"I fear that many of us rush about from day to day taking for granted the holy scriptures. We scramble to honor appointments with physicians, lawyers and businessmen. Yet we think nothing of postponing interviews with Deity--postponing scripture study. Little wonder we develop anemic souls and lose our direction in living. How much better it would be if we planned and held sacred fifteen or twenty minutes a day for reading the scriptures. Such interviews with Deity would help us recognize His voice and enable us to receive guidance in all of our affairs. We must look to God through the scriptures."
--Carlos E. Asay, November 1978

February 24, 2011

3 Nephi 8-14

Quotes of the Week:
"The burning bushes, the smoking mountains, . . . the Cumorahs, and the Kirtlands were realities; but they were the exceptions. . . . Always expecting the spectacular, many will miss entirely the constant flow of revealed communication."
--Spencer W. Kimball, Munich Germany Area Conference, 1973, 77


"The commandment to avoid contention applies to those who are right as well as those who are wrong."
--Dallin H. Oaks, The Lord’s Way, 142



Further Reading:
Dallin H. Oaks, "Judge Not and Judging,”  Ensign, 8/99, 7-10
James E. Faust, “The Lifeline of Prayer,” Ensign, 5/02, 59
Gordon B. Hinckley, "What God Hath Joined Together," General Conference, April 7, 1991
Gordon B. Hinckley, "If Ye Are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear,” Ensign, 11/05, 61-62
James E. Faust, "Enriching Your Marriage", Liahona, Apr. 2007, 2–6
Dallin H. Oaks, “Divorce,” Ensign, 5/07
Claudio R.M. Costa, “Obedience to the Prophets,” Ensign, 11/10, 11
Janet Scharman, “Chosen Witness for His Name,” Women’s Conference 2001, 14

Handouts:
3 Nephi 8:5-23--Nephite Destruction
The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, 440-41
Just as surely as Jesus was born in Bethlehem, just so surely will he come again, a resurrected, glorified being, and with him will come hosts, and there will be many spectacular changes.  It will not be the end of the world in the sense of annihilation, but the end of its present relationships, and there will be many, many changes.  Beginning with the bridegroom’s coming will come the celestializing of this earth and tremendous changes which we can hardly think of or believe.

Daniel Peterson, Ensign, 1/00, 22
The account of the great destruction given in 3 Nephi 8 finds remarkable parallels with what modern seismology and vulcanology show about cataclysmic geological events and with historical reports of such catastrophes.  Yet Joseph Smith never saw a volcano and never experienced a significant earthquake, nor is it likely he had read any substantial literature on the subject.

Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, 11/05, 61-62
We can so live that we can call upon the Lord for His protection and guidance. This is a first priority. We cannot expect His help if we are unwilling to keep His commandments. We in this Church have evidence enough of the penalties of disobedience in the examples of both the Jaredite and the Nephite nations. Each went from glory to utter destruction because of wickedness.

3 Nephi 8:25—Stoning the Prophets
Claudio R.M. Costa, Ensign, 11/10, 11
We are privileged to have the words of our living prophets, seers, and revelators during this wonderful general conference.  They will speak the will of the Lord for us, His people.  They will transmit the word of God and His counsel to us.  Pay attention and follow their instruction and suggestions, and I testify to you that your life will be completely blessed.

3 Nephi 9:2—the Devil Laugheth
Robert D. Hales, Ensign, 5/06, 6
Although the devil laughs, his power is limited. Some may remember the old adage: “The devil made me do it.” Today I want to convey, in absolutely certain terms, that the adversary cannot make us do anything. He does lie at our door, as the scriptures say, and he follows us each day.  Every time we go out, every decision we make, we are either choosing to move in his direction or in the direction of our Savior. But the adversary must depart if we tell him to depart. He cannot influence us unless we allow him to do so, and he knows that! The only time he can affect our minds and bodies—our very spirits—is when we allow him to do so.

3 Nephi 9:19-20--Sacrifice
Neal A. Maxwell, Ensign, 5/95
Real, personal sacrifice was never placing an animal on the altar.  Instead, it is a willingness to put the animal in us upon the altar and letting it be consumed.

Hartman Rector, Ensign, 5/79
Surely, in the work of the Lord, it is what we do after we think we have done enough that really counts with Him, for that is when the blessings flow.  If you would have a blessing from the Lord, put something upon the altar.  Make a sacrifice.

J. Reuben Clark, as cited in Unlocking the Book of Mormon, p. 425
It is difficult for us today to realize the tremendous revolution involved in altering the ritualism of the Law of Moses into the humble and lowly concept of worship, not with the sacrificial blood of animals, but with this broken heart and contrite spirit of the worshiper. . . .  [Animal sacrifice] was always a vicarious sacrifice, apparently with little actual sacrifice except for the value of the animal sacrificed, by the individuals themselves, to cancel the debit, so to speak, against their lives and living in the eyes of the Almighty One.  The sinner seemingly, in general, took on no obligation and considered himself under no obligation to abandon his sins, but took on only the obligation to offer sacrifice therefore.
But under the new covenant that came in with Christ, the sinner must offer the sacrifice out of his own life, not by offering the blood of some other creature; he must give up his sins, he must repent, he himself must make the sacrifice, and that sacrifice was calculated to reach out into the life of the sinner in the future so that he would become a better and changed man. . . .
This change represents a transition in emphasis from the physical to the spiritual and a change from a vicarious sacrifice to a personal one.  The principle involved is that one can only come unto Christ by removing barriers between the individual and the Savior.

3 Nephi 9:19-20--Baptism of Fire
Mormon Doctrine, p. 73
Baptism of fire—actual enjoyment of the gift which is offered by the laying on of hands at the time of baptism.

Ezra Taft Benson, “A Mighty Change of Heart,” Ensign, 10/89, 5
Day by day [Latter-day Saints] move closer to the Lord, little realizing they are building a godlike life.  They live quiet lives of goodness, service, and commitment.  They are like the Lamanites, who the Lord said “were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.”

Boyd K. Packer, "The Power of the Priesthood", Ensign, May 2000,  6–10
Too many of us are like those whom the Lord said “[came] with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, … [and] at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.”
Imagine that: “And they knew it not.” It is not unusual for one to have received the gift and not really know it.
I fear this supernal gift is being obscured by programs and activities and schedules and so many meetings. There are so many places to go, so many things to do in this noisy world. We can be too busy to pay attention to the promptings of the Spirit.
The voice of the Spirit is a still, small voice—a voice that is felt rather than heard. It is a spiritual voice that comes into the mind as a thought put into your heart.

3 Nephi 10:6-7--Repentance
Eldred G. Smith, CR, 1954, 88
Let us not be so self-righteous that we think that we have no need for repentance, for the Savior himself preached repentance to the more righteous who were spared from the great destruction at the time of the crucifixion.

3 Nephi 11:1—Gathering at the Temple
Ezra Taft Benson, Ensign, 5/87, 85
I promise you that, with increased attendance in the temples of our God, you shall receive increased personal revelation to bless your life as you bless those who have died.

Howard W. Hunter, Ensign, 11/94, 8
Look to the temple of the Lord as the great symbol of your membership.  It is the deepest desire of my heart to have every member of the Church worthy to enter the temple. . . . The things that we must do and not do to be worthy of a temple recommend are the very things that ensure we will be happy as individuals and as families.  Let us be a temple-attending people.   Attend the temple as frequently as personal circumstances allow.  Keep a picture of the temple in your home that your children may see it.  Teach them about the purposes of the house of the Lord.  Have them plan from their earliest years to go there and to remain worthy of that blessing.

Howard W. Hunter, Ensign, 2/95, 5
Let us truly be a temple-attending and a temple-loving people. . . . We should go not only for our kindred dead but also for the personal blessing of temple worship, for the sanctity and safety that are within those hallowed and consecrated walls. . . . Let us make the temple, with temple worship and temple covenants and temple marriage, our ultimate earthly goal and the supreme mortal experience.

3 Nephi 11:3-5--The Voice of the Father
Henry B. Eyring, Ensign, 5/91, 67
Now, I testify it is a small voice. It whispers, not shouts.  And so you must be very quiet inside.  That is why you may wisely fast when you want to listen.  And that is why you will listen best when you feel, “Father, thy will, not mine, be done.”  You will have a feeling of “I want what you want.”  Then, the still small voice will seem as if it pierces you.  It may make your bones to quake.  More often it will make your heart burn within which will lift and reassure.

3 Nephi 11:10-11--Christ Introduces Himself
Jeffrey R. Holland, Christ and the New Covenant, 251
Of all the messages that could come from the scroll of eternity, what was the declaration he brought?  The Nephite faithful listened as he spoke: “I am the light and the life of the world; and I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the sins of the world, in the which I have suffered the will of the Father in all things from the beginning.”  56 words.  The essence of his earthly mission.  Obedience and loyalty to the will of the Father, however bitter the cup or painful the price.  That is a lesson he would teach these Nephites again and again during the three days he would be with them. By obedience and sacrifice, by humility and purity, by unflagging determination to glorify the Father, Christ had become the light and the life of the world.

Neal A. Maxwell, CR, 1989, 77
At the end, meek and lowly Jesus partook of the most bitter cup without becoming the least bitter. . . . By their very nature, tests are unfair.

3 Nephi 11:14-17--An Individual Savior
Jeffrey R. Holland, "Teaching, Preaching, Healing", Ensign, Jan. 2003, 13
However dim our days may seem, they have been a lot darker for the Savior of the world. As a reminder of those days, Jesus has chosen, even in a resurrected, otherwise perfected body, to retain for the benefit of His disciples the wounds in His hands and in His feet and in His side—signs, if you will, that painful things happen even to the pure and the perfect; signs, if you will, that pain in this world is not evidence that God doesn’t love you; signs, if you will, that problems pass and happiness can be ours. Remind others that it is the wounded Christ who is the Captain of our souls, He who yet bears the scars of our forgiveness, the lesions of His love and humility, the torn flesh of obedience and sacrifice.
These wounds are the principal way we are to recognize Him when He comes. He may invite us forward, as He has invited others, to see and to feel those marks.
 
Discourses of President Gordon B. Hinckley, 1:515
We are concerned with the individual. .  . . We don’t deal in mass of people; we deal with individuals. All of us are just alike.  We get sick. We have pain. We worry about our affairs.  We worry about our children.  WE worry about all of these things which are individual problems. . . . It is imperative that you bless one another with acts of kindness and outreach, to assist all who are in distress, to assist all who are in need and reach out to those in trouble and sorrow and sickness and pain who need our help.

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, 131
[God] has infinite attention to spare for each one of us.  He does not have to deal with us in the mass. You are as much alone with Him as if you were the only being He had ever created.  When Christ died, He died for you individually just as much as if you had been the only man [or woman] in the world.

3 Nephi 12--Celestial Law
Unlocking the Book of Mormon, 430
The Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, delivered the higher law to the people at the temple.  This is the law of celestial living.  This is the law which, when kept, leads to eternal life.

Robert J. Matthews, Symposium on the Book of Mormon, 52
The sermon to the Nephites was given to a mixture of people.  There was a multitude of believers, and among them there were also twelve special disciples who had been called to be the Lord’s personal representatives.  The biblical Sermon on the Mount, on the other hand, was given to a small number of believers, primarily the twelve Apostles whom Jesus had chosen in the Holy Land.
The Jewish Sermon on the Mount was a missionary-oriented discourse preparatory to sending forth the Twelve to preach.  The Nephites’ sermon was directed to the multitudes, with only portions of it being specifically pointed to the twelve Nephite disciples.

3 Nephi 12:1-2
Unlocking the Book of Mormon, p. 431
[These two introductory verses are not included in the King James or the Catholic Bibles.]   Thus, most Christians have a misconception as to the meaning of the Sermon on the Mount.  They assume that this sermon was meant either for the whole world or for only the chosen disciples.  However, the Book of Mormon and the Inspired Version of the Bible indicate that the major parts of this sermon were intended for all those who were willing to accept Christ and keep his commandments.

3 Nephi 12:5--Blessed are the Meek
The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, 232-33
If the Lord was meek and lowly and humble, then to become humble one must do what he did in boldly denouncing evil, bravely advancing righteous works, courageously meeting every problem, becoming the master of himself and the situations about him and being near oblivious to personal credit.
Humility is not pretentious, presumptuous, nor proud.  It is not weak, vacillating, nor servile. . .
Humble and meek properly suggest virtues, not weaknesses.  They suggest a consistent mildness of temper and an absence of wrath and passion.

3 Nephi 12:13—Salt of the Earth
Book of Mormon Student Manual, p. 305
In the Mosaic sacrificial ritual, salt was a reminder that we should remember and preserve our covenants with God.

Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p 668
Among the ancient Hebrews salt was an indispensable element having both temporal and spiritual uses. It was used as a preservative, in seasoning food, and in all animal sacrifices.  So essential was it to the sacrificial ordinance that it was the symbol of the covenant made between God and his people in connection with that sacred performance. . . .
They had power, in other words, to be the seasoning, savoring, preserving influence in the world, the influence which would bring peace and blessings to all others.

3 Nephi 9:20-22; 3 Ne 12:19—A Broken Heart and a Contrite Spirit
Richard G. Scott, "Jesus Christ, Our Redeemer", Ensign, May 1997, 53
I witness that “redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; … unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.” This absolute requisite of “a broken heart and a contrite spirit” prescribes the need to be submissive, compliant, humble (that is, teachable), and willingly obedient.

D. Todd Christofferson, "When Thou Art Converted", Ensign, May 2004, 11–13
After His Atonement and Resurrection, the Savior said He would no longer accept burnt offerings of animals. The gift or sacrifice He will accept now is “a broken heart and a contrite spirit.” As you seek the blessing of conversion, you can offer the Lord the gift of your broken, or repentant, heart and your contrite, or obedient, spirit. In reality, it is the gift of yourself—what you are and what you are becoming.
Is there something in you or in your life that is impure or unworthy? When you get rid of it, that is a gift to the Savior. Is there a good habit or quality that is lacking in your life? When you adopt it and make it part of your character, you are giving a gift to the Lord. Sometimes this is hard to do, but would your gifts of repentance and obedience be worthy gifts if they cost you nothing? Don’t be afraid of the effort required. And remember, you don’t have to do it alone. Jesus Christ will help you make of yourself a worthy gift. His grace will make you clean, even holy. Eventually, you will become like Him, “perfect in Christ.”

Henry B. Eyring, To Draw Closer to God, 109-110
What are some things you could do to have a soft heart? First of all, don’t think of repentance as something you do after you’ve made a very serious mistake.  Think of repentance as what you do every day.  Find a moment each day to review in your mind those things that might have disappointed your Heavenly Father and your Savior, and then go and humbly plead for forgiveness.  I would suggest that you do that especially on Sundays when you take the sacrament. . . .
Another way to obtain a soft heart is to make sure you don’t focus too much on yourself or your personal problems and struggles.  Instead of thinking of yourself primarily as someone who is seeking purification, think of yourself as someone who is trying to find out who around you needs your help.  Pray that way and then reach out.

3 Nephi 12:30—Take up Your Cross
Neal A. Maxwell, Ensign, 5/87, 71
The daily taking up of the cross means daily denying ourselves the appetites of the flesh.

3 Nephi 12:31-32—Divorce See Deuteronomy 24:1-4
James E Talmage, Jesus the Christ, p. 474
Jesus announced no specific or binding rule as to legal divorces; the putting away of a wife, as contemplated under the Mosaic custom, involved no judicial investigation or action by an established court.

James E. Faust, Ensign, 5/93, 36
Those marriages performed in our temples, meant to be eternal relationships, then, become the most sacred covenants we can make. The sealing power given by God through Elijah is thus invoked, and God becomes a party to the promises.
What, then, might be “just cause” for breaking the covenants of marriage? . . . Only the parties to the marriage can determine this. They must bear the responsibility for the train of consequences which inevitably follow if these covenants are not honored. In my opinion, “just cause” should be nothing less serious than a prolonged and apparently irredeemable relationship which is destructive of a person’s dignity as a human being.
At the same time, I have strong feelings about what is not provocation for breaking the sacred covenants of marriage. Surely it is not simply “mental distress,” nor “personality differences,” nor having “grown apart,” nor having “fallen out of love.” This is especially so where there are children.

 3 Nephi 12:48—“Be Perfect”
James E. Faust, Ensign, 5/99, 19
Perfection is an eternal goal.  While we cannot be perfect in mortality, striving for it is a commandment which ultimately, through the Atonement, we can keep.

 C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, 172
The command Be ye perfect is not idealistic gas.  Nor is it a command to do the impossible.  [Christ] is going to make us creatures that can obey that command.  He said (in the Bible) that we were “Gods” and He is going to make good His words.  If we let Him—for we can prevent Him, if we choose—He will make the feeblest and filthiest of us into a god or goddess, a dazzling, radiant, immortal creature, pulsating all through with such energy and joy and wisdom and love as we cannot now imagine, a bright stainless mirror which reflects back to God perfectly (though, of course, on a smaller scale) His own boundless power and delight and goodness.  The process will be long and in parts very painful; but that is what we are in for.  Nothing less.  He meant what He said.

3 Nephi 13:1 –8, 16-18—Do Not Your Righteous Acts Openly
Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, 5/83, 55-57
Loving service anonymously given may be unknown to man—but the gift and the giver are known to God.

3 Nephi 13:9-13—The Lord’s Prayer
James E. Talmage, Jesus the Christ, 238
Prayer is made up of heart throbs and the earnest yearnings of the soul, of supplication based on the realization of need, of contrition and pure desire. . . . God without our prayers would be God; but we without prayer cannot be admitted to the Kingdom of God. 

Teachings of the Presidents of the Church—David O. McKay, 74
Praying for His will to be done and then not trying to live it, gives you a negative answer at once.  You would not grant something to a child who showed that attitude towards a request he is making of you. . . . It is the height of disloyalty to pray for God’s will to be done, and then fail to conform our lives to that will.

3 Nephi 13:13-14--Forgiveness
Spencer W. Kimball, The Miracle of Forgiveness, 269
He who will not forgive others breaks down the bridge over which he himself must travel.

Henry B. Eyring, Ensign, 11/99, 34
We are to forgive to be forgiven.  To wait for them to repent before we forgive and repent is to allow them to choose for us a delay which could cost us happiness here and hereafter.

3 Nephi 13:19-24--Treasures on Earth
Dallin H. Oaks, Ensign, 11/93, 75
In light of the ultimate purpose of the great plan of happiness, I believe that the ultimate treasures on earth and in heaven are our children and our posterity.

3 Nephi 13:34--Sufficient is the Day
Brigham Young, as cited in Unlocking the Book of Mormon, 435
The men and women who desire to obtain seats in the Celestial Kingdom will find that they must battle with the enemy of all righteousness every day.

3 Nephi 14:1-5—Judging
Neal A. Maxwell, Ensign, 5/04, 45
The wise father of Elder Henry B. Eyring observed once how the Lord had a perfect Church until He let all of us inside!

Joseph Smith, as quoted in Latter-day Prophets Speak, 59
Our acts are recorded, and at a future day they will be laid before us, and if we should fail to judge right and injure our fellow beings, they may there, perhaps, condemn us.


3 Nephi 14:3-5—Mote/Beam
Thomas B. Marsh, Journal of Discourses, 5:206-07 spelling original
I have frequently wanted to know how my apostacy began, and I have come to the conclusion that I must have lost the Spirit of the Lord out of my heart.
The next question is, “How and when did you lose the Spirit?” I become jealous of the Prophet [Joseph Smith], . . . and spent all my time in looking for the evil; and then when the Devil began to lead me, . . . I could feel it within me; I felt angry and wrathful;. . . . I was blinded, and I thought I saw a beam in brother Joseph’s eye, but it was nothing but a mote, and my own eye was filled with the beam; . . .
Well, this is about the amount of my hypocrisy—I meddled with that which was not my business.  But let me tell you, my brethren and friends, if you do not want to suffer in body and mind, as I have done,--if there are any of you that have the seeds of apostacy in you, do not let them make their appearance, but nip that spirit in the bud; for it is misery and affliction in this world, and destruction in the world to come.

February 17, 2011

Helaman 13-3 Nephi 7

Quotes of the Week:
The young people of the Church . . .  hold the future in their hands.  The Church has always been one generation away from extinction.
--Henry B. Eyring, “We Must Raise Our Sights,” CES conference, 8/14/01

Material abundance without character is the surest way to destruction.
--Thomas Jefferson, as quoted by Ezra Taft Benson, A Nation Asleep, 45

Further Reading:
Neal A. Maxwell, "These Are Your Days", Ensign, Oct. 2004, 26–31
Dallin H. Oaks, "Preparation for the Second Coming", Ensign, May 2004, 7–10
James E. Faust, "“The Great Imitator”", Ensign, Nov. 1987, 33
Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "The Way of the Disciple", Ensign, May 2009, 75–78
D. Todd Christofferson, "Reflections on a Consecrated Life", Ensign, Nov. 2010, 16–19

Handouts:
Helaman 13:25-26; 16:2--Follow the Prophet
Harold B. Lee, Unlocking the Book of Mormon, p. 399
The only safety we have as members of the Church is to follow the living prophet as though his words came straight from the mouth of the Lord.

Spencer W. Kimball, CR, 1949, 121
Many are prone to garnish the sepulchers of yesterday’s prophets and mentally stone the living ones.

Ezra Taft Benson, BYU Speeches of the Year, 1980, 28
How we respond to the words of a living prophet when he tells us what we need to know, but would rather not hear, is a test of our faithfulness.

Helaman 13:37—Surrounded by Demons
Teachings of the Presidents of the Church—David O. McKay, 84-86
You cannot tamper with the Evil One.  Resist temptation, resist the Devil and he will flee from you.
Your weakest point will be the point at which the Devil tries to tempt you. . . .Resist him and you will gain in strength.  He will tempt you in another point.  Resist him and he becomes weaker and you become stronger, . . .
You are in the midst of temptation, but you, as Christ on the Mount of Temptation, can rise above it.

Baudelaire
"My dear brothers, never forget, when you hear the progress of enlightenment vaunted, that the devil's best trick is to persuade you that he doesn't exist!"

George Q. Cannon, Gospel Truths, 1:82
I have come to the conclusion that if our eyes were open to see the spirit world around us, we should feel differently [about evil influences] than we do; we would not be so unguarded and careless and so indifferent whether we had the spirit and power of God with us or not; but we would be continually watchful and prayerful to our Heavenly Father for His Holy Spirit and His holy angels to be around about us to strengthen us to overcome every evil influence.

Joseph Smith, Unlocking the Book of Mormon, p 400
The punishment of the devil was that he should not have a habitation like men.  The devil’s retaliation is, he comes into this world, binds up men’s bodies, and occupies them himself.

Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 298
Any person that he can find that will yield to him, he will bind him, and take possession of the body and reign there, glorying in it mightily, not caring that he had got merely a stolen body; and by and by some one having authority will come along and cast him out and restore the tabernacle to its rightful owner.  Th devil steals a tabernacle because he has not one of his own: but if he steals one, he is always liable to be turned out of doors.

Helaman 13:38 Iniquity is Contrary to the Nature of Happiness
Richard G. Scott, Ensign, 5/04, 102
Some are tempted to violate the most basic commandments of God because of seductive actions portrayed as acceptable. They are made to seem attractive, even desirable.  There seems to be no serious consequence, but rather apparent lasting joy and happiness.  But recognize that those performances are controlled by scripts and actors.  The outcome of decisions made is likewise manipulated to be whatever the producer wants.
Life is not that way.  Yes, moral agency allows you to choose what you will, but you cannot control the outcome of those choices.  Unlike the false creations of man, our Father in Heaven determines the consequences of your choices.  Obedience will yield happiness, while violation of His commandments will not.

 Helaman 14:12--Pattern for His Second Coming
Ezra Taft Benson, Unlocking the Book of Mormon, 401
. . . in the Book of Mormon we find a pattern for preparing for the Second Coming.  A major portion of the book centers on the few decades just prior to Christ’s coming to America.  By careful study of that time period, we can determine why some were destroyed in the terrible judgments that preceded His coming and what brought others to stand at the temple in the land of Bountiful and thrust their hands into the wounds of His hands and feet.

Helaman 14:30-31  Ye Are Free to Choose
Richard G. Scott, Ensign, 5/93, 32-34
Parents, don’t make the mistake of purposefully intervening to soften or eliminate the natural consequences of your child’s deliberate decisions to violate the commandments.  Such acts reinforce false principles, open the door for more serious sin, and lessen the likelihood of repentance.

3 Nephi
Ezra Taft Benson, A Witness and a Warning, 43-45
What a blessing it would be if every family would frequently read together 3 Nephi, discuss its sacred contents, and then determine how they can liken it unto themselves and apply its teachings in their lives! Third Nephi is a book that should be read again and again.  Its testimony of the resurrected Christ in America is given in purity and beauty. . . .  I testify that 3 Nephi is a true account of the resurrected Christ’s visit to ancient America and contains His teachings in their pristine truth. 

3 Nephi 1:8—Seeking for Signs
Unlocking the Book of Mormon, p. 406
. . . signs flow from faith and are a product of faith—the chief purpose of signs is not to produce faith, but to reward it.  We are in trouble if we rely on signs to build our faith.

Book of Mormon Manual, p. 289-90
Why Do Wicked Sometimes See Signs?
To vindicate the prophets—Nephi and Seezoram in his blood
Leave the wicked without excuse—They are left completely responsible for their own actions
Show correctness of prophets’ words
Condemn the wicked

3 Nephi 3-4—Preparation
The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, 263-64
When the economies of nations fail, when famine and other disasters prevent people from buying food stores, the Saints must be prepared to handle these emergencies.

Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, 11/01, 73
As we have been continuously counseled for more than 60 years, let us have some food set aside that would sustain us for a time in case of need.  But let us not panic nor go to extremes.

Dallin H. Oaks, "Preparation for the Second Coming", Ensign, May 2004, 7–10
While we are powerless to alter the fact of the Second Coming and unable to know its exact time, we can accelerate our own preparation and try to influence the preparation of those around us.
The arithmetic of [the parable of the ten virgins] is chilling. The ten virgins obviously represent members of Christ’s Church, for all were invited to the wedding feast and all knew what was required to be admitted when the bridegroom came. But only half were ready when he came.
We need to make both temporal and spiritual preparation for the events prophesied at the time of the Second Coming. And the preparation most likely to be neglected is the one less visible and more difficult—the spiritual. A 72-hour kit of temporal supplies may prove valuable for earthly challenges, but, as the foolish virgins learned to their sorrow, a 24-hour kit of spiritual preparation is of greater and more enduring value.
What is the state of our personal preparation for eternal life? The people of God have always been people of covenant. What is the measure of our compliance with covenants, including the sacred promises we made in the waters of baptism, in receiving the holy priesthood, and in the temples of God? Are we promisers who do not fulfill and believers who do not perform?
Are we following the Lord’s command, “Stand ye in holy places, and be not moved, until the day of the Lord come; for behold, it cometh quickly”? (D&C 87:8). What are those “holy places”? Surely they include the temple and its covenants faithfully kept. Surely they include a home where children are treasured and parents are respected. Surely the holy places include our posts of duty assigned by priesthood authority, including missions and callings faithfully fulfilled in branches, wards, and stakes.

Ezra Taft Benson, "Prepare Yourself for the Great Day of the Lord", New Era, May 1982, 44
Heed the Lord’s counsel to the Saints of this dispensation: “Prepare yourselves for the great day of the Lord” (D&C 133:10).
This preparation must consist of more than just casual membership in the Church. You must learn to be guided by personal revelation and the counsel of the living prophet so you will not be deceived.

M. Russell Ballard, Ensign, 5/87, 14
Think about your life and set your priorities.  Find some quiet time regularly to think deeply about where you are going and what you will need to do to get there. Jesus, our exemplar, often “withdrew himself into the wilderness and prayed” (Luke 5:16).  We need to do the same thing occasionally to rejuvenate ourselves spiritually as the Savior did.

Spencer W. Kimball, Ensign, 5/79, 83
Let us “be of good cheer” for the Lord will, and he has promised, lead us along and show us the way.  He will help us as we decide from day to day on the allocation of our time and talent.  We will move faster if we hurry less.  We will even come to know more as we serve more, for as we learn to bear more we are ready to hear more.

Hartman Rector, Ensign, 5/79, 31
In my estimation, the Master’s great success formula , , , is—First, believe you can do it . . . Second, look to the Lord for your blessings . . . Third, make the sacrifice . . . Fourth,  expect a miracle, . . .And Fifth, receive the miracle with great humility. . . I bear witness that this formula is effective in the Lord’s work, and I am persuaded it works everywhere else too.

 J. Reuben Clark, Conference Report, April 1937, p. 26
What may we as a people and as individuals do for ourselves to prepare to meet this oncoming disaster, which God in his wisdom may not turn aside from us?” President Clark then set forth these inspired basic principles of the Church welfare program:
First, and above and beyond everything else, let us live righteously. …
Let us avoid debt as we would avoid a plague; where we are now in debt, let us get out of debt; if not today, then tomorrow.
Let us straitly and strictly live within our incomes, and save a little.
Let every head of every household see to it that he has on hand enough food and clothing, and, where possible, fuel also, for at least a year ahead. You of small means put your money in foodstuffs and wearing apparel, not in stocks and bonds; you of large means will think you know how to care for yourselves, but I may venture to suggest that you do not speculate. Let every head of every household aim to own his own home, free from mortgage. Let every man who has a garden spot, garden it; every man who owns a farm, farm it.

 M. Russell Ballard, Ensign, 11/89, 34
 Preparing ourselves and our families for the challenges of the coming years will require us to replace fear with faith.  We must be able to overcome the fear of enemies who oppose and threaten us. The Lord has said, “Fear not, little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail.” (D&C 6:34)

3 Nephi 5:13—A Disciple of Jesus Christ
L. Tom Perry, Ensign, 11/00, 61
The word disciple comes for the Latin [meaning] a learner.  A disciple of Christ is one who is learning to be like Christ—learning to think, to feel, and to act as he does.  To be a true disciple to fulfill that learning task, is the most demanding regimen known to man.  No other disciple compares . . .  in either requirements or rewards. It involves the total transformation of a person from the state of the natural man to that of saint, one who loves the Lord and serves with all of his hear, might, mind, and strength.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "The Way of the Disciple", Ensign, May 2009, 75–78
Discipleship is a journey. We need the refining lessons of the journey to craft our character and purify our hearts. By patiently walking in the path of discipleship, we demonstrate to ourselves the measure of our faith and our willingness to accept God’s will rather than ours.
It is not enough merely to speak of Jesus Christ or proclaim that we are His disciples. It is not enough to surround ourselves with symbols of our religion. Discipleship is not a spectator sport. We cannot expect to experience the blessings of faith by standing inactive on the sidelines any more than we can experience the benefits of health by sitting on a sofa watching sporting events on television and giving advice to the athletes. And yet for some, “spectator discipleship” is a preferred if not a primary way of worshipping.
Ours is not a secondhand religion. We cannot receive the blessings of the gospel merely by observing the good that others do. We need to get off the sidelines and practice what we preach.

D. Todd Christofferson, "Reflections on a Consecrated Life", Ensign, Nov. 2010, 16–19
A consecrated life is a beautiful thing. Its strength and serenity are “as a very fruitful tree which is planted in a goodly land, by a pure stream, that yieldeth much precious fruit” (D&C 97:9). Of particular significance is the influence of a consecrated man or woman upon others, especially those closest and dearest. The consecration of many who have gone before us and others who live among us has helped lay the foundation for our happiness. In like manner future generations will take courage from your consecrated life, acknowledging their debt to you for the possession of all that truly matters.

3 Nephi 6:10-16 Dividing into Classes
Ezra Taft Benson, CR, 4/86, 6
The two groups who seem to have the greatest difficulty with pride are the learned and the rich.

3 Nephi 6:15-18 Temptations of Satan
M. Russell Ballard, Ensign, 5/93, 6-7
Satan will seek to tempt us at times and in ways that exploit our greatest weaknesses or destroy our strengths.  But his promises of pleasure are short-lived deceptions.  His evil design is to tempt us into sinning, knowing that when we sin we separate ourselves from our Heavenly Father and the Savior, Jesus Christ.  We begin to move away from Heavenly Father’s promised blessings toward the misery and anguish in which Satan and his followers languish.  By sinning we put ourselves in Satan’s power.
. . . I understand the struggles you face every day in keeping the commandments of the Lord.  The battle for your souls is increasingly fierce.  The adversary is strong and cunning.  However, you have within your physical body the powerful spirit of a son or daughter of God. . . . If you will pay more attention to your spiritual self, which is eternal, than to your mortal self, which is temporary, you can always resist the temptations of Satan and conquer his efforts to take you into his power

Teachings of the Presidents of the Church--David O. McKay, 82
Every temptation that comes to you and me comes in one of three forms:
1. a temptation of the appetite or passion
2. a yielding to pride, fashion, or vanity
3. a desire for worldly riches or power and dominion over lands or earthly possessions of men.

Neal A. Maxwell, We Will Prove Them Herewith, p. 45
Surely it should give us more pause than it does to think of how casually we sometimes give to [Satan] who could not control his own ego in the premortal world such awful control over our egos here.  We often let the adversary do indirectly now what we refused to let him do directly then.

3 Nephi 6:18  Willfully Rebel against God
M. Russell Ballard, Ensign, 11/97
There is a big difference between an honest mistake made in a moment of spiritual weakness and a willful decision to disobey persistently the commandments of God.  Those who deliberately choose to violate God’s commandments or ignore the standards of the Church, even when promising themselves and others that someday they will be strong enough to repent, are stepping onto a dangerously slippery slope upon which many have lost their spiritual footing.

3 Nephi 6:30  Government Destroyed
Ezra Taft Benson, The Constitution, A Heavenly Banner, 9/17/87, 32-33
But whatever may be our fate, be assured that this [Constitution] will stand.  We . . . face difficult days in this beloved land. . . . . It may cost us blood before we are through.  It is my conviction, however, that when the Lord comes, the Stars and Stripes willb e floating on the breeze over this people.

Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, 7:15
Will the Constitution be destroyed?  No: it will be held inviolate by this people; and, as Joseph Smith said, “The time will come when the destiny of the nation will hang upon a single thread.  At that critical juncture, this people will step forth and save it from the threatened destruction.”  It will be so.

3 Nephi 7:15-26
Book of Mormon Student Manual, p. 293
One bright spot in the otherwise sad account of the Nephites’ turn from their righteousness is the steadfast faithfulness of Nephi and his people.  Their example provides a pattern to help us maintain our righteousness during times of wickedness.

February 10, 2011

Helaman 5-12

Quotes of the Week:
If you love the truth, you can remember it.
  --Brigham Young, as cited in Unlocking the Book of Mormon, p. 377

President Lorenzo Snow declared that it is “the grand privilege of every Latter-day Saint . . . to have the manifestations of the spirit every day of our lives.” (CR 4/1899, 52)
--Dallin H. Oaks, With Full Purpose of Heart, 50
Further Reading:
Ezra Taft Benson, “Beware of Pride,” Ensign, 5/89, 4
Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Pride and the Priesthood,” Ensign, 11/10, 55
Robert D. Hales, "We Can’t Do It Alone", Ensign, Nov. 1975, 90
Thomas S. Monson, "What Have I Done for Someone Today?" Ensign, 11/9, 84-87
Joseph B. Wirthlin, "Pondering Strengthens the Spiritual Life", Ensign, May 1982, 23

Handouts:
Helaman 5:5-7--Remember Your Names
Carlos E. Asay, Family Pecan Trees:  Planting a Legacy of Faith at Home, 66-67
Though all of Adam’s children may not have received names of significance, many have, and it has made a difference.  It made a difference in the lives of Helaman’s sons, Nephi and Lehi. . .
The record attests that Nephi and Lehi did pattern their lives after their forebears or namesakes and did bring honor to the names given them.

George Albert Smith, “Your Good Name, Improvement Era, 139
“I would like to know what you have done with my name.”


Helaman 5:5-14—Remember
Spencer W. Kimball, “Circles of Exaltation,” [address to Church Educational System religious educators, 6/28/68], 5.
When you look in the dictionary for the most important word, do you know what it is?  It could be remember. Because all of you have made covenants—you know what to do and you know how to do it—our greatest need is to remember.  That is why everyone goes to sacrament meeting every Sabbath day—to take the sacrament and listen to the priests pray that they “may always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given them.” . . .  Remember is the word.

Helaman 5:9--Repentance and the Atonement
Richard G. Scott, Ensign, 5/95, 75
Which of us is not in need of the miracle of repentance?  Whether your life is lightly blemished or heavily disfigured from mistakes, the principles of recovery are the same.  The length and severity of the treatments are conditioned to fit the circumstances.  Our goal surely must be forgiveness.  The only possible path to that goal is repentance. . . .

Helaman 5:12—Rock of Our Redeemer
Gordon B. Hinckley, as cited in Unlocking the Book of Mormon, p. 378
Like the polar star in the heavens, regardless of what the future holds, there stands the Redeemer of the world, the Son of God, certain and sure as the anchor of our immortal lives.  He is the rock of our salvation, our strength, our comfort, the very focus of our faith.  In sunshine and in shadow we look to Him, and He is there to assure and smile upon us.  He is the central focus of our worship.

Joseph B. Wirthlin, Ensign, 5/93, 69
The place to cure most of the ills of society is in the homes of the people.  Building our homes as fortresses of righteousness for protection from the world takes constant labor and diligence.  Membership in the Church is no guarantee of a strong, happy family.  Often parents feel overwhelmed. . . . The righteous molding of an immortal soul is the highest work we can do, and the home is the place to do it.  To accomplish this eternal work, we should make our homes gospel centered.  When peace and harmony abound, the Holy Spirit will ever be present.  The storms of the evil one can be stopped at the very entrance of our homes.  Let us be sure the spiritual foundation of each home is the rock of our Redeemer, as Helaman taught his sons.

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, p. 176
Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.

Helaman 5:12—Storms of Satan
Spencer W. Kimball, CR, 11/78, 6
. . . A warning is sounded for us.  It behooves us to be alert and to listen and flee from the evil for our eternal lives.  Without help we cannot stand against it.  We must flee to high ground or cling fast to that which can keep us from being swept away.  That to which we must cling for safety is the gospel of Jesus Christ.  It is our protection from whatever force the evil one can muster.


Helaman 6:17—Setting Hearts upon Riches
Henry B. Eyring, Ensign, 11/01, 16
God is forgotten out of vanity.  A little prosperity and peace, or even a turn slightly for the better, can bring us feelings of self-sufficiency.  We can feel quickly that we are in control of our lives, that the change for the better is our own doing, not that of a God who communicates to us through the still, small voice of the Spirit.  Pride creates a noise within us which makes the quiet voice of the Spirit hard to hear.  And soon, in our vanity, we no longer even listen for it.  We can come quickly to think we don’t need it.

Unlocking the Book of Mormon, p. 379
Lucifer’s voice of wickedness is both loud and harsh and lacks the mildness and softness of a heavenly voice.  Elder Boyd K. Packer taught that “the Spirit does not get our attention by shouting or shaking us with a heavy hand.  Rather it whispers.  It caresses so gently that if we are preoccupied we will not feel it at all.”

Helaman 10:1-3—Pondering
M. Russell Ballard, Ensign, 11/95, 6
All of us would benefit from time to ponder and meditate.  In the quiet moments of personal introspection, the Spirit can teach us much.

Joseph B. Wirthlin, "Pondering Strengthens the Spiritual Life", Ensign, May 1982, 23
Pondering, which means to weigh mentally, to deliberate, to meditate, can achieve the opening of the spiritual eyes of one’s understanding. Also, the Spirit of the Lord may rest upon the ponderer as described by President Smith.
We are constantly reminded through the scriptures that we should give the things of God much more than usual superficial consideration. We must ponder them and reach into the very essence of what we are and what we may become.

Richard G. Scott, Ensign, 4/01, p. 9
Find a retreat of peace and quiet where periodically you can ponder and let the Lord establish the direction of your life.

Helaman 10:1-4--You’re Not Alone
Journal of Discourses, 22:233 6/26/1881, as quoted in The Discourses of Wilford Wooodruff, 263
The Lord has been watching over us from the hour of our birth.

Harold B. Lee, Ensign, 1/74, 129
If it were not for the assurance that I have that the Lord is near to us, guiding, directing, the burden would be almost beyond my strength, but because I know that he is there, and that he can be appealed to, and if we have ears to hear attuned to him, we will never be left alone.

Teachings of the Presidents of the Church—David O. McKay
, 96-97
Many years ago Joseph Smith, a mere boy between fourteen and fifteen years of age, declared that, in answer to prayer, he received a revelation from God. . . . The result of this declaration was his immediate ostracism from the religious world.  In a very short time he found himself standing alone. . . .
It would appear, then, that though he seemed alone, he was alone only as was Moses on Sinai; as Jesus on the Mount of Olives.  As with the Master, so with the prophet, his instructions came not through man-made channels but direct from God, the source of all intelligence.  He says: “I am a rough stone.  The sound of the hammer and chisel were never heard on me until the Lord took me in hand.  I desire the learning and wisdom of heaven alone.” (HC 5:423)

Helaman 10:7—The Sealing Power
Joseph Fielding Smith, Answers to Gospel Questions, 4:95
The Lord conferred authority on some of his chosen servants and gave them exceptional powers. . . . In this manner, Elijah obtained the keys of power in the priesthood to raise the dead, heal the sick, close the heavens that it did not rain only by his word, and for more than three years there was no rain, and moreover had the power to call down fire from heaven to destroy the enemies of the Church. . . .
The Lord gave similar authority to Nephi, son of Helaman, who likewise had authority to close the heavens and perform other mighty works, simply by his faith and the commandment from the Lord.  This wonderful power has been bestowed on but a few of the servants of the Lord.

James E. Faust, “Father, Come Home,” Ensign, 5/93
Perhaps we regard the power bestowed by Elijah as something associated only with formal ordinances performed in sacred places.  But these ordinances become dynamic and productive of good only as they reveal themselves in our daily lives.  This sealing power thus reveals itself in family relationships, in attributes and virtues developed in a nurturing environment, and in loving service.  These are the cords that bind families together, and the priesthood advances their development.

Boyd K Packer, “The Holy Temple,” Ensign, 2/95
We must understand what the sealing power is.  We must envision, at least to a degree, why the keys of authority to employ the sealing power are crucial—crucial not just to the ordinance work of the temples but to all ordinance work in all the Church throughout the world. . . .  nothing is regarded with more sacred contemplation by those who know the significance of this authority.  Nothing is more closely held.  There are relatively few men who have been delegated this sealing power upon the earth at any given time—in each temple are brethren who have been given the sealing power.  No one can get it except from the prophet, seer, and revelatory and President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. . . . In the Church we hold sufficient authority to perform all of the ordinances necessary to redeem and to exalt the whole human family.  And, because we have the keys to the sealing power, what we bind in proper order here will be bound in heaven.  Those keys—the keys to seal and bind on earth, and have it bound in heaven—represent the consummate gift from our God.  With that authority we can baptize and bless, we can endow and seal, and the Lord will honor our commitments.

Helaman 11:1-16--Prophets Pray for Their People
Gordon B. Hinckley, "“Till We Meet Again”", Ensign, Nov. 2001, 89–90
And now as we close this conference, even though we shall have a benediction, I should like to offer a brief prayer in these circumstances:
O God, our Eternal Father, Thou great Judge of the Nations, Thou who art the governor of the universe, Thou who art our Father and our God, whose children we are, we look to Thee in faith in this dark and solemn time. Please, dear Father, bless us with faith. Bless us with love. Bless us with charity in our hearts. Bless us with a spirit of perseverance to root out the terrible evils that are in this world. Give protection and guidance to those who are engaged actively in carrying forth the things of battle. Bless them; preserve their lives; save them from harm and evil. Hear the prayers of their loved ones for their safety. We pray for the great democracies of the earth which Thou hast overseen in creating their governments, where peace and liberty and democratic processes obtain.
O Father, look with mercy upon this, our own nation, and its friends in this time of need. Spare us and help us to walk with faith ever in Thee and ever in Thy Beloved Son, on whose mercy we count and to whom we look as our Savior and our Lord. Bless the cause of peace and bring it quickly to us again, we humbly plead with Thee, asking that Thou wilt forgive our arrogance, pass by our sins, be kind and gracious to us, and cause our hearts to turn with love toward Thee. We humbly pray in the name of Him who loves us all, even the Lord Jesus Christ, our Redeemer and our Savior, amen.


Helaman 12:1-3--Prosperity
Henry B. Eyring, Ensign, 11/01, 15
Dependence upon God can fade quickly when prayers are answered.  And when the trouble lessens, so do the prayers.  The Book of Mormon repeats that sad story over and over again.

Ezra Taft Benson, as cited by Larry E. Dahl, Studies in Scripture, 5:369
Ours then seems to be the toughest test of all for the evils are more subtle, more clever.  It all seems less menacing and it is harder to detect.  While every test of righteousness represents a struggle, this particular test seems like no test at all, no struggle, and so could be the most deceiving of all tests.  Do you know what peace and prosperity can do to a people—it can put them to sleep.

Joseph B. Wirthlin, Ensign, 11/05
There is something about prosperity that brings out the worst in some people.

Helaman 12:5-6--Pride
Ezra Taft Benson, “Beware of Pride,” Ensign, 5/89, 4
Pride results in secret combinations which are built up to get power, gain, and glory of the world.  This fruit of the sin of pride, namely secret combinations, brought down both the Jaredite and the Nephite civilizations and has been and will yet be the cause of the fall of many nations.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Pride and the Priesthood,” Ensign, 11/10, 55
Every mortal has at least a casual if not intimate relationship with the sin of pride.  No one has avoided it; few overcome it. . . . Let us follow the example of our Savior and reach out to serve rather than seeking the praise and honor of men.  It is my prayer that we will recognize and root out unrighteous pride in our hearts and that we will replace it with “righteousness, godliness, faith, love patience, [and] meekness.” (1 Tim. 6:11)

Helaman 12:7-17—The Dust of the Earth
Joseph Fielding Smith, CR, 4/1929 54-55
Everything in the universe obeys the law given unto it, so far as I know, except man.  Everywhere you look you find law and order, the elements obeying the law given to them, true to their calling.  But man rebels, and in this thing man is less than the dust of the earth because he rejects the counsels of the Lord.


February 3, 2011

Alma 52-Helaman 4

Quotes of the Week:
"From the Book of Mormon we learn how disciples of Christ live in times of war."
--Ezra Taft Benson, CR, 10/86, 7

"All that I am, or hope to be I owe to my angel mother."
 --Abraham Lincoln

Further Reading:
Gordon B. Hinckley, "The Times in Which We Live," Ensign, 11/01
M. Russell Ballard, "The Greatest Generation of Missionaries," Ensign, 11/02, 46
Julie B. Beck, "What Latter-day Saint Women Do Best: Stand Strong and Immovable," Ensign, 11/07, 76
David A. Bednar, "And Nothing Shall Offend Them," Ensign, 11/06, 95-97
D. Todd Christofferson, "Justification and Sanctification", Ensign, June 2001, 18
Joseph B. Wirthlin, "Sunday Will Come," Ensign, 11/06, 29-30

Handouts:
53:4-7--Our Spiritual Fortifications
David E. Sorensen, Ensign, 5/01, 41-42
Remember, such "fortifications" are not a sign of weakness.  On the contrary, they show strength. . . . Remember Moroni's "strongholds" were the key to his success.  Creating your own "strongholds" will be the key to yours.

Alma 53:9
Hugh Nibley, Since Cumorah, 339-40
No matter how wicked and ferocious and depraved the Lamanites might be (and they were that!), . . . they were not the Nephite problem.  They were merely kept there to remind the Nephites of their real problem, which was to walk uprightly before the Lord.

Gordon B. Hinckley, "The Times in Which We Live," Ensign, 11/01
Now, brothers and sisters, we must do our duty, whatever that duty might be. Peace may be denied for a season. Some of our liberties may be curtailed. We may be inconvenienced. We may even be called on to suffer in one way or another. But God our Eternal Father will watch over this nation and all of the civilized world who look to Him. He has declared, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Ps. 33:12). Our safety lies in repentance. Our strength comes of obedience to the commandments of God.
Let us be prayerful. Let us pray for righteousness. Let us pray for the forces of good. Let us reach out to help men and women of goodwill, whatever their religious persuasion and wherever they live. Let us stand firm against evil, both at home and abroad. Let us live worthy of the blessings of heaven, reforming our lives where necessary and looking to Him, the Father of us all. He has said, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10).
Are these perilous times? They are. But there is no need to fear. We can have peace in our hearts and peace in our homes. We can be an influence for good in this world, every one of us.
May the God of heaven, the Almighty, bless us, help us, as we walk our various ways in the uncertain days that lie ahead. May we look to Him with unfailing faith. May we worthily place our reliance on His Beloved Son who is our great Redeemer, whether it be in life or in death, is my prayer in His holy name, even the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Alma 53:10-18--Importance of Covenants
M. Russell Ballard, Ensign, 5/99, 86
There is no spiritual power in living by convenience.  The power comes as we keep our covenants.

Boyd K. Packer, Ensign, 11/90, 84
Keep your covenants and you will be safe.  Break them and you will not.

Alma 53-56 The Stripling Warriors
S. Michael Wilcox, Daughters of God
What the stripling warriors said about their mothers is impressive.  They said not "our mothers taught us" but "our mothers knew it." Their mothers gave their sons something more important than teachings--they gave them testimony.  One of the greatest gifts a mother gives her children is the gift of her own faith and testimony.  Children need the gift of knowing that their mothers know the truthfulness of the gospel.
The portrait of these Lamanite mothers illustrates the influence and power of a mother's testimony.  Mothers who share their testimony freely and often with their children, both through their words and actions, will see their own striplings feel after God and receive "glorious discoveries and eternal certainty."
. . . we are grateful for the way [these Lamanite wives] have enriched our lives. . . . Above all, we seek to stir up the faith of our children to feel after God through the power of our own testimonies.  May our own children echo the words of the stripling warriors, "We do not doubt our mothers knew it."

Julie B. Beck, Ensign, 11/07, 76
The responsibility mothers have today has never required more vigilance.  More than at any tie in the history of the world, we need mothers who know. . . . When mothers know who they are and who God is and have made covenants with Him, they will have great power and influence for good on their children.

Ezra Taft Benson, Come Listen to a Prophet's Voice, 32-36
Suggestions for mothers as they guide their precious children:
1.  Take time to always be at the crossroads in the lives of your children, whether they be six or sixteen.
2.  Take time to be a real friend to your children.
3.  Take time to read to your children. 
4.  Take time to pray with your children.
5.  Take time to have a meaningful weekly home evening.  Make this one of your great family traditions.
6.  Take time to be together at mealtimes as often as possible.
7.  Take time daily to read the scriptures together as a family.
8.  Take time to do things together as a family.
9.  Take time to teach your children.
10. Take time to truly love your children.  A mother's unqualified love approaches Christlike love.
  
Matthew Cowley, Cowley Speaks, 109
You sisters . . . belong to the great sorority of saviorhood.  You may not hold the priesthood.  Men are different, men have to have something given to them to make them saviors of men, but not mothers, not women.  You are born with an inherent right, and inherent authority, to be the saviors of human souls.  You are the co-creators with God of his children.

M. Russell Ballard, "The Greatest Generation of Missionaries," Ensign, 11/02, 46
These inexperienced young men were so spiritually and physically prepared, and so powerful, that they frightened their foes into surrendering! . . .
. . . today we are fighting a battle that in many ways is more perilous, more fraught with danger than the battle between the Nephites and the Lamanites. Our enemy is cunning and resourceful. We fight against Lucifer, the father of all lies, the enemy of all that is good and right and holy. . . .
You may assume that the bishop and the seminary, Sunday School, and Young Men teachers and leaders are in a better position to motivate and inspire your sons than you are. That simply is not the case. While ecclesiastical leaders are important to your son’s priesthood and missionary preparation, the Church exists as a resource to you. It is not a substitute for your inspired teaching, guidance, and correction.
Consequently, if we are “raising the bar” for your sons to serve as missionaries, that means we are also “raising the bar” for you. If we expect more of them, that means we expect more of you and your wife as well. Remember, Helaman’s 2,000 stripling warriors were faithful because “they had been taught to keep the commandments of God and to walk uprightly before him” (Alma 53:21)—and that instruction came in their homes. . . .
While we are profoundly grateful for the many members of the Church who are doing great things in the battle for truth and right, I must honestly tell you it still is not enough.  We need much more help. And so, as the people of Ammon looked to their sons for reinforcement in the war against the Lamanites, we look to you, my young brethren of the Aaronic Priesthood. We need you. Like Helaman’s 2,000 stripling warriors, you also are the spirit sons of God, and you too can be endowed with power to build up and defend His kingdom. We need you to make sacred covenants, just as they did. We need you to be meticulously obedient and faithful, just as they were. (emphasis added)


Alma 56:16--Depressed in Body and Spirit
Joseph B. Wirthlin, "Sunday Will Come," Ensign, 11/06, 29-30
I think of how dark that Friday was when Christ was lifted up on the cross. . . . It was a Friday filled with devastating, consuming sorrow that gnawed at the souls of those who loved and honored the Son of God.
I think that of all the days since the beginning of this world’s history, that Friday was the darkest.
But the doom of that day did not endure.
The despair did not linger because on Sunday, the resurrected Lord burst the bonds of death. He ascended from the grave and appeared gloriously triumphant as the Savior of all mankind. . . .
Each of us will have our own Fridays—those days when the universe itself seems shattered and the shards of our world lie littered about us in pieces. We all will experience those broken times when it seems we can never be put together again. We will all have our Fridays.
But I testify to you in the name of the One who conquered death—Sunday will come. In the darkness of our sorrow, Sunday will come.
No matter our desperation, no matter our grief, Sunday will come. In this life or the next, Sunday will come.

Alma 59:9
Ezra Taft Benson, The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p. 285
It is better to prepare and prevent than to repair and repent.

 Alma 60:19-36--Pahoran and Taking Offense
David A. Bednar, "And Nothing Shall Offend Them," Ensign, 11/06, 95-97
 . . . it ultimately is impossible for another person to offend you or to offend me. Indeed, believing that another person offended us is fundamentally false. To be offended is a choice we make; it is not a condition inflicted or imposed upon us by someone or something else. . . .
You and I cannot control the intentions or behavior of other people. However, we do determine how we will act. Please remember that you and I are agents endowed with moral agency, and we can choose not to be offended.

Neal A. Maxwell, as cited in Unlocking the Book of Mormon, p. 363
Anxious Moroni did not have all the facts, as is evident in his biting complaint to Pahoran.  Pahoran's meek reply is a lesson to us all, as it certainly must have been to Moroni. . . . Where individuals have said too much with too little data, meekness plays a very crucial, correcting role in what follows.

Alma 63:4-10--Hagoth and His People
Millet and McConkie, Doctrinal Commentary on the Book of Mormon, 3:329
To a group of Saints in the South Seas, President Kimball observed, "President Joseph F. Smith, the president of the Church, reported, 'You brothers and sisters from New Zealand, I want you to know that you are from the people of Hagoth.' For New Zealand Saints, that was that. A prophet of the Lord had spoken."

Helaman 1:1-21--Contention
James E. Faust, Ensign, 5/96, 41
When there is contention, the Spirit of the Lord will depart, regardless of who is at fault.

Helaman 1-2--Gadianton Robbers
Gordon B. Hinckley, Ensign, 11/01, 72
Terrorist organizations . . .  must be ferreted out and brought down. . . .
We are a people of peace.  We are followers of the Christ, who was and is the Prince of Peace.  But there are times when we must stand up for right and decency, for freedom and civilizations, just as Moroni rallied his people in his day to the defense of their wives, their children, and the cause of liberty.

Helaman 3:24-25--Prosperity
Ezra Taft Benson, A Nation Asleep, 14
We must never forget that nations may--and usually do--sow the seeds of their own destruction while enjoying unprecedented prosperity.


Helaman 3:35--Sanctification
Book of Mormon  Student Manual, p. 265
Sanctification has been defined as "the process of becoming free from sin, pure, clean, and holy through the atonement of Jesus Christ."

D. Todd Christofferson, "Justification and Sanctification", Ensign, June 2001, 18
Personal persistence in the path of obedience is something different than achieving perfection in mortality. Perfection is not, as some suppose, a prerequisite for justification and sanctification. It is just the opposite: justification (being pardoned) and sanctification (being purified) are the prerequisites for perfection. We only become perfect “in Christ” (see Moro. 10:32), not independently of Him. Thus, what is required of us in order to obtain mercy in the day of judgment is simple diligence.

Helaman 3:35--Firm in the Faith
Russell M. Nelson, Ensign, 11/03, 44
Only as an individual can you develop a firm faith in God and a passion for personal prayer.  Only as an individual can you keep the commandments of God.  Only as an individual can you repent.  Only as an individual can you qualify for the ordinances of the salvation and exaltation.