Choose The Right

April 1
Mosiah 26

Mosiah 26:29 "Therefore I say unto you, Go; and whosoever transgresseth against me, him shall ye judge according to the sins which he has committed; and if he confess his sins before thee and me, and repenteth in the sincerity of his heart, him shall ye forgive, and I will forgive him also."

• What is our role in judging others? In one sense it is good to judje to avoid wrong but at the same time we must always forgive. 
• We are to forgive all men. There is a peace that comes into your life when you forgive others of their trespasses. 

 27:1 "And now it came to pass that the persecutions which were inflicted on the church by the unbelievers became so great that the church began to murmur, and complain to their leaders concerning the matter; and they did complain to Alma. And Alma laid the case before their king, Mosiah. And Mosiah consulted with his priests."

D: The wicked taketh the truth to be hard. 
P: The righteous are often persecuted for their good choices. 
A: Don't make fun of people, especially for doing good things. 

Judgement

April 1
Mosiah 26

Mosiah 26:29 "Therefore I say unto you, Go; and whosoever transgresseth against me, him shall ye judge according to the sins which he has committed; and if he confess his sins before thee and me, and repenteth in the sincerity of his heart, him shall ye forgive, and I will forgive him also."

• What is our role in judging others? In one sense it is good to judge to avoid wrong but at the same time we must always forgive. 
• We are to forgive all men. There is a peace that comes into your life when you forgive others of their trespasses. 

 27:1 "And now it came to pass that the persecutions which were inflicted on the church by the unbelievers became so great that the church began to murmur, and complain to their leaders concerning the matter; and they did complain to Alma. And Alma laid the case before their king, Mosiah. And Mosiah consulted with his priests."

D: The wicked taketh the truth to be hard.
P: The righteous are often persecuted for their good choices. 
A: Don't make fun of people, especially for doing good things. 

Power of Deliverance

March 27
How can the principles of deliverance found in mosiah be applied to your life?

Mosiah 24:9 "For Amulon knew Alma"

• Past sins can still come back to haunt us even after we've been spiritually redeemed from them.

You need a change of heart in relation  to your classes.

D&C 18:6 "Behold, the world is ripening in iniquity; and it must needs be that the children of men are stirred up unto repentance, both the Gentiles and also the house of Israel."

• What happened to the more excellent way? Things are getting worse, you should be getting better.

8 And now, marvel not that I have called him unto mine own purpose, which purpose is known in me; wherefore, if he shall be diligent in keeping my commandments he shall be blessed unto eternal life; and his name is Joseph

• Your purpose in doing the things that you're doing is known by God. Your job is just to keep the commandments.

D: There is power that can only be unleashed through covenant keeping.
P: As we keep the commandments we fulfill our side of the baptismal covenant.
A: This week review in your personal study the commandments that you have covenanted to keep and think if ways to do that better. No more living sloppy.

Mosiah 24:13 "And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage."

• We can't forget how much power is in our covenwnts, its there according to the way that we remember them and the way that we remember him.

                                                                                                      

Chastening and Growth

March 25

Mosiah 22

22:2 "And it came to pass that they could find no way to deliver themselves out of bondage, except it were to take their women and children, and their flocks, and their herds, and their tents, and depart into the wilderness; for the Lamanites being so numerous, it was impossible for the people of Limhi to contend with them, thinking to deliver themselves out of bondage by the sword."

• Sometimes we need to leave good things if we are to escape the bad that they are connected to. 
• Maybe in some situations you just need to react to your environment better, then, if you find that despite your best efforts it's still bad, you need to change the environment that you're in. 

 23:21 "Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith."

D: We can't grow in faith until we reach past our limits.

P: The Lord will chasten us by trying our patience and faith.

A: We must trust him, especially when we feel like we shouldn't (v. 22)

23:39 "And the king of the Lamanites had granted unto Amulon that he should be a king and a ruler over his people, who were in the land of Helam; nevertheless he should have no power to do anything contrary to the will of the king of the Lamanites."

• I'm not entirely sure how this all came together, but it's interesting how, when you get closer to someone, you have a greater desire to conform to what they do. This can be both beneficial and destructive based on who you're with. 

Application for the day: Desire to improve. 

With each activity that you engage in, forget your own expectation or focus and think of what the Lord wants you to do to fulfill your purpose during that activity. then do it. 

Prayer and Motivation

March 24

Mosiah 19-21

20:22 And now let us pacify the king, and we fulfil the oath which we have made unto him; for it is better that we should be in bondage than that we should lose our lives; therefore, let us put a stop to the shedding of so much blood."

• Sometimes it's just best to evaluate and stop the bleeding. We can't go all out sometimes, because it just won't work. We need to take the right steps, line upon line, precept upon precept. 

14 And they did humble themselves even in the depths of humility; and they did cry mightily to God; yea, even all the day long did they cry unto their God that he would deliver them out of their afflictions.

• BD "Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant but that are made conditional on our asking for them. Blessings require some work or effort on our part before we can obtain them. Prayer is a form of work and is an appointed means for obtaining the highest of all blessings."

D: Submissin through covenants. 

P: To have God's help we must do things His way. 

A: Pray often

35 They were desirous to be baptized as a witness and a testimony that they were willing to serve God with all their hearts; nevertheless they did prolong the time; and an account of their baptism shall be given hereafter.

• Why do they want to be baptized? Not because they want the blessings, because they want to serve God.

Denying the Natural Man

March 21

Mosiah 16-

16:3 "For they are carnal and devilish, and the devil has power over them; yea, even that old serpent that did beguile our first parents, which was the cause of their fall; which was the cause of all mankind becoming carnal, sensual, devilish, knowing evil from good, subjecting themselves to the devil."

• Devilish often takes on a connotation that we can't identify with. It reminds us of evil and conspiring and lieing. However, devilish just means doing whatever the devil does us to do and therefore turning away from our godly potential. 

16:12 "Having gone according to their own carnal wills and desires; having never called upon the Lord while the arms of mercy were extended towards them; for the arms of mercy were extended towards them, and they would not; they being warned of their iniquities and yet they would not depart from them; and they were commanded to repent and yet they would not repent."

• Only through the Atonement of Christ can we be changed from this carnal state. We must be willing to submit to the will of the Lord and give up all carnal desires. 

D: Through the Atonement our nature can be changed

P: We must be willing to give up our sins to Christ. 

A: What carnal desires do you give into on a daily basis?

Subjecting ourselves to the will of the Father

March 20

Mosiah 14-15

14:12 "Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death; and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bore the sins of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."

• He spent and gave all his time to the least. He never esteemed himself greater but reached down to those that needed his help. 

D: Baptismal Covenant

P: Serve those as Christ served

A: What else can you do for your home teachees and other quorum members this week?

15:2 "And because he dwelleth in flesh he shall be called the Son of God, and having subjected the flesh to the will of the Father, being the Father and the Son—"

• Subjected the flesh to the will of the Father. 
• • In what ways can you submit the flesh to the will of the father that you have not?
  • Word of Wisdom
  • Sleep

 9 He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death.

Following Christ in all things

March 19
Mosiah 13

7 Ye see that ye have not power to slay me, therefore I finish my message. Yea, and I perceive that it cuts you to your hearts because I tell you the truth concerning your iniquities.

• Abinadi knows the message that he is called to share and so he shares it, even though it seems like most aren't listening.

11 And now I read unto you the remainder of the commandments of God, for I perceive that they are not written in your hearts; I perceive that ye have studied and taught iniquity the most part of your lives.

• They studied iniquity. Yet another example of the blindness of the people because of the wickedness of their leaders.

23 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

• This includes the way that you talk about people, the way you describe people.

D: Charity never faileth. 

P: Treat others how you would want to be treated. 

A: Don't say false things about people or shed them in a false light.

Blindness

March 18
Mosiah 11-12

11:29 "Now the eyes of the people were blinded; therefore they hardened their hearts against the words of Abinadi, and they sought from that time forward to take him. And king Noah hardened his heart against the word of the Lord, and he did not repent of his evil doings."

• Why were the eyes of the people blinded?
• 1 Kgs. 15:26 "And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked in the way of his father, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin."
• As they follow a wicked king they become blinded. When the leaders sare not living obediently, the people have no vision and follow their wicked ways. Matt. 15:14 and Matt. 23:16 support this as well.
• Who are your leaders? If you are led by the wicked thenyouwill be blinded to goodness and blinded from the consequences of unrighteousness.

Sermon on the Mount/ Temple

• As we look at the Law of consecration we often wish it was more completely outlined in the scriptures. However, as we look more closely at the higher law commandments we begin to see what the lord truly considers as consecration.

The Soul

March 8

Omni- Words of Mormon

25 "...and in all things which are good; for there is nothing which is good save it comes from the Lord: and that which is evil cometh from the devil."

• Even if it is connected to something good, or if it started with something good, if it is evil then it comes from the devil. 
• President Ezra Taft Benson (1899–1994) taught that one of the major purposes of the Book of Mormon is to help us discern between truth and error, revealing the motives of individuals like Sherem: “The Book of Mormon exposes the enemies of Christ. It confounds false doctrines and . . . fortifies the humble followers of Christ against the evil designs, strategies, and doctrines of the devil in our day. The type of apostates in the Book of Mormon are similar to the type we have today. God, with his infinite foreknowledge, so molded the Book of Mormon that we might see the error and know how to combat false educational, political, religious, and philosophical concepts of our time” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1975, 94–95; or Ensign, May 1975, 64).

 26 "And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an coffering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved."

• "offer your whole souls as an offering to him"
• What composes you "whole soul"?
• • D&C 88:15 "And the spirit and the body are the soul of man."
• Matt. 16:26 "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"
• • The sooner we give our spirit and body to the Lord the sooner we can feel salvation form the world. When we choose the world we lose the soul. We lose the control and joy of our spirits and our bodies. 

Communion

March 7

Jarom

4 And there are many among us who have many revelations, for they are not all stiffnecked. And as many as are not stiffnecked and have faith, have communion with the Holy Spirit, which maketh manifest unto the children of men, according to their faith.

•  COMMUNION, n.
  1. Fellowship; intercourse between two persons or more; interchange of transactions, or offices; a state of giving and receiving; agreement; concord.
• I really like how the word communion is used here. It emphasizes the relationahip between us and the Holy Ghost. If we ignore him then we won't have the blessings that he provides, just as if you were to ignore a friend. 

8 And we multiplied exceedingly, and spread upon the face of the land, and became exceedingly rich in gold, and in silver, and in precious things, and in fine workmanship of wood, in buildings, and in machinery, and also in iron and copper, and brass and steel, making all manner of tools of every kind to till the ground, and weapons of war—yea, the sharp pointed arrow, and the quiver, and the dart, and the javelin, and all preparations for war.

9 And thus being prepared to meet the Lamanites, they did not prosper against us. But the word of the Lord was verified, which he spake unto our fathers, saying that: Inasmuch as ye will keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land.

• The first things mentioned in relation to the strength of these people is in verse 7 when it says that their leaders are faithful. However  we see here in verses 8-9 the importance of having other profitable skills.

 11 Wherefore, the prophets, and the priests, and the teachers, did labor diligently, exhorting with all long-suffering the people to diligence; teaching the law of Moses, and the intent for which it was given; persuading them to look forward unto the Messiah, and believe in him to come as though he already was. And after this manner did they teach them.

• They are to believe in Christ as if he is already here. What does this say about faith?
• Faith grows when it becomes real. 

 11 And behold, the record of this people is engraven upon plates which is had by the kings, according to the generations; and I know of no revelation save that which has been written, neither prophecy; wherefore, that which is sufficient is written. And I make an end.

• No revelation is given save that which is written. He can only know what has been recorded. we are the same way, he can only know that which has been recorded and that which we've read. 

Understanding

March 6

Enos 1

 2 And I will tell you of the wrestle which I had before God, before I received a remission of my sins.

• Don't you think that we can define the troughs of living the Doctrine of Christ as a wrestle that we have before God. 

 3 Behold, I went to hunt beasts in the forests; and the words which I had often heard my father speak concerning eternal life, and the joy of the saints, sunk deep into my heart.

 4 And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens.

• As the knowledge that Enos' Father gave him is understood (sunk deep into my heart), he gains the intrinsic motivation (my soul hungered) to act in doctrine (kneel down before my Maker) and apply the Atonement to his life (supplication for mine own soul).

D: Accepting the Atonement

P: The Doctrine of Christ

A: Act in faith and it will turn to repentance. 

 

 12 And it came to pass that after I had prayed and labored with all diligence, the Lord said unto me: I will grant unto thee according to thy desires, because of thy faith.

• As long as we are faithful then we will be given according to our desires. Ps. 37:4
• • Why? Because the Lord trusts that our desires are aligned with his will. Hel. 10:5

 22 And there were exceedingly many prophets among us. And the people were a stiffnecked people, hard to understand.

• Stiffneckedness is nothing more than shutting out the Holy Ghost from moving doctrine to the heart. 

The Process of Becoming our Best Selves

Mar. 2-3

Jacob 5

 35 And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard said unto his servant: The tree profiteth me nothing, and the roots thereof profit me nothing so long as it shall bring forth evil fruit.

• It doesn't matter what we know or what we care about, if it doesn't turn into good actions and results then it's really of no worth. 

 64 Wherefore, dig about them, and prune them, and dung them once more, for the last time, for the end draweth nigh. And if it be so that these last grafts shall grow, and bring forth the natural fruit, then shall ye prepare the way for them, that they may grow.

 65 And as they begin to grow ye shall clear away the branches which bring forth bitter fruit, according to the strength of the good and the size thereof; and ye shall not clear away the bad thereof all at once, lest the roots thereof should be too strong for the graft, and the graft thereof shall perish, and I lose the trees of my vineyard.

• The lord is doing a constant process of cutting and pruning and nourishing in order to form us into the tree that we are meant to become. 
• We have to be patient through the pruning, open during the nourishing, and trusting during the entirety of the process. 

73 And there began to be the natural fruit again in the vineyard; and the natural branches began to grow and thrive exceedingly; and the wild branches began to be plucked off and to be cast away; and they did keep the root and the top thereof equal, according to the strength thereof.

• The natural branches bare the natural fruit. Our godly attributes are natural in the sense that they are inherently part of us. As the attributes grow, then the good fruit will come naturally. 

A: Only as we turn to the lord and are obedient to his commandments can we truly improve and build the strengths that he's given us. 

P: Each of us are given our specific godly attributes and talents to be used and improved. 

D: We are to become as God is.

Catching the Vision

Feb. 28

Jacob 4

Application: similar results.  I thought more clearly and I was more humble and willing to change. I had more desire to maximize the use of my time, and I felt that I had the capacity to do it. However, asIi gave in and started watching what others were watching I felt the Spirit less and time escaped me. 

  6 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 ccommand in the name of Jesus and the very trees obey us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea.

A: Search the prophets and follow the Spirit in finding the vision that you need to find. 

P: Personal revelation gives us a hope. 

D: As we learn from God, we receive a clearly vision of what can be. 

• Only as we obtain the hope can our faith become unshaken. 
• As we obtain an understanding of what can be, we have a greater knowledge of things as they are, making miracles like commanding the trees in the name of Jesus possible. 

7 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.

A: Never forget where it's coming from. 

P: When we are doing our best we are often shown our weaknesses. 

D: God is the source of everything. We must never forget that even though we can improve and be able to handle new things, it's only possible through the Atonement. 

  10 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.

A: When you pray, ask for guidance as you ask for help. 

P: He couseleth in wisdom, and justice, and in great mercy over all his works. 

D: God is omniscient, meaning he not only knows all things but he knows the sequence of all things and what will be best in the end. 

  13 Behold, my brethren, he that prophesieth, let him prophesy to the understanding of men; for the Spirit speaketh the truth and lieth not. Wherefore, it speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be; wherefore, these things are manifested unto us plainly, for the salvation of our souls. But behold, we are not witnesses alone in these things; for God also espake them unto prophets of old.

A: Look plainly for the viion that the Spirit can hold for you. 

P; By the Spirit we are bale to catch the vision of what we can become. 

D: The Spirit reveals things that are to be in the future.  

The Firm in Mind

Feb. 27

Jacob 3

Application: I felt so much better yesterday as I didn't listen to music and watch videos. I really felt happy at and at peace. However, at night I kinda let it go a little and I could tell the difference. I lost track of time, I lost the drive to d my homework, and it was a lot easier to forget goals that I had made for the night. 

 1 But behold, I, Jacob, would speak unto you that are pure in heart. Look unto God with firmness of mind, and apray unto him with exceeding faith, and he will console you in your afflictions, and he will plead your cause, and send down justice upon those who seek your destruction.

 2 O all ye that are pure in heart, lift up your heads and receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love; for ye may, if your minds are firm, forever.

A: Look unto God with firmness in mind.

• Those that are firm in mind: 
• • Receive continual truth through prayer and study (Jacob 3:1-2)
  • Put their trust in God, despite youth or lack of experience (Alma 57:27)
  • Receive truth from those that are sharing it (Moroni 7:30)
  • Are pure in heart. 

P: The firm in mind take what they've learned and move forward with it. 

D: If you're not moving forward you're moving backwards. 

• Here we see a real importance to having a firm mind. Those that are light minded or easy minded will be easily swayed and deterred, it takes a firm mind to live a life separate from the word but still in it. 

12 And now I, Jacob, spake many more things unto the people of Nephi, warning them against fornication and lasciviousness, and every kind of sin, telling them the awful consequences of them.

A: Consider the lusts that tempt you, where do they come from, can you cut them off?

P: There are awful consequences to not just fornication, but lust.

D: Lust is the opposite of love, a gateway for the natural man. 

A Quick Quote from Brigham Young

Check this out from a prophet of God:

• "If we are sick, and ask the Lord to heal us, and to do all for us that is necessary to be done, according to my understanding of the Gospel of salvation, I might as well ask the Lord to cause my wheat and corn to grow, without my plowing the ground and casting in the seed. It appears consistent to me to apply every remedy that comes within the range of my knowledge, and to ask my Father in heaven, in the name of Jesus Christ, to sanctify that application to the healing of my body. . . 

• .. . . But supposing we were traveling in the mountains, . . . and one or two were taken sick, without anything in the world in the shape of healing medicine within our reach, what should we do? According to my faith, ask the Lord Almighty to . . . heal the sick. This is our privilege, when so situated that we cannot get anything to help ourselves. Then the Lord and his servants can do all. [JD 4:24–25]"

Pride of the World

Feb. 26

Jacob 2

 8 "And it supposeth me that they have come up hither to hear the pleasing word of God, yea, the word which healeth the wounded soul."

  13 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.

A: Don't care so much about what you wear, don't judge others for what they wear either. 

P: Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 

D: No man can serve two masters. 

• This is especially true with our time. Our time cannot be split between two masters. 

18 But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God.

19 And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted.

• We must remember that the reason that we have earthly goods is to provide for life and do good for others. 

 28 For I, the Lord God, delight in the chastity of women. And whoredoms are an abomination before me; thus saith the Lord of Hosts.

A: Chastity is in the mind as well. Don't subject yourself to anything that could compromise your chastity even a little bit. 

P: The Lord delights in chastity. 

D: Chastity is the only way to true love in the family. Lust is the opposite to Love. 

Application for this week: Get your reality back. Don't watch any TV or movies this week. This is includes Youtube videos, movie trailers etc. Also, don't listen to any worldly music within your power. Record how it makes a difference every day. 

Change

Feb. 25

Jacob 1

7 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 center in, as in the provocation in the days of temptation while the children of Israel were in the wilderness.

A: Stop trying to look in other places for rest. 

P: Christ is the only true source of rest. 

D: Only through his Atonement can we receive peace form our trials, sins, weaknesses, and sufferings. 

 19 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.

A: Teach as if their mistakes are your own. 

P: The responsibility of a teacher goes past the classroom. 

D: We must be willing to walk as Christ walked. 

"The gospel of Jesus Christ encompasses much more than avoiding, overcoming, and being cleansed from sin and the bad influences in our lives; it also entails doing good, being good, and becoming better." David A. Bednar

• You can't have one without the other. You can try to give much of yourself and serve others but if you are allowing evil into your life you will be damned in your service. Likewise you can try to become as personally pure as possible, but without the experiences of serving others you are damned in your personal growth. The Atonement fixes both, as long as we focus on them both.

The ultimate purpose of the gospel is to "have our hearts changed by the Holy Spirit such that 'we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually' (Mosiah 5:2)" David A. Bednar

• Why do you have the unrighteous desires that you have now?
• Why don't you have some righteous desires that you should have?

"The infinite Atonement is for both the sinner and the saint in each of us." -Bednar

• As we repent we gain a forgiveness of sins, as we then act in faith we see a transformation of our natures. 
• "We become who we want to be by being who we want to become every day." Elder Richard G. Scott

Feasting Upon the Words of Christ

Feb. 22

2 Nephi 32

32:3 "Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do."

Application: Feast upon the words of Christ.Take them in with great desire often.

• There are a lot of analogies we use with this phrase "feast upon the words of Christ" (e.g. we are hungry for a feast, we eat as much as possible at a feast etc.) However, I want to make an analogy that connects with Jer. 15:16 "Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts." 
• I like how he he says that the word is the joy and rejoicing of his heart. I saw this sometimes as a missionary. One companion and I would play conference talks as we drove around. We loved it! The Spirit was with us and we were always learning and it was so enjoyable to us. I think if we're not loving it at some point then there's something wrong. 

Principle: The words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do. 

Doctrine: The Words of Christ are truth. They are things as they really are. 

• 32:4 Wherefore, now after I have spoken these words, if ye cannot understand them it will be because ye ask not, neither do ye knock; wherefore, ye are not brought into the light, but must perish in the dark.

 7 "And now I, Nephi, cannot say more; the Spirit stoppeth mine utterance, and I am left to mourn because of the unbelief, and the wickedness, and the ignorance, and the stiffneckedness of men; for they will not search knowledge, nor understand great knowledge, when it is given unto them in plainness, even as plain as word can be."

A: If we don't search knowledge then we're never going to grow. We must actively search for something we don't have.

P: We learn by study and by faith. Without acting on faith, no blessing can be given.

D: This is our time to perform our labors, we won't grow and become if we're not acting and stretching. 

32:9 "But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul."

A: Pray always, and not just a quick, wrote, repetitious prayer, but a real prayer with your Father in Heaven. 

P:The Lord will consecrate our performance as we do it in prayer. 

D: The process of prayer is aligning the will of the Son and the will of the Father. 

Gifts of the Spirit

Feb. 21

2 Nephi 31

31:3 "For my soul delighteth in plainness; for after this manner doth the Lord God work among the children of men. For the Lord God giveth light unto the understanding; for he speaketh unto men according to their language, unto their understanding."

Application: As you help teach, avoid giving them too much.The Spirit will pull from what they've learned, what do you want the Spirit to teach them?  

Principle: We must understand a principle before the Lord will enlighten us and Spiritually confirm the truthfulness of that principle. 

Doctrine: The Spirit brings all things unto our remembrance. It will help us learn and understand based on what we've already learned, but if the learning hasn't taken place then the Spirit has nothing to pull from.

• Patterns: Plainness, often connected with precious as in plain and precious truths.
• This refers largely to the gospel of Jesus Christ, faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end. These are the plain things that were left out of the Bible, and they are the plain things that Nephi wants to focus on. They shouldn't be that difficult to understand.

 13 "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I know that if ye shall follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent, repenting of your sins, witnessing unto the Father that ye are willing to take upon you the name of Christ, by baptism—yea, by following your Lord and your Savior down into the water, according to his word, behold, then shall ye receive the Holy Ghost; yea, then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost; and then can ye speak with the tongue of angels, and shout praises unto the Holy One of Israel."

A: Consider the gifts of the Spirit available as you repent and are clean and humble and obedient. 

• wisdom and understanding
• the Spirit of prophesy
• signs
• ability to speak in other tongues
• ability to see the glory of God. 
• knowledge
• unfold mysteries
• speak with the tongue of angels. 
• gift of translation
• he leadeth to do good
• ability to write inspired texts
  • From TG Holy Ghost Gifts of

P: After the "baptism of fire" comes the ability to speak with the tongue of angels.

D: Gifts of the Spirit are only possible when we have been Spiritually cleansed. 

• 2 Tim.1:6 There are gifts of God that we have been given like talents that can only be released according to our worthiness. (D&C 46:11)
  • I think this is why many people feel like they're at their best when they are doing the Lord's work. There are a lot of talents and gifts that are hidden by our disobedience, forgetfulness, and apathy. 
• D&C 107:92 A prophet has all the gifts from God. 

31:21 And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the away; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen.

Satan's Traps

Feb. 20

2 Nephi 27-30

27:1 "But behold, in the last days, or in the days of the Gentiles - yea, all the nations of the gentile, and also the Jews... they will be drunken with iniquity and all manner of abominations."

Application: Don't start in Satan's game. You can't win.

Principle: When we sin it changes the way that we think and the way that we act. 

Doctrine: We are held captive by the effects of our sins. 2 Nephi 2:26

• Just yesterday i saw this principle take effect. I was sitting down, and I was all prepared to study. Before my studies I decided to heck my phone for something, and next thing I knew I was messing around with some game on my phone. I got bored with that one so I moved on to another one, and then I got bored with that one so I moved on to watching movie trailers. I had spent over an hour messing around, and between the idleness and some inappropriate movie trailers my brain was shot. I was apathetic, "Who cares about biology? It's a stupid class anyway, it won't hurt my GPA too bad if I get a C." At one point I even considered bagging the whole thing and not even taking the test. I also felt a little frustrated, "Does my professor understand the purpose of a general education class? He is making this test way too hard. I'm going to have to read from every chapter in the book and it's going to take hours because he won't give us a study guide like all the other professors." Inside I felt like all my arguments were wrong. However, I was doing a pretty good job of convincing myself. I was as good as drunk. 

          Luckily the guilty feeling that I had prevailed. I realized that I wasn't in the right state of heart and mind and so I prayed for forgiveness. It took     

          a while, there were a lot of prideful ideas and wrong desires that I had to get rid of, but in the end I felt light, humble, and ready to study. I      

          was inspired as to how I should make my own study guide, and the Lord helped me as I reviewed the material. I was able to study every 

          principle we've discussed this semester in a surprisingly short amount of time, and I did much better than I would've expected on the test.

          Our iniquities can literally leave us drunk to the point where we no longer act or think like we normally would. Inspiration is replaced with a 

          repetition of hollow promises and false ideas to the point where we are intellectually convinced that wrong is right, and the only thing to tell us     

          otherwise is the guilty promptings of the Spirit. That's why it's important that we don't start Satan's game, because we can't win, and only 

          through repentance can we get out.

27:3 "And all the nations that fight against Zion, and that distress her, shall be as a night vision; yea, it shall be unto them, even as unto a hungry man which dreameth, and behold he eateth but he awaketh and his soul is empty; or like unto a thisty man which dreameth and behold he drinketh but he awaketh and his soul is empty; or like unto a thirsty man which dreameth and  behold he drinketh but he awaketh and behold he is faint, and his soul hath appetite; yea, even so shall the multitude of all the nations be that fight against Mount Zion."

A: Ask why you do what you do. You'll find that you do things in order to fulfill needs that can only be met by the Atonement (ex. self worth) Then recognize that Satan is trying to give you things that look like they fit the need but they won't (ex. nice clothes). Avoid the counterfeits, replace with the Atonement. 

P: Satan tempts to needs. He will create counterfeits that look fulfilling but are not. 

D: Wickedness never was happiness Alma 41:10

• Note that the rest of 2 Nephi 27 explains that the Scriptures will help us recognize our sins and understand how to apply the Atonement in our lives. 

27:35 "They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine."

28:8 "And there shall be many which shall say: eat, drink, and be merry; nevertheless, fear God- he will justify in committing a little sin"

A: Before you way the good and bad to make a decision, consider if anything is truly worth the bad. Think of the movie with the "one bad part". 

P: We often think the there are different magnitudes of sin that "we can handle". 

D: Pride. We don't need God to take on the things that the devil throws our way. 

• We often forget that repentance is the process in which we humble ourselves to the point where the Atonement can heal us. If our repentance is lazy or insincere then we will not draw upon the Atonement and we will be left unfulfilled. 
• The little sins that we willingly choose to commit can be the most deadly because repentance won't come until we are truly humbled, which usually requires a much larger, more destructive accumulation of sins down the road. 
• In other words, every sin is a gateway sin, and the trails of small ones can be the most deadly because they're sneakier that the big sins. 

28:28 "And in fine, wo unto all those who tremble, and are angry because of the truth of God! For behold, he that is built upon the rock receiveth it with gladness; and he that is built upon a sandy foundation trembleth lest he shall fall."

• A good way to tell if we're "drunk on iniquity" is to see how we react when someone invites us to be more Christlike. The righteous are grateful for it and are excited to act, while the wicked make excuses. 

30:12-15

A: Don't make any negative comments about people. When you judge people it doesn't make you any better than them.

P: In the last days all will be united and at peace with each other. The Saints must lead that.

D: Charity is the pure love of Christ for all men regardless of what they've done. 

2 Nephi 26

Feb. 19

2 Nephi 26

1 "And after Christ shall have risen from the dead he shall show himself unto you, my beloved children, and my beloved brethren; and the words which he shall speak unto you shall be the law which ye shall do." 

A: You will receive it as you are looking for the things that the Lord wants you to do. 

P: Revelation is often followed by a commandment. 

D: Revelation is communication with God. God always has a purpose in our communication. 

• Think of what a difference it would make if you were to come to the Lord with purpose too. 
• You need to do your Book of Mormon reading separate to your personal study. 
• • Even though you learn a lot during your Book of Mormon study, you don't have the same drive than when you're studying something that you're really interested in and needing.

A: Be a leader, have your own goals and plans, confirm them with the Lord and then follow them by the Spirit. Only allow change when prompted by the Spirit. 

P: We must live in such a way that we are not being acted upon by outside sources. 

D: 13 "And that he manifesteth himself unto all those who believe in him, by the power of the Holy Ghost"

24 "He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation."

A: Be willing to listen and follow in faith because there is nothing to be afraid of. 

P: All things that he does he does for our good. 

• He should not be afraid of the commandments or assignments that the Lord gives us. We need to remember that these things are not done to condemn us, but t help us and make us happy. 

D: God loves us and wants us to be happy. "Men are that they might have joy."

Feb. 15

2 Nephi 25

1 "For behold, Isaiah spake many things which were hard for many to understand; for they know not concerning the manner of prophesying among the Jews."

A: Teach the missionaries with the same attitude that you would teach investigators. 

P: If people don't understand the context behind something then they're going to have a hard time understanding. 

D: Knowledge precedes understanding. 

• Even though you want everything to make sense to everybody, and you want to five them opportunities to learn for themselves you must realize that its not going to click, the Spirit wont testify until they have learned it and understand it intellectually, 

Jacob 4:13 "[The Spirit} speaketh of things as they really are, and of things as they really will be; wherefore these things are manifested unto us plainly, for the salvation of our souls."

Feb 11 
2 Nephi 16

Verse 10
A: We need to "see and hear" the gospel before we can understand and apply.
If missionaries aren't having a spiritual experience in class then they can't understand.
P: Conversion cannot come without understanding in the heart.
D: Christ changes hearts though his spirit.

This week's application: 
The lord wants me to take my studies more seriously.
Applications: 

1. Do your homework the day that you get it.
2. No music during homework time.
3. No homework at home.

Also this week:

1. Pray and fast about your major, go to the temple.

• • You need to have a focus, a purpose that can drive you. 

Repentance and sins of omission

Feb.8

2 Nephi 14-15

verse 4

     Application: Repent, and allow the Lord to refine you. 

     Principle: The Lord can "wash away... filth" and purge us of sin by the "spirit of burning" Also, see Malachi 3:2

     Doctrine: God wants us to return to Him clean and undefiled. 

• It's not the trial that refines you, it's the repentance at the time of the trial. 
• The people that come out from a trial "stronger" are those that are willing to change in order to adapt to the trial. Those that don't humble themselves, turn to the Lord, and change don't end up any better than at first, in fact they usually are worse off. 
• Repentance often has a negative connotation because in the process of repentance we are openly confronting sin. We hate sin, which is good, and so we connect with repentance the painful and humbling process of confronting, confessing, and overcoming mistakes that we've made in the past. Though this is one part of repentance, we often forget that repentance is our gateway to overcoming sins of omission as well. Sin is anytime we knowingly make a wrong choice. Sins of omission are times that we make a choice to not do what the Lord wants us to do. This happens all the time! However, we often don't recognize it. We suffer the consequences of sin, but unlike with sins of commission, we don't think to repent because we often fail to recognize our sin. However we miss a huge opportunity when we don;t repent of things that we haven;t done. We could be accessing the Atonement in doing things that are new and hard for us. 
• On the same page we must realize that, though both are ways of accessing the Atonement, repentance is necessary when we have filed to do something we knew we should have done, while basic prayer and supplication are necessary when we are in a new situation and don't know how to react.