Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 4:7

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 4:7
"Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Amen."

I was just having a conversation with my son about what we pray for each mornin. He prays for safety on his way to work, that he will be able to get along with others. He prays for guidance in the day. It was the guidance part that we lingered over. Having the spirit with us to guide us is the most important thing we can ask for. We do not want to be deceived by anyone or anything. There is so much deception in the world right now. I pray for eyes that see and ears that hear, and know and understand. Our prayers have been answered every single day. Truly you can ask and receive and have things opened for you.

Day 3593

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 3:4

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 3:4
"For although a man may have many revelations, and have power to do many mighty works, yet if he boasts in his own strength, and sets at naught the counsels of God, and follows after the dictates of his own will and carnal desires, he must fall and incur the vengeance of a just God upon him."

The made me think of pride and humility. I have often thought that the only tool the adversary has to crack the shell around a righteous man is to tell him he is so righteous. It is the loss of humility that will crumble him. The proud care more about what others think of them than God's judgment. Part of what Joseph needed to learn was spiritual maturity, something that must be experienced first hand to learn from.

"Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall."
(Proverbs 16:18)

"We are here on earth to gain experience we can obtain in no other way. We are given the opportunity to grow, to develop, and to gain spiritual maturity. To do that, we must learn to apply truth. How we face challenges and resolve difficult problems is crucially important to our happiness."
(Richard G. Scott, "Learning to Recognize Answers to Prayers", Oct 1989 General Conference)

Day 3592

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 2:1-3

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 2:1-3
"Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers.
If it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming."

I added all verses in this chapter for context, but it was the last verse that has been running for months through my mind. I have come to see the absolute wisdom and need for us to focus on our family history and providing temple ordinances for our dead. Being able to turn my heart to my ancestors and family relations has brought so much peace into my life. I think I would be overcome by the wickedness and chaos of the world if I didn't have such an endeavor to pursue. I can turn off the world and restore my soul as I quietly research at my desk. This is one of my holy places. I have also seen the healing power on the soul and mind. As well as the restoring of family relations, by those that were once lost, as they come to find their roots.

Day 3591

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 1:2, 4

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants 1:2, 4
"For verily the voice of the Lord is unto all men, and there is none to escape; and there is no eye that shall not see, neither ear that shall not hear, neither heart that shall not be penetrated.
And the voice of warning shall be unto all people, by the mouths of my disciples, whom I have chosen in these last days."

This past fast and testimony meeting we had a senior missionary couple visiting. The sister stood and bore a short but powerful testimony that burned into my soul. I have reflected on her words all month. She said "I am a disciple of Jesus Christ". Then she quoted parts of these two verses above. She said that here in this church as well as outside of the church we are to warn all people that Jesus is coming, and we ought to be prepared.

I have thought upon how I don't need to go around and tell people to repent. But, as a disciple of Jesus Christ I need to tell them to prepare, because Jesus is coming. I fervently believe that. Whatever that preparation means to them is what they should do. I have also reflected on how I need to prepare. That one humble testimony has left me with a spiritual feast of impressions. As I have pondered these words I been reminded that the Savior will make several appearances before the world as a whole sees Him at his Second Coming. The saint cannot put off their preparations any longer.

"Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am;"
(Doctrine and Covenants 93:1)

"Yea, I will appear unto my servants, and speak unto them with mine own voice, if my people will keep my commandments, and do not pollute this holy house."
(Doctrine and Covenants 110:8)

"Why are we building temples at such an unprecedented pace? Why? Because the Lord has instructed us to do so. The blessings of the temple help to gather Israel on both sides of the veil. These blessings also help to prepare a people who will help prepare the world for the Second Coming of the Lord!"
(Russell M. Nelson, "The Lord Jesus Christ Will Come Again", Oct 2024 General Conference)

Day 3590

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants Introduction

Today's Favorite Verse: Doctrine & Covenants Introduction
"These sacred revelations were received in answer to prayer, in times of need, and came out of real-life situations involving real people.
"Joseph and the early Saints viewed the revelations as they did the Church: living, dynamic, and subject to refinement with additional revelation. They also recognized that unintentional errors had likely occurred through the process of copying the revelations and preparing them for publication. Thus, a Church conference asked Joseph Smith in 1831 to “correct those errors or mistakes which he may discover by the Holy Spirit.”

I finished studying and pondering the Book of Mormon last night. Today, I begin my study of the Doctrine and Covenants. However, I am still reading the Book of Mormon daily for pleasure. These two sections of the Introduction stood out to me. How the Lord has a hand in all the details. He speaks to his prophets line upon line. As hard as man can try they are not perfect. Even a prophet had to go back over the revelations received to make sure through the spirit it was recorded correctly. Some may feel that with a prophet correction is not needed, but even the prophets of the Book of Mormon told us they had a weakness in writing. After having a near-death experience and how badly I wanted to write it but was found unable, I can relate to how much a challenge recording revelations could be.

"And I said unto him: Lord, the Gentiles will mock at these things, because of our weakness in writing; for Lord thou hast made us mighty in word by faith, but thou hast not made us mighty in writing; for thou hast made all this people that they could speak much, because of the Holy Ghost which thou hast given them;
"And then shall ye know that I have seen Jesus, and that he hath talked with me face to face, and that he told me in plain humility, even as a man telleth another in mine own language, concerning these things;
And only a few have I written, because of my weakness in writing.
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."
(Ether 12:23, 29-41)

Day 3589

Today's Favorite Verse: Moroni 10:8,18, 30

Today's Favorite Verse: Moroni 10:8,18, 30
"And again, I exhort you, my brethren, that ye deny not the gifts of God, for they are many; and they come from the same God. And there are different ways that these gifts are administered; but it is the same God who worketh all in all; and they are given by the manifestations of the Spirit of God unto men, to profit them.
And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that every good gift cometh of Christ.
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."

I have come to the end of the Book of Mormon. I cherish it more each time I read it. Of the 6,607 total verses in the Book of Mormon there are 3,925 references to Jesus Christ's name. It is through the Book of Mormon that one can learn more and have greater faith in Jesus Christ. What stood out to me in this final chapter was the gifts of God. All good gifts come from Christ. It is through our faith in him that miracles and gifts of the Spirit are had among the children of men. I love this reminder from Elder Marvin J. Ashton on recognizing all gifts, even the less-conspicuous ones.

"Elder Marvin J. Ashton (1915–94) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles suggested additional gifts of the Spirit “that are not always evident or noteworthy but that are very important. Among these may be your gifts—gifts not so evident but nevertheless real and valuable.“Let us review some of these less-conspicuous gifts: the gift of asking; the gift of listening; the gift of hearing and using a still, small voice; the gift of being able to weep; the gift of avoiding contention; the gift of being agreeable; the gift of avoiding vain repetition; the gift of seeking that which is righteous; the gift of not passing judgment; the gift of looking to God for guidance; the gift of being a disciple; the gift of caring for others; the gift of being able to ponder; the gift of offering prayer; the gift of bearing a mighty testimony; and the gift of receiving the Holy Ghost” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1987, 23; or Ensign, Nov. 1987, 20)."

As I considered this list I could see in myself and others these gifts listed. I love them all, I want them all. I found this list of the physical effects of the gifts of the Spirit most interesting. I had never heard that before.

"Elder Parley P. Pratt (1807–57) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared several effects of having the gifts of the Spirit in our lives: “The gift of the Holy Spirit adapts itself to all these organs or attributes. It quickens all the intellectual faculties, increases, enlarges, expands, and purifies all the natural passions and affections, and adapts them, by the gift of wisdom, to their lawful use. It inspires, develops, cultivates, and matures all the fine-toned sympathies, joys, tastes, kindred feelings, and affections of our nature. It inspires virtue, kindness, goodness, tenderness, gentleness, and charity. It develops beauty of person, form, and features. It tends to health, vigor, animation, and social feeling. It invigorates all the faculties of the physical and intellectual man. It strengthens and gives tone to the nerves. In short, it is, as it were, marrow to the bone, joy to the heart, light to the eyes, music to the ears, and life to the whole being” (Key to the Science of Theology [1979], 61).
(Book of Mormon Student Manual, Chapter 56: Moroni 10, "Gifts of the Spirit")

Day 3588

Today's Favorite Verse: Moroni 9:20

Today's Favorite Verse: Moroni 9:20
"And now, my son, I dwell no longer upon this horrible scene. Behold, thou knowest the wickedness of this people; thou knowest that they are without principle, and past feeling; and their wickedness doth exceed that of the Lamanites."

There is a point where you have to step away from the awfulness that you see. You cannot dwell on how things are falling apart. Instead you have to find good works to occupy your mind and efforts. In a lot of ways its like Mormon's letter to his son. You read the headlines, know what is happening, but don't obsess over it.

We are on a course that the judgments of God will fall upon man. Their own wickedness and abominations have paved the way to their own destruction. We are to stand in holy places with a hope and faith in the Lord's second coming. I know the course we are on is of man's own doing, and you do not want to be part of that work.

"And thus we see that the Lord did visit them in the fulness of his wrath, and their wickedness and abominations had prepared a way for their everlasting destruction."
(Ether 14:25)

Day 3587

Today's Favorite Verse: Moroni 8:26

Today's Favorite Verse: Moroni 8:26
"And the remission of sins bringeth meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer, until the end shall come, when all the saints shall dwell with God."

I pondered on how this description of what we will become are all Christlike attributes. He set the perfect example. This is how "we shall be like him".

"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."
(Moroni 7:48)

"As our constant companion, the Holy Ghost gives us additional power or strength to keep our covenants. He also sanctifies us, which means to make us “free from sin, pure, clean, and holy through the atonement of Jesus Christ.” The process of sanctification not only cleanses us, but it also endows us with needed spiritual gifts or divine attributes of the Savior. and changes our very nature, such “that we have no more disposition to do evil.” Each time we receive the Holy Ghost into our lives through faith, repentance, ordinances, Christlike service, and other righteous endeavors, we are changed until step by step, little by little we become like Christ."
(Brian K. Ashton, "The Doctrine of Christ", Oct 2016 General Conference)

Day 3586

Today's Favorite Verse: Moroni 7:47-48

Today's Favorite Verse: Moroni 7:47-48
"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.
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."

These are the last days, this is when charity is needed more than ever. The world is growing dark, and darkness is falling on charity for others. We cannot afford to set charity aside and follow the world. These are the characteristic of a person with charity. If you are following a person that preaches otherwise then run and run as fast and as far away as you can.

"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." (vs 45)

“While we are in the world, we are not of the world. We are expected to overcome the world and to live as becometh saints.”
(Joseph Fielding Smith "Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith" Chapter 19, page 241)

"Before the Savior submitted Himself to the agony of Gethsemane and Calvary, He declared to His Apostles, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” Subsequently, Jesus entreated each of us to do the same when He said, “I will that ye should overcome the world.
You can overcome the spiritually and emotionally exhausting plagues of the world, including arrogance, pride, anger, immorality, hatred, greed, jealousy, and fear. Despite the distractions and distortions that swirl around us, you can find true rest—meaning relief and peace—even amid your most vexing problems.
As we strive to live the higher laws of Jesus Christ, our hearts and our very natures begin to change. The Savior lifts us above the pull of this fallen world by blessing us with greater charity, humility, generosity, kindness, self-discipline, peace, and rest. ”
(Russell M. Nelson, "Overcome the World and Find Rest", Oct 2022 General Conference)

Day 3585

Today's Favorite Verse: Moroni 6:8

Today's Favorite Verse: Moroni 6:8
"But as oft as they repented and sought forgiveness, with real intent, they were forgiven."

I am so grateful for the gift of repentance. I use this gift every day. I do not want to be found unclean and neglectful of setting right what can so easily be corrected. As I have committed to daily repentance I find I am more mindful of the Lord in my thoughts and actions.

"Wherever we are on our journey through life, as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ we constantly treasure the blessing to repent. Repentance is not punishment; repentance is a redemptive gift from a loving Heavenly Father.
With open arms, our Savior bids us, “Come unto me” (Matthew 11:28). If you find yourself temporarily facing setbacks, don’t become discouraged; focus on your love of the Savior and His love for you! This year, week by week, we can repent and become better because of Jesus Christ."
(Neil L. Andersen, Facebook post 22 Jan 2025)

Day 3584

Today's Favorite Verse: Moroni 5:1

Today's Favorite Verse: Moroni 5:1
"The manner of administering the wine—Behold, they took the cup, and said:"

The next verse is the sacrament prayer on the wine (water). I wondered where is the manner it is to be administered? Then I remembered the part in the Book of Mormon where the Savior himself taught this ordinance to them himself..

"And when the Disciples had come with bread and wine, he took of the bread and brake and blessed it; and he gave unto the Disciples and commanded that they should eat.
And when they had eaten and were filled, he commanded that they should give unto the multitude.
And when the multitude had eaten and were filled, he said unto the Disciples: Behold there shall one be ordained among you, and to him will I give power that he shall break bread and bless it and give it unto the people of my church, unto all those who shall believe and be baptized in my name.
And this shall ye always observe to do, even as I have done, even as I have broken bread and blessed it and given it unto you.
And this shall ye do in remembrance of my body, which I have shown unto you. And it shall be a testimony unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you.
And it came to pass that when he said these words, he commanded his Disciples that they should take of the wine of the cup and drink of it, and that they should also give unto the multitude that they might drink of it.
And it came to pass that they did so, and did drink of it and were filled; and they gave unto the multitude, and they did drink, and they were filled.
And when the Disciples had done this, Jesus said unto them: Blessed are ye for this thing which ye have done, for this is fulfilling my commandments, and this doth witness unto the Father that ye are willing to do that which I have commanded you."
(3 Nephi 18:3-11)

Day 3583

Today's Favorite Verse: Moroni 4:3

Today's Favorite Verse: Moroni 4:3
"O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it; that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him, and keep his commandments which he hath given them, that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen."

This past Sunday one of our young priests was giving the sacrament prayer. It sounded like it was his first attempt, but I don't know for sure. I didn't look to see who it was because it didn't matter. These ordinances are written out and are to be read with exactness. Three times he had to repeat that prayer. I always love it when mistakes like this are made. It causes me to take greater care in listening. Then when it happened again I was ready to notice the mistake. A member of the bishopric came over to point out the spot he was missing. I hope that young man was not embarrassed, because it was such a meaningful sacrament to me. Sometimes when errors are made they emphasis words we need to ponder on more deeply, and that is exactly what I did.

Day 3582

Today's Favorite Verse: Moroni 3:3

Today's Favorite Verse: Moroni 3:3
"In the name of Jesus Christ I ordain you to be a priest (or if he be a teacher, I ordain you to be a teacher) to preach repentance and remission of sins through Jesus Christ, by the endurance of faith on his name to the end. Amen."

This made me think about the powerful message released today by Elder D. Todd Christofferson, an apostle of God. Where he preached repentance.

"I'm thinking about the precious gift of repentance. Jesus Christ paid a terrible price so that He could offer us this gift. He could atone for our sins and offer us forgiveness and sanctification. I hear from time to time the phrase, "It's never to late to repent". On the other hand I would say it's more accurate to say, "it's not too late to repent". The scriptures tell us it could be too late, or it can become to late, I guess is the way to say it. They tell us not to procrastinate "lest...in an hour when ye think not the summer shall be past, and the harvest ended, and your souls not saved." (D&C 45:2) So I think everyone who's hearing this message, for any of us, it's not too late. But let's not procrastinate, because someday it could be too late.
I think this is what President Nelson has in mind when he talks about daily repentance. "Please do not fear or delay repenting. The Savior loves us always but especially when we repent. Experience the joy of repenting daily."
Not that we keep repenting of the same thing over and over again, but we make these corrections, usually small course corrections each day as we seek to grow in our discipleship. I say again, what a precious gift is repentance.
(Elder D. Todd Christofferson, "It's Not Too Late to Repent, But Don't Procrastinate", The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint YouTube Channel, 19 Jan 2025)

The message on the video cover really left an impact. Where "Never" was crossed out and the word NOT replaces it. We just don't have much wiggle room any more. Repentance is something to embrace daily, not something to avoid.

"Recently I have found myself drawn to the Lord’s instruction given through the Prophet Joseph Smith: “Say nothing but repentance unto this generation.” This declaration is often repeated throughout scripture. It prompts an obvious question: “Does everyone need to repent?” The answer is yes.
Too many people consider repentance as punishment—something to be avoided except in the most serious circumstances. But this feeling of being penalized is engendered by Satan. He tries to block us from looking to Jesus Christ, who stands with open arms, hoping and willing to heal, forgive, cleanse, strengthen, purify, and sanctify us."
(Russell M. Nelson, "We Can Do Better and Be Better", Apr 2019 General Conference)

Day 3581

Today's Favorite Verse: Moroni 2:3

Today's Favorite Verse: Moroni 2:3
"Now Christ spake these words unto them at the time of his first appearing; and the multitude heard it not, but the disciples heard it; and on as many as they laid their hands, fell the Holy Ghost.'

The thought that came to me is we don't always hear everything, or know all that goes on in the background. What we can trust is that the Lord's disciples #HearHim. They know what in turn we need to know. Right now they are saying to prepare for the second coming of the Lord.

"As the prophet Isaiah prophesied, and as memorialized in Handel’s Messiah, when Jesus Christ returns, ‘the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.’
“Now is the time for you, and for me, to prepare for the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Now is the time for us to make our discipleship our highest priority.
“Jesus Christ took upon Himself your sins, your pains, your heartaches, and your infirmities. You do not have to bear them alone! He will forgive you as you repent. He will bless you with what you need. He will heal your wounded soul. As you yoke yourself to Him, your burdens will feel lighter. If you will make and keep covenants to follow Jesus Christ, you will find that the painful moments of your life are temporary. Your afflictions will be ‘swallowed up in the joy of Christ’ [Alma 31:38].
The best is yet to come, my dear brothers and sisters, because the Savior is coming again!” — President Russell M. Nelson" ("The Lord Will Come Again", Oct 2024 General Conference)
("Post from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints", YouTube 15 Jan 2025)

Day 3580

Today's Favorite Verse: Moroni 1:4

Today's Favorite Verse: Moroni 1:4
"Wherefore, I write a few more things, contrary to that which I had supposed; for I had supposed not to have written any more; but I write a few more things, that perhaps they may be of worth unto my brethren, the Lamanites, in some future day, according to the will of the Lord."

Though Moroni's writing had a much greater purpose than mine, I thought of my personal and scripture journals. How what I write may some day be of worth to my posterity or family relations. How I would love to read the journals of my ancestors. Even more so to hear of their conversion to the gospel and their faith promoting spiritual experiences.

Day 3579

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 15:2-3

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 15:2-3
"He saw that there had been slain by the sword already nearly two millions of his people, and he began to sorrow in his heart; yea, there had been slain two millions of mighty men, and also their wives and their children.
He began to repent of the evil which he had done; he began to remember the words which had been spoken by the mouth of all the prophets, and he saw them that they were fulfilled thus far, every whit; and his soul mourned and refused to be comforted."

Sadly, it may take massive destruction for people to "awaken to a sense of your awful situation". (Ether 8:24) Coriantumr had such a moment and grieved over what they had done. He writes an epistle to Shiz offering to give up his kingdom for the sake of the lives of the people. Shiz in turn wants Coriantumr to give himself up so he can slay him. Something Coriantumr was unable to do, either mentally, or because his people and the people of Shiz in their anger wanted the war to continue. With the knowledge of Ether's prophesy Coriantumr would be the last Jaredite standing, living to witness others inherit this promised land. This is such an incredibly sad story. It is a message for us in our day.

There is hope for there will be people waiting to receive our Lord and Savior when He comes again. Now is the great time of gathering and embracing those that have suffered and are wounded, and through this have turned their hearts back to God. The Lord is always waiting with his arms stretched out still, and so should we.

"The Savior is calling us to leave behind the wickedness of the world and gather to Him. He wants His sheep to be a light that shines brightly, setting a standard for the rest of the world by reflecting how true disciples live, including how they experience true joy as they focus their lives on the Savior.
May we be ever grateful for the privilege and trust the Lord has bestowed upon us as we gather to the Savior, gather with the Saints, and gather in His service."
(President Russell M. Nelson, "Grateful to Gather", Liahona magazine, Jan 2025)

Day 3578

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 14:24

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 14:24
"Nevertheless, Shiz did not cease to pursue Coriantumr; for he had sworn to avenge himself upon Coriantumr of the blood of his brother, who had been slain, and the word of the Lord which came to Ether that Coriantumr should not fall by the sword."

Vengeance and seeking to prove the Lord wrong is what lead to the entire destruction of the Jaredite nation. They had lost all reasoning and are going from bloodshed to bloodshed, even unable to stop to bury their dead. It is a horrible scene and such an important reminder that we have to step back and look at ourselves and where anger will lead us. The Nephites that had the record of the Jaredites repeated this history themselves. I wish I could say man will learn from this and not repeat history again.

"And now, because of this great thing which my people, the Nephites, had done, they began to boast in their own strength, and began to swear before the heavens that they would avenge themselves of the blood of their brethren who had been slain by their enemies.
And when they had sworn by all that had been forbidden them by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that they would go up unto their enemies to battle, and avenge themselves of the blood of their brethren, behold the voice of the Lord came unto me, saying:
Vengeance is mine, and I will repay; and because this people repented not after I had delivered them, behold, they shall be cut off from the face of the earth."
(Mormon 3:9,14-15)

Day 3577

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 13:3, 6

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 13:3, 6
"And that it was the place of the New Jerusalem, which should come down out of heaven, and the holy sanctuary of the Lord.
And that a New Jerusalem should be built up upon this land, unto the remnant of the seed of Joseph, for which things there has been a type."

I'm confused is the New Jerusalem something that comes down from heaven, or are we suppose to build it? I found this by Joseph Fielding Smith.

“In the day of regeneration, when all things are made new, there will be three great cities that will be holy. One will be the Jerusalem of old which shall be rebuilt according to the prophecy of Ezekiel. One will be the city of Zion, or of Enoch, which was taken from the earth when Enoch was translated and which will be restored; and the city Zion, or New Jerusalem, which is to be built by the seed of Joseph on this the American continent” (Answers to Gospel Questions, comp. Joseph Fielding Smith Jr., 5 vols. [1957–66], 2:103–4).
(Book of Mormon Student Manual, Chapter 52: Ether 11-15, "New Jerusalem")

Is it referring to three separate places?

"The place where the Saints will gather and Christ will personally reign with them during the Millennium. Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent, and the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory (A of F 1:10). It also refers to a holy city that will come down out of heaven at the beginning of the Millennium."
(Guide to the Scriptures, New Jerusalem)

Then I found this.

"Verily this is the word of the Lord, that the city New Jerusalem shall be built by the gathering of the saints, beginning at this place, even the place of the temple, which temple shall be reared in this generation."
(Doctrine and Covenants 45:4)

I looked at the words "built by the gathering of the saints" a little differently. Maybe its not something we are building with our hands, but instead by unity as a Zion people. One thing is sure this is a very deep subject and I am to tired tonight to figure it out. What I do know is preparing myself for the Second Coming is more important that knowing every detail.

"Jesus Christ will govern from both old Jerusalem and the New Jerusalem “built upon the American continent.” From these two centers, He will direct the affairs of His Church.
In that day the Lord will be known as “King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.” Those who are with Him will be “called, and chosen, and faithful.
”Brothers and sisters, now is the time for you and for me to prepare for the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. Now is the time for us to make our discipleship our highest priority."
(Russell M. Nelson, "The Lord Jesus Christ Will Come Again", Oct 2024 General Conference)

Day 3576

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 12:26

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 12:26
"And when I had said this, the Lord spake unto me, saying: Fools mock, but they shall mourn; and my grace is sufficient for the meek, that they shall take no advantage of your weakness;"

Reading "fools mock, but they shall mourn" made me immediately recalled the experience I had during the early days of the pandemic. This is what I recorded in my journal.

"Last night I had such an unusual experience. I was reading all these memes about the virus and saving them and passing them on to my siblings. I was laughing the whole time. Everything was hitting me so funny. I had not felt so much laughter over this whole thing. Then in an instant I had this great soberness come over me and the spirit warned me not to laugh at this. That what I was doing was "loud laughter", and those that laugh will mourn. What an absolute wake-up call. 
I then read my scriptures and there it talked about destruction before the second coming. My frame of mind on this virus and its meaning completely changed. The Lord's hand is in all this and obedience is important. I have a feeling of much sorrow for those that are effected by this. When we did our family scripture reading I told them my experience and the other impressions that I had. We laid some ground rules for ourselves."

That experience was a life changing moment for me. I am so careful about what I choose to laugh at. As I was watching the reports on the devastating fires in California, I felt like I was seeing the fulfillment of the times of the Gentiles. When we go from a warning voice to destruction. I turned to Doctrine and Covenants 45 for I knew it spoke of this, and also fire, and moon turning to blood. This stood out to me.

"And in that generation shall the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
And there shall be men standing in that generation, that shall not pass until they shall see an overflowing scourge; for a desolating sickness shall cover the land.
But my disciples shall stand in holy places, and shall not be moved; but among the wicked, men shall lift up their voices and curse God and die."
(Doctrine and Covenants 45:30-32)

I feel like the early pandemic was just a dress rehearsal of what is to come. Sadly, some learned to mock it and put their trust in the arm of flesh, and ignore the counsel of a living prophet. They have set themselves up to feel justified in mocking any news of a desolating sickness. When the next one comes they may not take it serious soon enough. I believe in prophesies and all of them will be fulfilled. I am just very, very cautious on what I laugh and mock at, especially the suffering of others. It is no wonder that Moroni also speaks on the need for charity in this chapter.

“Real charity is not something you give away; it is something that you acquire and make a part of yourself. And when the virtue of charity becomes implanted in your heart, you are never the same again. It makes the thought of [putting others down] repulsive.
“Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don’t judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone’s differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn’t handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another’s weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other” (Elder Marvin J. Ashton, "The Tongue Can Be a Sharp Sword", Apr 1992 General Conference).

Day 3575

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 11:7-8

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 11:7-8
"And they hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord, because of their wicked combinations; wherefore, there began to be wars and contentions in all the land, and also many famines and pestilences, insomuch that there was a great destruction, such an one as never had been known upon the face of the earth; and all this came to pass in the days of Shiblom.
And the people began to repent of their iniquity; and inasmuch as they did the Lord did have mercy on them."

I wondered what the great destruction was? They already had wars, contentions, famines and pestilences going on. Was it an earthquake or consuming fire? Regardless, there was absolute chaos happening around them. This was the voice of the Lord to wake up to their awful situation. The Lord follows natural laws to awaken us, after that they are left to themselves, which doesn't end well unless they repent.

"We read that as a result of the wars, famines, pestilences, and destructions, the people began to repent of their iniquity. President Joseph F. Smith (1838–1918) helped us understand that sometimes the Lord uses natural disasters to bring about repentance in the lives of His children:
“The Latter-day Saints, though they themselves tremble because of their own wickedness and sins, believe that great judgments are coming upon the world because of iniquity; they firmly believe in the statements of the Holy Scriptures, that calamities will befall the nations as signs of the coming of Christ to judgment. They believe that God rules in the fire, the earthquake, the tidal wave, the volcanic eruption, and the storm. Him they recognize as the Master and Ruler of nature and her laws, and freely acknowledge his hand in all things. We believe that his judgments are poured out to bring mankind to a sense of his power and his purposes, that they may repent of their sins and prepare themselves for the second coming of Christ to reign in righteousness upon the earth. …
“We believe that these severe, natural calamities are visited upon men by the Lord for the good of his children, to quicken their devotion to others, and to bring out their better natures, that they may love and serve him” (Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed. [1939], 55; for additional references to the Lord using the elements of nature to speak to people who refuse to repent, see Helaman 12:3; D&C 43:21–25; 88:88–91).
(Book of Mormon Student Manual, Chapter 52: Ether 11-15, "Natural Disasters Can Lead to Repentance")

Day 3574

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 10:2

Today's Favorite Verse: 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."

I pondered on the importance of history, especially our forbearers. There is much to learn from the past otherwise it will repeat itself. We would learn that being righteous, and not a wicked people would bring prosperity and happiness.

Day 3573

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 9:4-5

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 9:4-5
"And it came to pass that Jared was anointed king over the people, by the hand of wickedness; and he gave unto Akish his daughter to wife.
And it came to pass that Akish sought the life of his father-in-law; and he applied unto those whom he had sworn by the oath of the ancients, and they obtained the head of his father-in-law, as he sat upon his throne, giving audience to his people."

This story always make me think of this verse.

"But, behold, the judgments of God will overtake the wicked; and it is by the wicked that the wicked are punished; for it is the wicked that stir up the hearts of the children of men unto bloodshed."
(Mormon 4:5)

Jared sought the head of his father the king and he sent Akish to do it. Once Jared is king his now son-in-law Akish in turn kills him. The wicked will destroy the wicked. Sometimes I feel like an outsider looking in, as I watch this very thing happening in our world.

Day 3572

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 8:13-14

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 8:13-14
"And it came to pass that Akish gathered in unto the house of Jared all his kinsfolk, and said unto them: Will ye swear unto me that ye will be faithful unto me in the thing which I shall desire of you?
And it came to pass that they all sware unto him, by the God of heaven, and also by the heavens, and also by the earth, and by their heads, that whoso should vary from the assistance which Akish desired should lose his head; and whoso should divulge whatsoever thing Akish made known unto them, the same should lose his life."

I feel like we have a place like this in our land right now. Anyone that seems to visit comes back in allegiance with this man. They seek for power and gain and sell their souls. They are built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies, by their lies we know them. At this point I will be surprised if they come to justice in this life, certainly they will face the justice of God, it cannot be avoided. It's one of those stories we will probably learn all the details about at the end.

"Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you; or wo be unto it, because of the blood of them who have been slain; for they cry from the dust for vengeance upon it, and also upon those who built it up."
(Ether 8:24)

Day 3571

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 7:8, 11, 24, 27

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 7:8, 11, 24, 27
"And it came to pass that Shule was angry with his brother; and Shule waxed strong, and became mighty as to the strength of a man; and he was also mighty in judgment.
And it came to pass that he did execute judgment in righteousness; and he did spread his kingdom upon all the face of the land, for the people had become exceedingly numerous.
And it came to pass that the people did revile against the prophets, and did mock them. And it came to pass that king Shule did execute judgment against all those who did revile against the prophets.
And there were no more wars in the days of Shule; and he remembered the great things that the Lord had done for his fathers in bringing them across the great deep into the promised land; wherefore he did execute judgment in righteousness all his days."

The repeated characteristic of Shule is "judgment". He could execute judgment and in righteousness. That is a good characteristic of a leader. He did not command them in what to believe but executed a law giving power to the prophets to go whithersoever they will. Because of this the people were brought into repentance. You cannot enact a law to make people repent or believe, but must give them religious freedom to practice their religion. Agency to believe what they will.

Day 3570

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 6:5

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 6:5
"And it came to pass that the Lord God caused that there should be a furious wind blow upon the face of the waters, towards the promised land; and thus they were tossed upon the waves of the sea before the wind."

I pondered on how we must often walk through fire to get where the Lord needs us to be. For the Jaredites it was being sealed up in a barge for 344 days. They didn't know where they were going, other than a promised land. They commended themselves unto the Lord their God. They sang praised to Him as they journeyed. This made me think of all the pioneers had to pass through to come to our promised land. Persecution was needed in order to drive them away from it and into a place of peace. I have seen the hand of the Lord in many things I have passed through. The lessons I learned, the place that it brings me, were all necessary. We must commend ourselves to the Lord, to be entrusted in His care. Having faith that we will be delivered.

Day 3569

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 5:1

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 5:1
"And now I, Moroni, have written the words which were commanded me, according to my memory; and I have told you the things which I have sealed up; therefore touch them not in order that ye may translate; for that thing is forbidden you, except by and by it shall be wisdom in God."

I wondered what was according to Moroni's memory? It must be what he was commanded to write. Was it everything in the Book of Ether? The parts he could include and what not to?

In Ether 4:4 he says he has written the very things which the brother of Jared saw.

"Wherefore the Lord hath commanded me to write them; and I have written them. And he commanded me that I should seal them up; and he also hath commanded that I should seal up the interpretation thereof; wherefore I have sealed up the interpreters, according to the commandment of the Lord."
(Ether 4:5)

It sounds like Moroni wrote on the plates what the brother of Jared saw, then sealed them. The book of Ether itself must be from his memory. That is a lot of generations and names to remember. That is how oral histories have been handed down for generations.

As I was trying to research this idea I found that Hugh Nibley pointed out the book of Ether has many similarities with epic poetry from all over the world. "Epics are long poems that stem from oral tradition that are about heroic figures or the history of a nation, and Nibley argued that the book of Ether was originally an epic." "Modern archaeological evidence suggests that writings spread across Mesoamerica between 900 and 500 BC, meaning that there may not have been a written history of the Jaredite kings until late Jaredite times. If this is correct, that would mean that Ether was originally composed orally, and was only written down later. This would explained why, as Nibley has argued, the book of Ether is similar to other orally-composed epic poetry—because the author was using the kinds of conventions common in many oral cultures. These conventions would have been preserved in the text when Ether finally wrote the work down, but Moroni’s abridgement left the modern reader with only glimpses of this oral style."
(Scripture Central, "Why Is The Book of Ether an Epic?", Aug 20, 2020)

Day 3568

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 4:4-6

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 4:4-6
"Behold, I have written upon these plates the very things which the brother of Jared saw; and there never were greater things made manifest than those which were made manifest unto the brother of Jared.
Wherefore the Lord hath commanded me to write them; and I have written them. And he commanded me that I should seal them up; and he also hath commanded that I should seal up the interpretation thereof; wherefore I have sealed up the interpreters, according to the commandment of the Lord.
For the Lord said unto me: They shall not go forth unto the Gentiles until the day that they shall repent of their iniquity, and become clean before the Lord."

I cannot wait for the Lord's own due time when this record is given to us. I say it to my family all the time. I want to live to see that day. I want to read the sealed portion. The Nephites had them since the time Jesus Christ appeared to them after His resurrection, until all had dwindled in unbelief and Moroni was commanded to sealed them up. I really hope we don't have to wait for the millennium as a people to repent, exercise faith in the Lord and become sanctified and clean.

In Doctrine and Covenants we are told a little more on the conditions of being able to receive the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon.

“And your minds in times past have been darkened because of unbelief, and because you have treated lightly the things you have received—
Which vanity and unbelief have brought the whole church under condemnation.
And this condemnation resteth upon the children of Zion, even all.
And they shall remain under this condemnation until they repent and remember the new covenant, even the Book of Mormon and the former commandments which I have given them, not only to say, but to do according to that which I have written.”
(Doctrine and Covenants 84:54–57)

President Benson was good about telling the church that we are under condemnation for treating the Book of Mormon lightly and not reading and living it. His words encouraged me to read, ponder and study the Book of Mormon. For now I live by faith, and that one day we will receive more.

"And these things have I written, which are a lesser part of the things which he taught the people; and I have written them to the intent that they may be brought again unto this people, from the Gentiles, according to the words which Jesus hath spoken.
And when they shall have received this, which is expedient that they should have first, to try their faith, and if it shall so be that they shall believe these things then shall the greater things be made manifest unto them.
And if it so be that they will not believe these things, then shall the greater things be withheld from them, unto their condemnation.
Behold, I was about to write them, all which were engraven upon the plates of Nephi, but the Lord forbade it, saying: I will try the faith of my people."
(3 Nephi 26:8-11)

Day 3567

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 3:26

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 3:26
"For he had said unto him in times before, that if he would believe in him that he could show unto him all things—it should be shown unto him; therefore the Lord could not withhold anything from him, for he knew that the Lord could show him all things."

When did the Lord tell the brother of Jared that he would show him all things, if he believed in Him? I went back in the two earlier chapters and didn't see this mentioned. Maybe it was during those 3 hours the Lord stood in a cloud and spoke to him. I pondered on how the Lord telling you something like that would certainly make me strive to be worthy. It was a promise the Lord knew the brother of Jared could obtain. The brother of Jared must have been pondering on this while he was preparing those 16 stones out of molten rock. That pondering on what he believed the Lord capable of increased the brother of Jared's faith. That is why he could say to the Lord, "Behold, O Lord, thou canst do this." (vs 5) When asked by the Lord, "Believest thou the words which I shall speak? (vs 11)

"And he answered: Yea, Lord, I know that thou speakest the truth, for thou art a God of truth, and canst not lie.

This is why the Lord could minister unto the brother of Jared for "he had faith no longer, for he knew, nothing doubting." (vs 19)

The Lord will not appear to man if they doubt or want to consume it on their lusts. You need faith where it matters not if you see Him, for you already believe.

Day 3566

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 2:24

Today's Favorite Verse: 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."

It was the part about the rains and the flood being sent forth that made me stop and ponder. The Lord uses natural laws to fulfill his words and purposes. I thought of the weather patterns around the world. The Lord had already prepared this great storm needed to drive the Jaredite barges to the promised land. The timing was His, he prepared the storms and the way to preserve them from them.

Even though I didn't pick the verses in this chapter about the holes placed in the top and bottom of the barges for air, I did want to note an interesting theory on how they worked. Once again its founded on natural laws.

Day 3565

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 1:43

Today's Favorite Verse: Ether 1:43
"And there will I bless thee and thy seed, and raise up unto me of thy seed, and of the seed of thy brother, and they who shall go with thee, a great nation. And there shall be none greater than the nation which I will raise up unto me of thy seed, upon all the face of the earth. And thus I will do unto thee because this long time ye have cried unto me."

I love this verse, for it shows the power of prayers, and receiving answers even if what we pray for is over a very long time. I looked at how his prayers fit the needs at the time. Jared asked his brother to cry unto the Lord that their language would not be confounded. Then it was that their friends language was not confounded. Next it was to inquire if they were to be driven out of the land, and if so maybe to a choice land as their inheritance. Then he is given where they were to go and in what manner. The conversation the brother of Jared had with the Lord was an intimately one. He listened and obeyed. This made me think about my prayers and how much better I could be in talking to the Lord.

"The Lord explained to the brother of Jared that blessings had come to his people as a result of prayers offered over a long time. Enduring obedience coupled with frequent and persistent prayers is powerful. In an 1839 discourse in Commerce, Illinois, the Prophet Joseph Smith taught: “God is not a respecter of persons, we all have the same privilege. Come to God weary him until he blesses you &c we are entitled to the same blessings” ([recorded in Willard Richards Pocket Companion, 78–79] cited in The Words of Joseph Smith: The Contemporary Accounts of the Nauvoo Discourses of the Prophet Joseph, comp. Andrew F. Ehat and Lyndon W. Cook [1980], 15).
President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) similarly taught that we must put great effort into our prayers and that we must pray frequently:
“Do you get answers to your prayers? If not, perhaps you did not pay the price. Do you offer a few trite words and worn-out phrases, or do you talk intimately to the Lord? Do you pray occasionally when you should be praying regularly, often, constantly? Do you offer pennies to pay heavy debts when you should give dollars to erase that obligation?
“When you pray, do you just speak, or do you also listen? Your Savior said, ‘Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.’ (Rev. 3:20.)
“… Should we ever fail to get an answer to our prayers, we must look into our lives for a reason” (“Prayer,” New Era, Mar. 1978, 17).
(Book of Mormon Student Manuel, Chapter 50: Ether 1-5, "This Long Time Ye Have Cried unto Me")

Day 3564

Today's Favorite Verse: Mormon 9:14

Today's Favorite Verse: Mormon 9:14
"And then cometh the judgment of the Holy One upon them; and then cometh the time that he that is filthy shall be filthy still; and he that is righteous shall be righteous still; he that is happy shall be happy still; and he that is unhappy shall be unhappy still."

We don't magically become happy when we cross over the veil, or when the Savior comes again. If we are in a state of unhappiness we will continue to be in that state. Wickedness was never happiness, no matter how fleeting it maybe. This is a resting state of peace or not. It's important to find it in this life, because to find it is walk with God.

"I say unto thee, my son, that the plan of restoration is requisite with the justice of God; for it is requisite that all things should be restored to their proper order. Behold, it is requisite and just, according to the power and resurrection of Christ, that the soul of man should be restored to its body, and that every part of the body should be restored to itself."
(Alma 41:2)

"Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world."
(Alma 34:34)

Day 3563