Teachings of Lehi

Visions & Dreams

• Lehi had a vision in which he saw God surrounded by angels, Jesus Christ descend from heaven, 12 apostles following Jesus, and learned that Jerusalem would be destroyed (1 Nephi 1:8-13).
• When Lehi received visions and revelations, his "whole heart was filled", his "soul did rejoice", and he praised God (1 Nephi 1:15). Do we take for granted the personal revelation we receive or do we rejoice and praise God with gratitude? Then in verse 18 Lehi goes and preaches what he learned in his vision.
• The Lord spoke to him in a dream, "Blessed art thou Lehi, because of the things which thou hast done; and because thou hast been faithful and declared unto this people the things which I commanded thee, behold, they seek to take away thy life." And the Lord commanded him to leave Jerusalem with his family (1 Nephi 2:1-2).
• Lehi was told in a dream to send his sons back to Jerusalem for the brass plates (and of course he obeyed!) (1 Nephi 3:2-4).
• Lehi received another revelation of the Lord commanding him to send his sons back to Jerusalem a second time, this time to find another family with daughters. (1 Nephi 6:1-2)
• Lehi tells his family he has "dreamed a dream; or, in other words" "seen a vision". (1 Nephi 8:3)
• The voice of the Lord commanded Lehi where to travel in the wilderness and then provided him with the Liahona (1 Nephi 16:9-10).
• Lehi: "For, behold, said he, I have seen a vision, in which I know that Jerusalem is destroyed; and had we remained in Jerusalem we should also have perished." (2 Nephi 1:4)

Prophesying of Future Events

• After studying the brass plates, Lehi "was filled with the Spirit, and began to prophesy concerning his seed." He prophesied that the plates (or the record they contain) would "go forth unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people who were of his seed" and that the plates would "never perish" or be "dimmed by time." (1 Nephi 5:17-19)
• Lehi prophesied that after the destruction of Jerusalem, many surviving Jews would be carried away captive and would one day return to rebuild their city (1 Nephi 10:2-3).
• He prophesied that 600 years later the Messiah, Savior, Reedemer of the World, of whom the prophets had testified, would come to redeem his people. He also prophesied of John the Baptist who would prepare the way and baptize the Savior (1 Nephi 10:4-10).
• Lehi prophesied of the scattering of Israel and that his family would help fulfill that prophesy in the "land of promise". He prophesied of the gathering of Israel by the gentiles accepting the gospel and then the Jews (1 Nephi 10:12-14).
• When Lehi teaches about the Land of Promise that they have inherited, he prophesies that the Lord has covenanted this land unto all those who would be led thereto in the future. He prophesies that none will come unto this land except they be led by the hand of the Lord. If they should serve God in the land, it will remain a land of liberty, but iniquity will inevitably lead to captivity (2 Nephi 1:5-7).
• Lehi prophesies that the land will be kept from other nations for a while. If the people in the land "shall keep his commandments, they shall prosper upon the face of this land; and they shall be kept from all other nations, that they may possess this land unto themselves. And if it so be that they shall keep his commandments they shall be blessed upon the face of this land, and there shall be none to molest them, nor to take away the land of their inheritance; and they shall dwell safely forever"(2 Nephi 1:8-9).
• Lehi prophesies that when the day comes that the people of the land (his posterity) shall reject the Messiah, "the judgments of him that is just shall rest upon them."He prophesies that other nations will come to the land and scatter and kill the people (2 Nephi 1:10-12).

God's Mercy

• Lehi proclaimed that God's mercy is over all the inhabitants of the earth, and because of that mercy, God will not suffer those who come unto him to perish (1 Nephi 1:14).
• Lehi taught his sons about the mercy of God and pointed out that God was merciful to have spared their lives while crossing the sea and merciful to bring them out of Jerusalem before it was destroyed (2 Nephi 1:1-3).

Things I learn from Lehi

• Lehi truly acted when the Lord commanded regardless of how difficult the assignment might be. When he had his vision, he immediately "went forth among the people, and began to prophesy and to declare unto them concerning the things which he had both seen and heard" (1 Nephi 1:18). He knew that he would be rejected and his life endangered, but he trusted in the Lord and went and obeyed. I think this example had a profound impact on Nephi as a boy and helped Nephi develop a "Go and do" attitude.
• Even Lehi's wife questioned his visions and revelations from the Lord when things did not appear to be going well for their family. I imagine this was a low of lows for them and that having his wife murmur and complain against him was a terribly tough trial. Instead of getting defensive and angry with her, he comforted her by bearing his testimony about the goodness of God and how blessed they truly were. He expressed his faith that the Lord would protect their sons. (1 Nephi 5:2-6)
• Lehi recognizes that God is just and that wickedness will always be punished. (2 Nephi 1:22)
• I like Lehi's description of his relationship with the Savior: " I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love" (2 Nephi 1:15). 

Testified of Christ and his Atonement

• Lehi testified that he saw Jesus in vision descending from heaven (1 Nephi 1:9). 
• Lehi "manifested plainly of the coming of a Messiah, and also the redemption of the world" (1 Nephi 1:19).
• He prophesied that 600 years later the Messiah, Savior, Reedemer of the World, of whom the prophets had testified, would come "to take away the sins of the world". He also prophesied of John the Baptist who would prepare the way and baptize the Savior. Also that the Savior would be baptized in a river by water. He taught that Jesus would be slain and then resurrect (1 Nephi 10:4-11).
• Lehi tells his son Jacob: "I know that thou art redeemed, because of the righteousness of thy Redeemer; for thou hast beheld that in the fulness of time he cometh to bring salvation unto men." (2 Nephi 2:3). He testifies that the Savior will come and of his power to save.
• Lehi tells Jacob that he is just as blessed to have beheld Christ's glory by the Spirit as those who will see the Savior in the flesh (2 Nephi 2:4). The same Spirit bears witness to us of the divinity of Christ as bore witness to those who physically met Him. 
• Lehi says, "Salvation is Free" (2 Nephi 2:4). This does not mean that we do not have to do anything- because we know we do- but it means Christ freely offers his atonement, grace, and mercy to us. The offer is on the table already and freely available to us; we just need to do our part to accept that sacrifice.

Obedience

• Lehi showed that he was obedient to the Lord even when it was a difficult task that the Lord commanded him. Such as preaching to those who try to kill him (1 Nephi 2:1), leaving his home and possessions behind to go into the wilderness with his family (1 Nephi 2:2-3), and sending his sons on a dangerous mission in which they are nearly killed (1 Nephi 3:4).
• Obeying without murmuring helps us be favored of the Lord (1 Nephi 3:6).
• After returning with his brothers from Jerusalem with the plates, Nephi said of himself and his father: "thus far I and my father had kept the commandments wherewith the Lord had commanded us."(1 Nephi 5:20) Later on after the family of Ishmael joins them, Nephi again says of his father: "And thus my father had fulfilled all the commandments of the Lord which had been given unto him."(1 Nephi 16:8).

Gratitude

• After Lehi and his family traveled three days in the wilderness, Lehi "built an altar of stones, and made an offering unto the Lord, and gave thanks unto the Lord our God" (1 Nephi 2:7).
• When Lehi's sons returned safely with the plates from Jerusalem, they rejoiced and "did offer sacrifice and burnt offerings unto the Lord; and they gave thanks unto the God of Israel." Further evidencing his gratitude, Lehi immediately immersed himself in the brass plates. (1 Nephi 5:9-10).
• When Lehi's sons returned from getting Ishmael's family, again they expressed gratitude unto the Lord: "they did give thanks unto the Lord their God; and they did offer sacrifice and burnt offerings unto him." (1 Nephi 6:22)

Powerful, Mighty Testimony

• Lehi "did speak unto them in the valley of Lemuel, with power, being filled with the Spirit, until their frames did shake before him. And he did confound them, that they durst not utter against him; wherefore, they did as he commanded them" (1 Nephi 2:14).

The Plan of Salvation

• Lehi testified about the fall and need for the atonement: "all mankind were in a lost and in a fallen state, and ever would be save they should rely on this Redeemer" (1 Nephi 9:6).

Teaching / Exhorting his Children (and Posterity)

• He tells his sons: "O that ye would awake; awake from a deep sleep, yea, even from the sleep of hell, and shake off the awful chains by which ye are bound...Awake! and arise from the dust, and hear the words of a trembling parent, whose limbs ye must soon lay down in the cold and silent grave...But behold, the Lord hath redeemed my soul from hell; I have beheld his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love. And I desire that ye should remember to observe the statutes and the judgments of the Lord; behold, this hath been the anxiety of my soul from the beginning" (2 Nephi 1:13-16).
• This point was very important to Lehi to get across to his children and posterity: "And he hath said that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land; but inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my presence." (2 Nephi 1:20)
• You can hear the pleading in his voice: "that I might not be brought down with grief and sorrow to the grave, arise from the dust, my sons, and be men, and be determined in one mind and in one heart, united in all things, that ye may not come down into captivity;" (2 Nephi 1:21).
• Lehi tells his sons to "put on the armor of righteousness", "shake off the chains" that bind them, "come forth out of obscurity", and "arise from the dust."He tells them to stop rebelling against Nephi, who has been righteous and an "instrument in the hands of God." (2 Nephi 1:23-24)
• Even though his sons may not of liked hearing this, Lehi gave them this wise counsel: "And now my son, Laman, and also Lemuel and Sam, and also my sons who are the sons of Ishmael, behold, if ye will hearken unto the voice of Nephi ye shall not perish. And if ye will hearken unto him I leave unto you a blessing, yea, even my first blessing But if ye will not hearken unto him I take away my first blessing, yea, even my blessing, and it shall rest upon him." (2 Nephi 1:28-29)

Afflictions

• Lehi talks to his son, Jacob, and promises: "thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain."(2 Nephi 2:2) This can be applied to us as well. Knowing the greatness of God appears to be a prerequisite, likely because that leads to faith in Him and hope for the future. God is able to turn any negative into a positive, even when it comes to difficulties in our lives.
• Lehi taught that there must be "opposition in all things." Righteousness could not exist without a contrasting wickedness. Or what is good if there is no bad? (2 Nephi 2:11-13)

Benefits and Blessings of Scripture Study - the reason why we're told to study the scriptures daily

I recently (yesterday) spoke in Church about feasting on the word and its benefits. I wanted to share some of the notes I took (mostly quotes) about scripture study as I prepared for the talk- much of what I shared was from these quotes. I don't have links and references in all of these, but you can search on Google or LDS.org and find any of these talks- leave me a comment if there is one you can't find and I'll send you a link.

Scripture study brings us closer to God by increasing our faith, testimony, and spirituality.

-Elder Eyring: “The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ, and we learn about Him in its pages. We know that it has great power. It has the power to change lives. It has the power to convert. If you read it with an open heart, you will know that it is the word of God and that it is true...Another reason to study it regularly, for me at least, is that I can pick up the Book of Mormon, open to any page, read, and the Holy Ghost bears personal witness to me that it is the word of God. I know the Lord is speaking. I know the Book of Mormon is what it claims to be.”

-Elder Bednar: “Studying and feasting suggest a focus and an intensity that reach far beyond casual reading or quick perusing. Studying and feasting, followed by sincere prayer and steadfast application of the truths and principles we learn, yield personal resolve, spiritual commitment, and the bright light of testimony. Studying, learning, praying, and appropriately applying gospel truths are all key elements in the process of coming unto the Savior.”

-President Harold B. Lee: “If we’re not reading the scriptures daily, our testimonies are growing thinner, our spirituality isn’t increasing in depth.”

-President Spencer W. Kimball taught: “I find that when I get casual in my relationships with divinity and when it seems that no divine ear is listening and no divine voice is speaking, that I am far, far away. If I immerse myself in the scriptures the distance narrows and the spirituality returns”

-Elder Bateman of 12: There are certain blessings obtained when one searches the scriptures. As a person studies the words of the Lord and obeys them, he or she draws closer to the Savior and obtains a greater desire to live a righteous life. The power to resist temptation increases, and spiritual weaknesses are overcome. Spiritual wounds are healed.

Scripture study helps us overcome temptation

-Nephi answered his brothers’ questions about the tree of life in 1 Ne 15:24 “And I said unto them that it was the word of God; and whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the temptations and the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction.”

(explains how) -Elder Eyring: “The Holy Ghost confirms to us the word of God when we read it. That confirmation, repeated often, strengthens our faith. And it is by faith that we overcome obstacles and resist temptation.”

Scripture study helps us receive personal revelation and guidance from the Lord

-(two major ways the Lord guides us) Elder Kendrick of 70: “Our Heavenly Father continues to communicate with us through revelation. These revelations are communications of divine directions. They may come to us personally or through the voice of the Lord’s chosen servants...Those revelations received by prophets are given to us in the form of scripture or by the voice of the living prophets. Thus the scriptures become a road map, a set of divine directions to assist us on our journey through mortality and our return trip home.

-Elder Hales: “For when we want to speak to God, we pray. And when we want Him to speak to us, we search the scriptures; for His words are spoken through His prophets. He will then teach us as we listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit...If you have not heard His voice speaking to you lately, return with new eyes and new ears to the scriptures. They are our spiritual lifeline.”

-Sister Cheryl Lant (Gen Primary President): “I find that if I pray not only to have a witness of the truthfulness of the scriptures but also to have the Spirit with me as I read, my sensitivity is heightened, and I see ever so much more clearly. I can see where I am in my life and where my Heavenly Father wants me to be. I can understand principles of truth, and I can see how to make the needed changes in my life. I can feel assured that the Lord will help and strengthen me to accomplish the task.”

-President Benson, in the April 1986 general conference, expressed these thoughts: “However diligent we may be in other areas, certain blessings are to be found only in the scriptures, only in coming to the word of the Lord and holding fast to it as we make our way through the mists of darkness to the tree of life.”

-Remember President Hinckley’s promises that he made to the members who committed to read the Book of Mormon: “an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord, a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to His commandments, and a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God.”

-When Elder Eyring was asked how studying the scriptures had benefited him personally, he responded: “The scriptures were one of the ways God spoke to me—even when I was a child—about my needs, my situation, and my life. They still are. Since our needs change over a lifetime, God has different things to tell us at different times. Sometimes I go to the scriptures for doctrine. Sometimes I go to the scriptures for instruction. I go with a question, and the question usually is “What would God have me do?” or “What would He have me feel?” Invariably I find new ideas, thoughts I have never had before, and I receive inspiration and instruction and answers to my questions.“

-Eyring: “Going to the scriptures to learn what to do makes all the difference. The Lord can teach us. When we come to a crisis in our life, such as losing a child or spouse, we should go looking in the scriptures for specific help. We will find answers in the scriptures. The Lord seemed to anticipate all of our problems and all of our needs, and He put help in the scriptures for us—if only we seek it.”

Scripture study teaches us to recognize the Lord’s voice

-David McConkie (sunday school presidency) in a conference address last year taught: “The Lord has commanded us to search the scriptures, to feast upon them, and to treasure them up. As we earnestly search and ponder the word of the Lord, we will have His Spirit with us. We will become acquainted with His voice.
Soon after I was called to be a stake president, our stake presidency received training from an Area Seventy. During the training, I asked a question to which he responded, “That is a good question. Let’s turn to the Church Handbook of Instructions for the answer.” We then went to the handbook, and there was the answer to my question. A little later in our training, I asked another question. Once again he responded, “Good question. Let’s turn to the handbook.” I did not venture to ask any more questions. I thought it best to read the handbook.
I have thought since that the Lord could give a similar response to each of us as we go to Him with concerns or questions. He could say, “That’s a good question. If you will review Alma chapter 5 or Doctrine and Covenants section 76, you’ll remember that I have already spoken to you about this.”
Brothers and sisters, it is contrary to the economy of heaven for the Lord to repeat to each of us individually what He has already revealed to us collectively. The scriptures contain the words of Christ. They are the voice of the Lord. Studying the scriptures trains us to hear the Lord’s voice.”

-The Lord himself taught that the scriptures are his voice (D&C 18:34–36.): “These words are not of men nor of man, but of me; …“For it is my voice which speaketh them unto you; for they are given by my Spirit … , and by my power you can read them one to another. …“Wherefore, you can testify that you have heard my voice, and know my words.”

Why Study the Scriptures?

Feasting Upon Sweet Scriptures
In contemplating the phrase "feast upon the words of Christ" it's easy to wonder how one really feasts upon the scriptures. Anyone can read the scriptures. With a little bit of additional effort it isn't too hard to study the scriptures. But what does it take to feast upon the scriptures? Anyone who reads the scriptures much knows that they taste good. What I mean by that is that you feel the truth of what you're reading and it makes you feel good. But to feast on the scriptures, they'd have to be delicious to you and Alma teaches us how they can:

"Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me." (Alma 32:28)

Alma compares the word of God (the scriptures) unto a seed. If you bring the word into your heart and believe the word, it will continue to enlarge your soul, enlighten your understanding, and finally begin to be delicious to you. This is a process that takes time - it doesn't happen overnight. 
The Psalmist said it another way, "How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" (Psalms 119:103). If we're to feast upon the word, I think it's safe to say the scriptures need to be sweet honey to our taste.


A Reservoir of Living Water
Read this masterful discourse given by Elder Bednar: A Reservoir of Living Water.


Consider how important water is to sustaining physical life. The Savior referred to his word as the "living water." Elder Bednar: "And as water is necessary to sustain physical life, so the Savior and His doctrines, principles, and ordinances are essential for eternal life. You and I need His living water daily and in ample supply to sustain our ongoing spiritual growth and development." 
I like the analogy that the scriptures are a reservoir of living water. We know that the Savior is the fountain of living water, so it makes sense to consider the scriptures a reservoir where His word is stored and readily accessible for our consumption. 

The Book of Mormon Helps us Grow Closer to God

Regarding the Book of Mormon, the Prophet Joseph Smith said that “a man would get
nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book” (introduction to the
Book of Mormon). The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ. By reading this book, we get to know Christ and gain a greater appreciation for his atoning sacrifice for us. We also learn how we can follow him, become more like him, and gain eternal glory with him. As you study the words of the Book of Mormon, you will receive personal revelation, inspiration that will bless your life. As you pray to know of the book's truthfulness, the Holy Ghost will touch your heart and testify to you that it is true.
The prophet of my youth, President Gordon B. Hinckley declared: 

“Those who have read [the Book of Mormon] prayerfully, be they rich or poor, learned or unlearned, have grown under its power. . . . Without reservation I promise you that if you will prayerfully read the Book of Mormon, regardless of how many times you previously have read it, there will come into your hearts . . . the Spirit of the Lord. There will come a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to his commandments, and there will come a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God” (“The Power of the Book of Mormon,” Ensign, June 1988, 6).

President Hinckley also said in the same discourse:

"While the Book of Mormon speaks with power about the issues that affect our modern society, the great and stirring burden of its message is a testimony, vibrant and true, that Jesus is the Christ, the promised Messiah. The book bears witness of him who walked the dusty roads of Palestine healing the sick and teaching the doctrines of salvation; who died upon the cross of Calvary; who on the third day came forth from the tomb, appearing to many; and who, as a resurrected being, visited the people of the Western Hemisphere, concerning whom he earlier had said: “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.” (John 10:16.)" 

Guided by the Holy Spirit

I just wanted to jot down a few thoughts about President Boyd K Packer's (one of the 12 Apostles) talk "Guided by the Holy Spirit" - for the full text of his message click here.

President Packer hit the nail on the head when he said, "Some claim we are not Christians. They either do not know us at all or they misunderstand." The name of our church is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and everything we do centers around the Savior, Jesus Christ, so to claim that Mormons aren't Christian is as absurd as the belief that Mormons have horns.

He continues: "In the Church every ordinance is done by the authority of and in the name of Jesus Christ. We have the same organization as did the primitive Church, with apostles and prophets." This is critical to understand- Jesus Christ established his Church while on the earth 2000 years ago with apostles and prophets. That Church eventually fell into apostasy after the Apostles were martyred. The Church of Jesus Christ has been restored in these, the last days via a new prophet of our time, Joseph Smith. This is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

"Every one of us can be guided by the spirit of revelation and the gift of the Holy Ghost...If you are carrying some burden, forget it, let it alone. Do a lot of forgiving and a little repenting " President Packer teaches that we all can be guided by the Spirit to make changes in our lives. A little pondering and reflexion will quickly bring to our minds areas for improvement in our lives. Forgive, repent, forget. The Spirit will guide you to know how to change to become more perfect like the Savior of the World.

Avoiding Sin

Let's see what Helaman taught to his sons, Nephi and Lehi, in the Book of Mormon. Specifically, I'll study this from the passage Helaman 5:5-13 to see how Helaman taught his sons to avoid sin.

First we must have a firm testimony of Jesus Christ as our Savior and Redeemer. Helaman lived before the Savior came. He taught his sons: "remember that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, who shall come; yea, remember that he cometh to redeem the world" (Helaman 5:9).

Then comes the powerful teaching that we should apply into our lives to avoid sin:

"12 And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall." (Helaman 5:12)

We must build our testimonies on the rock of Jesus Christ because the storms of temptations and sin will without doubt attack us. The promise is that if we build our foundation on Christ, we cannot fall. This is the message that Heleman sought to instil within his sons. I believe it is a recipe for success in life and freedom from sin.

How Can I Avoid the Evils that Threaten my Family?

I am going to study the words of Alma to his son Corianton in Alma 39 to see what answers to this question I can find.

Alma gives this counsel to his son, but it applies to everyone in regards to how we need to develop self-mastery or self-control:

"9 Now my son, I would that ye should repent and forsake your sins, and go no more after the lusts of your eyes, but cross yourself in all these things; for except ye do this ye can in nowise inherit the kingdom of God. Oh, remember, and take it upon you, and cross yourself in these things." (Alma 39:9)

When he says cross yourself it's like we say "check yourself" today. Exercise self-mastery, self-discipline, and self-control. Teach your family to do the same, just as Alma is teaching his son. Alma tells Corianton to hang out with his brothers and follow their examples since they're living righteously. I think it's always easier to avoid evils when you put yourself with a good crowd that is striving for the same thing.

Alma tells him to "turn to the Lord" and to "acknowledge [his] faults" in verse 13. And some great advice for us to remember: "Seek not after riches nor the vain things of this world; for behold, you cannot carry them with you" (Alma 39:14).

Strengthening Your Marriage Through the Teachings of Jesus Christ

As I've been trying to show with some of the most recent posts, the Book of Mormon answers the questions of the soul. To learn about strengthening relationships - even with our spouse, we can turn to the Book of Mormon. Let's see what the Savior taught in 3 Nephi 14:

"3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother: Let me pull the mote out of thine eye—and behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5 Thou hypocrite, first cast the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast the mote out of thy brother’s eye." (3 Nephi 14:3-5)

Marriages go sour when husband and/or wife are selfish and prideful. What the Savior describes above often results from both selfishness and pride. It's easy super easy to see the faults in others, especially those we know best, and who do we know better than our spouse? We can get caught up in a little flaw our spouse may have without realizing that it's small compared to our own flaws (which are many). So here is one way to interpret this: "Once you're perfect, then go ahead and try to fix your spouse's problems." This will definitely help any marriage.

Here's a tip I'm sure you've never heard, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you!" Or as the Savior taught: "Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them, for this is the law and the prophets" (3 Nephi 14:12). If you want your spouse to respect you, then you better show respect first. I'm sure you get the idea.

Lastly, I believe this applies well to the counsel here about strengthening your marriage:

"24 Therefore, whoso heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, who built his house upon a rock—
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them not shall be likened unto a foolish man, who built his house upon the bsand—
27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell, and great was the fall of it." (3 Nephi 14:24-27)

If your marriage isn't built upon the rock, then how do you expect to withstand the tempests that are sure to come? For more about strengthening family relationships, visit http://mormon.org/family/.

Balancing Family and Career

This is an interesting dilemma faced by millions of the world's working men and women. Jesus Christ gave some great instruction that can be prayerfully applied to this dilemma. It's found in the New Testament and also in the Book of Mormon. In fact, it is one of the first things the Savior taught to the Nephites when he visited them after his resurrection. I'm referring to his teachings in 3 Nephi 13.

Jesus taught:

"19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and thieves break through and steal;
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." 3 Nephi 13:19-21

What do you treasure? For what treasure do you pursue your career? Is it something that can be corrupted or stolen? Or is your treasure of an eternal nature? Remember that status, riches, fame, and everything the world offers is just temporary while our families can be together eternally (see http://mormon.org/family). Wherever you place your treasure, or whatever you value most, that's where your heart will be. From personal experience, the greatest happiness and peace comes from putting God and family first.

"24 No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon." 3 Nephi 13:24

Who is your master? Who do you chose to serve? I have a feeling this question can be answered by how you spend your time and resources. Serving God and making him your master will place your family at the forefront of your life. Other master's are not so generous.

Jesus talks about the lilies and the birds and how they are provided for without worrying. His point is not that we shouldn't need to work, but rather that we should do the best we can, and he will provide for us (3 Nephi 13:25-32). Too many people fear that they will suffer financial hardships if they do not have their career as top priority. The opposite is true- when you put God and family first, your career improves (as does every other aspect of your life).

Remember: "But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you" (3 Nephi 13:34). As I said before, put God and family first and the rest will fall into place. That's a promise from God.

Finding Peace and Joy

What does the Book of Mormon teach us about how we can find peace and joy in our lives? I'm going to study some of the words of the prophet and king, Benjamin in Mosiah 2 and Mosiah 4.

King Benjamin taught his people "to keep the commandments of God, that they might rejoice and be filled with love towards God and all men" (Mosiah 2:4). This shows the connection between obedience to God's commandments and joy (rejoicing). Remember the greatest commandments, according to Jesus Christ, are to love God and to love our fellow-man. This creates an interesting cycle: we must love God and all men to keep the commandments, and keeping the commandments will fill us "with love towards God and all men." We here a lot about sin and pride cycles, so it's refreshing to see a righteousness and love cycle where the more obedient we are the more we'll love God and others, and the more our love increases, the more obedient we will become. That's a joyful cycle that will lead us to become more like our perfect exemplar, the Savior.

King Benjamin tells his people, "as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have tasted of his love, and have received a remission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls" (Mosiah 4:11). So what caused the "exceedingly great joy" in their souls? Coming to know God, knowing His goodness, tasting of his love, receiving forgiveness (repenting) of our sins. That is an inspired recipe for "exceedingly great joy."

He then gives his people another formula for joy and peace in Mosiah 4:11-13. To summarize:
If

• We remember the greatness and goodness of God and his patience towards us
• We humble ourselves into the "depths of humility"
• Pray daily to God
• Stand steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come

Then

• We shall always rejoice,
• Be filled with the love of God
• Be forgiven of our sins
• Grow in the knowledge of the glory of God and that which is just and true
• We will not injure one another
• We will live peaceably
• We shall treat everyone fairly

In connection with this if/then promise, King Benjamin tells parents to provide for their children, teach them to keep the commandments, not quarrel, and not worship/follow Satan. Parents should "teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another" (Mosiah 4:14-15).

This verse is one of my favorite scriptures and powerful wisdom shared by Benjamin:

"And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it." (Mosiah 2:41)  

Those who obey God's commandments are blessed and happy; in fact, they are "blessed in all things." If they endure to the end faithfully, then they receive a state of never-ending happiness. Who in this world does not desire happiness in this life and in the life to come? The way to achieve it is obedience to the laws and ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Find out more about God's plan of happiness here: http://mormon.org/plan-of-happiness/.

Do Infants Need to be Baptized?

The answer to whether we need to baptize our infants is no. In the Book of Mormon, the prophet Mormon uses very clear terms to explain to his son, Moroni, that baptism is not necessary for children (Moroni 8).

Mormon inquired of the Lord concerning the baptism of children and the response of the Lord was, "Behold, I came into the world not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance; the whole need no physician, but they that are sick; wherefore, little children are whole, for they are not capable of committing sin;" (Moroni 8:8). Mormon then explains that "it is solemn mockery before God, that ye should baptize little children."

Mormon continues:

"19 Little children cannot repent; wherefore, it is awful wickedness to deny the pure mercies of God unto them, for they are all alive in him because of his mercy. 

 20 And he that saith that little children need baptism denieth the mercies of Christ, and setteth at naught the atonement of him and the power of his redemption." (Moroni 8:19-20)

Since baptism is unto repentance, it makes sense that babies should not need baptism because they are innocent and incapable of sin.

Why Does God Allow Bad Things to Happen?

I know this is a common question asked after the death of a loved one, a natural disaster occurs, or some other tragedy takes place. We must remember that God never causes bad things to happen, so the question is "why does God allow bad things to happen?" At the root, it comes down to God giving us agency and not forcing anybody to do anything- we have to make choices because that's one of the reasons we're here on earth. Let's see what else we can learn from the Book of Mormon to help understand the answer to this question.

Lehi explains to his son Jacob that the devil, evil, wickedness, and all bad things exist for a reason- to provide us with "an opposition in all things" (2 Nephi 2:11). The reason this opposition is so important is that "the Lord God gave unto man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man could not act for himself save it should be that he was enticed by the one or the other" (2 Nephi 2:16). So in order for me to truly have agency, I must have choices. If choices or options do not exist, then how can I have agency or the freedom of choice? So, the devil provides us with opportunities to choose poorly while God seeks to guide us to choose righteously through the influence of the Holy Ghost and also the light of Christ, also known as our conscience. Everyone is born with a conscience, knowing right from wrong, so that we can choose for ourselves and be held accountable for those choices.

I think it's also important to remember that even bad things can and do turn out alright in the end. It's true that our trials make us stronger and we can learn so many valuable lessons from our mistakes. Lehi told Jacob, "Nevertheless, Jacob, my first-born in the wilderness, thou knowest the greatness of God; and he shall consecrate thine afflictions for thy gain" (2 Nephi 2:2). I believe that this is true for all of us if we endure our afflictions well.

A Biblical example of this is the Fall of Adam and Eve. They transgressed God's command to not eat of the forbidden fruit, yet much good has come of that transgression. If not for them eating of the fruit and being kicked out of the Garden of Eden, we would not have ever been born (2 Nephi 2:22-25).

Lehi describes - basically as his final words to his sons - agency and our freedom of choice:

27 Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and call things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself. 

28 And now, my sons, I would that ye should look to the great Mediator, and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit; 

29 And not choose eternal death, according to the will of the flesh and the evil which is therein, which giveth the spirit of the devil power to captivate, to bring you down to hell, that he may reign over you in his own kingdom. 

30 I have spoken these few words unto you all, my sons, in the last days of my probation; and I have chosen the good part, according to the words of the prophet. And I have none other object save it be the everlasting welfare of your souls. Amen. (2 Nephi 2:27-30)

Simply put, choose good! Choose God!

Two prophets who were preaching as missionaries ran into this same question. Many of those converted to the true gospel of Christ were being burned at the stake by non-believers. Amulek turned to Alma and essentially asked, "Why is this awful thing happening? Can't we call upon God to put an end to it?" God's answer, which came through his prophet Alma can also help answer the question we're discussing: "The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand; for behold the Lord receiveth them up unto himself, in glory; and he doth suffer that they may do this thing, or that the people may do this thing unto them, according to the hardness of their hearts, that the judgments which he shall exercise upon them in his wrath may be just; and the blood of the innocent shall stand as a witness against them, yea, and cry mightily against them at the last day" (Alma 14:9-11).

Similarly, God revealed to the prophet Moroni, "For the Lord suffereth the righteous to be slain that his justice and judgment may come upon the wicked; therefore ye need not suppose that the righteous are lost because they are slain; but behold, they do enter into the rest of the Lord their God" (Alma 60:13).

The experience of Alma and Amulek is especially hard to comprehend. Those people being burned to death were good, righteous people who had recently given their hearts over to God and would not deny him. Yet God allowed wicked men to kill them. We must remember that God is at the helm, meaning he sees the complete "big-picture" with a perfect perspective. All things are present to God because he can see the past, present, and future. He acts in our best interest.

If we live our lives righteously, we will never have to fear because any and all bad things that may befall us will end up being for our good.

What Is the Purpose of Life?

This is a big question that most people have at some point in their life: What is the purpose of life? I'm going to study the words that Amulek taught in the Book of Mormon in Alma 34 to see what can be learned about the purpose of life.

First we must realize that because of the fall of Adam and Eve, all mankind is in a fallen and lost state. We commit sin and not one of us can avoid that. In this fallen state we are unable to return to God's presence, which is why we are "lost." For this reason, God has lovingly provided a way to overcome our fallen state. He provided a Savior for us, who of course is Jesus Christ. His perfect atonement (sacrifice for us) allows us to become clean and perfected in him if we follow his gospel by having faith in Him, repenting, and being baptized (Alma 34:8-15). So I guess we can classify that as one purpose for us during this life: follow Christ's gospel so we can return to God and be saved.

To put this one more way, in terms of mercy and justice, the atonement provides mercy, which can "satisfy the demands of justice." So, "he that exercises no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of redemption" (Alma 34:16).

Where do we start? Amulek says, "cry unto him for mercy; for he is mighty to save. Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in prayer unto him" (Alma 34:18-19). The first step is to pray to God in humility asking for his help and his mercy. I'd even suggest meeting with missionaries; in fact, Amulek was a missionary when he taught this lesson! Click here to contact the missionaries in your area.

Amulek gives a big warning to the people he teaches. He tells them: "If ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and import of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need- I say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold, your prayer is vain and availeth you nothing..."(Alma 34:28). So more is required of us than just faith and repentance, we must use our means in this life to help those less fortunate than ourselves.

The next point Amulek makes is also with very strong language that I won't paraphrase because that would only take away from it. He warns us against procrastinating our day of repentance:

"32 For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.
33 And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after this day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed.
34 Ye cannot say, when ye are brought to that awful crisis, that I will repent, that I will return to my God. Nay, ye cannot say this; for that same spirit which doth possess your bodies at the time that ye go out of this life, that same spirit will have power to possess your body in that eternal world.
35 For behold, if ye have procrastinated the day of your repentance even until death, behold, ye have become subjected to the spirit of the devil, and he doth seal you his; therefore, the Spirit of the Lord hath withdrawn from you, and hath no place in you, and the devil hath all power over you; and this is the final state of the wicked." (Alma 34:32-35)

Some more counsel on how to live our lives to fulfill our purpose here (Alma 34:38-40):

• "Humble yourself"
• "Take upon you the name of Christ" (you do this through repentance and baptism)
• "Worship God," regardless of where you are
• "Live in thanksgiving daily"
• "Be watchful unto prayer continually, that ye may not be led away by the temptations of the devil"
• "Bear with all manner of afflictions" (patiently endure trials)