Day 24: True Joy

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Mosiah 4:3

The Book of Mormon (and all of scripture) uses the word “joy” in a variety of contexts. Mosiah 4:3 describes one aspect of joy that I think has a very specific meaning and application. A little background: King Benjamin has spent the last several chapters teaching his people in a beautiful “farewell address” before his turns the kingship over to his son, Mosiah II. Benjamin is considered a prophet-king. He is a righteous man, he has received instruction from divine visitors, and he is filled with charity––he desires the salvation of his people so he teaches them the Plan of Salvation and prophesies of Jesus Christ. In relating to the people what would happen to their souls if left untreated in a state of sinfulness, King Benjamin paints a miserable picture. The people feel the weight of an eternity of damnation (i.e. not living forever in the presence of God). But he tells them of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who will come to earth in several hundred years to suffer and die for the sins of every person. No one has to suffer an eternal damnation because Jesus Christ will make it possible for them to repent, become clean from their sins, and qualify for eternal life. The people cry out, “O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified; for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God…” (v. 2).

“And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins…” (v. 3). “Joy” here indicates a special kind of happiness, more than happiness, that can only be achieved through faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, and forgiveness of sin. It is a taste of what we can experience in the Celestial Kingdom, living with God and our qualifying family members. This particular use of joy, so clear here in Mosiah 4:3, helps us understand the use of the word “joy” elsewhere in scripture. True joy can only be achieved through the remission of sins.

Day 23: Reflections on Charity, Part I

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Words of Mormon 1:8

Reflecting on the prophets of the past, themes emerge in the details of their ministries. If the prophet Mormon (ancient prophet-historian, compiler of the Book of Mormon) has a theme, I would make the argument for charity. He writes,

And my prayer to God is concerning my brethren, that they may once again come to the knowledge of God, yea, the redemption of Christ….

In a few more weeks, when I make it to Moroni, I will treat this topic again. But I want to introduce it here since we see its traces throughout the Book of Mormon. We have seen it in Enos already (praying for the Lamanites’ salvation) and we will see it again soon with Alma the Younger and the sons of Mosiah. Charity describes a special kind of love, the pure love of Christ, that leads people to desire the salvation of others. It is the type of love that led Christ to voluntarily suffer and die for us: “Greater love hath no man than this” (John 15:13, NT). And here, in Words of Mormon 1:8, Mormon expresses his charity, praying for the souls of his brethren that they will eventually qualify for salvation.

More to come on this topic!

Day 22: Irreducible Truths

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Jarom 1:2, 9

I have mentioned before that I love patterns. I also love categorizing things and naming categories. One of my hobby horses is “irreducible truths,” or eternal truths or fundamental/foundational truths. I like using the term “irreducible” because it captures an important aspect of this category: The truths they describe cannot be reduced further; they are foundational to the universe and provide the answer for so many questions rather than being questions themselves.

The prophet Jarom (son of Enos) states a couple of these irreducible truths in his very brief section of the Book of Mormon. In verse two he writes about why his writings are so short, namely that previous prophets covered what he felt were the most essential doctrines. He names the Plan of Salvation as one of these foundational principles that is both essential and already covered in the writings to which he had access, “and this sufficeth me,” he concludes. If I ever wondered what the critical knowledge of the Gospel is, here’s my answer. The Plan of Salvation teaches us where we came from, why we are here on earth, and where we are going after this life; this is reality.

Another fundamental truth Jarom touches on appears in verse nine. He references previous scriptural writings to testify of the fulfillment of God’s word that, “Inasmuch as ye will keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land.” I love how the Book of Mormon references itself, how writers recollect past writings and confirm the fulfillment of prophecies. To me this is a witness of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, but, even more importantly, it is a testimony of God: It expresses the irreducible truth of God’s existence, His participation in our earthly experience, His role as covenant maker, and the simply stated fact that He fulfills ALL His words and promises. It behooves us to listen and heed His word.

Day 21: A Personal Relationship with God

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Enos 1

The Book of Enos has so much to offer, even in its brevity it is chock full of Gospel insights, not to mention the implicit example of Enos living the Gospel. This time around, I really honed in on Enos’ personal relationship with God, which provides a striking example of the relationship we could each individually foster.

The first part of the Book of Enos records his conversion and calling as a prophet. In this experience Enos prays for his own salvation, the salvation of his people the Nephites, and the salvation of his enemies the Lamanites. It is in the process of seeking for a confirmation from God that He will do everything possible to redeem the Lamanites that we see a pattern for our own relationships with God.

In verse 15 Enos states that he has an initial knowledge on which to act, born of faith in God. He knows that, “Whatsoever thing ye shall ask in faith, believing that ye shall receive it in the name of Christ, ye shall receive it.” He knows this because the Lord told him directly: “for he had said unto me…” (emphasis added). Enos did NOT write “the Lord said” or “he had said,” but rather “he had said unto me.” And because Enos had this direct knowledge from the Lord––that if he exercised faith in Jesus Christ and believed that he could receive from God what he asked for, then he would get it––he acted on this knowledge to ask for something specific: “I did cry unto God that he would preserve the records” (v. 16). Enos fostered his relationship with God by praying “continually,” he acted on the knowledge he had already received, and he communed with God directly: “and he covenanted with me that he would bring them [the records] forth unto the Lamanites in his own due time” (v. 16).

Enos had developed his knowledge of and relationship with God so thoroughly that his “faith began to be unshaken in the Lord” (v. 11). So much so that by verse 17 Enos KNOWS beyond a shadow of a doubt that God does everything He says He will. “And I, Enos, knew it would be according to the covenant with he had made….” What a powerful testimony from Enos that we can trust in the Lord because He will fulfill all His words and promises. In a way, Enos’ pattern of faith, knowledge, ask for more was a way of “proving” the Lord, or creating the opportunity for Him to demonstrate His existence, power, and integrity.

Following Enos’ example, we, too, can develop unshaken faith in God and have a personal relationship with Him. Like Enos, we can use our faith and knowledge to partner with God in serving His children and helping them gain salvation.

Day 20: Love versus Fear

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Jacob 3:2

A short thought for today as I have reflected on the true opposite of fear. In a previous post I identified the opposite of fear as “fearlessness” but in the scriptures I see a different opposite emerging. When you consider Paul’s teaching in 2 Timothy 1:7, that “God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind,” it seems pretty clear that the opposite of fear is power/Godly strength, love, and a sound mind (I think of stability, clarity in judgment).

Jacob’s preaching to the Nephites recorded in Jacob 3:2 bears this out in my mind. He writes: “receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love; for ye may, if your minds are firm, forever.” Jacob’s words struck me as a prophetic repetition (when multiple prophets teach the same principle in different times and places), inviting the people to enjoy the bounty of God’s love through His word (teachings, doctrine, repentance, etc.). The finally phrase suggested to me that we can enjoy God’s love forever if our “minds are firm,” but also that God’s love builds firmness of mind or a “sound mind.”

Fear can be so unsettling, especially to the human mind. Fear can cause doubt, anxiety, lapses in judgment, crises of faith, despair, and more. But if we feast on God’s love, we can have a firm mind, namely neither be fearful nor be subject to the effects of fear. In God’s love we can experience peace and hope, exercise sound judgment, be wise and calm, find optimism and rest.

Day 19: Healing the Wounded Soul

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Jacob 1-2

And it supposeth me that they have come up hither to hear the pleasing word of God, yea, the word which healeth the wounded soul. (Jacob 2:8)

How does the word of God heal the wounded soul? On the surface I think the logical explanation is that the word of God is another name for the Gospel of Jesus Christ––faith, repentance, baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, laying on of hands for the Gift of the Holy Ghost, enduring to the end. Living the Gospel of Jesus Christ literally heals the soul because participating in those steps results in a soul’s redemption and exaltation.

As John writes in his Gospel, Jesus Christ is the literal word of God (see John 1:1, NT). Our souls gain many wounds over a lifetime, whether it is broken hearts, pain for the sins of loved ones, scars from our own sins and transgressions, regret, unkindness, just to name a few. But Jesus Christ, who suffered so much on earth, learning through His mortal experience how best to help each of us with our individual pains, sicknesses, afflictions, sorrows, can heal any wound. One of the miracles of His Atonement is that it gives Him power to understand and apply the perfect treatment.

 

Day 19: Consecrate thy performance

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Nephi 32:9 and 2 Nephi 33:3-4

Ever since reading Elder Maxwell’s talk “Consecrate Thy Performance” (General Conference, April 2002) on my mission, I have been obsessed with 2 Nephi 32:9. It reads,

…ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul.

This became the motto of my mission: I was learning about consecration and how to do God’s work in His way for the rest of my life. I tweaked the last line a little, though, interpreting the doctrine a little more broadly to include consecrating my “performance” (actions, deeds, behavior) for the welfare of others’ souls. To me, this form of active and intentional consecration entails dedicating oneself, and specific actions, to a specific purpose. It gave my mission so much more purpose and depth to be actively dedicating my daily work to the welfare of my and others’ souls.

In 2 Nephi 33:3-4, Nephi follows up the doctrinal teaching of consecration with an awesome exemplary lesson. First, he writes about his recent efforts in his life’s work, to bring others to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (see 1 Nephi 6:4). He writes that he prays constantly for his people to accept Christ (“I pray continually for them by day, and mine eyes water my pillow by night, because of them; and I cry unto my God in faith…”). He then testifies, “I know that the Lord God will consecrate my prayers for the gain of my people…” (emphasis added). Nephi prayed, exercised faith, and asked God to consecrate his performance.

What follows in verse 4 is further testimony about how God would consecrate/dedicate Nephi’s life’s work: “And the words which I have written in weakness will be made strong unto them; for it persuadeth them to do good; it maketh known unto them of their fathers; and it speaketh of Jesus, and persuadeth them to believe in him, and to endure to the end, which is life eternal.” One way in which Nephi knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that God would make his efforts holy and successful was that God would transform his weak written record into a persuasive document, capable of convincing people to accept Christ, endure to the end, and inherit eternal life––i.e. saving souls.

These verses capture the essence of the invitation and promise made in 2 Nephi 32:9, confirming to us that the words are true and God will indeed consecrate our performance if we ask Him to. This doctrine is so important and straightforward. I invite you to apply it in the performance of your Church callings, parenting, community service, ministering, and even friendships! Consecrating your actions will bring tremendous spiritual power into your life and help you bring others to Christ.

Day 18: The bondage of mortality

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2 Nephi 24:3

The promise for “rest” in the next life from specific conditions of mortality intrigues me, especially the conditions listed as hallmarks of the mortal experience. As I read this verse I wondered, “what is the “hard bondage” of mortality that we have been “made to serve?” Not everyone on earth has lived or will live in formal servitude but somehow mortality is defined by a type of bondage that all humans serve.

The word “made” could be interpreted literally as “God created us.” We were created to take on mortality and experience life in a physical body. In a way it’s a bondage of the spirit in a physical body, something divine and immortal tied to something mortal and dying. But other conditions of mortality create other scenarios of bondage. What about the human predilection for addiction or vices such as lying that ensnare our mortal bodies, compromise our agency and limit our freedom?

When we become attuned to the ways in which our spirits suffer from addiction, sin, interpersonal conflict, and more, God’s promise of rest in the next life becomes so much more poignant.

Day 17: Antitheses

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2 Nephi 24:3

I love patterns and the scriptures are in no short supply. Some of my favorite Gospel patterns include pairings of opposites; I always find enlightenment in pondering how the Gospel resolves these antithetical equations.

Second Nephi 24:3 revolves around such a pattern. It contrasts eternity and mortality, promising rest in eternity as a salve to specific conditions of mortality. “And it shall come to pass in that day [the millennium/the day of resurrection, signaling the “start” of eternity from a human perspective] that the Lord shall give thee rest, from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou wast made to serve.”

“Rest” is here presented as a condition of eternity. It resolves sorrow, fear, and bondage which serve as fundamental markers of the human experience. If eternity is the antithesis to mortality, then sorrow, fear, and bondage are the conditions of mortality and antithetical experiences to eternal life. In which case, we can identify defining characteristics of eternal life as the opposites of sorrow, fear, and bondage: namely joy, fearlessness, and freedom.

Day 16: For what shall you be known?

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2 Nephi 22:5

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

The invitation to sing out and tell the entire Earth about the Savior causes me to reflect on my own deeds. Have I done “excellent things” while here on Earth? If you asked my kids, husband, extended family, and friends to summarize my life, what would they report? I know some days my children would probably tell anyone who asked that I yelled too much or I was a mean mommy.

In my quest to be more like the Savior, I not only want to celebrate the excellent things He has done, but I also want to do excellent things that point others toward Him. The most “excellent thing” He has done is provide for humankind the Resurrection and the opportunity to gain eternal life—collectively summarized in this chapter as “salvation.” The most excellent thing I can do is raise my children to follow Jesus Christ, lift my neighbors, and bring others to Christ so that they, too, can qualify for salvation.