Book of Mormon 2020 - Enos to Words of Mormon

What a feast of scriptures from Enos through to the Words of Mormon. These scriptures cover 350 years of Nephite history, from the record of Enos which began at the death of Jacob (about 500 B.C.) to when the last scribe, Amaleki, gave the records to Benjamin (about 145 B.C.). I first wrote about these scriptures in 2016. For this blog post, please see: https://gospeldoctrine2016.blogspot.com/2016/05/book-of-mormon-14-for-wise-purpose.html. This blog post is deeply personal. I was able to record an event where I was able to pour out my heart and soul to the Lord, I knew I was heard, and my prayers answered.

The Prayer of Enos by Brian Hailes

Prayer is the greatest tool we have to stay close to the Lord, to gain hope and guidance, and to ‘wrestle for a remission of sins’, as did Enos. Brother Steve Scott suggested that we look for patterns when we read the scriptures. He outlined a pattern, made clear in Enos, for obtaining a remission of our sins. In Enos 1:1, we read, “knowing my father that he was a just man—for he taught me in his language, and also in the nurture and admonition of the Lord—and blessed be the name of my God for it”. Brother Scott stated that the first part of this pattern is honouring your parents and abiding by their teachings. Not everyone is fortunate to have righteous parents. Like Enos, I had parents who raised me in the church and for that I will be eternally grateful. We need to find our own testimonies. We cannot survive on our parents’ testimonies. The pattern for obtaining a remission of our sins will also lead us towards our own personal testimonies. I love the statement by Brother Scott, “They (parents) started the spark but couldn’t create a fire.”

Secondly, we need to recognise the Spirit. In verse 3, Enos says, “the words which I had often heard my father speak concerning eternal life, and the joy of the saints, sunk deep into my heart.” And, later, in verse 10, “while I was thus struggling in the spirit, behold, the voice of the Lord came into my mind”. What an awesome experience! The Spirit speaks to us in two ways: in our heart as a feeling and in our mind as a thought or a still, small voice.

Thirdly, In Enos 1:4 it states that Enos’s soul ‘hungered’ to know the truth. He prayed with his heart, his soul, and he prayed for a very long time, until his prayer reached the heavens. The fourth part of the pattern is seen when Enos states, “I did pour out my whole soul unto God” (Enos 1:9) and, this led to, “my faith…unshaken in the Lord” (Enos 1:11).

Enos is forgiven of his sins. He hears the voice of the Lord saying, “thy faith hath made thee whole” (verse 8). The final part of the pattern is when Enos prays firstly for his brethren the Nephites, and then for his enemies, the Lamanites. We need to pray continually and have charity for others. The pattern explained by Brother Scott is shown in the diagram below.

I have always had a testimony of prayer. There have been many, many times in my life, where my prayers have been answered powerfully. I love being able to pray. I feel that, in the current situation where we are in lock-down with the Covid 19 pandemic, prayer is the way to reach the heavens. 

I remember a little incident that occurred when my youngest son was only in Year 7 at school. I always picked up the youngest three children from school. The first pick-up was my middle son, who was then at Papatoetoe Intermediate School, and the my youngest two from Papatoetoe East Primary School. My youngest was most upset when I picked him up. He was wearing his new glasses but the right lens was missing. He did not see where it had dropped out. As soon as I picked the children up, we decided to go for a quick snack at Burger King, just around the corner from the school. As we sat there, eating out burgers, I asked my son if he had prayed to find the lens. He hadn’t and expressed his doubt over whether the missing lens was important enough to mention in a prayer. It was a good opportunity to tell him that he could pray about any concerns. The Lord would always be listening. We left Burger King and went back to the primary school. As we pulled up at the carpark entrance, my boy was keen to jump out of the car and start searching. He yelled out, “I can see it!” Imagine my surprise, with only one lens, he was convinced he could see a small, transparent lens! He rushed over to the driveway with the rest of us following closely. Sure enough, right there in the middle of the driveway was his missing lens! I was amazed but very grateful that our prayers had been answered. Can you imagine? Firstly, my very short-sighted son had ‘seen’ the lens. Secondly, it was in the middle of a busy driveway that had been travelled on by hundreds of students and several cars belonging to teachers heading home. Yet, the lens was in perfect condition, without a scratch!

I truly love this little story, originally published in The Friend magazine, about an answer to prayer.

While President Thomas S. Monson was serving as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, he spoke to a gathering of Primary children in a Samoan village. Afterward, he was prompted to personally greet each of the 247 children who attended. However, he realized he would not have time; he tried to put the thought of greeting the children out of his mind but could not.

He finally turned to the children’s teacher and said, “I would so much like to shake the hand of each boy and each girl. Would this be possible?”

The teacher smiled and spoke to the children in Samoan. They nodded their heads eagerly in response. The teacher then told Elder Monson that when he had learned that one of the Twelve Apostles was to visit Samoa, he had promised the children that if they would pray sincerely and have faith, Elder Monson would visit their village and would be prompted by the Holy Ghost to shake the hand of every child (see Thomas S. Monson, Friend to Friend: Talofa Lava, May 1972, pp. 12–13).

In Jarom 1:4 we read, “And there are many among us who have many revelations, for they are not all stiffnecked. And as many as are not stiffnecked and have faith, have communion with the Holy Spirit”. It was for this reason that the Lord protected the people and strengthened them from the attacks of the Lamanites. Jarom 1:11 is a delightful verse, with a wonderful insight and strategy we can use to stay close to the path of righteousness. It states, “…exhorting with all long-suffering the people to diligence… persuading them to look forward unto the Messiah, and believe in him to come as though he already was.” Isn’t that a wonderful idea? We should learn to live as if the Lord had already come. I am sure we would be better people in all ways!

The Second Coming

I enjoyed dwelling on the insights in Words or Mormon. In verse 7 it states, “And I do this for a wise purpose; for thus it whispereth me, according to the workings of the Spirit of the Lord which is in me. And now, I do not know all things; but the Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore, he worketh in me to do according to his will.” I have experienced the Lord working through me. One instance occurred several years ago. There was a sister in our ward, much younger than I was. We never really spoke or had much contact. I was sitting in Sacrament and had a strong feeling that I should talk to her. This was such a strong feeling, that after the closing prayer I sought her out. I mentioned how pretty she looked and how nice it was to see her at Sacrament. I moved wards shortly afterwards and I thought nothing further about those few minutes of time. Six months later, I saw this sister again at a Stake meeting. She came up to me with tears in her eyes and thanked me. She said that on that Sunday she had decided to stop attending church. She felt there was no hope and had considered taking her own life. When I spoke to her, she felt that someone cared. Someone had noticed her and even made her feel good about herself for a small moment. It was enough. When she went home, she got on her knees and asked her Heavenly Father for help. She was so grateful to me. Yet, I had done little more then offer a few words of kindness and encouragement.

I would like to end with a thought taken from Don’t miss this in the Book of Mormon by Emily Belle Freeman and David Butler.

Michelangelo had a talent for taking a block of marble and chiselling away the unnecessary while keeping the form until he had finally exposed the beauty within. He once said, “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free…

Perhaps this is a good analogy for how the Lord works in our lives. He sees what we can become, He knows our gifts and our possibilities, and He knows just what it will take to help us reach our potential…We are the work of His hand, His finest creation, a masterpiece.

I love how Mormon reminds us that the Lord works in us, because sometimes we forget. We forget He is the master of creation. The author and finisher of our stories. The one who knows all things, including all the things He has in mind for us to do and to become.

Book of Mormon 2020 - Jacob 5-7

My original post on Jacob 5 to 7, written in 2016, can be found at: https://gospeldoctrine2016.blogspot.com/2016/04/book-of-mormon-13-allegory-of-olive.html

The olive trees

The allegory of the olive trees is both complex and simple. We know that Christ used parables to teach gospel principles, so it was interesting to consider the differences between a parable and an allegory, and why this allegory is so important. A parable is a simple story that typically ends with a moral lesson. It uses symbols, similes (where one thing is said to be ‘like’ another, e.g. his voice was like the sound of sweet honey trickling into my ears), and metaphor (where one thing is said to ‘be’ another – it ‘is’ something, it is not just ‘like’ something, e.g. his voice was sweet honey trickling into my ears). A parable can be allegorical. The olive trees can be understood as a parable and as an allegory. An allegory is more complex. In an allegory characters, figures, and events are used to represent abstract principles and ideas. The allegory is a complete narrative where each element in the story has a deep meaning. This is shown in the wonderful infographic below.

The First Visit represents the time before Christ; the Second Visit stands for the time that Christ was on the earth; the Third Visit is the period of the Great Apostasy; and, the Fourth Visit is the restoration of the gospel. The allegory concludes with the Millennium. 

Brother S. Michael Wilcox advocates reading the olive trees as a parable that portrays the Good Shepherd, doing everything in His power for all of us. The grafting, counter-grafting, fertilising, and tender care, is a demonstration of the great love He has for us. It is illuminating for those who know they are in ‘rich soil’ as is shows the huge responsibility to produce good fruit after receiving so many blessings. It is comforting to those who have started out in ‘poor soil’. In Jacob 5:21-23, we read, “… the servant said unto his master: How comest thou hither to plant this tree, or this branch of the tree? For behold, it was the poorest spot in all the land of thy vineyard. And the Lord of the vineyard said unto him: Counsel me not; I knew that it was a poor spot of ground; wherefore, I said unto thee, I have nourished it this long time, and thou beholdest that it hath brought forth much fruit…Look hither; behold I have planted another branch of the tree also; and thou knowest that this spot of ground was poorer than the first. But, behold the tree. I have nourished it this long time, and it hath brought forth much fruit; therefore, gather it, and lay it up against the season, that I may preserve it unto mine own self.” I was fortunate to have been planted in rich soil. I learned the gospel as a child. My parents loved me and encouraged me to live gospel principles. I was temporarily placed in ‘poor soil’ and suffered hardships because of poor decision-making but was grafted back into the original tree. It is my responsibility to live the best life I can.

We are guided to an understanding of the path needed to obtain unshakeable faith by the counsel of Jacob. In Jacob 4:6, we are told that the first step in obtaining unshakeable faith is to “search the prophets”. The up-coming General Conference will be special. President Nelson has told us that it will be a “unique conference that will commemorate the very foundations of the restored gospel” (KSL News). It will be even more memorable as a conference that will be delivered digitally, with no live attendees, due to the Coronavirus. This is the perfect opportunity to “search the prophets”, as Jacob suggested. This is where we can hear the words as if from the Lord Himself – guidance for us, now. If we prepare, as recommended by the Prophet, we will build our faith. We will need unshakeable faith in the days to come.

There is a huge contrast between the kind, hard-working vineyard owner in the allegory, and the first anti-Christ in the Book of Mormon, Sherem. In Jacob 7:1 we read “there came a man among the people of Nephi”. This could mean that Sherem was not a Nephite. He was well-presented and well-spoken. He used flattery to try to persuade the people that Jacob’s teaching about Christ was based on lies. He claimed that the Law of Moses was the only thing the people needed. I love the representation of the incident between Jacob and Sherem as portrayed in the Book of Mormon video below. Jacob is full of humility while Sherem is proud and arrogant. The Lord smites Sherem so that he is struck to the ground. Before his death, Sherem confesses to the people that he was wrong.

If we do not want to be deceived by false prophets and anti-Christs, we need to follow our true prophet, President Russell M. Nelson and the General Authorities, be obedient, live worthy of a valid temple recommend, and have courage. The Come Follow Me programme is designed to assist us, especially at this precarious time when we are in shut-down, unable to meet in chapels, and unable to attend a temple. I pray that we will use the time we have to study the scriptures, old and modern, learn about Christ, and follow His example and teachings.

Quorum of the Twelve

Book of Mormon 2020 - Jacob 1-4

In 2016, I wrote my first blog about Jacob 1 to 4. If you would like to access this post, please just click on the following link: https://gospeldoctrine2016.blogspot.com/2016/04/lesson-12-seek-ye-for-kingdom-of-god.html

Lehi and Sariah had two sons born in the wilderness. The oldest of these boys was Jacob. Jacob, and his brother Joseph, were consecrated as priests over the people. Jacob was a righteous leader and loved the people in his care. He saw their sins and wanted them to purify themselves and apply the word of God in their lives. 

Jacob teaching the people

We have righteous leaders that we need to follow, particularly in these last days. We are blessed with a kind and loving prophet who leads us as President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We cannot go wrong if we follow his counsel. He knows the will and mind of the Lord.

President Hugh B. Brown

In Jacob 1:19 we read, “And we did magnify our office unto the Lord, taking upon us the responsibility, answering the sins of the people upon our own heads if we did not teach them the word of God with all diligence.” President Hugh B. Brown said much the same thing in his book, The Abundant Life. He stated, “But ... if any of us fail to teach, lead, direct, and help to save those under our direction ...then the Lord will hold us responsible if they are lost as a result of our failure” (p. 37). These are powerful words that emphasise the huge responsibility placed on our leaders. If we follow the counsel given to us by the General Authorities, we know we will follow the straight and narrow path, as they have our eternal welfare as a goal. General Conference, to take place on April 4^th and 5^th, will be the perfect time to listen to these ‘watchmen’ and hear what the Lord himself wants us to do.

We hear a lot about the danger of using wealth and riches in pride and affectation. Jacob tells us, “But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted” (Jacob 2:18-19). Our priorities need to be building up the kingdom of God and ministering to the needs of others. Many of our General Authorities are wealthy men, but they are humble and generous and work hard for the Lord.

Wealth is distributed so unevenly in the world today. An example can be seen in the U.S.A. where the wealthiest one percent of families hold about 40 percent of all wealth and the bottom 90 percent of families hold less than one-quarter of all wealth. I was shocked to read about the British billionaire Richard Branson who owns Virgin Airlines. With the lockdowns caused by the Coronavirus, he has told his staff to take eight weeks of unpaid leave! Can you imagine the devastation this would cause for his workers and their families? He could easily pay each of his workers £500 weekly for the eight weeks and he would not even need to use .1% of his huge financial reserves. To me this is a perfect example of the misuse of wealth and lack of care for others. Satan will be smiling at his power over this billionaire. 

Sister Susan W. Tanner

Jacob spoke so eloquently about living a chaste life and the consequences of the sins of ‘fornication’

and ‘lasciviousness’. The blessings of being pure and virtuous include seeing the Lord and feeling at home in His presence. What blessing could be greater than that? Susan W. Tanner explained, “Jacob taught that the Lord delights 'in the chastity of women.' I delight in the chastity and purity of all women and men. How it must grieve the Lord to see virtue violated and modesty mocked on every side in this wicked world. The Lord has provided for His children great joy through intimate, loving relationships. ...I delight in the clarity of the proclamation to the world on the family, which warns that 'individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God’" (General Conference, April 2008).

These scriptures always bring the hymn to my mind, More Holiness Give Me. Listen carefully to the words in the video clip below.

In Jacob 4:14 we read, “But behold, the Jews were a stiff necked people; and they despised the words of plainness, and killed the prophets, and sought for things that they could not understand. Wherefore, because of their blindness, which blindness came by looking beyond the mark, they must needs fall; for God hath taken away his plainness from them, and delivered unto them many things which they cannot understand, because they desired it. And because they desired it God hath done it, that they may stumble.” I thought a lot about this scripture. I cannot imagine what it is like to be blind physically. Although life would be difficult, a loss of sight does not determine a lack of fulfillment, learning, and happiness. The consequences of spiritual blindness are far more destructive and can only lead to pain and regret. 

We are warned about blindness that is the result of ‘looking beyond the mark’. Brother Bill Beardall in his outline for Jacob 1-4 presented the meaning of this expression.

• The danger of looking too far into the distance during a cross-country race would mean missing obstacles and stumbling. In the gospel we need to focus on the basics. In time, we will receive greater truths.
• In the age of 5G and html5 we often accept information that is readily available but from less than credible sources. We need to rely on God’s established pattern for receiving personal revelation.
• Extremism comes in many forms. “Gospel extremism is when one elevates any gospel principle above other equally important principles and takes a position that is beyond or contrary to the teachings of Church leaders” (Elder Quentin L. Cook in a talk from General Conference, October 2016).
• Elder Dean L. Larsen spoke about putting ourselves in jeopardy by
  debating speculative and theoretical matters and ignoring simple, basic principles of truth (General Conference, October 1987). He stated further, “There are other ways in which many of us often look beyond the mark. Sometimes we focus too much of our attention and energy upon our temporal wants…Too often we permit the narrow demands of our daily routine to dull our appreciation of the beauty of God's creations and the refining influences that are all about us. We fail to experience the fulfillment that comes from developing the gifts and talents with which we have been endowed. We do not draw close enough to the Lord to know him and feel of his redeeming love.”

Elder Quentin L. Cook (left) Elder Dean L. Larsen (right)

The truth we need is in the scriptures. We need to read the Book of Mormon, participate in Come Follow Me and listen to modern scripture as we receive it at General Conference. We also need to stay close to the Spirit and strive to be humble and obedient.

Book of Mormon 2020 - 2 Nephi 31-33

I covered these scriptures in an earlier blog post (2016). Please refer back to https://gospeldoctrine2016.blogspot.com/2016/03/book-of-mormon-11-press-forward-with.html

2 Nephi 31 to 33 are wonderful scriptures, filled with the power and plainness of the prophet Nephi. President Russell M. Nelson summed up Nephi perfectly when he said, “Nephi was a multifaceted genius. Endowed with great physical stature, he was a prophet, teacher, ruler, colonizer, builder, craftsman, scholar, writer, poet, military leader, and father of nations…Toward the end of his inspiring life Nephi wrote his concluding testimony and bore witness of the doctrine of Christ, the power of the Holy Ghost, and the truthfulness of the words he had written. Appropriately, his final testimony closed with the words that could be known as his signature: “I must obey.” (Heroes from the Book of Mormon, p. 15). This farewell is recorded so eloquently in these three final chapters of 2 Nephi.

Nephi - a multifaceted genius

Brother Bill Beardall stated, “2 Nephi 31 contains a discourse by Nephi that is without equal in the entire Standard Works in terms of plainness and clarity. Those who apply these simple ingredients (faith, sincerity, righteousness, and obedience) to this chapter have claim on the greatest treasure man can obtain” (This is the Way). 2 Nephi 31 presents the Doctrine of Christ that enables the children of God to fulfill all righteousness through the first principles and ordinances of the gospel (the 4^th Article of Faith: faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the Holy Ghost) and then enduring to the end. Christ set the example for us to follow. 

The baptism of Jesus Christ

2 Nephi 31:13 states we need to “…follow the Son, with full purpose of heart, acting no hypocrisy and no deception before God, but with real intent” in order for us to receive the “baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost” and “speak with the tongue of angels”. This means so much to me. I have relied on the promptings of the Holy Ghost at many times in my life. I have heard a still, small voice telling me what to do when danger was present. I have known what to do in situations where many possible choices all seemed to be of value. I have had clarity of thought when I needed to know how to approach a problem or how to counsel a person in despair. I know how much I rely on the Holy Ghost and this means I accept my part in trying to be obedient and remembering my Saviour and His great sacrifice for me.

Enduring to the end sometimes seems so difficult. My poor mum is now 96 years old and she suffers from so many combined medical conditions. Just this morning she poured out her heart to me expressing her readiness to leave this life. Yet, day-by-day, I see her endure the pain and frustration and struggle for each step and each task, yet she is tireless in her devotion to the Gospel. I truly am in awe of her devotion. I do not know if I could have a fraction of her courage and fortitude.

This is a particularly trying time. With the threat of Covid 19 all around, businesses closing, people struggling to make ends meet, I almost feel guilty worrying about finding another job and making my redundancy money last. I was totally deflated when I heard my PhD graduation had been cancelled, felt disappointed that my new baby, part-time job offered so little in terms of remuneration, and felt frustrated that I have been turned down by so many prospective employers because of my age when I have so much expertise in online teaching (I am 62 years old and looking for work! Surely with the push on education going online, my skills would be useful to someone???) Then I see the reports of how many people have died or are seriously ill, I see my friends who have low immunity through disease, and I look at the start of this pandemic in poor countries where it is so hard to be socially distant when 20 people share one large room, and I am ashamed of myself. I have so much for which to be humbly grateful. I loved the message of hope from President Russell M. Nelson. It was just what I needed to hear.

President Boyd K. Packer

In 2 Nephi 32:4 we read, “Wherefore, now after I have spoken these words, if ye cannot understand them it will be because ye ask not, neither do ye knock; wherefore, ye are not brought into the light, but must perish in the dark." We need to be praying constantly. Elder Boyd K. Packer, in the October 1962 General Conference, expressed this so well when he said, “There is a difference, you know, between saying prayers and praying. Don't expect it all to come at once. It is worth earning. Your efforts may seem in vain, but pray unceasingly, unyielding.” I have a strong testimony of the power of prayer and I know that praying with your whole heart and soul is a key to enduring to the end.

Nephi provided us with a game-plan for enduring to the end:

1. Press forward with a steadfastness in Christ (fixed, firm, resolute)
2. Have a perfect brightness of hope – Christ is that hope
3. Demonstrate a love of God and all men – ministering to our families and those who need us
4. Feast upon the word of Christ – are we just nibbling at Come Follow Me?
5. Endure to the end – enduring valiantly

In 2 Nephi 32:8-9 is one of my favourite scriptural passages, “For if ye would hearken unto the Spirit which teacheth a man to pray, ye would know that ye must pray; for the evil spirit teacheth not a man to pray, but teacheth him that he must not pray. But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that 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.” 

If we are ever in doubt about whether to pray, that doubt is from Satan. I have learned a very important lesson in my life, i.e. I need the guidance of the Spirit every day, in every way. I rely on personal revelation and I receive personal revelation based on my obedience. I am not strong enough to do anything on my own. The following short video contains some wonderful quotations on personal revelation based on the ThirdHour blog by Jasmine Turner.

Elder Tad R. Callister

2 Nephi 33 is a testament to the importance of reading the words of Nephi because they testify of Christ. As recorded by Nephi, “Christ will show unto you, with power and great glory, that they are his words, at the last day; and you and I shall stand face to face before his bar; and ye shall know that I have been commanded of him to write these things, notwithstanding my weakness” (verse 11). I love the following quote from Elder Tad R. Callister (from the October 2011 General Conference), “Would you like to have emblazoned on your soul an undeniable witness that the Saviour descended beneath your sins and that there is no sin, no mortal plight outside the merciful reach of His Atonement—that for each of your struggles He has a remedy of superior healing power? Then read the Book of Mormon. It will teach you and testify to you that Christ’s Atonement is infinite because it circumscribes and encompasses and transcends every finite frailty known to man.”

Book of Mormon 2020 - 2 Nephi 26-30

Please check out my original post on these chapters from 2016. This post can be found at: https://gospeldoctrine2016.blogspot.com/2016/03/book-of-mormon-10-he-inviteth-all-to.html

In 2 Nephi 26:24–28, and 33 are scriptures that tell us about the Lord’s love for each of us. In Come, Follow Me, we were asked to make a list of things that Jesus Christ has done for us that were motivated by love. I had a brainstorm and came up with the following list. The blessings He has given me include:

• Six remarkable children who are each intelligent, funny, caring, sensitive, and empathic.
• An amazing mother who struggles with pain (at 96 years of age), yet still hobbles to the kitchen every night to make me a hot Milo, because she loves me and wants to do something to show me that she loves me.
• A new part-time job and some redundancy money so that I can still support my family and pay my bills.
• A challenging calling that relies on the continual guidance of the Holy Ghost, so I can teach with the Spirit and my class members can listen with the Spirit.
• A roof over my head with protection from the elements. It may not be the best house, but it is home.
• The gift of love. I know the Lord loves me. I have been surrounded by love through my childhood and adolescence. I can give love easily and willingly.
• Eclectic skills and talents that allow me to study, apply what I learn, teach others, bring joy to loved ones through food, music, and creative expression.
• Opposition and trials through which I have learned and grown.
• The Atonement that provides for repentance, allows me to overcome my weaknesses, and provides me with hope for eternity.

The following video made from a slide presentation is called I am grateful for…. I originally constructed the PowerPoint in 2016, but I have since updated it.

I spent a while this week dwelling on the question, why does the Lord allow bad things to happen to us? I have often brought bad things into my own life, through not listening to Priesthood advice or not asking for the Lord’s guidance. My first marriage was to a returned missionary. I was 19 years old and he was 27 years old. My father, an honourable Priesthood holder, and my mother, both cautioned me about making an unwise decision. Neither of my parents liked him or felt comfortable around him. They believed there was something ‘fake’ about him. I was too trusting and, early in my marriage, I learned that I had, indeed, made a grave error in judgement. From the day before the wedding to the day after the wedding, he was two totally different people. For the first year, I pretended that everything was okay. In the second year, in my heart I felt tired, unloved, and unlovable. By the third year, I could not hide my pain from my family and friends. I gathered every inch of courage I possessed, and I left him after the fourth year. When I left, I had no self-esteem. I felt I was worth nothing. I had been told constantly that I was useless and worthless. I believed it. So, was it worth it? Without a doubt. I learned how important it is to give and express love. I learned to be strong. I learned to protect myself and my three beautiful, amazing, loving children. I experienced the joys of being a mother. It was worth every second.

I experienced a total lack of self-esteem. I felt hopeless, discouraged, and often depressed. At the time, I did not recognise these as Satan’s tools, but they are. There is a talk from the October 2018 General Conference, from Elder Neil A. Andersen, called Wounded, that really touched my heart. You can listen to it by clicking the link below.

Here are a few paragraphs from this brilliant talk.

My message today is especially to those who are keeping the commandments of God, keeping their promises to God, [yet] are confronted with trials and challenges that are unexpected and painful.

Our wounds may come from a natural disaster or an unfortunate accident. They may come from an unfaithful husband or wife, turning life upside down for a righteous spouse and children. The wounds may come from the darkness and gloom of depression, from an unanticipated illness, from the suffering or premature death of someone we love, from the sadness of a family member dismissing his or her faith, from the loneliness when circumstances do not bring an eternal companion, or from a hundred other heart-wrenching, painful sorrows that the eye can’t see.

We each understand that difficulties are part of life, but when they come to us personally, they can take our breath away. Without being alarmed, we need to be ready… Along with the bright colours of happiness and joy, the darker-coloured threads of trial and tragedy are woven deeply into the fabric of our Father’s plan. These struggles, although difficult, often become our greatest teachers.

Look forward. Your troubles and sorrows are very real, but they will not last forever. Your dark night will pass, because “the Son … [did rise] with healing in his wings.”

For you, the righteous, the Healer of our souls, in His time and His way, will heal all your wounds. No injustice, no persecution, no trial, no sadness, no heartache, no suffering, no wound—however deep, however wide, however painful—will be excluded from the comfort, peace, and lasting hope of Him whose open arms and whose wounded hands will welcome us back into His presence.

If you are experiencing troubles and sorrows, you never need to face these alone. Have you ever listened carefully to the words of Come Unto Jesus?

In 2 Nephi 27, we read a prophecy that speaks directly about the history of the Book of Mormon in this dispensation. In February 1828, Martin Harris took a transcript of some of the characters from the plates to show to scholars of ancient languages and ancient antiquities. Charles Anton, a professor of grammar and linguistics declared that the characters were authentic and then asked how Joseph Smith had obtained the plates. Charles Anton asked to see the plates and Martin Harris replied that it would not be possible. Anton replied, “I cannot read a sealed book.” In 2 Nephi 27: 15-18 we read, “Take these words which are not sealed and deliver them to another, that he may show them unto the learned, saying: Read this, I pray thee. And the learned shall say: Bring hither the book, and I will read them. And the man shall say: I cannot bring the book, for it is sealed. Then shall the learned say: I cannot read it.” The video below from KnoWhy (Book of Mormon Central) goes over this incident and its prophecy in scripture.

In 2 Nephi 28, we read a lot about how Satan leads people astray. A lot of Satan’s strategies are aimed at lulling people into mediocrity and complacence. This applies to members of the Church as well. In 2 Nephi 28:7 it states, “…there shall be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die; and it shall be well with us.” Then in verse 8 it talks about committing ‘a little sin’. “If it so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God.” Verse 21 mentions the exact phrase, “And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.” Another strategy is mentioned in the next verse (verse 22), “others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell; and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is none—and thus he whispereth in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains, from whence there is no deliverance.” This second short video from KnoWhy (Book of Mormon Central) discusses how Satan leads us astray.

We receive guidance in these same scriptures as to how to avoid Satan’s traps. We need the Book of Mormon. We already have scripture from the Jews (the Bible), and from the Nephites (the Book of Mormon). We know we still have other scripture to come, the sealed section of the ancient American records and the scriptural accounts of the ten tribes. Surely we should work hard now to know and understand the scriptures we possess already. We have the guidance of Come Follow Me. We also have modern-day scripture in the words of the General Authorities. We have General Conference in a few weeks’ time. We need to be receptive and listen to the guidance during these sessions.