Speak the Commandments of God

Helaman 8:3, in describing Nephi speaking to the Gadianton band and the people it reads, “nothing did he speak which was contrary to the commandments of God.”

I think that is important to remember as leaders. We teach those things that have been revealed. We must be familiar with the words of the prophets and the scriptures that we can teach w/ power and authority from God. Too many times I have heard people share their opinions and those opinions are in contrast to the teachings of the servants of the Lord. Usually prophets have spoken about certain issues. It is up to us to search them out.

1 Nephi 8, What do we do with the fruit, the love of God?

It is interesting in 1 Nephi 8:12, that Lehi says "the fruit did fill my soul with exceeding great joy...". I really like that description of the feeling the love of God in our lives. Feeling God's love is a great motivator. To me it seems that we do things to please the carnal mind or the spiritual. Carnal pleasure loses its appeal and leaves in its wake, loneliness and emptiness. The love of God fills our souls with joy. We realize that this is the feeling we always want. Our burdens become lighter and we feel love for others too. Lehi described the fruit as being "desirable above all other fruit" (1 N 8:12). Thus, the love of God is what we most desire if we truly desire to "live after the manner of happiness" For this reason, Lehi immediately desires that his family should partake of the fruit too (1 N 8:12).

Lehi beckoned unto his family "with a loud voice" (1 N 8:15). I think the loud voice indicates that he wasn't hiding his faith. He made it very obvious to his children where his priorities were and who he had his faith in.

Two Ways to React to the Gadiantons of our Day

Helaman 6:20-21 is very interesting how the righteous Lamanites and the Nephites dealt w/ the Gadianton robbers. As I read about these secret combinations, I feel like these political plottings and protecting one’s back from the law etc. is what happens at the white collar level as well as the blue collar level. The Lamanites did everything in their power to destroy these combinations. The Nephites united w/ them and partook of their plunderings. They not only sat idly by but they joined them in their wickedness.

We have to step back and ask ourselves, “as I see these things enter our systems of government and communities, do I sit idly by and allow these things to happen or do I act like the righteous Lamanites and do everything in my power to get rid of such wickedness?” I am awakening and trying to do more to fight these evils. I have a long way to go but at least I’m aware of some things and spreading the word and working in small ways to destroy such wickedness.

I’m grateful I can repent and be better in this regard. But, the Book of Mormon has awakened me and good friends whom God has put in my path have helped me come to the truth of these matters.

Marvel Not, Doubt Not. The Power of the Word

I am reading in Helaman 5:45-52. It is interesting how once the Spirit enters the Lamanites’ hearts, they are converted. They even give up their lands (Hel. 5:52). Truly, Alma 31:5 is correct:

And now, as the ^apreaching of the ^bword had a great tendency to ^clead the people to do that which was just —yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them—therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God.

They were told to, “go forth and marvel not, neither should they doubt” (Hel. 5:49). I think of this in light of spiritual experiences we all have, in particular the ones that I’ve had. When I feel the Spirit, I know something is true. As soon as I am not fully engulfed in the Spirit, then the evil one comes and tries to convince me that I did not feel the Spirit. But we go forth, marveling and doubting not. Webster’s 1828 dictionary says “marvel” is “to wonder.” We wonder if we really felt the Spirit. That is a tactic of the evil one.

Faith Unto Repentance

I was pondering repentance as I read D&C 58:42-43 and Alma 34:8-17. I asked the question on our teacher’s quorum blog, “why is the phrase ‘faith unto repentance’ used together?”

Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is essential to have. It brings hope that we can be forgiven, that we will live again, and that He can and will and has taken our burdens upon Himself. But, if we don’t repent, that hope is all for nothing. Yes, we will be resurrected but not unto the glory of the celestial. We will be restored to a lowly natural person who still loves the things of carnality and will be miserable forever. Repentance is the key that unlocks the power of the atonement. Once we’ve forsaken our sins, then we are brought unto the power of the redemption of Jesus Christ (Helaman 5:10-11).

Repentance also has no real lasting significance w/o the power of faith in Jesus Christ. If we repent and become a better person, we will be a little happier in this life, but, if our faith is not in Jesus Christ, then there is no cleansing of sin. Only Jesus has suffered the demands of justice that He might extend mercy. He has suffered that we might not have to. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:7-8) and no unclean thing can dwell in God’s presence (1 Nephi 10:21; 15:34; Alma 7:21; 11:37, 40:26; 3 Nephi 27:19; Moses 6:57). Only Jesus Christ can pay the penalty and enable the Spirit to come into our lives and purge us of our sins.

Thus, “faith unto repentance,” requires both parts to enjoy the full blessings of each.

Preach the Word

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

I am reading in Helaman where Nephi gives up the judgment seat to preach the word w/ his brother Lehi (Hel. 5). In our Sunday school lesson Sunday, much was said about preaching the word of the prophets and the scriptures. I have noticed that is my safeguard as well. Once I go outside of their teachings, it opens myself up to be railed against by others. Even if what I say is true, if I don’t have the words of the latter-day prophets or words of scriptures to back me up, then I stand alone without ground to stand on. Many times when I share the words of prophets, I’ll still stand alone, but at least I have ground to stand on.

12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the ^arock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your ^bfoundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty ^cstorm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.

13 And it came to pass that these were the words which Helaman ^ataught to his sons; yea, he did teach them many things which are not written, and also many things which are written.

14 And they did remember his words; and therefore they went forth, keeping the commandments of God, to teach the word of God among all the people of Nephi, beginning at the city Bountiful; (Helaman 5:12-14).

It is interesting to me that their father taught them many things that were written and not written. They went forth, still keeping the commandments of God, and teaching the word of God. I imagine they were taught wonderful things by their father that had not been written, because the people weren’t ready for it. They went forth preaching the word in its purity to the convincing of men. The power they taught with helped them convince many that the traditions of their fathers were incorrect and wicked (Hel.5:19). The word is powerful.

Repentance

This is one of the best talks on repentance I've ever heard. Here is the link:
http://lds.org/general-conference/2011/10/the-divine-gift-of-repentance?lang=eng

ENJOY!