"have strength, that they may bear their afflictions..." (Alma 31:33) "success to bringing them again unto thee in Christ." (vs 34) What does it take for us to have strength like them? How can we access it in these days? We need to allow ourselves to be "swallowed up in the joy of Christ." - What are some ways we can do that? I think learning more about our Savior Jesus Christ and gaining a stronger relationship with Him and our Father in Heaven is one of the biggest ways we can do this. But also being more like our Savior and doing things that He would do in order to be more like Him. Christ served those who hated Him and blessed those who cursed His name. How easy is it for us to get upset at others or to allow others actions to mess up our day or ruin our mood? Blessing: God reminds me that I'm loved in so many ways.
Posts
"the devil hath deceived me; for he appeared unto me in the form of an angel," (Alma 30:53) -I feel like this happens more and more all the time where the devil deceives others because of his craftiness and pulls them of the path. We must come to know the spirit and always have it with us -I love the wording in vs 57 "speedily repent". How often do we speedily repent or do we just wait in case something happens again or just to be on the safe side? It's important to recognize we have gone astray and speedily repent and change ourselves to be more like our Savior. I love this prayer, "...wilt thou comfort my soul in Christ. O Lord, wilt thou grant unto me that I may have strength, that I may suffer with patience these afflictions which shall come upon me, because of the iniquity of this people." (Alma 31:31) -This is an amazing prayer, one I feel we could say more often to our lord. Blessing- power of prayer.
When we have a witness of the Savior. The worst things we can do is deny the Spirit of Revelation. This is what is going on in Alma 30 they are talking and people think that if you don't know then you will be better off but in reality you won't. I love this phrase, " all things denote there is a God;" Satan can have a very strong influence on us but if we have the spirit with us He can't make as big of an impact. Blessing: I got extra hours this week.
Faith is knowing/believing in things that you can't see and yet do exist. In Alma 30:15 it says that we can't know of things we can't see so we don't know that Christ exists. On the contrary Ether 12:6 says "faith is things hoped for and not seen." There are a lot of things that we believe in or have faith in that we haven't seen or don't totally understand with our human minds and yet they are what makes us who we are and help us to do and become who our Heavenly Father wants us to become. Satan is so real and we need to make sure we are worthy to have the Holy Ghost with us at all times so he doesn't influence our lives and what happens. Although sometimes he influences those around us we have to try harder to stay strong by doing what we have been asked to do to have the spirit with us to make it through sometimes. Blessing: I have amazing friends that are able to help me when going through a hard time. God blesses me when He knows I'l...
Alma is such a good example of missionary work and how to get the Lords work done. He says; " this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy." What a righteous desire, when most of us want a boat, new car, money these humble servants of God just want to serve Him. How can we better follow their example and change our priorities? -We can't just sit on a fence and not make a decision of who to serve anymore. Alma 30:8 and Joshua 24:15 (in the Bible)are telling us "choose ye this day, whom ye will serve." It is often said that actions speak louder than words so we must be very aware of what we are doing and how we are showing our servers and dedication towards our Lord God and not towards the adversary. Blessing: I live in a free country where I can choose who I want to worship and serve.
The righteous are " fasting and praying" (Alma 28:6) and they receive "joy because of the light of Christ unto life." (vs 14) - How can we make sure in this life that we are doing what we are supposed to and what our Father in Heaven wants us to do at this time? How can we be sure? (Alma 29:4) Heavenly Father is "...a just God, for I know that he granteth unto men according to their desire,... according to their will," Here is a talk called "According to the Desire of [our] hearts" By Neal A. Maxwell: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1996/10/according-to-the-desire-of-our-hearts?lang=eng In reading it I learned: "Desire denotes a real longing or craving. Hence righteous desires are much more than passive preferences or fleeting feelings. Of course our genes, circumstances, and environments matter very much, and they shape us significantly. Yet there remains an inner zone in which we are sovereign, unless we abdicate. In thi...
-The Lord will comfort us and help us through our afflictions but he won't take them away from us. They are there to make us stronger and I think the most important reason to bring us to humility in our Father in Heaven. -We are given an amazing duty of bringing others to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and we will be blessed for all of our efforts in doing so. It's amazing that the Lord doesn't just give blessings to the Prophet and Apostles but to everyone who does His work her on earth. "my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding; he comprehendeth all things, and he is a merciful Being," (Alma 26:35) -This scripture gives me a lot of peace because it gives me a better understanding of my Father in Heaven and who He is. Most of the world look at God as an all-powerful, scary, controlling man. I know Him to be an all-knowing, kind, compassionate man. Because Ammon was such a righteous and obed...
Ammon says that he is going to rejoice in God and that He knows he says, I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak;" (Alma 26:11-12) -Sometimes I feel like I have a hard time with this concept. I often go from one extreme to the next thinking I am smart and talented and my self-esteem goes up to the next I feel like I am nothing. But it's important to remember that I am important to my heavenly Father. That is something that is easy to remember when life is going good and we aren't going through really hard trials. But I do love Alma 26:12, "in his strength I can do all things;" -It's important to remember that as I may be nothing to the world and to others around me. Christ knows my potential and He knows my strengths and weaknesses and will help me to fulfill His will, the talents and abilities He has given me. But we must acknowledge where they come from and use them in righteous ways. - It's an interesting concept to think about this because We...
Once the Lamanites realized they couldn't defeat the Nephites they "join(ed) themselves to the people of God, who were the people of Ani-Nephi-Lehi. Not only did they join the righteous but they also started changing their lives in order to live a more righteous life. It's amazing the influence that of righteous people can have on others. The Lord has asked us to work hard to accomplish and do His work. Alma 26:3 says, "we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about his great work." -What can we do to more fully do his work before our own? How can we make doing Gods will more of a priority in our lives? Blessing- I was able to go to institute last night!
The people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi come unto Christ and decide not to go to war against the Lamanites. They choose to not fight and bury their weapons of war to show their dedication to God. What are some of our "weapons" we should bury in order to have greater faith and trust in our Heavenly Father? The men stand up for what they believe and end up getting killed by the Lamanites. These are the fathers of so many that die for their faith and for their God. God must have been so proud of them and so thankful for what they did and for their faith. - It's amazing too because it's a total submission to God's will and pleasure not doubting anything. What a great example for us. We should also have more faith and trust in God that all things will work out for our good and He has a plan for us. Blessing; snow!!!
It's an interesting phrase in Alma 22:18; "i will give away all my sins to know thee," Why is that such a hard thing? Shouldn't it be easy if we know the gospel and His plan to give away all sins to know God and to be with God? - Aaron and his brothers went out among the people teaching them the gospel and had great success. What are things we can do as members to have success or to help the full-time missionaries to have great success? The people were so faithful to their conversation that they lived their lives to exactness. How can we be better converted and more fully trust in our Heavenly Father to be more fully converted to the Lord, to His commandments and the one that seems the hardest to His plan for each of us. Blessing: I'm thankful for all the tools and helps we have to strengthen our testimonies and our conversions to the gospel.
Christ is the only way we can be saved. We must accept His sacrifice, do as He has asked and become like Him. The Three Pillars: The Creation - The Fall - The Atonement We can't teach one without the other. We must teach and understand why they are all three interconnected. Christ gives us simple instructions in order to obtain eternal life. We are asked to simply to repent, keep the commandments, follow the example of Christ and endure to the end. How can we better do these things in order to gain eternal life? What do we need to change or improve on? Blessing: The gospel has been part of my whole life.
The Lord asked Mosiah and his brothers to "Fo fourth among the Lamanites,... and establish my word; yet ye shall be patient in long-suffering and afflictions..." (Alma 17:11) This came to past when they were thrown into prison and they were rescued by Ammon; (Alma 20:29) They suffered all kinds of pain and afflictions and yet " they were patient in all their sufferings." (Alma 20:29) Satan is really good at making us think negative things no matter what situation we are in and to make us believe that we aren't good enough. God gives us strength in suffering and in all things we go through we just have to look to him receive it and recognize and accept His help. -What are things that we can do to better recognize the Lords hand in our lives? Blessing- The roads weren't iced over and slick on my why back to Idaho Falls.
Abish is an amazing woman and example. She could have just sat back and said: "I told you so and not done anything but instead it says she took the " opportunity" to let others know what happened and bear her testimony of the witness she had received years before. Ammon is protected from the Lamanites because the Lord had promised that they won't die on their missions. To think a Lamanite died while in the act of killing him so that he wouldn't die is amazing. The Lord God does protect His children and keep His promises. The king has a vision and is taught the gospel and is converted. It's amazing that those who truly listen to the gospel with real intent to learn believe it and gain their own witness of it. it says about his people "their hearts had been changed; that they had no more desire to do evil." (Alma 19:33) Satan wants us to do evil but if we allow the spirit to have a bigger influence in our lives then we can have a larger desire t...
When teaching the gospel we must do as Ammon did and start from the very basics and then go up. Joseph Smith said, "When you climb up a ladder, you must begin at the bottom, and ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top; and so it is with the principles of the Gospel you must begin with the first, and go on until you learn all the principles of exaltation" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 348). -The Lords power overcomes the king and his servants and God is able to teach them and open their eyes to the gospel. Wouldn't that be awesome to have had that happen to your investigators on your mission? I think God worked in similar ways with our investigators but it always seemed with some to take a long time to come to better understand God and what He wanted for them. -We must all work through the gospel and learn as Joseph Smith said like a ladder learning one principle at a time and practicing it or taking it into our lives. When we get one step we g...
Alma 18:9 The lessons learned are that 1) before teaching an investigator, one must first establish a relationship of trust, 2) humility has a great effect on the investigator, and 3) integrity and obedience will demonstrate one's good intentions. - We should go to others with the great intent of serving them and the Lord. The Lord wants to use each of us as instruments in His hands as he did with Ammon but we must do what it takes in our lives to be guided by the spirit always to know what greater things can be done in order to fulfill God's will. - If we are always seeking out God's will and doing it we will be a happier people. Ammon also uses an amazing technique by asking inspired questions, trying to understand what his "investigator" Kind Lamoni already believes and starting at the level of learning where he is at. That's important. This way of teaching is inspired and God can work through it as we try to do His will. God has a plan for all thin...
Ammon is such a great example of serving your enemy in order to gain their trust and to bring the gospel into their lives or soften their hearts. I need to be better at doing this and being able to bring others unto to gospel by example (actions) then by the word of God. On my mission, we would extend the invitation to the members to serve others (friends and family) not of our faith and then invite them to listen to the missionaries, come to church, come to an activity of the ward or something else. It's important to show love and concern for others and then teach them. Ammon recognized an opportunity to teach the others servants he was with after the flocks were scattered. It says "his heart was swollen within him with joy;" That's kind of a crazy thing to happen when the others around you are crying because they are afraid for their lives. Ammon is also a great perfect example for us of trusting in the Lord, that He has a plan for us and will save us and...
Because of the willingness of the sons of Mosiah to reach out to God and to ask for help; to fast and pray and study the scriptures. They did all they knew to do and were able to have much success. God has promised us that if we do His will and what He has asked that He will help us and be with us always. Now we just have to choose to do so and go ahead and start not doubting. "...the Lord did visit them with his spirit, and said unto them; be comforted." Comforted- participle passive Strengthened; consoled; encouraged. The spirit can bring to us feelings of peace, comfort, and joy when we are doing what the Lord has asked us to do and living in such a way that is welcoming to him. >These verses are a good example to me of the Lord always coming through, doing as He has promised and strengthened us in times of need. It is often hard to go through trials and tribulation in this live especially not understanding the end result or the bigger picture. But having faith i...
Alma and Amulek "went immediately, obeying..." they did as they were told or asked of the Lord without questioning His directions. -That is something that isn't easy. It's more of the natural man to question and to do it slowly or not at all. Being willing to submit to the Fathers will and do as he is asked is a great task. Alma met up with his brothers and was really happy to see them. His brothers were doing as the Lord had asked and "... had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently that they might know the word of God." (Alma 17:2) -We should all do this, and live our lives accordingly. What more can I do to live my life this way? In what ways can I or do I need to improve? Then they also fasted and prayed and had authority from God. God gives authority to His children to preach His word. Blessing- Knowledge of the gospel and leaders chosen of God to direc...
When we have to go through trials and tragities God isn't saying He doesn't love us or that He want's to watch us suffer, He has a greater purpose behind the suffering. I often times have to remind myself of this and that God does love me even when I suffer and seem like I am in an endless trial but this too shall pass. Well, it is not God who is being tested here. It is men who are being tested here. We say he has failed to pass our test. We are not giving tests to him. That's after we have refused again and again all his pleas. He has pleaded with us to do this, but we wouldn't have anything to do with it...He [Alma] should not save them, but he is certainly wrestling here. " (Teachings of the Book of Mormon, 2:345)* This is an interesting point from the manual I use when reading my scriptures. When we ask God to do things and he doesn't in our eyes he failed a test. We are the ones that are being tested and need to realize that if it's not Go...
-The beginning of Chapter 13 is showing us the importance of having righteous leaders who hold the Priesthood and are servants of our Father in Heaven. Joseph Smith said, "The Priesthood is an everlasting principle, and existed with God from eternity, and will to eternity, without beginning of days or end of years. The keys have to be brought from heaven whenever the Gospel is sent. When they are revealed from heaven, it is by Adam's authority." (Teachings, p. 157)* "could not look upon sin save it were with abhorrence;" (Alma 13:12) Abhorrence ABHOR'RENCE, noun Extreme hatred, detestation, great aversion. -How do we get to that point? How can we look upon all sin with "extreme hatred"? I feel like strengthening our relationship with our Savior Jesus Christ and truly trying to know Him better will increase our desire to be better and do better. That should be our goal and what we are always working on and towards, knowing our Savior bette...
Alma 12:14 warns us that our words, works, and thoughts will condemn us in the last day. But I think if we are careful with our words, works, and thoughts then come judgment day God will have those before Him and will be able to account the good we have done while in this life. It is our duty to repent and to continually strive to be better and do better so that we can go to the judgment bar spotless. When Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit "God placed (a) cherubim and a flaming sword" in the garden of Eden, to protect the tree of life. If they would have partaken of the tree of life they would have lived in misery forever not knowing good from evil, happiness from sadness. Blessing: God has given me agency to do whatever I would like but He is also there to counsel with me on what would be best for me.
the doctrine of redemption from sin is contingent upon faith in Christ.* All things will come out and God will know about them and we will be judged by them when Judgement day comes. Our bodies will be reunited with our spirits never to be divided again. We need to take care of our bodies on this earth and make sure they stay healthy and clean. Not only for our health but because they ultimately aren't ours, we are borrowing them from God who gave them to us as a gift. -God knows the intent of our hearts, he also knows our thoughts, actions, word, and deeds and when we call upon Him for help and strength He will give it to us to have more Christlike thoughts, words, and deeds. -If we have a desire to be more like the Savior in any way we can receive the strength to do so. Blessing- I have a desire to be better and to continue to learn how I can improve my own life.
Christ will not save His people in their sins, He will save them from their sins. It is talked about here in Alma 11:34 and again in more detail in Hel. 5:10. -We need to come unto Christ and repent of our sins often and recognize our own sins and what we can do to improve ourselves as well as our relationship with our Father in Heaven. -I feel it is hardest to do when we are going through trials but that is also when it is most important because let's be honest I feel we are always going through some kind of trial some are just harder than others, and longer. Blessing- God will help us through trials and hard times but we must try to recognize His had in our lives.