What counsel are the leaders of the Church giving us today?

I had some questions regarding various gospel topics that I wrote down before the 181st semiannual session of General Conference (October 2011). I'd like to post those questions here and list answers that I heard as I listened to the apostles and leaders of the Church speak.

How do those who want to serve a mission best prepare?

- Focus on studying the words of Christ to keep myself in tune with the Spirit so I can receive spiritual guidance day by day. The Doctrine and Covenants says to "seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word."

- Whether or not I serve a full-time mission, these are some guidelines I can follow as a full-time member of the LDS Church:
      ~ Live my life by charity. (Richard G. Scott, "The Power of Scripture")
      ~ Share who I am by fixing misconceptions about the Church and keeping the Spirit with me.
          Be bold in my declaration of Jesus Christ. He is the central figure in all human history. All scriptures witness of Him. He is the foundation of all mankind. Only through Him can we be saved.
          Be a righteous example to others wherever I go.
          Speak up about the church in everyday conversation. Ask my associates questions, too. Have two-way conversations. (L. Tom Perry, "Perfect Love Casteth Out Fear")
      ~ Teach by the spirit whether it’s in parenting, leading, or teaching. (Matthew O. Richardson, "Teaching after the Manner of the Spirit")

- Those preparing to serve missions need:
      ~ A desire to preach the gospel.
      ~ A testimony.
      ~ Love for others.

- If I’m not sure about serving a mission, see my bishop. (Kazuhiko Yamashita, "Missionaries Are a Treasure of the Church")


How can we better use our time with modern technology (phones, Facebook, etc.)?

- We are trained to text and tweet which we can use to quicken the work of the Lord, not just communicate quicker with our friends.
- Teach people the basics of FamilySearch, but allow them to explore and become interested in it themselves.
- Devote more time to family history work and spreading the gospel and less time on Facebook. The more we do family history, the more we will love it and be passionate about it—just like anything else we spend our time doing. This work is vital in salvation and exaltation. (David A. Bednar, "The Hearts of the Children Shall Turn")

- Don’t become addicted to fingertip communication. As good as instant communication is, we can’t allow it to push aside what is most important.
- Let us be as quick to kneel as we are to text. A physical hug means more than a text.
- Become master over those pointless technological things rather than letting them master us. (Ian S. Ardern, "A Time to Prepare")

- Use the internet to share religious beliefs when directed by the spirit. Communicate the message honestly and directly. (Perry, "Perfect Love")


Why do some people miss out on the blessings of marriage in this life? Why do some people experience divorce and death of loved ones? Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people, and how do we deal with these tragedies?

- Social status and wealth do not matter. Those who are never given a high status or calling can have just as great of an influence as anyone else. So no matter what your role is in life, you still matter, and you can make a difference.
- If you’re struggling, you will not feel discouragement forever. Hold on, have hope, and believe in Him. You will experience His promises. We don’t realize what He has prepared for us. (Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "You Matter to Him")

- Those who don’t receive blessings of marriage and parenthood in this life will receive those blessings in the next.
- This life is but a small moment. Don’t be discouraged when things don’t work out as planned. Always have hope and live righteously. The Lord will provide. (Neil L. Anderson, "Children")

- “Wait upon the Lord. . . . Thy will be done.”
- When we have a spouse die, financial hardships, children wandering from the path, etc…it’s hard, but joy will come.
- Have hope and trust. Have faith, patience, and humility. Receive and follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost. Stand fast and continue forward. Be immovable in keeping the commandments.
- Sincere prayer will be answered sometime and somewhere. Wait upon our families and allow them to wait upon us. Have patience. (Robert D. Hales, "Waiting upon the Lord: Thy Will Be Done")

- We have a Father in Heaven who understands our sufferings perfectly. Christ’s atonement covers all suffering. His plan includes life before and after death—it is eternal.
- Don’t look at the world just through the lens of mortality; it looks depressing and hopeless. There will be glorious fulfillment.
- To deal with tragedies, recognize blessings we receive. Great blessings come to those who are faithful. Maintain a spirit of gratitude. Our experiences not always result in happy endings in mortality.
- The righteous who are killed enter the rest of the Lord. The atonement covers all unfair trials of life. Viewed in the light of the gospel, there is an eternal reward for all. God has prepared for the return of those who love Him. (Quentin L. Cook, "The Songs They Could Not Sing")


What can we learn from little children?

- Those who will inherit the kingdom of God are those who will become as a child. (Uchtdorf, "You Matter")

- We can see consequences when children can’t sometimes. Lovingly invite, encourage, teach, and warn of consequences. (Randall K. Bennett, "Choose Eternal Life")


How do we exercise righteous judgment?

- Speak up about the church in our everyday lives. Have a two-way conversation with associates; ask them questions too. Don’t be afraid to share the gospel—there is no fear in love. Don’t be defensive or arguable. (Perry, "Perfect Love")


What’s the best way to study the scriptures?

- Memorize scriptures.
- Read from all the books, including the Old Testament.
- Read the Book of Mormon consistently -- every day. (Scott, "The Power of Scripture")


What is the right way to pray?

- In order to live in the world and not of it, we must communicate to God through prayer. He wants us to talk to Him.
- Don’t let a day go by without communicating with Heavenly Father. (Thomas S. Monson, "Stand in Holy Places")

- We can ask God all things, and He will answer our prayers even if they seem dumb or insignificant. If it’s something we desire righteously, God will bless us, because whatever matters to us matters to Him.
- Give heartfelt and specific thanks.
- Prayer should be honest. Don’t ask God to do for us what we can do for ourselves. (J. Devn Cornish, "The Privilege of Prayer")


How can I look past the world and not fear what might happen in my future?

- I won’t make a mistake without first being warned by the Holy Spirit.
- Don’t think, “The way things are going, the world will be over soon.” That is not true. I can move forward with hope. (Boyd K. Packer, "Counsel to Youth")

- Do we wring our hands in despair and wonder how we’ll ever survive in such a world? No! We have control over our lives. Although the world is always changing, God’s commandments haven’t. (Monson, "Stand in Holy Places")


How does every person fit in to God's Plan of Salvation? What happens to those who do not have a chance to hear the gospel before Jesus comes again and the Millennium begins? 

- The Millennium will be a time of immense missionary work, not the “end of the world.” (L. Whitney Clayton, "The Time Shall Come")

- The universe is incomprehensible. But the worth of souls is great in the sight of God. The universe is built for our benefit.
- Compared to God, man is nothing, but we are everything to God. (Uchtdorf, "You Matter")

- There is so much work to be done (temple work) and we are the only ones who can do it.
- We want everyone to experience the joy that comes from the gospel! We must share it with as many people as we can! (Bednar, "The Hearts of the Children")

- This life is but a small moment. Don’t be discouraged when things don’t work out as planned. Always have hope and live righteously. The Lord will provide. (Anderson, "Children")

- Jesus Christ brings contentment, hope, and happiness in this life and in the eternities. (Perry, "Perfect Love")

- There was a story told of an LDS person who traveled to London for medical training. He had a desire to make a difference in the world, but he did not survive when the ship sank. The righteous who are killed enter the rest of the Lord. The atonement covers all unfair trials of life. Viewed in the light of the gospel, there is an eternal reward for all. God has prepared for the return of those who love Him. (Cook, "The Songs")


How can I be braver in sharing the gospel?

- We have great responsibility to share the Lord’s plan with those who need it. The Lord expects us to share our service. (Jose L. Alonso, "Doing the Right Thing at the Right Time, without Delay")

- The Book of Mormon is either true or it isn’t.
- Many ask, “Why is the Book of Mormon so essential if we already have the Bible?” If everyone interpreted the Bible the same way we would all be one church. The Law of Two Witnesses combines the Book of Mormon and the Bible, and both books combine allow us to understand and enjoy the full blessings of the Atonement of Jesus Christ (God has a remedy of healing power). The Book of Mormon confirms that there is continued revelation.
- “If ye shall believe in Christ ye shall believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ.” (Tad R. Callister, "The Book of Mormon--A Book from God")

- Use the full name of the church. Always be willing to let others know who we follow.
- “Latter day” shows that this is the same church as in Christ’s ministry, just restored in the latter days.
- “Jesus Christ” is central. If people ask if I’m a Mormon, say, “I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We believe in the Book of Mormon. Mormon was an ancient prophet, and this book is another testament of Jesus Christ. That is why we are often called "Mormons." (M. Russell Ballard, "The Importance of a Name")

2 Nephi 2:4 - What does it mean that the spirit is the same yesterday, today, and forever?

In 2 Nephi 2:4, we see that Jacob has experienced great revelations which have led to a strong testimony of Jesus Christ. In fact, Jacob has been blessed "even as they unto whom [Christ] shall minister in the flesh" after Christ's resurrection. Ever since the fall of man, the way has been prepared.

Jacob's testimony shows that the spirit was the same in his time as it was in Christ's time, and it remains the same today. The spirit testified to Jacob of the coming of Jesus Christ, which didn't occur until about 500 years after Jacob was alive. The spirit is constant, and it is always teaching the same doctrine and the same eternal plan of happiness.

Despite persecutions and strong arguments against the coming of Christ, Jacob was able to maintain solid faith in Jesus Christ "because of the many revelations and the many things which [he] had seen concerning" Christ's coming. Also, he "had heard the voice of the Lord speaking unto [him] in very word . . . wherefore, [he] could not be shaken" (Jacob 7:5). It's amazing that Jacob had so much faith in Jesus Christ 500 years before His actual birth. His example is truly one to be recognized. We can use this example to realize that the revelations we receive today are guided by the same spirit that revealed the same truths to saints and prophets centuries ago.

Matthew 10:34-37 - What does Christ mean when He says, "I came not to send peace, but a sword"?

Matthew 10:34-37 reads: "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword..." Interpreted the wrong way, one can take from this verse that Christ advocates war. This "ambiguous English translation confuses a result-clause (the plain statement of fact that the preaching of the gospel divides families) with a purpose-clause (that Christ came with the express wish and purpose to destroy families); and so a determined exegesis can twist this one verse into making the Prince of Peace an author of contention. Such an act is a clear demonstration not of logic or philology but of the spirit" ("If There Must Needs Be Offense," Hugh Nibley, Ensign, July 1971).

Christ "is not pleased, nor was it his purpose or design or intent to foreordain the condition [of war] that the world is in today," since wars come "not to fulfil the purposes of God, but the purposes of the nations of the earth in consequence of their wickedness" (Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine [course of study for the Melchizedek Priesthood quorums, 1970–71], vol. 1, p. 131.) Joseph Smith said, "When you find a spirit that wants bloodshed—murder, the same is not of God but of the devil" (Joseph Fielding Smith, ed., Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith [Deseret Book Co., 1938], p. 358; King Follett Discourse.)

It is easy to justify bloodshed when looking at all the examples in the scriptures. But the reality is that the acts of warfare and bloodshed that are so prevalent in the scriptures and in the latter days are acts that are inevitable in order to fulfill prophecies and God's plan. It is the nature of men on the earth to fall into warfare, yet it is not God's will.

The "sword" can be defined as a dividing line between the righteous and the wicked. The gospel may divide families, but that is not Christ's purpose. His purpose is to spread the gospel in order to unite families, but it is inevitable that some will choose to be divided. Let us choose the right side and stick with God. If we are ableto maintain His spirit by keeping His commandments, we will be saved.

Matthew 12:1-13 - What does Christ say is appropriate for the Sabbath day?

In these verses, the Pharisees accuse Christ of plucking ears of corn and healing on the Sabbath Day. Christ declares himself Lord of the Sabbath, and He explains to the Pharisees why His actions are acceptable.

In the talk "The Sabbath--Holy Day or Holiday?" from the October 1994 Ensign, Elder Charles Didier says, "The New Testament opens new doors to our understanding of the spirit of the Sabbath. Jesus Christ himself corrected the general misunderstandings about the rigidity of the law during his time. Answering the questions of the Pharisees, he stated: 'The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath' (Mark 2:27). At the same time, he gave the people an example of what could be done on that holy day: he taught in parables, lectured on spirituality, read from the law and the prophets, visited and healed the afflicted, blessed the obedient, pondered, prayed, called twelve Apostles, and rested.'

The Sabbath is a day to glorify God. It was "given unto man for a day of rest . . . and not that man should not eat. For the Son of Man made the Sabbath day, therefore the Son of Man is Lord also of the Sabbath" (JST, Mark 2:26-27). We should be following the example of the Savior who created the Sabbath Day. It was a mistake of the Pharisees to be so caught up in the law of the Sabbath that they failed to recognize the good of Christ's actions that He performed on the Sabbath. Christ is the ultimate authority.

When it comes down to it, we can follow the council of Matthew 12:12 which reads, "It is lawful to do well on the sabbath days."

Mosiah 5:7 - What does it mean to be the children of Christ? Are we not His brothers and sisters?

What does it mean to be the children of Christ? Aren't we his brothers and sisters?

In the scriptures, there are a lot of references to the people of Christ being "born of him" because of their conversion to Him (see 1 John 4:7, 5:1; Mosiah 27:25; Alma 5:14; D&C 5:16). When our hearts are changed to follow Christ, we are born again of Him; we are his "sons and daughters" spiritually. We are of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, named after the Son of God. The verse says that when people have made a covenant with God they are "spiritually begotten" by Him: "for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and daughters."

When we take the sacrament, we promise that we will take upon ourselves the name of Christ. Similarly, in our own families, we literally take upon ourselves the name of our parents. When we are spiritually born of God, we take upon ourselves His name.

Accompanied with taking the name of Christ is accepting the law of obedience. We promise to remember the atoning sacrifice of the Savior as well as keep His covenants.

In The Guide to the Scriptures on lds.org, "children of Christ" is defined as "Those who have accepted the gospel of Jesus Christ." We are identified with Christ and in His church. Following are some useful scriptures that support the idea of becoming children of Christ:

• Believe in the light that ye may be the children of light (John 12:36)
• Because of the covenant ye shall be called the children of Christ (Mosiah 5:7)
• If ye will lay hold upon every good thing, ye certainly will be a child of Christ (Moroni 7:19)
• As many as received me, gave I power to become my sons (D&C 39:4)
• Fear not, little children, for you are mine (D&C 50:40–41)
• Thou art one in me, a son of God (Moses 6:68)

Select this link to hear a free podcast on "Children of Christ." http://mormonchannel.org/programs/qa-episode-38?lang=eng

Moroni 10:32-33 - How do we become perfect in Christ through the Atonement? How does grace fit in?

Moroni says, "If ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ. . . . And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot."

It almost sounds like we have to become perfect before we can receive God's grace and remission of sins through the power of the atonement. But that is fortunately not the case. God doesn't wait for us to become perfect before He blesses us, because that would be impossible. Instead of waiting at the top of the hill of life, Christ is walking right beside us. We are not alone. The atonement isn't just about making it to the end, it's a process of human development.

In 2 Nephi 25:23, Nephi says "that it is by grace we are saved, after all we can do." Again, it seems that we cannot be saved until after we have done everything that we can. But the word after is referring to a form of separation rather than a form of time. God's grace is sufficient for us despite all we can do. We receive grace before, during, and after we do all that we can.
It is quite exhausting to think of all that we need to do to qualify for God's grace. We go, go, go because we love God and we know that nothing we can do is sufficient to pay Him back for the atonement. That's where we're wrong. God accepts any sacrifice we can give, even when we both know it's not our all. We love God, but He loves us too. We need to accept His sacrifice, not try to impress Him with all the sacrifices we're trying to make. When we find ourselves only halfway there, rather than getting discouraged we just need to turn to God. Every step of ours is noticed and appreciated by God. (See Brad Wilcox, The Continuous Atonement.)

It looks like it isn't God's grace that is insufficient, it is our own actions. God's grace is always there. But it is not sufficient for us until we become "perfect in Christ," which means we are always striving to follow His example. It is up to us to be worthy enough to receive of God's grace. A great example from the scriptures that illustrates this point is found in Mosiah 18 where Alma organizes the Church of Christ and ordains priests. Verse 26 says, "And the priests were not to depend on the people for their support; but for their labor they were to receive the grace of God, that they might wax strong in the Spirit, having the knowledge of God, that they might teach with power and authority from God." We are not to depend on other people but our own labor in order to receive the grace of God. That is how we will gain spiritual knowledge and grace.

Verse 33 says the Father is under covenant to remit our sins when we become perfect in Christ. It is part of a spiritual and everlasting covenant for God to forgive us of our sins when we truly repent and come unto Christ. That means we have the power to become perfect through Christ! D&C 82:10 reads, "I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise." He is bound by covenant to bless us when we follow His commandments. I don't think we realize how powerful our agency actually is. When we choose the right, we are guaranteed to receive of God's blessings. How cool!!

Something else interesting I found comes from Alma 32. In this chapter, Alma compares God's word to a seed that cannot grow unless it is planted and nourished. Verses 38-39 read, "If ye neglect the tree, and take no thought for its nourishment, behold it will not get any root; and when the heat of the sun cometh and scorcheth it, because it hath no root it withers away, and ye pluck it up and cast it out. Now, this is not because the seed was not good, neither is it because the fruit thereof would not be desirable; but it is because your ground is barren, and ye will not nourish the tree, therefore ye cannot have the fruit thereof." So we have a choice whether or not we will nourish the seed. God's word is always good, but it is up to us to plant it in our hearts and nourish it. God's grace is always present, but we must do our part in order for it to take effect in our lives.

3 Nephi 12:1 - What is the difference between baptism by water and baptism by the Holy Ghost?

In this verse, Christ says that the twelve disciples will baptize with water, and He himself will baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost. Why does He specify that the disciples will baptize the people by water and that Christ will baptize the people by the Holy Ghost?

The physical baptism by water could be performed by any person with the right authority. Perhaps this is why Christ specifies that "they" will baptize the people with water. Baptism by fire and the Holy Ghost is more of a spiritual and symbolic cleansing, so perhaps this is why Christ says that He himself "will baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost." He literally cleanses our spirit by sending the Holy Ghost to abide with us.

Christ calls apostles to help Him spread His church on the earth by teaching and baptizing. They need authority given to them from God in order to baptize people into His church. People cannot be baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints without the correct authority, and that authority comes from Jesus Christ. So in order to be baptized, there is a physical baptism by water, and a spiritual baptism of the Holy Ghost through Jesus Christ.

Alma 13:2 - What is "the Order of His Son"?

Alma 13:2 states, "And those priests were ordained after the order of his Son, in a manner that thereby the people might know in what manner to look forward to his Son for redemption." A footnote in this verse takes us to D&C 107:3-4, and these verses explain that "before [Melchizedek's] day [the Melchizedek Priesthood] was called the Holy Priesthood, after the Order of the Son of God. But out of respect or reverence to the name of the Supreme Being, to avoid the too frequent repetition of his name, they, the church, in ancient days, called that priesthood after Melchizedek, or the Melchizedek Priesthood."

So the Order of the Son of God refers to the Melchizedek Priesthood, and this order allows people to look forward to Christ redeeming their sins. This order involves "being called and prepared from the foundation of the world according to the foreknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and good works; [being] called with a holy calling . . . which was prepared with, and according to, a preparatory redemption for such" (Alma 13:3). The order has existed from the foundation of the world, or in other words, it is "without beginning of days or end of years" (Alma 13:7). The holy calling and blessings of the Melchizedek Priesthood are established by God's foreknowledge of all things and are given to those who exert faith and good works.

The Melchizedek Priesthood is given "through the atonement of the Only Begotten Son, who was prepared" (Alma 13:5). Those ordained unto this high priesthood are obligated to "teach his commandments . . . that they also might enter into his rest" (Alma 13:6). The holy order of the Son is given to those who choose righteousness, and their garments are "sanctified [and] washed white through the blood of the Lamb" (Alma 13:11). In order to receive the blessings of the Holy Order, we must "humble [ourselves] before God, and bring forth fruit meet for repentance, that [we] may also enter into that rest" (Alma 13:13).

Why was this holy order named after the priest Melchizedek?

According to Alma 13:15-19, Melchizedek was the priest to whom Abraham paid tithing (which is one ordinance given by the Order of the Son of God). Melchizedek was king of Salem, and he established peace among the people who had previously been unrighteous. He was called the "prince of peace" and "none were greater" than he was (Alma 13:18-19).

Jesus Christ has also been referred to as the "Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6, 2 Nephi 19:6), so perhaps because both Melchizedek and Christ are given the same label, the Holy Order of the Son of God is named after Melchizedek.

D&C 59:9-12 - What does it mean to be "unspotted from the world" and how do we become unspotted?

All of us live in the world which is full of confusion, contention, and misinterpretation. The gospel is the one thing that contains the fullness of the truth on this earth. The best way to become unspotted from the world is to dedicate ourselves to the gospel and its teachings. God provides us with the Holy Ghost to guide us in the direction He would have us go. Amidst all of the chaos of this world, we can keep ourselves unspotted from the world by holding fast to God's teachings and living our lives like He asks us to.

In D&C 59:9-12, the Lord says that the best way to keep ourselves unspotted from the world is by participating in the sacrament every Sunday. The Sabbath day is appointed unto us to "rest from [our] labors, and to pay [our] devotions unto the Most High" (D&C 59:10). We should apply our weekly sacramental covenants to every other day of our lives. Each time we partake of the sacrament, we should repent of our sins and seek to improve our lives.

In John 17:15, Christ tells his disciples, “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.” Christ doesn't ask us to stay away from the world, but to stay away from the evils of the world. The point of our coming here to earth is to "mingle with the sons of men, to gain an experience that will bring them back to God; but not to partake of the sins of the world" (Ensign, David O. McKay "Unspotted from the World," August 2009). Christ has overcome the world, and we should follow His example--not by taking ourselves out of the world, but keeping ourselves from evil (see John 16:33).

David O. McKay analyzed these verses and said that we should not "conform to the fashions of the world." We should avoid temptations, which come in multiple forms: "temptation of the appetite; a yielding to the pride and fashion and vanity of those alienated from the things of God; or a gratifying of the passion, or a desire for the riches of the world, or power among men." Temptations may come in the same quiet way that spiritual promptings come. Our decision to respond to those temptations will weaken us, whereas if we choose to actively follow spiritually promptings we will be strengthened immensely. We can train ourselves to respond quickly to those spiritual promptings, avoiding the temptations of the world. Because we choose to act in accordance to God's will, we will be called "a peculiar people"--God's people. We can know that we are living exactly as God wants us to live, and as a result we will be extremely blessed and be an incredible example to others! (Ensign, David O. McKay "Unspotted from the World," August 2009)

Mosiah 15:11-12 - Who is Christ's seed?

11 Behold I say unto you, that whosoever has heard the words of the prophets, yea, all the holy prophets who have prophesied concerning the coming of the Lord—I say unto you, that all those who have hearkened unto their words, and believed that the Lord would redeem his people, and have looked forward to that day for a remission of their sins, I say unto you, that these are his seed, or they are the heirs of the kingdom of God.

12 For these are they whose sins he has borne; these are they for whom he has died, to redeem them from their transgressions. And now, are they not his seed?

Those who accept God's word and are baptized into his church become heirs to the kingdom of God. Every person baptized into the church becomes a part of Abraham's posterity and enjoys the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant.

We cannot become like Christ and receive the spiritual blessings of being God's seed if we are not willing to do our part. Bruce C. Hafen of the first Quorum of the Seventy said, "The Savior’s grace blesses [us] if we do our part. . . . We need grace both to overcome sinful weeds and to grow divine flowers. We can do neither one fully by ourselves. But grace is not cheap. . . .If we desire 'all that [the] Father hath' (D&C 84:38),  God asks all that we have. To qualify for such exquisite treasure, in whatever way is ours, we must give the way Christ gave—every drop He had: 'How exquisite you know not, yea, how hard to bear you know not' (D&C 19:15). Paul said, 'If so be that we suffer with him,' we are 'joint-heirs with Christ' (Romans 8:17). All of His heart, all of our hearts" (Ensign, "The Atonement, All for All," May 2004).

So we must do everything in our power to live righteously if we want to receive of God's grace. However, this does not mean God will not bless us along the way. The reason Christ suffered the atonement was so that He could understand all of our trials, pains, sufferings, etc. He suffered so that He could help us along the way. He isn't going to watch us struggle on our own until we're about to give up--He is right by our side the whole way.

We will receive the greatest blessings of the Abrahamic covenant if we keep our end of our covenants with God. We must keep our promises to follow His commandments and stand as a witness of God at all times and in all things and in all places, and in return God will bless us with His Spirit to guide us. We will be more in tune with the Spirit and more able to recognize God's hand in our lives.

Mosiah 4 - What can we learn and apply to our lives from King Benjamin in this chapter?

The first words that come out of King Benjamin's mouth in this chapter are, "My friends and my brethren, my kindred and my people" (Mosiah 4:4). We can already see the relationship King Benjamin has with his people. These words show that he truly cares and has a deep friendship with his audience. Throughout the chapter, we also see that he has an incredible testimony of God.

Some things that King Benjamin instructs in this chapter which we can apply to our own lives include the following actions:
- Trust in the Lord
- Be diligent in keeping God's commandments
- Believe in God - that he created all things, that he has all wisdom and power, that we can't comprehend all that he can comprehend.
- Repent and forsake your sins.
- Humble yourself.
- Ask God for forgiveness.
- Remember God's greatness and your own nothingness.
- Call on the name of the Lord daily.
- Stand steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come (Christ's reign on earth).

As a result of these actions, we will:
- Receive salvation.
- Always rejoice and be filled with the love of God.
- Always retain a remission of our sins.
- Grow in the knowledge of God.
- Live peaceably.
- Raise our children righteously.
- Help those that need help.

It is neat to see that if we do what King Benjamin tells us to do, we will naturally live righteously and seek opportunities to help others in the gospel. As observed by Elder Neal A. Maxwell, the virtues that King Benjamin encourages us to develop are "meekness, humility, patience, love, and spiritual submissiveness." Elder Maxwell states that we will never be able to repay God for all that He has blessed us with, but King Benjamin tells us that we must consecrate our lives to God so that we can become more and more like the Savior. Elder Maxwell says, "This objective—knowing and becoming like the Master—is at the heart of King Benjamin’s valedictory address"  (Ensign, "King Benjamin's Manual of Discipleship," January 1992).

3 Nephi 18:13 - What does God mean when He says that we should not do "more or less" than what He asks us to do?

How do we make sure that we are following God's commandments perfectly without doing "more or less"?

D&C 93:24 states: "And truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come; And whatsoever is more or less than this is the spirit of that wicked one who was a liar from the beginning."

Elder Stephen E. Robinson stated: "In the context of the gospel, truth is what God has actually said, what he actually directs, what he actually requires—no more and no less. On a strait and narrow path (see D&C 132:22), it doesn’t matter whether we fall off to the right or to the left, we are in trouble either way. It doesn’t matter whether we are 'liberals' or 'conservatives,' whether we believe 'too little' or 'too much'—that is, if Satan can’t get us to abandon the principles of the gospel, he is content that we should live them obsessively or as fanatics. One is less than the will of the Lord; the other adds human requirements to his will. Either puts us in the territory of the wicked one. There are those today who are embarrassed that God and his servants have said so much on some things and who go about trying to discredit the Brethren and neutralize the revelations and commandments. We have others who are embarrassed that God and his servants have not said more on other things and who go about preaching principles and programs the Lord has not revealed. One takes words out of God’s mouth; the other puts them in. Each preaches a 'new, improved' gospel inspired by that wicked one who was a liar from the beginning, the very first alternate voice. It requires discipline to embrace as gospel and to teach as gospel exactly what the Lord has revealed, no more and no less, and to avoid revising the gospel to suit ourselves. But those who can do it will know things as they really are (see Jacob 4:13) and will avoid deception" (Ensign, "Enduring to the End," October 1993).

The gospel is simple. We can know exactly what the Lord wants us to do because of the commandments he has given us. Elder Henry B. Eyring said, "You will notice that the work is simple obedience. It is not complicated things; it is not fancy things or getting great spiritual manifestations" (Ensign, "A Life Founded in Life and Truth," July 2001).

The Spirit is what guides us to know what is right and wrong. President Joseph Fielding Smith said, "Every man has a conscience and knows more or less when he does wrong, and the Spirit guides him if he will hearken to its whisperings" (Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. [1954–56], 1:51.) We can all know the Lord's will by listening to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and obeying with exactness.

2 Nephi 29:1-2 - What does this verse mean when looking at the phrase ". . . when I shall proceed to do a marvelous work . . ."?

There is an editing technique called "parsing" that allows the reader to analyze specific clauses of a text and how those clauses modify each other. Each clause touching the left side of the margin is viewed as an independent clause, independent of previous clauses. Clauses that don't touch the left side of the margin modify the clause above them.
I was interested in analyzing 2 Nephi 29:1-2 to see how punctuation affects the meaning of the verses.


     But behold, 
there shall be many—
at that day 


Why is there an em dash after many?
In the above parsing interpretation, at that day does not modify many; rather it begins a whole new idea independent of there shall be many because of the em dash. But I would interpret the verse as shown below (where at that day and the clauses that follow refer back to many. This way, the questions of "who" many refers to and "when" there shall be many are answered):



     But behold,
there shall be many—
                         at that day
                                     when I shall proceed to do a marvelous work 
                                                                                         among them, 
                                                   that I may remember my covenants 
                                                                                     which I have made unto the children of men, 
                                                   that I may set my hand again 
                                                                                       the second time 
                                                                           to recover my people, 
                                                                                                    which are of the house of Israel;


Here, the em dash places greater emphasis on the content of the verse after there shall be many. In Royal Skousen's book, The Book of Mormon: The Earliest Text, Skousen states that John Gilbert, who added punctuation to the 1830 edition of the Book of Mormon, added more punctuation than is probably necessary for modern writing (xlii). Skousen's interpretation of 2 Nephi 29:1 takes out the em dash after there shall be many to clarify the meaning of the verse. Perhaps Gilbert, when he put in the punctuation, thought that it was important to emphasize the fact that many people will be present at that day when Christ performs a marvelous work. This verse shows that there is hope for many of us.

Verse two is a continuation of verse one, where that I may remember the promises modifies the phrase, I shall proceed to do a marvelous work.

 2And also,
                                                   that I may remember the promises
                                                                                          which I have made unto thee, Nephi,
                                                                                                             and also unto thy father,
                                                                                          that I would remember your seed;
                                            and that the words of your seed should proceed forth
                                                                                                                                 out of my mouth 
                                                                                                                                 unto your seed;
and my words shall hiss forth
                                     unto the ends of the earth,
                                     for a standard unto my people,
                                                                                which are of the house of Israel;

It is a neat discovery to see that there are several reasons that Christ will proceed to do a marvelous work and a wonder. He will do a marvelous work 1) that He may remember His covenants which He has made unto the children of men, 2) that He may set His hand again the second time to recover His people, which are of the house of Israel, 3) that He may remember the promises which He has made that He would remember the seed of Nephi, and 4) that the words of Nephi's seed should proceed forth out of God's mouth unto Nephi's seed.

Because of these results, God's words shall "hiss forth unto the ends of the earth, for a standard unto my people, which are of the house of Israel."

2 Nephi 9:51 - What does "hearken" mean?

The Lord says to "Hearken diligently unto me, and remember the words which I have spoken." What does hearken mean?

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines hearken as "listen" or "give respectful attention." The archaic definition is "give heed to" or "hear."

We are to listen / give respectful attention / give heed to / hear the words of the Lord with diligence. This means that we must apply the words of the Lord into our lives with perseverance. We must constantly be listening to Him, and this requires consistent, individual effort. We need to be looking for His words and acting upon those words so that we can remember them. It is easier to remember something with which we have a personal connection.

Moroni 10:3 - What are some examples of times when God has shown mercy?

The Lord says to "remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts." It seems that "it" refers to God's mercy, and He commands us to ponder "it" in our hearts. What are some examples of times when God shows mercy?

Deuteronomy 5:10 - God is merciful to those who keep His commandments.

Deuteronomy 7:9 - The Lord loves us, and when we make covenants with Him he keeps His end of the covenant and shows mercy to those that love Him and keep His commandments. 

Isaiah 16:5 - In the Millennium when Christ comes to rule on earth, His throne will be established "in mercy." He will remove the captivity of the people.

Isaiah 54:7 - In the latter days (our day), God's "great mercies" allow for the gathering of Israel.

John 8:11 - Jesus was merciful unto the adulterous woman; He forgave her completely of her sin.

Titus 3:5 - Through God's mercy, we are able to be saved through baptism by water and by "fire." Our sins are washed away and we are given the gift of the Holy Ghost to guide us.

1 Peter 1:3 - God's "abundant mercy" gives us a "lively hope" for resurrection from the dead and for salvation.

1 Peter 2:9-10 - The early saints of the church obtained God's mercy because they praised God and sought His light and direction. They became people of God, "a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people."

1 Nephi 13:33 - God will be merciful unto the Gentiles in the great and last judgment day.

2 Nephi 1:2-3 - God was merciful unto Lehi and his family because he warned them that Jerusalem would be destroyed.

Alma 9:10-11 - God delivered His people out of the hands of their enemies many times, and He preserved them from being destroyed. "If it had not been for his matchless power, and his mercy, and his long-suffering towards us, we should unavoidably have been cut off from the face of the earth long before this period of time, and perhaps been consigned to a state of endless misery and woe."

Alma 15:10-11 - God showed mercy unto Zeezrom by healing him from his burning fever (Zeezrom had previously sought to accuse Alma and Amulek in order to get gain and to destroy that which was good). Because of God's mercy and Zeezrom's faith, Zeezrom was healed and baptized into the church, and he began to preach the truth unto the people.

Ether 11:8 - The Lord was merciful unto the Jaredites according to their repentance.

Moroni 8:19 - Little children cannot repent, so God shows pure mercy unto them. "They are alive in him because of his mercy."

Doctrine & Covenants 1:29 - Joseph Smith was able to translate the Book of Mormon through the mercy and power of God.

D&C 101:9 - In the "day of wrath", or the Millennium when Christ comes to rule and reign on the earth, He will show mercy towards the saints, despite their transgressions. God will have compassion towards the saints; He will gather them and comfort them.

D&C 128:19 - "Now, what do we hear in the gospel which we have received? A voice of gladness! A voice of mercy from heaven. . . . How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that bring glad tidings of good things, and that say unto Zion: Behold, thy God reigneth!"

Alma 34:27 - How does God expect us to pray?

I have noticed a pattern of prayer in the scriptures. In Alma 34:27, God tells us to pray for our own welfare, and then to pray for the welfare of those around us. This pattern also appears in Enos 1:4-9, where Enos cries unto the Lord "in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul . . . all the day long" and then, once his sins have been forgiven, he pours out his "whole soul unto God" for the welfare of his brethren. It appears that God wants us to take care of ourselves first so that we can better serve those around us.

Alma 34:18 - What is the meaning of the phrase "mighty to save"?

In Alma 34:18, we can see some of Christ's "mightiness" in His miracles: healing the sick, raising the dead, and forgiving repentant sinners. He has the power to save us all, but that grace depends on our willingness to turn to Him. Christ is our Savior and Redeemer, and without Him we would be unable to repent of our sins so that we could be worthy to live with Him again.

Alma 34:17 - What will God grant to us when we exercise faith?

Vs 17 - "Therefore may God grant unto you . . . that ye may begin to exercise your faith unto repentance . . ." What is it that God is going to grant to us? The previous verses talk about the power of mercy over justice, so perhaps verse 17 refer to God's mercy. Perhaps another way to phrase this scripture would be, "Therefore may God grant unto you [His mercy] . . . that ye may begin to exercise your faith unto repentance . . ." Without God's mercy, we would be unable to repent, because justice would take over. But because God is willing to grant unto us mercy, we "may begin to exercise [our] faith unto repentance."

Another interpretation may be that God is granting us the ability to "exercise [our] faith unto repentance" and (continuing on in the scripture) to "call upon his holy name." Using this interpretation, we see that we are incapable of exercising ultimate faith in Him without His help. He must grant unto us the ability to exercise faith in Him and to call upon His name. We were born on this earth with complete agency to act for ourselves, so God allows us the ability to choose to exercise faith in Him, to repent, and to call upon His holy name. He does not force us to choose to follow Him, but He allows us that ability.

How do I "deny myself of all ungodliness?" (2 Nephi 31:20)

In order to live my life to the fullest and gain eternal life, I must live like Jesus Christ lived. I can't live like Him if I don't know Him, so I have to study His life in the scriptures and understand His character as best I can!

Ways to "deny myself of all ungodliness" include:

1. Focusing on others and looking outside myself.

2. Making the most out of life by doing productive things. Each person has potential to become a god or goddess, so we need to practice living lives that will prepare us for heaven.

3. Trusting in God and asking Him for help. Once we understand that God knows everything and that we can place all our trust in Him, there is no reason to follow the ways of the world. It is so easy to get caught up in current fads and ways of thinking, but all that really matters is that we're doing God's will. We should turn to Him for all of our questions and concerns, and He will guide us.

Why Is Jesus Christ's Atonement Necessary?

Christ's atonement was enough that it "satisfied the demands of justice" (Mosiah 15:9). Without the atonement, there would be no mercy--we would have to suffer completely for our own sins. That is a huge deal. Every whit of God's law points to Christ's "great and last sacrifice" (Alma 34:14). The atonement overpowers justice.

However, that doesn't mean that justice doesn't exist. If we don't exercise faith and repent, the demands of justice will take over (Alma 42:22).

The great part is, we always can repent and return to God! All because of Christ's atonement! No matter what we do, no matter how far we stray from God, we can always come back.

What are the benefits of having the GIFT of the Holy Ghost

In Elder David A. Bednar's General Conference talk, "Receive the Holy Ghost" (Ensign, November 2010, 94-97), Elder Bednar said, "The Holy Ghost does not become operative in our lives merely because hands are placed upon our heads and those four important words ['receive the Holy Ghost'] are spoken. As we receive this ordinance, each of us accepts a sacred and ongoing responsibility to desire, to seek, to work, and to live that we indeed 'receive the Holy Ghost' and its attendant spiritual gifts. 'For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift?' (D&C 88:33)" We must keep the Spirit of the Lord with us so that we can be led in the right direction. Because "everything the Savior's gospel teaches us to do and become is intended to bless us with the companionship of the Holy Ghost."

- The Holy Ghost witnesses of the Father and the Son, giving those who have the gift a stronger testimony of the gospel (2 Nephi 31:18).


- The gift of the Holy Ghost is given only to those who follow Christ and keep the covenants they made at baptism. It is only given to those who follow "the way" of Christ (2 Nephi 31:21).


- The Holy Ghost is one with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, so those with the gift of the Holy Ghost can know what God's will is for them personally (2 Nephi 31:21).


- The Holy Ghost is given to those whom Christ chooses; He chooses those who believe in Him (3 Nephi 19:20).


- The gift of the Holy Ghost sanctifies and cleanses the soul (3 Nephi 27:20).


- When baptized into the Church, a person is baptized by immersion in water, and then baptized by fire through the Holy Ghost (D&C 19:31; D&C 33:15).


- The gift of the Holy Ghost provides other spiritual gifts, such as the gift of tongues, the gift of prophecy, the gift to heal, the gift of faith, etc.


- The Holy Ghost knows all things, so with the gift of the Holy Ghost I can be guided in all things if I just ask (2 Nephi 32:1-5).


Elder Orson Pratt said, "Water Baptism is only a preparatory cleansing of the believing penitent . . . ; whereas, the Baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost cleanses more thoroughly, by renewing the inner man, and by purifying the affections, desires, and thoughts which have long been habituated in the impure ways of sin. Without the aid of the Holy Ghost, a person . . . would have but very little power to change his mind . . . and to walk in newness of life. Though his sins may have been cleansed away, yet so great is the force of habit, that he would, without being renewed by the Holy Ghost, be easily overcome, and contaminated again by sin. Hence, it is infinitely important that the affections and desires should be, in a measure, changed and renewed, so as to cause him to hate that which he before loved, and to love that which he before hated: to thus renew the mind of man is the work of the Holy Ghost" (Orson Pratt, “The Holy Spirit,” in A Series of Pamphlets [1852], Orson Pratt: Writings of an Apostle [Salt Lake City: Mormon Heritage Publishers, 1976], 57.)

In this busy world, I, and so many others, tend to worry about things. It is so easy to get caught up in the demands of life and worry about tomorrow. We too easily lose a positive perspective on life.
The Lord provides the Holy Ghost as a "comforter," so if I have the gift of the Holy Ghost, why worry? The Holy Ghost "filleth with hope and perfect love" (Moroni 8:25-26). Interacting with people, accomplishing goals, and living life are exciting things, and there is no reason to fear. The Lord will always provide comfort.

Inspiration :)

This morning while reading my scriptures I was inspired. I started asking myself a lot of questions about the wording of the scriptures, the meaning of specific words, etc. Then I thought, I wish there was some way that I could keep track of all these questions in one place. I wonder if I could find a job opportunity or somewhere I could analyze scriptures for a living? Then I thought, why don't I start out with a blog? Perfect! Every time I have a question about a scripture, I'll analyze it, research it, and post it on my blog!

I'm an Editing minor and the classes within the minor have really changed the way I think about and analyze texts. I would love to be a scriptorian in the LDS church. I think a blog is the perfect start. I'll expand to this blog weekly, if not daily, as I really sit down and analyze the scriptures.

My ultimate goal is to come closer to Christ. The only way we can come back to Him is by following His example in faith, and what better way to get to know His example by studying His life in the scriptures? I'm very excited to get started with this blog, and I hope that readers find it useful and interesting. The scriptures rock!!