" Helaman...did observe to keep the statutes,...and the commandments of God; and he did do that which was right in the sight of God continually ;" (Helaman 3:20) -I love that word continually, I feel like often we have a desire to do better and be better right after general conference or right after we hear a good lesson or talk in church on Sunday but how often do we do what is right and try to improve ourselves just because we should and because it was an idea that came to us during the week? " the Lord is merciful unto all who will,...call upon his holy name." - Try to understand His will or communicate with him to strengthen our personal relationships with Him. Also I know that prayer strengthens our testimony and ourself. Blessing- Got to go to institute yesterday.
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-Satan always makes evil look good and makes it look like it's okay to do it and we need to embrace our desires and passions. It's no different in the scriptures the people often killed others to get what they wanted and didn't think twice about it. I don't understand if they didn't have a conscience or something because just having a thought of doing something I know isn't right makes me feel guilty and bad about myself. Wickedness never was happiness... Blessing- I got some trainings done yesterday that I will get paid for.
(Alma 62:40) "for the righteous' sake, yea, because of the prayers of the righteous, they were spared." -What can we do as righteous followers of God to bring miracles to others? Not just pray but I think that is a big part, doing things like service, being an example can also bring many miracles and really "spare" their lives in both a physical and spiritual sense. "they did remember how great things the Lord had done for them," -Being thankful and recognizing our blessings is a great strength to us. That is something I need to work on, recognizing blessings and personal revelation in my life. I'm betting that is something everyone can work on. Blessng: I have a temple close by that I can go to.
-I love how often it talks about putting our trust in the Lord in the scriptures. I think it should say that on each page because I need a constant reminder to do that in my own life. I always try to do things by myself and be independent. Which is fine to an extent but we need to involve our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ into our lives. Then we are promised, "...he will deliver us." (Alma 61:13) We need to be ready and willing to fight spiritual armies and fight to have the Holy Ghost with us each day. Blessings and strength will come as we do this. Blessing- Heavenly Father reveals to me what I need to know.
It is a hard question to answer when people ask why God allows bad things to happen to good people. There are a lot of things that we don't understand in this life, why we must suffer when we are righteous and why when we are doing all we know how we go through trials. But it's important to remember God has a purpose for everything and we need to pray to Him to learn the lessons we are meant to. - How often do we sit and do nothing and expect the Lord to bless us or to take away our pain and suffering without us doing any work? "i will leave the strength and the blessings of God upon them, that none other power can operate against them-" -That is a powerful statement and we need to believe and gain a better understanding of God and His power that can influence our lives every day. "And this because of their exceeding faith, and their patience in their tribulations-" (Alma 60:25-26) -How can we gain and have more faith and patience? It's hardest to...
Heavenly Father doesn't solve our problems he has given us the tools that we need in order to solve them ourselves. Alma 58:11 says, "Yea, and it came to past that the Lord our God did 1. visit us with assurances that he would deliver us; yea, insomuch that 2. he did speak peace to our souls , and did 3. grant us great faith , and did cause us that 4. we should hope for our deliverance in him." -These ways are the ways that our Father in Heaven speaks to us and answers our prayers. God doesn't always answer our prayers in the way we want them, He answers them in the way we need them. -It is important to remember the Lord God and the many things which He does for us. It is easy to get frustrated and upset when going through trials and hard times but that doesn't do anyone any good. It just makes making decisions that much harder. We need the spirit to be with us to help us and guide us through these hard times so why not live worthy for the spirit and for...
The Lamanites did "obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness;" ( Alma 57:21) - What do I need to improve on or how do I need to change my attitude to be more obedient and do what is asked of me with more exactness. Instead of doing those things which are easy or convenient. The men made sure their wounds were dressed. They took care of each other, had each others back. It's important to take care of a problem when the problem arises and not put it off and allow it to get worse. -I love that in this chapter it talks about what it takes to win wars but it could also be used to fight our wars from Satan we fight every day. If we have faith, make our minds firm, and put our "trust in God continually." (Alma 57:27) These are things that can help us every day as we have faith, know what we want, how to get it and what we stand for, and trust in God. But if we don't know one of these things it will make our lives harder. -It's impor...
Spencer W. Kimball said "The stripling sons of the former . . . Lamanites were superior because '. . . they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them' (Alma 56:47). This teaching is not a single sermon but a lifetime of example and precept. Here were mothers who loved their sons more than themselves, more than clothes, or entertainment, or social life, or business life, or luxuries. Here were women who gave themselves to their families-time, energy, effort, mind, and soul. Then came the dividends: a whole community of righteous, noble sons to sire generations of people so full of goodness and faith that it was to carry over through centuries. (Relief Society Magazine, Jan. 1958, p. 7) -This is an inspiring quote. I love it! "they did not doubt, God would deliver them." (vs 47) - What about each of us? Do we doubt? What brings upon us doubt? Why do we doubt? Is it because of our own weaknesses? I know that I doubt m...
-It's amazing how fast people forget their promises to God and do what they want to do. Then when life isn't going the way we want we whine and complain about it. -The stripling warriors had such great courage and faith that they desired to use it to go against their enemies and us the strength that their Father in Heaven had given them. Helaman was a great example to the men he was over and taught them great lessons about having faith and relying on Christ. In the wars of life today we don't have to fight off the enemy with swards and spheres but we have to fight him off with our testimony and the tools (scriptures, prayer... )that we have been given to use today with the battles we face and fight every single day. *Somedays I get discouraged and think about the blessings I wish I had or that I pray for all the time and haven't received and think what good does it do to pray, read my scriptures, go to church and do all of these things if I don't receive the bl...
- Moroni was very smart and very follows the Lords guidance. Because he was a man of God he got the guidance and protection because of his righteousness. Heavenly Father has promised us that if we follow His guidance and counsel that we will be able to guide and direct us and help us through this life. We need to be aware of the little things and the way we are living and recognize the things we should or need to take out of our lives in order to be stronger and more useful to our Heavenly Father. Blessing- It is warming up! :)
-So the people are still at war and they aren't following the teachings of the Prophet. It's interesting that the scriptures say, "they were moved with compassion..." Compassion - A suffering with another; painful sympathy; a sensation of sorrow excited by the distress or misfortunes of another; pity; commiseration. What does it take to be moved with compassion? - I think it would take a mighty change of heart on the part of those that are witnessing others struggle. Alma 5:11-12 The Two-thousand stripling warriors are known as being; "valiant for courage" (vs 20) "true at all times" "men of truth and soberness" (vs 21) "they were taught to walk uprightly before the Lord" (vs 21) stripling - young Blessing- The Lord strengthens us and helps us when we need it the most.
-Moroni was a great leader and example. He lead his people through their trials and troubles as Christ would and helped them every step of the way. -Satan is a very powerful influence on God's people. But as we gain faith and have power in faith in our lives we can overpower Satan. Faith isn't always easy to have in this life, it's easiest to have when things are going great or you are getting answers to the prayers you are praying. The Nephites and the Lamanites were fighting but because the Nephites had a righteous leader and were faithful to their Lord God they were strengthened. Blessing- Nice weather we have been having.
-God will protect His people and bring them justice if they do as He asks them. God will always fulfill his promises to us. "there never was a happier time among the people of Nephi," (Alma 50:23) I love this quote by Joseph Smith, he said, "Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness and keeping all the commandments of God." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 255.) We need to follow the order of God and not get caught up in the order of man and how they want to run it. Blessing- I am able to make money to pay my bills.
Alma 49:14 ==> Ether 12:27 Three vital steps can help replace a weakness with a strength: recognizing the problem, being determined to overcome it, and relying on the Lord for help. -In order to overcome our weaknesses, we need faith in the Lord and a great determination to do better and be better. Because we all have weaknesses we are to turn to Hm, that's why we were given weaknesses so that we could learn to be humble. Although it's hard to be humble, being humble and submissive to the Lord God who knows each of us perfectly should be the easiest. Blessing- Heavenly Father loves us so much he made a way for us to desire a relationship with Him, through strengthing our weaknesses.
Moroni was a strong and mighty man;... a man of a perfect understanding;" (Alma 48:11) "a man whose heart did swell with thanksgiving to his God," (vs 12) "a man who was firm in the faith of Christ" (vs 13) -These are all amazing attributes of Moroni that we should all strive for in our own lives. "We forget that if we are righteous the Lord will either not suffer our enemies to come upon us-and this is the special promise to the inhabitants of the land of the Americas-or he will fight our battles for us.... "What are we to fear when the Lord is with us? Can we not take the Lord at his word and exercise a particle of faith in him?" (Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p. 417) Blessing- Heavenly Father gives us amazing example to follow so we know how to return to Him.
It's amazing how quickly people forget God and the blessing He has and is giving them and turn to evil. You would think that Satan gave them some kind of reward or something to follow him. I mean he does give you temporary pleasure but we should all know that by this time after years of watching his power and influence on others. "Moroni,...had been preparing the minds of the people to be faithful unto the Lord their God." -What a great leader, we all need to prepare our minds in all things in order to accept God's will and to better understand the Spirit and what we are being told. If we go to church or listen to conference whether it is stake or general if we don't prepare our minds we won't get out of it what we need to or could have. Even for sacrament meeting it is important so that we can get revelation for current questions and worries. Blessing- God knows me and helps me prepare for what is coming ahead.
Mornoni is a great example of reading and knowing the scriptures when he talks about Joseph and the things he went through to compare it to the lives then. I need to do that with my life and realize more connections and blessings in my life. "many who died, firmly believing that their souls were redeemed by the Lord Jesus Christ;" (Alma 46:39) -To have a firm belief to me is the same as having a knowledge. Knowing about and believing in the Savior and His atoning sacrifice is such a blessing in our lives today. Then the scriptures go on to say, "those who died with a faith in Christ are happy in him," (46:41) - I use to think that this meant we were a happy people and that we were blessed with happiness but I think it's more than that. I think it means Christ is happy with us and with the decisions we are making to follow Him and live our lives as He has asked. Blessing- I have been blessed with amazing friends and got to go to institute yester...
Christian - A real disciple of Christ; one who believes in the truth of the Christian religion, and studies to follow the example, and obey the precepts, of Christ; a believer in Christ who is characterized by real piety. - I love this definition, it helps me realize and better understand what I need to do in order to identify as a Christin today. There are a lot of people who identify as Christians who don't try or live as Christ would have them. But that is my desire and that is something I am striving for every day. "But if by Christians is meant the saints of God in Antioch and elsewhere who believe and live as they did; if by Christians is meant those who accept Christ as the literal Son of God; who believe that miracles and signs follow true believers; who believe in kingdoms of glory, revelation, the gathering of Israel, and Melchizedek and Aaronic priesthoods; who believe there must be apostles and prophets in the Church; and who believe in all respects as did holy...
Delbert L. Stapley "To receive exaltation in the kingdom of God, a person must abide the fulness of celestial law. (See D&C 76:50-70.) Some people erroneously think if they receive all the ordinances of the gospel, regardless of their transgressions, they will inherit the celestial mansions of our God. What a rude awakening awaits such false-thinking individuals, '... for the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance.' (Alma 45:16.)" (Ensign, Jan. 1974, "The Path to Eternal Life," p. 42) -Our Heavenly Father is willing to help us and to guide us to His way and His path but we must use our agency for good. We must be willing to put our best foot forward and do what is needed of us. - It seems that God has a perfect path for us to follow if we would only do as He asks and when He asks us. But that's what makes it hard is sometimes not knowing or understanding what or why we are going through things make it so much harder to go...
"...the sacred word of God, to which we owe all our happiness;" (Alma 44:5) -In hard times it's hard to remember the things that make us truly happy like studying the word of God. If we would do this more when we are going through hard times we can have a more abundant spirit with us that can and will help us through the hard times. Zerahemnah was willing to fight gainst the Nephites and yet they were not as prepared with armor and swords as Moroni's people were. To me, this is a great example of many people in this world and the way they live their lives. They think they are ready but they also don't realize that they didn't do the preparation beforehand that they should have so when they go to battle they either die or they must beg for their lives from their enemy. "the people of Nephi were exceedingly rejoiced, because the Lord had again delivered them out of the hands of their enemies; therefore they gave thanks unto the Lord their God; yea, th...