How can I use technology appropriately?

During the last several general conferences of the LDS Church, leaders have warned about the dangers of innapropriate use of technology. In our culture today, we can access literally any topic at the click of a button or the touch of a screen. Of course, this has incredible advantanges and allows for improved communication, warnings, and connection with others. The world is literally at our fingertips. I don't believe technology is inherently bad, but there is a fine line between appropriate use and use that can become addictive, destroy relationships, or simply interact with others meaningfully.

President Kimball in an address delivered at a Regional Representatives Seminar on April 3, 1975, said, "I believe that the telephone and telegraph and other such conveniences were permitted by the Lord to be developed for the express purpose of building the kingdom. Others may use them for business, professional or other purposes, but basically they are to build the kingdom."

Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles warned, "All of the virtues and appropriate use of these technologies notwithstanding, there are risks associated with them that, when drawn too close, can put us in a spiritual eclipse and potentially block the brightness and warmth of the gospel."

Overuse of technology can affect the simplest day-to-day interactions. Sister Bonnie L. Oscarson, Young Women General President of the LDS Church, said, "We live in a culture where more and more we are focused on the small, little screen in our hands than we are on the people around us. We have substituted texting and tweeting for actually looking someone in the eye and smiling or, even rarer, having a face-to-face conversation. We are often more concerned with how many followers and likes we have than with putting an arm around a friend and showing love, concern, and tangible interest. As amazing as modern technology can be for spreading the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ and helping us stay connected to family and friends, if we are not vigilant in how we use our personal devices, we too can begin to turn inward and forget that the essence of living the gospel is service."

It's difficult to see when it's happening, but inappopriate use of technology can ultimately destroy relationships and marriages. Elder Stevenson continued to say, "The use of social media, mobile apps, and games can be inordinately time-consuming and can reduce face-to-face interaction. This loss of personal conversation can affect marriages, take the place of valuable spiritual practices, and stifle the development of social skills, especially among youth."

Another risk of technology is using social media to idealize reality and compare your life to someone else's. Elder Stevonson said, "Many (if not most) of the pictures posted on social media tend to portray life at its very best—often unrealistically. We have all seen beautiful images of home decor, wonderful vacation spots, smiling selfies, elaborate food preparation, and seemingly unattainable body images. . . . Comparing our own seemingly average existence with others’ well-edited, perfectly crafted lives as represented on social media may leave us with feelings of discouragement, envy, and even failure."

In the April 2014 general conference, Brother Randall L. Ridd, second counselor in the Young Men general presidency, said, “Every day the world seeks to influence your desires, enticing you to buy something, click on something, play something, read or watch something.”

Our desires determine our agency. And our agency determines who we become. Brother Ridd said, “Ultimately, the choice is yours. You have agency. Each choice takes you closer to or further from what you are meant to become; each click has meaning. Always ask yourself, ‘Where will this choice lead?’ Develop the ability to see beyond the moment.”

Brother Ridd talks about four principles that can help guide our decision-making regarding use of technology, as well as other everyday decisions:
1. Know who you really are (a child of God)
2. Plug in to the source of power (spiritually)
3. Owning a smartphone does not make you smart, but using it wisely can
4. Remember that the Lord provides technology to accomplish His purposes

If we focus on the principles of the gospel, we can learn to use technology appropriately. A couple years ago, I started to fill my Facebook feed with quotes from LDS groups and pages, and I now only follow friends who post uplifting things. I never get caught up in political arguments or excessive posts from friends. My purpose of having a Facebook account is to stay in touch with specific friends, be aware of upcoming events, and post uplifting thoughts.

Elder Stevenson went on to say, "As Sister Bonnie L. Oscarson reminded us this morning, success in life doesn’t come down to how many likes we get or how many social media friends or followers we have. It does, however, have something to do with meaningfully connecting with others and adding light to their lives."

The wonderful thing about the gospel of Jesus Christ is that if we are doing our best to follow Jesus Christ we can keep the Spirit with us, and He can warn us when we start to misuse the incredible technology we have today. ("The Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil.” (Moroni 7:16)) When we remember that one of the main purposes of the gospel is to uplift and serve others, we can use that principle to guide us in our use of technology. A text might be a perfect way to remind someone that we love them or to send an invitation, but we should not limit our service to just that. Technology should enhance the way we serve, not replace face-to-face interactions and actually physically walking out our door to serve someone.

Elder David A. Bednar, in a devotional given to BYU students, said, "Please be careful of becoming so immersed and engrossed in pixels, texting, earbuds, twittering, online social networking, and potentially addictive uses of media and the Internet that you fail to recognize the importance of your physical body and miss the richness of person-to-person communication. Beware of digital displays and data in many forms of computer-mediated interaction that can displace the full range of physical capacity and experience."

He continues, "Initially the investment of time may seem relatively harmless, rationalized as a few minutes of needed relief from the demands of a hectic daily schedule. But important opportunities are missed for developing and improving interpersonal skills, for laughing and crying together, and for creating a rich and enduring bond of emotional intimacy. Progressively, seemingly innocent entertainment can become a form of pernicious enslavement."

I love the saying "Be where you are when you are there." I think too often we find ourselves thinking about those we need to text when really we should be thinking about those we need to be physically present with. Phone use can wait, if it becomes a replacement for respectful social interaction.

Below are some ideas I have seen work effectively for me, my family, or friends to help monitor use of technology:
- Have a phone basket during dinner for everbody to put their phones in, so we are all present around the dinner table
- "Be where you are when you are there"
- Every time I use my phone ask myself "Is what I'm doing right now helping to grow the kingdom of God?
- Don't let technology "act upon" me. Be proactive in the way I use it--always have a plan and don't get lost in it by scrolling until I forget what I was doing in the first place
- Always invite the spirit before I use technology
- Think of other activities to do right before bed instead of scrolling through Facebook
     - Read a book
     - Plug the phone in in a different room, write in a gratitude journal, do relaxing activities to put yourself to bed
     - Yoga
     - Find islands on Google Maps, then learn about their culture, language, people, and whatever else you find interesting (or countries)
     - Write thank you cards


This last quote wraps up this post well:

"With so many appropriate and inspired uses of technology, let us use it to teach, inspire, and lift ourselves and to encourage others to become their finest—rather than to portray our idealized virtual selves. Let us also teach and demonstrate the righteous use of technology to the rising generation and warn against the associated hazards and destructive use of it. Viewing social media through the lens of the gospel can prevent it from becoming a spiritual eclipse in our lives."

Alma 38:10 - How can I be DILIGENT and TEMPERATE in all things?

In this chapter, the prophet Alma is giving advice to his son Shiblon and says "I would that ye would be diligent and temperate in all things." As I read this I wondered, why are "diligent" and "temperate" paired together here? They seem like completely unrelated words!

I looked up the definitions of each word to understand what they mean individually, before I learned why they're paired together several times in scripture.


In the LDS Topical Guide, "temperance" is synonymous with self-mastery. The Virtue First Foundation describes temperance as "moderation or self-restraint in action, statement, etc.;" "habitual moderation in the indulgence of a natural appetite or passion." To be temperate means to use moderation in all things or to exercise self-control.

It goes on to say that "temperance is the virtue that moderates our attraction of pleasures and provides balance in the use of things of this world. It ensures the will’s mastery over instincts and keeps desires within the limits of what is virtuous."

Temperance is "considered one of the four cardinal virtues, for it is believed that no virtue could be sustained in the face of inability to control oneself, if the virtue was opposed to some desire. Temperance is generally defined by control over excess, so that it has many such classes, such as abstinence, chastity, modesty, humility, prudence, self-regulation, forgiveness and mercy; each of these involves restraining some impulse, such as sexual desire, vanity, or anger."

In the Christian world, temperance is described as one of the "fruits of the Spirit." The Apostle Paul described these fruits of the Spirit as "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, [and] temperance." (Galatians 5:22-23) This means that when we live worthy of the Spirit, we are blessed with a greater sense of temperance, along will all these other virtues. We are able to overcome the natural man and control our desires.

One of the most commonly understood and referenced forms of temperance is self-control of physical desires for food and drink and sexual pleasures. Benjamin Franklin said that temperance "tends to procure that coolness and clearness of head, which is so necessary where constant vigilance was to be kept up, and guard maintained against the unremitting attraction of ancient habits, and the force of perpetual temptations. In other words, first attaining self-discipline in the area of food and drink would make adherence to all of the other virtues easier.

"Why is this? Hunger and thirst are some of the most primal of urges, and thus are some of the hardest to control. Therefore, when seeking to gain self-discipline, one must start with the most basic appetites and work up from there. A man must first harness his inward urges, before tackling the more external virtues. A clear mind and a healthy body are prerequisites to the pursuit of the virtuous life."


The Google definition of diligence is "careful and persistent work or effort." Diligence is synonomous with conscientiousness, hard work, rigor, perseverance, persistence, tenacity, dedication, commitment, and tirelessness. 

In Preach My Gospel, the study manual for missionaries, there is a section dedicated to the Christlike quality of "Diligence." This section is directed to missionaries but can apply to anyone.

The section states: "Diligence is steady, consistent, earnest, and energetic effort in doing the Lord's work. The Lord expects you to work diligently--persistently and with great effort and care. A diligent [person] works effectively and efficiently. Diligence . . . is an expression of your love for the Lord and His work. When you are diligent, you find joy and satisfaction in your work.

"Do many good things of your own free will (see D&C 58:27). Don't wait for your leaders to tell you what to do. Continue until you have done all you can, even when you are tired. Focus on the most important things and avoid wasting time. Pray for guidance and strength: plan regularly and effectively. Avoid anything that distracts your thoughts or actions."

As I read the section the words that stick out to be are these: focus, hard work, be smart, steady, consistent, earnest, energetic, persistent, effective & efficient, love, service, prayer, plan. All of these words apply to a diligent person.

In the book of Alma, during a time of war between the Nephites and the Lamanites, the Nephites prospered because of their diligence:

"Yea, and there was continual peace among them, and exceedingly great prosperity in the church because of their heed and diligence which they gave unto the word of God . . ."

They also never stopped working to prepare for future battles. Their leader Moroni "did not stop making preparations for war, or to defend his people against the Lamanites; for he caused that his armies should . . . commence in digging up heaps of earth round about all the cities, throughout all the land which was possessed by the Nephites" (Alma 49:30-50:1). They built timbers around the cities to put tall picket frames upon as strongholds, and they built secure towers where people could safely overlook the city and also throw stones at any enemy who approached the wall. "Thus Moroni did prepare strongholds against the coming of their enemies, round about every city in all the land" (verse 6). He also was proactive in leading his armies into the wilderness to drive the Lamanites into their own lands, away from the Nephites' own city. He strengthened every city to "secure their armies and their people from the hands of their enemies" (verse 10). "Thus Moroni, with his armies, which did increase daily because of the assurance of protection which his works did bring forth unto them, did seek to cut off the strength and the power of the Lamanites from the lands of their possessions, that they should have no power upon the lands of their possessions" (verse 12).

We, too, can be proactive in our diligent efforts to fortify ourselves, to protect ourselves from our enemy Satan who constantly seeks to destroy us. Because of their hard work, the Nephites were always prepared. They were strong enough to be able to deal with whatever was to come.

Later in this chapter we see how the Nephites were blessed for their diligence: "And they did prosper exceedingly, and they became exceedingly rich; yea, and they did multiply and wax strong in the land. And thus we see how merciful and just are all the dealings of the Lord, to the fulfilling of all his words unto the children of men; yea, we can behold that his words are verified, even at this time, which he spake unto Lehi, saying: Blessed art thou and thy children; and they shall be blessed, inasmuch as they shall keep my commandments they shall prosper in the land. But remember, inasmuch as they will not keep my commandments they shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord" (verses 18-20).

"And those who were faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord were delivered at all times, whilst thousands of their wicked brethren have been consigned to bondage, or to perish by the sword, or to dwindle in unbelief, and mingle with the Lamanites. But behold there never was a happier time among the people of Nephi, since the days of Nephi, than in the days of Moroni, yea, even at this time, in the twenty and first year of the reign of the judges" (verses 22-23)
Joshua 22:5 states, "But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you, to love the Lord your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul."


So we see that to be both temperate and diligent are commandments from God. Why are these two words paired together in scripture? How do they relate?

Another scripture that includes these two virtues, including several others, is 2 Pet. 1:4–7: "Be partakers of the divine nature, … giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity."

Charles Kingsley once stated, "Being forced to work, and forced to do your best, will breed in you temperance and self-control, diligence and strength of will, cheerfulness and content, and a hundred virtues which the idle will never know."

So temperance and diligence work hand in hand. A person must be diligent to maintain self-control--and vice versa, temperance will enable a person to work harder.

In this same chapter of Alma, verse 12 goes on to say "Use boldness, but not overbearance; and also see that ye bridle all your passions, that ye may be filled with love; see that ye refrain from idleness." To "bridle all your passions" is a form of temperance that allows a person to be "filled with love." To "refrain from idleness" is a form of diligence. Reigning in the desires of the natural man, while working hard to avoid laziness, result in a person who is capable of receiving and understanding the Spirit of God. A temperate and diligent person is better able to proactively discern and follow God's will.

The Virtue First Foundation illustrates the story of Hercules at the crossroads, and how he demonstrated temperance and diligence:

Hercules meets two women at a crossroads. These women are the personifications of Virtue (Arete) and Vice (Kakia..the goddess of evil). They both advise Hercules to follow the road they show him. Virtue (Arete), points at a rocky and steep road. This isn’t a nice and easy road, it has on it many trials and tribulations. But at the end there will be a reward of fame and glory. Vice (Kakia) points at a ‘better’, more attractive road, one which is much easier to travel…the path of vice. Hercules can take the easy passable road, that is flat and where he can have a lot of fun, right now. Or the difficult road, with view on a beautiful, but far away future. It is hard to choose. When the women have disappeared, Hercules chooses the hard path of temperance, discipline and self-control……the way Virtue (Arete) showed him. Hercules remains the captain of his soul and the hero. Hercules remains the hero, also in this story.

In a conference talk given by Kent D. Watson, he explained that "being temperate means to carefully examine our expectations and desires, to be diligent and patient in seeking righteous goals."

He related a story of when he was in a car accident and would have been seriously injured had the glass on his windshiled not been tempered: "Tempered glass, like tempered steel, undergoes a well-controlled heating process which increases strength. Thus, when tempered glass is under stress, it will not easily break into jagged shards that can injure.

"Likewise, a temperate soul—one who is humble and full of love—is also a person of increased spiritual strength. With increased spiritual strength, we are able to develop self-mastery and to live with moderation. We learn to control, or temper, our anger, vanity, and pride. With increased spiritual strength, we can protect ourselves from the dangerous excesses and destructive addictions of today’s world.

"When Jesus Christ, the greatest of all, suffered for us to the extent that He bled from every pore, He did not express anger or revile in suffering. With unsurpassed self-restraint, or temperance, His thoughts were not of Himself but of you and of me. And then, in humility and full of love, He said, 'Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.'"


Ultimately, temperance and diligence protect us from the deceitfulness of the devil. "​Be ​​​sober​, be ​​​vigilant​; because your adversary the ​​​devil​, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8). We must be temperate so we can discern between the truth of God and the lies of Satan! If we are "sober and vigilant," we can avoid the destruction of the devil!

Elder Watson gives the clearest reason for applying these two virtues in our lives: "Security for our families comes from learning self-control, avoiding the excesses of this world, and being temperate in all things. Peace of mind comes from strengthened faith in Jesus Christ. Happiness comes from being diligent in keeping covenants made at baptism and in the holy temples of the Lord."

2 Nephi 22 / Isaiah 12 - How can we better praise the Lord?

It is so easy to get caught up in our own lives and forget where we receive our daily strength. How can we remember to rely on the Lord for strength, and to praise Him daily?

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines "praise" as "spoken or written words about the good qualities of someone or something; an expression of approval for someone or something; an expression of thanks to or love and respect for God." Praising involves expression--whether in speaking, writing, or singing. To praise means "to express a favorable judgment of," "to commend," or "to glorify."

God, as a perfect Being full of all goodness, love, and truth, does not need our praise or approval. Rather, our praising Him leads us to emulate Him and reflect His qualities of goodness. Our ultimate goal is to become like Him, and our praising Him only helps us to do so.

A few words and phrases in 2 Nephi 22 / Isaiah 12 give us an idea of actions we can take or attitudes we can hold to praise the Lord: "trust," "not be afraid," "joy," "call upon [God's] name," "declare his doings," "make mention that his name is exalted," "sing unto the Lord," and "cry and shout."

1. Trust
Footnote a in verse 2 takes us to Psalm 36:7, which reinforces the idea of trusting in the Lord. Verses 9-10 state, "For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light. O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart." These verses imply a responsibility on our part to obey God and follow Him. In order to truly praise Him, we must live our lives according to His will. As we follow His light, our lives will be filled with light; as we come to "know" Him, He will pour out blessings upon us. Mosiah 4:6-7 reinforces this crucial idea, that the way to receive salvation is to "come to a knowledge of the goodness of God, and his matchless power, and his wisdom, and his patience, and his long-suffering towards the children of men; and also, the atonement which has been prepared from the foundation of the world, that thereby salvation might come to him that should put his trust in the Lord, and should be diligent in keeping his commandments, and continue in faith even unto the end of his life."

2. Not be afraid
This is consistently a fitting topic in my life. My tendency is to anticipate events before they happen and to try to prepare for every step of the way, without always turning to God first and trusting in Him. I sometimes fear letting go of my own plans and submitting to God's will.

I love the contrast between the ideas of fear and praise. When I think of genuine praise, I think of joy, gratitude, and wonder. There is no fear included in true praise.

Ezra Taft Benson, in some of his teachings, discussed one characteristic that leads us to fear, and that is pride. When we fear men more than God we become prideful, and we are less likely to praise the One who is responsible for all our blessings. The proud who fear the judgments of those around them do not look up to God. When pride overtakes our hearts, "The world shouts louder than the whisperings of the Holy Ghost" and "the reasoning of men overrides the revelations of God,"

"Would we not do well to have the pleasing of God as our motive rather than to try to elevate ourselves above our brother and outdo another?" The fear of God rather than men responds to "[God's] judgments and to the needs of those around us." This is humility and leads to true praise of the Holy One.

3. Joy
2 Nephi 22:3 says, "With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation." Water here refers to the living water, or the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Joy. What a beautiful word. Joy is deeper than happiness, Happiness often depends on external circumstances and events, whereas joy is a much deeper internal feeling that is not dependent on external circumstances. In fact, joy can sometimes coincide with emotions other than happiness such as pain or sadness. Joy is a constant that comes when we are grounded in something bigger than ourselves.

I believe true joy comes when we trust in God. We can feel true joy when we consistently praise Our Father in Heaven. Because He is all-knowing and all-powerful and unconditionally loving, we can feel a constant peace and joy that is never destroyed by our circumstances. In fact, it only becomes stronger because we know in whom we trust. We are at peace with ourselves and with our relationship with God.

My grandfather is someone who is a prime example of living by joy. No matter the situation, he always seems to find deep meaning, and he is constantly in awe of life. It's amazing to me that that awe can come from someone who has already experienced so much of life, and could claim he knows everything. He finds himself learning everyday. He is a humble man with so much love and appreciation for life. I hope to someday show joy and love for the Lord the same way he does.

This is one of my favorite topics, because it is so deep and indescribable. I think of the birth of the Savior Jesus Christ and the joy that has brought to millions of people. I came across this simple poem that I think captures the moment of His birth beautifully:

Mary smiles softly.
Joseph kneels in awe.
Starlight points to glory
Within a lowly stall.

Angels sing His splendor.
Shepherds bow in joy.
Wise Men search together
To find the wondrous Boy.

The depth of our joy is dependent on our relationship with God. In a general conference talk by Elder Richard Maynes, he said, "The joy we experience in this life will be in direct proportion to how well our lives are centered on the teachings, example, and atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ."

Brigham Young asked: "Where is happiness, real happiness? Nowhere but in God. By possessing the spirit of our holy religion, we are happy in the morning, we are happy at noon, [and] we are happy in the evening. . . . Every Latter-day Saint, who has experienced the love of God in his heart, . . . realizes that he is filled with joy . . . happiness, and consolation."

In 2013, Linda K. Burton, the General Relief Society President, gave in a conference talk a specific example of what it means to joyfully keep our covenants, which is one of the most important ways to praise God: "One Sunday a young sister joyfully exclaimed, 'I get to take the sacrament today!' When was the last time we rejoiced in that privilege? And how do we demonstrate it? We do this by always remembering the Savior and always keeping His commandments, which include keeping His Sabbath day holy. We do it by always remembering Him as we always have our personal and family prayers, daily scripture study, and weekly family home evenings. And when we get distracted or casual with these important things, we repent and begin again."

4. Call upon God's name
To me, calling upon God's name is so simple yet something we often forget to do, especially when life is going well. We are quick to call upon God when we are struggling, but what about when we are grateful? When we simply want to praise God?

In 1974 N. Eldon Tanner, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, stated, "All men, whoever they are and wherever they may be, are invited to call upon [God] as their Father which art in heaven. What a glorious thing it is to realize and to know that we can go to our Heavenly Father without appointment, pour out our souls to him in all simplicity and faith, knowing that he is there and can and will hear and answer our prayers. We know that he is a living God who dwells in heaven, that we are his spirit children, and that his Son Jesus Christ has instructed us, regardless of who we are, to call upon God and to acknowledge him as our Father."

When I served as a full-time missionary in Indiana, I remember coming to a realization of how powerful prayer really was. I felt the Spirit more strongly and more often than I ever had before, and I attribute that to how often we prayed throughout the day. We prayed personally in the morning, we prayed before studying, we prayed before leaving the apartment for the day, we prayed before getting out of the car to teach a lesson, we prayed after each lesson, and we often prayed for gratitude after receiving answers to our prayers. The most powerful experiences came when we prayed with sincerity and really searched for answers to our prayers.

We are lucky to be able to speak to our Father in Heaven at any time. We don't need a mediator to take our pleas to God, but we can speak directly to Him as if we were making a telephone call. Joseph F. Smith, one of the former presidents of the LDS Church, taught, "No limit should be or can be set to the offering of prayer and the rendering of praise to the Giver of Good, for we are specially told to pray without ceasing, and no special authority of the Priesthood or standing in the Church is essential to the offering of prayer" (Gospel Doctrine, 5th ed. (1939), 205).

He taught that the home is the best place to offer prayer and praises unto God. If we make it a priority to pray and study the word of God together as families, we will be protected spiritually and brought closer together as a family. What better place to praise God and feel the Spirit than with our own families in our homes?

I like to imagine myself standing before my Father in Heaven having a face to face conversation with Him. My prayers become less rote and I feel like I'm truly talking to someone. I picture Him sitting on His throne listening to my gratitude and my questions patiently and lovingly, and then I like to wait and listen.

5. Declare His doings
I had the opportunity to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ to individuals and families in Indiana for 18 months. I remember one instance about 6 months into my mission where I realized that I needed to be more bold in sharing my testimony of the gospel. I started sharing with people what I knew to be true, and that was that I knew that God lives, loves us, and is involved in the details of our lives. I shared with people the miracles of God's work on the earth today, that He had restored the gospel of Jesus Christ in its fulness through a modern prophet, just as in days of old. As I shared these things I received a regular witness through the Spirit that what I taught was good and true. I declared God's doings to people that I loved and saw their lives change for the better as a result.

As outlined by Elder John B. Dickson, a leader in the LDS Church, these are some of the "doings" of God throughout the time people have been on the earth

1. God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, have a plan of happiness for the human family.

2. Jesus Christ organized His Church during His mortal ministry (see Eph. 4:13).

3. The Church of Christ and many simple truths were lost (see 2 Thes. 2:3, Amos 8:11, 1 Cor. 11:18, and Acts 20:29).

4. The hearts of men and a location were prepared for a restoration of the gospel.

5. Latter-day events were anticipated by the prophets of old (see Isa. 29:14 and Acts 3:21).

6. The gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored in its fulness (through Joseph Smith in 1830--see Dan. 2:45).

7. Another witness of Christ has been given to our generation (the Book of Mormon).

8. The family can be eternal.

9. People (missionaries) have been called of God to teach the gospel.

10. You can know with assurance that these things are true. “And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things” (Moro. 10:3–5).

For me, the greatest news today is that the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ is on the earth. We have a living prophet of God who receives revelation for the people on the earth today, just as we did in times of old. As someone who grew up being taught this knowledge, I have always felt a responsibility to share it in order to show my gratitude to God.

D&C 19:29 states, "And thou shalt declare glad tidings, yea, publish it upon the mountains, and upon every high place, and among every people that thou shalt be permitted to see." The gospel is a message of hope, of "glad tidings!" "For we declare that God our Heavenly Father lives, that he hears and answers prayers, that Jesus is the Christ, and that he lives." The best news in the world.

Even if we do not go out and preach the gospel, we can share the gospel and praise God by the way we live. In October 1996 Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said, "A dictionary defines a Christian as 'one who professes belief in Jesus as the Christ or follows the religion based on [the life and teachings of Jesus],' and 'one who lives according to the teachings of Jesus.' (See American Heritage Dictionary (1992), s.v. “Christian.”) Thus two characteristics identify Christians: (1) they profess belief in a Savior, and (2) they act in harmony with the Savior’s teachings."

One of the best verses in scripture that I think exemplifies why we preach of Christ to praise him is found in 2 Nephi 25:26: "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins." As Christians, we want to live according to this scripture!

6. Make mention that His name is exalted
In the scriptural Topical Guide, synonyms for "exalt" are "magnify" or "praise." We are asked to praise God's name, as if we were praising royalty! God is our king and we should respect him as such.

As I have studied this topic, it has changed the way I perceive God. He is not just my Father, He is a King. He is above all, as illustrated in Psalm 57:11: "Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth."

Nehemiah 9:5 instructs us to "stand up and bless the Lord your God for ever and ever: and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise." Verse 6, referring to the Lord, says "Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee." These scriptures continue on to praise God for all the miracles He has performed and all the reasons He should be praised, but I love in this last verse how it talks about worship.

As Saints of God, we are given opportunities to worship Him. In October 2016 Bishop Dean Davies of the LDS Church said, "Far from being an accidental, happy occurrence, worship is essential and central to our spiritual life. It is something we should yearn for, seek out, and strive to experience."

HOW do we worship? We approach God with reverent love, humility, and adoration. We acknowledge and accept Him. We respect and revere him. We submit ourselves to Him. We pray, cherish his word, rejoice in his grace, and commit to follow Him. We have a sense of majestic awe and profound thanksgiving. There are opportunities to worship every day, especially Sunday when we can attend church, listen to inspired teachings, and gather in gratitude with others in our community.

WHY do we worship? We become more sincere and earnest disciples. We become more understanding, caring, forgiving and loving. It gives us a determination to walk the path of discipleship.

I believe that when we worship God, we are honoring His name as an exalted name.

Jesus Christ is our Savior. We have the opportunity to worship Him because of the incredible sacrifice He offers to us. Philippians 2:5-15 reminds us of this: "5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." 

Because of Christ's sacrifice and His exaltation, we are expected to obey Him in order to receive salvation. Verse 12 continues: "12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed . . . work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. 14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world."

7. Sing unto the Lord
The footnote to 2 Nephi 22:5 leads us to Psalm 57:7-11 which says, "My heart is fixed, O God . . . I will sing and give praise. Awake up, my glory . . . I myself will awake early. I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people; I will sing unto thee among the nations." There is no shame about praising God. It must be intentional and open. There is no need to hold back praise to the One who has given us all.

I love the idea of singing praises to praise God. In my mind, this is one of the simplest and most powerful ways to praise God, because there is a special unity and spirit that comes from music. When I sing or listen to good music I feel gratitude and love for God.

When we feel the peace and joy that comes from righteous living, the Spirit fills our hearts when we sing praises unto God. 2 Nephi 8:11 says: "Therefore, the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy and holiness shall be upon their heads; and they shall obtain gladness and joy; sorrow and mourning shall flee away." The guiltless will "sing ceaseless praises with the choirs above" (Morm. 7:7).

Since early biblical times, songs have been used to express joy, praise, and worship. Music is a form of prayer. (See GS Music.) D&C 25:12 tells us, "God’s soul delights in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer."

I come from a very musical family, so beautiful music has always been very personal and dear to me. Every time my extended family gets together, we pull out our folders of good music we've gathered over the years and sing together. The harmonies blend together beautifully with each soprano, alto, tenor, and bass voice--I don't often feel the Spirit as strongly as I do when we're singing praises unto God as a family.

Singing is a way to praise God, as illustrated in D&C 136:28: "If thou art ​​​merry​, ​​​praise​ the Lord with singing, with music, with ​​​dancing​, and with a ​​​prayer​ of praise and ​​​thanksgiving​." The scriptures ask us to "sing to [God's] praise" and give thanks to Him (see Alma 26:8). It is one of the best ways to remember our Savior.

In the words of a favorite hymn:
We’ll sing all hail to Jesus’ name,
And praise and honor give. …
Ye Saints, partake and testify
Ye do remember him.

8. Cry and shout

This whole post has been based on six verses of scripture, so I thought it was fitting to post those here:

1 And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me.

2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

4 And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.

5 Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth.

6 Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.

We have every reason to "cry and shout" for joy because of our Lord and Savior! He is in the very details of our lives!

D&C 128:23 beautifually states, "Let the mountains shout for joy, and all ye valleys cry aloud; and all ye seas and dry lands tell the wonders of your Eternal King! And ye rivers, and brooks, and rills, flow down with gladness. Let the woods and all the trees of the field praise the Lord; and ye solid rocks weep for joy! And let the sun, moon, and the morning stars sing together, and let all the sons of God shout for joy! And let the eternal creations declare his name forever and ever! And again I say, how glorious is the voice we hear from heaven, proclaiming in our ears, glory, and salvation, and honor, and immortality, and eternal life; kingdoms, principalities, and powers!"


To summarize, these are some of the ways we can praise God:
- Trusting in Him
- Keeping His commandments
- Committing our lives to Him
- Praying to Him
- Sharing His gospel with others
- Serving others
- Worshiping Him
- Singing praises
- Expressing our love and gratitude for Him!

2 Nephi 30:15 - How does the "knowledge of the Lord" create peace and harmony on the earth?

The verses leading to 2 Nephi 30:15 illustrate a scene that would seem quite unusual for the world today: the wolf dwelling with the lamb; the leopard lying down with the kid, calf, and fatling, all led by a little child; the cow and the bear feeding together and their young ones lying down together; the lion eating straw like the ox; the baby playing on a hole of a snake, etc. This scene comes at a time of peace and righteousness on the earth, after the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This time will be called the Millennium.

2 Nephi 30:15 explains that "the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord." What is it about the knowledge of the Lord that will create this peace and harmony? The next few verses begin to answer this question.

"The things of all nations shall be made known; yea, all things shall be made known unto the children of men. There is nothing which is secret save it shall be revealed; there is no work of darkness save it shall be made manifest in the light; and there is nothing which is sealed upon the earth save it shall be loosed. Wherefore, all things which have been revealed unto the children of men shall at that day be revealed; and Satan shall have power over the hearts of the children of men no more, for a long time" (2 Nephi 30:16-18).

When I think of secrecy I think of mistrust, miscommunication, misunderstanding, and unsurety. Because all things will be made known in the Millennium, all these negative effects of secrecy will disappear.

I imagine being in a classroom learning new material and not understanding that material. My peers get together to study together, but they don't allow me to join. They are secretive about it, because they want to have an unfair advantage over the rest of the class. This would leave me feeling mistreated, lost, and frustrated. If I didn't understand the material I would not have the ability to do well in the class. However, with knowledge, I would be enabled to pass the class and continue to receive further knowledge. I would feel fulfilled and liberated.

It is a beautiful prophecy that in the times preceding the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, "wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of [our] times, and strength of salvation" (Isaiah 33:6).


In October 2013 general conference, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said, "When the entire truth is eventually known, things that didn’t make sense to us before will be resolved to our satisfaction." All of us have questions, some of which will never be answered until we pass on to the next life. But letting those questions cause doubts lead us to stop progressing and gaining more knowledge. President Uchtorf says to "doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith. We must never allow doubt to hold us prisoner and keep us from the divine love, peace, and gifts that come through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ" (Dieter F. Uchtorf, "Come Join with Us").

It was necessary for Adam and Eve to exercise their faith in Jesus Christ after they chose to partake of the forbidden fruit. They were commanded not to partake of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. They were given a choice, and they chose to eat the fruit. With their choice came the ability for Satan to tempt and try God's children. Because of this, it was necessary for God to provide a Savior to redeem all mankind from the results of the Fall. Without gaining knowledge, Adam and Eve would never have had the opportunity to progress and become like God. They would never experience good and evil and understand the difference. They would never have the opportunity to exercise their agency. They would never experience true joy. (See 2 Nephi 2:22-23.)

The Bible Dictionary states that "knowledge of divine and spiritual things is absolutely essential for one's salvation. . . . The scriptures, and also living prophets, are given so that the people might have knowledge of things of God. . . . Knowledge is one of the endowments of the Holy Ghost and one of the gifts of the Spirit. . . . Since no one can be saved in ignorance of the gospel, and one progresses only as fast as he gains knowledge, it follows that the person who gains knowledge will have 'the advantage in the world to come' (D&C 130:18-19)."

Knowledge comes from the Spirit of God which is the Spirit of peace. The Spirit gives us knowledge "and power according to [our] faith and desires which are in God" (Alma 18:35). When we receive knowledge through the Spirit, we discover the mysteries of God and "all the riches of the full assurance of understanding" (see Colossians 2:2-3).

In Romans 15, Paul lays out the beauty of obtaining knowledge from the scriptures: "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. . . . Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another" (Romans 15:4, 13-14). With knowledge we can obtain hope, joy, and peace, because we understand what is good.


As stated in the scriptures, the knowledge of the Lord will fill the earth before the Second Coming of the Savior. "And this is according to the prophecy, that they shall again be brought to the true knowledge, which is the knowledge of their Redeemer, and their great and true shepherd, and be numbered among his sheep" (Helaman 15:13).

In the Book of Mormon, Mormon glorifies God as he illustrates his gratitude for the knowledge God has given to him and his people: "I am Mormon, and a pure descendant of Lehi. I have reason to bless my God and my Savior Jesus Christ, that he brought our fathers out of the land of Jerusalem, (and no one knew it save it were himself and those whom he brought out of that land) and that he hath given me and my people so much knowledge unto the salvation of our souls. Surely he hath blessed the house of Jacob, and hath been merciful unto the seed of Joseph. And insomuch as the children of Lehi have kept his commandments he hath blessed them and prospered them according to his word. Yea, and surely shall he again bring a remnant of the seed of Joseph to the true knowledge of the Lord their God. And as surely as the Lord liveth, will he gather in from the four quarters of the earth all the remnant of the seed of Jacob, who are scattered abroad upon all the face of the earth. And as he hath covenanted with all the house of Jacob, even so shall the covenant wherewith he hath covenanted with the house of Jacob be fulfilled in his own due time, unto the restoring all the house of Jacob unto the knowledge of the covenant that he hath covenanted with them. And then shall they know their Redeemer, who is Jesus Christ, the Son of God; and then shall they be gathered in from the four quarters of the earth unto their own lands, from whence they have been dispersed; yea, as the Lord liveth so shall it be. Amen" (3 Nephi 5:20-26).

The "knowledge of the Lord" is far more valuable than any other knowledge we could attain. Let us continue to seek knowledge so that we can be brought into the fold of God, and receive the peace and joy that comes from knowing our Savior, Jesus Christ.

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.