Book of Mormon 11- “Press Forward with a Steadfastness in Christ”

Today’s Sunday School lesson followed on perfectly from a marvellous Sacrament meeting. Easter Sunday blessed us with a musical Sacrament meeting. The first song was sung by two Primary children with the sweetest voices and the sweetest spirits. Subsequent items were presented by the Priesthood, the Relief Society, combined brethren and sisters, and the Ward Choir. The postlude was three of our beautiful talented, Young Single Adults, one being my “other daughter” Mia. The spirit was so strong throughout the meeting. The theme was following the Saviour. The speakers included two prospective missionaries and the Bishop. What a feast!

The Sunday School lesson centred on Nephi’s teachings about the importance of feeding on the words of Christ, believing and following the doctrines of Christ, pressing forward, and enduring to the end. Jesus Christ is my elder brother, my Saviour, my Redeemer, and I owe him everything. I spent Sacrament filled with gratitude for His love and His forgiveness, and then studied the lesson with a passionate desire to learn more of His doctrine, to try to live a better life by following His example.

In 2 Nephi 31:20, we are told to:  “…press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life”. This is a message meant for me. I need to be steadfast, i.e. faithful, loyal, constant, firm in adherence to the gospel and the Saviour. I cannot pick which commandments I will obey, or when I will be obedient. If I am steadfast, it will be always, in every way.

Hope is one of the most important blessings the gospel brings to me. President Dieter Uchtdorf quoted 2 Nephi 31:20, and then followed it with these wise words:

This is the quality of hope we must cherish and develop. Such a mature hope comes in and through our Saviour Jesus Christ, for “every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as [the Savior] is pure” (1 John 3:3).

The Lord has given us a reassuring message of hope: “Fear not, little flock” (D&C 6:34)…

And to all who suffer—to all who feel discouraged, worried, or lonely—I say with love and deep concern for you, never give in.

Never surrender.

Never allow despair to overcome your spirit.

Embrace and rely upon the Hope of Israel, for the love of the Son of God pierces all darkness, softens all sorrow, and gladdens every heart (Oct. 2008, The infinite power of hope, Ensign).

If we love God and our fellow men, we will act on that love. If we love God, we will serve Him. If we love our fellow men, we will lose ourselves in service. I am a very fortunate person. I grew up surrounded by love. I, therefore, find it very easy to love other people. I love my job because I can serve. I need to do more, but I find this requirement easier than many others.

There are two last things I need to do. To feast on the words of Christ means I must do more of what I am doing here: read the scriptures, study the scriptures, and apply what I read. And, I must endure to the end. I do not want to simply endure; I want to improve as the time goes on.

I love the gospel, I love my Saviour. Now I must demonstrate that love in everything I do. As yet, I fall far short of this goal. But I will try.

Book of Mormon 10 - “He Inviteth All to Come Unto Him"

This lesson brought back many of the discussions we had in Seminary on the signs of the times. These signs are all around us. All we have to do is switch on the television and the new items declare boldly the work of Satan and his followers. There are wars and terrorism, murders and natural disasters. I worry about the future. I am especially concerned about our young people.  They are faced with such enormous trials and these will only increase as time moves inexorably forward.

The scriptures from 2 Nephi 26-30 contained some fascinating, terrifying, reassuring, and motivating messages. We learn that the Jews, the Nephites and Lamanites, and the Gentiles will all reject Christ and apostatize. We learn that the human family will be given a second chance and how this will take effect. We are told of the Book of Mormon and how Satan will try his best to destroy it. We then learn about how we must follow the Saviour and feast on His words. All these messages are timely and will have an effect on our lives.

2 Nephi 28 gives us an insight into Satan and his tactics. Brother John Bytheway lists many of these tactics. Some include:

• Builds up false churches (3)
• Creates contention (4)
• Relies on learning, not on the spirit (4)
• Denies the existence and power of God (5)
• Denies miracles (6)
• Teaches that there is no life beyond mortality (7)
• Says God will justify some sin (8)
• Says God will save everyone regardless of how they live (8)
• Tempts people to sin now, repent later (8)
• Encourages pride (9, 12)
• Robs the poor (13)
• Promotes whoredoms, immorality (14)
• Emphasizes riches (15)
• Twists the truth (15)
• Hates that which is good (16)
• Promotes anger (19)
• Pacifies people – think of a baby “pacifier” (21)
• Lulls – think of a “lullaby” (21)
• Puts us to sleep and cheateth our souls (21)
• Uses flattery (22)
• Teaches there is no devil, hell (22)
• Says there is no need for new scripture (29)
• Says to trust in man, not in God (31)

These can be seen all around us, every day. I have associates who deny God completely. I see people around me, in academic circles, who believe they have all the answers and have no need to look further. They rely entirely on their academic achievements. I have associates and friends who belong to a religious group that borrows many of the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but was established and operates for the personal gain of its leader. I see our politicians who serve no one but themselves and their lives are centred on greed and self-emulation. I know I cannot survive without the guidance of the Spirit.

The tactic that is the saddest is contained in two scriptures, that to me are linked closely: verse 8: (in part) And there shall also be many which shall say: Eat, drink, and be merry; nevertheless, fear God—he will justify in committing a little sin… and verse 21: 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. I see this in the lives of some of our Young Single Adults. They will have just one drink with friends… definitely not more… they won’t get drunk… just to be friendly. Or, they will go clubbing… maybe indulge in just one pill… just to make it more fun… no one will know. The trouble is that one small sin leads to more sin and more excuses, and more sin leads to guilt and an excuse to not go to church. Satan soon has them exactly where he wants them.

I know where I want to be. I know how grateful I am for the gospel. I wish I could take my testimony and share it with some of our younger people who are struggling so hard. I wish I could make it easier for them. I am so grateful for the Atonement. At least this gives us all hope. We find the guidance we need in the scriptures, especially in the Book of Mormon, and through modern revelation from the apostles and prophets.

It seems appropriate, as it is the Easter weekend, to share the message of hope in this short video. In 2 Nephi 30 we are told that being a part of the Lord’s chosen family is open to everyone. This little Easter video highlights the same message. All we have to do is follow Him.

Book of Mormon 9 - “My Soul Delighteth in the Words of Isaiah”

The Isaiah chapters in the Book of Mormon were always the chapters I found hardest to understand as a Seminary student and in Sunday School classes. After my last week of teaching Gospel Doctrine, we had a week break with a special Regional Conference, followed by another week with Papatoetoe Stake Conference. Then, I was called in to chat with the Bishop and I was told I would be released as the Gospel Doctrine teacher. I was a little sad. I had already read through the lesson, the scriptures, and started reading ‘Isaiah for Airheads’ by John Bytheway. For the first time in my life, I had actually enjoyed reading the Isaiah chapters, and, what was even better, they seemed to make more sense to me. I thought of not blogging my thoughts on the lessons anymore, but I issued the challenge to the class. I may not be the teacher, but I can still continue with my own challenge!

I was fascinated to read the following statistics in Brother Bill Beardall’s Lesson 9:

Isaiah's writings are quoted extensively in other scripture:

• Book of Mormon:  quotes 433 verses of Isaiah's 1,292 verses (about 32% of the book of Isaiah. Another 3% is paraphrased)
• New Testament:  quotes Isaiah at least 57 times
• Doctrine & Covenants:  contains about 100 references through quoting, paraphrasing, or interpreting Isaiah's teachings

Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1973) suggested that, “It just may be that my salvation (and yours also!) does in fact depend upon our ability to understand the writings of Isaiah as fully and truly as Nephi understood them” (Ten keys to understanding Isaiah, Ensign, October). This statement made me think about this lesson as invaluable. I needed to study the scriptures and understand the content for myself.

Two chapters that I particularly enjoyed were 2 Nephi 12 and 2 Nephi 16.

Chapter 12 speaks of temples in the latter days. Verse 2 reminded me of our beautiful hymn #54:

“Behold the mountain of the Lord

In latter days shall rise

On mountaintops, above the hills,

And draw the wond’ring eyes.

To this shall joyful nations come;

All tribes and tongues shall flow.

“Up to the hill of God,” they’ll say,

“And to his house we’ll go.”

In the church movie, ‘The Mountain of the Lord’, a newspaper reporter who had interviewed President Wilford Woodruff, mentioned the definition of the word ‘Utah’. It is a Ute Indian word that literally means ‘top of the mountains’. When the Saints first arrived in Utah, they named it Deseret. It was the government that formalised the state name as Utah. This is such a strong testament to me of the divinity of the Lord’s work and the revelatory power of the prophet Isaiah. The scripture in 2 Nephi 12:2 could literally be taken to mean that in the last days the Lord’s temple would be built in Utah!

2 Nephi 16 is where Isaiah receives his call. I was particularly humbled by Isaiah’s response to his call in verse 5: ‘Wo is unto me! for I am undone…’. I have experienced a sense of inadequacy when called by the Bishop or Stake President to a calling. For a prophet as great as Isaiah to feel this inadequacy, makes me feel better about myself.

In verses 6-7, Isaiah describes a seraphim ‘having a live coal in his hand… And he laid it upon my mouth’. The coal came from the altar and is a symbol of the Atonement. This is a remarkable image that touched my soul. The image is one of a painful cleansing by fire. The coal’s heat would have burned the flesh, but the result was the beauty of the purification offered by the Lord through His Atonement and through the process of repentance.

I found this video clip from Brother John Bytheway, while studying Isaiah. It is short, but provides remarkable insight into Isaiah. He describes ‘John’s Journey’ through ‘Isaiah National Forest’. In the forest are four trees that all start with the letter C. These trees are the four themes in Isaiah’s teachings. Brother Bytheway suggests that all Isaiah’s scriptures are one of these themes or a hybrid of the themes.

The themes are:

• Covenants or Covenant Israel
• Christ
• Current events (events in Isaiah’s day – usually around alliances)
• Coming events (sometimes current events foreshadow coming events)

Brother Bytheway goes on to discuss four keys presented in 2 Nephi 25. These are:

• Understanding the manner of prophesying among the Jews and the use of complex symbols and imagery
• Having the spirit of prophecy, that comes with a testimony of Christ
• Knowing the geography and referring to the maps in our scriptures; and
• Living in the last days

Lastly, Brother Bytheway lists the four guides to help us understand Isaiah: Nephi. Jacob, Abinadi, and Jesus Christ himself.

I have found this little video a wonderful way of looking at Isaiah. It makes the understanding of the Isaiah scriptures much clearer.

Book of Mormon 8 - “O How Great the Goodness of Our God”

In this lesson we were able to study the words of Jacob, the brother of Nephi. Jacob, like his brother, is a wise, caring, spiritual giant. When reading his counsel, I thought about the words we hear at General Conference. In particular, I thought of the words spoken by President Dieter Uchtdorf. In the April 2015 General Conference, in his talk The Gift of Grace, President Uchtdorf spoke of his marvel at the Atonement, “I marvel to think that the Son of God would condescend to save us, as imperfect, impure, mistake-prone, and ungrateful as we often are. I have tried to understand the Savior’s Atonement with my finite mind, and the only explanation I can come up with is this: God loves us deeply, perfectly, and everlastingly”. I also thought a lot about the Saviour’s love for me and the sacrifice He made through His love.

I used a couple of pieces of church music that always touch my soul, in the hope that the class would feel the Spirit. I played ‘I Stand All Amazed’ at the beginning of class, and then used ‘No Greater Love’ by Turning Point, when discussing the Atonement. The words of this beautiful ballad, always bring me to tears. It starts off:

“Father, please forgive, I broke your heart again.

Didn’t mean to let you down, but I know I have.

O, God, hear my plea – I’m not worthy. Set me free.

Just lift me up once more, like you’ve done before.

Sometimes I’m so blind, I know I don’t obey.

I just forget about the price He had to pay…”

And in the verse on Gethsemane, the line that pierces my soul, “Do I realise each time I fall, He feels that much more pain”.

I love my Saviour. I must love Him enough to be obedient. I cannot face the thought of His pain and agony being that much worse each time I sin.

Like Jacob, President Uchtdorf also explained about grace; that it is by grace that we are saved. In 2 Nephi 9:26, Jacob reminded his people that "the atonement satisfieth the demands of his justice". If there had been no atonement and no resurrection, we would have been subject to Satan forever. Christ did for us what we simply could not do for ourselves. President Uchtdorf explained it perfectly: "Salvation cannot be bought with the currency of obedience: it is purchased by the blood of the Son of God. Thinking that we can trade our good works for salvation is like buying a plane ticket and then supposing we own the airline. Or, thinking after paying rent for our home, we now hold title to the entire planet earth".

One of my favourite old Seminary scriptures is also in 2 Nephi 9. In verses 28 and 29, we read: “O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish…But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God". I work in the tertiary education sector and I have known many men/women who were learned but foolish. I have seen so many who gain their degrees and then think they have all the answers. Many of these same people are so full of pride that they turn away from anything to do with Christianity or God. I am so grateful for the gospel. It keeps me “real”. As I continue to learn, I comprehend how much there is still to learn. The complexities of science, the immense volume of new knowledge discovered in the world through research, and the ever-changing face of technology, need to be balanced with knowledge of the Saviour and the gospel. I marvel at the infinite breadth and depth of the master creator.

In President Uchtdorf’s October 2015 conference talk, It Works Wonderfully, he spoke about the simplicity of the gospel, “so simple a child can grasp it, yet so profound and complex that it will take a lifetime—even an eternity—of study and discovery to fully understand it”. He outlined the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! He mentioned the thick sediment that can block our visions of the beautiful truths of the gospel when, through pride in our own wisdom we “gild (gospel truth) with layer upon layer of man-made good ideas, programs, and expectations”. His suggestions remind us of the counsel of Jacob. He suggested simple steps to live the gospel: hear the truth, believe in the promises and trust In the Saviour. As our trust grows, we will love God and each other more. As our love for Him grows, we desire to be obedient. We then desire to serve Him and our neighbours, the poor, and the needy. The more we walk the path of discipleship, the more we desire to learn the word of God. Perhaps this is a good guide to fulfil the directive from Jacob to reconcile ourselves to the will of God (2 Nephi 10:25).

Book of Mormon 7 - “I Know in Whom I Have Trusted”

This week I have spent a long time reflecting on who I am and where I stand in the gospel. I love reading through Nephi’s psalm and catching a glimpse of his soul. He truly is a hero, in every sense of the word. I thought I would try to write down the thoughts I had as my own personal psalm. It is certainly not a classic but it reveals my soul. It is not numbered and the language is modern, but here goes:

O Lord, my Saviour and my Redeemer!

My heart is as heavy as a weighted anchor. The deep waters cradle my drowning heart.

How could your purity and sanctity be defiled by my paltry sins? How could I add to your pain with my weakness; add to your heartache with my failings?

My children flounder in humanity because I have failed to guide them, to prepare them, to provide the strength of the gospel shield. How can this be forgiven?

Yet, my sins are known to thee, and I am loved. I am a child of God; I am special; I have eternal potential.

I must lift my anchor, shake off the salty water, and allow my boat to move forward towards the far shore. I must shake off the chains of depression that provide a fertile home for lack of motivation, procrastination, feeling insignificant, and unworthy.

There is a glimmer of light in the darkness. As my anchor approaches the surface of the water, I see the glow of the sun and the light warms and encompasses me. My heart is overwhelmed with gratitude; my heart is filled with joy in recognition of my bounteous blessings.

I am filled with gratitude for the sunshine, clear, cloudless skies, the love of animals, the love of my children and their children, my parents, my life.

The previously still water ripples with a gentle breath of air. My heart sings its own song of joy as I watch my granddaughter sleep. The sweet smell of newly opened jasmine on the fence and grapefruit flowers in full bloom, sipping that first sip of chilled water on a hot day after a fast, the first day after the coughing has finally stopped and I know I am back to full health, a hug from anyone at any time – all these heighten my awareness of everyday blessings.

I acknowledge the greatest blessing from my elder brother, my Redeemer, my Lord – His Atonement. The hope instead of guilt; the ability to be clean, to be forgiven; to once more see His face and walk in His presence, knowing He loves me – this is the key to shaking off the doubts and facing the challenges.

The gratitude must be accompanied by right choices: choosing the scriptures instead of the new novel; choosing church attendance instead of sleeping in on a cold morning or napping on a drowsy afternoon; choosing honesty at all costs; choosing prayer; choosing temple attendance; choosing eternity.

Lord, grant me the strength to shake off the doubts and forge ahead; to appreciate my great blessings; to gain strength from thy love; to seek thee in humility; to make the right choices. I will love and praise thee, forever.

I made this picture for my Facebook page. These are some of my choicest blessings: my mum , ex-, children & grandchildren. Love them dearly. Photo taken on my mum's 90th birthday!

I discussed psalms with my dear mum and she mentioned a psalm she had written many years ago. It was the first time I had read it. I found it moving and inspirational, so I asked her if I could share it. Her psalm is numbered and very similar in style to the Old Testament psalms. Here is her psalm:

Psalm of Praise by Ina Esther Hearns

1. Oh mighty organizer of worlds and suns without number, thou who has brought order to the infinite universe

2. Through whom the righteous will savour the glories of exaltation and by whom the corrupt will receive perfect judgement.

3. Thy eternal power will stem the red tidal wave of evil, thou wilt crush the hordes of the anti-Christ beneath thy heel.

4. In these latter-days the spires of thy Holy Houses will reach towards the heavens, a beacon of hope to thy people.

5. That here thy Saints may serve thee in gratitude, for thy tender mercies they will encompass themselves in holiness.

Our beautiful Hamilton temple - photo from www.ldschurchtemples.com

Book of Mormon 6 - “Free to Choose Liberty and Eternal Life”

Lesson #6 meant a great deal of personal reflection. 2 Nephi 1 contains words of advice from Lehi to his sons. Lehi discussed the destruction of Jerusalem and the importance of the American Continent as a Land of Promise with associated blessings for obedience and cursings for disobedience. 

The scripture that made me think was: 2 Nephi 1:13. Lehi told his sons to awake from a deep sleep and shake off the chains by which they were bound. The deep sleep Lehi referred to is apathy. I may not be apathetic in some things but I am in others! I will put 100% in to my Sunday School preparation for Gospel Doctrine class but I am apathetic with temple attendance. I love sleeping in – it is definitely my weakness, my chain that binds me. I think about setting my alarm to get up early to attend the temple and my “snooze” button kicks in – I think well, maybe next month, or maybe by the middle of the year! I have the same apathy with my own personal self-discipline. I know I should eat all things in moderation but I do love a good sugar kick! Again, I hit the “snooze” button – I will stop drinking sodas tomorrow, or by next weekend, or only allow myself one for the weekend! I need to follow Nephi’s example and do it NOW!

I also thought about the chains of addiction. There are many who try to excuse an addiction, or even worse, who justify the addiction by claiming it is just who they are – they cannot help it. Elder Marvin J. Ashton addressed this point in, “Shake off the chains with which ye are bound”. Here is part of his counsel:

“Those words apply to us today. Who among us hasn’t felt the chains of bad habits? These habits may have impeded our progress, may have made us forget who we are, may have destroyed our self-image, may have put our family life in jeopardy, and may have hindered our ability to serve our fellowmen and our God. So many of us tend to say, “This is the way I am. I can’t change. I can’t throw off the chains of habit.”

Lehi warned his sons to “shake off the chains” because he knew that chains restrict our mobility, growth, and happiness. They cause us to become confused and less able to be guided by God’s Spirit…

Righteous living is a shield, a protector, an insulation, a strength, a power, a joy, a Christ-like trait. Yes, living a life of righteousness is a chain breaker…Is it any wonder, in our day as it was in Nephi’s, that God’s pleas are “awake,” “listen,” “procrastinate no longer,” “believe me,” “come back,” and “seek the straight course”?” (Elder Marvin J. Ashton, Oct. 1986, Shake off the chains…)

I have seen this in the lives of members. I have seen a celestial marriage, a beautiful, young family, whose happiness and well-being is threatened by chains. A father chained by addiction to pornography, to drugs, while his wife struggles to cater to the needs of little ones totally reliant on her, while she is overwhelmed by feelings of powerlessness and desperation. The only answer is to make the change now. Avoid the excuses and the rationalisations that come from only one source, Satan himself. Follow the Saviour, break the chains, love your wife, and be there as a whole man and an honourable Priesthood holder for your children.

In 2 Nephi 2, Lehi addressed his son Jacob, his first child born in the wilderness. He spoke of the purpose of life, the creation of the earth, the fall of man, and the atonement of Christ. One of my favourite scriptures is 2 Nephi 2:11-12, which speaks about the necessity for opposition in all things. This scripture was part of our scripture mastery when I was a Seminary student. The words of this scripture have helped me face adversity many times in my life. I may be sick today but I will be better next week and next week I will really appreciate my health!

Lehi also spoke of the atonement. I am always in awe of the love of my Saviour when I consider the atonement. He suffered for me, as weak as I am. He loved me enough to die for me. My sin increased the pain He endured. I love my Saviour. The atonement gives us hope. The atonement provides a way back to our Heavenly Father. Lehi outlined our choice in 2 Nephi 2:27: liberty and eternal life or captivity and death. Let us try to make the right choice now, without delay.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/57913545179320166/

Book of Mormon 5 - “Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It”

Lesson #5, “Hearken to the Truth, and Give Heed unto It”, highlighted the courage and obedience of Nephi. The stories are those I know well: the Liahona, the broken bow, and the journey to the Promised Land. Although I studied these stories in Sunday School classes and in Seminary, reflecting on the scriptures brought many new insights. I hope to capture some of these insights.

The first scripture that touched my heart was 1 Nephi 17:6: "We had suffered many afflictions and much difficulty, yea, even so much that we cannot write them all". This brought to mind some really bad times that were so bad I could not talk to anyone about them for a very long time. It is heart-breaking to have trials that cannot be written down or discussed.

We recognise the Liahona as a compass, but it is also a type or symbol of Christ and His teachings, according to Alma (Alma 37:44-45). As the Liahona guided Lehi and Ishmael’s families to the Promised Land, according to their faithfulness, so living the teachings of the gospel will lead us back to our Heavenly Father and eternal life. We cannot expect to fast and pray for blessings, if we are not living according to the commandments we have been given. We cannot expect to receive blessings we have not earned.

I acknowledge the power of the story of Nephi’s broken bow. When Nephi broke his bow, it was impossible to hunt for food for the family. Family members were hungry and subsequently, moaned! Would I have moaned under these circumstances? I imagine I would! Even the Prophet Lehi murmured! Nephi made a new wooden bow and an arrow from a straight stick, and then, in humility, asked his father for the direction he should take to find food. This is an awesome example of a strong, competent man, a leader in his own right, turning to his patriarch for guidance. We must never judge our parents or our leaders. They are not perfect, but they have responsibilities and keys given to them. The Lord has given them these keys and responsibilities for a purpose. If the Lord believes in them, who are we to question His wisdom?

My heart also broke for Lehi and Sariah, especially Sariah, on the ship travelling to the Promised Land. Nephi was bound with cords and treated severely for speaking out against his brothers and the daughters of Ishmael, for their levity and rudeness on board ship. In 1Nephi 18:17, we learn that Nephi’s brothers did not tolerate anyone speaking on behalf of Nephi, including his parents. His parents were brought down "upon their sick beds". I can identify with Nephi’s parents. Is there anything more worrying then seeing your children argue and seeing a child in unnecessary agony? The sort of pain you can feel for your children can make you physically ill.

Lesson #5 also had the beginnings of the words of Isaiah that Nephi shared with his family. I always find difficulty understanding Isaiah. I found a reference that helped me understand these chapters. My favourite LDS writer and speaker is John Bytheway. In Gospel Doctrine Prep, 1 Nephi 13-22, John Bytheway makes the Isaiah chapters understandable in a section-by-section analysis. John Bytheway has written a book called “Isaiah for Airheads”. I have ordered this book from Deseret Bookstore and cannot wait to read and understand more about the words of Isaiah!