Sunday, April 21, 2019

Farewell


The time has come to say good-bye to this blog. In August 2016, I began this project to “flood the earth” with the Book of Mormon. Two and a half years and 773 blog entries later, I have completed my mission, having sadly not accomplished my goal. I set out to flood the earth one drop at a time. My blog has made only the tiniest of drops in the ocean of humanity that needs the message of the Book of Mormon. Perhaps it was only my thirst that needed to be slaked, but I have received a downpour of knowledge and inspiration from having studied the word of God and listened to the impressions of the Holy Ghost.

I will now leave it to others to take up the call of the prophets of God to send his word into the world while I pause and take a breath. Nevertheless, I will not stop studying the Book of Mormon. Even as I have recorded my learnings from a single pass through this sacred volume, additional subsequent readings have already added new layers to my understanding. I may feel impressed to share more truths in another forum and another time.

But for now, I close with a final testimony. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God, brought forth in these last days by a prophet of God to witness afresh the reality and divinity of Jesus Christ. Through the words of the Book of Mormon, my faith in Christ has grown, deepened, and matured immeasurably. He is the anchor of my soul, the light of my life, my Savior and Redeemer. Without the Book of Mormon, my knowledge of Christ would be impoverished, my light only half lit, my soul tossed about. I thank God every day for the exquisite power of the Book of Mormon to touch my life and my heart. I join my testimony with millions of others: IT IS TRUE.

In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

--David A. Armstrong, Easter Sunday, 21 April 2019

Friday, April 19, 2019

Moroni 10:33


And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.

Here is hope! Moroni's final words are of hope. We can hope to be spotless and holy and acceptable to God because Christ has ransomed us and paid our price. God can be merciful because of Christ, which fills both the Father and the Son with joy. Their joy is our one true hope.

Thursday, April 18, 2019

Moroni 10:32


Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.

We are perfected, or completed, only by Christ. We cannot do it on our own. All the self-help books in the world cannot change us enough to meet God's standards. Only Jesus and the atonement and the power of the Holy Ghost can make the kind of changes in us that qualify as perfection.  We must try and do our best, but we must always remember where the power to please God comes from.

Wednesday, April 17, 2019

Moroni 10:30


And again I would exhort you that ye would come unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good gift, and touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing.

When we have faith in Christ and turn ourselves over to him, he can endow us with every gift we need to serve him. He will not let us fail. We must take the offered gifts, however, and use them. A gift unused is no gift at all. God will not help us if we do not accept the help.

Tuesday, April 16, 2019

Moroni 10:29


And God shall show unto you, that that which I have written is true.

Moroni appeals to God to prove his words. Or rather, he challenges us to look to God to prove that his writings are true. He knows the source of the truths he had written, and he directs us to go to that source to learn for ourselves. We do not have to take the word of any human. We can appeal to God himself. Moroni promises that God will give us an answer. No other book in the world makes such a bold assertion. No other book claims that God will testify of it. The test is infallible. The results are miraculous.

Monday, April 15, 2019

Moroni 10:26


And wo unto them who shall do these things away and die, for they die in their sins, and they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God; and I speak it according to the words of Christ; and I lie not.

If Joseph Smith made up these words as a fraud, he is the boldest liar in history. He is either a liar or a prophet. He does not quibble on the middle ground. It is so simple to take him at his word and put him to the test. Ask God. Surely the Lord would not let such a liar take his name in vain and not make the fraud known to any honest seeker. An evil man could not write such a book and a good man would not try -- unless it were true.

Sunday, April 14, 2019

Moroni 10:25


And wo be unto the children of men if this be the case; for there shall be none that doeth good among you, no not one. For if there be one among you that doeth good, he shall work by the power and gifts of God.

Moroni wrote earlier that all good comes from God. Therefore, if anyone does anything truly good, he does it through God's grace, which are the gifts of the Spirit. The glory thus belongs to God. The definition, then, of a good work is something we do for God. The Savior scolded the hypocrites of his day for putting on a pious show of good for their own gain. True, they gave to the poor and prayed regularly, but they did these things for the wrong reasons. Therefore, they were not truly good works. They may have been helpful, but they were not good. According to Jesus, the widow who contributed two mites did more good than the rich man who donated a large sum, for she gave all she had to God, while the rich man kept most of his fortune for himself. If anyone does real good, it is because he or she has one goal in mind, which is to serve God with the gifts he has given them.

Saturday, April 13, 2019

Moroni 10:23


And Christ truly said unto our fathers: If ye have faith ye can do all things which are expedient unto me.

Do you ever feel like your not good enough? That no matter what you do, you just don't measure up to be the best parent, coworker, sibling, or daughter or son you can be?

When you feel like insecurities are overwhelming you, President Eyring has the perfect, but sometimes overlooked, solution that will inspire confidence:

"If you will let your heart be drawn to the Savior, to always remember Him, and to our Heavenly Father in prayer, you will have put on spiritual armor. You will be protected against pride because you will know that any success comes not from your human powers. And you will be protected against the thoughts which come rushing in upon us that we are too weak, too inexperienced, too unworthy to do what we are called of God to do to serve and help save His children. We can have come into our hearts the reassurance recorded in this verse. There is another sure promise. It is this: Whether or not you choose to keep your covenant to always remember Him, He always remembers you."

Thursday, April 11, 2019

Moroni 10:22


And if ye have no hope ye must needs be in despair; and despair cometh because of iniquity.

God gives us afflictions, but he does not give us despair. Trials are mandatory but misery is optional. Righteousness brings peace even in the midst of hard times. Sin brings sorrow even in the best of times. We cannot choose our consequences in spite of our actions, but rather, we choose our consequences by our actions.

Wednesday, April 10, 2019

Moroni 10:21


And except ye have charity ye can in nowise be saved in the kingdom of God; neither can ye be saved in the kingdom of God if ye have not faith; neither can ye if ye have no hope.

We cannot be saved without faith, hope, and charity because we will not be like God without these three attributes. The Savior can wipe away our sins, but he cannot change us against our wills. If we have not done the work to develop faith, hope, and charity, we will fall short of the full hope of Christ. He offers the gifts of the Spirit, but we must receive them for them to work in our lives.

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Moroni 10:19


And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that he is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and that all these gifts of which I have spoken, which are spiritual, never will be done away, even as long as the world shall stand, only according to the unbelief of the children of men.

The logic of this verse is impeccable. God is always the same. He must be the same at all times, for he is perfect, and perfection is complete and unchanging. If perfection were to change, then it wasn't perfect to begin with, or it is no longer perfect now. If perfection is not absolute, then God is neither perfect nor absolute, and so he is no god at all. But if God is perfect and absolute, then he is unchanging. And being unchanging, he can do today what he did yesterday. In fact, he is guaranteed to keep doing the same things the same way because they are perfect. We either believe in a perfect, unchangeable God or we believe in no God at all. We either believe in gifts of the Spirit, revelation, and miracles today, or we believe they never existed. Any middle ground is simply illogical.

Monday, April 8, 2019

Moroni 10:7


And ye may know that he is, by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore I would exhort you that ye deny not the power of God; for he worketh by power, according to the faith of the children of men, the same today and tomorrow, and forever.

God's power operates according to our faith. Our goal here is to learn to exercise faith, from which power comes. God himself works by faith. He has power because he has faith. We must therefore learn faith as a prerequisite to learning power. God's power does not vary, but as our imperfect faith fluctuates, his power in our lives waxes and wanes. Moroni is clear that it is not God who changed but us.

Sunday, April 7, 2019

Moroni 10:4-5


And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

If Joseph Smith was a fraud, this promise of a testimony from God would be the most audacious, outlandish, bold-faced lie ever perpetrated on the public. Joseph was either a lunatic or a prophet. He lays it all on the line. He invites us not to take his word for it nor to rely on the words of any other human. He says we should go to God and put it in his hands. Joseph was confident of the outcome. Millions have put this promise to the test and have found it to be true.

Saturday, April 6, 2019

Moroni 10:3


Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

The first steps to conversion are to recognize, remember, and ponder. Conversion starts in the head with a conscious decision to consider the possibility that God is real and that he has been at work among mankind for our entire history. When I ponder that thought, it makes God alive and relevant to me. When I recognize how he has blessed others, I begin to see those same blessings in my own life, and I know the Lord has been at work in me all along. Remember and ponder -- we cannot come to God without these two essential habits.

Friday, April 5, 2019

Moroni 9:25


My son, be faithful in Christ; and may not the things which I have written grieve thee, to weigh thee down unto death; but may Christ lift thee up, and may his sufferings and death, and the showing his body unto our fathers, and his mercy and long-suffering, and the hope of his glory and of eternal life, rest in your mind forever.

The bleak events of the world can weigh us down and overwhelm us. But they do not have to crush us. Christ can lift us, strengthen us, and comfort us, even in the midst of turmoil.

Thursday, April 4, 2019

Moroni 9:6


And now, my beloved son, notwithstanding their hardness, let us labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God.

Our calling is to labor to the end. The outcome is in the Lord's hands. We count our success in sharing the gospel not by the number of converts, but by our faithfulness in the work. In the eyes of the Lord, a missionary who works diligently and tirelessly every day is as successful as one who baptizes hundreds. God is far more impressed with intent and effort than with numbers. The same is also true in the work we do in our families. We must labor to the end with our family, regardless of how unpromising the results may appear. God labors with each of us to the very last day. He expects us to do the same with each other.

Wednesday, April 3, 2019

Moroni 8:25


And the first fruits of repentance is baptism; and baptism cometh by faith unto the fulfilling the commandments; and the fulfilling the commandments bringeth remission of sins;

To receive full forgiveness of our sins and to have them remitted or canceled from our account requires obedience on our part. Christ has already paid the price. The cost of our ransom has been covered by his atoning sacrifice. He is prepared to set us free whenever we qualify. To which commandments must we be obedient to become eligible to be ransomed and released from guilt? Repentance and baptism. While the Lord gives us many commandments to guide our lives and teach us how to live as he lives, the two things we must do for forgiveness and justification are repent and receive baptism. The doctrine is simple enough for an eight-year-old to understand.

Tuesday, April 2, 2019

Moroni 8:17


And I am filled with charity, which is everlasting love; wherefore, all children are alike unto me; wherefore, I love little children with a perfect love; and they are all alike and partakers of salvation.

Mormon did not fill himself with charity. Christ filled him. Mormon had only to ask for it, accept it, and then act on it to retain it. Christ will fill all of us with charity if we earn his trust and show him in the little things that we are ready for bigger things. Charity expands and changes us. It grows us from the inside out. Like an inner tube, it is practically impossible to expand the tube to its full dimensions by tugging and stretching it from the outside. But as we pump air into it, it grows and expands at a rapid rate.  In its pitiful, deflated state, it is good for almost nothing, but fully inflated, it can serve many useful purposes.

Monday, April 1, 2019

Moroni 8:16


Wo be unto them that shall pervert the ways of the Lord after this manner, for they shall perish except they repent. Behold, I speak with boldness, having authority from God; and I fear not what man can do; for perfect love casteth out all fear.

If we are afraid, it is because we do not have enough love. We either do not love the Lord, or we do not love others. When we put God and others ahead of ourselves, and are outward focused, we have no room for fear. Why would we fear those we love? Fear comes from wanting to look good more than wanting to do good.

Sunday, March 31, 2019

Moroni 8:15


For awful is the wickedness to suppose that God saveth one child because of baptism, and the other must perish because he hath no baptism.

The principle of agency is behind this doctrine that teaches against infant baptism. Those who cannot choose, either because of maturity, capacity, or duress, cannot be held accountable. The whole plan of salvation is based on agency. Where agency does not exist, accountability cannot exist, nor guilt. Therefore, little children must be innocent. How merciful is God's plan, for how many little children never get to choose and are therefore saved immediately in the Father's kingdom!

Friday, March 29, 2019

Moroni 8:3


I am mindful of you always in my prayers, continually praying unto God the Father in the name of his Holy Child, Jesus, that he, through his infinite goodness and grace, will keep you through the endurance of faith on his name to the end.

Mormon is an example of a father who prays for his children He prays always and continually for his righteous son. He prays that God will bless his son with grace (enabling power) and goodness (love and mercy) so that he can endure in faith. This father and son lived in a harsh, violent world. To stay true to Christ was not easy in their day. Our world is becoming increasingly harsh and violent, and staying true to faith in Christ is not easy for our children, either. If Mormon felt the need to pray for his son, surely we should feel the need to pray for our children.

Thursday, March 28, 2019

Moroni 7:48


Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.

True followers are consistent, steadfast and loyal. True, however, does not mean perfect. To follow Christ is a refining process in which we constantly strive to narrow the gap between ourselves and him, yet we are always behind him. I am a follower of Christ, of that there is no doubt, though my following is not always perfectly straight and unerring. Nevertheless, I am on the right path and headed in the right direction, and that is what counts.

Wednesday, March 27, 2019

Moroni 7:47


But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

In this context, charity is not an action or an attitude, it is the pure love Christ has for each of us. His love is eternal. We must open ourselves to it and allow it to possess us and fill every fiber of our beings. When we are possessed by Christ's love, it will influence us in profound ways that will change our very natures. We won't have to worry about overcoming temptations and keeping the commandments and magnifying our callings, for those things will come naturally to us through Christ's grace. Living the gospel will not be a trial and a challenge, for it will be simply who we are. It will indeed be well with us at the last day, for we will be at peace with God and with ourselves.

Tuesday, March 26, 2019

Moroni 7:45


And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Charity is the description of the Savior. It is not a feeling or an action, but a way of being -- His way of being. Charity is not something we gain, but something we become.

Monday, March 25, 2019

Moroni 7:44


If so, his faith and hope is vain, for none is acceptable before God, save the meek and lowly in heart; and if a man be meek and lowly in heart, and confesses by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, he must needs have charity; for if he have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have charity.

Our conversion is not complete without charity. Faith and hope are of no value if they are not guided by charity. The natural outcome of faith and hope is charity, but charitable behavior works against our mortal nature. The natural man says he never has enough, and whatever he gives away diminishes him. Charity, however, operates on the economy of abundance. One who has charity believes he has enough and to spare, because he has faith that God is the source of all things, and he has the hope (expectation) that God will always provide from his infinite source of abundance. Thus, charity is the ultimate victory over the natural man and is the infallible consummation of our conversion.

Sunday, March 24, 2019

Moroni 7:42


Wherefore, if a man have faith he must needs have hope; for without faith there cannot be any hope.

Faith leads inevitably to hope. Without faith we cannot have hope. With faith, hope is inescapable. How could we have abiding faith in Christ and not have an abiding hope in forgiveness,  redemption, resurrection, and exaltation? Such a paradox would be illogical and unsustainable.

Friday, March 22, 2019

Moroni 6:2-3


Neither did they receive any unto baptism save they came forth with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, and witnessed unto the church that they truly repented of all their sins. And none were received unto baptism save they took upon them the name of Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end.

The qualifications for baptism are a broken heart (godly sorrow), a contrite spirit (humility), repentance, taking the name of Christ (faith in Christ), and a willingness to serve (endure) to the end. These principles are the same through the ages because they are eternal. Only one way leads to salvation, and that is through Christ, his doctrine, his gospel, and his covenants, which we make through ordinances. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Thursday, March 21, 2019

Moroni 3:4


And after this manner did they ordain priests and teachers, according to the gifts and callings of God unto men; and they ordained them by the power of the Holy Ghost, which was in them.

Assignments to serve in the Lord's church are called "callings" because God himself calls to us join him in his work. These calls to us from God come by way of revelation to authorized spokesmen who act under authority. They come to us as gifts from God. Commandments and opportunities to serve inspire us and lift us. They are designed not only to allow us to participate in the Lord's work and render essential service, but also to change and enrich us as we learn to serve as the Savior would serve.

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

Moroni 2:2


And he called them by name, saying: Ye shall call on the Father in my name, in mighty prayer; and after ye have done this ye shall have power that to him upon whom ye shall lay your hands, ye shall give the Holy Ghost; and in my name shall ye give it, for thus do mine apostles.

When Christ ordained his twelve special Nephite disciples, he gave them authority, but he added instructions that to exercise that authority with power, they had to pray.

Authority and power are  not synonymous. Authority is the right to do something; power is the ability to do it. We get our abilities from God. The enabling power of God is called grace. We must pray for grace, as we would for any worthwhile gift. God gives marvelous gifts, but only when we ask.

Neither can the asking be casual or occasional. The disciples, with all their authority and witness,  still needed to exercise "mighty prayer." Mighty prayer is the kind of prayer we offer when we know we are totally dependent on God's grace and no other help is available. In a mighty prayer we say, "Lord, it is you or nothing. I have nowhere else to go and no one else to lean on. Whatever you do is good, and so, give me whatever is good. Just don't  leave me alone."

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

Ether 12:41


And now, I would commend you to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written, that the grace of God the Father, and also the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of them, may be and abide in you forever. Amen.

If we want to have God with us, we must seek him. He rarely sneaks up on us. We have to use our agency to search him out. The good news is that he is not hard to find. He is practically right out in the open for those who make the effort. He is a mystery only to those who do not want to know him. And when we find him, he gives us grace, which is the gift of enabling power. He enables us to stay with him so long as we keep seeking, keep trying, keeping choosing to believe.

Monday, March 18, 2019

Ether 12:34


And now I know that this love which thou hast had for the children of men is charity; wherefore, except men shall have charity they cannot inherit that place which thou hast prepared in the mansions of thy Father.

Charity is the love God has for us. Unless we have his love, we cannot be exalted with him. So, how do we accept his love? We obey him. "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." We reach the tree of life and partake of its fruit, which is his love. We reach the tree by following the strait and narrow path, with our hand firmly grasping the iron rod of revelation. When we come to him, his love takes effect in our lives. It is his love, as embodied in Christ and the atonement, that will save us and exalt us.

Sunday, March 17, 2019

Ether 12:12


For if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them; wherefore, he showed not himself until after their faith.

The God of heaven, who has all power, who ignites stars and brings worlds into existence by speaking a word, who measures the heavens with the span of his hand and weighs the mountains in a balance, who sits on the horizon of the earth and views the children of men as grasshoppers, can do nothing if we do not let him. Our agency is sacred, and faith is a product of agency. If we do not see miracles in our lives, it is not because God lacks the power to perform them. We must looked inward, not outward, for the source of our lack.

Saturday, March 16, 2019

Ether 12:11


Wherefore, by faith was the law of Moses given. But in the gift of his Son hath God prepared a more excellent way; and it is by faith that it hath been fulfilled.

The love of God is his greatest gift, and the coming of his Son is the ultimate expression of his love.

For those who think they can obey their way into heaven, the message is clear: obedience is insufficient without faith. Faith in Christ is the most excellent way to God.

Friday, March 15, 2019

Ether 12:4


Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.

Belief in God leads to faith, which leads to hope. The hope of our faith is to return to God and live with him forever. Such hope becomes an anchor that holds us fast to God. If we want to live with him in the better world to come, would we not want to do all we can in this life to draw close to him? Would we not want to be like him in every way we can, our mortal limitations notwithstanding? If so, then we would want surely to do his works, which are, of course, good works. If we are going to be comfortable in his presence, we must learn to do what he does, think what he thinks, and want what he wants. We do good things as a natural outcome of acquiring godly attributes. We do good works not so others think we are great but so they realize God is great.

Thursday, March 14, 2019

Ether 11:8


And the people began to repent of their iniquity; and inasmuch as they did the Lord did have mercy on them.

Even a people doomed to destruction and in the death throes of their final struggles can repent and find mercy. Surely those of us who are at least trying to live righteously will receive mercy as well.

Monday, March 11, 2019

Ether 10:2


And it came to pass that Shez did remember the destruction of his fathers, and he did build up a righteous kingdom; for he remembered what the Lord had done in bringing Jared and his brother across the deep; and he did walk in the ways of the Lord; and he begat sons and daughters.

Once again we see that remembering is the key to righteousness. Those who remember what God has done are inclined to follow him. Those who ignore the past lapse quickly into wickedness. It is a theme repeated often in the Book of Mormon. Repetition signals importance. As often as the Book of Mormon writers admonish us to remember, they must have known how prone we are to forget, and they know first hand the results of forgetting. If we are to avoid the fate of both the Nephites and the Jaredites, we must learn the lesson of remembering

Sunday, March 10, 2019

Ether 9:3


And the Lord warned Omer in a dream that he should depart out of the land; wherefore Omer departed out of the land with his family, and traveled many days, and came over and passed by the hill of Shim, and came over by the place where the Nephites were destroyed, and from thence eastward, and came to a place which was called Ablom, by the seashore, and there he pitched his tent, and also his sons and his daughters, and all his household, save it were Jared and his family.

Sometimes we stand and fight, and sometimes we run. The Lord will give us the right strategy. He told Lehi to flee, Captain Moroni to fight, and Lachoneus to hunker down. For now we are to stay in our homes, resist evil, and do our best to recognize and expose secret combinations. The day may come for us, however, when, like Omer, we will need to flee to escape the secret combinations that have gotten above us. Time will tell. The important thing is to watch the prophet.

Saturday, March 9, 2019

Ether 8:16


And they were kept up by the power of the devil to administer these oaths unto the people, to keep them in darkness, to help such as sought power to gain power, and to murder, and to plunder, and to lie, and to commit all manner of wickedness and whoredoms.

In Satan's unending ploy to usurp God's power, he offers his followers his own brand of power. We access God's power through righteous covenants. Satan offers his followers power through unhallowed oaths. God's power enables us to serve him by serving his children. Satan's power enables his minions to serve him by enslaving and destroying God's children. The fruits of God's power are love, peace, and joy. The fruits of Satan's power are momentary pleasure followed by misery and destruction. The differences between the true power of God and the imitation power of Satan are obvious in the bright light of day.  But Satan does not work in the light. And to the impatient and prideful natural man in each of us, Satan's brand of power can be appealing. May we hold to the light and seek that power that lifts and ennobles and fits us for service in God's kingdom.

Friday, March 8, 2019

Ether 6:7


And it came to pass that when they were buried in the deep there was no water that could hurt them, their vessels being tight like unto a dish, and also they were tight like unto the ark of Noah; therefore when they were encompassed about by many waters they did cry unto the Lord, and he did bring them forth again upon the top of the waters.

The Jaredites we're impervious to the waves and winds in their dish-like barges because they were prepared. When things got serious, they called on the Lord, who always brought them out of the emergency and the danger. Without the winds and waves, they wouldn't have progressed to the promised land. They would have been becalmed in the midst of the ocean. The ride might have been smoother, but they would have starved before they reached their destination. Being prepared and relying on God, we can weather the storms of life that make progress to the end of our mortal voyage.

Thursday, March 7, 2019

Ether 6:3


And thus the Lord caused stones to shine in darkness, to give light unto men, women, and children, that they might not cross the great waters in darkness.

Christ is the rock of redemption and the chief cornerstone, which shines in the darkness of a fallen world so we do not have to navigate mortal life in the dark.

Wednesday, March 6, 2019

Ether 4:19


And blessed is he that is found faithful unto my name at the last day, for he shall be lifted up to dwell in the kingdom prepared for him from the foundation of the world. And behold it is I that hath spoken it. Amen.

The message of conditional salvation is repeated over and over. Salvation is a gift. We are lifted into heaven; we don't climb in on our own power. But the gift is given to those who are faithful. We don't have to be perfect, just true, constant, trustworthy keepers of covenants.

Tuesday, March 5, 2019

Ether 4:13


Come unto me, O ye Gentiles, and I will show unto you the greater things, the knowledge which is hid up because of unbelief.

What is not known generally or taught openly can be known privately when we get direct, personal revelation. The Lord does not keep secrets. He is willing to teach anyone who will come to him and ask. But we must be willing to believe what he reveals. To ask, receive, and then turn away brings condemnation.

Monday, March 4, 2019

Ether 4:12


And whatsoever thing persuadeth men to do good is of me; for good cometh of none save it be of me. I am the same that leadeth men to all good; he that will not believe my words will not believe me—that I am; and he that will not believe me will not believe the Father who sent me. For behold, I am the Father, I am the light, and the life, and the truth of the world.

The test of whether something is of God is whether it leads people to do good. The question we must answer is, what is good? It is good to have faith in the Father and the Son. It is good to love God with all our heart, might, mind and strength. It is good to love and serve others. It is good to keep the commandments. It is good to humbly accept the ordinances of salvation. Anything that leads us to do these good things and not resist the truth when we hear it is of God.

Sunday, March 3, 2019

Ether 4:8


And he that will contend against the word of the Lord, let him be accursed; and he that shall deny these things, let him be accursed; for unto them will I show no greater things, saith Jesus Christ; for I am he who speaketh.

We argue against the word of the Lord when we reject the revelations of the prophets and refuse the prompting of the Holy Spirit. In such an attitude we are cursed by the natural vicissitudes of mortality without the help and strength of grace. God does not punish us, he simply withholds his help, and without it, life is much harder than it has to be.

Friday, March 1, 2019

Ether 3:19


And because of the knowledge of this man he could not be kept from beholding within the veil; and he saw the finger of Jesus, which, when he saw, he fell with fear; for he knew that it was the finger of the Lord; and he had faith no longer, for he knew, nothing doubting.

The definition of faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. Once we have seen, we no longer have faith, for we have prefect knowledge. Knowledge is wonderful, but it is also dangerous. Knowledge leaves no excuse. God could give everyone instant knowledge, but for those who are not ready for knowledge, it would bring instant condemnation. And so through faith we grow in knowledge until someday, when we are ready, knowledge becomes perfect.

Thursday, February 28, 2019

Ether 3:3


Behold, O Lord, thou hast smitten us because of our iniquity, and hast driven us forth, and for these many years we have been in the wilderness; nevertheless, thou hast been merciful unto us. O Lord, look upon me in pity, and turn away thine anger from this thy people, and suffer not that they shall go forth across this raging deep in darkness; but behold these things which I have molten out of the rock.

Just because God doesn't solve all our problems instantly does not mean he is angry with us. We mortals might punish out of anger, but God gives us challenges to help us grow because he loves us. Mahonri Moriancumr's problem with light is about to become the greatest blessing in his life.

Wednesday, February 27, 2019

Ether 3:14


Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold, I am Jesus Christ. I am the Father and the Son. In me shall all mankind have life, and that eternally, even they who shall believe on my name; and they shall become my sons and my daughters.

What a magnificent statement of the purpose of Jesus Christ! From the very beginning, before the world was created, he was selected to be the centerpiece of the plan of salvation for the entire human family. He is both the Creator (the Father) and the Redeemer (the Son). His promise is to all mankind to redeem them if we will believe in him and become his sons and daughters.

Tuesday, February 26, 2019

Ether 3:12-13


And he answered: Yea, Lord, I know that thou speakest the truth, for thou art a God of truth, and canst not lie. And when he had said these words, behold, the Lord showed himself unto him, and said: Because thou knowest these things ye are redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back into my presence; therefore I show myself unto you.

When we truly know that God does not and cannot lie, when we know for ourselves that he has worked out the atonement for us personally, and when we believe him when he says he can save and exalt us, we will be redeemed from the fall like Moriancumr, Enos, Nephi the first, Nephi son of Helaman, and a host of others. We can have our calling and election made sure by the testimony of Jesus Christ himself through personal revelation. The experiences of the prophets in the scriptures are not to taunt us with unattainable goals, but to testify that such goals ARE attainable. Christ does not want to save us just in the hereafter, but in the here and now. This life is not just the time to prepare to meet God, it is the time to receive a proper introduction.

Monday, February 25, 2019

Ether 2:25


And behold, I prepare you against these things; for ye cannot cross this great deep save I prepare you against the waves of the sea, and the winds which have gone forth, and the floods which shall come. Therefore what will ye that I should prepare for you that ye may have light when ye are swallowed up in the depths of the sea?

God would not stop the winds, waves, and floods that would make the Jaredites' voyage so perilous, because those very forces would propel them to the promised land, but he could prepare them to withstand the storms. God likewise will not remove every challenge, affliction, and trouble from our lives, for the opposition we face causes us to grow and propels us towards God, but he can prepare us and strengthen us not only to survive but to succeed.

Christ can still the storm around us, but usually he chooses to still the storm within us. We want instant answers, quick fixes, and immediate relief, but God wants us to become saints, and that is a process that takes time. He is there for us, cheers us on, and provides instruction and a helping hand through the roughest spots, but he will not do for us what we have to do for ourselves. He loves us too much to rob us of our ultimate victory by removing our temporary inconveniences.

Sunday, February 24, 2019

Ether 2:24


For behold, ye shall be as a whale in the midst of the sea; for the mountain waves shall dash upon you. Nevertheless, I will bring you up again out of the depths of the sea; for the winds have gone forth out of my mouth, and also the rains and the floods have I sent forth.

We cannot avoid the trials of life. They are part of God's plan. He has sent them to be part of our experience. We need the water, waves, currents and winds to move our clumsy boats in the direction of the promised land. Without them, we would be stalled high and dry, unable to progress. Life might be pleasant sitting on the deck of our little boat on the top of a mountain for a while, but we would be going nowhere, and eventually we would get bored with the monotony. We are designed to travel in bad weather, to be buried from time to time, and to withstand the rigors of the gales and storms of life. In the midst of the raging fury, we must trust God's plan and know that he will raise us up to the surface from time to time so we can see the progress we are making.