Plant Christ in Your Heart

 I've read Alma 32 and 33 many times before, but this time was different.

Alma elegantly teaches about faith with the familiar metaphor of planting and nourishing a seed. The first step isn't belief but a desire to believe. As chapter 33 begins, the people respond with, "that's a cool analogy, and the fruit sounds awesome, but what word are you talking about that we should be planting?" (paraphrasing a bit)

Alma then teaches them all about "the word" (another name for Christ) with a beautiful sermon about about Jesus Christ, pulling from the words of Zenos & Zenock and referencing Moses' example of the serpent on the staff. Then what hit me today was that after these powerful teachings about the Savior, Alma mic drops and says, "this is the word you should plant."

If you're ever struggling with your faith and wondering how to "get started" with just a "desire to believe", the word you need to plant in your heart is Jesus Christ. Focus on Him, learn of Him, and "look and live."

Alma 58:37 God Will Deliver Us

Likening Alma 58:37 is empowering:

My Translation: But, behold, my most difficult trials mattereth not—I trust God will deliver me, notwithstanding the weakness of my mortal condition, yea, He will deliver me out of the hands of my enemy, the adversary.

Original: But, behold, it mattereth not—we trust God will deliver us, notwithstanding the weakness of our armies, yea, and deliver us out of the hands of our enemies.

Helaman wrote this at a time when he and his armies were weak, tired, injured, hungry, and grossly outnumbered by the Lamanites. And God delivered them. Our Heavenly Father is a God of deliverance. 

Book of Mormon Teaches How to Survive Quarantine

 

What!? The Book of Mormon teaches how to survive a quarantine!?

A couple years after the Nephites defeated the Gadianton robbers in what Mormon describes as the greatest slaughter ever among the descendants of Lehi, a new tactic is used. This time the robbers decide to "lay siege", "hem them in on every side", and "cut them off from all their outward privilege." In essence, they imposed an quarantine on the Nephite city.

How did the Nephites survive quarantine and isolation from the outside world? They didn't even have the Internet or Netflix!

First, they had prepared flocks, food, and provisions to "subsist for the space of seven years."

Second, we know they were prayerful and trusting in God because of Mormon's earlier description that they "did lift their cries to the Lord their God, that he would spare them and deliver them out of the hands of their enemies."

And third, they didn't sit around passively and wait as helpless victims for the siege to end. They "were continually marching out by day and by night" to mount small offenses against their enemy.

We've been under siege for months now, so what's the application for us today?

We must make efforts to be self-reliant, not just physically but spiritually as well. In fact, this pandemic might be a greater spiritual assault than physical (think about it in your own life).

We must trust God and seek His grace and deliverance in our lives.

And lastly, we must be anxiously engaged in a good cause. Fight back by serving and lifting others, armed with the sword of the Spirit.

Ultimately, after years in quarantine, the Nephites win, and they're able to destroy the Gadianton robbers. We will win too! And when we win, I hope we can rejoice as did the Nephites:

"And it came to pass that they did break forth, all as one, in singing, and praising their God for the great thing which he had done for them, in preserving them from falling into the hands of their enemies.

"Yea, they did cry: Hosanna to the Most High God. And they did cry: Blessed be the name of the Lord God Almighty, the Most High God.

"And their hearts were swollen with joy, unto the gushing out of many tears, because of the great goodness of God in delivering them out of the hands of their enemies; and they knew it was because of their repentance and their humility that they had been delivered from an everlasting destruction."

3 Nephi 4

What Can We Learn from the Nephites (3 Ne 11) about Hearing Him?

 In 3 Nephi 11:3-5, it took the Nephites three attempts before they understood God's voice. What can we learn?

What was different about the third time?

They "did open their ears to hear it; and their eyes were toward the sound thereof; and they did look steadfastly towards heaven." They focused their full attention and were able to hear God speak to them.

We've talked a lot about Hearing Him this year because of its critical importance in our lives. It may be different for each of us, but I think we can all learn from the Nephite example of setting aside distractions (no multitasking!) and making intentional efforts to focus complete attention on God.

God introduced the Nephites to Christ who then came to them to heal and bless them. What does God want you to hear?