Mosiah 26-Alma 5; Alma 36:3-24

Quotes of the Week:

"Each child in each generation chooses faith or disbelief.  Faith is not an inheritance; it is a choice."

--Henry B. Eyring, "Inquire of the Lord,"  www.ldsces.org

"Moral standards cannot be changed by battle and cannot be changed by ballot."

--Boyd K. Packer, Ensign, 11/10

"Believe in order to understand, not understand [in order to] believe."

--St. Anselm

Further Reading:

James E. Faust, "Dear Are the Sheep That Have Wandered", Ensign, May 2003, 61–62, 67–68
Howard W. Hunter, “Parents’ Concern for Children,” Ensign, Nov. 1983, 65.
John K. Carmack, “When Our Children Go Astray,” Ensign, Feb. 1997, 7–13; Liahona, Mar. 1999, 28–37
D. Todd Christofferson, "Born Again", Ensign, May 2008, 76–79
Ezra Taft Benson, “Beware of Pride,” Ensign, May 1989, 4
Jeffrey R. Holland, "To Young Women," Ensign, 11/05
Teaching, No Greater Call, Chapter 1
Thomas S. Monson, "Charity Never Faileth," Ensign, 11/10

Handouts:

Mosiah 26:1-3--Rising Generation

A. Theodore Tuttle, CR, 4/84
The things we have done in past years are not now sufficient to protect our children in these critical times.  It has long been taught in this Church that the day will come when no one will be able to stand without an individual testimony of the divinity of this work.  That day is here. . . .
No longer can we expect the Church to assume the major role in teaching our children--parents have this prime responsibility.

Believe in order to understand, not understand [in order to] believe.--St. Anselm

Mosiah 26:20--The Second Comforter

Joseph Smith, as quoted in Unlocking the Book of Mormon, p. 197
What is this other Comforter?  It is no more nor less than the Lord Jesus Christ Himself; and this is the sum and substance of the whole matter; that when any man obtains this last Comforter, he will have the personage of Jesus Christ to attend him, or appear unto him from time to time . . .

Mosiah 26:29, 35; 27:31, 35--Confession and Repentance

Bruce C. Hafen, Ensign, 5/04
Some young people assume they can romp in sinful mud until taking a shower of repentance just before being interviewed for a mission or the temple.  In the very act of transgression, some plan to repent.  They mock the gift of mercy that true repentance allows.

Dallin H. Oaks, address given at Temple Square Assembly Hall, 2/7/92
In contrast to the punishment that is the intended result of the judgment of a criminal court, the primary purpose of church discipline is to facilitate repentance--to qualify a transgressor for the mercy of God and the salvation made possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. . . .  Church discipline is not an instrument of punishment, but a catalyst for change. . . . The major concern of the laws of God is to perfect the lives of his children.

James E. Faust, "Dear Are the Sheep That Have Wandered", Ensign, May 2003, 61–62, 67–68
Children come into this world with their own distinct spirits and personality traits. Some children “would challenge any set of parents under any set of circumstances. … Perhaps there are others who would bless the lives of, and be a joy to, almost any father or mother.” (quoting HW Hunter)

Orson F. Whitney, as cited by James E. Faust, "Dear Are the Sheep That Have Wandered", Ensign, May 2003, 61–62, 67–68
The Prophet Joseph Smith declared—and he never taught more comforting doctrine—that the eternal sealings of faithful parents and the divine promises made to them for valiant service in the Cause of Truth, would save not only themselves, but likewise their posterity. Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold. Either in this life or the life to come, they will return. They will have to pay their debt to justice; they will suffer for their sins; and may tread a thorny path; but if it leads them at last, like the penitent Prodigal, to a loving and forgiving father’s heart and home, the painful experience will not have been in vain. Pray for your careless and disobedient children; hold on to them with your faith. Hope on, trust on, till you see the salvation of God.

Mosiah 27:11--Visit of an Angel

Wilford Woodruff, as cited by Daniel H. Ludlow,  A Companion to Your Study of the Book of Mormon, p. 191
The Lord never did nor never will send an angel to anybody merely to gratify the desire of the individual to see an angel.  If the Lord sends an angel to anyone, He sends him to perform a work that cannot be performed only by the administration of an angel.

Mosiah 27:14-16--Prayer of the Righteous

Jeffrey R. Holland, The Book of Mormon: It Begins with a Family, p. 94-95
We learn that there is majestic, undeniable power in the love and prayer of a parent.  The angel who appeared to Alma and the sons of Mosiah did not come in response to any righteousness on their part, though their souls were still precious in the sight of God.  He came in response to the prayers of a faithful parent.
Parental prayer is an unfathomable source of power.  Parents can never give up hoping or caring or believing.  Surely they can never give up praying.  At times prayer may be the only course of action remaining--but it is the most powerful of them all.
We learn that there is great power in the united faith of the priesthood.  It is not only the elder Alma who prays when his son is laid helpless and insensible before him, but also the priests and, we might assume, other faithful friends and neighbors. . . .
Here is a majestic example of Christlike love.  No one in this group seems delighted that devastating recompense has finally come.  No one here seems pleased to imagine the torment of this young spirit.  Yet this is the young man who has despised their faith, harmed their lives, attempted to destroy the very church of God which they hold dearer than life itself. . . . What we all need we cannot in good conscience or integrity deny another.  So they prayed for him who had despitefully used them.

Mosiah 27:25--Being Born Again

Dallin H. Oaks, Ensign, 5/98
As we understand [the concept of being born again], our answer to whether we have been born again is clearly  "yes." . . . In order to realize the intended blessings of this born-again status, we must still keep our covenants and endure to the end.  In the meantime, through the grace of God, we have been born again as new creatures with new spiritual parentage and the prospects of a glorious inheritance.

Jeffrey R. Holland, However Hard and Long the Road, p. 83
Repentance is a very painful process. . . . No one should think that the gift of forgiveness is fully realized without significant effort on the part of the forgiven.  No one should be foolish enough to sin willingly or wantonly, thinking forgiveness is easily available.

Mosiah 29:25-27, 32--The Voice of the People

Thomas Jefferson, The Declaration of Independence
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.

Neal A. Maxwell, Ensign, 5/99
Speaking behaviorally, when what was once the lesser voice of the people becomes more dominant, then the judgments of God and the consequences of foolish selfishness follow. 
Cultural decline is accelerated when single-interest segments of society become indifferent to general values once widely shared.  This drift is facilitated by the indifferent or the indulgent as society is led carefully down to hell.  Some may not join in this drift, but instead they step aside, whereas once they might have constrained, as is their representative right. . . .

Gordon B. Hinckley, Standing for Something, xviii
During recent years, polls and circumstances have suggested that an unprecedented majority of Americans believe that the private lives of public officials need not be considered as a factor in their eligibility for public office, and that private morality has no connection with public behavior and credibility.  I am more deeply concerned about the growing moral deficit than I am about the monetary deficit.

Boyd K. Packer, "Children of God," BYU Women's Conference, 5/5/06
The virtue of tolerance has been distorted and elevated to a position of such prominence as to be thought equal to and even valued more than morality.  It is one thing to be tolerant, even forgiving of individual conduct.  It is quite another to collectively legislate and legalize to protect immoral conduct that can weaken, even destroy the family.
There is a dangerous trap when tolerance is exaggerated to protect the rights of those whose conduct endangers the family and injures the rights of the more part of the people.  We are getting dangerously close to the condition described by the prophet Mosiah [in Mosiah 29:26-27].

Alma 1:3-4--Priestcraft

Dallin H. Oaks, as quoted in Unlocking the Book of Mormon, p. 208
Priestcraft is the sin committed by the combination of a good act--such as preaching or teaching the gospel--and a bad motive.  The act may be good and visible, but the sin is in the motive.  On earth, the wrong motive may be know only to the actor, but in heaven it is always known to God.

Monte S. Nyman, Book of Mormon Symposium, 8/62 p. 76

The anti-Christs such as Sherem and Korihor openly rebel against Christ, while the user of priestcraft claims a belief in Christ but perverts His teachings.

Dallin H. Oaks, Ensign, 11/99
A gospel teacher will never obscure [students'] view of the Master by standing in the way or by shadowing the lesson with self-promotion or self-interest.  This means that a gospel teacher must never indulge in priestcrafts, which are 'that men preach and set themselves up for a light unto the world, that they may get gain and praise of the world' (2 Ne 26:29).  A gospel teacher does not preach 'to become popular' (Alma 1:3) or 'for the sake of riches and honor' (Alma 1:16).  He or she follows the marvelous Book of Mormon example in which 'the preacher was no better than the learner' (Alma 1:26).  Both will always look to the Master.

David A. Bednar,  "Seek Learning by Faith," 2/3/06, www.ldsces.org
Anything you or I do as an instructor that knowingly and intentionally draws attention to self--in the messages we present, in the methods e use, or in our personal demeanor--is a form of priestcraft that inhibits the teaching effectiveness of the Holy Ghost.

Jeffrey R. Holland, Ensign, 5/98
To teach effectively and to feel you are succeeding is demanding work indeed.  But it is worth it. We can receive 'no greater call.'  . . . Perhaps that is why President David O. McKay once said, 'No greater responsibility can rest upon any man [or woman], than to be a teacher of God's children.'

Teaching, No Greater Call, p. 3
The responsibility to teach the gospel is not limited to those who have formal callings as teachers.  As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you have the responsibility to teach the gospel.

Alma 3:26-27--Otherworldly Influences in Our Lives

Jeffrey R. Holland, However Long and Hard the Road, p. 13-14
In the gospel of Jesus Christ we have help from both sides of the veil.  When disappointment and discouragement strike--and they will--we need to remember that if our eyes could be opened, we would see horses and chariots of fire as far as the eye can see, riding at great speed to come to our protection. [2 Kings 6:14-17] They will always be there, these armies of heaven, in defense of Abraham's seed.  We have been given this promise from heaven.

Alma 4:19--Pride

Ezra Taft Benson, as quoted in Unlocking the Book of Mormon, p. 217
One of Satan's greatest tools is pride: to cause a man or a woman to center so much attention on self that he or she becomes insensitive to his Creator or fellow beings. . . . Repentance means change, and it takes a humble person to change.  But we can do it.

Ezra Taft Benson, "Beware of Pride," Ensign, 5/89, 4 (italics added)
God will have a humble people. Either we can choose to be humble or we can be compelled to be humble. Alma said, “Blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble.” (Alma 32:16.)
Let us choose to be humble.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Pride and the Priesthood", Ensign, Nov. 2010, 55–58
At its core, pride is a sin of comparison, for though it usually begins with “Look how wonderful I am and what great things I have done,” it always seems to end with “Therefore, I am better than you.”
. . . In a sense, pride is the original sin, for before the foundations of this earth, pride felled Lucifer, a son of the morning “who was in authority in the presence of God.”  If pride can corrupt one as capable and promising as this, should we not examine our own souls as well?

Alma 5:7, 12-14--Mighty Change of Heart

Ezra Taft Benson, Ensign, 10/89
For every Paul, for every Enos, and for every King Lamoni, there are hundreds and thousands of people who find the process of repentance much more subtle, much more imperceptible.  Day by day they move closer to the Lord, little realizing they are building a godlike life.

D. Todd Christofferson, "Born Again", Ensign, May 2008, 76–79
You may ask, Why doesn’t this mighty change happen more quickly with me? You should remember that the remarkable examples of King Benjamin’s people, Alma, and some others in scripture are just that—remarkable and not typical. For most of us, the changes are more gradual and occur over time. Being born again, unlike our physical birth, is more a process than an event. And engaging in that process is the central purpose of mortality.
At the same time, let us not justify ourselves in a casual effort. Let us not be content to retain some disposition to do evil. Let us worthily partake of the sacrament each week and continue to draw upon the Holy Spirit to root out the last vestiges of impurity within us. I testify that as you continue in the path of spiritual rebirth, the atoning grace of Jesus Christ will take away your sins and the stain of those sins in you, temptations will lose their appeal, and through Christ you will become holy, as He and our Father are holy.

Marion G. Romney, Ensign, 11/75
Conversion--experiencing a mighty change of heart--is a transformation process involving and affecting every aspect of one's life.

Alma 5:27--Humility

Willam W. Parmley, Ensign, 11/03
It is of interest, however, that during the first 30 years of His life in Nazareth, Jesus apparently drew little attention to Himself even though He was living a sinless life.  That should encourage us to do better in our own quiet and humble way without drawing attention to ourselves.

Mosiah 7-25

Quotes of the Week:

"We may not be asked to die for our beliefs, but we have certainly been asked to live for our beliefs.  Let us realize that standing, living, and testifying for the truth is our duty."

--Unlocking the Book of Mormon, p. 180

"Faith and character are intimately related.  Faith in the power of obedience to the commandments of God will forge strength of character available to you in times of urgent need."

Richard G. Scott, Ensign, 11/10

Further Reading:
Lance B. Wickman, "But If Not," Ensign, 11/02
"Comfort in the Hour of Death," Teachings of the Presidents of the Church--Heber J. Grant, p. 43
Orson Scott Card, "Three Kings and a Captain, Nephite Leaders in the Land of Nephi,"  Ensign, 1/77
Robert J. Matthews, “Abinadi: Prophet and Martyr,” Ensign, Apr 1992, 25
Arthur R. Bassett, “Alma the Elder,” Ensign, Feb 1977, 5
Richard G. Scott, "The Transforming Power of Faith and Character," Ensign, 11/10 p. 43

Handouts:

Mosiah 8:13-18--Seer

 Theodore M. Burton, CR, Sep/Oct 1961, p. 121-22
The seer can bear personal testimony, not based on books not based on scholarship, not based on tradition, but based on the evidence of things that God Himself can reveal to him in an actual experience with Deity.

Mosiah 13:3--Missions Fulfilled

History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, Lucy Mack Smith, p. 309-10
[A blessing given from Joseph Smith Sr. to his son Joseph, as recorded by the Prophet's mother.]  "you shall even live to finish your work."  At this Joseph cried out, weeping, "Oh! my father, shall I?"  "Yes," said his father, "you shall live to lay out the plan of all the work which God as given you to do.  This is my dying blessing upon your head in the name of Jesus. . . ."

Mosiah 14--Isaiah

Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, 1:23
Now Bible commentators will tell you that this [Isaiah 53] has nothing to do with the life of Jesus Christ.  To them this story is one concerning suffering Israel.  I want to tell you that it is a story, a synopsis of the life of our Redeemer, revealed to Isaiah 700 years before the Lord was born.

Mosiah 14:3--A Man of Sorrows

Jeffrey R. Holland, Ensign, 11/99
I know some of you do truly feel at sea, in the most frightening sense of that term. . . . I testify of God's love and the Savior's power to calm the storm . . . .   Only one who has fought against those ominous waves is justified in telling us in such times to "be of good cheer" (John 16:33).  Such counsel is not a jaunty pep talk about the power of positive thinking  . . . No, Christ knows better than all others that the trials of life can be very deep, and we are not shallow people if we struggle with them.  Surely His ears heard every cry of distress, every sound of want and despair.  To a degree far more than we will ever understand, He was "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief."

Mosiah 14:5--Wounded for Our Transgressions

Ezra Taft Benson, The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p. 14
It was in Gethsemane that Jesus took on Himself the sins of the world, in Gethsemane that His pain was equivalent to the cumulative burden of all men, in Gethsemane that He descended below all things so that all could repent and come to Him.  The mortal mind fails to fathom, the tongue cannot express, the pen of man cannot describe the breadth, the depth, the height of the suffering of our Lord--nor His infinite love for us.

Mosiah 14:10--It Pleased Him

Robert Millet, in Symposium on the Book of Mormon, p. 100
This is a verse which requires careful consideration.  God our Eternal Father loved his Only Begotten and, like any parent, surely anguished with the pain of his child.  And yet, as infinitely painful as it must have been for Elohim, the hours of agony were necessary--they were a part of that plan of the Father of which Jehovah had been the chief advocate and proponent in premortality.  Indeed it was needful that the "lamb slain from the foundation of the world" be slain, in order that life and immortality might be brought to light.  And thus "it pleased the Lord [the Father] to bruise him," in the sense that Jesus carried out to the fullest the will of the Father, in spite of the pain associated with the implementation of the terms and conditions of that will.

Mosiah 15:7--Swallowed Up in the Will of the Father

Lance B. Wickman, Ensign, 11/02
Do not ever doubt the goodness of God, even if you do not know “why.” The overarching question asked by the bereaved and the burdened is simply this: Why? Why did our daughter die, when we prayed so hard that she would live and when she received priesthood blessings? Why are we struggling with this misfortune, when others relate miraculous healing experiences for their loved ones? These are natural questions, understandable questions. But they are also questions that usually go begging in mortality. The Lord has said simply, “My ways [are] higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa. 55:9). As the Son’s will was “swallowed up in the will of the Father” (Mosiah 15:7), so must ours be.
Still, we mortals quite naturally want to know the why. Yet, in pressing too earnestly for the answer, we may forget that mortality was designed, in a manner of speaking, as the season of unanswered questions. Mortality has a different, more narrowly defined purpose: It is a proving ground, a probationary state, a time to walk by faith, a time to prepare to meet God. It is in nurturing humility and submissiveness that we may comprehend a fulness of the intended mortal experience and put ourselves in a frame of mind and heart to receive the promptings of the Spirit. Reduced to their essence, humility and submissiveness are an expression of complete willingness to let the “why” questions go unanswered for now, or perhaps even to ask, “Why not?” It is in enduring well to the end that we achieve this life’s purposes. I believe that mortality’s supreme test is to face the “why” and then let it go, trusting humbly in the Lord’s promise that “all things must come to pass in their time” (D&C 64:32).

References used by Elder Wickman:  Abr. 3:24–25; 2 Ne. 31:15–16, 20; Alma 12:24; Alma 42:4–13; Alma 32:6–21; Mosiah 3:19; 2 Ne. 31:15–16; Alma 32:15; D&C 121:8

Mosiah 15:5--Flesh Becoming Subject to the Spirit

Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, 9:287-88
We have to fight continually, . . .  to make the spirit master of the tabernacle, or the flesh subject to the law of the spirit.  If this warfare is not diligently prosecuted, then the law of sin prevails. 

Mosiah 17:2--Abinadi

Joseph B. Wirthlin, as quoted in Unlocking the Book of Mormon, p. 179
Abinadi may have felt that he failed as a missionary because he had only one convert, so far as the record shows.  However, that one convert, Alma, and his descendants were spiritual leaders among the Nephites and Lamanites for about three hundred years.  His son Alma became the first chief judge of the Nephite people and the high priest over the Church.  Alma's other descendants who became prominent religious leaders include his grandson Helaman; his great-grandson Nephi; and his great-great-great-great-grandson Nephi, who was the chief disciple of the resurrected Jesus Christ.  All of this resulted from Abinadi's lone convert.

Mosiah 18:8--Baptismal Covenants

Jeffrey R. Holland, Christ and the New Covenant, p. 106
This declaration by Alma at the Waters of Mormon still stands as the most complete scriptural statement on record as to what the newly baptized commit to do and be.

Robert D. Hales, Ensign, 11/00
When we understand our baptismal covenant and the gift of the Holy Ghost, it will change our lives and will establish our total allegiance to the kingdom of God. . . . It is very important for us to understand the marvelous gift of the remission of sins, but there is much more.  Do you understand and do your children understand that when they are baptized they are changed forever? . . . How many [of us] really understand that when we were baptized we took upon us not only the name of Jesus Christ but also the law of obedience?

Unlocking the Book of Mormon, p. 181
Sometimes we use the terms "commitment" or "promise" as though they were synonymous with the word "covenant." For many people of the world that may be true.  The are meaningful and motivating words of behavior.  But a covenant is much more.  Covenants come from God by revelation, and the authority to bind man and God in a covenant relationship can only be bestowed by those authorized to represent Him in the performing of covenant ordinances.  No one outside the Lord's Church is involved in covenants, though others may make various kinds of commitments or promises.  But a covenant with the Lord  is of far greater significance.  We all need to give serious thought to the Lord's expectations of us and His promises to us as we fulfill our responsibilities.

Mosiah 18:12-18--Alma's Authority

Joseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, 3:203
We may conclude that Alma held the priesthood before he, with others, became disturbed with King Noah.  Whether this is so or not makes no difference because in the Book of Mosiah it is stated definitely that had authority.
If he had authority to baptize that is evidence that he had been baptized.  Therefore, when Alma baptized himself with Helam that was not a case of Alma baptizing himself, but merely as a token to the Lord of his humility and full repentance."

 

Mosiah 23:21--Trials of Patience and Faith

Neal A. Maxwell, Ensign, 10/80
Patience is a willingness, in a sense, to watch the unfolding purposes of God with a sense of wonder and awe--rather than pacing up and down within the cell of our circumstance.  Too much anxious opening of the oven door and the cake falls instead of rising.

Mosiah 24:3-4--Language Differences

Unlocking the Book of Mormon, p. 193
Languages were so different that they had difficulty communicating with each other.  During the period of history between 145 and 123 B.C., the king of the Lamanites had Amulon and the priests taught the Lamanites the Nephite language.  Thus the two groups evidently start speaking the same language again.  This fact takes on added significance later in the Book of Mormon when we read about the missionary efforts between these two groups.

Mosiah 24:14-15--Burdens Eased

Neal A. Maxwell, Ensign, 5/92, quoting from The Personal Writings of Joseph Smith, Dean C. Jessee, 387
Concerning his personal suffering, Joseph was promised, "Thy heart shall be enlarged."  An enlarged Joseph wrote from Liberty Jail, "It seems to me that my heart will always be more tender after this than ever it was before. . . .  I think I never could have felt as I now do if I had not suffered."

Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, 5/92
When we are on the Lord's errand, we are entitled to the Lord's help.  Remember that the Lord will shape the back to bear the burden placed upon it.

Teachings of the Presidents of the Church--Heber J. Grant, p. 47-48
I was thoroughly convinced in my own mind and in my own heart, when my first wife left me by death, that it was the will of the Lord that she should be called away. I bowed in humility at her death. The Lord saw fit upon that occasion to give to one of my little children a testimony that the death of her mother was the will of the Lord.

About one hour before my wife died, I called my children into her room and told them that their mother was dying and for them to bid her good-bye. One of the little girls, about twelve years of age, said to me: “Papa, I do not want my mamma to die. I have been with you in the hospital in San Francisco for six months; time and time again when mamma was in distress you [have] administered to her and she has been relieved of her pain and quietly gone to sleep. I want you to lay hands upon my mamma and heal her.”

I told my little girl that we all had to die sometime, and that I felt assured in my heart that her mother’s time had arrived. She and the rest of the children left the room.

I then knelt down by the bed of my wife (who by this time had lost consciousness) and I told the Lord I acknowledged His hand in life, in death, in joy, in sorrow, in prosperity, or adversity. I thanked Him for the knowledge I had that my wife belonged to me for all eternity, that the gospel of Jesus Christ had been restored, that I knew that by the power and authority of the Priesthood here on the earth that I could and would have my wife forever if I were only faithful as she had been. But I told the Lord that I lacked the strength to have my wife die and to have it affect the faith of my little children in the ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ; and I supplicated the Lord with all the strength that I possessed, that He would give to that little girl of mine a knowledge that it was His mind and His will that her mamma should die.

Within an hour my wife passed away, and I called the children back into the room. My little boy about five and a half or six years of age was weeping bitterly, and the little girl twelve years of age took him in her arms and said: “Do not weep, do not cry, Heber; since we went out of this room the voice of the Lord from heaven has said to me, ‘In the death of your mamma the will of the Lord shall be done.’ ”

Tell me, my friends, that I do not know that God hears and answers prayers! Tell me that I do not know that in the hour of adversity the Latter-day Saints are comforted and blessed and consoled as no other people are!

Richard G. Scott, Ensign, 5/96
Sadness, disappointment, severe challenges are events in life, not life itself. 

Marianne Willaimson, Return to Love, 1992

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.  Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.  It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?  Actually, who are you not to be?  You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world.  There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.  We are all meant to shine, as children do.  We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.  It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.  And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.  As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

Mosiah 1-6

Quotes of the Week:

"Surely what a man does when he is taken off his guard is the best evidence of what sort of man he is.  Surely what pops out before the man has time to put on a disguise is the truth."

--C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, p. 164-65

"Sins are personal, belonging to sinners and no one else."

--Unlocking the Book of Mormon, p. 154

Further Reading

I apologize for this incomplete list.  I inadvertently erased some of my information this week, and, unfortunately, the "Further Reading" list was the main casualty.  Again, apologies.

J. Devn Cornish, "Learning How the Atonement Can Change You", Ensign, Apr. 2002, 20
Jeffrey R. Holland, "None Were with Him", Ensign, May 2009, 86–88

Handouts

King Benjamin

Sydney S. Reynolds, “Book of Mormon Principles: King Benjamin on the Atonement,” Ensign, Apr 2004, 13–17
In my opinion, if King Benjamin had uttered only the words in Mosiah 3:19, the verse would still rank among the great gems in all our scriptures.”  The message King Benjamin gave to the families who listened to him in those long-ago days is clear and current for us today.

How wonderful that Mormon, the faithful abridger and compiler of the Book of Mormon, gave us King Benjamin’s “last lecture,” one of the most powerful in scripture, in King Benjamin’s own words. It is beautiful, succinct, simple, yet amazingly complex. Here is another wonderful Book of Mormon witness that the ancient prophets, even before the time of Christ, knew of His coming and His mission. Time and again they assured the people that even though Christ had not yet come to the earth and they must still keep the law of Moses, His promises were sure and His Atonement was effective for them. These glad tidings of great joy were had among the people of Nephi long before He came to visit them after His Resurrection.

Reading King Benjamin’s sermon may cause us to reflect once again on our indebtedness to the Lord for giving us such scripture. The Book of Mormon came to us from the hands of ancient prophets through the hand of a modern prophet who translated it by the gift and power of God. What a blessing it is to have the Book of Mormon as another testament of Jesus Christ and of His great atoning sacrifice.

Mosiah 2:3-4--Preparation

Unlocking the Book of Mormon, p. 146

It would be a worthwhile practice for us to kneel in prayer as part of our preparation and prior to our going to our meetings.  We could thank the Lord that He has prepared a meeting, that we have been invited to attend, and then pray for those who are responsible for the content of the meeting.  Think of the impressions and impact on children who hear such prayers from parents who provide these patterns in their homes.

Mosiah 2:17--Service

Teachings of the Presidents of the Church--Spencer W. Kimball
On one occasion [Gordon B. Hinckley] tried to slow [Spencer W. Kimball] down a little, and he said, 'Gordon, my life is like my shoes--to be worn out in service.'  He so lived.  He so died.


Teachings of the Presidents of the Church--HJG
The true key to happiness in life is to labor for the happiness of others.  I pity the selfish man who has never experienced the joy which comes to those who receive the thanks and gratitude of the people whom they may have aided in the struggle of life. . . . Service is the true key to happiness.

Nell K. Newell, Welfare Services, Church News, 1/8/05

The bandage for  a sufferer of leprosy arrived at LDS Humanitarian Center in an ordinary plastic bag.  It looked like the many hundreds of others: made by hand from white, cotton thread, three inches wide by four feet long.

Like other similar bandages, this one was sturdy, designed so it would not stick to sores like flat bandages can, and could be sterilized for reuse.  These bandages, while relatively easy to make, can take more than 40 hours to complete.

But there was something special about his bandage.  At the top, the stitches were tight and orderly.  About halfway down, the stitches became increasingly uneven and loose.  After another few inches, the stitches once again became even.

Attached to the bandage was a small note written by hand that said:  "Just a note about this bandage.  I know it's not the most perfect bandage you've ever seen, but it was made by my younger sister (age 46) who died of breast cancer in February.  She worked on this right up till the end. . . . She was determined to finish it, but died before it was finished.  I finished it for her.  Even though it looks a little funny, no bandage was ever done with more love, effort or perseverance."  The letter was not signed.  There was no indication of who this woman was or where she was from.

All that can be surmised is that during her time of greatest affliction, this woman performed a simple act of kindness, something that would bring relief to a stranger.  One stitch at a time--hour after hour--in her final and most troubling hours, her thoughts and hands were devoted to easing the pain of another.

In the great events of world history, the making of a bandage for a leprosy patient may not merit a mention.  But perhaps beyond the veil, angels rejoice in a simple act of charity that serves as a symbol of all that is best within us.

Gordon B. Hinckley, Standing for Something, p. 56
The best cure for weariness is the challenge of helping someone who is even more tired.  One of the great ironies of life is this:  He or she who serves almost always benefits more than he or she who is served.

Robert J. Whetten, Ensign, 5/05
Every unselfish act of kindness and service increases your spirituality.

Mosiah 2:17-21, 34--Service and Gratitude

Joseph B. Wirthlin, Ensign , 5/04
How can we ever repay the debt we owe to the Savior?  He paid a debt He did not owe to free us from a debt we can never pay.


Jeffrey R. Holland, " Because of Your Faith," October 2010
I have struggled to find an adequate way to tell you how loved of God you are and how grateful we on this stand are for you. I am trying to be voice for the very angels of heaven in thanking you for every good thing you have ever done, for every kind word you have ever said, for every sacrifice you have ever made in extending to someone—to anyone—the beauty and blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  
And to the near-perfect elderly sister who almost apologetically whispered recently, “I have never been a leader of anything in the Church. I guess I’ve only been a helper,” I say, “Dear sister, God bless you and all the ‘helpers’ in the kingdom.” Some of us who are leaders hope someday to have the standing before God that you have already attained.


Thomas S. Monson, "The Divine Gift of Gratitude," October 2010
My brothers and sisters, do we remember to give thanks for the blessings we receive? Sincerely giving thanks not only helps us recognize our blessings, but it also unlocks the doors of heaven and helps us feel God’s love.
My beloved friend President Gordon B. Hinckley said, “When you walk with gratitude, you do not walk with arrogance and conceit and egotism, you walk with a spirit of thanksgiving that is becoming to you and will bless your lives.”

Mosiah 3:7-8,11, 17--The Atonement

Jeffrey R. Holland, "None Were with Him", Ensign, May 2009, 86–88
Brothers and sisters, one of the great consolations of this Easter season is that because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so. His solitary journey brought great company for our little version of that path . . . Trumpeted from the summit of Calvary is the truth that we will never be left alone nor unaided, even if sometimes we may feel that we are. Truly the Redeemer of us all said: “I will not leave you comfortless: [My Father and] I will come to you [and abide with you].”


Jeffrey R. Holland, Christ and the New Covenant, p. 91-92
He who most deserved peace and was the Prince of Peace had peace taken from him.  He who deserved no rebuke, let alone physical abuse, went under the lash that his taking of such stripes might spare us such pain if only we would repent.  The total cost of such combined spiritual and physical suffering is incalculable.  Yet the iniquities, including the sorrows and sadness, of every mortal being who ever has lived or will live in this world were laid across one lonely set of shoulders.  In the most magnificent display of strength ever known in the world of human endeavor, they were carried until full payment had been made.

Mosiah 3:16, 18-19, 21--Becoming as a Little Child

Henry B. Eyring, Ensign, 5/06
King Benjamin describes that change with a beautiful comparison, used by prophets for millennia and by the Lord Himself. It is this: that we can, and we must, become as a child—a little child.
For some that will not be easy to understand or to accept. Most of us want to be strong. We may well see being like a child as being weak. Most parents have wanted their children at times to be less childish. Even the Apostle Paul used these words as he was about to urge us to incorporate charity, the pure love of Christ, into our lives: “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”
But King Benjamin, who understood as well as any mortal what it meant to be a man of strength and courage, makes it clear that to be like a child is not to be childish. It is to be like the Savior, who prayed to His Father for strength to be able to do His will and then did it. Our natures must be changed to become as a child to gain the strength we must have to be safe in the times of moral peril.

David B. Haight, Ensign, 11/83
Nobody grows old by merely living a number of years.  People grow old by deserting their ideals, their faith.  There is always the love of wonder, a childlike appetite for what is next, the joy of your life.  You are as young as your faith, as old as your doubt; as young as your self-confidence, as old as your fear or despair.  In the center of our heart is a recording chamber, and so long as it receives messages of beauty, hope, cheer, courage, and faith, so long are we young.

Mosiah 3:19--The Natural Man

Unlocking the Book of Mormon, p. 153A

Robert Millet:

1. The natural man cannot or does not perceive spiritual realities

2.  The natural man allows into his life those things that are harsh, vulgar, and crude.

3. Instead of seeking to do the Lord's will, the natural man pits his own will against that of the Lord--wishing, ultimately, that the Lord would agree with him.

4.  The natural man seeks to have more, do more, and be more than those around him; this competitive nature eventually saps the joy out of accomplishment and causes the natural man to focus on elevating himself at the cost of diminishing those around him.

Mosiah 3:19--Inflict

Neal A. Maxwell, One More Strain of Praise, p. 13

Use of the word inflict suggests customized challenges and tutoring that require an added and special submissiveness.

Mosiah 4:2-3--Repentance

Gospel Principles, p.107
We come to earth for the purpose of growing and progressing.  This is a life-long process.
The privilege of repenting . . . sometimes requires great courage, much strength, many tears, unceasing prayers, and untiring efforts to live the commandments of the Lord.
As we repent, the Atonement of Jesus Christ becomes fully effective in our lives, and the Lord forgives our sins.  We become free from the bondage of our sins, and we find joy.

Mosiah 4:11-16, 26--Retaining a Remission of Sin

Neal A. Maxwell, "King Benjamin's Sermon: A Manual for Discipleship"
Much emphasis was given by King Benjamin to retaining a remission of our sins.  We do not ponder that concept very much in the church.  We ought to think of it a lot more.  Retention clearly depends on the regularity of our repentance.  In the church we worry, and should, over the retention of new members, but the retention of our remissions is cause for even deeper concern.

Mosiah 4:17-22--Care for the Poor

Joseph Smith, as quoted by Hugh Nibley, Collected Works of Hugh Nibley, 9:226

It is better to feed ten impostors than to run the risk of turning away one honest petition.

Mosiah 4:27--In Wisdom and Order

Joseph B. Wirthlin, Ensign, 11/01
My ability to run is not so swift now.  While I am looking forward to that future time when, with a resurrected body, I can once again sprint over a field and feel the wind blowing through my hair, I do not dwell on the fact that I cannot do it now.  That would be unwise.  Instead, I take steps that I can take. . . .
Let me cite a hypothetical example of a dear sister in any ward, the one who has perfect children who never cause a disturbance in church.  She is the one working on her 20th generation in her family history, keeps an immaculate home, has memorized the book of Mark, and makes wool sweaters for the orphaned children in Romania.  No disrespect, of course, intended for any of these worthy goals.  Now, when you get tempted to throw your hands in the air and give up because of this dear sister, please remember you're not competing with her any more than I'm competing with the members of the Quorum of the Twelve in winning a 50-yard dash.
The only thing you need to worry about is striving to be the best you can be.  And how do you do that?  You keep your eye on the goals that matter most in life, and you move towards them step by step.

Jacob 6-Words of Mormon

Quotes of the Week:
"When our priorities are out of order, we lose power.  It takes personal revelation every day to help us prioritize and reprioritize and keep at bay the influences of the world that would draw us from what we are to do."

--Julie B. Beck, BYU Women's Conference, 4/29/10

"I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. "

--Abraham Lincoln

 Further Reading:

Robert D. Hales, "Prayer," Ensign, 10/04

D. Todd Christofferson, New Era, 10/10

Jairo Mazzagardi, General Conference 10/10

M. Russell Ballard, "O Be Wise," Ensign, 11/06

Julie B. Beck, BYU Women's Conference address, 4/29/10 (click here to be directed to this talk)

Handouts:

Jacob 6:12--O Be Wise, What Can I Say More?

M. Russell Ballard, Ensign, 11/06
We need to thoughtfully allocate our resources of time, income, and energy. I would like to let you in on a little secret. Some of you have already learned it. If you haven’t, it’s time you knew. No matter what your family needs are or your responsibilities in the Church, there is no such thing as “done.” There will always be more we can do. There is always another family matter that needs attention, another lesson to prepare, another interview to conduct, another meeting to attend. We just need to be wise in protecting our health and in following the counsel that President Hinckley has given often to just do the best that we can.

The key, it seems to me, is to know and understand your own capabilities and limitations and then to pace yourself, allocating and prioritizing your time, your attention, and your resources to wisely help others, including your family, in their quest for eternal life.

Wisdom, defined in Webster's New World Thesaurus:

implies the ability to judge and deal with persons, situations, etc. rightly, based on a broad range of knowledge, experience, and understanding.

Jacob 7:2-4--Avoiding Anti-Christs

Ezra Taft Benson, CR, 10/63 p. 16-17
How to avoid being deceived:
1. What do the standard works have to say about it? . . .
2. The second guide is: what do the latter-day Presidents of the Church have to say on the subject--particularly the living President? . . .
3. The third and final test is the Holy Ghost--the test of the Spirit. . . This test can only be fully effective if one's channels of communication with God are clean and virtuous and uncluttered with sin.

Jacob 7--Avoiding the Trap of Sin

Jairo Mazzagardi, General Conference, 10/10
I remembered that a little farther down the path, we would find another post that had already been taken over little by little, almost unnoticed, by the vegetation that grew around it. I imagine that a post would not perceive that, despite its strength, it could be encompassed and destroyed by fragile plants. The post would have thought, “No problem. I am strong and big, and this small plant will do me no harm.”
So as a nearby tree grows bigger, the post does not notice at first; then the post starts enjoying the shade the tree provides. But the tree continues to grow, and it encircles the post with two branches that at first seem fragile but that in time intertwine and surround the post.
Still the post does not realize what is happening.
Soon, in our walk, we found the proverbial post. It had been plucked out from the ground. My little granddaughter looked impressed and asked me, “Grandpa, is this the tree of sin?"
I then explained to her that it was only a symbol, or an example, of how sin gets us.
I don’t know what the effect of our conversation will be on her, but it made me think of the many faces of sin and of how it sneaks into our lives if we allow it to. We must be alert because small choices can bring great consequences, just as going to bed early and waking up early have great consequences. Doctrine and Covenants 88:124 teaches us, “Arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated.” Those who go to bed early wake up rested, with the body and mind invigorated and blessed by the Lord because of obedience.
What may appear to be of little importance, such as going to bed late, not praying for a day, skipping fasting, or breaking the Sabbath—such little slips—will make us lose sensitivity little by little, allowing us to do worse things.

Jacob 7:13-20--Signs

Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, 713-14
Signs are sacred grants of divine favor reserved for the faithful and concerning which the recipients are commanded not to boast.

Jacob 7:19--Second Death

Orson Pratt, Journal of Discourses, 1:288
Second death, what is that? After you have been redeemed from the grave, and come into the presence of God, you will have to stand there to be judged; and if you have done evil, you will be banished everlastingly from His presence--body and spirit united together; this is what is called the second death. Why is it called the second death? Because the first is the dissolution of body and spirit, and the second is . . . a banishment--a becoming dead to the things of righteousness.

Enos 1:1-5--Repentance

John H. Groberg, Heroes from the Book of Mormon, p. 54
After [Enos] had paid the necessary price in effort and sincerity, he received his heart's desire, as recorded in verse 5: "And there came a voice unto me saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed."

Enos 1:4--Fervent Prayer

Harold B. Lee, Improvement Era, 10/66, 898
"Imagine anybody praying all night and all day." I replied, "My dear sister, I hope you never have to come to a time where you have a problem so great that you have to so humble yourself. I have; I have prayed all day and all night and all the next day and all the next night, not always on my knees but praying constantly for a blessing that I needed most."

Omni

From K. Douglas Bassett, Doctrinal Insights to the Book of Mormon
The small plates of Nephi were to contain the religious history of the Nephite people. . . . The fact that the writings of five men occupy such a small segment as the book of Omni would indicate this was a period of great apostasy--thus there were no new prophecies or religious teachings to be added to the record.

Omni 1:12-19

Most Latter-day Saints refer to the people of Zarahemla as the "Mulekites," although the word Mulekite does not appear a single time in the Book of Mormon. . . . Inasmuch as only descendants of Judah could serve as the rulers of the kingdom of Judah, Mulek and his descendants were of the tribe of Judah, Mulek and his descendants were of the tribe Judah. . . . The people of Zarahemla left Jerusalem within about twelve years of each other, and evidently spoke the same language then, yet about four hundred years later their descendants could not even understand each other.

Omni 1:20-22

The Book of Mormon does not specifically state when Coriantumr lived with the people of Zarahemla, but it would have to be sometime after 589 BC and before about 200 BC (when Mosiah and his group first came into the land of Zarahemla). The twentieth verse of Omni tells of a large stone that was brought to Mosiah and which contained an account of Coriantumr. However, this does not necessarily indicate that Coriantumr was still alive in the days of Mosiah; his stay of "nine moons" among the people of Zarahemla could have occurred decades or even centuries before the time of Mosiah.

Jacob 1-5

Quote of the week:

"Pride is the great stumbling block of Zion.  I repeat:  Pride is the great stumbling block of Zion."

Ezra Taft Benson, April 1989

"In a sense, pride is the original sin, for before the foundations of this earth, pride felled Lucifer, a son of the morning “who was in authority in the presence of God.” If pride can corrupt one as capable and promising as this, should we not examine our own souls as well?"

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, October 2010

Further reading:

Romans 11:17-24

Dean L. Larsen, Conference Report, 10/87

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Pride and the Priesthood," General Conference 10/10

Ezra Taft Benson, "Pride," Ensign 5/89

Handouts:

Jacob 1:15--Pride Cycle Begins

M. Russell Ballard, “Learning the Lessons of the Past,” Ensign, May 2009, 31–34

Time and again we see the cycle of righteousness followed by wickedness. Similarly, the Book of Mormon records that ancient civilizations of this continent followed exactly the same pattern: righteousness followed by prosperity, followed by material comforts, followed by greed, followed by pride, followed by wickedness and a collapse of morality until the people brought calamities upon themselves sufficient to stir them up to humility, repentance, and change.

Jacob 1:19,22--Magnifying Callings

Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, 5/06
The Prophet Joseph Smith was once asked, "Brother Joseph, you frequently urge that we magnify our callings.  What does this mean?"  He is said to have replied, "To magnify a calling is to hold it up in dignity and importance, that the light of heaven may shine through one's performance to the gaze of other men.  An elder magnifies his calling when he learns what his duties as an elder are and then performs them.

Jacob 2:17--It Grieveth Me

Jeffrey R. Holland, “Place No More for the Enemy of My Soul,” Ensign, May 2010, 44–46

With that stark introduction to my message today—one it is challenging for me to give—I feel much like Jacob of old, who said, “It grieveth me that I must use so much boldness of speech … before … many … whose feelings are exceedingly tender and chaste and delicate.”  But bold we need to be. Perhaps it was the father in me or maybe the grandfather, but the tears in those young women’s eyes brought tears to mine and Sister Holland’s, and the questions they asked left me asking, “Why is there so much moral decay around us, and why are so many individuals and families, including some in the Church, falling victim to it, being tragically scarred by it?”

Jacob 4:14--Looking Beyond the Mark

Dean L. Larsen, Ensign, 11/87
They were apparently afflicted with a pseudosophistication and a snobbishness that gave them a  false sense of superiority over those who came among them with the Lord's words of plainness. . . . The must have reveled in speculative and theoretical matters that obscured for them the fundamental spiritual truths. . . . There are other ways in which many of us often look beyond the mark.  Sometimes we focus too much of our attention and energy upon our temporal wants, not only to entertain ourselves and gratify our physical appetites, but also to gain recognition, position, and power.  We can become so consumed by the pursuit of these things that we sacrifice the sweetness and enduring peace of mind that are found in spiritual well-being, in well-nurtured family relationships, and in the love and respect of friends and associates.

Dallin H. Oaks, "Be Wise,"  BYU-I Devotional, 11/7/06
Some persons write General Authorities asking when we will be returning to Missouri or how we should plan to build up the New Jerusalem.  Others want to know details about the Celestial Kingdom, such as the position of a person who lives a good life but never ever marries.
I don't know the answers to any of these questions.  What I do know is that persons worrying about such things are probably neglecting to seek a firmer understanding and a better practice of the basic principles of the gospel that have been given to them with words of plainness by the scriptures and by the servants of the Lord.
If we neglect the words of plainness and look beyond the mark, we are starting down a path that often leads to a loss of commitment and sometimes to a loss of faith.  There is enough difficulty in following the words of plainness, without reaching out for things we have not been given and probably cannot understand.

Jacob 4:15-18--The Four Cornerstones of the Restored Gospel

Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, 2/04

. . . the chief cornerstone, whom we recognize and honor as the Lord Jesus Christ.  The second is the vision given the Prophet Joseph Smith when the Father and the Son appeared to him.  The third is the Book of Mormon, which speaks as a voice from the dust with the words of ancient prophets declaring the divinity and reality of the Savior of mankind.  The fourth is the priesthood with all of its powers and authority, whereby men act in the name of God in administering the affairs of His kingdom.

Jacob 4:18--Anxiety

Boyd K. Packer, CR, 4/78
It was meant to be that life would be a challenge.  To suffer some anxiety, some depression, some disappointment, even some failure is normal.  Teach our members that if they have a good, miserable day once in a while, or several in a row, to stand steady and face them.  Things will straighten out.

K. Douglas Bassett, The Barber's Song, p. 126
Here was a prophet, in the temple, preaching the doctrines of the kingdom, and he was concerned about losing the Spirit over something as simple as anxiety.  Even the worthy prophet Jacob could not be sensitive to the promptings of the Spirit when anxiety was a part of his life.

Jacob 5

Joseph Fielding Smith

. . .  take a few minutes at some convenient time and sit down and just read carefully every word in the fifth chapter of the Book of Jacob. . . . No greater parable was ever recorded. . . . That was written by the inspiration of the Almighty. . . . When you read that chapter through if you cannot say in your soul, "this is absolutely a revelation from God," then there is something wrong with you.

Truman G. Madsen, "The Olive Press: A Symbol of Christ," in The Allegory of the Olive Tree, p. 2
One Jewish legend identifies the tree of life as the olive tree, and with good reason.  The olive tree is an evergreen, not a deciduous tree. Its leaves do not seasonally fade nor fall.  Through scorching heat and winter cold they are continually rejuvenated.  Without cultivation the olive is a wild, unruly, easily corrupted tree.  Only after long, patient cultivating, usually eight to ten years, does it begin to yield fruit.  Long after that, new shoots often come forth from apparently dead roots. [The appearance of gnarled trunks gives] the impression of travail--of ancient life and renewing life.

Jacob 5:41,47,49--God as Parent

Jeffrey R. Holland, Heroes from the Book of Mormon, p. 37
There is much more here than simply the unraveling of convoluted Israelite history.  Of greater significance in this allegory is the benevolent view of God that it provides.  He is portrayed here as one who repeatedly, painstakingly, endlessly tries to save the work of His hands and in moments of greatest disappointment holds His head in His hands and weeps, "What could I have done more for my vineyard?"  This allegory is a declaration of divine love, of God's unceasing effort as a father laboring on behalf of His children.

This long parable does outline Israel's history, but soon enough the attentive reader senses a much more personal story coming from the printed page--the grief and the godly pain of a father anguishing over the needless destruction of His family.

Jacob 5--Roots (covenants, promises, word of God)

Spencer W. Kimball, Ensign, 11/78
It seems that some [Latter-day Saints] among us have this same problem; they want bountiful harvest--both spiritual and temporal--without developing the root system that will yield them.  There are far too few who are willing to pay the price, in discipline and work, to cultivate hardy roots."

General Conference Fall 2010

NO CLASS NEXT WEEK.  CLASS WILL RESUME OCTOBER 21

Quote of the week:

"Let [this conference] be the guide to [your] walk and talk during the next six months.  These are the important matters the Lord sees fit to reveal to this people in this day."

--Harold B. Lee, April 1946

To help Ana Smith and her family, you can either contact Bishop Mel Galbraith at 962-1742

or the account is at Wells Fargo

Miguel Alcantar #9475701646

2 Nephi 25-26; 28-33

Quotes of the Week:

Indeed, the safest road to Hell is the gradual one--the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.

--C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters, p. 54

We live in a day of slick, quiet and clever sins.

--Ezra Taft Benson, A Nation Asleep. p. 44

Further Reading Suggestions:

Numbers 21:4-9
Bible Dictionary--"Grace"
Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, 4/02
Jeffrey R. Holland, Ensign, 11/94
Henry B. Eyring, "In the Strength of the Lord," Ensign, 5/04
Neal A. Maxwell, "Endure it Well.," Ensign, 5/90

Handouts:

2 Ne 25:23--Grace

LeGrand Richards, A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, pp. 274-75
It is evident that none of our works or anything we can do can affect the Grace of God, which is a free gift.  But this does not alter the fact  . . .  that the 'righteous judgment of God . . .  will render to every man according to his deed.' (Romans 2:5-6)
Take the farmer as an illustration.  No matter how much land he owns, he cannot expect to reap unless he sows.  but when the farmer has prepared his land and sowed his seed, and cultivated and irrigated the land and harvested the crop, is he entitled to all the credit?  He did all the work and is entitled to reap as he has sowed, and the result of his effort will be his reward.  But no matter how hard the farmer may have worked, he could not have harvested the crop through his own effort since there are other factors to be considered:
1.  Who provided him the fertile soil?
2.  Who put the germ of life into the seeds he planted"
3.  Who caused the sun to warm the soil and cause the seed to germinate and grow?
4.  Who caused the rain to fall or the snows to fill the watershed to give drink to his growing crops?

None of these things could the farmer have done or supplied for himself.  The represent the free gift of grace, and yet the farmer will reap as he has sowed.

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity
"Regarding the debate about faith and works: It’s like asking which blade in a pair of scissors is most important."

2 Ne 25:13--Healing in His Wings

Richard G. Scott, Ensign, 5/94

[The Savior] has risen from the dead 'with healing in his wings.'  Oh, how we all need the healing the Redeemer can provide.  Mine is a message of hope for you who yearn for relief from heavy burdens that have come through no conscious act of your own while you have lived a worthy life.  It is based on principles embodied in the teachings of the Savior.  Your challenge may be a serious physical disability, a struggle with lingering illness, or a daily wrestle with a life-threatening disease.  It may have roots in the death of a loved one, the anguish caused by another bound by sin, or abuse in any of its evil forms.  Whatever the cause, I testify that lasting relief is available on conditions established by the Lord.

2 Ne 28:7--Eat, Drink and be Merry

Dallin H. Oaks, "Sin and Suffering,"  BYU 1989-90 Devotional and Fireside Speeches, 1990, 151

The idea that one is better off after one has sinned and repented is a devilish lie of the adversary.  Does anyone here think that it is better to learn firsthand that a certain blow will break a bone or a certain mixture of chemicals will explode and sear off our skin?  Are we better off after we have sustained and then healed such injuries?  I believe we all can see that it is better to heed the warnings of  wise persons who know the effects on our bodies.

2 Ne 31:13-14--Baptism of Fire

Lynn A. Mickelsen, Ensign, 11/03

Through the Atonement, the Savior, giving Himself as the ransom for our sins, authorizes the Holy Ghost to cleanse us in a baptism of fire.  As the Holy Ghost dwells in us, His purifying presence burns out the filthiness of sin.  As soon as the commitment is made, the cleansing process begins.

2 Nephi 29:11-12--Keeping a Journal

Spencer W. Kimball, “President Kimball Speaks Out on Personal Journals,” New Era, Dec 1980, 26
I promise you that if you will keep your journals and records, they will indeed be a source of great inspiration to your families, to your children, your grandchildren, and others, on through the generations. Each of us is important to those who are near and dear to us—and as our posterity read of our life’s experiences, they, too, will come to know and love us. And in that glorious day when our families are together in the eternities, we will already be acquainted. . . .
Your journal is your autobiography, so it should be kept carefully. You are unique, and there may be incidents in your experience that are more noble and praiseworthy in their way than those recorded in any other life.
What could you do better for your children and your children’s children than to record the story of your life, your triumphs over adversity, your recovery after a fall, your progress when all seemed black, your rejoicing when you had finally achieved? Some of what you write may be humdrum dates and places, but there will also be rich passages that will be quoted by your posterity.

2 Ne 31:20--Endure to the End

Henry B. Eyring, “In the Strength of the Lord,” Ensign, May 2004, 16
So many things beat upon us in a lifetime that simply enduring may seem almost beyond us. That’s what the words in the scripture “Ye must … endure to the end”   seemed to mean to me when I first read them. It sounded grim, like sitting still and holding on to the arms of the chair while someone pulled out my tooth. . . .
It can seem that way to a youth faced with resisting the rising flood of filth and temptation. It can seem that way to a young man struggling to get the training he needs for a job to support a wife and family. It can seem that way to a person who can’t find a job or who has lost job after job as businesses close their doors. It can seem that way to a person faced with the erosion of health and physical strength which may come early or late in life for them or for those they love.
But the test a loving God has set before us is not to see if we can endure difficulty. It is to see if we can endure it well. We pass the test by showing that we remembered Him and the commandments He gave us. And to endure well is to keep those commandments whatever the opposition, whatever the temptation, and whatever the tumult around us.

Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, 5/10
My counsel to all of us is to look to the lighthouse of the Lord.   There is no fog so dense, no night so dark, no gale so strong, no mariner so lost but what its beacon light can rescue.  It beckons through the storms of life.  The lighthouse of the Lord sends forth signals readily recognized and never failing.

Neal A. Maxwell, “‘Endure It Well’,” Ensign, May 1990, 33
When you and I are unduly impatient, we are suggesting that we like our timetable better than God’s.
. . . We gain knowledge through particular experiences, but only incrementally, “in that thing.” (Alma 32:34.) Hence the ongoingness of it all, and perhaps we can be forgiven for wondering, “Is there no other way?” Personal, spiritual symmetry emerges only from the shaping of prolonged obedience. Twigs are bent, not snapped, into shape.
Without patient and meek endurance we will learn less, see less, feel less, and hear less. We who are egocentric and impatient shut down so much of our receiving capacity.
In any case, brothers and sisters, how could there be refining fires without enduring some heat? Or greater patience without enduring some instructive waiting? Or more empathy without bearing one another’s burdens—not only that others’ burdens may be lightened, but that we may be enlightened through greater empathy? How can there be later magnification without enduring some present deprivation?
The enlarging of the soul requires not only some remodeling, but some excavating. Hypocrisy, guile, and other imbedded traits do not go gladly or easily, but if we “endure it well” (D&C 121:8), we will not grow testy while being tested.
Moreover, we find that sorrow can actually enlarge the mind and heart in order to “give place,” expanded space for later joy.
Thus, enduring is one of the cardinal attributes; it simply cannot be developed without the laboratory time in this second estate. Even the best lectures about the theory of enduring are not enough. All the other cardinal virtues—love, patience, humility, mercy, purity, submissiveness, justice—they all require endurance for their full development.

2 Ne 33:4,14--Book of Mormon Promises

Ezra Taft Benson, Ensign, 5/86
May I admonish you to participate in a  program of daily reading and pondering of the scriptures. . . . The Book of Mormon will change your life. It will fortify you against the evils of our day.  It will bring a spirituality into your life that no other book will.

Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, 8/05
[R]egardless of how many times you previously may have read the Book of Mormon, there will come into your lives and into your homes an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord, a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to His commandments, and a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God.

Blessings of General Conference

Neil L. Andersen, “Teaching Our Children to Love the Prophets,” Ensign, Apr 1996, 44
President Harold B. Lee said: “As the Latter-day Saints go home from this conference, it would be well if they consider seriously the importance of taking with them the report of this conference and let it be the guide to their walk and talk during the next six months. These are the important matters the Lord sees fit to reveal to this people in this day” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1946, p. 68).
What do we do to bring [the Brethren's] messages to our children? Do our children see in us the desire to follow the Brethren’s counsel? Do we, together as a family, find ways to act upon their counsel and receive the blessings they promise?

Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, 5/10
As we leave this conference, I invoke the blessings of heaven upon each of you.  As you return to your homes around the world, I pray our Heavenly Father will bless you and your families.  May the messages and spirit of this conference find expression in all that you do--in your homes, in your work, in your meetings, and in all your comings and goings.

2 Nephi 1-6; 9-10

Quotes of the Week:

Existence came from God; death came by Adam; and immortality and eternal life come through Christ.

--Bruce R. McConkie, “Christ and the Creation,” Ensign, 6/82, 9

The depth of our belief in the Resurrection and the Atonement of the Savior will, I believe, determine the measure of courage and purpose with which we meet life's challenges.

--James E. Faust, Ensign, 11/96

Further Reading:
JST Genesis 50:24-38
Alma 42
Doctrine and Covenants 76
Jeffrey R. Holland, Christ and the New Covenant, "Atonement"
Jeffrey R. Holland, "Enemy of My Soul,"  Ensign 5/10
"The Living Christ,"  April 2000
Richard G. Scott, "First Things First," Ensign 5/10
Russell M. Nelson, "The Atonement," Ensign 11/96
Bruce R. McConkie, "Christ and the Creation," Ensign 6/82
Bible Dictionary, "Devil"

Handouts:

2 Ne 1:9-12--Preserving the Promised Land

Mark E. Peterson, Conference Report, 4/68
We Americans must learn that [our nation] can continue to exist only as it aligns itself with the powers of heaven.  If we turn our back upon the Almighty, even by ignoring him, we jeopardize our national future.  If we deliberately oppose his purposes, we place ourselves in danger of destruction. . . . And it is possible that our greatness can be buried in profound obscurity if we refuse to turn to God . . . .

2 Ne 2:5--Law of Justice

Gerald N. Lund, Selected Writings of Gerald N. Lund, 195
To be "just" means to be right or be in order with God. Therefore to be justified (the process of justification) is defined as the "declaration of right, thus judicial acquittal, the opposite of condemnation."
Why was it, then, that Lehi said  that no flesh is justified by the law?  Because no one keeps the law perfectly!  If the law of justice were the only thing operating, no one could be justified (declared to be right or just) by virtue of the law alone, because as Paul said, "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."  Romans 3:23

2 Ne 2:6-10--How Did It All Work?

Jeffrey R. Holland, Christ and the New Covenant,  p. 229
It is a matter of surpassing wonder that the voluntary and merciful sacrifice of a single being could satisfy the infinite and eternal demands of justice, atone for every human transgression and misdeed ever committed in the history of the world, and provide for the sweeping of all mankind into the encompassing arms of God's compassionate embrace--but that is what happened.

2 Ne 2:10--The Law

Jeffrey R. Holland, Christ and the New Covenant, p. 225
Once guilty, none of us could personally do anything to overcome that fate.  We do not have in us the seeds of immortality allowing us to conquer death physically, and we have not been perfect in our behavior, thus forfeiting the purity that would let us return to the presence of God spiritually.  Furthermore, God cannot simply turn a blind eye to the breaking of divine law, because in so doing he would dishonor justice and would "cease to be God."  The absence of law or the lack of any penalty for breaking it would leave the world in amoral chaos.

 2 Ne 2:11-27--Opposition

Unlocking the Book of Mormon, p. 58

Notice the major points in Lehi's argument as to why there must be opposition before a man can be truly free and before he can experience real joy: 1 every law has both a punishment and a blessing attached to it.  2. disobedience to law requires a punishment which results in misery. 3.  Obedience to law provides a blessing which results in happiness 4.  Without law there can be neither punishment nor blessing, neither misery nor happiness--only innocence.  5.  Thus happiness or joy can exist only where the possibility of the opposite (unhappiness or misery) also exists.  6.  In order to exercise free agency a person must have the possibility and the freedom of choice; in a world without law--and thus without choice--there could be no freedom of choice and thus no true exercise of free agency.

2 Nephi 2:14-16--Another Creation Perspective

Timothy, Archbishop of Alexandria, "Discourse of Abbaton,"  cited by Russell M. Nelson, A Book of Mormon Treasury--Gospel Insights from General Authorities and Religious Educators, p. 27-28, 31

I found a rare book in London one day while searching through the library of the British Museum.  It was published as a 20th century English translation of an ancient Egyptian text.  it was written by Timothy, Archbishop of Alexandria, who died in AD 385.  This record refers to the creation of Adam.  The premortal Jesus is speaking of His Father:

"He . . . made Adam according to Our image and likeness, and He left him lying for forty days and forty nights without putting breath into him.  And He heaved sighs over him daily, saying, 'If I put breath into this [man], he must suffer many pains.'  And I said unto My Father,

" 'Put breath into him; I will be an advocate for him.' And My Father said unto Me, 'If I put breath into him, My Beloved Son, Thou wilt be obliged to go down into the world, and to suffer many pains for him before Thou shalt have redeemed him, and made him to come back to his primal state.' And I said unto My Father, 'Put breath into him; I will be his advocate, and I will go down into the world, and will fulfill Thy Command.' "

2:17-25--Sin and the Law 

Orson F. Whitney, Cowley and Whitney on Doctrine, p. 435-36
What is Sin?  Sin is the transgression of divine law.  A man sins when he violates his conscience, going contrary to light and knowledge--not the light and knowledge that comes from his neighbor, but that which has come to himself.  He sins when he does the opposite of what he know to be right.  Up to that point he only blunders.  One may suffer painful consequences for only blundering, but he cannot commit sin unless he knows better than to do the thing in which the sin consists.

2 Ne 2:25--The Fall of Adam and Eve

Jeffrey R. Holland, Christ and the New Covenant, p. 205
The privilege of mortality granted to the rest of us is the principal gift given by the fall of Adam and Eve.
Thus, and only with this knowledge, can a student of the gospel of Jesus Christ grasp the full import of the magnificent line already cited: "Adam fell that men might be." That doctrine, fully understood and thoroughly taught only in the restored gospel, is as important as any taught in the entire Book of Mormon. Without it the world would be ignorant of the true nature of the fall of Adam and Eve, ignorant of their life-giving decision, and ignorant of the unspeakable love they demonstrated for all of God's sons and daughters.

2 Ne 2:27--Agency

  Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 26

Agency requires four conditions:

1.  Laws ordained by an omnipotent power must exist, laws we can either obey or disobey.

2.  There must be opposites--good and evil, right and wrong.

3.  We must have knowledge of good and evil; we must know the difference between the opposites.

4.  We must possess an unfettered power of choice.

2 Ne 4:17-18,28--Enemies of Our Souls

 Dallin H. Oaks, "Free Agency and Freedom," in The Book of Mormon: Second Nephi, the Doctrinal Structure, p. 13-14
Regardless of a person's susceptibility or tendency, his will is unfettered.  His free agency is unqualified.  It is his freedom that is impaired. . . . We are all responsible for the exercise of our free agency. 
Most of us are born with thorns in the flesh, some more visible, some more serious than others.  We all seem to have susceptibilities to one disorder or another, but whatever our susceptibilities, we have the will and the power to control our thoughts and our actions.  This must be so.  God has said that he holds us accountable for what we do and what we think, so our thoughts and actions must be controllable by our agency.  Once we have reached the age or condition of accountability, the claim 'I was born that way' does not excuse actions or thoughts that fail to conform to the commandments of God.  We need to learn how to live so that a weakness that is mortal will not prevent us from achieving the goal that is eternal.
God has promised that he will consecrate our afflictions for our gain.  The efforts we expend in overcoming any inherited weakness build a spiritual strength that will serve us throughout eternity.

Meaning of Atonement

Russell M. Nelson, “The Atonement,” Ensign, Nov 1996, 33

In the English language, the components are at-one-ment, suggesting that a person is at one with another. Other languages  employ words that connote either expiation or reconciliation. Expiation means “to atone for.” Reconciliation comes from Latin roots re, meaning “again”; con, meaning “with”; and sella, meaning “seat.” Reconciliation, therefore, literally means “to sit again with.” . . . In Hebrew, the basic word for atonement is kaphar, a verb that means “to cover” or “to forgive.”  Closely related is the Aramaic and Arabic word kafat, meaning “a close embrace”—no doubt related to the Egyptian ritual embrace. 

2 Ne 9:5--Subjection to Christ

Jeffrey R. Holland, Christ and the New Covenant, p. 231

What that subjection means, what these people choosing redemption "owe" to Christ, their new master, is a life of discipleship, beginning with faith, repentance, and baptism and leading on to all the ordinances and covenants of the gospel and a life of living kindness. Clearly all of humankind is still in debt even after the full effect of the Atonement has transpired.  But fortunately he to whom we are indebted is Christ the Merciful rather than Lucifer the Miserable.  We still have obligations, but they are of a much higher and happier sort.  We are in debt, but we are not in bondage.

2 Ne 9:8--Price Required for Sin

Gerald Lund, Doctrines of the Book of Mormon, Sperry Symposium, 1992, p. 86
To help us begin to grasp with our finite, mortal minds the enormous price required, consider a few rough indicators of how much sin there is in our world.  If you look at the United States alone, there are now more than fifty murders committed every day (that's nearly 19,000 per year).  There are more than 21,000 thefts reported every day, and more than 5,500 reported cases of child abuse and neglect. . . . Think of how many times on a singe day adultery or some other violation of the law of chastity is committed somewhere in the world.  How many cases of incest, child abuse, pornography, burglary, robbery?  How many times in any one day is the name of God taken in vain?  How many times are sacred things profaned?  Then multiply these over the span of human history.  And that takes into consideration only our world.  We know that the Atonement extended to other worlds as well.

2 Ne 9:14-15, 20--Ultimate Judgment

Neal A. Maxwell, For the Power Is in Them, p 37 9:41
There is another dimension of reassurance, too: not only will the ultimate judgment not be delegated in order to serve the purposes of divine justice, but also divine mercy can best be applied by him who knows these things what only he can know--the quiet moments of courage in the lives of his flock, the un-noticed acts of Christian service, the unspoken thoughts which can be 'credited' in no other way, except through perfect judgment.

2 Ne 9:21-24--Atonement

Jeffrey R. Holland, Ensign, May 1999
I cannot comprehend the burden it must have been for God in His heaven to witness the deep suffering and Crucifixion of His Beloved Son in such a manner.  His every impulse and instinct MUST have been to stop it, to send angels to intervene--but He did not intervene.  He endured what He saw because it was the only way that a saving, vicarious payment could be made for the sins of all His other children from Adam and Eve to the end of the world.
I am eternally grateful for a perfect Father and His perfect Son, neither of whom shrank from the bitter cup nor forsook the rest of us who are imperfect, who fall short and stumble, who too often miss the mark.

Jeffrey R. Holland, Ensign, May 1999
In that most burdensome moment of all human history, with blood appearing at every pore and an anguished cry upon His lips, Christ sought Him whom he had always sought--His Father.  'Abba," He cried, 'Papa,' or from the lips of  a younger child, 'Daddy.'  This is such a personal moment it almost seems a sacrilege to cite it.  A Son in unrelieved pain, a Father His only true source of strength, both of them staying the course, making through the night--together.

Richard G. Scott, Ensign, May 2010
Your personal witness of [the] reality [of the Resurrection and the Atonement] . . .  must be more than principles you memorize.  They must be woven into the very fiber of your being. . . . I realize that no mortal mind can adequately conceive, nor can human tongue appropriately express, the full significance of all that Jesus Christ has done for our Heavenly Father's children through His Atonement. Yet it is vital that we each learn what we can about it.
There is an imperative need for each of us to strengthen our understanding of the significance of the Atonement of Jesus Christ so that it will become an unshakable foundation upon which to build our lives.

Jeffrey R. Holland, “None Were with Him,” Ensign, May 2009, 86–88
That the supreme sacrifice of His Son might be as complete as it was voluntary and solitary, the Father briefly withdrew from Jesus the comfort of His Spirit, the support of His personal presence. It was required, indeed it was central to the significance of the Atonement, that this perfect Son who had never spoken ill nor done wrong nor touched an unclean thing had to know how the rest of humankind—us, all of us—would feel when we did commit such sins. For His Atonement to be infinite and eternal, He had to feel what it was like to die not only physically but spiritually, to sense what it was like to have the divine Spirit withdraw, leaving one feeling totally, abjectly, hopelessly alone.

But Jesus held on. He pressed on. The goodness in Him allowed faith to triumph even in a state of complete anguish. The trust He lived by told Him in spite of His feelings--divine compassion is never absent, that God is always faithful, that He never flees nor fails us. When the uttermost farthing had then been paid, when Christ’s determination to be faithful was as obvious as it was utterly invincible, finally and mercifully, it was “finished.” Against all odds and with none to help or uphold Him, Jesus of Nazareth, the living Son of the living God, restored physical life where death had held sway and brought joyful, spiritual redemption out of sin, hellish darkness, and despair. With faith in the God He knew was there, He could say in triumph, “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.”