Mormon Life - Obedience tag

FHE: Consecration

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:05:00 -0600

by Shauna Gibby
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: When we consecrate our lives to the Lord, we can persevere through any difficulty.

Conference Talk:

For more information on this topic read “A Witness,” by President Henry B. Eyring, Ensign, Nov 2011, 68.

Thought:

You can take courage as I do from the example . . . given us by Moroni. He was alone in his ministry. He knew the end of life was near for him. And yet . . . he wrote for the sake of people not yet born and the descendants of his mortal enemies

(President Henry B. Eyring, “A Witness,” Ensign, Nov 2011, 68.)

Scripture:

Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

(2 Nephi 31:20)

Object Lesson:

Materials Needed: Individually wrapped pieces of taffy and gum for each person.

Procedure: Give everyone in your group a piece of taffy, and let them begin eating it. While they eat the taffy, explain that many times something is expected of us, whether it be a task, an assignment, or simply a commitment to be true to the standards we have set for ourselves. We generally start out with a good effort. But after a while, pressures, problems, and obstacles find their way to us, and our efforts begin to dissolve—almost like the taffy that was eaten.

Hand out gum. As they chew it, explain that if we have consecrated our lives to the Lord we will persevere, even through the tough times. This is like the gum, no matter how many times they apply pressure and chew, the gum still remains.

(Beth Lefgren and Jennifer Jackson, Power Tools for Teaching, [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1988], p. 52.)

Story:

A few years ago I tried an experiment with a group of ten-year-olds I was teaching in Sunday School.

“You have a choice,” I announced as I held up a bowl of M&M’s. “You can either have a handful of M&M’s right now, or you can each have an entire bag of M&M’s tomorrow.”

“Why don’t we do it the other way around?” Brady suggested. “Give us a bag of M&M’s now or a handful tomorrow!”

The rest of the class loved Brady’s idea. But I didn’t.

“Nope,” I said. “A handful now or the bag tomorrow. That’s the way it’s going to be.”

“How about just a few now AND the rest later?” Megan asked.

“Sorry,” I said. “No compromise. You have to make a choice.”

“What if some of us want our M&M’s now, and some of us want to wait?” Adam asked. “Good idea,” I said. “But no. Whatever you’re going to do, you’re going to do it as a group.

You guys figure it out. I’m going to get a drink.”

With that I stepped into the hall and wandered down to the drinking fountain, making sure to pause and stretch and meander. I wanted to give them plenty of time to hash this out. We were, after all, talking about chocolate here. If there’s one thing twenty-nine years of marriage has taught me it’s that you have to be very careful about decisions involving chocolate—even if it’s the kind that melts in your mouth, not in your hands.

When I finally poked my head back into the room the decision had been made: the bowl of M&M’s was empty, and there were chocolate-induced smiles all around.

“Actually, it was pretty much a no-brainer,” Nancy said of the decision. “The hardest part was figuring out how to divide them up. The boys wanted to go first, but we didn’t want to take a chance on the boys actually touching the M&M’s before we got them. You never know where boys’ hands have been—you know?”

Nancy, I should mention, has brothers.

So one of the boys—out of respect for delicate feelings, I won’t say whose—arm-wrestled Nancy for the right to go first. I didn’t see the actual event, but I’m confident the end came surely and swiftly. Think “Harry Potter Meets Xena, Warrior Princess.” A battle of wits would have been competitive, but this wasn’t about brain power. This was about brute strength.

Advantage Nancy.

The next day when I came home from work, several of the kids from my class were hanging out on my front lawn.

“We were just sort of thinking that . . . you know . . . maybe we should have waited to get a whole bag of M&M’s today,” Brady said. “And we were sort of wondering . . . you know . . . if it is, like, too late to change our minds?”

I smiled. “Yeah, it is,” I said. “Sorry!”

“But the girls ate most of the M&M’s in the bowl,” Colton complained. “We hardly got any.”

“That’s too bad,” I said. “If you had waited, not only would you have received more M&M’s today than you got yesterday, but you would have received your own bag and you wouldn’t have had to worry about how to divide them. But you decided not to wait, so you’re pretty much stuck with what you got.”

They didn’t like that answer, but it brought new insight to our Bible class the next Sunday when we talked about how important it is to always stay focused on our ultimate, long-term goals and priorities no matter how alluring and intoxicating the diversions of Right Now may be.

You know, the story of Jacob, Laban, Leah, Rachel—and the M&M’s.

(Joseph Walker, Look What Love Has Done, [Salt Lake City: Shadow Mountain, 2007], p. 48.)

Activity:

Give everyone a copy of the following matching game. Have them match a person in the numbered column with an item in the lettered column. These people are all good examples of consecrated lives.

1. Nephi

2. Alma the Younger

3. Abinadi

4. Samuel the Lamanite

5. Captain Moroni

6. Enos

7. Moroni

8. Mormon

A. Fire

B. Sword of Laban

C. Prayed for forgiveness

D. Abridged the plates

E. Sons of Mosiah

F. Wall

G. Buried plates

H. Title of Liberty

Answers: 1-B; 2-E; 3-A; 4-F; 5-H; 6-C; 7-G; 8-D.

(Allan K. Burgess and Max H. Molgard, Fun for Family Night: Book of Mormon Edition, [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1990], p. 217.)

Refreshment

Strawberry Delight

Makes 10 servings

1 angel food cake

1 (3-ounce) package strawberry gelatin

1 1⁄4 cups boiling water

1 (10-ounce) package sliced frozen strawberries

1 tablespoon sugar

Dash of salt

1 cup whipped cream, whipped with 1 tablespoon sugar

Purchase or prepare an angel food cake. Cut cake into bite-sized pieces.

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Stir in strawberries, sugar, and salt. Cool until gelatin is thick and syrupy. Fold in whipped cream, reserving about 1⁄4 cup for garnish.

Place half the cake pieces into a 2- or 3-quart serving bowl. Pour half the strawberry cream mixture over cake. Add another layer of cake pieces and then remaining strawberry cream mixture. Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours or until set. Top each serving with a dollop of whipped cream.

(Lion House Cakes and Cupcakes, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2011], p. 82.)

To access the PDF version of this lesson, click here.

Book of Mormon Lesson 12: "Seek Ye for the Kingdom of God"

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 00:05:00 -0700

by Ted L. Gibbons
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: The life of Jacob cannot have been easy, but he never faltered. These first chapters of his book and his discussion of love and family give a powerful example of the courage of a prophet.

Quote of the Week:

The Book of Mormon claims to be a divinely inspired record, written by a succession of prophets who inhabited ancient America. . . .
This book must be either true or false. If true, it is one of the most important messages ever sent from God to man, affecting both the temporal and eternal interests of every people under heaven to the same extent and in the same degree that the message of Noah affected the inhabitants of the old world. If false, it is one of the most cunning, wicked, bold, deep-laid impositions ever palmed upon the world, calculated to deceive and ruin millions who will sincerely receive it as the word of God. . . .
The nature of the message in the Book of Mormon is such, that if true, no one can possibly be saved and reject it; if false, no one can possibly be saved and receive it. [Elder Orson Pratt, Orson Pratts Works on the Doctrines of the Gospel (Salt Lake City: Deseret New Press, 1945), 107; cited in The Book of Mormon: the Foundation of Our Faith, p. 2]

INTRODUCTION:

Perhaps it is strange to begin with a conclusion, but some of Jacob's most precious insights into his own life came at the end of his writings as he finished the work of engraving his messages to us on the small plates.

And it came to pass that I, Jacob, began to be old; and the record of this people being kept on the other plates of Nephi, wherefore, I conclude this record, declaring that I have written according to the best of my knowledge, by saying that the time passed away with us, and also our lives passed away like as it were unto us a dream, we being a lonesome and a solemn people, wanderers, cast out from Jerusalem, born in tribulation, in a wilderness, and hated of our brethren, which caused wars and contentions; wherefore, we did mourn out our days. (Jacob 7:26)

Jacob does have one other thing to tell us - a promise reminiscent of the final declaration of Nephi (see 2 Nephi 33:11)

I bid you farewell, until I shall meet you before the pleasing bar of God, which bar striketh the wicked with awful dread and fear. Amen. (Jacob 6:13, emphasis added)

I look forward to that encounter with Jacob. Few men in the history of the world seem to have been as devoted to truth and righteousness as Jacob, son of Lehi.

1. JACOB MAGNIFIES HIS CALLING FROM THE LORD (Jacob 1)
As we begin this discussion of the ministry of Jacob among the Nephites, we ought to insert a note about the priesthood authority under which the Nephites functioned. Elder B. H. Roberts explained it this way:

There was a priesthood that administered the ordinances of [the] gospel, and as the gospel was a higher law than the law of Moses, it is reasonable to conclude that the priesthood which administered in those ordinances was a higher order of priesthood than that conferred upon Aaron and the tribe of Levi, and undoubtedly the higher priesthood could, on occasion, administer in the ordinances of the inferior law. It was, doubtless, this higher order of Priesthood that such characters as Abraham, Melchizedek, and other prophets in Israel held, and by which they administered in sacred things. It was this order of priesthood that was held by Lehi and Nephi, and which the latter conferred upon his brothers, Jacob, and Joseph. The former referring to his priesthood says, that he had been "ordained after the manner of this (the Lord's) holy order," that being the way in which this higher priesthood, of which I am speaking, is designated throughout the Book of Mormon. Called also a priesthood "after the order of the Son of God." It was this priesthood, therefore, that was conferred upon the Nephites—not the Aaronic priesthood—and by which they officiated in sacred things; of things pertaining to the gospel as well as to the law given of Moses. The justification for administering in the things of the law by this priesthood consist in the fact that the superior authority includes all the rights and powers of the inferior authority, and certainly possesses the power to do what the inferior authority could do. (B. H. Roberts, New Witnesses for God, Vol.3, p.469, emphasis added)

Since there were no Levites in the colony of Lehi, the priesthood by which they functioned was exclusively Melchizedek until after the coming of Christ among them in 634 A.D. The ordinations to the offices of priest and teacher spoken of in the Nephite record do not refer to the Aaronic Priesthood.

Among the Nephites, brethren holding the Melchizedek Priesthood were selected, consecrated teachers, and given teaching and administrative powers and responsibilities. (1 Ne. 2:22; 2 Ne. 5:19; Mosiah 23:17; 25:19; 26:7; Alma 4:7.) They had jurisdiction over the churches and, along with the priests, were "to preach and to teach the word of God." (Alma 23:4.) They had power to baptize (Alma 15:13), a privilege not enjoyed by teachers in the Aaronic Priesthood. (D. & C. 20:58.) (Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p.776)

Jacob tells us about his calling and his feeling about that calling.

For I, Jacob, and my brother Joseph had been consecrated priests and teachers of this people, by the hand of Nephi. And we did magnify our office unto the Lord, taking upon us the responsibility, answering the sins of the people upon our own heads if we did not teach them the word of God with all diligence; wherefore, by laboring with our might their blood might not come upon our garments; otherwise their blood would come upon our garments, and we would not be found spotless at the last day. (Jacob 1:18,19)

From Jacob we learn three great lessons about what it means to magnify an office unto the Lord. Notice what Jacob did:

    •    He obtained his errand from the Lord (Jacob 1:17). A danger in a church as well-organized as ours is that we will fulfill all of our callings in pretty much the same way that those who held them before us fulfilled them. We flirt with the All is well in Zion syndrome.

We have always handled the lessons in the High Priests this way. Whats wrong with it?

Weve never been able to get very many members of the Gospel Doctrine class to read their scriptures. There is no reason to expect things to change now.

All of our inhibitions and excuses may be perfectly reasonable, but Jacob would want to know what the Lord thought about it. And he would probably want us to know too. There is a suggestion of how to obtain some of this information in the D&C. The Lord, as he reveals the need for the church to build a temple at Kirtland, gives several purposes for temples. One of them is That they may be perfected in the understanding of their ministry, in theory, in principle, and in doctrine . . . (D&C 97:14) Perhaps part of our preparation for any new calling ought to be a visit or two to the temple to obtain our errand from the Lord.

    •    Jacob took the responsibility for his calling (see Jacob 1:19). He taught the word of God with all diligence . . . laboring with [his] might . . . He was willing to answer for the sins of the people if he did not fulfill is calling in the correct way. This attitude about duty is reminiscent of the statements of other prophets on the same matter. For example, Pres. John Taylor said, God will hold you responsible for those whom you might have saved had you done your duty. How many of you can say, My garments are clean from the blood of this generation? I speak in behalf of the nations and the people thereof, and the honest in heart who are ignorant of God and his laws. (J.D., Vol. 20, p. 23) D&C 4 teaches us to serve with all our ability and effort, that [we] may stand blameless before God at the last day. (D&C 4:2; see also Mosiah 2:15; 1 Thess. 2:9)

    •    He labored diligently. Wherefore we labored diligently among our people, that we might persuade them to come unto Christ, and partake of the goodness of God, that they might enter into his rest, lest by any means he should swear in his wrath they should not enter in, as in the provocation in the days of temptation while the children of Israel were in the wilderness. Wherefore, we would to God that we could persuade all men not to rebel against God, to provoke him to anger, but that all men would believe in Christ, and view his death, and suffer his cross and bear the shame of the world; wherefore, I, Jacob, take it upon me to fulfill the commandment of my brother Nephi. (Jacob 1:7,8)

Another part of Jacob's duties given to him by Nephi was to become custodian of the small plates and to continue the work begun by Nephi in engraving on them.

Nephi gave me, Jacob, a commandment concerning the small plates, upon which these things are engraven. And he gave me, Jacob, a commandment that I should write upon these plates a few of the things which I considered to be most precious; that I should not touch, save it were lightly, concerning the history of this people which are called the people of Nephi . . . And if there were preaching which was sacred, or revelation which was great, or prophesying, that I should engraven the heads of them upon these plates, and touch upon them as much as it were possible, for Christ's sake, and for the sake of our people (Jacob 1:1,2,4)

In D&C 24:3 the Lord said something to Joseph Smith about magnifying a calling:

Magnify thine office; and after thou hast sowed thy fields and secured them, go speedily unto the church which is in Colesville, Fayette, and Manchester, and they shall support thee; and I will bless them both spiritually and temporally (emphasis added).

Joseph Smith lived on 13 acres in Harmony, Pennsylvania. The date of this revelation is July(!) of 1830. And Joseph still had not planted his crops. He had given his effort, his time, his strength, to his calling. But the Lord did not want Joseph to excel in farming. He was promised that the Colesville saints would support him. He had a work to do for the Kingdom.

And in temporal labors thou shalt not have strength, for this is not thy calling. Attend to thy calling and thou shalt have wherewith to magnify thine office, and to expound all scriptures, and continue in laying on of the hands and confirming the churches. (D&C 24:9)

2. JACOB WARNS AGAINST THE LOVE OF RICHES, PRIDE, AND UNCHASTITY (Jacob, 2,3)
Jacob identifies three problems among the Nephites with which he will have to deal. Two are given here:

And now it came to pass that the people of Nephi, under the reign of the second king, began to grow hard in their hearts, and indulge themselves somewhat in wicked practices, such as like unto David of old desiring many wives and concubines, and also Solomon, his son. Yea, and they also began to search much gold and silver, and began to be lifted up somewhat in pride (Jacob 1:15,16).

1. Immorality
2. Materialism/pride

To these may be added one other

3. Racial prejudice.

Jacob discusses materialism and pride first. He has been commanded to (see Jacob 2:11).

And now behold, my brethren, this is the word which I declare unto you, that many of you have begun to search for gold, and for silver, and for all manner of precious ores, in the which this land, which is a land of promise unto you and to your seed, doth abound most plentifully. And the hand of providence hath smiled upon you most pleasingly, that you have obtained many riches; and because some of you have obtained more abundantly than that of your brethren ye are lifted up in the pride of your hearts, and wear stiff necks and high heads because of the costliness of your apparel, and persecute your brethren because ye suppose that ye are better than they (Jacob 2: 12,13).

This seems to be a meaningful message for our day. Many of us have begun to search for [riches] . . . in the which this land . . . doth abound most plentifully. I have heard people, at times, use verses from Jacob 2 to justify this pursuit. Perhaps we ought to give ourselves Jacobs test on riches:

1. [2:12] Are you seeking for wealth or riches? (Seek not for riches . . . D&C 6:7; 11:7).
2. [2:13] Can you resist the temptation to think you are better than others when you have more than they do?
3. 2:16] Can you resist the pride that may come with wealth and that may destroy your souls?
4. [2:17] Do you think of your brethren like unto yourself?
5. [2:17] Are you familiar with all and free with your substance?
6. [2:18] Is the kingdom of God more important to you than any business or financial success?
7. [2:19] Do you really have a hope in Christ
8. [2:19] Do you seek for riches with the intent to do good?
9. [2:20] Do you recognize that all you have is a gift from God?
10. [2:21] Do you truly believe that all humans are as precious as you are?
11. [2:21] Do you understand (and live as though you understand) that the true purpose of life is to keep the commandments and glorify God?

Jacob would have been pleased to conclude his rebuke of the Nephites at this point.

And now I make an end of speaking unto you concerning this pride. And were it not that I must speak unto you concerning a grosser crime, my heart would rejoice exceedingly because of you. (Jacob 2:22)

The grosser crime is immorality. It is a subject upon which much is said in our day, the vast majority of it being said immodestly and irreverently. It has become a major theme of media and conversation. Jacob feels differently about it:

And also it grieveth me that I must use so much boldness of speech concerning you, before your wives and your children, many of whose feelings are exceedingly tender and chaste and delicate before God, which thing is pleasing unto God . . .Wherefore, it burdeneth my soul that I should be constrained, because of the strict commandment which I have received from God, to admonish you according to your crimes, to enlarge the wounds of those who are already wounded, instead of consoling and healing their wounds; and those who have not been wounded, instead of feasting upon the pleasing word of God have daggers placed to pierce their souls and wound their delicate minds. But, notwithstanding the greatness of the task, I must do according to the strict commands of God, and tell you concerning your wickedness and abominations, in the presence of the pure in heart, and the broken heart, and under the glance of the piercing eye of the Almighty God. (Jacob 2:7,9,10)

But the word of God burdens me because of your grosser crimes. . . . (Jacob 2:23)

Much discussion and some confusion have arisen because of the reference in these teachings to the practices of David and Solomon, both of whom had many wives and concubines . . . (Jacob 2:24). Some have used this passage to argue against the practice of plural marriage in any dispensation or at any time - and particularly as practiced by the Mormons in the 19th century. Take a careful look at the language of this and the following verses. Verse 24, after referring to the marital practices of David and Solomon, continues, ". . . which thing was abominable before me, saith the Lord." The use of the verb was rather than the verb is suggests a specific application of this description. And for David and Solomon it was abominable, for it cost them both dearly. David lost his exaltation over the matter (D&C 132:39). Perhaps Solomon did also (See 1 Kings 11:1-5).

To the members of Lehi's colony, those whom he had led forth out of the land of Jerusalem (2:25), he gave this commandment: . . . my brethren, hear me, and hearken to the word of the Lord: For there shall not any man among you have save it be one wife; and concubines he shall have none . . . (Jacob 2:27). Again, the words among you in verse 27 suggest a commandment given specifically to this group. Without these words, this becomes a very different injunction.

And of course the Lord leaves himself with all of his options in this matter: For if I will, saith the Lord of Hosts, raise up seed unto me, I will command my people; otherwise they shall hearken unto these things (Jacob 2:30).

But let us return to the iniquity among the Nephites. Jacob calls immorality a grosser crime (2:22,23). Throughout chapter 2 he uses phrases that speak with great power about the tragedy of immorality. These are words like abominable, sorrow, mourning, wickedness, abominations, cries of the fair daughters, captive, sore curse, destruction, great condemnation, greater iniquities, broken the hearts of your tender wives, lost the confidence of your children, sobbing of their hearts, and finally, many hearts died, pierced with deep wounds. For another image of a heart pierced with deep wounds, turn to the 38th Psalm, verses 1-14, and mark the words that define David's agony following his transgressions.

Solomon, speaking of immorality, sends powerful images across the ages to us. He compares immorality to a woman and says of those that yield to her enticements,

With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life. . . . Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her. Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death. (Proverbs 7:21-27)

Later he says it this way:

Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell. (Proverbs 9:16-18)

Jacob knew that the dead are there and that her guests are in the depths of hell.

This matter of immorality extends beyond illicit physical contact between people. The New Testament and the Doctrine and Covenants make a very clear case against immorality of the mind. D&C 42:23 instructs us this way:

And he that looketh upon a woman to lust after her shall deny the faith, and shall not have the Spirit; and if he repents not he shall be cast out.

D&C 63:16 expands the warning:

And verily I say unto you, as I have said before, he that looketh on a woman to lust after her, or if any shall commit adultery in their hearts, they shall not have the Spirit, but shall deny the faith and shall fear.

JACOB WARNS AGAINST RACIAL PREJUDICE
Jacob deals next, in the context of his discussion of immorality, with this matter of racial prejudice. The Lamanites, he says, are not filthy like unto you (Jacob 3:3).

Behold, the Lamanites your brethren, whom ye hate because of their filthiness and the cursing which hath come upon their skins, are more righteous than you; for they have not forgotten the commandment of the Lord, which was given unto our fatherthat they should have save it were one wife, and concubines they should have none, and there should not be whoredoms committed among them. And now, this commandment they observe to keep; wherefore, because of this observance, in keeping this commandment, the Lord God will not destroy them, but will be merciful unto them; and one day they shall become a blessed people. Behold, their husbands love their wives, and their wives love their husbands; and their husbands and their wives love their children; and their unbelief and their hatred towards you is because of the iniquity of their fathers; wherefore, how much better are you than they, in the sight of your great Creator? O my brethren, I fear that unless ye shall repent of your sins that their skins will be whiter than yours, when ye shall be brought with them before the throne of God (Jacob 3:5-8).

The commandment in this case is no less explicit that the previous ones:

Wherefore, a commandment I give unto you, which is the word of God, that ye revile no more against them because of the darkness of their skins; neither shall ye revile against them because of their filthiness; but ye shall remember your own filthiness, and remember that their filthiness came because of their fathers (Jacob 3:9).

This is a worthwhile lesson for all of us. We ought to worry less about the differences and the sins of others and spend more time dealing with our own filthiness.

4. JACOB TESTIFIES OF THE ATONEMENT OF JESUS CHRIST (Jacob 4)
Jacob tells us in Jacob 4:1-3 a little about the difficulty of making the metal records. And he tells us why he has gone to the trouble: he wants to give our children and also our beloved brethren a small degree of knowledge concerning us . . . (4:2). Also he hopes that his brethren and his children might thereby learn with joy and not with sorrow . . . (Jacob 4:3).

For, for this intent have we written these things, that they may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which were before us (Jacob 4:4).

The interaction of Jacob and the righteous Nephites with the Law of Moses seems to be a much different thing from the interaction of the Jews with this same law.

And for this intent we keep the law of Moses, it pointing our souls to him; and for this cause it is sanctified unto us for righteousness . . . (Jacob 4:5).

The results of this obedience and devotion are conditions for which we all must long.

Wherefore, we search the prophets, and we have many revelations and the spirit of prophecy; and having all these witnesses we obtain a hope, and our faith becometh unshaken, insomuch that we truly can command in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea (Jacob 4:6).

This extension of divine power must not lead to pride of course. We are not permitted to glory in our own goodness, our own righteousness, our own humility. It is all gracea gift of the Father to his children. He will remind us of this if we need reminding:

Nevertheless, the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace, and his great condescensions unto the children of men, that we have power to do these things (Jacob 4:7).

In the recognition of our utter dependence on the atonement and on the redemption and goodness of the Son and the love of the Father, we will certainly come to the conclusion that Jacob came to.

Wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand. For behold, ye yourselves know that he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works (Jacob 4:10)

CONCLUSION:

The life of Jacob cannot have been easy. He was born in tribulation in the wilderness to a wandering family driven from its home by the threat of death and the decree of the Lord. His people were lonesome and solemn. (How many Nephites can there have been in those early years?) They were hated by their brethren and were required to spend their days in wars and contentions. Jacob tells us that he and his people mourned out their days. But Jacob never flinched nor faltered. He found out what the Lord wanted him to do and then he did it. Obediently, selflessly, tirelessly, he magnified his calling and labored for the welfare of his people. What a blessing it would be if someone should one day speak as highly of us as the Book of Mormon speaks of Jacob.

Book of Mormon Lesson 7: "I Know in Whom I Have Trusted"

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:05:00 -0700

by Ted L. Gibbons
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: We can learn a great deal from Nephi's resolve to stay close to the Lord and flee from the wickedness he faced among his brothers.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: Speaking of the new editions of the Scriptures, Elder Packer said:

The stick or record of Judah - the Old Testament and the New Testament - and the stick or record of Ephraim - the Book of Mormon, which is Another Testament of Jesus Christ - are now woven together in such a way that as you pore over one you are drawn to the other; as you learn from one you are enlightened by the other. They are indeed one in our hands. Ezekiel's prophecy stands fulfilled.

With the passing of years these scriptures will produce successive generations of faithful Christians who know the Lord Jesus Christ and are disposed to obey his will.

The older generation has been raised without them, but there is another generation growing up. The revelations will be opened to them as to no other in the history of the world. Into their hands now are placed the sticks of Joseph and Judah. They will develop a gospel scholarship beyond that which their forbears could achieve. They will have the testimony that Jesus is the Christ and be competent to proclaim him and defend him. (Elder Boyd K. Packer, C.R., Oct. 1992, p. 75)

INTRODUCTION:

After you have reviewed the material in 2 Nephi 3, find a copy of the Joseph Smith Translation and read Genesis 50. You can read several verses in the Appendix to the LDS edition of the Bible if you cannot find the complete text. Compare the two chapters and you will once again see a witness to the significance of the contents of the brass plates, and even more you will sense the depth of the prophetic power of Joseph, the son of Israel.

1. LEHI TEACHES THAT HIS DESCENDANTS WILL BE BLESSED THROUGH THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITH AND THE BOOK OF MORMON (2 Nephi 3)

These the things Lehi knew about Joseph Smith:

• God would raise him up as a seer to the descendants of Joseph (2 Nephi 3:6)

• He would be a choice seer ((2 Nephi 3:7) Remember what Ammon taught Limhi about the role of a seer? He said, . . . that a seer is a revelator and a prophet also; and a gift which is greater can no man have, except he should possess the power of God, which no man can; yet a man may have great power given him from God. But a seer can know of things which are past, and also of things which are to come, and by them shall all things be revealed, or, rather, shall secret things be made manifest, and hidden things shall come to light, and things which are not known shall be made known by them, and also things shall be made known by them which otherwise could not be known. (Mosiah 8:16,17) But Joseph Smith would be more than a seer: he would be a choice seer. (2 Nephi 3:7)

• This seer would be a descendant of Joseph of Egypt. (2 Nephi 3:7)

• He would bring the descendants of Joseph to a knowledge of the covenants the Father made with the ancestors of Joseph. (2 Nephi 3:7)

• He would be commanded to do only the work assigned by the father. (2 Nephi 3:8)

• God would make him great. (2 Nephi 3:8)

• He would be great like unto Moses. (2 Nephi 3:9)

• He would have power to bring forth the word of God to the descendants of Joseph. (2 Nephi 3:11)

• He would have power to convince the descendants of Joseph of the truth of the Biblemy word, which shall already have gone forth among them. (2 Nephi 3:11)

• Out of weakness he would be made strong. (2 Nephi 3:13)

• Those that seek to destroy him would be confounded. (2 Nephi 3:14)

• His name and the name of his father would be Joseph also. (2 Nephi 3:15)

• He would be the spokesman to declare the writings of the descendants of Joseph. (2 Nephi 3:18)

• He would rise up mightily among the descendants of Lehi's son, Joseph. (2 Nephi 3:22; see footnote 24a)

I have in the notes above identified Joseph Smith as the spokesman in 2 Nephi 3:18. Elder Bruce R. McConkie suggested that identification also:

The Lord said to Joseph of old: "I will raise up unto the fruit of thy loins; and I will make for him a spokesman." As Moses wrote and Aaron proclaimed the law given in the Old World, so someone in the New World, someone of the seed of Joseph, would write the Lord's law, and yet another, a spokesman, would declare it. In this case the writer and the spokesman are not identified by name; rather, we are left, based on our knowledge of what has transpired in this and previous dispensations, to identify those whose missions were of such import as to have them revealed thousands of years before the events transpired. Mormon wrote the Book of Mormon, quoting, condensing, and summarizing front many ancient records as the Spirit directed. And Joseph Smith translated the ancient word by the gift and power of God and proclaimed it to all men, and to the seed of Joseph in particular, as the mind and will and voice of Him by whom salvation comes.

With this in mind, note these words of the Lord: "And I, behold, I will give unto him [Mormon] that he shall write the writing of the fruit of thy loins [the Nephites], unto the fruit of thy loins [the Lamanites]; and the spokesman of thy loins Joseph Smith] shall declare it." [2 Nephi 3:18] That is, Mormon wrote the Book of Mormon, but what he wrote was taken from the writings of the Nephite prophets; and these writings, compiled into one book, were translated by Joseph Smith and sent forth by him unto the Lamanites unto whom, as the title page of the Book of Mormon attests, they were originally written. And further, they are sent forth to all the seed of Joseph, whether in the Lamanite branch of Israel or not. (Bruce R. McConkie, A New Witness for the Articles of Faith, p.425 p.426)

Note the content of 2 Nephi 3:12. This remarkable prophecy about the future of the sticks of Judah and Joseph is the inspiration behind the Quote of the Week above. Because of the new editions of the scriptures, the sticks of Judah and Ephraim have begun to grow together, to the confounding of false doctrines and laying down of contentions and establishing peace. This combination of sticks or books will also assist to bring the Lamanites to the knowledge of their fathers - their connection with the House of Israel and the covenant people - and to a knowledge of those very covenants.

2 Nephi 3:19 again testifies of the inspiration accompanying the selection of content for the Book of Mormon. We noted in Lesson 1 that Moroni had seen our day (Mormon 8:34,35) and that the Book of Mormon was written by the spirit of prophecy and revelation (see the Title Page). Now Lehi tells us this:

And the words which he shall write shall be the words which are expedient in my wisdom should go forth unto the fruit of thy loins. And it shall be as if the fruit of thy loins had cried unto them from the dust; for I know their faith. (2 Nephi 3:19)

2. NEPHI LAMENTS HIS SINFULNESS BUT GLORIES IN THE GOODNESS OF GOD (2 Nephi 4)

Lehi blessed the children of Laman and Lemuel, and he said something remarkable to them, for he declared, I know if ye are brought up in the way ye should go ye will not depart from it. (2 Nephi 4:5,9) This prophecy must be specific for the children of these two sons. Laman and Lemuel were certainly brought up in the way [they] should go and they departed from it rather dramatically. But Lehi offers this observation as a testimony. I know . . . One is left with the feeling that in conjunction with his many prayers for his oldest sons, he had prayed mightily over his grandchildren, the offspring of those sons, and the Lord had assured him that the sins of these children would be visited on the heads of their parents, for if these children were taught righteously, they would be righteous.

Wherefore, if ye are cursed, behold, I leave my blessing upon you, that the cursing may be taken from you and be answered upon the heads of your parents. (2 Nephi 4:6)

The promise of Lehi to his grandchildren requires an additional note here. Sometimes children, in spite of the purest love and the finest teaching parents can provide, seem to drift away, in somewhat the manner of Laman and Lemuel. But we have a promise:

Years ago President Joseph F. Smith gave us an answer and a promise when he said, If you will gather your children around you once a week and instruct them in the gospel, they will not go astray (David B. Haight, A Foundation Whereon Men Cannot Fall, Ensign, July 1972, 108).

Referring to this same promise of President Smith, in the October General Conference of 1970, Elder Boyd K. Packer taught:

In the Church, Monday night has been designated and set aside, Churchwide, for families to be at home together. Instruction has recently gone out, from which I quote:

"Those responsible for priesthood and auxiliary programs, including temple activities, youth athletic activities, student activities, etc., should take notice of this decision in order that Monday night will be uniformly observed throughout the Church and the families be left free from Church activities so that they can meet together in the family home evening." (Priesthood Bulletin, September 1970.)

With this program comes the promise from the prophets, the living prophets, that if parents will gather their children about them once a week and teach the gospel, those children in such families will not go astray (Improvement Era, Dec. 1970, p. 108)

In 1965, Harold B. Lee recalled a promise made by President Wilford Woodruff:

For over half a century, the leaders of this Church have counseled with parents in the home to gather their children around them in a weekly Home Evening and there teach the truths of salvation honesty, sobriety integrity, and chastity. One of our leaders has promised that if parents would do this, "ninety-nine out of every hundred children . . . will observe them through life." (The Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, pp. 267-268.) (Harold B. Lee, CR, April 1965, p. 15

Sometime after these final lessons, Lehi waxed old and died. Not many days later, Nephi’s brothers were angry with him again, because of the admonitions of the Lord. Nothing these bitter and violent brothers had ever done has had even the smallest shadow of success in keeping Nephi from telling the truth. What an example he sets for us. President Joseph F. Smith spoke to parents about this kind of courage in our relationships with our children.

God forbid that there should be any of us so unwisely indulgent, so thoughtless and so shallow in our affection for our children that we dare not check them in a wayward course, in wrongdoing and in their foolish love for the things of the world more than for the things of righteousness, for fear of offending them. (Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, p.286)

Nephi always dared to check [his brothers] in a wayward course. He never flinched, and his affection for them was not shallow. If they needed the admonitions of the Lord, they got them, even though such steadiness infuriated them and the outcome of his preaching was a forgone conclusion. And this time was no exception. Nephi was constrained to speak unto them (2 Nephi 4:14) and he did. God help all of us never to exercise restraint when under the influence of such constraint. We must reprove betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy ghost . . . (D&C 121:43)

2 Nephi 4:16-35 changed my life. At a time when I was desperate to know that in spite of my weaknesses the Lord loved me and needed me, the witness came. As I read these verses, I was healed and loved and lifted, soaring as on eagles wings to a whole new awareness of the goodness of the Father and the Son. The Son taught me how to say what Nephi said in 2 Nephi 4:21.

My gratitude to Nephi for including this psalm is enormous. He could have left it out. In his books, filled with page after page of portraits of his greatness, we would never have missed these few verses of windows into his weaknesses. But he allowed us to see how human he was, how much like us he was, how much need of the help of the Lord he had. I came to believe, reading these verses, that as he was in some ways like me, I could finally learn to be something like him.

The cause of his distress - his sin, his yielding to temptations - was anger. Why am I angry . . .? Angry at whom? His brothers, we suppose, who were angry at him and who would soon (in the next chapter) try to kill him again. But he knew that this anger (or any other sin) did not serve him, or hurt his brothers. It simply paved the way for Lucifer to attack.

Why am I angry because of mine enemy? Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul. (2 Nephi 4:27,28, emphasis added)

Review the appeals Nephi makes in his prayer. He prays for wonderful things! (2 Nephi 4:31-34)

3. THE ANGER OF LAMAN AND LEMUEL INCREASES AGAINST NEPHI, AND THE LORD COMMANDS THE FOLLOWERS OF NEPHI TO SEPARATE FROM THE FOLLOWERS OF LAMAN. (2 Nephi 5)

As we mentioned in lesson #5, the hearts of Laman and Lemuel had become hard like unto a flint and the Lord seemed to have no way to soften them anymore. (See 2 Nephi 5:21) Thus, Nephi and Zoram and Sam and their families, and Jacob and Joseph [the] younger brethren, and also [his] sisters, and all who would go with [him] . . . did journey in the wilderness for the space of many days. (2 Nephi 5:6,7)

Notice the contrast in the lifestyles of these two groups:

The Nephites lived after the manner of happiness (2 Nephi 5:27). Since I want my family to live in the same way, I read 2nd Nephi 5 for insights into the way they lived, and the things that caused them to be happy. I found four things:

• And we did observe to keep the judgments, and the statutes, and the commandments of the Lord in all things, according to the law of Moses (2 Nephi 5:10, emphasis added). Wickedness never was happiness (Alma 41:10), but obedience is. If we observe, that is watch carefully to insure that we are keeping the judgements and statutes and commandments, we will be much more likely to be happy.

• And the Lord was with us; and we did prosper exceedingly; for we did sow seed, and we did reap again in abundance. And we began to raise flocks, and herds, and animals of every kind (2 Nephi 5:11, emphasis added).

[The Nephites did learn to] build buildings, and to work in all manner of wood, and of iron, and of copper, and of brass, and of steel, and of gold, and of silver, and of precious ores, which were in great abundance . . . And it came to pass that I, Nephi, did cause my people to be industrious, and to labor with their hands (2 Nephi 5:15, 17, emphasis added). Any truly happy person will be engaged in worthwhile enterprise of some kind. Work is a key to happiness.

Spencer W. Kimball said, Work brings happiness, self-esteem, and prosperity. It is the means of all accomplishment; it is the opposite of idleness. We are commanded to work. (See Gen. 3:19.) Attempts to obtain our temporal, social, emotional, or spiritual wellbeing by means of a dole violate the divine mandate that we should work for what we receive. Work should be the ruling principle in the lives of our Church membership (See D&C 42:42; D&C 56:17; D&C 68:3032; D&C 75:29)(Spencer W. Kimball, And the Lord Called His People Zion, Ensign, Aug. 1984, 4).

In contrast to this, the Lamanites

. . . did become an idle people, full of mischief and subtlety, and did seek in the wilderness for beasts of prey. (2 Nephi 5:24)

• And I, Nephi, had also brought the records which were engraven upon the plates of brass (2 Nephi 5:12, emphasis added). Elder Nelson taught: Happiness comes when scriptures are used in shaping our lives (Russell M. Nelson, "A More Excellent Hope," Ensign, Feb. 1997, 63).

• And I, Nephi, did build a temple; and I did construct it after the manner of the temple of Solomon save it were not built of so many precious things; for they were not to be found upon the land, wherefore, it could not be built like unto Solomon's temple. But the manner of the construction was like unto the temple of Solomon; and the workmanship thereof was exceedingly fine (2 Nephi 5:16, emphasis added).

Of course the Lamanites had been cursed. And they had been marked with a skin of blackness so that the Nephites would know they were cursed and stay away. Their cursing was a sore cursing, because of their iniquity. (2 Nephi 5:20,21; see also 2 Nephi 1:17,18,22) They were cut off from the presence of the Lord. They had no scriptures. They had no priesthood. They had no revelations. They had no temple. They had little or no access to the Spirit. A sore cursing indeed! We would be astonished if we were told, given these descriptions, that the Lamanites were immersed in happiness.

CONCLUSION:

It seems to me that there is another reason for this separation, in addition to the danger faced by Nephi. It has to do with the influence that Laman and Lemuel and their lifestyle might have on the others who went with Nephi.

When my mother remarried after 19 years of widowhood, she married a man of steel and certainty. He was my old scoutmaster and he was rugged. She learned not long after their wedding that her new husband suffered from a chronically sore big toe. It pained him greatly, but it was just a sore toe and he was tough as saddle leather. However, she was tougher and she got him to the doctor. An examination revealed melanoma. The toe was amputated.

One might ask, Why? It was just a toe. The disease was serious but it was localized in an appendage a long way from the center of things. Why all the fuss? We all know the answer. Cancer doesnt secure a toehold (sorry!) and stay put. It is always looking for an opportunity to expand. When you find a cancer, you get it out. My stepfather had waited too long to do that very thing. Within a year of the surgery, he was bedridden and riddled with cancer. All that could be done was to make him comfortable and wait for him to die. Nephi leaving Laman and Lemuel is an act of killing the cancer. Nephi must have known the great need to get away from the disease. And so, with all those who feared the disease, he packed up and pulled out.

The Lord has warned us many times about the danger of allowing such a condition to remain where it can influence us. In Numbers 16, the Lord warned the congregation about those who had rebelled against Moses and Aaron. Moses counseled the people:

Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins. (Numbers 16:26)

That is exactly what Nephi did. He departed. In the October 1999 Conference, President Packer said it this way:

Young Latter-day Saints, shape up! Face up! Take hold of your lives! Take control of your mind, your thoughts! If you have friends that are not a good influence, make changes, even if you face loneliness, even rejection. (Ensign, Nov. 1999, p. 24)

If we do not depart from those who would lead us into wickedness, then what the Lord said to Israel may well become true unto us:

. . . they shall be [as thorns] in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you. (Judges 2:3)

February 2012 Sharing Time: Choose to Obey

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:06:00 -0700

by Shauna Gibby
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: This sharing time will help the children learn about the blessings they receive when they choose the right.

Preparation: Obtain a bean bag and two buckets or baskets. Label one bucket, “YES” and the other bucket, “NO.”

Presentation: Explain to the children that commandments are the rules or laws that Heavenly Father wants us to live by. We find the commandments in the scriptures, or by listening to the prophet. We show our love for Jesus Christ by obeying the commandments. When we obey the commandments the Lord gives us many blessings.

Display the yes and no buckets. Give a child the bean bag. Read one of the situations below. Have the child toss the bean bag into the “YES” bucket if the example is one of choosing the right and into the “NO” bucket if they did not choose the right. Review and discuss the situation as needed, reminding the children what blessings they might receive when they choose the right.

Hand the bean bag to another child and read the next situation.

• Michael eats fruit and vegetables and other healthy foods.

• Peter helps his mother clear the table even when she doesn’t ask him to.

• Maria argues about going to bed.

• Rosa loves to read the scriptures with her mother and father each night.

• Henry listens to the Sacrament prayers and thinks about Jesus when he takes the bread and water.

• Adam wants to play a video game that has bad pictures and uses bad words.

• Pilar invites the new girl to play with her during recess.

• Everett complains that church is always boring.

• Micah likes to learn the songs and sing in Primary.

• Ricardo plays on the swing set when his father asks him to help rake the leaves.

• Lucia chose not to wear a shirt that didn’t cover her body very well.

• Max’s friends find a cigarette while walking home from school. They decide to try it.

• Kimlee chose to play in a soccer tournament on Sunday.

• Amilyn eats more cookies, candy, and soda than good food.

• Kiki’s little sister broke Kiki’s toy, but Kiki forgave her.

• Jonah sees a toy he likes at the store and puts it in his pocket.

• Julia decided not to play with children who were saying bad words.

• Fernando likes to go to Primary to learn about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

Testify that you know the children will receive blessings if they obey the commandments.

Sing songs to reinforce the concept, such as “Keep the Commandments,” Children’s Songbook, p. 146; “Nephi’s Courage,” CS, p. 120; “Choose the Right Way,” CS, p. 160; and “Choose the Right.” Hymns, no. 239.

Book of Mormon Lesson 6: "Free to Choose Liberty and Eternal Life"

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:05:00 -0700

by Ted L. Gibbons
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: What would you say to your children if it were the last thing you would ever say to them? Consider this as you reflect on Lehi's words in this lesson.

Quote of the week:

I feel certain that if, in our homes, parents will read from the Book of Mormon prayerfully and regularly, both by themselves and with their children the spirit of that great book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therein. The spirit of reverence will increase, mutual respect and consideration for each other will grow. The spirit of contention will depart. Parents will counsel their children in greater love and wisdom. Children will be more responsive and submissive to that counsel. Righteousness will increase. Faith, hope, and charity the pure love of Christ will abound in our homes and lives, bringing in their wake peace, joy, and happiness.

-Marion G. Romney, Conference Report, April 1960, p.112 p.113

INTRODUCTION:

One of the messages that the Book of Mormon sends to us across the years is that parents (particularly fathers) have an obligation to bless their children and to teach their children and to bear testimony to them. The Book of Mormon contains several chapters in which Lehi, Alma, Helaman, and Moroni are engaged in this work. When we read such things in this book, we must do more than believe the doctrine: we must follow the example. In fact, we will devote a lesson to this matter - lesson #29 when we study Alma 36-39. This lesson and the next will focus on what seem to be Lehi's final admonitions to his children. Nephi tells us this of these teachings:

And it came to pass after my father, Lehi, had spoken unto all his household, according to the feelings of his heart and the Spirit of the Lord which was in him, he waxed old. And it came to pass that he died, and was buried. (2 Nephi 4:12)

You might ask yourself what you would say to each of your children if it were the last thing you would ever say to them. As you consider this, reflect on the topics of which Lehi speaks, testifies, and prophesies.

1. LEHI EXHORTS HIS SONS TO REPENT, OBEY THE LORDS COMMANDMENTS, AND PUT ON THE ARMOR OF RIGHTEOUSNESS (2 Nephi 1)

The concept of mercy suggests receiving something we do not deserve. Anything that we receive that we have earned comes as a result of justice. Lehi begins his lessons to his offspring by speaking to Laman and Lemuel. He tells them that they are only alive because of the mercies of God is sparing their lives during their rebellions upon the waters. By rights and by the demands of justice, they should have been swallowed up in the sea. (2 Nephi 1:2)

He speaks of the mercies of God in warning them to flee from Jerusalem (1 Nephi 2:2) (which he knows by a vision has been destroyed [2 Nephi 1:4]), and in giving them a land of promise (2 Nephi 1:3,5).

Lehi says six things about this land of promise that you ought to mark in your scriptures. They are:

• It is a land which is choice above all other lands (2 Nephi 1:5).

• The Lord God . . . covenanted with [Lehi, that it] should be a land for the inheritance of [his] seed” (2 Nephi 1:6).

• It is also a land for all those who should be led out of other countries by the hand of the Lord (2 Nephi 1:6).

• There shall none come unto this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord ((2 Nephi 1:6).

• If the inhabitants serve the Lord, it shall be a land of liberty unto them; wherefore they shall never be brought down into captivity (2 Nephi 1:7).

• This land should be kept as yet from the knowledge of other nations (2 Nephi 1:8).

Notice the penalty pronounced upon the people of this land, if they should dwindle in unbelief.

He will bring other nations unto them, and he will give unto them power, and he will take away from them the lands of their possessions, and he will cause them to be scattered and smitten (2 Nephi 1:11).

This will come as a result of dwindling in unbelief. Notice the areas of dwindling mentioned in 2 Nephi 1:10. Try to give a grade to American society in each of these areas for the year 2012. Has this nation dwindled since the days of our ancestors?

People who dwindle, lose their belief in

The creation by God of the earth and all men

The scriptural record of the great and marvelous works of the Lord.

The possibility and ability to do things by faith

The commandments

The infinite goodness of the Lord

The Messiah

In how many of these beliefs is America (not the Church) still solid?

The warning given by Lehi here to his oldest sons might well be given to much of Western society.

O that ye would awake; awake from a deep sleep, yea, even from the sleep of hell, and shake off the awful chains by which ye are bound, which are the chains which bind the children of men, that they are carried away captive down to the eternal gulf of misery and woe (2 Nephi 1:13).

In the next verse: Awake! and arise from the dust . . . (2 Nephi 1:14).

And in verse 23:

Awake, my sons; put on the armor of righteousness. Shake off the chains with which ye are bound, and come forth out of obscurity, and arise from the dust (2 Nephi 1:23).

How is sin like sleep? What is there about the condition of Laman and Lemuel that is like sleep? Like a "deep sleep"? Like "the sleep of hell"? How is sin like groveling in the dust and dirt? What precisely does Lehi mean when he uses the words awake and arise? Lehi is certainly comparing wickedness to sleep. And the fact that he calls it "the sleep of hell" makes it pretty clear who is dispensing the sleeping pills. The comparison is intriguing. People who are in a deep sleep are hard to arouse. They are unaware of their surroundings. Danger can approach unobserved. It is impossible for them to make good decisions or to think clearly.

Twice in 2 Nephi 1 Lehi uses another image related to sleeping.

2 Nephi 1:13: Shake off the awful chains by which you are bound.

2 Nephi 1:23: Shake off the chains with which you are bound.

Each of their journeys into iniquity has increased the holding power of Satan over these boys. He did not start off with chains, of course. "In the beginning, he leadeth them by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords [his chains] forever" (2 Nephi 26:22).

This approach works very well because no one fears a flaxen thread. If a powerful enemy approached with an extensive chain forged with great links, even the bravest among us would run like an antelope. But when we see that he is only carrying a small, fragile, nearly invisible thread made of weakest of all natural fibers, we hold our place and trust in our strength. We can break a flaxen thread anytime we want to. With such insignificant restraint he will never be able to take us any place we do not want to go.

And so he takes us to the movies to watch sex and violence and to hear profanity. And he takes us to the TV for more of the same. And all the while he is singing lullabies and giving us the old pacifier and telling us that we are safe and that all is well.

And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well - and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell (2 Nephi 28:21).

And all the while, the amount of profanity is increasing and the intensity of the sex is expanding (we really have come a long way, baby) and the degree of violence is multiplying. Lucifer is building a mighty cord from tiny flaxen threads; one that; if we allow him enough time to work on it, will be strong enough to pull a train up a hill. It will be nearly impossible to break. But we are having a nap and do not notice. He is so careful about it.

In 2 Nephi 1:21, Lehi says it this way: "Arise from the dust, my sons, and be men."

In a very real sense, Laman and Lemuel are babies, crawling in the dirt. They blame every-thing on somebody else. 440 years after this, their descendants will still be complaining that they were wronged in the wilderness by their brethren (Mosiah 10:12).

Let me create a hypothetical conversation between Lehi and his sons, with a few scriptural inserts.

Lehi: Sons, why did you try to kill Nephi?

L&L: He sought power and authority over us (see 2 Nephi 1:25)

Lehi: No, he sought the glory of God, and your own eternal welfare (2 Nephi 1:25). Now tell me, why do you murmur so much about Nephi?

L&L: He spoke plainly to us and he was sharp with us and he got angry at us (2 Nephi 1:26).

Lehi: Let me see if I understand this: You have tried to kill him at least three times, and you are upset that he got angry and spoke sharply and plainly to you? His sharpness was the sharpness of the word of God, and his anger was the truth, which he could not restrain (2 Nephi 1:26).

By the way, Lehi told Laman and Lemuel to wake up because Satan had power over them. Nephi once discovered that because of his anger at his brothers, he had given place for the enemy of [his] soul (2 Nephi 4:27). Notice who told Nephi to wake up.

Can you see why Lehi tells his boys to be men? And in the verses following this injunction, Lehi gives some wonderful clues about what true manhood really is. There is nothing here about slam dunks or beer commercials or fast cars or movie stars. Lehi would not have given a half a sentence to the manhood of Stallone or Van Damme or Schwartzeneggar. Here are some of the things suggested by this chapter that comprise manhood:

• be determined (2 Nephi 1:21)

• be in one mind and in one heart (2 Nephi 1:21)

• put on the armor of righteousness (2 Nephi 1:23)

• shake off the chains (2 Nephi 1:23)

• arise from the dust (2 Nephi 1:23)

• rebel no more (2 Nephi 1:24)

• be an instrument in the hands of God (2 Nephi 1:24)

• don't seek for authority or power (2 Nephi 1:25)

• speak plainly and truthfully (2 Nephi 1:26)

One final note, also related to manhood. Lehi tells Zoram that he has been a true friend to Nephi. Consider the implications of true friendship.

Many years ago I taught the gospel to a wonderful man in Sorocaba, Brazil. He was a mechanic who had recently left his place of employment and began to repair cars in his garage. But following his baptism, the family came on hard times and he returned to his former workplace in order to return to financial solvency. Not long after, I found that he had started smoking again.

Why? I wanted to know. What happened?

He told me something like this: All my old friends work there and they all smoke. They keep offering me cigarettes and trying to get me to smoke. It is really hard to say no all the time.

He and I had a sincere visit about what constitutes a real (a true) friend. True friends help you reach your righteous goals. They direct you to Christ. They stand by you in your struggles and trials. When a true friend sees you walking a tightrope over a towering waterfall, he does not stand on the side and throw rocks at you.

2. LEHI TESTIFIES OF THE ATONEMENT OF JESUS CHRIST (2 Nephi 2:1-10)

The promise Lehi makes to his 5th son in 2 Nephi 2:2 is so sweet that it is worth writing on your fridge in black marker:

And he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain.

This sounds suspiciously like the promise made in D&C 90:24:

Search diligently, pray always, and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good, if ye walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith ye have covenanted one with another (emphasis added).

D&C 100:15 says:

Therefore, let your hearts be comforted; for all things shall work together for good to them that walk uprightly, and to the sanctification of the church (emphasis added).

Lehi's testimony of the atonement in these verses is one of the clearest witnesses of grace in all of the standard works. Lehi says to Jacob, I know that thou art redeemed, because of the righteousness of thy Redeemer (2 Nephi 2:3). I wonder how long you would have to read in the standard works to find a man more consistently righteous than Jacob. But Jacob will not be saved because of his righteousness. He will be saved because of the righteousness of Christ. To put this in other words, no amount of obedience and righteousness can earn us entrance into the Celestial Kingdom. Paul taught this with great clarity in Romans.

For by the law is the knowledge of sin; therefore by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight (JST Romans 3:20).

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus . . . (Romans 3:23,24).

Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law (Romans 3:31).

Or, as Lehi said it with startling simplicity, you cant earn exaltation, because salvation is free (2 Nephi 2:4). This being true, we have a great responsibility.

Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise. (2 Nephi 2:8)

The merits of Christ are synonymous with his grace and are mentioned several times in the scriptures. They are worth a scripture chain, beginning with the verse above.

2 Nephi 31:19
19 And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save. (emphasis added)

Alma 24:10
10 And I also thank my God, yea, my great God, that he hath granted unto us that we might repent of these things, and also that he hath forgiven us of those our many sins and murders which we have committed, and taken away the guilt from our hearts, through the merits of his Son. (emphasis added)

Helaman 14:13
13 And if ye believe on his name ye will repent of all your sins, that thereby ye may have a remission of them through his merits. (emphasis added)

Moroni 6:4
4 And after they had been received unto baptism, and were wrought upon and cleansed by the power of the Holy Ghost, they were numbered among the people of the church of Christ; and their names were taken, that they might be remembered and nourished by the good word of God, to keep them in the right way, to keep them continually watchful unto prayer, relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of their faith. (emphasis added)

D&C 3:20
20 And that the Lamanites might come to the knowledge of their fathers, and that they might know the promises of the Lord, and that they may believe the gospel and rely upon the merits of Jesus Christ, and be glorified through faith in his name, and that through their repentance they might be saved. Amen. (emphasis added)

3. LEHI TEACHES THE IMPORTANCE OF OPPOSITION AND THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE GOOD FROM EVIL (2 Nephi 2:11-30)

It seems to me that there are 5 great conditions discussed in this chapter, four of which make agency possible, the fifth being agency itself. Together they create an environment where agency can exist and make us accountable for the choices we make within the framework of this freedom God has given us. As I reviewed the significant scriptures in 2 Nephi 2 and tried to outline them, I found that I had made an acronym, one that has helped me remember and teach the attributes and requirements of agency for several years. The acronym derived from these verses is P-O-L-K-A

P: Power to chooseWherefore, the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other (2 Nephi 2:16).

O: God placed man in an environment of Opposition; that is, in a place where there was an Opportunity to choose. For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my firstborn in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility (2 Nephi 2:11).

L: God gave unto man Laws, so that he would know what God wanted him to choose. And if ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there is no sin . . . (2 Nephi 2:13).

K: God gave man Knowledge and taught all men sufficiently that they would Know the difference between good and evil, that is, between obeying a law, and breaking it. And men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil. . . (2 Nephi 2:5).

A: These conditions, taken together (Power to choose, the Opportunity to choose, the Laws that help us know what to choose, the Knowledge of what is good and what is evil) comprise what we call Agency, or freedom of choice: Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself (2 Nephi 2:27).

The key to our agency was the action of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Lehi's comments about this seem to be paraphrase of Moses 5:10-11, and give clear evidence that the book of Moses as we now have it in the Pearl of Great Price was in fact engraven on the Plates of Brass. Lehi wrote

And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed he would not have fallen, but he would have remained in the garden of Eden. And all things which were created must have remained in the same state in which they were after they were created; and they must have remained forever, and had no end. And they would have had no children; wherefore they would have remained in a state of innocence, having no joy, for they knew no misery; doing no good, for they knew no sin (2 Nephi 2:22,23).

The comparable text in Moses says

And in that day Adam blessed God and was filled, and began to prophesy concerning all the families of the earth, saying: Blessed be the name of God, for because of my transgression my eyes are opened, and in this life I shall have joy, and again in the flesh I shall see God. And Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, saying: Were it not for our transgression we never should have had seed, and never should have known good and evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth unto all the obedient (Moses 5:10,11).

CONCLUSION:

Lehi's lessons are all Christ-centered. Christ has the keys to Laman’s and Lemuel's chains. He has given Lehi the land of promise. He has set the perfect example of true manhood and true friendship. And he has provided the blessing of an infinite and eternal atonement. Without his merits, his mercy, his grace, the effects of the fall would be irreversible. And he has placed us in an environment where we can choose for ourselves, with our agency, whether we want the blessings of these gifts. Lehi was correct: How great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth . . . (2 Nephi 2:8).

Book of Mormon Lesson 5: "Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It"

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:05:00 -0700

by Ted L. Gibbons
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: The family of Lehi experienced a great test in the wilderness. Like the early Saints in Kirtland and Missouri, this was an opportunity for them to declare their commitment to the Lord.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

I bless you with increased understanding of the Book of Mormon. I promise you that from this moment forward, if we will daily sup from its pages and abide by its precepts, God will pour out upon each child of Zion and the Church a blessing hitherto unknown.

President Ezra Taft Benson, Ensign, May 1986, p. 78

INTRODUCTION:

"Behold, I have refined thee, I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction." (1 Nephi 20:10)

The wilderness journey of the family of Lehi was a furnace. In much the same way that the experiences of Palmyra and Kirtland and Missouri and Nauvoo refined the Church and distinguished between the faithful and the faltering members, the wilderness offered opportunities for colony members in Lehi's group to discover and to declare themselves and their commitment. The Lord has promised to prove us in all things (see D&C 98:14,15) to see if we will abide in his covenant regardless of the hazard or sacrifice involved. The eight year journey (1 Nephi 17:4) from Jerusalem to Bountiful was just such a proving ground. The divergent responses of Nephi (and Sam) and Laman (and Lemuel) to their experiences teach great lessons about submission and rebellion. Nephi walks in a brighter and brighter light, while Laman and Lemuel, in order to compel their obedience, are subjected to greater and greater clubs. In fact, an appropriate title for this lesson might be Clubs and Lights.

[Teaching Note: For you who are teaching these lessons in a Gospel Doctrine setting, the flow of this lesson will not follow exactly the lesson divisions of Lesson #5 in the Book of Mormon Teacher's Manual. But it should be a simple matter to take the concepts discussed below and apply them to the manual if it is appropriate to use these notes, and if you desire to do so.]

1. CLUBS AND LIGHTS

As you consider the following descriptions of Laman and Lemuel, you might want to review Elder Neal A. Maxwell's talk, "Lessons from Laman and Lemuel." (See Ensign, November 1999, pp. 6-8.)

As you review the following events, be sensitive to the increasing moral and spiritual distance between Laman and Lemuel and their two younger brothers.

My guess is that Nephi and Laman were not too far apart at the beginning of 1st Nephi. But (as noted in Lesson #2) something significant happens in 1 Nephi 2.

A. LEAVING: Both sons were required to leave nearly everything behind and follow a visionary father into the wilderness. They left friends, relatives, activities, property, inheritances, and comforts, and departed. Both of them departed. What Laman might have said when the announcement of the family's exodus was made we do not know. But he went. At the Valley of Lemuel, we see the first signs of difference in the boys.

We are told that Laman and Lemuel were stiffnecked

Now this he spake because of the stiffneckedness of Laman and Lemuel; for behold they did murmur in many things against their father, because he was a visionary man, and had led them out of the land of Jerusalem, to leave the land of their inheritance, and their gold, and their silver, and their precious things, to perish in the wilderness. And this they said he had done because of the foolish imaginations of his heart. And thus Laman and Lemuel, being the eldest, did murmur against their father. And they did murmur because they knew not the dealings of that God who had created them. Neither did they believe that Jerusalem, that great city, could be destroyed according to the words of the prophets. And they were like unto the Jews who were at Jerusalem, who sought to take away the life of my father. (1 Nephi 2:11-13)

Nephi, however, had his heart softened.

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God, wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers. (1 Nephi 2:16)

Take a look at 1 Nephi 2:14. What is required at this point in the story to soften the hearts of Laman and Lemuel and coerce them into obedience?

And it came to pass that my father did speak unto [Laman and Lemuel] in the valley of Lemuel, with power, being filled with the Spirit, until their frames did shake before him. And he did confound them, that they durst not utter against him; wherefore, they did as he commanded them.

Lehi gave a great Family Home Evening, and they trembled and cowered and complied.

B. GETTING THE PLATES: In Lesson #2 we discussed this event at great length. But note again that Laman and Lemuel complain about the difficulty of the task (1 Nephi 3:5); that they are ready to return home at the first hint of failure (1 Nephi 3:14); and that they become violent when their initial efforts are unsuccessful (1 Nephi 3:28).

Meanwhile, Nephi expresses his willingness to do anything the Lord commands (1 Nephi 3:7); he declares his determination to succeed or die in the attempt (1 Nephi 3:15); and accomplishes his objective while being led by the Spirit (1 Nephi 4:6).

What effort is required now to restrain Laman and Lemuel? An angel comes to warn and counsel (1 Nephi 3:29).

C. GETTING THE FAMILY OF ISHMAEL: During the return trip to the Valley of Lemuel, Laman and others rebel and desire to return to Jerusalem (1 Nephi 7:6,7); they become angry at Nephi and try to kill him (1 Nephi 7:16).

Nephi, assuming the role of leadership the angel assigned to him in 1 Nephi 3:29, preaches to the rebels (1 Nephi 7:8-15); he receives strength according to his faith in Christ to free himself from the bands with which he is bound. (1 Nephi 7:17,18). Can you see how the distance between these Nephi and Laman is increasing?

In this instance, Laman and Lemuel are subdued by the miracle of Nephis escape and by the pleading of members of Ishmaels family (1 Nephi 7:20).

D. LEHI'S DREAM: Lehi received a warning in this dream about the character of his sons and their response to righteousness. Before and after describing the dream, he expressed his great fear for the welfare of Laman and Lemuel (1 Nephi 8:4,36). In the dream, Laman and Lemuel refused to come and partake of the fruit (1 Nephi 8:17,18); when Lehi preached to them as he had in 1 Nephi 2, it did not seem to be effective (1 Nephi 8:37,38); Laman and Lemuel disputed about the dream and its implications (1 Nephi 15:2,3); they did not inquire of the Lord (1 Nephi 15:8,9).

Nephi, however, gave his father reason to rejoice (1 Nephi 8:3); he came and partook of the fruit (1 Nephi 8:14-16), and after hearing the explanation of his father, wanted to see for himself (1 Nephi 10:17; 11:1); he was shown the images of his fathers dream and given a divine explanation of their meanings (1 Nephi 11-15).

E. THE BROKEN BOW: After sufficient preparation and the appearance of the Liahona, the colony of Lehi left the valley and departed into the wilderness. During the journey, Nephi broke his bow. Laman and Lemuel were hungry and angry (1 Nephi 16:18,20); they hardened their hearts again and complained against the Lord (1 Nephi 16:22).

Nephi was hungry too, of course. All of them did suffer much for the want of food. (1 Nephi 16:19) And the bows of Laman and Lemuel were as useless as Nephi’s (1 Nephi 16:21). But Nephi, instead of blaming and complaining, made a new bow and asked his murmuring father for directions (1 Nephi 16:21-25). He then procured food for the family (1 Nephi 16:30-32).

In this instance a written message from the Lord was required to humble Laman and Lemuel and the others.

And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord said unto him: Look upon the ball, and behold the things which are written. And it came to pass that when my father beheld the things which were written upon the ball, he did fear and tremble exceedingly, and also my brethren and the sons of Ishmael and our wives. (1 Nephi 16:26,27)

F. THE DEATH OF ISHMAEL: At a place called Nahom, Ishmael died and was buried. The daughters of Ishmael mourned and murmured against Lehi and Nephi (1 Nephi 16:34-36). Laman, however, did more than mourn and murmur. He plotted the murder of Lehi and Nephi (1 Nephi 16:37,38).

Laman and Lemuel have in the past been controlled by their fathers preaching, by the appearance of an angel, by the display of Gods power and the pleading of women, and by a written message from God. What happens this time soften their hearts and to restrain them from their murderous intentions? They hear the voice of God.

And it came to pass that the Lord was with us, yea, even the voice of the Lord came and did speak many words unto them, and did chasten them exceedingly; and after they were chastened by the voice of the Lord they did turn away their anger, and did repent of their sins, insomuch that the Lord did bless us again with food, that we did not perish (1 Nephi 16:39, emphasis added).

G. THE WILDERNESS: The journey from Jerusalem to Bountiful seems to have led this small group of Israelites through one of the most desolate sand deserts on earth.

The Rub' al Khali means the "empty quarter" because it is empty. It's the worst desert in the world. The worst parts of the Sahara have Tuaregs and an occasional tree and some water in them. Not long ago they were quite wet. But not the "empty quarter." There is nothing in it, and yet they [Lehi's family] crossed that. And they had a journey of eight years in the desert (Hugh Nibley, Teachings of the Book of Mormon, Semester 1, p.122).

The reaction of Laman and Lemuel to these experience was to say that they would have been better off dead.

. . . we have wandered in the wilderness for these many years; and our women have toiled, being big with child; and they have borne children in the wilderness and suffered all things, save it were death; and it would have been better that they had died before they came out of Jerusalem than to have suffered these afflictions (1 Nephi 17:20).

But speaking of the same experiences, Nephi rejoices in the blessing of God upon him and his people:

AND it came to pass that we did again take our journey in the wilderness; and we did travel nearly eastward from that time forth. And we did travel and wade through much affliction in the wilderness; and our women did bear children in the wilderness. And so great were the blessings of the Lord upon us, that while we did live upon raw meat in the wilderness, our women did give plenty of suck for their children, and were strong, yea, even like unto the men; and they began to bear their journeyings without murmurings. And thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them; wherefore, he did provide means for us while we did sojourn in the wilderness (1 Nephi 17:1-3).

H. BUILDING A SHIP: It is not likely that anyone in Lehis group had had any experience with the building of ships. The derision of Laman and Lemuel to Nephis announcement that he was going to build a boat and cross the ocean is not difficult to understand.

And when my brethren saw that I was about to build a ship, they began to murmur against me, saying: Our brother is a fool, for he thinketh that he can build a ship; yea, and he also thinketh that he can cross these great waters (1 Nephi17:17).

They complained against Nephi, did not want to labor, did not believe that Nephi could build a ship, and did not believe that he was inspired to do so (1 Nephi 17:18). When he preached to them (1 Nephi 17:23-47), they became angry with him and were about to kill him (1 Nephi 17:48).

Nephi, when commanded to build a ship, did not offer any excuses and asked only one question.

And I said: Lord, whither shall I go that I may find ore to molten, that I may make tools to construct the ship after the manner which thou hast shown unto me? (1 Nephi 17:9)

This is a beautiful insight into the character of this prophet. How he has grown from those first weeks in the Valley of Lemuel! How would you respond if the Lord commanded you to gather your immediate family together and build a temple? A motor home? A space ship? These assignments can be no less difficult for us than the ship-building was to be for Nephi.

When challenged and threatened by his brothers who did not want to help him, Nephi was filled with anguish and pain (1 Nephi 17:47); when they tried to kill him, he was filled with power (1 Nephi 17:48). For many days, his brothers were confounded and could not contend against Nephi and did not dare to touch him (1 Nephi 17:52).

Finally, at the Lords command, Nephi touched them:

And it came to pass that I stretched forth my hand unto my brethren, and they did not wither before me; but the Lord did shake them, even according to the word which he had spoken. And now, they said: We know of a surety that the Lord is with thee, for we know that it is the power of the Lord that has shaken us. And they fell down before me, and were about to worship me, but I would not suffer them, saying: I am thy brother, yea, even thy younger brother; wherefore, worship the Lord thy God, and honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God shall give thee (1 Nephi 17:54,55).

Can you see how large a club the Lord is using on Laman and Lemuel now to soften their hearts? This divine shaking is a much different thing than the sermon Lehi delivered in the Valley of Lemuel.

I. CROSSING THE OCEAN: Following the cooperation of his brothers and the completion of the ship, which even Laman and Lemuel acknowledged to be good, the voyage to the promised land began. But their commendable behavior did not last long.

And after we had been driven forth before the wind for the space of many days, behold, my brethren and the sons of Ishmael and also their wives began to make themselves merry, insomuch that they began to dance, and to sing, and to speak with much rudeness, yea, even that they did forget by what power they had been brought thither; yea, they were lifted up unto exceeding rudeness. And I, Nephi, began to fear exceedingly lest the Lord should be angry with us, and smite us because of our iniquity, that we should be swallowed up in the depths of the sea; wherefore, I, Nephi, began to speak to them with much soberness; but behold they were angry with me, saying: We will not that our younger brother shall be a ruler over us. And it came to pass that Laman and Lemuel did take me and bind me with cords, and they did treat me with much harshness . . . (1 Nephi 18:9-2).

Nephi preached (of course) (1 Nephi 18:10), and as usual, he paid for it. He remained bound tightly for four days (1 Nephi 18:14). Behold [my wrists] had swollen exceedingly; and also mine ankles were much swollen, and great was the soreness thereof 1 Nephi 18:15). Finally, fear convinced Laman and Lemuel that they had made another grave mistake and Nephi was untied. But Nephi made no recriminations and self-righteous warnings to his brothers here either.

I did look unto my God, and I did praise him all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord because of mine afflictions. (1 Nephi 18:16)

Nephi took the compass and it worked, and he prayed and the storm ceased (1 Nephi 18:21).

It is at this time that Nephi gives us a compelling insight into what has been happening to his older brothers since they left Jerusalem:

And there was nothing save it were the power of God, which threatened them with destruction, could soften their hearts; wherefore, when they saw that they were about to be swallowed up in the depths of the sea they repented of the thing which they had done, insomuch that they loosed me (1 Nephi 18:20, emphasis added).

Now, we are told, only the fear of destruction could soften the hearts of Laman and Lemuel.

J. DEATH OF LEHI: Even though this event falls within the confines of a later lesson, it shows how far Laman and Lemuel have drifted from Nephi, and the final state of men who have hardened their hearts time after time, and who have ignored repeated attempts by loved ones and the Lord to change the course of their lives. When Lehi died (2 Nephi 4:12), Nephi tells us this:

And it came to pass that not many days after his death, Laman and Lemuel and the sons of Ishmael were angry with me because of the admonitions of the Lord. (2 Nephi 4:13)

They became so angry that they decided again (for at least the fourth time) to kill Nephi (2 Nephi 5:2,3). These two have always tried to blame others for their problems, never taking responsibility for themselves.

Nephi got angry too, because of his brothers (2 Nephi 4:27), but he knew it was a sin, and tried to control it, taking the responsibility upon himself for his weaknesses (2 Nephi 4:17-35).

Because of the decision of Laman and Lemuel to kill Nephi, he departed into the wilderness with the righteous members of his family and the records. Why did the Lord warn Nephi to leave his brothers this time, rather than intervening again in these tumultuous events to soften the hearts of Laman and Lemuel? Why did he not reach for an ever larger club to compel obedience? The answer is in 2 Nephi 5:21. For behold, they had hardened their hearts against him, that they had become like unto a flint . . . (emphasis added) The Lord seems to be saying to Nephi and to us, It is no longer possible to soften these hearts. They are too hard. You must leave them or I must destroy them.

Remember that in 1 Nephi 2:16, Nephi cried unto the Lord and the Lord softened his heart. The softness of his heart enabled him to have a multitude of experiences that were incomprehensible to his big brothers, whose hearts, with multiplying layers of spiritual scar tissue, were growing harder and harder. I suppose many of us have some of the heart problems of Laman and Lemuel. Unless we have done what Nephi did, it may be difficult for us to hear the whisperings of the Spirit, and to submit cheerfully to the will of God. But one of the loveliest messages of the gospel is that the Lord can change our hearts if we will let him.

And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually. (Mosiah 5:2)

2. INSIGHTS FROM 1 NEPHI 19-22

And it came to pass that after we had sailed for the space of many days we did arrive at the promised land; and we went forth upon the land, and did pitch our tents; and we did call it the promised land. (1 Nephi 18:23)

What is the first recorded commandment given to these pioneers when they reached the land of promise (see 1 Nephi 19:1)? Nephi indicates in 1 Nephi 19 a number of reasons for keeping the records on the large and small plates, but he does tell us that he intends only to write things that he considers sacred (1 Nephi 19:6), and the primary reason is in 1 Nephi 19:6.

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

This desire of Nephi's is reflected in much of the content of the final four chapters of 1 Nephi. Those chapters provide some wonderful insights into the practice of true Christianity. Some observations follow:

• And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his longsuffering towards the children of men (1 Nephi 19:9). 600 years before the birth of Christ, Nephi knew how he would be received by the world. What evidence can you see that mankind considers Christ and his mission to be of little value? What activities would be like scourging him and smiting him and spitting on him in the year 2012? In 1 Nephi 19:7 Nephi tells us that the very God of Israel do men trample under their feet. What reactions to Christ and his gospel have you seen that would fit this description?

• . . . and the God of Jacob, yieldeth himself, according to the words of the angel, as a man, into the hands of wicked men, to be lifted up, according to the words of Zenock, and to be crucified, according to the words of Neum, and to be buried in a sepulchre, according to the words of Zenos, which he spake concerning the three days of darkness, which should be a sign given of his death unto those who should inhabit the isles of the sea, more especially given unto those who are of the house of Israel (1 Nephi 19:10). This verse gives a wonderful example of the plain and precious things that have been removed from the Bible by the hands of wicked men. How many other clear and compelling prophecies of Christ have been removed from the scriptures to cause people to stumble?

• The Lord God surely shall visit all the house of Israel at that day, some with his voice, because of their righteousness, unto their great joy and salvation, and others with the thunderings and the lightnings of his power, by tempest, by fire, and by smoke, and vapor of darkness, and by the opening of the earth, and by mountains which shall be carried up (1 Nephi 19:11). The Lord means to get everyone in the House of Israel to listen. Some he will visit with his voice, and others with natural disasters (see also D&C 43:20-25; 88:89-91). You belong to the house of Israel. How will he get you to listen?

• And as for those who are at Jerusalem, saith the prophet, they shall be scourged by all people, because they crucify the God of Israel, and turn their hearts aside, rejecting signs and wonders, and the power and glory of the God of Israel. And because they turn their hearts aside, saith the prophet, and have despised the Holy One of Israel, they shall wander in the flesh, and perish, and become a hiss and a byword, and be hated among all nations (1 Nephi 19:13,14). What are the two reasons given here for the suffering of the Jews? 1) They scourge and despise the Holy One of Israel; and 2) they turn their hearts aside from him. When will the Lord remember the covenants which he made to their fathers? (See 1 Nephi 19:15-17).

• And I did read many things unto [Laman and Lemuel] which were written in the books of Moses; but that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written by the prophet Isaiah; for I did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning (1 Nephi 19:23). This verse is an aggressive endorsement of the writings of Isaiah. No Old Testament prophet bore a plainer or purer witness of Christ than Isaiah. As evidence of this, Nephi copies 2 chapters (48,49) from the writings of Isaiah onto the small plates at this location.

• Hearken and hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, or out of the waters of baptism, who swear by the name of the Lord, and make mention of the God of Israel, yet they swear not in truth nor in righteousness. Nevertheless, they call themselves of the holy city, but they do not stay themselves upon the God of Israel, who is the Lord of Hosts; yea, the Lord of Hosts is his name (1 Nephi 20:1,2). Israelites in these verses call themselves the covenant people (the house of Jacob), they have been baptized, they swear by the name of the Lord and speak of him a great deal; they claim to be of the holy city where the people of God dwell, and yet they swear not in truth nor in righteousness. Their problem is that they do not stay themselves upon the God of Israel. (1 Nephi 20:2) What does the word stay mean in this context? In my dictionary the definition is given as follows:

Stay: [N] a heavy rope of cable, usually of wire, used as a brace or support, as for the masts of a ship. [V] to support, hold or prop up. To strengthen, comfort, or sustain in mind or spirit. To cause to rest on, upon, or in, for support.

Isaiah and Nephi are telling us that all pretensions of righteousness are meaningless unless we find our strength, our support, our rest, in Christ.

• Zion hath said: The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten mebut he will show that he hath not. For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee, O house of Israel. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me. (1 Nephi 21:14-16) I know that it is possible for a woman to forget her nursing child. My wife did. We left our 5 month old child at the school where we had gone to register an older son for little league. We were nearly home when my wife remembered, and screamed. I nearly rammed a school bus. Adam Kimball had slept through it all, but the simple truth is that Lydia had forgotten him, at least for a few moments. But the Lord will never forget us. We are engraved with the nails of crucifixion on the palms of his hands. Our walls - our defense, our safety, our welfare - are his continual concern.

When Nephi quotes Isaiah, he nearly always gives a commentary to assist us in understanding. 1 Nephi 22 is his commentary on the previous two chapters of Isaiah.

CONCLUSION:

In 1 Nephi 22, the Lord and Nephi make at least 7 wonderful statements about the righteous. As you reflect on the lessons of Laman and Lemuel and the teachings of Isaiah, consider these promises:

He will not suffer that the wicked shall destroy the righteous. (22:16)

He will preserve the righteous by his power. (22:17)

The righteous shall not perish. (22:19)

The righteousness need not fear. (22:22)

They are those who shall not be confounded. (22:22)

The righteous must be led up as calves of the stall. (22:24)

And because of the righteousness of his people, Satan has no power. (22;26)

We are eleven years into a new millennium . Sometime near this time the seventh seal will be opened, and sometime after that, Christ will come in glory. In the meantime, we are told that all things shall be in commotion; and surely, men's hearts shall fail them; for fear shall come upon all people. (D&C 88:91) But with the promises of 1 Nephi 22 secured by our righteousness, we will understand why the Lord said to his disciples, be not troubled (D&C 45:35; JSM 1:23).

Young Men Lesson 34: Obedience

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 00:04:00 -0600

source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: "We cannot and we must not allow ourselves to get distracted from our sacred duty." -Dieter F. Uchtdorf Discussion Questions
    •    How have you influenced your friends to be obedient, or how have they influenced you to be obedient?
    •    Think about the experiences you have had in fulfilling your plans in the Duty to God book. What have these experiences taught you about the importance of obedience?
    •    In what ways does your obedience today influence your future opportunities?

Supplement from "We Are Doing a Great Work and Cannot Come Down," by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, April 2009 General Conference

My dear brethren, I have known for a few months the message I want to give to you today. During that time, I have searched for a story that would illustrate what I want to say. I looked for a story about farming. I looked for a story about animals. In honor of Elder Scott, I looked for a story about nuclear engineering, and in honor of President Monson, one about raising pigeons.

In the end, one story kept coming back to me—a story that has been imprinted on my memory for many, many years. It isn’t about farming, animals, nuclear engineering, or pigeons. It is as you might have guessed—about aviation. I call it “The Story of the Lightbulb.”

The Story of the Lightbulb, or Losing Sight of What Matters Most
On a dark December night 36 years ago, a Lockheed 1011 jumbo jet crashed into the Florida Everglades, killing over 100 people. This terrible accident was one of the deadliest crashes in the history of the United States.

A curious thing about this accident is that all vital parts and systems of the airplane were functioning perfectly—the plane could have easily landed safely at its destination in Miami, only 20 miles (32km) away.

During the final approach, however, the crew noticed that one green light had failed to illuminate—a light that indicates whether or not the nose landing gear has extended successfully. The pilots discontinued the approach, set the aircraft into a circling holding pattern over the pitch-black Everglades, and turned their attention toward investigating the problem.

They became so preoccupied with their search that they failed to realize the plane was gradually descending closer and closer toward the dark swamp below. By the time someone noticed what was happening, it was too late to avoid the disaster.

To read the full talk, click here.

Mormon Criminals

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 10:43:00 -0700

source: ldsliberty.org

Mormon Life says: Interesting... Last fall, I pruned the two apple trees in my back yard. One damp day this winter, I drove down to the nearby fire station to check on the legality of burning the pile of dried-out branches. The fireman I spoke with told me that it was illegal.

“What if I built a fire with the branches, then roasted marshmallows on it? Is that legal?” I asked.

“Well, you could get around the law that way, because technically, cooking fires are allowed, so long as you followed the restrictions for cooking fires,” he answered with a dismayed look on his face.

“Great, we’re going to roast some marshmallows tonight!” I said, and left.

Let’s say I didn’t bother to cook any food on the fire. Does building an illegal fire make me a bad person? Remember, “We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.” But if I use a loophole in the law, and warm up a marshmallow and then eat it, am I then no longer a bad person? Should good people ever need to find ways around laws, to do what they want to do? If a person blatantly breaks the law, can they still be a good person?

September 2010 Sharing Time: Thumbs Up to Obeying the Commandments

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 18:00:00 -0600

by Shauna Gibby
source: MormonLife.com

This sharing time will help the children learn about the blessings they receive when they keep the commandments of God.

Preparation: Familiarize yourself with the following stories/scriptures: Daniel refusing the King’s wine (Daniel 1:5-16); the Stripling Warriors (Alma 53:16-21; 56:44-56; 58:39); The children of Israel and the Brass Serpent (Numbers 21:6-9; John 3:14-15); and the Nephites listening to King Benjamin and covenanting to keep the commandments (Mosiah 5:1-6; 6:7; 7:1).

Get the following pictures: Daniel Refusing the King's Wine (Gospel Art Book 23 or Gospel Art Kit 114), Two Thousand Young Warriors (GAB 80 or GAK 313), Moses and the Brass Serpent (GAB 16 of GAK 123), and King Benjamin (GAB 74 or GAK 307).

Explain that you are going to tell them some stories, after each story they will play a game.

Show them the picture of Daniel and his friends. Briefly tell the story. Explain that we now call the commandment that Daniel was obeying the Word of Wisdom (see Doctrine and Covenants, section 89). Ask what blessings Daniel received from obeying this commandment (knowledge, strength, good health).

Play "thumbs up" and "thumbs down" as you give the following examples. Have the children point their thumbs up if the example is one of obeying the commandment and point their thumbs down if the example is not obeying.

Sam eats fruit and vegetables and other healthy foods.
Brett's friends find a can of beer while walking home from school. They decide to try it.
Julie eats more cookies, candy, and soda than good food.
Brittlyn has decided to never smoke.
Jolynn goes outside and gets lots of exercise.

Testify to the children that you know they will also receive blessings if they obey this commandment.

Sing "The Lord Gave me a Temple," Children's Songbook, p. 153.

Show them the picture of the Stripling Warriors. Briefly tell them the story emphasizing the young men listened to their mothers and knew their words were true. Explain that this is an example of honoring their fathers and mothers (Ten Commandments #6 and Gospel Standard # 7). Ask what blessings these warriors received from obeying the commandments (the Lord protected them from being killed).

Play "thumbs up" and "thumbs down" as you give the following examples.

Peter always comes when his mother calls, even if he is having fun playing.
Sarah helps her mother with the dishes.
Brian watches TV when his father asks him to clean his room.
Cami argues about going to bed.
Rachel loves to read the scriptures with her mother and father each night.

Testify that you know they will also receive blessings if they obey this commandment.

Sing "Quickly I'll Obey," Children's Songbook, p. 197.

Show them the picture of Moses and the Brass Serpent. Tell them that the children of Israel became discouraged and spake against Moses and God. The Lord sent fiery serpents among the people and they bit them and many died. Explain that Moses was told to make a brass serpent, put it on a pole and place it where the people could see it. The Lord promised that everyone that had been bitten would live if they looked at the serpent. Jesus taught that this is a lesson for us about the importance of looking to the Savior and his atoning sacrifice. (Sacramental covenants, D&C 20:77). Ask what blessings the Israelites received by doing this (they lived).

Play "thumbs up" and "thumbs down" as you give the following examples.

Jason listens to the Sacrament prayers and thinks about Jesus when he takes the bread and water.
Jamie wants to play video games instead of having Family Home Evening.
Andrew loves to read the scriptures.
Alex complains that church is always boring.
Caleb likes to learn the songs and sing in Primary.

Testify that you know they will also receive blessings if they learn about Jesus and think of him often.

Sing "To Think About Jesus," Children's Songbook, p. 71.

Show the picture of King Benjamin. Tell them about the Nephite people that listened to King Benjamin speak and covenanted to be obedient in all things. They always kept the Sabbath day holy. (Ten Commandments #5, Gospel Standards #6). Ask what blessings the Nephites received by doing this (continual peace in the land).

Play "thumbs up" and "thumbs down" as you give the following examples.

Kyle visits his grandparents after church on Sunday.
Ashley chose to play in a soccer tournament on Sunday.
Brandon slept late and didn’t go to church.
Becca goes to Sacrament meeting and takes the bread and water to remind her of Jesus.
Emma likes to go to Primary to learn about Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

Testify that you know they will also receive blessings if they obey this commandment.

Sing "Keep the Commandments," Children's Songbook, p. 146.

Young Women Lesson 27: Strengthening Testimony through Obedience

Tue, 06 Jul 2010 18:00:00 -0600

by Spencer J. Condie
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: The Lord makes generous promises, and He certifies that He will not vary from these promises. I bring you the love and greeting of the faithful Saints in the South Pacific.

The first principle of the gospel is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This includes faith in His divine birth and heavenly heritage and faith that, under His Father's direction, He created the earth and all things that dwell therein (see John 1:10; Mosiah 3:8). At the very heart of our faith in Christ is the assurance that through His atoning sacrifice, though our sins may be as scarlet, they can become as white as snow (see Isaiah 1:18).

Faith in Christ includes the knowledge that following His Crucifixion, He arose from the tomb, and His Resurrection made it possible for all mankind to live again (see 1 Corinthians 15:21–23). Faith in Christ is the assurance that He and His Heavenly Father appeared to a young man, Joseph Smith, paving the way for the Restoration of all things in the dispensation of the fulness of times. Jesus Christ is the head of the Church, which bears His holy name.

Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is evident when we believe His teachings and claim His "exceeding great and precious promises" and become "partakers of the divine nature" (2 Peter 1:4). Innumerable promises are proclaimed by His prophets, and the Lord assures us, "My word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same" (D&C 1:38).

In these latter days, the Lord revealed that "when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated" (D&C 130:21). The Lord makes generous promises, and He certifies that He will not vary from these promises, for, said He, "I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise" (D&C 82:10).

Exceeding Great and Precious Promises The Lord's countless exceeding great and precious promises include forgiveness of our sins when we "confess them and forsake them" (D&C 58:43; see also D&C 1:32). Opening the windows of heaven is a promise claimed by those who pay a faithful tithe (see Malachi 3:10), and finding "great treasures of knowledge" accrues to those who observe the Word of Wisdom (D&C 89:19).

Becoming unspotted from the world is a promise to those who keep the Sabbath holy (see D&C 59:9; Exodus 31:13). Divine guidance and inspiration are promised to those who "feast upon the words of Christ" (2 Nephi 32:3) and who "liken all scriptures" unto themselves (1 Nephi 19:23).

The Lord also promised that "whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you" (3 Nephi 18:20). We are promised that the Holy Ghost will be our constant companion when we "let virtue garnish [our] thoughts unceasingly" (see D&C 121:45-46). We can claim the spiritually liberating promise of fasting, which will "loose the bands of wickedness," undo our "heavy burdens," and "break every yoke" (Isaiah 58:6).

Those who are sealed in holy temples and who faithfully keep their covenants will receive God's glory, which "shall be a fulness and a continuation of the seeds forever and ever" (D&C 132:19).

Sometimes, in our earthly impatience, we may lose sight of the Lord's precious promises and disconnect our obedience from the fulfillment of these promises. The Lord has declared:

"Who am I, saith the Lord, that have promised and have not fulfilled?

"I command and men obey not; I revoke and they receive not the blessing.

"Then they say in their hearts: This is not the work of the Lord, for his promises are not fulfilled. But wo unto such, for their reward lurketh beneath, and not from above" (D&C 58:31-33).

Seeing the Promises Afar Off Important components of faith are patience, long-suffering, and enduring to the end. The Apostle Paul recounts the faith of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Sara, concluding that "these all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth" (see Hebrews 11:4-13). These faithful Saints knew that this earth life was a journey, not their final destination.

When Abram was 75 years old, the Lord promised him, "I will make of thee a great nation" - this at a time when he and Sarai as yet had no children (Genesis 12:2). He was 86 when Sarai's handmaiden Hagar "bare Ishmael to Abram" (Genesis 16:16).

And the Lord changed Abram's name to Abraham and Sarai's name to Sarah, and when he was nearly a hundred and she was 90 they were promised that Sarah would bear a son to be named Isaac (see Genesis 17:17, 19). Amidst their disbelief the Lord asked: "Is any thing too hard for the Lord?" (Genesis 18:14). And "Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age" (Genesis 21:2), and the Lord promised: "I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore" (Genesis 22:17).

Young Isaac grew into manhood, and when he was 40 years old he married Rebekah. "And Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife, because she was barren: and the Lord was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived" and bore twin sons, Esau and Jacob, when their father was 60 years old. (See Genesis 25:20-26.)

As Jacob matured and became of appropriate age, his parents sent him to the household of Laban, where he would meet Laban's two daughters, Leah and Rachel. Jacob told Laban, "I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. . . . And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her" (Genesis 29:18, 20).

You will recall how Laban beguiled young Jacob into first marrying Leah and then Rachel. "And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren" (Genesis 29:31). And Leah bore Reuben, then Simeon, then Levi, and Judah. Meanwhile, Rachel remained childless (see Genesis 29:32-35).

With ever-increasing envy and mounting desperation, one day Rachel explosively demanded of Jacob, "Give me children, or else I die" (Genesis 30:1). Leah subsequently bore two more sons and a daughter.

The Lord Is Not Slack Concerning His Promise The Apostle Peter testified that "the Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering" toward us (2 Peter 3:9). In this age of one-hour dry cleaning and one-minute fast-food franchises, it may at times seem to us as though a loving Heavenly Father has misplaced our precious promises or He has put them on hold or filed them under the wrong name. Such were the feelings of Rachel.

But with the passage of time, we encounter four of the most beautiful words in holy writ: "And God remembered Rachel" (Genesis 30:22). And she was blessed with the birth of Joseph and later the birth of Benjamin. There are millions on earth today who are descendants of Joseph who have embraced the Abrahamic promise that through their efforts "shall all the families of the earth be blessed, even with the blessings of the Gospel, which are the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal" (Abraham 2:11).

When heaven's promises sometimes seem afar off, I pray that each of us will embrace these exceeding great and precious promises and never let go. And just as God remembered Rachel, God will remember you. I so testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Young Men Lesson 14: Obedience to God

Mon, 05 Apr 2010 18:00:00 -0600

by John B. Dickson
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: Now is the time to commit yourself to the Lord as to what you will become during this mortal probation. Good morning, brothers and sisters. I would like to address the youth of the Church this morning as Sister Dickson and I would counsel our own family.

We know that you are an exceptionally bright generation of youth that will soon take our place as leaders in the home, the workplace, the community, and the Church.

Your Heavenly Father loves each of you and has sent you to earth with a purpose. He has revealed a plan of happiness that, if followed, will ultimately bring you home to His presence, having triumphed over the trials and challenges of this world. Committing yourself now to live by the pattern the Lord has set will give you great strength in the proper use of your moral agency. The sincere commitments you make to yourself and to the Lord will be vital. We learn from the book of Psalms to "commit thy way unto the Lord; . . . and he shall bring it to pass" (Psalm 37:5).

You have come into this world at a time that has been anticipated from the beginning--a time prior to the Second Coming of the Lord, in which, on one hand, the gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored in its fulness and, on the other, there is great turmoil, confusion, and wickedness. The proving ground that you were born into is wonderful, affording great opportunities, but at the same time there is danger in abundance, even danger to one's very soul. Now is the time to commit yourself to the Lord as to what you will become during this mortal probation. Along with your parents, living prophets, and the scriptures, the Holy Ghost will help you distinguish between right and wrong so correct decisions can be made.

Hopefully you will prayerfully study the pamphlet For the Strength of Youth and review and carry with you, in your wallet or purse, the abbreviated copy of the pamphlet. Great happiness will come to you in this life and eternally if you decide now to live after the pattern that is set forth in its pages.

Let me help you understand how this pattern of making early commitments can help you by relating the experience of one Church leader. As a young man he decided that he would always keep the Word of Wisdom and never use alcohol or tobacco. He does not remember what prompted him to make that important commitment at the time, but a crucial victory was won in his heart, and on his knees he made a commitment with the Lord to always keep that commandment. Over the years there were invitations to use these substances, but he learned that "no, thank you" was a good answer. There was no personal battle over the Word of Wisdom because years before he had made a commitment in his heart, and he had sincerely made a commitment to the Lord to obey that law.

As you seek to receive Heavenly Father's blessings regarding the Word of Wisdom, include a commitment to never touch the illegal drugs that are prevalent in today's society. The adversary will have very little power to tempt you with things that you have never touched.

As members of the Church we have been baptized and have made a covenant to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ and keep God's commandments. If mistakes are made, the gospel allows us to sincerely repent and be forgiven. Your commitment can begin from where you are presently, whether young or old, including repenting and forsaking sin where mistakes have already been made.

The Lord promises great, eternal blessings to His righteous, repentant children, but knowing there is great danger here in this life, He has commanded us, saying, "Beware concerning yourselves, to give diligent heed to the words of eternal life" (D&C 84:43). Because He loves us and wants us back, this commandment to "beware concerning [ourselves]" prompts us to be careful concerning everything about us--the type of social settings we enter, what we see and read, the media and entertainment we choose, the music we listen to, and more.

Setting a pattern of early commitment is very important. For example, to receive the blessings promised to those who pay tithes and offerings, you should commit now to pay tithing on all earnings. Paying tithing helps us become less selfish and more like our Heavenly Father, who wants to share all that He has with His righteous children. Making that decision will be extremely important. It is interesting to note that, like tithing, every commandment is designed for your eternal happiness and to help you become more like your Father in Heaven. Decide now to be like Nephi of old, who was absolutely determined to "go and do the things which the Lord [had] commanded" (1 Nephi 3:7).

Let us now consider other commitments that will bless your lives. Wouldn't it be wonderful if, in spite of what others at school might be doing, from this moment forward you would be known for your absolute integrity and clean language? Decide now that you will never cheat; that your language will be pure; that as long as you live, vulgar words or jokes will never come from your lips. These are commitments you can make in the quiet of your room and upon your knees. Success will come to you as you earnestly, prayerfully, and humbly approach the Lord. The scriptures teach, "Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers" (D&C 112:10).

You would also want to make commitments regarding modesty of dress and how to act while dating. Keeping the Lord's standards is always easier when you have already determined how you will act when faced with decisions in the presence of a date, friends, or peers. Some individuals may not understand your standards as you follow righteous principles and keep your commitments, but they will truly respect and admire you and wish that they were more like you.

Other standards to ponder and commit to are absolute moral cleanliness and sexual purity, Sabbath observance, preparation for missions and the temple, and a determination to always partake of the sacrament worthily.

President Hinckley loves the youth and has constantly encouraged you to follow the standards the Lord has set. Following a living prophet's encouragement and counsel will lead you on a path to eternal or everlasting happiness.

As you commit now to do the will of the Lord, He will help and strengthen you. Your faith, trust, and desire to follow Him will be your greatest key to success. I know our Heavenly Father loves each of you and that He truly sent His Only Begotten Son to help you and that you can gloriously succeed as you sincerely commit to follow Him. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Young Men Lesson 34: Obedience

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 18:00:00 -0600

by Richard G. Scott
source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: True, enduring happiness, with the accompanying strength, courage, and capacity to overcome the greatest difficulties, will come as you center your life in Jesus Christ. Our Father in Heaven wants each of us to enjoy peace and happiness in mortal life. Our Master, Jesus Christ, and His prophets have taught how to have that peace and happiness, even in a world that is ever more challenging, with increasing conflict and an intense concentration of alluring temptations.

I will illustrate the wrong way to find peace and happiness, and then the proper way, by using an analogy to rock climbing. There are those who attempt to scale a difficult rock cliff by a method called "soloing." They ascend alone, without equipment, companions, or any secure protection. They depend on their own skill and capacity. They do it for the thrill of living on the edge with high risk. It is done despite the probability that in time they will fall and be seriously injured or lose their life. They are like many who face the challenges and temptations of life without the security of following the commandments of God, guided by the Holy Spirit. In today's difficult world they will almost surely violate critical laws, with painful, destructive consequences. Do not "solo" in life. You will almost certainly fall into transgression.

There is a safer way to rock climb. When a pair of climbers tackle a difficult ascent, the leader scales a wall, placing anchors a few feet apart. His or her rope is linked to the anchor by a carabiner. Safety is assured by a companion, called the second, stationed in a very solid position. The lead is protected as the second belays, that is, carefully controls how the rope is payed out. In this way the lead is assured protection while ascending. Should there be an inadvertent misstep, the anchor will safely limit the fall. The second not only secures the lead but gives encouragement with comments and signals as they communicate back and forth. Their goal is a safe, exhilarating experience by overcoming a significant challenge. They employ techniques and equipment that are tried and proven. The essential equipment includes a secure harness, a reliable rope, a variety of anchors to be fixed to the rock face, a chalk bag to improve grip, and proper boots or special shoes that a leader can use to grip the surface of the steep wall.

The companionship has studied the rules and techniques of rock climbing. They have received instruction from experienced climbers and have practiced to become comfortable with the proper moves and the use of equipment. They have planned a route and determined how they will work together. When the leader scales far enough and finds a convenient place that is very safe, he or she belays while taking up the rope as the second follows the "pitch" or length of rope that has been extended. When the leader is reached, the process is then repeated. One belays while the other climbs, inserting anchors every few feet as protection should there be an inadvertent fall. While technical rock climbing appears to be risky and dangerous, these precautions assure an exhilarating experience, safely accomplished by following correct principles.

In real life, the anchors are the laws of God that provide protection under all of the challenges that you will face. The rope and carabiners that secure the rope to the anchors represent obedience to those commandments. When you learn those commandments, continue to practice them, and have a plan to avoid danger, you will have a secure means of obtaining protection against Satan's temptations. You will develop strength of character that will fortify you against transgression. Should you make a wrong move, there need be no enduring problem because of the belaying or help that is available through your repentance.

Let the Savior be your "lead" in life. He has said, "I am . . . the Rock of Heaven . . . ; whoso cometh in at the gate and climbeth up by me shall never fall."1 The Redeemer will safely lead you over the most difficult obstacles of life. His laws are absolutely secure anchors of protection that dispel fear and assure success in an otherwise dangerous world. Such a life will certainly provide you peace and happiness.

True, enduring happiness, with the accompanying strength, courage, and capacity to overcome the greatest difficulties, will come as you center your life in Jesus Christ. Obedience to His teachings provides a secure ascent in the journey of life. That takes effort. While there is no guarantee of overnight results, there is the assurance that, in the Lord's time, solutions will come, peace will prevail, and happiness will be yours.

The challenges you face, the growth experiences you encounter, are intended to be temporary scenes played out on the stage of a life of continuing peace and happiness. Sadness, heartache, and disappointment are events in life. It is not intended that they be the substance of life. I do not minimize how hard some of these events can be. When the lesson you are to learn is very important, trials can extend over a long period of time, but they should not be allowed to become the confining focus of everything you do. Your life can and should be wondrously rewarding. It is your understanding and application of the laws of God that will give your life glorious purpose as you ascend and conquer the difficulties of life. That perspective keeps challenges confined to their proper place - stepping-stones to further growth and attainment.

The Lord is intent on your personal growth and development. Your progress is accelerated when you willingly allow Him to lead you through every growth experience you encounter, whether you welcome the experience or not. Trust in the Lord. Ask to be led by the Spirit to know His will. Be willing to accept it. You will then qualify for the greatest happiness and the heights of attainment from this mortal experience.

Peace and happiness are the precious fruits of a righteous life. They are only possible because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I will explain.

Each of us makes mistakes in life. They result in broken eternal laws. Justice is that part of Father in Heaven's plan of happiness that maintains order. It is like gravity to a rock climber, ever present. It is a friend if eternal laws are observed. It responds to your detriment if they are ignored. Justice guarantees that you will receive the blessings you earn for obeying the laws of God. Justice also requires that every broken law be satisfied. When you obey the laws of God, you are blessed, but there is no additional credit earned that can be saved to satisfy the laws that you break. If not resolved, broken laws can cause your life to be miserable and would keep you from returning to God. Only the life, teachings, and particularly the Atonement of Jesus Christ can release you from this otherwise impossible predicament.

The demands of justice for broken law can be satisfied through mercy, earned by your continual repentance and obedience to the laws of God. Such repentance and obedience are absolutely essential for the Atonement to work its complete miracle in your life. The Redeemer can settle your individual account with justice and grant forgiveness through the merciful path of your repentance. Through the Atonement you can live in a world where justice assures that you will retain what you earn by obedience. Through His mercy you can resolve the consequences of broken laws.

The Atonement was a selfless act of infinite, eternal consequence, arduously earned alone, by the Son of God.2 Through it the Savior broke the bonds of death. It justifies our finally being judged by the Redeemer. It can prevent an eternity under the dominion of Satan. It opens the gates to exaltation for all who qualify for forgiveness through repentance and obedience.

Pondering the grandeur of the Atonement evokes the most profound feelings of awe, immense gratitude, and deep humility. Those impressions can provide you powerful motivation to keep His commandments and consistently repent of errors for greater peace and happiness.

I believe that no matter how diligently you try, you cannot with your human mind fully comprehend the eternal significance of the Atonement nor fully understand how it was accomplished. We can only appreciate in the smallest measure what it cost the Savior in pain, anguish, and suffering or how difficult it was for our Father in Heaven to see His Son experience the incomparable challenge of His Atonement. Even so, you should conscientiously study the Atonement to understand it as well as you can. You can learn what is needful to live His commandments, to enjoy peace and happiness in mortal life. You can qualify, with obedient family members, to live with Him and your Father in Heaven forever.

Lehi taught his son Jacob, "No flesh . . . can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah."3

Jesus Christ possessed merits that no other being could possibly have. He was a God, Jehovah, before His birth in Bethlehem. His beloved Father not only gave Him His spirit body, but Jesus was His Only Begotten Son in the flesh. Our Master lived a perfect, sinless life and therefore was free from the demands of justice. He is perfect in every attribute, including love, compassion, patience, obedience, forgiveness, and humility. His mercy pays our debt to justice when we repent and obey Him. Since with even our best efforts to obey His teachings we will still fall short, because of His grace we will be "saved, after all we can do."4

I testify that with unimaginable suffering and agony at an incalculable price, the Savior earned His right to be our Redeemer, our Intermediary, our Final Judge. I know that He lives and that He loves you. Consistently make Him your "lead" in life. The secure anchors of His laws will assure safety and success as you scale the challenges you will face. You will not fall into serious transgression. Yours will be a life of peace and happiness crowned with exaltation in the celestial kingdom. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Notes

1. Moses 7:53.

2. See D&C 133:50, 52-53.

3. 2 Nephi 2:8; emphasis added.

4. 2 Nephi 25:23.

Lesson Helps: Tithing (John Taylor Lesson 19)

Wed, 15 Oct 2003 11:43:00 -0600

source: MormonLife.com

Mormon Life says: Here is some commentary on Tithing to supplement your study of John Taylor Lesson 19. Abraham H. Cannon on the temporal blessings of obedience:

Take, for instance, the principle of tithing. If you announced that to the world and asked them to observe it, would they not consider it one of the most burdensome taxes that could be inflicted upon them? Yet every Latter-day Saint is my witness that those who follow strictly this law of tithing among the people of God do not find it a burden, but rather find it a temporal as well as a spiritual blessing; for their property has been abundantly blessed, so that they have not missed the tithing which they have given to the work of the Lord. Take, again, the missionaries which we send into the world. If a man in the world was called to leave his business for two years or more to preach the Gospel, he would think it was ruinous to all his temporal affairs. But here are Elders who go out and spend year after year, and the very men who have spent the most time in the missionary field, and who stand at the head of the Church today, are the men who are the most prosperous and the most free from debt. And so the Lord will show forth the wisdom of the course which He presents to the people through the results which follow the efforts of the Latter-day Saints. We can do no better than to observe strictly every command that is given us by the servants of the Lord, however much they may conflict with our present ideas, and God will bless us in pursuing this course.

(Brian H. Stuy, ed., Collected Discourses, 5 vols. [Burbank, Calif., and Woodland Hills, Ut.: B.H.S. Publishing, 1987-1992], 3: .)

John A. Widtsoe on blessings from the Lord:

Obedience to the law of tithing is certain to bring blessings in return, even of a temporal character. Yet, it must ever be remembered that the blessings of life come according to the Lord's will. Material property may not be the blessing we most need. If we can trust the Lord enough to pay Him a tenth of our increase, we must trust Him to bless us according to our needs. Material, earthly property does not have the same value before God as before man. Love of property is often nothing more than covetousness, which is a deadly sin. "What is property unto me? saith the Lord." (D. & C. 117:4) Let man do his best to provide for himself and his family, gather property around him, pay his tithing, obey all other laws of God, and accept, with joy, such blessings as the Lord may vouchsafe him.

Now, after all this has been said, it is interesting to note that the very great majority of tithe payers, perhaps all, succeed in finding sufficient for their temporal welfare. The group of tithe payers within the Church are not only more spiritually active, but generally they are more prosperous than the non-tithe paying group. Tithing is not a factor that works against economic prosperity. In most cases material as well as spiritual blessings follow obedience to the law of tithing.

(John A. Widtsoe, Evidences and Reconciliations [Salt Lake City: Improvement Era], 293.)

Hugh Nibley on owing everything to God:

The first rule, and one never to be forgotten, is that everything you have or ever will have, individually and collectively, is a gift from God, something that he blesses you with, has blessed you with, or will bless you with—you owe it all to him. Throughout the book, the refrain is repeated at the end of almost every pronouncement: You must do this in recognition of your dependence to God, because first and foremost he has given you your lives, he rescued you from Egypt, and he redeemed you—that is, he paid the price for you that you could not pay yourself: "And thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in Egypt, and Jehovah thy God redeemed thee [brought you free, paid the price, for nothing], . . . and therefore I command thee this thing today" (Deuteronomy 5:15). You are not to turn to any other source of life and guidance; "do not look to the sun or the moon or the stars" to represent me. "It is to me directly and to me only that you must turn: The Lord who brought you out of Egypt" (Deuteronomy 4:19- 20). Remember that he "is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible" (Deuteronomy 10:17); all persons are equal to him, and he cannot be bought. How can you make a deal with him when you have nothing to offer? "Behold, everything in heaven and earth belongs to him" (Deuteronomy 10:14).

(Hugh Nibley, Approaching Zion, edited by Don E. Norton [Salt Lake City and Provo: Deseret Book Co., Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies, 1989], 179 - 180.)

Legrand Richards on temporal obligations to the Church:

In trying to think what I might say today that could be an encouragement or help to you, I thought I might say a few words on our financial and temporal obligations to the Church because they are many, and there are some among us who feel that they are heavy. One stake president said: "It costs a lot to be a member of this Church," and I have thought a great deal of it. I have thought of the payment of our tithing, our fast offerings, our welfare contributions, our ward budget, our great missionary work, the building of our chapels and temples and places of worship, the temple work we are doing, and genealogical work, and I feel as many of you do that when we consecrate all that we have to the building up of the kingdom of God it really is a substantial thing as far as our temporal obligations and responsibilities are concerned.

The Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith that he had never given a temporal commandment unto his children, that all of his commandments were spiritual, for they all have a spiritual meaning and a spiritual development and a spiritual purpose, because behind all that the Lord is attempting to do in the earth, he has indicated that

. . . this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. (Pearl of Great Price, Moses 1:39.)

And hence, all of his commandments have been given for the achievement and the accomplishment of that great objective.

(Bishop Legrand Richards, Conference Report, October 1948, Afternoon Meeting 41.)

George H. Brimhall on Tithing:

As the Mosaic Law was "a schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ"-a means of training for the higher gospel order; so the law of tithing is a lesser law by which we may learn to conquer selfishness and prepare ourselves for the higher order of consecration and stewardship.

Are we progressing in the training?

The five articles following are distinct discussions on tithing; each writer or speaker treating the subject in his own peculiar way.

HISTORICAL ASPECT.-Tithing is older than Israel. It was practiced by Abraham, who paid tithes to Melchizedek. Jacob's first contract, after leaving his father's house, was with God, with whom he covenanted at Bethel, saying, "And of all that thou shalt give I will surely give a tenth unto thee."

Tithing as a law and ordinance was known and practiced and neglected by ancient Israel. Through his prophet Malachi, the Lord rebuked his people for neglecting the payment of their tithes. Christ recognized the existence of the law of tithing among the Jews and commended it. Jesus rebuked the Scribes and Pharisees for neglecting judgment, mercy and faith, at the same time declaring they should not leave the tithe paying undone (Matt. 23:23). The law of tithing was known to the Nephites. Tithing is essentially a part of Christian civilization.

The Law

THEOLOGICAL ASPECT.-Tithing is a law of God to man with promises of rewards and punishments. God said to ancient Israel, through Malachi, "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house. Paul said to the Hebrews, "They that are of the sons of Levi who receive the office of the priesthood have a commandment to take the tithes of the people, according to the law."

Following is the revelation given to the Prophet Joseph Smith on this subject:

"Verily, thus saith the Lord, I require all their surplus property to be put into the hands of the bishop of my Church in Zion.

"For the building of mine house, and for the laying of the foundation of Zion and for the priesthood, and for the debts of the Presidency of my Church.

"And this shall be the beginning of the tithing of my people.

"And after that, those who have thus been tithed, shall pay one-tenth of all their interest annually; and this shall be a standing law unto them forever, for my holy priesthood, saith the Lord.

"Verily I say unto you, it shall come to pass that all those who gather unto the land of Zion shall be tithed of their surplus properties, and shall observe this law, or they shall not be found worthy to abide among you.

"And I say unto you, if my people observe not this law, to keep it holy, and by this law sanctify the land of Zion unto me, that my statutes and my judgments may be kept thereon, that it may be most holy, behold, verily I say unto you, it shall not be a land of Zion unto you.

"And this shall be an example unto all the stakes of Zion. Even so. Amen."

In the above revelation, the use of the words "require" and "shall" leave no room for doubt that the revelation is mandatory. If tithing were a mere matter of privilege, or ethics, we might expect the use of other terms. Tithing is, first of all, one's surplus; and secondly, one-tenth of one's income thereafter. There is no room for quibbling on these points.

The law makes no provision for tithing that is less than one-tenth, either in quality or quantity. For an explanation of what one-tenth of one's interest means, we turn to the living oracles-the progressive constitution of the Church, whose decision is that one-tenth of one's interest means one-tenth of one's income. A part of one-tenth of one's income is a part tithing.

TEMPORAL BLESSINGS.-Through obedience to the law of tithing, we become the financial elect of God, or business partners with the Lord. If it is true that giving to the poor is lending to the Lord, then paying one's tithing is investing with the Lord. Jacob's covenant was a business contract with God. Was it not one of the elements of his business success? Is not the Lord's call to ancient Israel, to test tithing as a business venture, applicable to us as a people?

The words of the Prophet Malachi are of such great importance that Jesus quoted them to the Nephites, declaring them to be the words of the Father, at the same time giving a command that they be written, after which he expounded them to the people on this continent:

"Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

"And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts." (Mal. 3:10, 11. Also Book of Mormon, 3 Ne. 24:10, 11.)

SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS.-Leaving the temporal blessings, which are not the greatest, we find tithing to be the best insurance against the worst of fires. The Lord declared to the Prophet Joseph that this is a day of tithing for his people, and that he that is tithed shall not be burned at his coming (Doctrine and Covenants, 64:23). That burning may be subjective, objective, or both. The Lord said to Israel through Malachi the Prophet, "And all nations shall call you blessed; for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of Hosts."

The temple ordinances are placed within the reach of the tithe payer who is otherwise worthy of the blessings of the house of the Lord. While the living of any one law of the gospel adds to one's power to live and enjoy every other law, the living of no one law will secure salvation. Faithful tithe paying makes the humble wage earner and the drawer of large dividends equal on the Lord's ledger. Each has fulfilled the law; neither has done more. While tithe paying alone is not sufficient to keep a man in the Church, yet he cannot retain his standing to the end without it.

PENALTIES.-Neglect of tithe paying lists a man on God's books as a robber. The Father asks the question, through his prophet Malachi, "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings." Should we not try so to live that in our getting, neither God nor man can say, Ye robbed me to obtain it? The Lord declared to Joseph Smith, the Prophet, the overthrow of those who pollute their inheritances (D&C 103:14). We speak of tainted money, is not an untithed inheritance tainted?

To the investigator, be he ever so earnest and desirous to come into the kingdom, rejection of the law of tithing is a bar to his entrance. The Lord declares that the names of such are not to be found on the records of his Church (D&C 85:3).

To the non-tithe payer, the doors of the temple are closed, and the privileges of sacred ordinances cut off. On what ground can one claim the right to be trusted with the most sacred spiritual privileges of the kingdom, when one is not true to one's trust in material things? How can one claim the blessings of the temple if one refuses to help and maintain it?

Does not non-tithe paying unfit man for partaking of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper. "He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation unto himself." To be unworthy in this respect is to be conscious of one's conduct not being in harmony with the sacramental prayer, or one's part in the sacred ordinances not being a true representation of one's life. How can a member of the Church who is not willing to pay tithing partake of the bread, in which act he witnesses before God and men that he is willing to keep the commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ? The sacred covenant entered into is found in the following prayer:

"O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it; that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him, and keep his commandments which he hath given them, that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen."

Where is the worthiness of a non-tithe payer to partake of the water, when in so doing he witnesses unto God in the presence of his fellows that he does always remember the Lord Jesus Christ? Following is the prayer on the water:

"O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee, in the name of thy son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this water to the souls of all those who drink of it, that they may do it in remembrance of the blood of thy Son, which was shed for them; that they may witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they do always remember him, that they may have his Spirit to be with them. Amen."

Is non-tithe paying a serious forgetting of the Lord?

Apostasy is the inevitable end of persistent non-tithe paying. The Lord has declared that those who abide not the law of tithing, shall not be found worthy to abide among the Saints. Who would attempt to make the Lord a liar?

Formal action of excommunication for non-tithe paying may never come. The man may not be cut off, but he will die out. The steps of decay are usually these: (1) diminution in payment of tithes; (2) excuse-hunting that does not satisfy the soul; (3) cessation of tithe paying; (4) fault-finding concerning the use of tithing one does not pay; (5) laxity in other duties; (6) general indifference concerning Church interests; (7) positive attitude against the word of the Lord. Every one may not go in just this order of retrogression, but the decline is sure and the end is certain. The Lord has declared it, and history has recorded it of individuals and communities.

SOCIAL ASPECT.-Tithe paying is the most equitable and natural distribution for public support. Behind it stands the principle enunciated by the Lord Jesus Christ, that "to whomsoever much is given, of him much shall be required." Tithing is an income tax divinely assessed and paid as a free-will offering. The payment is free from all coercion, except such coercion as material, social and psychological consequences may impose.

The giving of the surplus on entering the Church is of the highest sociological value. It is a sort of new financial birth. We all come into the physical world objectively equal. We enter the Church by baptism with equal spiritual privileges before us, each one with what he needs, but no surplus. We are tithed, and enter the Lord's financial realm relatively equal. Jesus evidently wished to impress this upon the young man who boasted of common ownership of moral wealth. Then the Master put him to the test of financial leveling, a coming to the plane of needs, and this seeker of eternal life refused to be born into that life financially. His surplus owned him, and he went away sorrowing. Compare the system of providing men according to their needs with that of providing them according to their "greeds."

Tithing is a law of perfect financial liberty. Tithing to a believer is a debt of honor, the highest social and individual honor. Debts of honor are the first to be paid. The unsecured creditor is deserving first consideration. As a rule, men in the Church who will not pay their tithing do not pay their debts. Tithe paying begets communitive confidence. False to man, false to God, is true; but no more so than, true to God, true to fellowmen.

I was once approached by a non-"Mormon" gentleman of considerable wealth, who made inquiries concerning the possibility of inducing a certain "Mormon" financier to handle thirty thousand dollars. I expressed the opinion that the person referred to made it a practice of handling his own money only. However, I made inquiries as to the foundation for the unbounded confidence which the stranger expressed in my "Mormon" friend. His reply was:

"First, he is honest. I know this from the fact that he scrupulously pays his tithing. A man who is financially true to his God, whom he has not seen, will be true to his fellow-men, whom he has seen.

"Second, there is no question as to his financial ability. He has worked his way up."

"Yes," said I, "with the help of the Lord."

I had occasion to discuss "Mormon" finances with a banker who had no religious affiliations with our people. In the course of our conversation, he said:

"It is my experience that, among you people, a faithful tithe-payer is a safe man to lend money to."

Another testimony, that of an assessor, is to the effect that honest tithe payers are the most frank in listing their property, and as a class do the least grumbling about taxation.

The paying of tithing prevents the growth of egotism in the giver, and guards against humiliation in the receiver.

"How much tithing have you paid this year?" asked a non-believer of his "Mormon" neighbor.

"Two hundred dollars," was the reply.

"You are a fool," said the skeptic, "I shall get more free advertising from the distribution of one beef and a few tons of coal at Christmas time than you will from the entire amount you pay."

Now let us examine the sociological effect on the individuals in this case. One pays what he considers to be a divinely imposed obligation for the public good the distribution of which is through what the receiver recognizes as a God- planned system of public benefaction. He is helped and is grateful to the system and to its Author. He is under obligation to no individual. Man-praise is out of the question. In the other case, help is rendered in such a way as to feed the vanity of the giver, and to place the receiver under obligation. Personal honor and praise are inevitable, gratitude for a system impossible.

People who insist upon the distribution of their own tithing are either distrustful of the Lord's agents, or ultra-anxious concerning the getting of glory.

Tithe paying, or the neglect thereof, cannot fail to affect the greatest of all social units, the family. Under the law of heredity, what will be the tendency in offspring where the parents are conscious of not dealing honestly with the Lord? On the other hand, what results may parents look for in the bearing and rearing of children under the consciousness of being fair and honest in their dealings with their Father in heaven?

PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECT.-Tithing is a self-imposed obligation by the acceptance of the law.

It is one of the most reliable guarantees against the "greeds."

It prevents one from being owned by the external. The tithe payer owns his property, it does not own him.

Tithe paying is a source of encouragement, in that it makes possible a feeling in each individual of a financial equality before God.

It is a system of developing generosity, unalloyed by vanity.

The persistency of the pressure of tithe paying brings into play ideas, emotions, and activities of fidelity, that give strength to character and endurance of nobility in the ego, or self.

Tithing is one of the progressive activities demanding a living, increasing faith. It is an exercise of the faithfulness of the divine within to the divine without. It tests and trims one's ability to stand at the post of honor with every opportunity to desert it. It builds up an individual acquaintance with God. It brings about a sort of comradeship with Divinity, which fosters a financial faith, necessary to an ideal feeling of ease-not an inactive ease, but an energetic ease.

In the lexicon of the faithful tithe payer, there is no such word as penury. His self-reliance is so reinforced by his reliance on the Lord that his very spiritual, intellectual and financial attitude demands confidence and creates resources.

By the gate, or seeking the welfare of the kingdom, is the only way to eternal possession and increase. Knowing through doing is more than a mere knowledge of; it is an acquaintance with. It is truth tested, it is light plus warmth. It is intellectual assent transmuted by action into character fibre. The principle or law of tithing can only partly be known to the learner of the word. To know fully the doctrine, the work must be done.

The law of laws from a Latter-day Saint point of view is stated by the Prophet Joseph Smith as follows:

"There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated-

"And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated." (D&C 130:20, 21.)

We want blessings.

We want this to continue to be a land of Zion unto us.

We want to be Zion-the pure in heart.

We want to succeed as a superior social unit.

We want to prove by our lives that the gospel is a God-made plan to reach the highest joy for man.

We want inheritance with unclouded titles.

We want to maintain a school system that will place us as a community, foremost in education.

We want to be a city on a hill, a candle on a candlestick, that men seeing our good works may glorify our Father which is in heaven.

We want to make history that will sublimely inspire posterity.

Tithing is one of the laws upon which each of these blessings is predicated.

(Handbook of the Restoration: A Selection of Gospel Themes Discussed by Various Authors [Independence, Mo.: Zion's Printing and Publishing Co., 1944], 426.)