, insomuch that they took their journey with us down into the wilderness to the tent of our father.

And it came to pass that as we journeyed in the wilderness, behold Laman and Lemuel, and two of the daughters of Ishmael, and the two sons of Ishmael and their families, did rebel against us; yea, against me, Nephi, and Sam, and their father, Ishmael, and his wife, and his three other daughters.

And it came to pass in the which rebellion, they were desirous to return unto the land of Jerusalem.

And now I, Nephi, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, therefore I spake unto them, saying, yea, even unto Laman and unto Lemuel: Behold ye are mine elder brethren, and how is it that ye are so hard in your hearts, and so blind in your minds, that ye have need that I, your younger brother, should speak unto you, yea, and set an example for you?

How is it that ye have not hearkened unto the word of the Lord?

How is it that ye have forgotten that ye have seen an angel of the Lord?

Yea, and how is it that ye have forgotten what great things the Lord hath done for us, in delivering us out of the hands of Laban, and also that we should obtain the record?

Yea, and how is it that ye have forgotten that the Lord is able to do all things according to his will, for the children of men, if it so be that they exercise faith in him? Wherefore, let us be faithful to him.

And if it so be that we are faithful to him, we shall obtain the land of promise; and ye shall know at some future period that the word of the Lord shall be fulfilled concerning the destruction of Jerusalem; for all things which the Lord hath spoken concerning the destruction of Jerusalem must be fulfilled.

For behold, the Spirit of the Lord ceaseth soon to strive with them; for behold, they have rejected the prophets, and Jeremiah have they cast into prison. And they have sought to take away the life of my father, insomuch that they have driven him out of the land.

Daily Reading 7 - 1 Nephi 5:3-22

2012-01-07T00:00:00.000-08:00

And after this manner of language had my mother complained against my father.

And it had come to pass that my father spake unto her, saying: I know that I am a visionary man; for if I had not seen the things of God in a vision I should not have known the goodness of God, but had tarried at Jerusalem, and had perished with my brethren.

But behold, I have obtained a land of promise, in the which things I do rejoice; yea, and I know that the Lord will deliver my sons out of the hands of Laban, and bring them down again unto us in the wilderness.

And after this manner of language did my father, Lehi, comfort my mother, Sariah, concerning us, while we journeyed in the wilderness up to the land of Jerusalem, to obtain the record of the Jews.

And when we had returned to the tent of my father, behold their joy was full, and my mother was comforted.

And she spake, saying: Now I know of a surety that the Lord hath commanded my husband to flee into the wilderness; yea, and I also know of a surety that the Lord hath protected my sons, and delivered them out of the hands of Laban, and given them power whereby they could accomplish the thing which the Lord hath commanded them. And after this manner of language did she speak.

And it came to pass that they did rejoice exceedingly, and did offer sacrifice and burnt offerings unto the Lord; and they gave thanks unto the God of Israel.

And after they had given thanks unto the God of Israel, my father, Lehi, took the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass, and he did search them from the beginning.

And he beheld that they did contain the five books of Moses, which gave an account of the creation of the world, and also of Adam and Eve, who were our first parents;

And also a record of the Jews from the beginning, even down to the commencement of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah;

And also the prophecies of the holy prophets, from the beginning, even down to the commencement of the reign of Zedekiah; and also many prophecies which have been spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah.

And it came to pass that my father, Lehi, also found upon the plates of brass a genealogy of his fathers; wherefore he knew that he was a descendant of Joseph; yea, even that Joseph who was the son of Jacob, who was sold into Egypt, and who was preserved by the hand of the Lord, that he might preserve his father, Jacob, and all his household from perishing with famine.

And they were also led out of captivity and out of the land of Egypt, by that same God who had preserved them.

And thus my father, Lehi, did discover the genealogy of his fathers. And Laban also was a descendant of Joseph, wherefore he and his fathers had kept the records.

And now when my father saw all these things, he was filled with the Spirit, and began to prophesy concerning his seed--

That these plates of brass should go forth unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people who were of his seed.

Wherefore, he said that these plates of brass should never perish; neither should they be dimmed any more by time. And he prophesied many things concerning his seed.

And it came to pass that thus far I and my father had kept the commandments wherewith the Lord had commanded us.

And we had obtained the records which the Lord had commanded us, and searched them and found that they were desirable; yea, even of great worth unto us, insomuch that we could preserve the commandments of the Lord unto our children.

Wherefore, it was wisdom in the Lord that we should carry them with us, as we journeyed in the wilderness towards the land of promise.

Daily Reading 6 - 1 Nephi 4:21 - 5:2

2012-01-06T00:00:00.000-08:00

And he supposed me to be his master, Laban, for he beheld the garments and also the sword girded about my loins.

And he spake unto me concerning the elders of the Jews, he knowing that his master, Laban, had been out by night among them.

And I spake unto him as if it had been Laban.

And I also spake unto him that I should carry the engravings, which were upon the plates of brass, to my elder brethren, who were without the walls.

And I also bade him that he should follow me.

And he, supposing that I spake of the brethren of the church, and that I was truly that Laban whom I had slain, wherefore he did follow me.

And he spake unto me many times concerning the elders of the Jews, as I went forth unto my brethren, who were without the walls.

And it came to pass that when Laman saw me he was exceedingly frightened, and also Lemuel and Sam. And they fled from before my presence; for they supposed it was Laban, and that he had slain me and had sought to take away their lives also.

And it came to pass that I called after them, and they did hear me; wherefore they did cease to flee from my presence.

And it came to pass that when the servant of Laban beheld my brethren he began to tremble, and was about to flee from before me and return to the city of Jerusalem.

And now I, Nephi, being a man large in stature, and also having received much strength of the Lord, therefore I did seize upon the servant of Laban, and held him, that he should not flee.

And it came to pass that I spake with him, that if he would hearken unto my words, as the Lord liveth, and as I live, even so that if he would hearken unto our words, we would spare his life.

And I spake unto him, even with an oath, that he need not fear; that he should be a free man like unto us if he would go down in the wilderness with us.

And I also spake unto him, saying: Surely the Lord hath commanded us to do this thing; and shall we not be diligent in keeping the commandments of the Lord? Therefore, if thou wilt go down into the wilderness to my father thou shalt have place with us.

And it came to pass that Zoram did take courage at the words which I spake. Now Zoram was the name of the servant; and he promised that he would go down into the wilderness unto our father. Yea, and he also made an oath unto us that he would tarry with us from that time forth.

Now we were desirous that he should tarry with us for this cause, that the Jews might not know concerning our flight into the wilderness, lest they should pursue us and destroy us.

And it came to pass that when Zoram had made an oath unto us, our fears did cease concerning him.

And it came to pass that we took the plates of brass and the servant of Laban, and departed into the wilderness, and journeyed unto the tent of our father.

And it came to pass that after we had come down into the wilderness unto our father, behold, he was filled with joy, and also my mother, Sariah, was exceedingly glad, for she truly had mourned because of us.

For she had supposed that we had perished in the wilderness; and she also had complained against my father, telling him that he was a visionary man; saying: Behold thou hast led us forth from the land of our inheritance, and my sons are no more, and we perish in the wilderness.

Daily Reading 5 - 1 Nephi 4:1-20

2012-01-05T00:00:00.000-08:00

And it came to pass that I spake unto my brethren, saying: Let us go up again unto Jerusalem, and let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord; for behold he is mightier than all the earth, then why not mightier than Laban and his fifty, yea, or even than his tens of thousands?

Therefore let us go up; let us be strong like unto Moses; for he truly spake unto the waters of the Red Sea and they divided hither and thither, and our fathers came through, out of captivity, on dry ground, and the armies of Pharaoh did follow and were drowned in the waters of the Red Sea.

Now behold ye know that this is true; and ye also know that an angel hath spoken unto you; wherefore can ye doubt? Let us go up; the Lord is able to deliver us, even as our fathers, and to destroy Laban, even as the Egyptians.

Now when I had spoken these words, they were yet wroth, and did still continue to murmur; nevertheless they did follow me up until we came without the walls of Jerusalem.

And it was by night; and I caused that they should hide themselves without the walls. And after they had hid themselves, I, Nephi, crept into the city and went forth towards the house of Laban.

And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do.

Nevertheless I went forth, and as I came near unto the house of Laban I beheld a man, and he had fallen to the earth before me, for he was drunken with wine.

And when I came to him I found that it was Laban.

And I beheld his sword, and I drew it forth from the sheath thereof; and the hilt thereof was of pure gold, and the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine, and I saw that the blade thereof was of the most precious steel.

And it came to pass that I was constrained by the Spirit that I should kill Laban; but I said in my heart: Never at any time have I shed the blood of man. And I shrunk and would that I might not slay him.

And the Spirit said unto me again: Behold the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands. Yea, and I also knew that he had sought to take away mine own life; yea, and he would not hearken unto the commandments of the Lord; and he also had taken away our property.

And it came to pass that the Spirit said unto me again: Slay him, for the Lord hath delivered him into thy hands;

Behold the Lord slayeth the wicked to bring forth his righteous purposes. It is better that one man should perish than that a nation should dwindle and perish in unbelief.

And now, when I, Nephi, had heard these words, I remembered the words of the Lord which he spake unto me in the wilderness, saying that: Inasmuch as thy seed shall keep my commandments, they shall prosper in the land of promise.

Yea, and I also thought that they could not keep the commandments of the Lord according to the law of Moses, save they should have the law.

And I also knew that the law was engraven upon the plates of brass.

And again, I knew that the Lord had delivered Laban into my hands for this cause--that I might obtain the records according to his commandments.

Therefore I did obey the voice of the Spirit, and took Laban by the hair of the head, and I smote off his head with his own sword.

And after I had smitten off his head with his own sword, I took the garments of Laban and put them upon mine own body; yea, even every whit; and I did gird on his armor about my loins.

And after I had done this, I went forth unto the treasury of Laban. And as I went forth towards the treasury of Laban, behold, I saw the servant of Laban who had the keys of the treasury. And I commanded him in the voice of Laban, that he should go with me into the treasury.

Daily Reading 4 - 1 Nephi 3:13-31

2012-01-04T00:00:00.000-08:00

And behold, it came to pass that Laban was angry, and thrust him out from his presence; and he would not that he should have the records. Wherefore, he said unto him: Behold thou art a robber, and I will slay thee.

But Laman fled out of his presence, and told the things which Laban had done, unto us. And we began to be exceedingly sorrowful, and my brethren were about to return unto my father in the wilderness.

But behold I said unto them that: As the Lord liveth, and as we live, we will not go down unto our father in the wilderness until we have accomplished the thing which the Lord hath commanded us.

Wherefore, let us be faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord; therefore let us go down to the land of our father's inheritance, for behold he left gold and silver, and all manner of riches. And all this he hath done because of the commandments of the Lord.

For he knew that Jerusalem must be destroyed, because of the wickedness of the people.

For behold, they have rejected the words of the prophets. Wherefore, if my father should dwell in the land after he hath been commanded to flee out of the land, behold, he would also perish. Wherefore, it must needs be that he flee out of the land.

And behold, it is wisdom in God that we should obtain these records, that we may preserve unto our children the language of our fathers;

And also that we may preserve unto them the words which have been spoken by the mouth of all the holy prophets, which have been delivered unto them by the Spirit and power of God, since the world began, even down unto this present time.

And it came to pass that after this manner of language did I persuade my brethren, that they might be faithful in keeping the commandments of God.

And it came to pass that we went down to the land of our inheritance, and we did gather together our gold, and our silver, and our precious things.

And after we had gathered these things together, we went up again unto the house of Laban.

And it came to pass that we went in unto Laban, and desired him that he would give unto us the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass, for which we would give unto him our gold, and our silver, and all our precious things.

And it came to pass that when Laban saw our property, and that it was exceedingly great, he did lust after it, insomuch that he thrust us out, and sent his servants to slay us, that he might obtain our property.

And it came to pass that we did flee before the servants of Laban, and we were obliged to leave behind our property, and it fell into the hands of Laban.

And it came to pass that we fled into the wilderness, and the servants of Laban did not overtake us, and we hid ourselves in the cavity of a rock.

And it came to pass that Laman was angry with me, and also with my father; and also was Lemuel, for he hearkened unto the words of Laman. Wherefore Laman and Lemuel did speak many hard words unto us, their younger brothers, and they did smite us even with a rod.

And it came to pass as they smote us with a rod, behold, an angel of the Lord came and stood before them, and he spake unto them, saying: Why do ye smite your younger brother with a rod? Know ye not that the Lord hath chosen him to be a ruler over you, and this because of your iniquities? Behold ye shall go up to Jerusalem again, and the Lord will deliver Laban into your hands.

And after the angel had spoken unto us, he departed.

And after the angel had departed, Laman and Lemuel again began to murmur, saying: How is it possible that the Lord will deliver Laban into our hands? Behold, he is a mighty man, and he can command fifty, yea, even he can slay fifty; then why not us?

Daily Reading 3 - 1 Nephi 2:16 - 3:12

2012-01-03T00:00:00.000-08:00

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers.

And I spake unto Sam, making known unto him the things which the Lord had manifested unto me by his Holy Spirit. And it came to pass that he believed in my words.

But, behold, Laman and Lemuel would not hearken unto my words; and being grieved because of the hardness of their hearts I cried unto the Lord for them.

And it came to pass that the Lord spake unto me, saying: Blessed art thou, Nephi, because of thy faith, for thou hast sought me diligently, with lowliness of heart.

And inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments, ye shall prosper, and shall be led to a land of promise; yea, even a land which I have prepared for you; yea, a land which is choice above all other lands.

And inasmuch as thy brethren shall rebel against thee, they shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord.

And inasmuch as thou shalt keep my commandments, thou shalt be made a ruler and a teacher over thy brethren.

For behold, in that day that they shall rebel against me, I will curse them even with a sore curse, and they shall have no power over thy seed except they shall rebel against me also.

And if it so be that they rebel against me, they shall be a scourge unto thy seed, to stir them up in the ways of remembrance.

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, returned from speaking with the Lord, to the tent of my father.

And it came to pass that he spake unto me, saying: Behold I have dreamed a dream, in the which the Lord hath commanded me that thou and thy brethren shall return to Jerusalem.

For behold, Laban hath the record of the Jews and also a genealogy of my forefathers, and they are engraven upon plates of brass.

Wherefore, the Lord hath commanded me that thou and thy brothers should go unto the house of Laban, and seek the records, and bring them down hither into the wilderness.

And now, behold thy brothers murmur, saying it is a hard thing which I have required of them; but behold I have not required it of them, but it is a commandment of the Lord.

Therefore go, my son, and thou shalt be favored of the Lord, because thou hast not murmured.

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.

And it came to pass that when my father had heard these words he was exceedingly glad, for he knew that I had been blessed of the Lord.

And I, Nephi, and my brethren took our journey in the wilderness, with our tents, to go up to the land of Jerusalem.

And it came to pass that when we had gone up to the land of Jerusalem, I and my brethren did consult one with another.

And we cast lots--who of us should go in unto the house of Laban. And it came to pass that the lot fell upon Laman; and Laman went in unto the house of Laban, and he talked with him as he sat in his house.

And he desired of Laban the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass, which contained the genealogy of my father.

Daily Reading 2 - 1 Nephi 1:19 - 2:15

2012-01-02T00:00:00.000-08:00

And it came to pass that the Jews did mock him because of the things which he testified of them; for he truly testified of their wickedness and their abominations; and he testified that the things which he saw and heard, and also the things which he read in the book, manifested plainly of the coming of a Messiah, and also the redemption of the world.

And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with him; yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had cast out, and stoned, and slain; and they also sought his life, that they might take it away. But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.

For behold, it came to pass that the Lord spake unto my father, yea, even in a dream, and said unto him: Blessed art thou Lehi, because of the things which thou hast done; and because thou hast been faithful and declared unto this people the things which I commanded thee, behold, they seek to take away thy life.

And it came to pass that the Lord commanded my father, even in a dream, that he should take his family and depart into the wilderness.

And it came to pass that he was obedient unto the word of the Lord, wherefore he did as the Lord commanded him.

And it came to pass that he departed into the wilderness. And he left his house, and the land of his inheritance, and his gold, and his silver, and his precious things, and took nothing with him, save it were his family, and provisions, and tents, and departed into the wilderness.

And he came down by the borders near the shore of the Red Sea; and he traveled in the wilderness in the borders which are nearer the Red Sea; and he did travel in the wilderness with his family, which consisted of my mother, Sariah, and my elder brothers, who were Laman, Lemuel, and Sam.

And it came to pass that when he had traveled three days in the wilderness, he pitched his tent in a valley by the side of a river of water.

And it came to pass that he built an altar of stones, and made an offering unto the Lord, and gave thanks unto the Lord our God.

And it came to pass that he called the name of the river, Laman, and it emptied into the Red Sea; and the valley was in the borders near the mouth thereof.

And when my father saw that the waters of the river emptied into the fountain of the Red Sea, he spake unto Laman, saying: O that thou mightest be like unto this river, continually running into the fountain of all righteousness!

And he also spake unto Lemuel: O that thou mightest be like unto this valley, firm and steadfast, and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord!

Now this he spake because of the stiffneckedness of Laman and Lemuel; for behold they did murmur in many things against their father, because he was a visionary man, and had led them out of the land of Jerusalem, to leave the land of their inheritance, and their gold, and their silver, and their precious things, to perish in the wilderness. And this they said he had done because of the foolish imaginations of his heart.

And thus Laman and Lemuel, being the eldest, did murmur against their father. And they did murmur because they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them.

Neither did they believe that Jerusalem, that great city, could be destroyed according to the words of the prophets. And they were like unto the Jews who were at Jerusalem, who sought to take away the life of my father.

And it came to pass that my father did speak unto them in the valley of Lemuel, with power, being filled with the Spirit, until their frames did shake before him. And he did confound them, that they durst not utter against him; wherefore, they did as he commanded them.

And my father dwelt in a tent.

Daily Reading 1 - 1 Nephi 1:1-18

2012-01-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days.

Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians.

And I know that the record which I make is true; and I make it with mine own hand; and I make it according to my knowledge.

For it came to pass in the commencement of the first year of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah, (my father, Lehi, having dwelt at Jerusalem in all his days); and in that same year there came many prophets, prophesying unto the people that they must repent, or the great city Jerusalem must be destroyed.

Wherefore it came to pass that my father, Lehi, as he went forth prayed unto the Lord, yea, even with all his heart, in behalf of his people.

And it came to pass as he prayed unto the Lord, there came a pillar of fire and dwelt upon a rock before him; and he saw and heard much; and because of the things which he saw and heard he did quake and tremble exceedingly.

And it came to pass that he returned to his own house at Jerusalem; and he cast himself upon his bed, being overcome with the Spirit and the things which he had seen.

And being thus overcome with the Spirit, he was carried away in a vision, even that he saw the heavens open, and he thought he saw God sitting upon his throne, surrounded with numberless concourses of angels in the attitude of singing and praising their God.

And it came to pass that he saw One descending out of the midst of heaven, and he beheld that his luster was above that of the sun at noon-day.

And he also saw twelve others following him, and their brightness did exceed that of the stars in the firmament.

And they came down and went forth upon the face of the earth; and the first came and stood before my father, and gave unto him a book, and bade him that he should read.

And it came to pass that as he read, he was filled with the Spirit of the Lord.

And he read, saying: Wo, wo, unto Jerusalem, for I have seen thine abominations! Yea, and many things did my father read concerning Jerusalem--that it should be destroyed, and the inhabitants thereof; many should perish by the sword, and many should be carried away captive into Babylon.

And it came to pass that when my father had read and seen many great and marvelous things, he did exclaim many things unto the Lord; such as: Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God Almighty! Thy throne is high in the heavens, and thy power, and goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth; and, because thou art merciful, thou wilt not suffer those who come unto thee that they shall perish!

And after this manner was the language of my father in the praising of his God; for his soul did rejoice, and his whole heart was filled, because of the things which he had seen, yea, which the Lord had shown unto him.

And now I, Nephi, do not make a full account of the things which my father hath written, for he hath written many things which he saw in visions and in dreams; and he also hath written many things which he prophesied and spake unto his children, of which I shall not make a full account.

But I shall make an account of my proceedings in my days. Behold, I make an abridgment of the record of my father, upon plates which I have made with mine own hands; wherefore, after I have abridged the record of my father then will I make an account of mine own life.

Therefore, I would that ye should know, that after the Lord had shown so many marvelous things unto my father, Lehi, yea, concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, behold he went forth among the people, and began to prophesy and to declare unto them concerning the things which he had both seen and heard.

Demystifying God

2011-12-18T07:52:00.000-08:00

Comments on the last reading (Reading 352) have induced me to write a post on the subject of seeing and conversing with God "face to face". Many of the accounts we have in the scriptures are of God appearing in His Glory. There has been much confusion in the world surrounding the issue of seeing and conversing with God, but as the apostle Paul declared to the men and women of Athens, "he be not far from every one of us". Although as the apostle declared, "he is Lord of heaven and earth [and] dwelleth not in temples made with hands", those who humbly approach Him in prayer on the subject and believe the declarations of His prophets, ancient and modern, will learn and know by His all-knowing and all-searching Spirit that we were created in His image, and that as His Son declared to Philip, "he that hath seen me hath seen the Father". Joseph Smith once declared that if we do not comprehend God, we do not comprehend ourselves. He also declared that there is no error in the revelations which he has taught. One of these revelations says about spirits of just men made perfect, "the spirit of a just man made perfect ... will come in his glory; for that is the only way he can appear", but of those who have received resurrected bodies as Jesus Himself said "Handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have." The best example of what a resurrected personage is like was shown us by the Lord Himself when after His resurrection "he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God". With these things in mind, I encourage you to go back and read Reading 352 and comments.

Software Freedom Day (SFD)

2011-09-13T19:15:00.000-07:00

This weekend, September 17th, has been designated as Software Freedom Day by the Free Software Foundation. I didn't know until I received an e-mail from the FSF today. I was just thinking about how complex our society has become -- how dependent we have become on technology. What would happen if only a select few were familiar with how these systems operate? How much control would they have over our lives? I believe that the technology that we depend on must be open to inspection by all users of that technology. I still believe it is necessary to respect the authors of the technology through the use of patents and copyright laws, but we need to be aware of what the software and hardware that we depend on for so many things is actually doing. We should be free to modify it however we deem appropriate for our individual use, and it shouldn't be willfully obfuscated or made difficult to understand and use. There. That's my two cents worth. Happy Software Freedom Day!

Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney's Agenda

2011-09-05T15:10:00.000-07:00

(from No Apology, The Case for American Greatness, by Mitt Romney)

There are three pillars that sustain a free and strong America:

1. A Strong Economy

2. A Strong Military

3. A Free and Strong People

The action steps to secure each of these include those noted in the Agenda, below.

AGENDA FOR A FREE AND STRONG AMERICA

1. Promote small business and entrepreneurship (with lower taxes, especially where there is "double taxation," by eliminating outdated and burdensome regulations, by refusing to impose unions on employess, and be enacting tort reform)

2. Stop the trillion-dollar deficits, and spend only what we have. No more borrowing for unnecessary "nice to have" government programs.

3. Publish an annual balance sheet for the country

4. Adopt dynamic regulations

5. Reduce and simplify taxes, especially double taxes that depress job creation. Do not allow taxes to be raised.

6. Adopt as "strong dollar" strategy, including spending restraint and entitlement sustainability reforms

7. Reform entitlements to make them sustainable in the long term and to honor all the promises that have been made to our seniors

8. Adopt an annual budget process for entitlements

9. Reform tort liability to reduce the burden of frivolous lawsuits

10. Stop any new "government-growing" stimulus program

11. Get the government out of General Motors--and other private companies

12. Increase our investment in science and basic research

13. Promote trade and American goods and services, insisting on intellectual property protection

14. Protect the right of workers to vote by secret ballot

15. Establish incentive and employer-based job-training programs to help people find new and sustainable employment

16. Reform immigration to attract and retain talent, simplify the legal processes, and end illegal immigration

17. Encourage shareholders and boards of directors to adopt reasonable compensation and long-term incentives for CEOs and executives

18. Encourage the measurement of corporate CEOs and union CEOs on the basis of teamwork, productivity, and long-term success of enterprise

19. Test and enact consumer-market-like incentives in health care, at the state and federal level, including HSAs, co-insurance options, single fee structures, etc.

20. Let states craft their own programs to insure the uninsured, providing flexibility in the use of federal funds that already go to the states

21. Enable insurers to establish incentives for healthy living and preventive care

22. Reform medical malpractice

23. Reform nuclear regulations to provide safety, not to block nuclear plants

24. Build new nuclear power plants

25. Promote coal and coal CO2 sequestration technology

26. Promote natural gas and establish the infrastructure for it to fuel power plants and transportation fleets--immediately

27. Explore and develop new oil and gas well, off and onshore

28. Develop, test, and promote incentives to encourage energy efficiency investments by private and public users

29. Establish a comprehensive energy security plan--a "no-regrets plan"--that frees us from dependence on oil oligopolists and that reduces our emissions of greenhouse gases

30. Endeavor to establish global international energy and greenhouse gas policies that reduce both greenhouse gas emissions and global dependence on oil

31. Establish an Index of Leading Leading Indicators to measure America's long-term strength

32. Stand by our allies and friends including Colombia, Israel, Poland, the Czech Republic, Georgia, Ukraine, etc.

33. Fast-track NATO admission of our friends

34. Promote and defend democracy and Western values around the world, including in Honduras and Iran

35. Deploy far-greater soft-power resources, with accountability, budgets, and regional envoys

36. End the practice of pursuing meaningless agreements that will not be honored by others

37. Establish forum for democracies to collaborate and promote freedom, using NATO as a foundation

38. Maintain a defense budget of at least 4 percent of our GDP, and at least twice the actual and comparable military spending of either Russia or China

39. Add at least 100,000 troops to our ground forces; provide top quality care and benefits to our veterans

40. Immediately replace and repair essential equipment and armament that has been lost in conflicts

41. Update our nuclear deterrent

42. Do not agree to reduce our nuclear capabilities such that we fall behind Russia; consider their "tactical" nukes

43. Expand our commitment to missile defense

44. Return our navy and air force to the levels needed to meet their respective missions

45. Increase our commitment to defend against discontinuities, cyber-attack, and space attack.

46. Establish Special Partnership Forces to aid in removing insurgencies

47. Push our allies to carry their fair share of the military requirements

48. Attract top students to become teachers, with higher starting salaries

49. Open pathways into teaching for individuals who have excelled in other fields

50. Pay teachers like the professionals they are, and provide opportunities for advancement and mentoring

51. Promote the use of student-performance measures, and do not prevent the use of these in the evaluation of teacher effectiveness

52. Promote school choice, with vouchers, charter schools, etc.

53. Promote cyber-learning, at school and at home

54. Do not allow teachers' unions to prevent the few ineffective teachers from being removed from the classroom

55. Do not allow teachers' unions to prevent higher pay for better teachers and for those with skills in short supply

56. Encourage states to develop programs that prepare parents of at-risk children for education

57. Promote state and local programs to keep kids in school--teacher bonuses, mentors, curriculum matching, etc.

58. Endeavor to provide the dignity of work in every safety-net program where that is possible, even if it costs the government more money to do so

59. Teach our children to love America by teaching our history, by describing our patriots, and by extolling America's greatness as the defender of liberty

60. Teach our children the benefits to them and to their children of getting married before they have babies

61. Remove marriage penalties from safety-net programs

62. Provide for a father's financial responsibility in the care of his child, even if not married or in the household

63. Reform campaign finance laws to remove the inordinate power of donation gatherers and to prohibit any organization form assessing individuals for political funds

64. Appoint judges that follow the Constitution rather than invent a new one

Conference Notes - April 2011

2011-04-03T06:34:00.000-07:00

Thomas S. Monson:

- Attend the temple often.

- Consider making contributions to the general missionary fund.

L. Tom Perry:

- Sabbath day observance, examples of the believers, all day long.

- Worship the Lord Thy God through partaking of the sacrament.

1. Keep ourselves unspotted from the world.

2. Go to the house of prayer, confess and forsake our sins (our oblations and sacraments), bring ourselves into harmony with our brothers and sisters and the Lord.

3. Rest from our labors.

Jean A. Stevens:

- "Behold your little ones" - examples of children

- tithing

- believing hearts, first to love, first to forgive, humility and reverence

- powerful examples, see clearly what matters most

- look for opportunities to serve others

- meet adversity with hope and even happiness

- The family is of God.

Walter F. Gonzalez:

- True followers of Christ

1. Loving followers of Christ, leaving the things of the world behind

2. Make and keep sacred covenants.

- perfectly honest and upright in all things

- an expression of love: "Yes, I will follow thee."

- Feel the blessings of remembering and renewing covenants.

- Repent and receive baptism in the Church of Jesus Christ.

Kent F. Richards:

- Pain reminds us of our need to rely on the Savior.

- "Will ye not now return unto me and be converted that I may heal you?"

- All pains can be soothed - swallowed up in his healing balm.

- "Ye are little children, Ye are mine, I am in your midst"

Quinton L. Cook:

- Marriage requires full partnership, unwavering faith in Jesus Christ.

- "He came to my aid."

- Priesthood and Relief Society work together in the home.

- Labor for the souls of men together.

- The Bishop has been instructed to delegate.

- Sisters can facilitate revelation in Ward Councils.

1. No woman should ever feel the need to apologize for staying home with her children.

2. No one should be judgmental of a woman's decision to work outside of the home.

Henry B. Eyring:

- Consecrate our time and means to help those in need.

- covenant to do so renewed weekly

- Include children in opportunities to help others.

- We should act on sympathies that we feel.

1. Everyone is happier when they can take care of themselves and reach out to those in need.

- better to give than to receive

2. Power and blessing of unity when we work together in a welfare project

3. Draw your family into the work with you.

4. Seek out those who still need assistance after all they can do for themselves.

1. Prepare yourself and those you lead spiritually.

2. Choose people whom to serve that will touch the hearts of those who serve them.

3. Draw upon the bonds of families and quorums.

Boyd K. Packer:

- We belong to the Church of Jesus Christ, not the "Mormon Church". All ordinances are performed with His authority and in His name.

- The sacred power of procreation is only to be exercised between husband and wife, male and female.

- Love one another and frankly forgive.

- Condemn not the things of God.

- Do a lot of forgiving and a little repenting.

Russell M. Nelson:

- The only premature death is the death of one not prepared to meet God.

- We don't need to let our fears overcome our faith.

- Let your faith be focused on your Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ.

- Teach faith in the plan of salvation.

- Teach faith to keep all the commandments of God.

- Warn that some will pick and choose which commandments they will obey. To be prepared to meet God, we must keep all of His commandments.

- Teach of spiritual and physical protection through obedience. When we are faithful, He and His angels will help us. "All these things shall give thee experience and be for thy good."

- Believe Him.

- Tithing is an ancient law from God.

- Difficult days are ahead. Each of us will be tested.

- How you deal with trials can strengthen your faith.

- "I will save thy children."

- Walk uprightly and keep the commandments.

- Fear not. Face the future with faith.

Richard J. Maynes:

- We have a Heavenly Family as well as an earthly family.

- The family is fundamental to the order of heaven.

- Selfishness, greed and pornography are Satan's tools to destroy the family.

- Do everything in our power to establish a Christ-centered home.

- Learning, teaching, and practicing gospel principles in the home will invite the Spirit.

-When sheep go wrong, it won't be long 'til the lambs are led astray, and they will have a terrible price to pay - The Echo

- Families can be like ropes. Kids can help their families like the strands of a rope.

Cecil O. Samuelson:

- Ask God in the name of Christ if these things are true, then follow them and be blessed with an abiding testimony by the power of the Holy Ghost and nurture that testimony thereafter by sharing it and keeping the commandments.

- "If you love me, keep my commandments."

Dalin H. Oaks:

- Importance of desire

- "Seek me diligently, and ye shall find me."

- Righteous desires must be heart felt and permanent.

- Begin with a desire for righteous qualities.

M. Russell Ballard:

- Strive to keep our lives simple.

- Love the Lord thy God and thy neighbor as thyself.

- "Love one another as I have loved you."

- Simple acts of kindness and service

1. Charity begins at home - golden rule

2. In the Church - love and service, fellowship through service

- a small fleck of gold at a time

3. In our communities

- We form friendships through service together that can last a life time.

- Missionary service - we need to be sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Ghost.

- Each of us can do something for some one.

- "Pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart that ye may be filled with this love."

Neil L. Anderson:

- These are your days, to prepare the world for the Second Coming.

- Missionary Service is a sacred priesthood duty.

- What can I give?

- "Ye are called to bring to pass the gathering of my elect."

- Worthiness and preparation are essential.

Steven E. Snow:

- Hope

Larry M. Gibson:

- Go to the scriptures and discover what your duties are.

- Invite all to come unto Christ.

- Make plans to carry out the Lord's will.

- Regularly council with your presidency to determine the Lord's will and then carry it out.

- Be clean and worthy at all times.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf:

- The Priesthood is an everlasting principle whereby the very powers of godliness are manifest.

- We can partake of an abundant feast of priesthood blessings.

- Set the "do it" switch to the "now" position.

1. Read the owner's manual and turn on the power! Read D&C 20, 84, 107, 121 and handbooks.

- Become an expert in the doctrine of the Priesthood.

- Sublime and Supernal

2. Seek the revelations of the Spirit.

- Don't allow doubts to keep you from reaching your potential.

- Seek the light of personal revelation, a spike of faith, to recognize the ministering of the Holy Ghost.

3. Find Joy in Priesthood Service.

- Let us glory in the Lord, yea, let us rejoice, especially in our own homes.

Henry B. Eyring:

1. Sit in counsel with your quorum.

2. Have love for each other that comes from great faith.

- "Organize yourselves ..." - D&C 88:123-124

- Find common ground.

- Every member in each quorum must be agreed in decisions.

- Labor for the souls of men.

- Be diligent and obedient in your Priesthood duty.

Thomas S. Monson:

- D&C 121 - "upon principles of righteousness"

- Do not subject yourself to filthy entertainment.

- "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain."

- Do not anything of which you cannot be proud.

- A firm testimony of the Savior will see your through. Do that which is necessary to obtain one. Keep it alive through obedience.

- Cease any unrighteousness.

- Get married!

- Once married, be fiercely loyal to your marriage.

- Your wife is your equal, she should be respected and loved.

- More important than marrying the right person is being the right person.

- Be as happy as you were when your marriage first started out.

- Stand above the ways of the world.

- Be honorable and decent men - above reproach.

- May righteousness guide our every step through life.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf:

- Do not wait too long on the road to Damascus.

- Turn down the volume control on the worldly in our lives.

- Hearken to the promptings of the spirit, and be diligent to heed them.

- Let us strive to be among those whom the Lord can rely on to hear His voice and heed His promptings.

- It is vital that we serve each other.

- Let us open our mouths at all times with our message of joy.

- "Preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary use words."

- "Blessed are they who have not seen and yet have believed."

Paul V. Johnson:

- The furnace of affliction can refine even the best of Saints.

- The only way to see the view is to make the climb.

H. David Burton:

- "As long as the Church has resources, we will not let you go hungry."

- Families, to the extent that they can, are to assume responsibility for their own temporal welfare.

- We must be fully invested in caring for each other while we are here on earth.

- Succor the weak, lift up the hands that hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees.

- Fly to the relief of the stranger ... make the widow's heart to rejoice.

- "Be kind to the poor." "Feed the hungry." "Cloth the naked." "Free the captive."

- This is the essence of who we are as disciples of Jesus Christ.

- "Go thou and do likewise."

Silvia H. Allred:

- We need to be of one heart and one mind.

- Love God and our neighbor.

- Visit the poor and the needy.

- Love and serve one another.

- Help members to help themselves.

- Rejoice in the opportunities we have to serve others.

- As we increase our own levels of self reliance, we increase our ability to help others.

- Bring peace, relief, and happiness.

- "By this shall men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."

David A. Bednar:

- This is thy gift (the spirit of revelation). Apply unto it.

- How can we reject the devil's enticements and apply unto the spirit of revelation?

- "Then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God."

Thomas S. Monson:

- Temples are filled with faith and fasting, they are sanctified by sacrifice.

- Set aside time from your busy lives to attend the temple.

- The work is ours to do.

- There is no more important goal for you than to qualify to enter the temple of God. Until we do, we have not received all that the Church has to offer.

- Have a picture of the temple in every bedroom of the house.

- We are often surrounded by that which can tear us down. The temple can lift us up.

- May we make whatever sacrifices are necessary to attend the temple.

Richard G. Scott:

- Go play with the children!

- Make your highest priority finding an eternal companion.

- Tell your wife often how very much you love her.

- Express love and gratitude for what she has done for you often.

- Have faith in eternal promises and live worthy of them.

D. Todd Christofferson:

- "I would that ye should be perfect."

- Willingly seek and accept correction.

- "Be zealous therefore and repent."

- "He that will not bear chastisement is not worthy of me."

- If we're open to it, needed correction will come.

- Parents can and must chasten.

- If we resist correction, it will not continue.

- Let us pray for His loving correction.

Carl B. Pratt:

- Let us not be accused of robbing God.

- "Thou shalt not delay to offer the first fruits."

- Let us show our faith in the Lord by paying our tithing.

Lynn G. Robbins:

- "The works that ye have seen me do, that shall ye also do."

- "To do" without "to be" is hypocrisy

- "To be" without "to do" portrays a false image to oneself.

- Ask the child what they learned from their mistake.

- Consider the more challenging child a blessing.

Benjamin De Hojas:

- Come unto the Lord

- "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

C. Scott Grow:

- "Behold, he that hath repented of his sins, I the Lord remember them no more."

- "Repent, repent, lest your sufferings be sore ..."

- "Will ye not now return unto me?"

- "Repent and forsake your sins."

- "Sanctify yourselves ... that I may make you clean."

Jeffery R. Holland:

- Reflect on the unique phenomenon of General Conference.

- What you have heard is under the direction of the Holy Spirit.

- Consider the variety of the messages you have heard.

- Say nothing but repentance unto this generation, and bind up the broken hearted.

Thomas S. Monson:

- May we long remember the messages we've heard. Read and study them.

- May we be good citizens and neighbors.

- May we be examples of honesty and integrity.

Come Listen to a Prophet's Voice and Hear the Word of God

2011-04-01T06:49:00.000-07:00

“For unto ... the Twelve, and ... the First Presidency ... is the power of this priesthood given for the last days and for the last time, in the which is the dispensation of the fulness of times.

“Which power [they] hold, in connection with all those who have received a dispensation at any time from the beginning of the creation;

“For verily I say unto you, the keys of the dispensation, which [they] have received, have come down from the fathers, and last of all, being sent down from heaven unto [them].”

"For [their] word[s] ye shall receive, as if from mine own mouth, in all patience and faith."

"And I now give unto you a commandment to beware concerning yourselves, to give diligent heed to the words of eternal life.

"For you shall live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God."

D&C 112:30-32; D&C 21:5; D&C 84:43-44

The 181st Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Conference Notes - April 2010

2010-04-04T16:21:00.000-07:00

President Monson:

- Help new converts feel at home

President Packer:

- Gideon's small army was successful
- It has never been easy to live the gospel
- We will never dominate by numbers but we have the Priesthood
- We will influence all of humanity
- We are to act for God on Earth with the authority to do so given by Him
- The home is the most important of our responsibilities
- It is the father's duty to preside, and the mother when he is not present
- We need everyone
- Activate the power of the Priesthood by using it in righteousness especially in the home

Sister Beck:

- How? By acting upon personal revelation
- Have a pen or pencil nearby when praying earnestly, write questions and the Lord's answers
- Use true measures of success (see talk for examples)
- Have courage to be different in happy ways

Bishop McMullen:

- "My people will I preserve."
- Troubles can keep us in the path of our duty
- God helps us to say: "I forgive you will all my heart."
- We must contribute - it is a moral imperative - our duty
- We should honor God and do good in the world
- Prayer requires harmony with heaven, the guidance of the Holy Spirit and undivided faith

Elder Wilford W. Anderson:

- Hope does not depend on circumstances, but faith in the Lord. He has already overcome the world. We just need to believe and follow. To have hope we must build faith by working at keeping the commandments with our best efforts.
- "Does anyone in this room have a problem with the plan of salvation?"

Elder Ballard:

- Don't look to contemporary culture for models to follow. Look to your mother. Love and respect her.
- "What you do is so loud that I can't hear your words."
- Make and keep covenants
- "Be strong and of a good courage."
- Parents and children need to listen and learn from each other

President Eyring:

- You and I can count on a continuous opportunity to assist others to safety.
- The family is the most important especially in the early years of a child's life.
- The strongest members should serve in the primary to assist individual children even when not assigned to do so.
- Notice and express appreciation for the good that they do

Elder L. Tom Perry:

- Teach in the home
- It is our sacred duty to do our best

Elder D. Todd Christofferson:

- Study the scriptures carefully and prayerfully

Elder Koichi Aoyagi:

- Look for opportunities to serve and lift God's children each day

Elder Bruce A. Carlson:

- Strict obedience to God's laws leads to His blessings

Elder David A. Bednar:

- Discuss gospel and personal experience with the Spirit with children
- Invite children to act upon discussed principles
- The Spirit is the teacher

Elder Holland:

- Separate yourself from circumstances that may harm you
- Picture the faces of those who love you and would be shattered
- Go to the temple as often as your circumstances permit
- Always remember Him
- "I will give place no more to the enemy of my soul."
- The highest and best within us - as pure as we were meant to be

Elder Oaks:

- "Thy faith hath made thee whole."
- "It is now up to me to claim my blessing according to my faith."
- Starting tonight, be worthy of a call from God
- Accept your divine appointment

David L Beck:

- He knows he can trust you to do His work
- Great things are expected of you
- Follow the Duty to God program (new materials will be available in June)
- Figuratively kiss the feet of the Savior as you partake of the sacrament
- "Thou art my son, and I have a work for you."
- As you fulfill your duty to God you will become a faithful servant - a force for good in the earth
- You will seek to be clean
- You will come to the Lord and ever strive to be like Him
- You are on a personal journey to help change the world

President Uchtdorf:

- Only 30% were able to wait
- Without patience we cannot please God
- Children must learn to wait
- Steady and consistent work brings results
- Actively work toward worthwhile goals
- Patience is not passive resignation
- Stay with it doing all we can, bearing hardship with fortitude
- Let us be patient with those with whom we serve
- Don't give up on anyone including yourself
- The promises of the Lord if not always swift are always certain
- Keep the commandments every hour of every day even when it is difficult
- If we wait patiently on the Lord, He will take us out of the pit and place us on the rock

President Eyring:

- Delight continually in what God would have you do
- Learn what the Lord expects of you, make a plan to do it, and follow it (Duty to God)
- Feel the magnitude of what God expects of you
- Become as He is
- Remember Him
- Live to give service
- Ponder, Pray, Plead, Plan, Promise, Act, Give thanks, Pray again

President Monson:

- Let us follow Jesus Christ our Lord
- Show respect to Heavenly Father and yourself
- Strengthen and encourage each other
- Use language to build and uplift others
- Avoid pornography at all costs
- "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God?"
- Use self-control
- Every action is preceded by a thought
- Fill your minds with good thoughts
- Be ye clean
- God will not suffer you to be tempted beyond that ye are able
- Prayer is the passport
- "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow."
- Spiritual strength often comes through selfless service

President Uchtdorf:

- Welcome and love all of God's children
- Let us commit to be His hands

Elder Scott:

- It is vital that we learn as much as we can about the atonement and its significance to us
- Establish a personal study plan
- We will never be released from parenthood
- Make Jesus Christ the center of your home
- Let Jesus Christ be your model and His teachings your guide for life
- Love and adore Him

Elder Hallstrom:

- Turn to the Lord in hard times, "Hold on thy way."
- Never let an earthly circumstance disable you spiritually

Sister Lant:

- Grow closer to the Lord, learn of Him and help your children do so as well
- Become worthy examples by putting our lives in order
- Protect them from influences that detract from the Spirit
- We are the angels that the Lord has placed to surround His children and bring them unto Him

Elder Quinton L. Cook:

- Sacrament meeting is the most sacred and holy meeting in the Church
- We can be more loving and kind in spite of our circumstances
- We must find time to slow down and ponder
- Spiritually avoid the low pathway

President Monson:

- If we do our best in this life, we will see Him again
- "He is not here, He is risen."

Elder Russell M. Nelson:

- Seek after our dead and help to exalt our ancestors
- Present a record worthy of all acceptation to the Lord in His Temple

Elder Robert D. Hales:

- Lead youth by example
- Plan and take advantage of teaching moments
- Ask them questions and let them talk and then listen and keep listening
- Participate in Personal Progress and Duty to God together with your children
- Look them in the eyes and tell them that we love them and that Heavenly Father loves them
- It is not merely enough to know, they must do
- The greatest missionary work, rescue, activating, family history, legacy, will be in our homes

Elder Bradley D. Foster:

- With the help of Priesthood leaders, parents should always go back and seek their loved ones

Elder James B. Martino:

- All things work together for good to those who love God
- Follow the example of the Savior and trust in Him
- Unless we lose ourselves in service to others, there is little meaning to our own lives

Elder Gregory A. Schwitzer:

- Put your own standards in alignment with the gospel of Jesus Christ
- Listen to the messages of the living prophets
- Cultivate with the Holy Spirit the ability to listen
- Keep the commandments

Elder Franscisco J. Vinas:

- Watch over our members and families to keep them from falling away from the principles of righteousness and to maintain an enduring conversion by loving and serving one another according to individual needs.
- Study the scriptures, pray, and live the gospel of Jesus Christ

Elder Neil L. Anderson:

- Tell the stories of Jesus
- Speak more frequently about Jesus Christ
- The Savior must be our foundation

President Monson:

- "Trust in the Lord with all thy heart and lean not to thy own understanding."
- Study and apply the messages of this conference
- Look to the lighthouse of the Lord

Worship

2010-01-30T12:08:00.000-08:00

While everyone was gone to the theater for my daughter's birthday party, I stayed home to get a little work done. I decided to take some time to study the Sunday School lesson for tomorrow. It covers Moses 5-7. I had some thoughts that I would like to share.

Prerequisite: Acceptance of the Book of Moses as the revealed word of God.

Adam and Eve were sorrowful because of the curse that had come upon them. They longed to be back in the presence of God. This longing induced them to call upon Him.

God heard their prayer and commanded them to worship Him.

In True to the Faith, the term "worship" is described as follows:

"To worship God is to give Him your love, reverence, service, and devotion.

. . .

"If you place any person or thing above the love of God, you are practicing false worship, or idolatry."

All of our doings should be unto the Lord.

"[Y]ou should have a worshipful attitude wherever you go and in everything you do."

Anything less than this is false worship.

A Written Prayer

2010-01-08T15:43:00.000-08:00

Ah Lord God, wilt thou look upon my heart and behold my silent anguish? I fail to find words to describe my silent feelings. I have nothing to hide. I am a faithful and worthy son. Hear thou my cry, I silently pray. I know that thou livest, for thou hast made thyself manifest to me in all I see, think, and feel. Thou hast redeemed my soul from eternal misery and darkness through the merits and mercy of thy Beloved Son in whom I trust. Then why this anguish and distress of heart? Thou hast revealed that I am a perfectionist with the promise that thou wilt help me to become perfect in many ways, yet I struggle with deep distress because of mine imperfection! I dwelt with thee before the world was. When in thy great wisdom thou calledst forth thy Son in that grand counsel, I was there! But now, I am in deep distress because I can no longer behold thy face! I am subject to the powers that be. I depend upon a wicked and fallen world for the means to support my family! The material of which my body is made is decomposing and returning to its mother earth. I am only kept alive by thy grace.

Now, I feel thy equally silent reply. My heart is comforted by the warmth of thy Spirit. The pain is still there. I am still imperfect, but thy love is real. I thank thee for hearing my cry.

The Precious Gift of Christmas

2009-12-20T04:09:00.000-08:00

What if Christ had not come?

"But behold, and fear, and tremble before God, for ye ought to tremble; for the Lord redeemeth none such that rebel against him and die in their sins; yea, even all those that have perished in their sins ever since the world began, that have wilfully rebelled against God, that have known the commandments of God, and would not keep them; these are they that have no part in the first resurrection.

"Therefore ought ye not to tremble? For salvation cometh to none such; for the Lord hath redeemed none such; yea, neither can the Lord redeem such; for he cannot deny himself; for he cannot deny justice when it has its claim.

"Thus all mankind were lost; and behold, they would have been endlessly lost were it not that God redeemed his people from their lost and fallen state.

"But remember that he that persists in his own carnal nature, and goes on in the ways of sin and rebellion against God, remaineth in his fallen state and the devil hath all power over him.

"And now if Christ had not come into the world, there could have been no redemption.

"And if Christ had not risen from the dead, or have broken the bands of death that the grave should have no victory, and that death should have no sting, there could have been no resurrection.

"But there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ.

"And now, ought ye not to tremble and repent of your sins, and remember that only in and through Christ ye can be saved?" (see Mosiah 15-16)

Birthday thoughts

2009-11-29T11:12:00.000-08:00

I felt very loved and appreciated today. Thank you to everyone for your kind thoughts and loving service.

Living with Apostles

2009-11-15T15:33:00.000-08:00

35 Apostles have lived during my lifetime:

1. David O. McKay
(born September 8, 1873; died January 18, 1970)

2. Joseph Fielding Smith
(born July 19, 1876; died July 2, 1972)

3. Hugh B. Brown
(born October 24, 1883; died December 2, 1975)

4. LeGrand Richards
(born February 6, 1886; died January 11, 1983)

5. Spencer W. Kimball
(born March 28, 1895; died November 5, 1985)

6. Delbert L. Stapley
(born December 11, 1896; died August 19, 1978)

7. Marion G. Romney
(born September 19, 1897; died May 20, 1988)

8. N. Eldon Tanner
(born May 9, 1898; died November 27, 1982)

9. Harold B. Lee
(born March 28, 1899; died December 26, 1973)

10. Ezra Taft Benson
(born August 4, 1899; died May 30, 1994)

11. Mark E. Peterson
(born November 7, 1900; died January 11, 1984)

12. Richard L. Evans
(born March 23, 1906; died November 1, 1971)

13. David B. Haight
(born September 2, 1906; died July 31, 2004)

14. Howard W. Hunter
(born November 14, 1907; died March 3, 1995)

15. Gordon B. Hinckley
(born June 23, 1910; January 27, 2008)

16. Marvin J. Ashton
(born May 6, 1915; died February 25, 1994)

17. Bruce R. McConkie
(born July 29, 1915; died April 19, 1985)

18. Joseph B. Wirthlin
(born June 11, 1917; died December 1, 2008)

19. James E. Faust
(born July 31, 1920; died August 10, 2007)

20. L. Tom Perry
(born August 5, 1922; still living)

21. Russell M. Nelson
(born September 9, 1924; still living)

22. Boyd K. Packer
(born September 10, 1924; still living)

23. Neal A. Maxwell
(born July 6, 1926; died July 21, 2004)

24. Thomas S. Monson
(born August 21, 1927; still living)

25. M. Russell Ballard
(born October 8, 1928; still living)

26. Richard G. Scott
(born November 7, 1928; still living)

27. Dallin H. Oaks
(born August 12, 1932; still living)

28. Robert D. Hales
(born August 24, 1932; still living)

29. Henry B. Eyring
(born May 31, 1933; still living)

30. Quentin L. Cook
(born September 8, 1940; still living)

31. Dieter F. Uchtdorf
(born November 6, 1940; still living)

32. Jeffery R. Holland
(born December 3, 1940; still living)

33. D. Todd Christofferson
(born January 24, 1945; still living)

34. Neil L. Andersen
(born August 9, 2951; still living)

35. David A. Bednar
(June 15, 1952; still living)

The Sun is Shining

2009-10-18T10:58:00.000-07:00

The sun was shining today in Fulton New York. I enjoyed the autumn colors as I followed the meandering country roads through the rural communities on my way to attend Church. I was assigned to speak there for the first time since I have served on the High Council of the Syracuse New York Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I enjoyed meeting new people as well as seeing some familiar faces. Our Stake Patriarch and his wife were there. They are serving as missionaries in the Stake, assigned to the Fulton Ward. Following Sacrament meeting, I asked where the Gospel Doctrine class was, but there must have been a miscommunication because I turned into the Gospel Essentials class where the missionaries and investigators were meeting. I sat next to the patriarch. He asked me if I had a book, and after learning that I did not, he kindly handed me his and got up to get another one for himself. During the course of the meeting, a question was asked, and this kind gentleman raised his hand and began to speak, but one of the Elders began to speak at the same time. The Elder politely apologized, and the patriarch humbly responded that what the Elder had to say was much better than what he was going to say.

Following Sunday School, I joined the men for Priesthood Meeting. After the opening exercises, I followed the older gentlemen into the room where the High Priests met. They were joking and chuckling and obviously enjoying one another's company. I sat down and began to listen to the conversation. It wasn't long before the patriarch joined us. He glanced at me and turned to find a seat. I asked him if I had taken his seat. He smiled and said that he didn't have an assigned seat. It was a full room. They continued in friendly conversation for quite a while. I commented that I felt like I was in Teachers' Quorum (14-15 year old boys) again. I felt very comfortable and right at home. Not long after this, the assigned teacher spoke up and asked who had read the lesson. I was surprised to see how many of them had. I looked over at the patriarch's book, and noticed that it had several paragraphs underlined. The Spirit of the Lord quickly engulfed us as these good men began to share what they had learned from their study. What a joy it was for me to rub shoulders with these seasoned, yet humble, servants of the Lord.

During the course of the conversation, one of the men spoke of how differently he had been raised when compared with what he had learned from being a member of the Church. He said that he came from a Protestant background and that his parents were good, well-meaning Christians, but that he was given an understanding that God was always mad at him. It wasn't until he met the good men of this church, that he learned what our Heavenly Father is really like. The lesson was about the Prophet Joseph Smith. He said that he was familiar with the great persecution that the Prophet had to endure, but this lesson helped him to see how charismatic the Prophet was. One of the early members who knew the Prophet personally, spoke of how, even as a youth, he remembered being more interested in what Joseph had to say than he was to join in playing games with the other youth. He talked about how he always felt loved and welcome when he came in contact with the Prophet of God. From my experience as a missionary, I had learned that it was the Spirit of God that people felt while the missionaries were visiting with them that induced them to want to know more. I am convinced that what this early member of the Church had felt in the presence of Joseph Smith, was that same Spirit.

The topic of conversation moved to President Gordon B. Hinckley. The men spoke of how kind and friendly the Prophet was. How he always had a gentle Spirit about him. The patriarch mentioned that many in the Church were concerned when Joseph Fielding Smith became Prophet because as an Apostle he came across a little abrasive at times. But the patriarch mentioned that as soon as he became Prophet, this gentle mantle seemed to fall upon him, and he no longer seemed to have this abrasive disposition. Other men mentioned how they saw a similar thing happen when President Monson became Prophet; although, I don't believe President Monson would be described as ever being abrasive. However, the overall consensus was that as these men became spokesmen for Our Heavenly Father, they received this subtle transformation.

As I met with these men, I felt that same friendly feeling that they were describing. I knew that it was the Spirit of God. Truly, the sun was shining in Fulton New York today.

Conference Notes - October 2009

2009-10-06T16:57:00.000-07:00

1st Session:

President Monson
- Reach out to new converts
- Pray in behalf of areas not yet open to missionary work

Elder Scott
- Write down impressions, pray for confirmation
- Authorize the Spirit to teach you
- Warn of the evils of pornography
- Master the principles of being guided by the Spirit

Sister Matsumori
- Provide environment where Spirit can be felt daily in our homes, time of quiet
- Let virtue garnish our thoughts unceasingly
- Share experiences with spiritual promptings when appropriate to help others recognize them
- Teachers are to facilitate influence of the Spirit

Elder Clayton
- Do everything we can to bear our burdens well
- Work is a blessing for our sake
- Be willing to bear burdens - ours and others

Brother Osguthorpe
- Teach principle, invite to act, promise blessings
- Use "Teaching No Greater Call" to prepare to teach
- When inspiration comes, close the manual
- When a call comes, accept it
- Think about, feel about, then do something about
- Can those I teach tell that I love them and my Heavenly Father?

Elder Bednar
- Be more diligent and concerned at home
1. Express and show love
2. Bear testimony and live it
3. Be consistent
- Thou shalt not bear false witness (hypocrisy)

President Uchtdorf
- "If ye love me, keep my commandments."
- "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God."
- "Love thy neighbor as thyself."
- Love ought to be at the center of all we do, our walk and our talk
- We must try - don't become discouraged
- Listen for His voice
- Let us be known as a people who love God with all our hearts and our neighbors as ourselves

2nd Session:

Elder Oaks
- Love and law go together

Elder Hales
- God lives and you can know it

Elder Zeballos
- Serve God with all your heart, might, mind, and strength - all our being
- God cannot accept less than we can give because that would not be just
- First do our part, God will do the rest
- Do the best we can and not less
- With God, perfection is possible

Elder Callister
- Don't focus on weakness or doubts

Elder Watson
- Develop temperance in all things through the gift of the Holy Ghost
- Govern your house in meekness

Elder Anderson
- "Repent and I will receive you."
- Daily seek the Lord's help to make required changes
- "Father, what wouldst thou have me do?"

President Packer
- Pray for President Monson and his family

Priesthood Session:

Elder Ballard
- Sons:
1. Trust your father
2. Take an interest in your father
3. Ask your father's advice
- Fathers:
1. Listen to your sons - at least one focused conversation per month
- How do you feel?
- Don't try to fix
2. Pray with and for your sons
3. Dare to have "the big talk" with your sons

Elder Gonzalez
- Feast upon the words of Christ as found in the Book of Mormon
- Apply in our lives all that we learn of Christ in the Book of Mormon
- Teach the doctrines and principles found in the Book of Mormon

Elder Choi
- Love our boys - as the sons of Helaman
- Faithfully attend our church meetings

President Uchtdorf
- Remain steadfast in hope
- Work unceasingly according to our full capacity
- Trust in the Lord doing the best we can
- Retirement is not part of the Lord's plan of happiness
- Learn as much as you can
- Fill our hours and days with righteous work

President Eyring
- Rise to your great destiny as Priesthood servants of God
- Have faith that God lives and that you have won His confidence to use the power He has given you
- Help young men to be ready

President Monson
- "Cease from anger and forsake wrath."
- "There shall be no disputations among you."
- Choose to refrain from becoming angry
- Leave unsaid the harsh words we may be tempted to say
- Be true to the Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood
- Be diligent in keeping all of the commandments of the Lord

4th Session:

President Eyring
- "Be gentle and loving in deed and in thought."
- We must be filled with the love of God and love for others
- Love is putting the welfare of others above our own

Elder Perry
- Sacrifice everything to become builders of the Kingdom of God in the Lord's way
- Prepare to share the basic principles of the gospel by studying "Preach My Gospel"

Bishop Burton
- Integrity is the strength of Deity within us
- Join in rescuing virtue

Sister Dibb
- Hold fast to the iron rod and don't let go
- Study and apply Lehi's vision
- Keep the commandments always in all things

Elder Nelson
- God is no respecter of persons. You too can receive personal revelation if you follow the relevant teachings of the Lord

President Monson
- What did you do for someone today?
- Find someone who is ill or lonely and do something for him or her

5th Session:

Elder Holland
- Come unto Christ and be perfected in Him

Elder Cook
- Teach the Lord's standard of morality
- We are accountable for our use of time, talent and earthly blessings
- Review our stewardships

Elder Nielson
- "Go ye therefore and teach all nations"
- Labor diligently in the vineyard this last time
- "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men."

Elder Renlund
- All may not be well although we feel fine
- We cannot afford to be casual
- We must never compromise our covenants with God or man

Elder Ringwood
- Be easy and willing to believe the word of God by repentance and obedience

Elder Sitati
- Develop a celestial culture

Elder Christofferson
- Moral agency must be coupled with moral discipline and moral certainty
- The lack of internal control is replaced by external compulsion and diminished freedom for everyone
- Instill faith in the rising generation through example and love by the power of the Holy Ghost while they are with us
- Acknowledge God and His authority
- Mere wanting is not a proper guide for moral judgement
- Be one with the Lord and His Father by receiving the Holy Ghost

President Monson
- Heed the commandments and we will make it through this time
- Remember general authorities in our prayers

My Kingdom

2009-09-30T16:23:00.000-07:00

My daughter is preparing to get a drivers license. In the meantime she has a temporary drivers permit that requires an adult to be in the car with her when she drives. She is very careful in following the guidelines she has been taught. One of those guidelines is to stop before a stop sign, even if you can't see down the road, and then slowly pull up past the sign as needed to be able to look for traffic. We were running late tonight, and as she did this, I commented on how slow she was being. Her response was, "It's okay to be slow daddy."

Her response got me to thinking. I responded, "Does that mean that it's okay if I don't get my Masters' degree until I'm 60?"

"Why would you need a Masters' degree when you are 60?", she retorted.

Her response again got me to thinking. After spending several minutes in thought, I responded, "My life's work is my family."

After pondering this statement further, I remembered something that was said long ago by Someone Whom I revere with the highest esteem. "My Kingdom is not of this world." I repeated these words out loud, and then said, "I guess I'm more like Jesus than I thought." After another pause I snapped my fingers and said, "This life is just like that, a snap of the fingers." Then, as though Elijah were standing right there coaching me I said, "It's all about temple ordinances. You have to receive them while in the flesh, or else someone who is has to do them for you by proxy. Everything else in this life is a distraction." I felt the Spirit bear witness to the truth of my words. I then thought of something President Boyd K. Packer once said in substance, "To obtain the temple covenants is the quest of a lifetime, to remain true to them thereafter is the challenge of mortality." I then said, "They see things, but there just aren't words to express what they see." Suddenly, it was all clear. It truly is all about temple ordinances.

Starting Over

2009-09-27T10:18:00.000-07:00

I was tempted today to delete all of my posts and start over. Then I realized that I didn't want to lose everything that I have already written. I like writing. I just don't know if what I have to say is of interest to anybody besides myself. You have to know your audience to write to them, and I know myself best. So, I write to myself, but with a blog I do it openly. So, though I write to myself, I do it so that if anyone is interested in me, they will have a way of getting to know me better.

As I was on the road following a Sacrament Meeting, I had 45 minutes to think. As I analyzed my thoughts, I found it interesting how many suggestions are made to our minds on a continual basis. We are continually making choices between the suggestions. Which one will I allow to become my focus? What will I think about?

The same thing applies to writing. Which of the many things that cross my mind will I choose to write about? Well, I guess I have chosen. The time is now past. I have chosen to write more frequently.

My Talk - 5/24/2009

2009-05-24T12:46:00.000-07:00

I. Introduction

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

I desire to speak to you today of matters of eternal significance. I am reminded of the words of King Benjamin, and I pray that we will not trifle with the words of the Lord, but that we may open our ears that we may hear and our hearts that we may understand and our minds that the mysteries of God may be unfolded to our view. For it is the privilege of all those who have had hands placed upon their heads for the gift of the Holy Ghost to receive the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. I desire to speak about what our Savior expects of us.

II. War in Heaven

As you know, there is a war being waged over the souls of the children of men. This war began in heaven, and it has continued upon the earth since the days of the first man.

In the book of Revelation we read:

"And there was war in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon fought and his angels." - Revelation 12:17

In the book of Abraham we learn about the setting of this war:

"Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was ...
"And there stood One among them that was like unto God, and He said unto those who were with Him: We will go down ... and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell;
"And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do ALL things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them." - Abraham 3:22-25

So, I ask, what does the Savior expect of us?

According to these scriptures, the answer is:

"[To] do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them."

III. The Stakes

What is the Lord's promise to those who pass this test?

"[T]hey who keep their second estate shall have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever." - Abraham 3:26

What is the alternative?

The prophet Alma explained that there will come a day, after the long-suffering of the Lord is past, that each of us will be brought to stand before the tribunal of the Great Jehovah to be judged of our works, whether they be good or evil; and at that day, if we have hardened our hearts against the word, we shall be condemned:

"For our words will condemn us, yea, all our works will condemn us; we shall not be found spotless; and our thoughts will also condemn us; and in this awful state we shall not dare to look up to our God; and we would fain be glad if we could command the rocks and the mountains to fall upon us to hide us from His presence.
"But this cannot be; we must come forth and stand before Him in His glory, and in His power, and in His might, majesty, and dominion, and acknowledge to our everlasting shame that all his judgements are just; that He is just in all his works, and that He is merciful unto the children of men, and that He has all power to save every man that believeth on His name and bringeth forth fruit meet for repentance." - Alma 12:13-15

Alma goes on to explain the everlasting torments and spiritual death of those who cannot be redeemed.

IV. Our Savior Wants to Save Us

Elder Holland gave a beautiful discourse last conference of the great lengths to which our Savior went to enable us to be redeemed from this spiritual death. It was not easy for Him, and it is not intended to be easy for us. But, in comparison to the alternative, His yoke is easy and His burden is light. But it is a yoke, nonetheless.

So, I ask again, what does the Savior expect of us? What is the yoke that we are required to take upon ourselves?

I answer again: We must keep ALL of His commandments.

V. We are Saved by Obedience to the Law of Christ

In D&C 88, the Lord explained:

"[T]he redemption of the soul is through Him that quickeneth all things, in whose bosom it is decreed that the poor and the meek of the earth shall inherit it.
"Therefore, it must needs be sanctified from all unrighteousness, that it may be prepared for celestial glory;
"That bodies who are of the celestial kingdom may possess it forever and ever; for, for this intent was it made and created, and for this intent are they sanctified.
"And they who are not sanctified through the law which I have given unto you, even the law of Christ, must inherit another kingdom." - D&C 88:17-21

VI. The Law of Christ = Ordinances of the Holy Priesthood

What is the law of Christ mentioned in this scripture?

The Lord gave the answer to this question to the Prophet Joseph Smith when he was inquiring about the ancient practice of plural marriage. As always seemed to be the case with the Prophet, the Lord revealed much more than Joseph expected. In answer to the Prophet's query, among other things, the Lord said:

"I am the Lord thy God, and will give unto thee the law of my Holy Priesthood, as was ordained by me and my Father before the world was ...
"and by this law is the continuation of the works of my Father ...
"enter ye into my law and ye shall be saved.
"But if ye enter not into my law ye cannot receive the promise of my Father" - D&C 132:28,31,32

VII. Oath and Covenant of the Holy Priesthood

What is the reward for passing what is called our second estate?

In D&C 84, the the Lord gives us His Oath and Covenant, which is:

"[A]ll that my Father hath shall be given unto him." - D&C 84:38

What is the condition of this promise?

"[Y]ou shall live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God." - D&C 84:44

These are very sacred matters, and they are of eternal significance to each of us. In order to pass our second estate, we must live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God. We must keep ALL of His commandments.

In these verses the Lord is pleading with us to receive Him as the Son of God with this very stark warning:

"But whoso breaketh this covenant after he hath received it, and altogether turneth therefrom, shall not have forgiveness of sins in this world nor in the world to come ...
"And I now give unto you a commandment to beware concerning yourselves, to give diligent heed to the words of eternal life.
"[Y]our minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received--
"Which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation.
"And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and ... bring forth fruit meet for their Father's kingdom; otherwise there remaineth a scourge and judgement to be poured out upon the children of Zion.
"For I, the Almighty, have laid my hands upon the nations, to scourge them for their wickedness.
"For if they do reject these things the hour of their judgement is nigh, and their house shall be left unto them desolate.
"For I, the Lord, have put forth my hand to exert the powers of heaven; ye cannot see it now, yet a little while and ye shall see it, and know that I am, and that I will come and reign with my people." - D&C 84:43,54-55,57-58,96,115,119

VIII. Is it Vain to Serve God?

The ancient prophet Malachi spoke concerning these things, and the Lord considered his words to be of significant enough importance to repeat them to the Nephites when He showed Himself to them after His resurrection in Jerusalem.

"But who may abide the day of His coming, and who shall stand when he appeareth?
"Ye have said: It is vain to serve God, and what doth it profit that we have kept his ordinances and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hosts?
"And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered." - 3 Nephi 24:2,14-15

But we must remember that this life is a test to see if we will "do ALL things whatsoever the Lord [our] God shall command [us]."

Malachi continues:

"[A]nd a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name.
"And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
"Then shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not." - 3 Nephi 24:16-18

We came to this earth to prove to our Father in Heaven that we would be obedient to His laws and commandments. He cannot entrust us with "all that He hath" until we have been proven in the furnace of affliction that we will be obedient even unto death.

In the words of the Psalmist:

"The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
"For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.
"Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in His Holy place?
"He that hath clean hands and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully." - Psalm 24:1-4

IX. Who then can be Saved?

Now, after hearing these things you may, like the Lord's Apostles of old, ask:

"Who then can be saved?"

Hear the Savior's gentle response:

"And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible." - Mark 10:26-27

Joseph Smith's translation of this account in the book of Matthew reads as follows:

"But Jesus beheld their thoughts, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but if they will forsake all things for my sake, with God whatsoever things I speak are possible." - JST Matt. 19:26

X. Line upon Line

In our dispensation, the Lord has said:

"Behold, I, the Lord, who was crucified for the sins of the world, give unto you a commandment that you shall forsake the world."

He then explains the need for "faith and repentance and [baptism for the] remission of sins ... and the reception of the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands" and then says:

"Behold, these are the first ordinances which you shall receive;"

He then continues to explain that there are other ordinances which "shall be made known in a time to come".

He concludes by saying:

"And again, I would that ye should learn that he only is saved who endureth unto the end." - D&C 53:2-3,6-7

The Lord has revealed in our day the very plan of salvation that if followed will sanctify us and prepare us to worthily stand in His presence and to act as His agents over all the works of His hands, and finally, to be agents unto ourselves to possess eternal lives and all that He Himself possesses, even a fulness of godly attributes, powers and perfections, even worlds without end.

XI. The Divine Purpose of Gathering

The Lord has promised us that He will gather us "as a hen gathereth her chickens" if we will but "hearken to His voice". - D&C 29:1-2

In the most recent General Conference of the Church, Elder Bednar explained how the Lord gathers us:

"The Prophet Joseph Smith declared that in all ages the divine purpose of gathering the people of God is to build temples so His children can receive the highest ordinances and thereby gain eternal life (see Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [Melchizedek Priesthood and Relief Society course of study, 2007], 415–17). This essential relationship between the principle of gathering and the building of temples is highlighted in the Book of Mormon:

“Behold, the field was ripe, and blessed are ye, for ye did thrust in the sickle, and did reap with your might, yea, all the day long did ye labor; and behold the number of your sheaves! And they shall be gathered into the garners, that they are not wasted” (Alma 26:5).

"The sheaves in this analogy represent newly baptized members of the Church. The garners are the holy temples. Elder Neal A. Maxwell explained:

“Clearly, when we baptize, our eyes should gaze beyond the baptismal font to the holy temple. The great garner into which the sheaves should be gathered is the holy temple” (in John L. Hart, “Make Calling Focus of Your Mission,” Church News, Sept. 17, 1994, 4).

"This instruction clarifies and emphasizes the importance of sacred temple ordinances and covenants—that the sheaves may not be wasted.

“Yea, they shall not be beaten down by the storm at the last day; yea, neither shall they be harrowed up by the whirlwinds; but when the storm cometh they shall be gathered together in their place, that the storm cannot penetrate to them; yea, neither shall they be driven with fierce winds whithersoever the enemy listeth to carry them” (Alma 26:6).

XII. Invitations and Commendation

Elder Bednar continues:

"Within the sound of my voice are many young women, young men, and children. I plead with you to be worthy, to be steadfast, and to look forward with great anticipation to the day you will receive the ordinances and blessings of the temple.

"Within the sound of my voice are individuals who should have but have not yet received the ordinances of the house of the Lord. Whatever the reason, however long the delay, I invite you to begin making the spiritual preparations so you can receive the blessings available only in the holy temple. Please cast away the things in your life that stand in the way. Please seek after the things that are of eternal consequence.

"Within the sound of my voice are individuals who have received the ordinances of the temple and for various reasons have not returned to the house of the Lord in quite some time. Please repent, prepare, and do whatever needs to be done so you can again worship in the temple and more fully remember and honor your sacred covenants.

"Within the sound of my voice are many individuals who hold current temple recommends and strive worthily to use them. I commend you for your faithfulness and devotion.

"I bear solemn witness that the fire of the covenant will burn in the heart of every faithful member of this Church who shall worship and honorably hold a name and standing in the Lord’s holy house."

Similarly, Elder Scott counseled:

"I encourage you to establish your own goal of how frequently you will avail yourself of the ordinances offered in our operating temples. What is there that is more important than attending and participating in the ordinances of the temple? What activity could have a greater impact and provide more joy and profound happiness for a couple than worshipping together in the temple?

"Now I share some additional suggestions of how to gain more benefit from temple attendance.

"Understand the doctrine related to temple ordinances, especially the significance of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

"While participating in temple ordinances, consider your relationship to Jesus Christ and His relationship to our Heavenly Father. This simple act will lead to greater understanding of the supernal nature of the temple ordinances.

"Always prayerfully express gratitude for the incomparable blessings that flow from temple ordinances. Live each day so as to give evidence to Father in Heaven and His Beloved Son of how very much those blessings mean to you.

"Schedule regular visits to the temple.

"Leave sufficient time to be unhurried within the temple walls.

"Rotate activities so that you can participate in all of the ordinances of the temple.

"Remove your watch when you enter a house of the Lord.

"Listen carefully to the presentation of each element of the ordinance with an open mind and heart.

"Be mindful of the individual for whom you are performing the vicarious ordinance. At times pray that he or she will recognize the vital importance of the ordinances and be worthy or prepare to be worthy to benefit from them.

"Recognize that much of the majesty of the sealing ordinance cannot be understood and remembered with one live experience. Substantial subsequent vicarious work permits one to understand much more of what is communicated in the live ordinances.

"Realize that a sealing ordinance is not enduring until after it is sealed by the Holy Spirit of Promise. Both individuals must be worthy and want the sealing to be eternal.

XIII. Let us Go Up and Serve the Lord!

How great are the promises of the Lord to those who prove faithful!

"[Brothers and sisters], shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren [and sisters]; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad. Let the earth break forth into singing. Let the dead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the King Immanuel, who hath ordained, before the world was, that which would enable us to redeem them out of their prison; for the prisoners shall go free.
"Let the mountains shout for joy, and all ye valleys cry aloud; and all ye seas and dry lands tell the wonders of your Eternal King! And ye rivers, and brooks, and rills, flow down with gladness. Let the woods and all the trees of the field praise the Lord; and ye solid rocks weep for joy! And let the sun, moon, and the morning stars sing together, and let all the sons [and daughters] of God shout for joy! And let the eternal creations declare His name forever and ever! And again I say, how glorious is the voice we hear from heaven, proclaiming in our ears, glory, and salvation, and honor, and immortality, and eternal life; kingdoms, principalities, and powers!
"Behold, the great day of the Lord is at hand; and who can abide the day of His coming, and who can stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner's fire, and like fuller's soap; and He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Let us, therefore, as a church and a people, and as Latter-day Saints, offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness; and let us present in His Holy Temple ... a book containing the records of our dead, which shall be worthy of all acceptation." - D&C 128:22-24

Brothers and Sisters,

"Come ye, and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord, to the House of the God of Jacob; and He will teach us of His ways, and we will walk in His paths: for [thence] shall go forth the law [even] the word of the Lord." (see Isaiah 2:3)

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Thank you, W. Cleon Skousen,

2009-04-29T16:23:00.000-07:00

for identifying these 28 principles espoused by the Founding Fathers of the United States upon which our freedom is based:

1. The only basis for sound government is Natural Law.

2. A free people cannot survive under a republican constitution unless they remain virtuous and morally strong

3. The most promising method of securing a virtuous people is to elect virtuous leaders.

4. Without religion the government of a free people cannot be maintained.

5. All things were created by God, therefore upon him all mankind are equally dependent, and to him they are equally responsible.

6. All mankind are created equal.

7. The proper role of government is to protect equal rights, not provide equal things.

8. Mankind are endowed by God with certain unalienable rights.

9. To protect human rights, God has revealed a code of divine law.

10. The God-given right to govern is vested in the sovereign authority of the whole people.

11. The majority of the people may alter or abolish a government which has become tyrannical.

12. The United States of America shall be a republic.

13. A Constitution should protect the people from the frailties of their rulers.

14. Life and liberty are secure only so long as the rights of property are secure.

15. The highest level of prosperity occurs when there is a free-market economy and a minimum of government regulations.

16. The government should be separated into three branches.

17. A system of checks and balances should be adopted to prevent the abuse of power by the different branches of government.

18. The unalienable rights of the people are most likely to be preserved if the principles of government are set forth in a written Constitution.

19. Only limited and carefully defined powers should be delegated to government, all others being retained by the people.

20. Efficiency and dispatch require that the government operate according to the will of the majority, but constitutional provisions must be made to protect the rights of the minority.

21. Strong local self-government is the keystone to preserving human freedom.

22. A free people should be governed by law and not by the whims of men.

23. A free society cannot survive as a republic without a broad program of general education.

24. A free people will not survive unless they stay strong.

25. "Peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations -- entangling alliances with none."

26. The core unit which determines the strength of any society is the family; therefore, the government should foster and protect its integrity.

27. The burden of debt is as destructive to human freedom as subjugation by conquest.

28. The United States has a manifest destiny to eventually become a glorious example of God's law under a restored Constitution that will inspire the entire human race.

Conference Notes - 5th Session April 2009

2009-04-05T17:23:00.000-07:00

A. Elder Oaks
1. Forget yourself and go to work.
2. How many people did you help?
3. Establish the Lord's standards.
4. Love and serve one another.

B. Elder Bednar
1. Look to the temple as we participate in the ordinance of the sacrament.
2. Faithfully and consistently worship in the temple.
3. Honorably hold a name and a standing in His house.
4. Study carefully and repeatedly ...
5. Let the fire of the temple covenant burn in your hearts.

C. Elder Stevenson
1. We can make our home a house of the Lord.
2. Can you find your personal gospel study place?
3. Establish standards for your home.
4. Say the word "Temple". Say it again. Add the word "Holy". Put the words "Home" and "Holy Temple" together and you have described the House of the Lord.

D. Elder Teixeira
1. Spiritual gifts help guide us toward our eternal goals: (1) The power of choice. (2) The Light of Christ or conscience. (3) The Holy Ghost. (4) The capacity to believe the words of those who testify of Jesus Christ.
2. Keeping the commandments help us to maintain a strong signal from the divine.

E. Elder Watson
1. "Whoso treasureth up My word shall not be deceived."
2. "Search these commandments for they are true and faithful."
3. Be strong, never give up, endure to the end by heeding the words of the prophets.
4. "Look unto Me and endure to the end."
5. The Master speaks to us through His prophet.

F. Elder Perry
1. Member missionaries are the shepherds. We know personally those who are lost and need rescuing. Warn your neighbors. Thrust in your cycle and reap with all your might. Open your mouths and spare not. "Repent ye, repent ye, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand."
2. Open your mouth three times: (1) Declare your belief in Jesus Christ and the atonement. (2) Tell in your own words the story of the First Vision. (3) Testify of the Book of Mormon.
3. The Savior is the Good Shepherd and we are called into His service. The shepherd should do everything in his power for ALL of his sheep.
4. Ponder what it means to be lost and what it means to be a spiritual shepherd. Such shepherds experience inexpressible joy.

G. President Monson
1. Be willing to share your talents with others.
2. Remember what you have heard in this conference. Study the messages and apply them in your life.
3. May we strive to live closer to the Lord.
4. Express your love to your children often. Pray for them.
5. Be strong. Be clean. Don't go to destructive content on the Internet. Stay on the straight and narrow path.
6. Go to the temple often. Become saviors on mount Zion.
7. May your houses be filled with harmony and love.
8. Remember me and all of the general authorities in your prayers.
9. Nourish your testimony.
10. "Love one another as I have loved you."

Conference Notes - 4th Session April 2009

2009-04-05T11:02:00.000-07:00

A. President Uchtdorf
1. Turn your thoughts to Jesus Christ.
2. Have faith in the omniscience of God.
3. Follow Him and live by His teachings.
4. The fruits of the Spirit will be manifest in our lives: Love, joy, peace, hope.
5. Make the gospel part of our daily lives.
6. Growth is gradual and requires patience and endurance.
7. We must not neglect the tree.
8. Discipleship is a journey, not a spectator sport.
9. (1) Start where you stand. Have faith. (2) Commit to live the gospel. (3) Express gratitude. (4) Learn from our mistakes. We all make them. It is never too late. We need you.

B. Elder Anderson
1. We must remember who we are and what we have in our hands. We are not alone.
2. There are things we can learn from the good people all around us.
3. "This is My Church; I will establish it, and nothing shall overthrow it."

C. Elder Snow - We need to get on with our lives.
1. Follow the prophets. "Whether by My Own Voice or the voice of my servants, it is the same."
2. Keep an eternal perspective. Change is a part of our Heavenly Father's plan. Change is an opportunity to grow.
3. Move forward with faith. Allow faith to dispel doubt.
4. Be of good cheer. "I Am in you midst and have not forsaken you." Next time you feel like groaning, laugh instead. It will extend your life and make the lives of those around you more enjoyable.

D. Sister Thomas - Little time is remaining to publish the gospel and bring souls to Christ.
1. Increase our faith. Pray always and read scriptures daily throughout our lives.
2. Strengthen home and family.
3. Serve others and care for the poor among us. Are we not all beggars?

E. Elder Holland
1. We owe a debt of gratitude for the atonement of Jesus Christ.
2. He has walked alone once. May we stand by Jesus Christ at all times and all places until death.

F. President Monson
1. Turn our thoughts from the troubles around us and instead focus on our membership in the Church.
2. Remain steadfast.
3. "Be of good cheer. I have overcome the world."
4. The future is as bright as our faith.

Conference Notes - Priesthood Session April 2009

2009-04-04T19:28:00.000-07:00

A. Bishop Edgely
1. Opportunities abound to lift those in need.
2. Priesthood quorums and Relief Society sisters can and must make a difference.
3. Bring in our people from the economic storm. (alusion to handcarts on the plains)

B. Elder Costa
1. We need to keep Monday nights free from other activities (for FHE).

C. President Uchtdorf
1. Give attention to the things that matter most.
2. Put away childish things and live up to your potential.
3. "I'm doing a great work and cannot come down."
4. Bear Priesthood with honor.
5. Never lower our standards.

D. President Eyring
1. Be brave and bold in Priesthood service.
2. Move to help your wounded friend.
3. Lift up the hands that hang down; strengthen the feeble knees.
4. None but fools will trifle with the souls of men.
5. Watch over the Church always and be with and strengthen them.
6. Lovingly invite change with a promised blessing as moved upon by the Spirit using the gift of discernment to lead them from sadness to happiness through the power of the atonement.

E. President Monson
1. Jot down what you've heard this evening and it will help you be a better Priesthood holder.
2. Strive to learn your duty and do the best of your ability.
3. As we bear His Priesthood worthily, we will come off victorious.
4. Be your best self.
5. (1) Study diligently. Daily scripture reading and application as if they are speaking to you, for such is the truth. (2) Pray fervently. (3) Live righteously. Touch no unclean thing. Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord. Live lives of purity and virtue. Never despair. The Lord shapes the back for the burden to be placed upon it.

Conference Notes - 2nd Session April 2009

2009-04-04T15:03:00.000-07:00

A. Elder Ballard
1. Learn from the past.
2. Remain faithful to our Heavenly Father's commandments.
3. Be open and receptive to the promptings of the Spirit.

B. Elder Cook
1. Be of good cheer - I have overcome the world.
2. We are generally viewed favorably when we observe the teachings of the Church.
3. Live with respect for those not of our faith and of those not of our level of activity in the Church.

C. Elder Pierson
1. If we desire more faith, we must be more obedient.
2. Exact obedience is necessary. "Nothing wavering."
3. Disbelief is the result of succumbing to a pattern of temptation that gradually erodes our faith: Doubt, Discouragement, Distraction, Lack of Diligence, Disobedience, Disbelief.

D. Elder Scott
1. Strive to draw closer to the Savior through regularly planned participation in temple ordinances.
2. Listen carefully while participating in temple ordinances.
3. Identify and qualify ancestors through new.familysearch.org.
4. Pray that those for whom we officiate have or will prepare themselves to receive those ordinances.
5. We should never complain, when living worthily, about what happens in our lives.

E. Elder Nelson
1. Pray with faith and trust in the Lord.

Conference Notes - 1st Session April 2009

2009-04-04T12:08:00.000-07:00

A. Elder Hales
1. Thou shalt not covet. Be content. "We can't affort it."
2. Review budget in family council to teach children.
3. We must want more than anything else our Heavenly Father's will.

B. Sister Lifferth
1. Foster respect and reverence.
2. Focus on things we have in common.
3. Handle scriptures with reverence.
4. Do socializing in the foyer.
5. Every child deserves a chance to progress.

C. Elder Neider
1. Do your homework (learn your duty and act with all diligence).

D. Elder Christofferson
1. God cannot lie.
2. Observe your covenants by sacrifice.
3. You shall not be confounded before men.
4. Let your obedience be exact.
5. Honor your covenants with Him.

E. President Eyring
1. Prepare your heart for the Lord's help.
2. Help those who have less than you.
3. You are the one to give comfort to others. Think of others even while bearing your own cross. The Savior will help you.

2009-03-30T17:58:00.001-07:00

I learned today that I do not have a moral obligation to stand behind the President of the United States. I always thought that I should support my political leaders regardless of the party to which they belonged. But now I know that I must oppose all evil -- especially that found in high places.

My Talk - 3/15/2009

2009-03-16T03:13:00.000-07:00

Lift Where You Stand

I. Moving a Piano
President Uchtdorf: "Brethren, stand close together and lift where you stand."

Another analogy that I thought of was a tug-o-war and what the affect would be if the participants on a team were not pulling together.

If we are not pulling together, we will not be able to establish Zion. And Zion must be established prior to the second coming of the Savior.

Elder Christofferson:

"Under the direction of the Prophet Joseph Smith, early members of the Church attempted to establish the center place of Zion in Missouri, but they did not qualify to build the holy city. The Lord explained one of the reasons for their failure:

“'They have not learned to be obedient to the things which I required at their hands, but are full of all manner of evil, and do not impart of their substance, as becometh saints, to the poor and afflicted among them;

“'And are not united according to the union required by the law of the celestial kingdom' (D&C 105:3–4).

“'There were jarrings, and contentions, and envyings, and strifes, and lustful and covetous desires among them; therefore by these things they polluted their inheritances' (D&C 101:6).

"Rather than judge these early Saints too harshly, however, we should look to ourselves to see if we are doing any better.

"Zion is Zion because of the character, attributes, and faithfulness of her citizens. Remember, 'the Lord called his people Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in righteousness; and there was no poor among them' (Moses 7:18). If we would establish Zion in our homes, branches, wards, and stakes, we must rise to this standard. It will be necessary (1) to become unified in one heart and one mind; (2) to become, individually and collectively, a holy people; and (3) to care for the poor and needy with such effectiveness that we eliminate poverty among us. We cannot wait until Zion comes for these things to happen—Zion will come only as they happen."

As I was preparing this talk, I found another interesting statement about Zion from an article entitled "Becoming A Zion Society: Six Principles".

"We should feel great urgency to live these principles today because of the promise that Zion will—must—be built in our day in preparation for the Lord’s second coming."

II. Some Want to Lead, Others Want to Hide
A. Those Who Seek to Lead
"If only I were a bishop, I could make a difference."

B. Those Who Seek to Hide - too busy to serve
President Benson: "The Lord expects each of us to have a calling in His Church so that others may be blessed by our talents and influence."

President Romney: "Service is not something we endure on this earth so we can earn the right to live in the celestial kingdom. Service is the very fiber of which an exalted life in the celestial kingdom is made."

C. Root cause: selfishness
President Romney: "It has always seemed somewhat paradoxical to me that we must constantly have the Lord command us to do those things which are for our own good. The Lord has said, 'He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it' (Matthew 10:39). We lose our life by serving and lifting others. By so doing we experience the only true and lasting happiness."

III. A Better Way
"Whoseover will be chief among you, let him be your servant." (Matthew 20:27)

Motivated by charity not honors of men.

President Uchtdorf: "The Lord judges so very differently from the way we do. He is pleased with the noble servant, not with the self-serving noble."

A. John Rowe Moyle
President Uchtdorf: "He knew what the Lord expected him to do."

"This year marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of John Rowe Moyle. John was a convert to the Church who left his home in England and traveled to the Salt Lake Valley as part of a handcart company. He built a home for his family in a small town a valley away from Salt Lake City. John was an accomplished stonecutter and, because of this skill, was asked to work on the Salt Lake Temple.

"Every Monday John left home at two o’clock in the morning and walked six hours in order to be at his post on time. On Friday he would leave his work at five o’clock in the evening and walk almost until midnight before arriving home. He did this year after year.

"One day, while he was doing his chores at home, a cow kicked him in the leg, causing a compound fracture. With limited medical resources, the only option was to amputate the broken leg. So John’s family and friends strapped him onto a door and, with a bucksaw, cut off his leg a few inches from the knee.

"In spite of the crude surgery, the leg started to heal. Once John could sit up in bed, he began carving a wooden leg with an ingenious joint that served as an ankle to an artificial foot. Walking on this device was extremely painful, but John did not give up, building up his endurance until he could make the 22-mile (35-km) journey to the Salt Lake Temple each week, where he continued his work.

"His hands carved the words “Holiness to the Lord” that stand today as a golden marker to all who visit the Salt Lake Temple.5

"John did not do this for the praise of man. Neither did he shirk his duty, even though he had every reason to do so. He knew what the Lord expected him to do.

"Years later, John’s grandson Henry D. Moyle was called as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve and, eventually, served in the First Presidency of the Church. President Moyle’s service in these callings was honorable, but his grandfather John’s service, though somewhat less public, is just as pleasing to the Lord. John’s character, his legacy of sacrifice, serves as a banner of faithfulness and an ensign of duty to his family and to the Church. John Rowe Moyle understood the meaning of 'lift where you stand.'"

B. Personal Growth
"The Lord organized the Church in a way that offers each member an opportunity for service, which, in turn, leads to personal spiritual growth. Whatever your calling, I urge you to see it as an opportunity not only to strengthen and bless others but also to become what Heavenly Father wants you to become."

C. An Assignment Only You Can Perform
"You may feel that there are others who are more capable or more experienced who could fulfill your callings and assignments better than you can, but the Lord gave you your responsibilities for a reason. There may be people and hearts only you can reach and touch. Perhaps no one else could do it in quite the same way."

President Monson: "When faith replaces doubt, when selfless service eliminates selfish striving, the power of God brings to pass His purposes. We are on the Lord’s errand. We are entitled to the Lord’s help. But we must try. From the play Shenandoah comes the spoken line which inspires: 'If we don’t try, then we don’t do; and if we don’t do, then why are we here?' Let us, one and all, be doers of the word and not hearers only."

Why We Do The Things We Do

2009-03-08T14:39:00.000-07:00

Living the gospel of Jesus Christ is more than following a list of dos and don'ts.

It is a change of motives and desires.

How does this change take place?

It starts with a realization of the goodness of God. We learn to recognize His love for us, and because of His love for us, we begin to love Him back. We do this by keeping His commandments. When we keep His commandments, we receive His Spirit. This gives us a certain knowledge that He Lives. After we receive this certain knowledge, we cannot turn back without losing the companionship of His Spirit. We can never become neutral again. We are either for Him or against Him, happy or miserable. This is why His Spirit is compared to a two-edge sword. It brings to pass a polarization. We may not always recognize the effects of our choices. We can try to replace this loss by gratifying the flesh, but sooner or later we come to realize that we have separated ourselves from the love of God. We then have a choice: remain separated from God, or repent and return to keeping His commandments. Those who choose to repent, receive once again fellowship with the Spirit and experience the love of God, those who don't, remain separate and ultimately lose their inheritance with Him in our Father's Eternal Kingdom where love, joy, peace, and progress continue forever.

This is powerful motivation to live the gospel. It changes us from the inside out. This process is often painful, but the pain we experience is directly proportional to how long we procrastinate our repentance. Those who learn to repent quickly have their pains swallowed up in the joy of Christ and are instead filled with gratitude for His suffering in their behalf.

Things We Do

2009-03-01T04:48:00.000-08:00

1. Obey the laws of God.

2. Kneel and pray daily as individuals and as a family.

3. Read the scriptures daily as individuals and as a family.

4. Keep the Sabbath day holy.

5. Prepare to partake of the sacrament worthily.

6. Sustain and follow the counsel of Church leaders.

7. Keep the Ten Commandments.

8. Live the law of chastity.

9. Live the Word of Wisdom.

10. Live the law of tithing.

11. Fast and pray on fast Sunday for a special need.

12. Donate a generous fast offering.

13. Obey the laws of the countries in which we reside.

14. Receive, honor, and magnify the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthoods.

15. Participate actively in auxiliary organizations (Primary, Sunday School, Relief Society).

16. Invite friends and relatives who do not belong to the Church to meet with the missionaries to be taught the gospel.

17. Pray for the missionaries and for opportunities to share the gospel.

18. Prepare to serve a full-time mission.

19. Hold weekly family home evening and other family activities.

20. Prepare to enter the temple to (1) receive our own endowment (2) be married for time and eternity (3) if married be sealed for eternity as husband and wife and (4) have our children sealed to us.

21. Worship on the Sabbath as a family.

22. Serve others.

23. Participate in family history work and submit the names of ancestors to receive proxy temple ordinances.

24. Accept and fulfill the duties of Church callings including an assignment as a home teacher or visiting teacher.

25. Support others in their callings.

26. Attend Church.

27. Continue to live the gospel by keeping baptismal covenants throughout our lives.

My Talk - 2/15/2009

2009-02-15T12:19:00.000-08:00

I. Introduction

A. This is the Church of Jesus Christ

Good morning, brothers and sisters. It is good to be with you. I am always humbled by the responsibility to speak in the Church of Jesus Christ. I know that the words that I speak are recorded in heaven as are all of our thoughts and actions in this world. It is a great responsibility to bear the Priesthood of God, but I am comforted in the knowledge that we have a loving Savior who took personal responsibility for all of the pain and suffering in this world as well as the punishment for all of our wrong deeds if we will accept this vicarious gift in our behalf and continue our journey to become like Him.

B. Dependence on the Lord

I have grown accustomed to writing out my talks because my mind doesn't seem to be as sharp as at least I think it used to be. As I have gotten "more mature" I have come to realize more and more how dependent we all are on the Lord. What I say today, and how it is received, is in large measure dependent upon our faith in Him.

C. Need for Faith

Faith is what motivates us to be here at this time today.

Faith is a choice. But, when we choose to have faith, we are richly rewarded.

It is my desire today, to help you and me to increase our faith and to focus that faith on what really matters.

D. Our LDS Heritage

I have been a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints all of my life. I was born in Salt Lake City, Utah to an LDS family that had begun at an alter in the Salt Lake Temple. Thus, as it states in my Patriarchal Blessing, I am entitled to the blessings promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. We have a rich heritage as Latter-day Saints. We are a people of faith and devotion to God.

II. Our Spiritual Heritage

Before we came to this earth, we, as with all humanity, lived in Our Heavenly Father's presence. The Spirit of the Lord has confirmed this truth to my soul.

A. Spirit Children of Heavenly Parents

In the beginning, there was a vast ocean of individual intelligences destined to become spirit children of our Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother. One by one we were each fashioned and formed into spirit children and reared by Heavenly Parents. As we grew in that perfectly protective environment, we began to learn about faith and individual choice and accountability.

The scriptures teach us:

"Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be.
"All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself, as all intelligence also; otherwise there is no existence.
"Behold, here is the agency of man, and here is the condemnation of man; because that which was from the beginning is plainly manifest unto them, and they receive not the light.
"And every man whose spirit receiveth not the light is under condemnation.
"For man is spirit. The elements are eternal, and spirit and element, inseperably connected, receive a fulness of joy;
"And when separated, man cannot receive a fulness of joy." - D&C 93:29-34

B. Developing Our Individual Character and Destiny

As we grew as spirits in our heavenly home, we began to make choices and to form our individual characters and who we would become. Some progressed more quickly than others. The Lord Jehovah, who was to become our Savior and Redeemer, revealed to Abraham:

"If there be two spirits, and one shall be more intelligent than the other, yet these two spirits, notwithstanding one is more intelligent than the other, have no beginning; they existed before, they shall have no end, they shall exist after, for they are ... eternal.
"I am the Lord thy God, I am more intelligent than they all." - Abraham 3:18-19

C. Critical Mass Analogy

Many of you in this ward are familiar with nuclear power plants. As you may know, in order for a nuclear fission reaction to take place, you have to have a critical mass of a certain type of carefully refined elements. Similarly, to form a new Ward or Stake, there has to be a certain number of worthy Priesthood holders. The Lord has given us many types and shadows to teach us spiritual things. He declared to Adam:

"And behold, all things have their likeness, and all things are created and made to bear record of me, both things which are temporal, and things which are spiritual; things which are in the heavens above, and things which are on the earth, and things which are in the earth, and things which are under the earth, both above and beneath: all things bear record of me." - Moses 6:63

D. Obedience to Eternal Law Necessary for Progression

Well, in the beginning, Our Heavenly Father organized all of the intelligences that were to play a part in the great plan of salvation. He gave them commandments, and those that were obedient to His commandments were able to progress and those that did not were not able to progress. But even the disobedient spirits had a part to play in this great plan. But, as the scriptures declare:

"And wo to him by whom this offense cometh, for it had been better for him that he had been drowned in the depth of the sea." - D&C 54:5

In other words, all intelligences have a role to play, but only those that learn obedience to eternal law are able to progress.

E. Our Father in Heaven Prepares All Things

But our Heavenly Father is very patient and loving. He gives every one of His children every possible chance to accept eternal truths and to become like Him.

After He had laid the plans for the creation of this world, the scriptures say:

"And the Gods watched those things which they had ordered until they obeyed." - Abraham 4:18

F. Critical Mass Is Reached - All Things Are Ready

So, when that critical mass of intelligence was reached, and enough of Our Father in Heaven's spirit children had learned through their diligence and obedience those eternal laws that they would need to apply in order to organize and prepare this world--just like a new Ward or Stake is organized--the great plan of salvation was ready to become operative.

"And the Gods came down and formed these the generations of the heavens and the earth, when they were formed in the day that the Gods formed the earth and the heavens,
"According to all that which they had said concerning every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew;" - Abraham 5:4-5

And I might add, every Relief Society president before she was called, and every High Council speaker before he spoke, and every primary teacher before she taught, etc. Everything was foreknown by our Heavenly Father.

III. Entering Our Second Estate

A. Choosing to Follow God's Plan

Alma teaches:

"And this is the manner after which they were ordained--being called and prepared from the foundation of the world according to the foreknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and good works; in the first place being left to choose good or evil; therefore they having chosen good, and exercising exceedingly great faith, are called with a holy calling, yea, with that holy calling which was prepared with, and according to, a preparatory redemption for such." - Alma 13:3

Alma is talking here about the conditions before the foundation of the world. We were given opportunities to choose between good and evil. Those of us who were allowed to come to this earth had chosen good before we were born, and we were therefore given this opportunity to continue our progression. Our Heavenly Father knew that we would make mistakes in this life, and so Alma talks about a "preparatory redemption for such".

B. Choice, Accountability and The Plan of Redemption

1. Children are Unconditionally Redeemed by Jesus Christ

Each child born into this world, until it reaches the age of accountability, is unconditionally redeemed from this fallen state through the merits, mercy, and grace of Jesus Christ.

2. Learning from Our Mistakes

Likewise, those who are accountable for their actions, can also be saved through Jesus Christ, but for these it is not unconditional. Eternal law requires that we learn to act for ourselves, and after acting, we experience the consequence of that action.

3. Duty to Repent

Those of us that are capable of learning from our mistakes have the duty to repent.

4. Condemnation of those Who Will Not Receive the Atonement

Those of us who are capable of coming unto Christ but who do not, are essentially choosing to remain in the conditions that cause separation from God.

C. The Fall - Separation from God

This condition of seperation from God was first experienced on this earth by Adam and Eve when they were expelled from the Garden of Eden.

IV. God Is Always Near

"But", as Elder Jeffery R. Holland said last conference, "God knew the challenges they would face, and He certainly knew how lonely and troubled they would sometimes feel. So He watched over His mortal family constantly, heard their prayers always, and sent prophets (and later apostles) to teach, counsel, and guide them. But in times of special need, He sent angels, divine messengers, to bless His children, reassure them that heaven was always very close and that His help was always very near. Indeed, shortly after Adam and Eve found themselves in the lone and dreary world, an angel appeared unto them, who taught them the meaning of their sacrifice and the atoning role of the promised Redeemer who was to come."

A. Every One Is Given an Opportunity to Accept the Gospel

Our Father in Heaven knows each one of us perfectly and individually. But no matter how well He knows each of us, it is our responsibility to each come to know Him.

B. Each According to Their Several Abilities

Just as intelligences varied before mortality, each of us here in mortality also have different abilities. Some of us have greater faith than others of us, but Our Father in Heaven has prepared a way for all of us to know Him.

C. The Priesthood is Organized and Prepared

"Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the intelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the noble and great ones;
"And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou was chosen before thou was born." - Abraham 3:22-23

"Among the great and mighty ones who were assembled in this vast congregation of the righteous were Father Adam, the Ancient of Days and father of all,
"And our glorious Mother Eve, with many of her faithful daughters who had lived through the ages and worshiped the true and living God.
"Abel, the first martyr, was there, and his brother Seth, one of the mighty ones, who was in the express image of his father, Adam.
"Noah, who gave warning of the flood; Shem, the great high priest; Abraham, the father of the faithful; Isaac, Jacob, and Moses, the great law-giver of Israel;
"And Isaiah, who declared by prophecy that the Redeemer was anointed to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that were bound, were also there.
"Moreover, Ezekiel, who was shown in vision the great valley of dry bones, which were to be clothed upon with flesh, to come forth again in the resurrection of the dead, living souls;
"Daniel, who foresaw and foretold the establishment of the kingdom of God in the latter days, never again to be desroyed nor given to other people;
"Elias, who was with Moses on the Mount of Transfiguration;
"And Malachi, the prophet who testified of the coming of Elijah--of whom also Moroni spake to the Prophet Joseph Smith, declaring that he should come before the ushering in of the great and dreadful day of the Lord--were also there.
"All these and many more, even the prophets who dwelt among the Nephites and testified of the coming of the Son of God, ...
"The Prophet Joseph Smith, ... Hyrum Smith, Brigham Young, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, and other choice spirits who were reserved to come forth in the fulness of times to take part in laying the foundation of the great latter-day work ..."

President Joseph F. Smith revealed that all these were:

"... among the noble and great ones who were chosen in the beginning to be rulers in the Church of God.
"Even before they were born, they, with many others, received their first lessons in the world of spirits and were prepared to come forth in the due time of the Lord to labor in his vineyard for the salvation of men." - D&C 138:38-56

D. The Gospel Is Preached in Every Nation

"Yea," Alma teaches us, "and the voice of the Lord, by the mouth of angels, doth declare it unto all nations; yea, doth declare it, that they may have glad tidings of great joy; yea, and he doth sound these glad tidings among all his people, yea, even to them that are scattered abroad upon the face of the earth; wherefore they have come unto us.
"And they are made know unto us in plain terms, that we may understand, that we cannot err; and this because of our being wanderers in a strange land; therefore, we are thus highly favored, for we have these glad tidings declared unto us in all parts of our vineyard.
"For behold, angels are declaring it unto many at this time in our land; and this is for the purpose of preparing the hearts of the children of men to receive his word at the time of his coming in his glory.
"And it shall be made known unto just and holy men, by the mouth of angels, at the time of his coming, that the words of our fathers may be fulfilled, according to that which they have spoken concerning him, which was according to the spirit of prophecy which was in them." - Alma 13:22-26

E. The Kingdom of God On The Earth

One of these just and holy men is President Thomas S. Monson. He holds the keys of the ministering of angels and of the Kingdom of God on the earth.

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased because Christ hath ascended into heaven, and hath sat down on the right hand of God, to claim of the Father his rights of mercy which he hath upon the children of men?
"For he hath answered the ends of the law, and he claimeth all those who have faith in him; and they who have faith in him will cleave unto every good thing; wherefore he advocateth the cause of the children of men; and he dwelleth eternally in the heavens.
"And because he hath done this, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased? Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men.
"For behold, they are subject unto him, to minister according to the word of his command, showing themselves unto them of strong faith and a firm mind in every form of godliness.
"And the office of their ministry is to call men unto repentance, and to fulfil and to do the work of the covenants of the Father, which he hath made unto the children of men, to prepare the way among the children of men, by declaring the word of Christ unto the chosen vessels of the Lord, that they may bear testimony of him.
"And by so doing, the Lord God prepareth the way that the residue of men may have faith in Christ, that the Holy Ghost may have place in their hearts, according to the power thereof; and after this manner bringeth to pass the Father, the covenants which he hath made unto the children of men.
"And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me.
"And he hath said: Repent all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me, and be baptized in my name, and have faith in me, that ye may be saved.
"And now, my beloved brethren, if this be the case that these things are true which I have spoken unto you, and God will show unto you, with power and great glory at the last day, that they are true, and if they are true has the day of miracles ceased?
"Or have angels ceased to appear unto the children of men? Or has he witheld the power of the Holy Ghost from them? Or will he, so long as time shall last, or the earth shall stand, or there shall be one man upon the face thereof to be saved?
"Behold I say unto you, Nay; for it is by faith that miracles are wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men; wherefore, if these things have ceased wo be unto the children of men, for it is because of unbelief, and all is vain.
"For no man can be saved, according to the words of Christ, save they shall have faith in his name; wherefore, if these things have ceased, then has faith ceased also; and awful is the state of man, for they are as though there had been no redemption made." - Moroni 7:27-38

V. Dark and Dreary Places

This brings us back to the condition of seperation from God. As I said before, Adam and Eve were the first on this earth to experience this seperation from God, and they were also the first to experience their redemption from this seperation through the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Elder Holland said:

"In the course of life all of us spend time in 'dark and dreary' places, wildernesses, circumstances of sorrow or fear or discouragement. Our present day is filled with global distress over financial crises, energy problems, terrorist attacks, and natural calamities. These translate into individual family concerns not only about homes in which to live and food available to eat but also about the ultimate safety and well-being of our children and the latter-day prophecies about our planet. More serious than these--and sometimes related to them--are matters of ethical, moral, and spiritual decay seen in populations large and small, at home and abroad. But I testify that angels are still sent to help us, even as they were sent to help Adam and Eve, and to help the prophets, and indeed to help the Savior of the world Himself. Matthew records in his gospel that after Satan had tempted Christ in the wilderness 'angels came and ministered unto him.' Even the Son of God, a God Himself, had need for heavenly comfort during His sojourn in mortality. And so such ministrations will be to the righteous until the end of time."

A. Have Faith. Believe.

"I ask everyone within the sound of my voice to take heart, be filled with faith, and remember the Lord has said He 'would fight [our] battles, [our] children's battles, and [the battles of our] children's children.' And what do we do to merit such a defense? We are to 'search diligently, pray always, and be believing[. Then] all things shall work together for [our] good, if [we] walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith [we] have covenanted.' The latter days are not a time to fear and tremble. They are a time to be believing and remember our covenants."

"Sanctify the Lord of Hosts himself, and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread." - Isa. 8:13

In other words, be reverent and humbe before God, and He will support you in all of your trials.

"Therefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts, O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian: he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt.
"For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction." - Isa. 10:24-25

B. Mortal Angels

Not all angels that are sent to help and comfort us come from the other side of the veil.

Elder Holland continues:

"I have spoken here of heavenly help, of angels dispatched to bless us in time of need. But when we speak of those who are instruments in the hand of God, we are reminded that not all angels are from the other side of the veil. Some of them we walk with and talk with--here, now, every day. Some of them reside in our own neighborhoods. Some of them gave birth to us, and in my case, on of them consented to marry me. Indeed heaven never seems closer than when we see the love of God manifested in the kindness and devotion of people so good and so pure that angelic is the only word that comes to mind. Elder James Dunn, [shortly before Elder Hollands's talk] used that word in his invocation to describe [the] primary choir--and why not? With the spirit, faces, and voices of those children in our mind and before our eyes, may I share with you an account by my friend and BYU colleague, the late Clyn D. Barrus. I do so with the permission of his wife, Marilyn, and their family.

"Referring to his childhood on a large Idaho farm, Brother Barrus spoke of his nightly assignment to round up the cows at milking time. Because the cows pastured in a field bordered by the occasionally treacherous Teton River, the strict rule in the Barrus household was that during the spring flood season the children were never to go after any cows who ventured across the river. They were always to return home and seek mature help.

"One Saturday just after his seventh birthday, Brother Barrus’s parents promised the family a night at the movies if the chores were done on time. But when young Clyn arrived at the pasture, the cows he sought had crossed the river, even though it was running at high flood stage. Knowing his rare night at the movies was in jeopardy, he decided to go after the cows himself, even though he had been warned many times never to do so.

"As the seven-year-old urged his old horse, Banner, down into the cold, swift stream, the horse’s head barely cleared the water. An adult sitting on the horse would have been safe, but at Brother Barrus’s tender age, the current completely covered him except when the horse lunged forward several times, bringing Clyn’s head above water just enough to gasp for air.
Here I turn to Brother Barrus’s own words:

“When Banner finally climbed the other bank, I realized that my life had been in grave danger and that I had done a terrible thing—I had knowingly disobeyed my father. I felt that I could redeem myself only by bringing the cows home safely. Maybe then my father would forgive me. But it was already dusk, and I didn’t know for sure where I was. Despair overwhelmed me. I was wet and cold, lost and afraid.

“I climbed down from old Banner, fell to the ground by his feet, and began to cry. Between thick sobs, I tried to offer a prayer, repeating over and over to my Father in Heaven, ‘I’m sorry. Forgive me! I’m sorry. Forgive me!’

“I prayed for a long time. When I finally looked up, I saw through my tears a figure dressed in white walking toward me. In the dark, I felt certain it must be an angel sent in answer to my prayers. I did not move or make a sound as the figure approached, so overwhelmed was I by what I saw. Would the Lord really send an angel to me, who had been so disobedient?

“Then a familiar voice said, ‘Son, I’ve been looking for you.’ In the darkness I recognized the voice of my father and ran to his outstretched arms. He held me tightly, then said gently, ‘I was worried. I’m glad I found you.’

“I tried to tell him how sorry I was, but only disjointed words came out of my trembling lips—’Thank you . . . darkness . . . afraid . . . river . . . alone.’ Later that night I learned that when I had not returned from the pasture, my father had come looking for me. When neither I nor the cows were to be found, he knew I had crossed the river and was in danger. Because it was dark and time was of the essence, he removed his clothes down to his long white thermal underwear, tied his shoes around his neck, and swam a treacherous river to rescue a wayward son.”"May we all believe more readily in, and have more gratitude for, the Lord's promise as contained in one of President Monson's favorite scriptures: 'I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, ... my Spirit shall be in your [heart], and mine angels round about you, to bear your up.' In the process of praying for those angels to attend us, may we all try to be a little more angelic ourselves--with a kind word, a strong arm, a declaration of faith and 'the covenant wherewith [we] have convenanted.' Perhaps then we can be emissaries sent from God when someone, perhaps a Primary child, is crying, 'Darkness ... afraid ... river ... alone.' To this end I pray in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen." - The Ministry of Angels, Elder Jefferey R. Holland Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

My Talk - 1/18/2009

2009-01-18T09:29:00.000-08:00

Good morning, brothers and sisters. I am grateful to have the opportunity to speak to you today. I am grateful for the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and, especially, for the great privilege it is to be counted as one among you, members of His "true and living church" (see D&C 1:30).

"We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof." (A of F 1:5)

We also believe:
"That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness." (D&C 121:36)
President Gordan B. Hinckley has said:

"We who hold the priesthood of God must stand above the ways of the world. We must discipline ourselves. We cannot be self-righteous, but we can and must be decent, honorable men.

"Our behavior in public must be above reproach. Our behavior in private is even more important. It must clear the standard set by the Lord. We cannot indulge in sin, let alone try to cover our sins. We cannot gratify our pride. We cannot partake of the vanity of unrighteous ambition. We cannot exercise control, or dominion, or compulsion upon our wives or children, or any others in any degree of unrighteousness.

"If we do any of these things, the powers of heaven are withdrawn. The Spirit of the Lord is grieved. The very virtue of our priesthood is nullified. Its authority is lost." (see Personal Worthiness to Exercise the Priesthood, President Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, May 2002)

The Prophet Joseph Smith has said:

"The power, glory and blessings of the Priesthood could not continue with those who received ordination only as their righteousness continued; for Cain also being authorized to offer sacrifice, but not offering it in righteousness, was cursed. It signifies, then, that the ordinances must be kept in the very way God has appointed; otherwise their Priesthood will prove a cursing instead of a blessing." (Teachings, Joseph Smith, p. 108)

Brothers and Sisters, I believe that we who call ourselves members of the Lord's True Church are in as much danger, if not more, as the early saints were just before the Great Apostasy. We know that the Church and Kingdom of God that has been established in this last dispensation will not, as a whole, be taken again from the earth, but this does not mean we are free from apostasy as individuals (see Apostasy).

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, in the most recent General Conference, taught:

"We live in the perilous times prophesied by the Apostle Paul (see 2 Timothy 3:1). Those who try to walk the straight and narrow path see inviting detours on every hand."

The For the Strength of Youth pamphlet issued by the First Presidency, states:

"Some people knowingly break God's commandments, expecting to repent before they go to the temple or serve a mission. Such deliberate sin mocks the Savior's Atonement and invites Satan to influence your life. Repentance for such behavior is difficult and can take a long time. If you sin in this way, you may lose years of blessings and spiritual guidance. You may become trapped in ... sinful behavior, making it [extremely] difficult to find your way back." (see Repentance)

"Your Heavenly Father wants your life to be joyful and to lead you back into His presence. The decisions you make now will determine much of what will follow during your life and throughout eternity.

"Because the Lord loves you, He has given you commandments and the words of prophets to guide you on your journey." (see For the Strength of Youth)

In spite of the great care our Father in Heaven has taken to ensure we find our way back to Him,

"Each of us has broken commandments or failed to act according to our knowledge of the truth. The Apostle John taught:

"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, [Jesus Christ] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:8-9). (see Sin)

"You always need to confess your sins to the Lord. You should also confess your sins to those you have wronged. If you have committed serious sins, such as immorality, you need to confess them to your bishop." (see Repentance)

"Satan wants you to think that you cannot repent, but that is absolutely not true." (see Repentance)

"As descendants of Adam and Eve, we inherit a fallen condition during mortality (see Alma 42:5-9,14).

"In this fallen condition, we have a conflict within us. We are spirit children of God, with the potential to be 'partakers of the divine nature' (2 Peter 1:4). However, 'we are unworthy before [God]; because of the fall our natures have become evil continually' (Ether 3:2). We need to strive continually to overcome unrighteous passions and desires." (see Fall)

Elder Oaks continues:

"How can we have the Spirit of the Lord to guide our choices and keep us on the path?

"In modern revelation the Lord gave the answer in this commandment:

"And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day;

"For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High" (D&C 59:9-10).

After Adam and Eve were cast out from the Garden of Eden, they felt the loneliness of spiritual death and felt the need to call upon the Lord.

"And he gave unto them commandments, that they should worship the Lord their God, and should offer the firstlings of their flocks, for an offering unto the Lord." (see Moses 5:5-6)

"The sacrament is the ordinance that replaced the blood sacrifices and burnt offerings of the Mosaic law, and with it came the Savior’s promise: '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 9:20).

"This ordinance should always be performed with reverence and dignity. Priests who offer the prayers in behalf of the congregation should speak the words slowly and distinctly, expressing the terms of the covenants and promised blessings. This is a very sacred act.

"The teachers who prepare and the deacons who pass the emblems of the sacrament also perform a very sacred act. All who officiate in this sacred ordinance stand on sacred ground.

"Young men who officiate in the ordinance of the sacrament should be worthy. The Lord has said: 'Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord' (D&C 38:42). The scriptural warning about partaking of the sacrament unworthily (see 1 Corinthians 11:29; 3 Nephi 18:29) surely applies also to those who officiate in that ordinance. In administering discipline to Church members who have committed serious sins, a bishop can temporarily withdraw the privilege of partaking of the sacrament. That same authority is [also] available to withdraw the privilege of officiating in that sacred ordinance.

Elder Oaks also counsels us on various ways we can prepare ourselves for participating in the sacrament:

"How we dress is an important indicator of our attitude and preparation for any activity in which we will engage. If we are going swimming or hiking or playing on the beach, our clothing, including our footwear, will indicate this. The same should be true of how we dress when we are to participate in the ordinance of the sacrament. It is like going to the temple. Our manner of dress indicates the degree to which we understand and honor the ordinance in which we will participate.

"[This] applies with special force to the young men of the Aaronic Priesthood who officiate in any part of that sacred ordinance. All should be well-groomed and modestly dressed. There should be nothing about their personal appearance or actions that would call special attention to themselves or distract anyone present from full attention to the worship and covenant making that are the purpose of this sacred service.
"Elder Jeffrey R. Holland gave a valuable teaching on this subject in general conference 13 years ago. 'May I suggest that wherever possible a white shirt be worn by the deacons, teachers, and priests who handle the sacrament. For sacred ordinances in the Church we often use ceremonial clothing, and a white shirt could be seen as a gentle reminder of the white clothing you wore in the baptismal font and in anticipation of the white shirt you will soon wear into the temple and onto your missions” (“This Do in Remembrance of Me,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 68).

"[T]he sacrament is administered only when authorized by the one holding the keys to this priesthood ordinance. This is why the sacrament is not generally served in the home or at family reunions, even where there are sufficient priesthood holders available. Those who officiate at the sacrament table, prepare the sacrament, or pass it to the congregation should be designated by one who holds or exercises the keys of this ordinance. I refer to the bishopric or to the presidencies of the teachers or deacons quorums. '[My] house is a house of order,' the Lord declared (D&C 132:8).

"How can we have the Spirit of the Lord to guide our choices so that we will remain “unspotted from the world” (D&C 59:9) and on the safe path through mortality? We need to qualify for the cleansing power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We do this by keeping His commandment to come to Him with a broken heart and a contrite spirit and in [this] wonderful weekly meeting partake of the emblems of the sacrament and make the covenants that qualify us for the precious promise that we will always have His Spirit to be with us (see D&C 20:77).

"The ordinance of the sacrament makes the sacrament meeting the most sacred and important meeting in the Church. It is the only Sabbath meeting the entire family can attend together. Its content in addition to the sacrament should always be planned and presented to focus attention on the Atonement and teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ.

"Typically the sacrament is administered, passed, and received by the members in an atmosphere of quiet reverence. The conducting of the meeting, including the necessary business, is brief and dignified, and the talks are spiritual in content and delivery. The music is appropriate, and so are the prayers.

"There are occasional exceptions." Elder Oaks, who has been ordained and sustained by members of the Church as a Prophet, Seer and Revelator continues, "I sense that some in the rising generation and even some adults have not yet come to understand the significance of this meeting and the importance of individual reverence and worship in it.
"In a worldwide leadership training meeting five years ago, Elder Russel M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught the priesthood leaders of the Church how to plan and conduct sacrament meetings. 'We commemorate His Atonement in a very personal way,' Elder Nelson said. 'We bring a broken heart and a contrite spirit to our sacrament meeting. It is the highlight of our Sabbath-day observance'.

What does it mean to bring a "broken heart and a contrite spirit to our sacrament meeting"?

In True to the Faith, we read:

"To have a broken heart and a contrite spirit is to be humble and receptive to the will of God and to the counsel of those He has called to lead His Church. It also means to feel deep sorrow for sin and a sincere desire to repent.

"If you are willing to sacrifice as the Lord has commanded, you will be accepted by Him. He taught: 'All ... who know their hearts are honest, and are broken, and their spirits contrite, and are willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice--yea, every sacrifice which I, the Lord, shall command--they are accepted of me' (D&C 97:8). With an eternal perspective, you can see that giving up the things of the world is really no sacrifice at all. The blessings you receive are greater than anything you ever give up." (see Sacrifice)
"By participating weekly and appropriately in the ordinance of the sacrament we qualify for the promise that we will 'always have his Spirit to be with [us]' (D&C 20:77). That Spirit is the foundation of our testimony. It testifies of the Father and the Son, brings all things to our remembrance, and leads us into truth. It is the compass to guide us on our path. This gift of the Holy Ghost, President Wilford Woodruff taught, 'is the greatest gift that can be bestowed upon man'.

"President Joseph Fielding Smith teaches that we partake of the sacrament as our part of commemorating the Savior's death and suffering for the redemption of the world. This ordinance was introduced so that we can renew our covenants to serve Him, to obey Him, and to always remember Him. President Smith adds: 'We cannot retain the Spirit of the Lord if we do not consistently comply with this commandment'."

"During sacrament meeting--and especially during the sacrament service--we should concentrate on worship and refrain from all other activities, especially from behavior that could interfere with the worship of others. Sacrament meeting is not a time for reading books or magazines. It is not a time for whispered conversations on cell phones or for texting persons at other locations. When we partake of the sacrament, we make a sacred covenant that we will always remember the Savior. How sad to see persons obviously violating that covenant in the very meeting where they are making it.

"The music of sacrament meeting is a vital part of our worship. The scriptures teach that the song of the righteous is a prayer unto the Lord (see D&C 25:12). The First Presidency has declared that 'some of the greatest sermons are preached by the singing of hymns'. How wonderful when every person in attendance joins in the worship of singing--especially in the hymn that helps us prepare to partake of the sacrament. All sacrament meeting music requires careful planning, always remembering that this music is for worship, not for performance.

"President Joseph Fielding Smith taught: 'This is an occasion when the gospel should be presented, when we should be called upon to exercise faith, and to reflect on the mission of our Redeemer, and to spend time in the consideration of the saving principles of the gospel, and not for other purposes. Amusement, laughter, light-mindedness, are all out of place in the sacrament meetings of the Latter-day Saints. We should assemble in the spirit of prayer, of meekness, with devotion in our hearts'.

"When we do this--when we join in the solemnity that should always accompany the ordinance of the sacrament and the worship of this meeting--we are qualified for the companionship and revelation of the Spirit. This is the way we get direction for our lives and peace along the way."

My Personal Goals for 2009

2008-12-26T09:07:00.000-08:00

1. Remember the Flexibility Factor

It is better to shoot for the stars and hit the moon than to never take aim and fall in a ditch.

The most stable structure is one that is not only strong but flexible.

Things will come up that will take presidence over my personal goals. That is okay. Adjust, and continue to strive, making course corrections as needed.

2. Attend the temple as often as possible.

I will strive to make it to the 9am session every Saturday, giving rides to others willing to come along. Personal Target: 12 Endowments, 12 Initiatory, 4 Sealings, 2 Baptisms

3. Exercise 4 times per week for 1 hour: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday

My Talk - 12/14/2008

2008-12-14T14:18:00.000-08:00

Good morning, brothers and sisters. It is a pleasure to be with you this Sabbath morning to remember our Savior, Jesus Christ, as we renew our covenants once again with Him.

On the night before His crucifixion, the Lord sat with the twelve apostles in the upper room of a large guest chamber.

"And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.

"Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you." (Luke 22:19-20)
What gift can we give to Him who gave us His all?

The wise men from the east brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (see Matt. 2:11)
The poor widow gave everything that she had. (see Luke 21:2-4)
King Benjamin taught:

"I say unto you my brethren, that if you should render all the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power to possess, to that God who has created you, and has kept and preserved you, and has caused that ye should rejoice, and has granted that ye should live in peace one with another--

"I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another--I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.

"And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you." (Mosiah 2:20-22)

President Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church told how his family was prospered and preserved during World War II. He said:

"Toward the end of World War II, my father was drafted into the German army and sent to the western front, leaving my mother alone to care for our family. Though I was only three years old, I can still remember this time of fear and hunger. We lived in Czechoslovakia, and with every passing day, the war came nearer and the danger grew greater.

"Finally, during the cold winter of 1944, my mother decided to flee to Germany, where her parents were living. She bundled us up and somehow managed to get us on one of the last refugee trains headed west. Traveling during that time was dangerous. Everywhere we went, the sound of explosions, the stressed faces, and ever-present hunger reminded us that we were in a war zone.

"Along the way the train stopped occasionally to get supplies. One night during one of these stops, my mother hurried out of the train to search for some food for her four children. When she returned, to her great horror, the train and her children were gone!

"She was weighed down with worry; desperate prayers filled her heart. She frantically searched the large and dark train station, urgently crisscrossing the numerous tracks while hoping against hope that the train had not already departed.

"Perhaps I will never know all that went through my mother's heart and mind on that black night as she searched through the grim railroad station for her lost children. That she was terrified, I have no doubt. I am certain it crossed her mind that if she did not find this train, she might never see her children again. I know with certainty: her faith overcame her fear, and her hope overcame her despair. She was not a woman who would sit and bemoan tragedy. She moved. She put her faith and hope into action.

"And so she ran from track to track and from train to train until she finally found our train. It had been moved to a remote area of the station. There, at last, she found her children again."

To those of us who live in an affluent society, being prospered and preserved may bring thoughts of fame, fortune, and worldly success, but to Nephi it meant living on raw meat. (see 1 Nephi 17:2-3)

While the children of Israel were traveling in the wilderness, the Lord fed them manna.

"And the children of Israel ... gathered, some more, [and] some less.

"And when they [measured it], he that gathered much had nothing [left] over, and he that gathered little had no lack;" (Exodus 16:17-18)

In our day, the Lord has said:
"Behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind; and the willing and obedient shall eat the good of the land of Zion in these last days.

"And the rebellious shall be cut off out of the land of Zion, and shall be sent away, and shall not inherit the land." (D&C 64:34-35)
"For those that live shall inherit the earth, and those that die shall rest from all their labors, and their works shall follow them; and they shall receive a crown in the mansions of my Father, which I have prepared for them."

"Wherefore, I give unto them a commandment, saying thus: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy might, mind, and strength; and in the name of Jesus Christ thou shalt serve him.

"Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Thou shalt not steal; neither commit adultery, nor kill, or do anything like unto it.

"Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things.

"Thou shalt offer a sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in righteousness, even that of a broken heart and a contrite spirit.

"And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day;

"For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High;

"Nevertheless thy vows shall be offered up in righteousness on all days and at all times;

"But remember that on this, the Lord's day, thou shalt offer thine oblations and thy sacraments unto the Most High, confessing thy sins unto thy brethren, and before the Lord.

"And on this day thou shalt do none other thing, only let thy food be prepared with singleness of heart that thy fasting may be perfect, or, in other words, that thy joy may be full.

"Verily, this is fasting and prayer, or in other words, rejoicing and prayer.

"And inasmuch as ye do these things with thanksgiving, with cheerful hearts and countenances, not with much laughter, for this is sin, but with a glad heart and a cheerful countenance--

"Verily I say, that inasmuch as ye do this, the fulness of the earth is yours, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and that which climbeth upon the trees and walketh upon the earth;

"Yea, and the herb, and the good things which come of the earth, whether for food or for raiment, or for houses, or for barns, or for orchards, or for gardens, or for vineyards;

"Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please the eye and to gladden the heart;

"Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul.

"And it pleaseth God that he hath given all these things unto man; for unto this end were they made to be used, with judgment, not to excess, neither by extortion.

"And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments." (D&C 59:2,5-21)
As we keep the commandments of the Lord, we will be blessed, each one of us, according to our needs and even some of our wants, but we need to put our trust in Him and do what He asks of us. He is a loving and caring Father. He knows what is best for His children.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught:

"This earth was created for us, to be our abiding place during a mortal probation. It was made in such a way as to serve our needs. The Lord had power to arrange the earth, the elements, and all created things in the way that would best serve man, his crowning creation. Why did he make provision for natural disasters, acts of God, as they are called? What purpose is served by earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions, storms, tempests, heat waves that burn the crops of men, and cold waves that freeze the fruits of the earth? These have all been woven into the continuing existence of our earth, an earth designed to serve us. Why?

"It seems clear that we are here in mortality to gain experiences that could not be gained in any other way. We need to combat and overcome the forces of nature. We must face up to the sorrows and vicissitudes of mortality if we are to appreciate the eternal joys of immortality. And in addition, the disasters of the earth--controlled as they are in the infinite wisdom of that Lord who knoweth all things--are used by him to temper and train us. He uses natural disasters to bring to us the conscious realization that we are dependent upon a Supreme Being for all things. He uses them as a means of judgment to punish us for evil deeds done in the flesh. He uses them to humble us so that perchance we will repent and live as he would have us live." (Bruce R. McConkie, Millenial Messiah p. 374)

The prophet, Mormon, while abridging the Book of Helaman, added this commentary:

"Except the Lord doth chasten his people with many afflictions, yea, except he doth visit them with death and with terror, and with famine and with all manner of pestilence, they will not remember him." (Helaman 12:3)

After relating his experiences on that cold night during World War II, President Uchtdorf continues:

"The scriptures say that there must be 'an opposition in all things.' So it is with faith, hope, and charity. Doubt, despair, and failure to care for our fellowmen lead us into temptation, which can cause us to forfeit choice and precious blessings.

"The adversary uses despair to bind hearts and minds in suffocating darkness. Despair drains from us all that is vibrant and joyful and leaves behind the empty remnants of what life was meant to be. Despair kills ambition, advances sickness, pollutes the soul, and deadens the heart. Despair can seem like a staircase that leads only and forever downward.

"Hope, on the other hand, is like the beam of sunlight rising up and above the horizon of our present circumstances. It pierces the darkness with a brilliant dawn. It encourages and inspires us to place our trust in the loving care of an eternal Heavenly Father, who has prepared a way for those who seek for eternal truth in a world of relativism, confusion, and of fear.

"Hope is one leg of a three-legged stool, together with faith and charity. These three stabilize our lives regardless of the rough or uneven surfaces we might encounter at the time. The scriptures are clear and certain about the importance of hope. The Apostle Paul taught that the scriptures were written to the end that we 'might have hope'.

"Hope has the power to fill our lives with happiness. Its absence ... can make 'the heart sick.'

"Hope is a gift of the Spirit. It is a hope that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the power of His Resurrection, we shall be raised unto life eternal and this because of our faith in the Savior. This kind of hope is both a principle of promise as well as a commandment, and, as with all commandments, we have the responsibility to make it an active part of our lives and overcome the temptation to lose hope. Hope in our Heavenly Father's merciful plan of happiness leads to peace, mercy, rejoicing, and gladness. The hope of salvation is like a protective helmet; it is the foundation of our faith and and anchor to our souls.

"Moroni in his solitude--even after having witnessed the complete destruction of his people--believed in hope. In the twilight of the Nephite nation, Moroni wrote that without hope we cannot receive an inheritance in the kingdom of God."

How do we obtain this spiritual gift of hope?
Moroni taught that hope comes of faith:

"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." (Ether 12:4)
Hope is a testimony of Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Paul taught this principle to the early saints who were suffering great persecution:

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

"As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

"Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

"Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35-39)

This degree of testimony in Jesus Christ comes through a compounding of experiences of recognizing the tender mercies of the Lord.
I have had many such experiences throughout my life. I'll relate one.

I joined the Air Force shortly after getting married. My wife joined me at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi Mississippi three months after I began my technical training there. At the end of my training, I was assigned to Bentwaters Royal Air Force base about 80 miles southeast of London, England for a three-year overseas assignment. My wife had to apply for a passport in order to travel with me. We didn't have time to wait for it to arrive in Biloxi, so we had it sent to her mother's house knowing that we would be visiting there en-route. The time for our flight to Salt Lake City arrived, but the passport had not arrived. We had planned a two-week visit with family, but the day of our flight drew near, and still no passport. My wife was six months pregnant with our first child, and she was terrified of traveling so far alone with all of her luggage, etc. She was filled with anxiety as she checked the mail every day waiting for it. Her mother, a woman of great faith, encouraged us to have hope and to pray. We did. Finally, the day before our departure, the passport arrived.

President Uchtdorf explains:

"Each time a hope is fulfilled, it creates confidence and leads to greater hope. I can think of many instances in my life where I learned firsthand the power of hope. I well remember the days in my childhood encompassed by the horrors and despair of a world war, the lack of educational opportunities, life-threatening health issues during youth, and the challenging and discouraging economic experiences as a refugee. The example of our mother, even in the worst of times, to move forward and put faith and hope into action, not just worrying or wishful thinking, sustained our family and me and gave confidence that present circumstances would give way to future blessings.

"I know form these experiences that it is the gospel of Jesus Christ and our membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that strenghten faith, offer a bright hope, and lead us to charity.

"Hope sustains us through despair. Hope teaches that there is reason to rejoice even when all seems dark around us.

"With Jeremiah I proclaim, 'Blessed is the man ... whose hope the Lord is.'

"With Joel I testify, 'The Lord [is] the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.'

"With Nephi I declare: 'Press forward with a steadfastness in Christ having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.'

"This is the quality of hope we must cherish and develop. Such a mature hope comes in and through our Savior Jesus Christ, for 'every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as [the Savior] is pure.'

"The Lord has given us a reassuring message of hope: 'Fear not, little flock.' God will wait with 'open arms to receive' those who give away their sins and continue in faith, hope, and charity.

"And to all who suffer--to all who feel discouraged, worried, or lonely--I say with love and deep concern for you, never give in.

"Never surrender.

"Never allow despair to overcome your spirit.

"Embrace and rely upon the Hope of Israel, for the love of the Son of God pierces all darkness, softens all sorrow, and gladdens every heart." (The Infinite Power of Hope, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf)

Jack and Firebolt - 12/11/2008

2008-12-11T16:31:00.000-08:00

Ironman was flying through space patrolling our Solar System when he spotted an unidentified flying object hurling towards Jupiter. He zoomed in to investigate. It appeared to be some sort of rocket-powered crab. As he was adjusting his telescopic lens, the object suddenly disappeared.
. . .
As he approached Jupiter in his space-crab, [my son's name] was suddenly teleported through a hidden space portal to a huge city far beneath the Jovian cloud-scape. It took him by surprise. He had never been through that portal before. He quickly recovered from his astonishment to greet his friend Jack.

"Jack! What are you doing here?"

"What do you mean, this is where I live."

"Okay, how did I get here?"

"We spotted an object quickly closing in on you and activated the portal for your safety."

"What was it?"

"He was identified as Ironman from the planet Earth. We opened another portal to take him to a different part of the city where he would be free to roam around but while being closely monitored."

"But you never told me about this city!"

"You never asked. Follow me, and I'll show you how I get here."

[My son's name] followed Jack into a large building full of elevators. Jack stopped at one of them and placed his hand on a scanner next to the doors. He saw lights shifting between the doors as they opened revealing the final motion of a revolving door inside. They walked inside and the doors closed. There was a sudden motion, then the doors opened to a closet in Jack's bedroom. They got out. [My son's name] recognized the room.

"Wow! I've got to get me one of these!", [my son's name] said. "You've given me an idea. Can I borrow your replicator?"

"No problem. I'll just replicate one for you with mine."

Jack turned and faced his replicator and said, "Replicator. I need another replicator, please." Instantly, with a light and a whirring sound, another replicator appeared on the floor beside the device. He turned back towards [my son's name] and said, "There you are."

[My son's name] thanked Jack and asked to be teleported back to Earth. Jack set the controls on his teleporter and said that he would take care of the space-crab until he came back. With that [my son's name] said good-bye and entered the portal. Instantly, he was back in his bedroom on Earth with his new replicator. He commanded the replicator to produce a robot. He called it Robo1 and commanded it to build an elevator in his closet. Immediately, Robo1 set to work. [My son's name] noticed that he was working very slowly and began to produce more robots to assist him. Robo2, Robo3, Robo4 ... all the way to Robo10 were created and set to work. Robo1 asked if he could use the replicator. [My son's name] temporarily granted access, and Robo1 generated another replicator to produce the necessary materials for the elevator. Before long the elevator was complete.

[My son's name] then heard the garage door open. His dad was home. He decided to try out his new elevator. The scanner wasn't ready yet, but there was a traditional up-down control panel. He pressed the down button.

[My son's name]'s dad entered the house and notice an unusual sound that seemed to emanate from the basement. He thought that maybe the sump-pump was malfunctioning. He went downstairs to investigate and saw a very unusual site. Elevator doors opened up, and out jumped [my son's name]!

"Hi Dad!"

"[My son's name]! Where did this elevator come from?"

"Never mind Dad, let me show you how it works!"

[My son's name] pressed the up arrow. The doors opened, and they both went inside. After a slight jolt, the doors opened again, and they were in [my son's name]'s bedroom again.

"Tada!", [my son's name] said.

"Wow! This is great!", his dad replied.
. . .
Ironman entered an incredible Jovian city and spent some time looking around for the space-crab that he had spotted near the cloud covered planet. After some time looking, he gave up the chase and tried to find a way out. No way was found, but that's okay, he liked the city so much, he decided to make it his new home.

His hand is stretched out still ...

2008-11-17T17:39:00.000-08:00

Holy, holy is the Lord;
Precious, precious is his word;
Repent and live; Repent and live;
Though your sins be crimson red,
Oh, repent, and he'll forgive.
Oh, repent, and he'll forgive.
(Hymns #146)