Go and Get the Plates!

I really like the Book of Mormon story of Nephi retrieving the brass plates from Laban because it teaches so many valuable lessons. Here are a few lessons I learned while studying this story.

Lesson 1: Commandments Come from God, not Men
In the first 5 verses of 1 Nephi 3, Lehi says to Nephi that it was the Lord commanding Lehi's sons to go and get the plates. Nephi understood and believed this, which is why he was willing to "go and do." Laman and Lemuel did not understand or believe; they thought Lehi was telling them what to do, which is why they murmured.

We are not so different. When we understand and believe that the word of wisdom is a commandment from God, we willingly obey without murmuring. When youth understand and believe that the standards and guidelines in For the Strength of Youth are actually from God (not from church leaders), their attitude becomes like that of Nephi. All of us want to do God's will and most of us are willing to sacrifice worldly pleasures to do His will; however, few of us are willing to sacrifice worldly pleasures to blindly do the will of ecclesiastical leaders.

Does it make sense then why gaining a testimony of the commandments (that they are from God and not man) is soooooo critically important? This testimony is what separates the Nephi's from the Laman's.

How does one gain a testimony of the commandments? Jesus taught: "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." (John 7:17). Jesus says to do His will in order to know it is His will - this is a pretty good test. I have done this and that is how I know that these commandments are from God. I would also suggest praying to our Heavenly Father and asking for Him to reveal the truth of these things to you. This should be combined with your efforts to do His will. Remember that by the power of the Holy Ghost you "may know the truth of all things."

Lesson 2: The Lord Is Pleased with Those Who Obey with a Willing Heart
In 1 Nephi 3:6, we read, "Therefore go, my son, and thou shalt be favored of the Lord, because thou hast not murmured." Why was Nephi going to be favored of the Lord? Because he was going to do the will of the Lord without murmuring. We have covenanted to be obedient, and we know we need to keep the commandments, but how is our attitude? Jesus taught, "If ye love me, keep my commandments (John 14:15)." If we show our love through our obedience, then it should be obvious that willful, even cheerful, obedience more profoundly shows our love and appreciation to God. No wonder He is pleased with those who obey without murmuring!

Lesson 3: The Lord Only Gives Us Commandments We Can Keep
In 1 Nephi 3:7 we find a classic scripture where Nephi declares:

"And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."

Nephi testifies that we can trust God, that He will help us accomplish the things that He commands us. If you have ever struggled because of how difficult a commandment seems to be, you can be assured that God will give you the strength to keep His commandments. He will never set up one of His children for failure; rather, He makes sure we all have what we need to be successful.

Lesson 4: Sometimes We Can't Do It on Our Own
In the previous lesson, I mentioned that all of the commandments are possible to keep, which is true. However, sometimes we can't keep the commandment on our own no matter how hard we try (we need God's help). Lehi's sons learned this lesson when they followed God's commandment to go back to Jerusalem for the plates. First, Laman went and tried to convince Laban to give him the plates - Laban chased him off and tried to kill him. Next, all four brothers took gold, silver, and precious things to Laban to barter with him. Again, Laban chased them off and tried to kill them. It probably seemed to them that the task was impossible, and without God's help it probably was.

Nephi succeeded by trusting in God and faithfully following the Spirit. With God's divine help, he succeeded. He knew God would help him because, as we discussed in Lesson 3, God always prepares a way to accomplish His commandments.

Lesson 5: Trials Come Even When We Strive to Do God's Will
Put yourself in Laman's shoes. Although reluctantly, he decided to obey his father and go back to Jerusalem with his brothers. He likely doubted that the commandment came from God, but certainly if it did, then God would help them. I'm sure Nephi was repeatedly promising that God would help them succeed throughout the journey. So, with that he goes to talk to Laban who gets angry with him, calls him a thief, and tries to kill him. What did he do to deserve that treatment!? He was being obedient. This was probably one of the biggest trials he had faced in his life (and perhaps the most life-threatening and terrifying).

Next, his little brother who is so full of faith comes up with a marvelous plan that just has to work - they'll buy the plates from Laban by overpaying with all of their gold, silver, and precious things that were left at their house. There's no way Laban could turn down such wealth. Same result- they're chased off by the guards who want to kill them. I imagine Laman must have felt great despair at this point. Even if he had ever believed God had commanded this task, he now must have been certain they could not succeed. But he was trying to do as he was commanded!

I submit that sometimes when we are trying our hardest to do what's right, the most challenging of trials will come. This makes it even more important to trust in God and rely on his strength and divine help to get through the challenges, just as Nephi did.

Lesson 6: The Best Persuasion Is a Shared Vision
After Laman's near-death experience attempting to retrieve the plates, Nephi's brothers were ready to call it quits and head back. They were frightened, disappointed, angry, and I assume persuading them to give it another shot seemed unlikely. However, Nephi miraculously persuades them to stay and try a new tactic - exchanging their gold, silver, and precious things for the plates. How does he do it!?

The answer can be helpful for each of us when we have the difficult challenge of persuading someone to do something they do not wish to do. Nephi shared with them the greater vision that he had obtained for their assignment, and that vision was enough. He reminded them of Lehi's vision of the future destruction of Jerusalem for the wickedness of the people. He opened their eyes to the future of their own posterity without the plates: the loss of their language and the words of the prophets. As they began to understand the significance of their task, they were encouraged to give plan B a try.

Lesson 7: Miracles Don't Result in Lasting Conversion
"An angel of the Lord came and stood before [Nephi and his brothers], and he spake unto them." Then just two verses later: "And after the angel had departed, Laman and Lemuel again began to murmur." What!?!? How do you see and hear and angel and then begin murmuring right afterwards!? Nephi asked his brothers this same question in 4:3, "an angel hath spoken unto you; wherefore can ye doubt?" Certainly, the visitation of the angel was shocking, humbling, and impactful, but for some reason, these effects wore off very quickly.

Sometimes we may find ourselves thinking (or even praying) that that if we just had a sign from God then we would believe and never doubt again. It's human nature. Here we can learn a lesson from Laman and Lemuel - miracles don't lead to lasting conversion. They can lead to course corrections, repentance, and a plethora of other good things. For example, Paul or Alma the younger and the sons of Mosiah. The miracles they experienced led to their repentance, eventual conversion, and powerful witnesses of Jesus Christ. True conversion is a gift from God that comes through sincere study, prayer, and righteous living.

Lesson 8: The Lord Is More Powerful than Any of Your Adversaries
Remember Paul's question, "If God be for us, then who can be against us?" Or when Elisha faced an overwhelming number of Syrians, he said, "Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them." Nephi says in 4:1 that God "is mightier than all the earth, then why not mightier than Laban and his fifty, yea, or even than his tens of thousands?" To illustrate his point, he reminds them of how God spoke through Moses to part the Red Sea.

Often our challenges and opposition seem daunting to us, and if we are relying on our own strength, they may be impossible to overcome. However, the Lord has promised to help the righteous overcome these challenges. It seemed impossible for Nephi and his brethren to retrieve the brass plates after what happened their first two attempts, yet with God's help, Nephi was able to succeed on the third attempt.

Lesson 9: Sometimes We Must Take a Step of Faith
On the third attempt to get the plates, Nephi writes in 4:6, "And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things that I should do. Nevertheless I went forth..." Wow! Not only would that be terrifying, considering Laban tried to kill them on the first two attempts, but how much faith does it take to do something so dangerous, relying on the Spirit to guide you? This is an excellent example of trusting in the Lord enough to go and obey without even knowing how you're going to achieve success. When we are on the Lord's errand and take a step of faith into the darkness, He never lets us fail.

Lesson 10: Nephi Is Still a Guy
Have you ever considered how much effort it must have taken to engrave the scriptures on metal plates? Yet despite the effort (which I'm sure was not small), Nephi devotes an entire verse to describing Laban's awesome sword. He talks about how he drew it from the sheath and then describes how sweet the hilt is and how cool the blade is. This description almost seems out of place until you realize that Nephi is a guy, and he probably couldn't help but share these details about the most awesome sword he's ever seen in his life! I don't blame him.

Lesson 11: Sometimes We Have to Do Hard Tasks, Even Those We Really Don't Want to Do
When Nephi found Laban, he was commanded by the Lord to slay him. He had never killed someone, had a solid understanding of the commandments and that it was wrong to kill, and as such, he did not want to kill Laban. This was probably an even bigger test of faith for Nephi than his previously being led by the Spirit not knowing beforehand what he should do. The Lord eased his doubt by helping him understand the purpose behind it, and ultimately Nephi passed the test and obeyed the Lord.

Lesson 12: Whatever the Lord Commands Is Right
It is easy to question, "how can the Lord command Nephi to murder when that's against the commandments and wrong?"We must keep a proper perspective to understand the lesson here. God is the one who gave the commandments initially; they are His. The most important commandments we have been given deal with life, the taking and creation of life. These are of utmost concern to God because of their importance and impact on the Plan of Salvation that He has for His children. However, sometimes God allows for the wicked to die in order to progress His work or for the sake of the righteous. It may also be for the sake of the wicked - God sees much more than we can. When Moses led the children of Israel through the Red Sea, God allowed the waters to rush down and kill an entire army. Why? Because that army needed to be destroyed in order for His people to escape and survive. Similarly, Laban had to die in order for Lehi's posterity to survive.

God chooses who lives and dies, not us. God could have smitten Laban himself, but he was also testing Nephi. Similarly, Abraham was also tested with a command to shed innocent blood even though an angel stopped him at the last moment. He also knew that whatever God commands is right.

Lesson 13: There's No Limit to the Miracles the Lord Can Perform for You
Not only is Nephi guided to Laban, but the Lord continues to perform miracles. Nephi comes across Laban's servant, Zoram, and fools him with his appearance (wearing Laban's clothing). Sure, it was dark, but even in faint light, it should be possible to recognize he wasn't Laban. Then Nephi speaks to Zoram with his best Laban impersonation, and that fools him too! Lastly, he convinces Zoram to come with him and leave the city of Jerusalem. It's obvious that the Lord had Nephi's back and was willing to perform whatever miracles it took to help Nephi accomplish the task that He had commanded.

Lesson 14: The Power of an Oath
I have always found it interesting how powerful an oath used to be. It used to be true that your word was your bond, but now it just seems old fashioned, almost silly. Nephi writes, "And it came to pass that when Zoram had made an oath unto us, our fears did cease concerning him." Today, if we live in such a way that our word is truly our bond, people will notice. A reputation for trustworthiness will take us a long way and contribute greatly to success in many aspects of our lives, especially since it is so rare today.

Lesson 15: Avoid Contention in Your Marriage
While Lehi's sons were gone seeking the plates in Jerusalem, their worried mother began to fear that they had been killed. Considering how Laban had twice tried to kill her sons, her fears are not surprising. Notwithstanding, she was wrong to question the Lord who had commanded Lehi to send their sons off to obtain the plates. She began to murmur and accuse Lehi for sending them off to their (in her mind) doom.

I'm impressed with how Lehi handles the attacks from his wife, especially since he knew that it was the Lord who had commanded it. He agrees with Sariah that he is a visionary man, and comforts her by expanding her vision and perspective regarding the visions that he had experienced from the Lord. He testifies to her that he knows that the Lord will protect their sons and see them safely home. He speaks to her with patience, love, and with the Spirit; this consoles Sariah and restores peace to their marriage. We could all learn from Lehi's example by being slower to anger, quicker to empathize and comfort, and more reliant on the Spirit.

Lesson 16: Express Gratitude
We've discussed the numerous miracles that the Lord performed to protect Lehi's sons and help them obtain the plates, which would benefit their posterity for the rest of time. Of course, Lehi and Sariah rejoiced when their sons returned, but more importantly they recognized the Lord's hand in their safe return and "did offer sacrifice and burnt offerings unto the Lord; and they gave thanks unto the God of Israel." They also showed their gratitude by how they treasured the word of God that was contained upon the plates.

Your Next Step - Keep Moving Forward!

In his talk entitled, "Your Next Step," Elder Randall K Bennett of the 70 talks about the discouragement we sometimes feel when we consider how far we need to come to be who our Heavenly Father wants and intends for us to be, and more importantly, he discusses a few ways to overcome these feelings.

Be a Child
It's important to remember our relationship to God. He is our Heavenly Father, which makes us children, His children. When a young child attempts to walk, but stumbles and falls, do we scold the child for making a mistake? Absolutely not! We encourage, love, support, and help the child continue learning and improving. Our Heavenly Father sees us in the same light. When we make mistakes, He is there encouraging, loving, supporting, and helping us. Our Savior's Atonement allows us to repent and become clean, and the Holy Ghost fills us with love and will guide us to make personal improvements.

Children are also humble, submissive, and innocent. We can progress a lot just by emulating some of these childlike attributes.

ACT with Faith
To take the next step in our eternal progression requires action. We can't sit back and do nothing and then wonder why we haven't seen the personal progress for which we've been yearning. Even small steps of faith can have a big impact. Elder Bennett says, "The Lord more than matches our willingness to act in faith. Our willingness to take a step is not just met; it is exceeded by the Lord's promised blessings."

Sometimes the next step may seem uncomfortable because it requires us to stop doing something we've done for a long time or start doing something we have not been doing consistently. But if we act in faith to take the next step, Elder Bennett promises that "we [will be] blessed with strength" because "He will more than match our efforts with His power." He makes a powerful point that the Lord's strength is not only given to those who keep all of His commandments; rather, it is also given to those who seek and are making a genuine effort to do so. What comfort!

Overcome the Natural Man
We know that "the natural man is an enemy to God" and that its tendency is to procrastinate or even give up trying. Overcoming the natural man is one of life's greatest challenges and does not happen overnight. All we can do is faithfully take steps forward, one step at a time. Elder Bennett gives this reassurance, "We fail only if we fail to take another faithful step forward. We will note, we cannot, fail if we are faithfully yoked to the Savior- he who has never failed and will never fail us!"

The central theme through this message seems to be that as we make the effort to take steps forward, our loving Heavenly Father will magnify our efforts to help us be successful. It's not the pace that matters, but the direction we are heading - so keep moving forward!

Faith, a Choice

Elder Andersen, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, gave an excellent talk in October 2015 entitled Faith Is Not by Chance, but by Choice.

How Does the Savior See my Faith?
I hope we will all reflect upon and ponder the question Elder Andersen asked us to consider: "How does the Savior see my faith?" Pondering this question will help us see what we lack and inspire us to know what actions we can take in our lives to strengthen our faith.

Faith Misunderstood
It's true that faith is a gift from God; however, many misinterpret this to mean that you're either blessed with faith or you're not. It is a myth that some are born with faith or inherit faith. Those who seek faith will obtain it from the Lord. It is also commonly misunderstood that one faith promoting experience, such as a miraculous healing through a Priesthood blessing, or even a period of time where many faith promoting experiences occur, such as a two-year mission, are sufficient to sustain our faith throughout our lives. Faith has a short shelf life. As Elder Andersen says, "Your faith is either growing stronger or becoming weaker." Recall how Laman and Lemuel experienced many faith-promoting miracles (angels spoke to them!), yet their faith and repentance did not last long or sustain them through their trials.

Faith Is a Choice
Faith is a choice. Elder Andersen says, "The future of your faith is not by chance, but by choice." He continues, "How we live our lives increases or diminishes our faith. Prayer, obedience, honesty, purity of thought and deed, and unselfishness increase faith. Without these, faith diminishes."

Why Choose Faith
This may seem obvious to many, but I will share a few reasons why we should choose faith:

• Faith in Jesus Christ is required to partake of his Atonement and be saved.
• At baptism, we have covenanted (a sacred promise) with God that we would have faith. Additional covenants are made in the temple.
• Faith gives us the power to overcome our trials and continue improving ourselves.
• Both hope and charity require faith.
• Living by faith provides a confidence, peace, and joy not found through any other means.
• Faith can eliminate doubt, fear, and worry from our lives.

How Do I Choose Faith?
As Elder Andersen mentioned, there are many things we can do daily to choose faith. Many overlook these because of their simplicity. Naaman refused to bathe in the Jordan because it seemed to simple to cure him of his leprosy (later chose faith, obeyed, and was healed). How many Jews died from the poisonous serpents in the wilderness because they would not hearken unto Moses and look upon the brazen serpent to be healed? It was just too simple. Will we set aside personal prayer because of its simplicity? Will we forgo scripture study because it seems so simple, plus we've read them before? Will we cease to attend church meetings? Will we fail in our callings and duties or refuse to accept them? Choosing faith means choosing to keep the commandments of the Lord, to obey His chosen leaders, to live lives of integrity and virtue, and to serve those around us. As you can see, it's much more than checking a few boxes; it's choosing a faith-filled lifestyle.

Faith and Questions
Elder Andersen teaches, "Addressing honest questions is an important part of building faith, and we use both our intellect and our feelings." We are encouraged to be inquisitive, ever-learning, and always seeking further truth and light and knowledge. I hope nobody ever feels that they should not ask questions or that honest questions indicate a lack of faith. Joseph Smith would not have had his miraculous experience without humbly posing his honest question to God. Much of the revelation that we can and have (collectively) received has been the direct result of honest questions. In my personal life, I've asked questions of the Lord and of my leaders and benefited greatly by the answers I've received through the Spirit. Even as faith increases through honest questions and the revelation that results, we must not lose faith when answers come slowly or not at all.

Elder Andersen states, "Faith never demands an answer to every question but seeks the assurance and courage to move forward, sometimes acknowledging, 'I don't know everything, but I do know enough to continue on the path of discipleship.'"As we seek answers in faith, we will have the confidence to move forward.

Satan Seeks to Destroy Faith
It goes without saying that the adversary would like to destroy our faith. All around us the world, under his influence, seeks to undermine the faith that we have gained and to prevent us from choosing to strengthen our faith through righteous living. The Internet, and especially Social Media, is full of unbelievers who would sabotage our faith with the philosophies of men, societal trends, difficult questions that tug at our heart strings, and historical facts and fiction that are difficult to distinguish. Never before in the history of the world has anti-Mormon doctrine, largely perpetuated by apostates, been so accessible. Not only is it accessible, but those of us on Social Media often find ourselves inundated with it. This presents us with an crossroad of choice between faith and doubt. Elder Andersen teaches, "Immersing oneself in persistent doubt, fueled by answers from the faithless and the unfaithful, weakens one's faith in Jesus Christ and the Restoration."

The Apostle Paul taught, "...but the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Cor 2:14). Truth and spiritual light are not received through the endless debates in Social Media incited by the faithless and the unfaithful. Be careful about the subtle influence that "friends" and "thought leaders" in Social Media can have on us and our faith.

New Mediums, Same Old Tactics
The medium may be new but the tactics are as old as time. Satan counterfeits truth by mixing with it spiritually deadly falsehoods. Common today in Social Media are the traps of political correctness and tolerance. Charity, or pure love, is distorted and polluted with ideas such tolerating sin out of love for the sinner or accepting sin in the name of love. Sin is still sin regardless of how it is framed, or whether it is tolerated/encouraged by society, and it is still necessary to separate the sinner from the sin. We can (and must) love those who choose to sin while never condoning or accepting their actions. Doubt and confusion in this regard leave us susceptible to the warning given by Alexander Pope:

“Vice is a monster of so frightful mien
As to be hated needs but to be seen;
Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face,
We first endure, then pity, then embrace.”

Our faith diminishes as we allow ourselves to be surrounded by the doubts perpetuated by the faithless and unfaithful.

What to Do When Faith Is Challenged?
All of us have moments when our faith may be challenged and when it can be difficult to push aside doubts. Luckily, there are proactive steps we can take to choose faith in these moments.

Prayer
Humbly asking our Heavenly Father in prayer should be our first step. God is a reliable go-to source for comfort, guidance, and spiritual peace, which we receive through the Holy Ghost. The scriptures are full of stories of deliverance, and your loving Father will deliver you from doubt and confusion if you ask. The Lord promised that we can conquer Satan and the servants of Satan if we will "pray always" (D&C 10:5), and the Lord keeps his promises.

Remembering
Another powerful tool is remembering times in our lives when we have felt the witness of the Spirit. Journaling spiritual experiences can provide us with easy access to the memories and feelings we've had. Remember how you gained your testimony and the experiences that have strengthened it. Alma pleaded with the people of Zarahemla to remember: "if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?" (Alma 5:26). When Oliver Cowdery struggled with his faith, the revelation given to him was to remember the peace that the Lord had previously spoken to his mind (D&C 6:22-24).

God's Word
Open the scriptures. In Lehi's vision of the tree of life, it was the people who clung to the iron rod, which symbolises the word of God, that were able to escape the blinding temptations of the world. Elder Andersen shares this invitation, "When was the last time that you read the Book of Mormon from cover to cover? Read it again. It will increase your faith." I would add to that the invitation to again put Moroni's promise (Moroni 10:3-4) to the test by asking God to confirm to your heart and mind the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon as you study it. What greater witness can you receive than from God? And what better way to strengthen your faith and dispel doubt than through receipt of this divine confirmation? It's not a one-time thing - you can receive this spiritual confirmation as many times as you read, ponder, and sincerely ask to know of its truthfulness.

Service
Service is a miracle because it has the power to heal us of so many ailments, including doubt. Through providing meaningful service to others, we step outside of ourselves and focus more on the needs of others than our own. Service fills us with God's love, charity, which promotes faith. Service can change our heart as we are filled with this love.

Conclusion
Elder Andersen teaches that "your faith did not begin at birth, and it will not end at death. Faith is a choice." And in the words of President Monson, "Fear not... the future is as bright as your faith." I pray that we will all choose faith and enjoy the peace and happiness that results therefrom.

Inviting Others to Come Unto Christ

We have many many opportunities to invite others to come unto Christ, regardless of where we live. We invite others to come unto Christ when we visit the families that we home teach or the sisters that we visit teach. We invite others to come unto Christ when we reach out to less active members and encourage them to attend activities or church meetings. We invite others to come unto Christ when we read the scriptures and pray as a family.

In 1 Timothy 4:12, Paul exhorts Timothy to "be an example of the believers" and specifically lists some ways that he can be an example, including with his words (the type of language he uses), conversations (the things he talks about - or doesn't talk about), charity (service, kindness), spirit (Spirituality), faith (faith is shown through our actions), and purity (living virtuously).

The Sons of Mosiah taught with "power and authority from God" and were instrumental in bringing many people unto Christ. In Alma 17:2-3, we learn that they were able to teach with such power because they searched the scriptures diligently in order to know the word of God, which gave them a "strong knowledge of the truth" and "strong understanding," and they also gave "themselves to much prayer and fasting," which helped them to have the "spirit of prophesy and the spirit of revelation."

All throughout the scriptures, the Savior invites us to come unto Him, and his chosen prophets also invite everyone to come unto Him. One of the most beautiful of these passages is found in Moroni 10:32-33, at the end of the Book of Mormon, where Moroni invites us all:

32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.

33 And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.

Moroni describes a process that can and should occur within each of us frequently as we come unto Christ through repentance and partaking of the sacrament with the offering of a broken heart and a contrite spirit.

Remember that "if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;" (D&C 4:3) - the work is inviting others to come unto Christ.

Mosiah 3:19 - How to Overcome the Natural Man

One of my favorite scriptures is from King Benjamin's address in Mosiah 3:19 where he teaches:

"For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father."

This is a powerful lesson in how to overcome the desires of the flesh and work towards perfection. He breaks it down into three things we must do:

(1) Yield to the enticings of the Holy Spirit

After baptism, we are confirmed and given the Gift of the Holy Ghost. This gift entitles us to the constant companionship of the Spirit as long as we remain worthy, for the Spirit cannot dwell in an unholy tabernacle. The Spirit warns us of danger and is influential in showing us a way to escape temptation because the Lord always prepares a way for our escape (see 1 Cor 10:13) so that we are able to use our agency in overcoming the temptation. We must listen to the still small voice.

(2) Put off the natural man, becoming a saint through the Atonement

To me "putting off" the natural man is about commitment. We must commit to ourselves and to God that we are going to do better, think better, speak better and be better. But it is not usually possible to just "put off" the natural man with one firm commitment because we're human and we slip up from time to time. This is why the Atonement of Jesus Christ is an essential element in overcoming the flesh. As often as we sincerely repent, the Lord will forgive us. This step is really a continuous cycle of commitment, effort, falling short, repenting and being forgiven through the Atonement. The goal should be to do a little better each time - we must constantly be improving and progressing, but perfection is not expected of us the first time.

(3) Become as a child

We must develop childlike attributes such as those listed by King Benjamin: "submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father." These attributes lead to us being able to see the big picture of God's will and accept his will. They also lead us to become more like our Savior, full of charity - a pure love - for everyone around us. As we are filled with charity, we cannot help but want to serve our fellowman, and in this service there is no place for selfishness and the natural man, for they have been pushed out of our lives and replaced with an attitude of service.

How Can the Atonement Help Me During My Trials?

What can we learn from the scriptures about this?
Matthew 11:28–30; Christ promises us that if we "come unto" Him, he will give us rest by sharing our burden. He also offers to let us take his yoke upon us so that we might find "rest unto [our] souls." We know that his yoke, or work, is to bring about the "immortality and eternal life of man," so if we embark with the same yoke, or work, we are also promised rest. I don't think he means physical rest, but rather an inner peace.
Philippians 4:13; This is true. Christ can give us the strength to do all things.
1 Nephi 17:3; The promise that if we're obedient to God, he will nourish and strengthen us so that we can accomplish everything we need to do.
Helaman 5:12; We need to build our "foundations" upon Christ. He is the solid rock that will keep us safe and steady during hard times. It isn't "if" but "when" hard times come that we will need to have our Savior's help to make it through. And if we've built our foundation on Christ we "cannot fail."
D&C 68:6; We should not fear for we have Jesus Christ with us at our side.

Mosiah 24:8–17; When Alma and his people were in bondage, they had great trials as slaves to the wicked Lamanites and in particular Amulon. They poured out their hearts to God for relief and he responded. He promised to deliver them out of bondage, and in the meantime, he "eased their burdens" so that they "could not feel them." After their burdens were made light, they submitted cheerfully to the will of the Lord and continued in their trials. Because of "their faith and their patience" the Lord caused a miracle to occur so that they could escape from bondage. This can apply to us in so many ways - from tough trials beyond our control to the bondage of sin (which is also a tough trial, though self-inflicted). Regardless of the cause of our trials, we can turn to the Lord and through his atonement be helped so that our burdens may be lighter.

Alma 7:11–13 ; the "power of his deliverance" comes from the atonement where Jesus Christ suffered "pains, afflictions and temptations of every kind" and took upon him the "pains and sicknesses of his people" so that "his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities." He suffered everything so that he could understand our trials, fears, temptations, pains, sins, sicknesses, etc so that he can help us with everything we go through. (See also Isaiah 53:3-5 and D&C 19:16-19)

Forever Families

Just some notes from the talk I gave last Sunday:

Stories of Sacrifice

1. Many years ago I read of a group of over a hundred members who left Manaus, located in the heart of the Amazon rain forest, to travel to what was then the closest temple, located in São Paulo, Brazil—nearly 2,500 miles (4,000 km) from Manaus. Those faithful Saints journeyed by boat for four days on the Amazon River and its tributaries. After completing this journey by water, they boarded buses for another three days of travel—over bumpy roads, with very little to eat, and with nowhere comfortable to sleep. After seven days and nights, they arrived at the temple in São Paulo, where ordinances eternal in nature were performed. Of course their return journey was just as difficult. However, they had received the ordinances and blessings of the temple, and although their purses were empty, they themselves were filled with the spirit of the temple and with gratitude for the blessings they had received.

2. May I share with you the account of Tihi (Moo Tam) Mou Tham, his wife and their 10 children. The entire family except for one daughter joined the Church in the early 1960s, when missionaries came to their island, located about 100 miles (160 km) south of Tahiti. Soon they began to desire the blessings of an eternal family sealing in the temple.

At that time the nearest temple to the Mou Tham family was the Hamilton New Zealand Temple, more than 2,500 miles (4,000 km) to the southwest, accessible only by expensive airplane travel. The large Mou Tham family, which eked out a meager living on a small plantation, had no money for airplane fare, nor was there any opportunity for employment on their Pacific island. So Brother Mou Tham and his son Gérard made the difficult decision to travel 3,000 miles (4,800 km) to work in New Caledonia, where another son was already employed.

The three Mou Tham men labored for four years. Brother Mou Tham alone returned home only once during that time, for the marriage of a daughter. After four years, Brother Mou Tham and his sons had saved enough money to take the family to the New Zealand Temple. All who were members went except for one daughter, who was expecting a baby. They were sealed for time and eternity, an indescribable and joyful experience. Brother Mou Tham returned from the temple directly to New Caledonia, where he worked for two more years to pay for the passage of the one daughter who had not been at the temple with them—a married daughter and her child and husband.

3. The Kirtland temple – Elder Heber C Kimball described the scene as “poverty, tribulation and distress.” Not long after completing it, the persecution forced them out.

The Nauvoo Temple – The sames similarly sacrificed, worked 24/7 doing ordinances once it was complete. The prophet was murdered and the saints were forced out again at the hand of the mob

The SLC Temple – 40 years of sacrifice and labor to construct

Monson – “My brothers and sisters, temples are more than stone and mortar. They are filled with faith and fasting. They are built of trials and testimonies. They are sanctified by sacrifice and service…Some degree of sacrifice has ever been associated with temple building and with temple attendance. Countless are those who have labored and struggled in order to obtain for themselves and for their families the blessings which are found in the temples of God.”

Why? For What?

To answer the question “why?” listen to God’s mouthpiece, his chosen prophet on the earth today:

“Why are so many willing to give so much in order to receive the blessings of the temple? Those who understand the eternal blessings which come from the temple know that no sacrifice is too great, no price too heavy, no struggle too difficult in order to receive those blessings. There are never too many miles to travel, too many obstacles to overcome, or too much discomfort to endure. They understand that the saving ordinances received in the temple that permit us to someday return to our Heavenly Father in an eternal family relationship and to be endowed with blessings and power from on high are worth every sacrifice and every effort.”

Step Back- Plan of Salvation

Before we were born, we lived with God, the Father of our Spirits. In the The Family: A Proclamation to the World, we read, "IN THE PREMORTAL REALM, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshipped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize their divine destiny as heirs of eternal life."

• With a full knowledge of the trials, tests, heartaches, sickness and pain we would face in a mortal lifetime, why would we chose to come to earth?

We understood the value that these challenges and experiences would have, and we understood the reward for faithfulness – and that was enough. Through the atonement of Jesus Christ we knew we could gain a resurrected, perfect body and live eternally with our families.

Exaltation and Eternal Life mean the same thing – living eternally in the presence of God with our families – and includes the blessing of eternal increase and all that the Father hath.

• What do we need to do to receive exaltation?

We must start with the first principles and ordinances of the gospel. Then we must continue faithful, receive the temple ordinances and covenants, and be sealed to an eternal companion. This is not the end but the beginning of our journey towards eternal life for we then must remain faithful to our temple covenants. (In D&C 131:1-4, the Lord revealed to Joseph Smith that "in the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees; and in order to obtain the highest, a man must enter into this order of the priesthood [meaning the new and everlasting covenant of marriage]; and if he does not, he cannot obtain it. He may enter into the other, but that is the end of his kingdom; he cannot have an increase.")

By the voice of Apostles and Prophets

Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught:

“From the moment of birth into mortality to the time we are married in the temple, everything we have in the whole gospel system is to prepare and qualify us to enter that holy order of matrimony which makes us husband and wife in this life and in the world to come. Then from the moment we are sealed together by the power and authority of the holy priesthood … everything connected with revealed religion is designed to help us keep the terms and conditions of our marriage covenant, so that this covenant will have efficacy, virtue, and force in the life to come. Thus celestial marriage is the crowning ordinance of the gospel. … Thus the family unit is the most important organization in time or in eternity. And thus we should have more interest in and concern for our families than for anything else in life. … There is nothing in this world as important as the creation and perfection of family units” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1970, 27).

Elder Robert D. Hales taught:

"While our individual salvation is based on our individual obedience, it is equally important that we understand that we are each an important and integral part of a family and the highest blessings can be received only within an eternal family. When families are functioning as designed by God, the relationships found therein are the most valued of mortality. The plan of the Father is that family love and companionship will continue into the eternities."

President Henry B. Eyring taught:

“There is nothing that has come or will come into your family as important as the sealing blessings. There is nothing more important than honoring the marriage and family covenants you have made or will make in the temples of God. The way to do that is clear. The Holy Spirit of Promise, through our obedience and sacrifice, must seal our temple covenants in order to be realized in the world to come.”

Our Sacrifice

Unlike the Brazilian families living in the heart of the Amazon rain forest, or Tihi Mou Tham and his family, or our ancestors, the early saints in Kirtland, Nauvoo and the Salt Lake Valley, we do not have to suffer great hardships in order to attend the temple. We have one about 30 minutes away from here, and our biggest hardship is the 1604 traffic.

For current temple recommend holders

Our living prophet, President Monson says:

“If you have been to the temple for yourselves and if you live within relatively close proximity to a temple, your sacrifice could be setting aside the time in your busy lives to visit the temple regularly.”

For those who have not yet gone to the temple or do not have current recommend

President Monson says:

“If you have not yet been to the temple or if you have been but currently do not qualify for a recommend, there is no more important goal for you to work toward than being worthy to go to the temple. Your sacrifice may be bringing your life into compliance with what is required to receive a recommend, perhaps by forsaking long-held habits which disqualify you. It may be having the faith and the discipline to pay your tithing. Whatever it is, qualify to enter the temple of God. Secure a temple recommend and regard it as a precious possession, for such it is.”

A word to the Teenagers (and Future Teenagers)

Now for you teenagers that might be thinking "how does this apply to me?" Let me borrow an analogy from speaker and author John Bytheway. You have all heard of the Tour de France, a grueling bicycle race that lasts over 3 weeks to travel more than 2,000 miles. John Bytheway talks about a different race, what he calls the "Tour de Family." This race is much longer than 3 weeks, it lasts our entire lives. It begins when a couple gets married. New seats are added to the tandem bicycle as kids join the family. It is not a race against other bikers or other families, but a race to achieve the finish line with no empty seats. Does this analogy make sense to you? You're on that bike with your family right now.

Have any of you ridden on a tandem bike before? It is much easier when both riders are pedaling. It can be difficult when one of those pedaling stops, or worse applies the brakes. The question that should be asked is, "are you pedaling, coasting, or worse, applying the brakes?" How can you help your family be an eternal family (or a forever family as it's often referred)? Don't hit the brakes while the rest of your family pedals onward; in fact, you might even pedal with them. Achieving a forever family is a family affair. What I mean by that is parents cannot by themselves do everything to have a forever family - each of us have to do our part, including the children.

A Word to the Parents (and Future Parents)

For the parents in this congregation, and I include myself, do our children understand the importance of eternal families? They will never learn how important a forever family is through words. They will only learn how important it is by watching mom and dad pedal on the family bike with all their effort, doing everything possible to arrive at the finish line with no empty seats. As we all know, it is our actions and our example that motivates our children, not our words.

President Harold B Lee, who was one of our latter-day prophets said the following: “Our youth are in danger. Keep your home ties strong ... ‘the greatest of the Lord’s work you brethren will ever do as fathers will be within the walls of your own home.’ Don’t neglect your [spouse] [or] your children. Take time for family home evening. Draw your children around about you. Teach them, guide them, and guard them. There was never a time when we needed so much the strength and the solidarity of the home” This was in 1973.

Why Is Eternal Families a Unique Doctrine?

1. The Lord gave the sealing power to Peter as recorded in the New Testament: “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

2. Apostasy

3. Restoration by Elijah the prophet to Joseph Smith in the Kirtland Temple

4. Living Prophet with the same Keys that Peter had – delegated to but a few. President Packer taught: “There are relatively few men who [hold] this sealing power upon the earth at any given time—in each temple are brethren who have been given the sealing power. No one can get it except from the prophet, seer, and revelator and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”

What Is Grace?

Grace is divine help and strength that we receive through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Through grace, we are saved from sin and death. In addition, grace is an enabling power that strengthens us from day to day and helps us endure to the end. Effort is required on our part to receive the fullness of the Lord’s grace.

More importantly, why is grace important to ME?

Paul wrote the Ephesians, telling them that we can only be saved by grace through faith, not just with works. This grace is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-9). Well if grace is required for our salvation, then it is obviously important. Interesting that he says it is through faith and a gift from God. That is because grace is a direct result of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, a gift from God because he loves us, for those of us who believe in Christ (see John 3:16). Paul also expressed that we were not saved by our works. This is so important and often misunderstood. Even if we have the very best possible works, we cannot under any circumstances be saved without the grace of God which is possible through the Atonement. This does not mean works are unimportant, but it does mean they are insufficient alone.

Another famous scripture regarding grace was written by Nephi, who taught that "it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do" (2 Nephi 25:23). This indicates that our works are still very important, but once again, we are saved by grace and not our works. Interesting that the word "all" is used, meaning we must really do everything we can - make every effort - in order for grace to save us.

These scriptures help us understand why grace is important - we can't be saved without it, and they help us understand that grace is a gift from God that was made possible through the Atonement. But on a practical, daily level, what does this mean to ME?

Jacob taught that "the Lord God showeth us our weakness that we may know that it is by his grace" that we have power to do great things (Jacob 4:6-7). Similarly, Paul wrote to the Philippians, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13). So the grace of God gives us strength to help overcome our weaknesses. Again this is a direct result of the Atonement.

One of the best scriptures on "grace" was written in Moroni at the conclusion of the Book of Mormon (Moroni 10:32-33). He wrote:

32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.
33 And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.

You can look at this as a triple if/then statement. First he says IF you deny yourself of all ungodliness and love God with all your might, mind and strength, THEN his grace will be sufficient to make you perfect through the Atonement. And IF you are made perfect through the Atonement as a result of God's grace, THEN you can not deny God's power. And, lastly, IF ye are made perfect through the Atonement and cannot deny God's power, THEN you are sanctified and forgiven of all your sins. 

Obviously we all sin, so we all need grace in our lives. Grace is the power of the Atonement to make up the difference when we've given it our all. Grace is power to cleanse us from our sins, to sanctify us through the Atonement when we have fully repented - something we cannot do for ourselves. Grace is not something that happens at the end of our lives; rather, it should be a power that strengthens us daily. But we must love God, put him first, and deny ourselves anything that is contrary to God's will in order to qualify for this grace.

A Parable to Illustrate the PrincipleJesus taught a parable that illustrates the principle of "grace" in John 15:1-11. This parable goes as follows:

 1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
 2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
 5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
 6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
 7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.

In this parable, bearing fruit is equivalent to our good works, or the "all we can do" portion that pertains to us. If we do not bear fruit, then we're behaving wickedly and will be cast off. If we bear fruit (remember, good works), then God will help us bear even more fruit by making us even better than we were before. This is the grace of God in our daily lives. Please note though that there is a step in between where He "purges" us. How do we get stronger, more faithful, more righteous, more obedient, etc? Through trials and overcoming them. Grace does not mean an easy life, but it means that as we overcome, we get closer to perfection, become better people. 

Verse three talks about how we'll be sanctified through His grace. In verse four we again see that we cannot improve ourselves and become better without the Savior's help, he is the vine. It is through the enabling power of the Atonement and God's grace that we work towards perfection. As this process repeats over and over in our lives, we'll get to a point where our will is so aligned to God's will that we'll get whatever we ask. Lastly, God is glorified when we take advantage of the Atonement to make ourselves better, when we use the grace he offers us. This is how we show Him that we are disciples, and this is the best way to glorify God.

Scriptures Teaching the Plan of Salvation

Why is it important to know the scriptures that support our beliefs? This is one of the reasons we encourage memorizing scriptures, especially in Seminary. But it is even more important to learn where they are so we can reference them, even if we can't recite them word for word.

Pre-mortal Life
Did we exist before we were born?
God is the father of our spirits (Hebrews 12:9)
God knew Jeremiah before he was born (Jeremiah 1:5)

We shouted for joy at the creation of the earth (Job 38:4-7)
The spirit shall return to God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:7)
Chosen of God before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4)
Poetically teaches we were with God before the creation (Proverbs 8:22-31)

What happend in the pre-mortal life?
Abraham saw the pre-mortal life in vision, including the "war in heaven" (Abraham 3:21-28)
War in heaven (Revelations 12:7-9)
Reference to the angels that kept not first estate (Jude 1:6)
Learning "first lessons" and preparation (D&C 138:56)
We were given callings and purpose (2 Timothy 1:9)

Creation
God tells Moses it was his Only Begotten that created all things (Moses 2:1)
Abraham's vision of the Son saying, "we will go down...and we will make an earth" (Abraham 3:24)
Jesus created all things (John 1:1-3) - The JST changes this quite a bit, but both ways are pretty clear that it was Jesus that created. Verse 14 clarifies that The Word = Jesus.

Fall
The fall of Adam was a necessary and foreseen part of the plan (2 Ne 2:22-25).
Without the Fall we could have never come to earth (2 Ne 2:22-25).
Alma 12:22-34 - Because of the fall, we are also fallen, meaning we sin (22). Physical death is a result of the fall (24). Because of the Fall we have the Atonement (33-34)

Earth Life (What is the Purpose of Life?)
This is the time for man to perform his labor, improve himself, repent and prepare for eternity (Alma 32:32-33)

Mosiah 3:19 - We must put off the natural man

This is a probationary state (Alma 12:24)

Alma teaches his son that this is a time to prepare to meet God, to repent and serve Him, a probationary state, so that they can overcome the Spiritual Death introduced by the fall (Alma 42:4,9-10)
But we have our choice on earth (agency) to choose the way to Eternal Life or captivity and death (2 Ne 2:27)
All have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)
No unclean thing can enter into God's kingdom (3 Ne 27:19)
We kept our first estate by bringing our Spirit in subjection to God's will. We must keep our second estate by also bringing our physical body in subjection to God's will (overcoming the natural man). See Abraham 3:25-26 and Mosiah 3:19.

Atonement
The Fall brought both Spiritual Death (sin) and Physical Death into the world. Both must be overcome to dwell with God. Because of justice - and the fact that no unclean thing can dwell in God's presence - any sin would prevent us from ever being with Him again, for we all sin. And because of the Fall we would all die, losing our physical bodies that we came to earth to gain. All of this was part of God's plan, which is why Jesus was chosen before the world was even created to be our Savior. Jesus came to the earth to atone for our sins (pay the price for us so that we could be cleansed from our sins) and also to over come death through the resurrection which makes it possible for all of us to also be resurrected. He doesn't just make up the distance for us, he makes all the difference for us.

Death
All men die because of the fall (1 Cor 15:20-22)

Spirit World
The righteous go to a paradise where they rest in a state of happiness and peace (Alma 40:11-14)
The wicked will be in darkness and fear as they receive the just wrath of God, suffering for their own sins, until the resurrection (Alma 40:11-14)
The same spirit that you have now will be yours then (Alma 34:34)
Spirit returns to God (Ecclesiastes 12:7)
Gospel preached to the dead - 1 Peter 3:19-20 & 1 Peter 4:6
Read D&C 138!

Resurrection
All men will be resurrected because of Christ (1 Cor 15:20-22)
Just and the wicked to be resurrected (John 5:28-29)
Our resurrection will make us perfect (no corruption) (Alma 5:15)
Resurrection is because of Christ and brings us to the bar of God for judgment (Jacob 6:9)
Resurrection is before judgment (2 Ne 9:15)

Judgment
All men will be judged (both good and bad) by their works as recorded in the Book of Life (Rev 20:12-13)
The resurrection comes to all so that they can then be judged according to their deeds (Alma 5:15)
Every man will be judged and receive his own dominion/mansion/reward according to his own works (D&C 76:111)
Mercy versus Justice - Alma 42:13-15
Alma calls on introspection in teaching about the judgment and preparation for that time (Alma 5:15-21)
No man comes unto the Father but by Jesus (DC 132:12)
Father does not judge, but by the Son (John 5:22)
All men judged according to works and desires of their hearts (DC 137:9)

Heaven (Degrees of Glory)
Everyone who does not go to outer darkness (99.9999% of us) will be redeemed through the "triumph and glory" of Jesus Christ (D&C 76:38-39).
The Bible talks about three degrees of glory (even clearer in the JST): 1 Corinthians 15:40-42

Celestial = Those who had faith, repented, were baptized, kept commandments, had temple ordinances,  overcome adversity with faith, members of Christ's church, Priesthood bearers (or married to one) (D&C 76:50-70)
Those who die without the gospel that would have accepted it given the chance, will receive this glory because they'll have a chance in the Spirit World to receive it (D&C 137:7-10).
Those who die before the age of 8 will also inherit the Celestial kingdom (D&C 137:7-10).

Terrestrial = Those who died without law, honorable men who were blinded by world, had the gospel but did not live valiantly (D&C 76:71-80)

Telestial = Those who receive not the gospel or a testimony of Jesus - even this level of glory "surpasses all understanding" (D&C 76:81-89) and includes liars, sorcerers, adulterers (D&C 76:103-105)

Outer Darkness
Only suffered by those who "deny the Holy Ghost" and "crucify" Christ (figuratively). Better for them to have never been born. Includes the 1/3 that followed Lucifer in pre-mortal world. (D&C 76:30-37)

Exaltation (highest degree of Celestial Kingdom)
The requirements for Celestial glory are high, but insufficient for Exaltation, which is the highest degree of glory possible - that which allows us an eternal increase. (DC 131:1-4)

Remember the New Covenant, Even the Book of Mormon

Scripture Chain: What the Doctrine and Covenants Teaches about the Book of Mormon

D&C 1:29 Takeaway: This book was TRANSLATED by the power of God. Not a religious book written by a modern day church leader. Not an ancient book translated by linguists. This was translated by God's power, so the translation is perfect.	D&C 20:8–15 Takeaway: The words of the Book of Mormon were given to prophets through inspiration of God. As we read these words, they are confirmed to us by the same power, here described as the "ministering of angels." The Spirit not only proves to our hearts that the Book of Mormon is true, but it also proves to our hearts that Joseph Smith (translator) was a prophet of God, inspired by God and called to his holy work in this dispensation. God never changes and has always spoken to his people through living prophets as well as scripture - why wouldn't he do so now? This book that we've been given will witness for our against us at the judgment day, so receive it with faith and work righteousness so that you can receive your celestial crown!
D&C 3:18–20 Takeaway: Another purpose of the Book of Mormon is to convert the descendants of the Lamanites, who are the house of Manasseh. I believe this can be applied to all those throughout the world that are yet to have His true gospel.	D&C 33:16 Takeaway: One of the purposes of the book is to be instructed by God through reading it. Not just by the words that are written by but the Spirit which instructs.
D&C 17:6 Takeaway: Testimony from God that the Book of Mormon is true. Also alludes to the fact that some of the book has yet to be translated. More to come!	D&C 42:12 Takeaway: The Book of Mormon with the Bible contains the FULNESS of the gospel, so it should be used in our teaching.
D&C 19:26–27 Takeaway: Martin Harris isn't the only one that should sacrifice for the Book of Mormon. Our sacrifice will not likely be financial, but we should dedicate our time to studying it.	D&C 84:54–58 Takeaway: Vanity and unbelief have resulted from treating lightly the Book of Mormon (not studying it). If we are not willing to receive the word of God as he gives it to us, it will be to our own condemnation.

So why is reading the Book of Mormon so important? To list a few reasons:
(1) It strengthens our faith and testimony because of the Spirit we feel
(2) It allows us to be taught by God (both through the text and the Spirit)
(3) It was inspired by God for us
(4) It will help us achieve our goal of Eternal Life for it contains the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
(5) God wants us to read it (in large part for the reasons mentioned)

What does the account of the lost manuscript pages teach about the Lord’s power?

What does the account of the lost manuscript pages teach about the Lord’s power?

D&C 1:1-3: 

1 The works, and the designs, and the purposes of God cannot be frustrated, neither can they come to naught.

 2 For God doth not walk in crooked paths, neither doth he turn to the right hand nor to the left, neither doth he vary from that which he hath said, therefore his paths are straight, and his course is one eternal round.
 3 Remember, remember that it is not the work of God that is frustrated, but the work of men;

D&C 10: 14,43:
 14 Verily, I say unto you, that I will not suffer that Satan shall accomplish his evil design in this thing. 43 I will not suffer that they shall destroy my work; yea, I will show unto them that my wisdom is greater than the cunning of the devil.

1 Nephi 9:6:6 But the Lord ^aknoweth all things from the beginning; wherefore, he prepareth a way to accomplish all his works among the children of men; for behold, he hath all ^bpower unto the fulfilling of all his words. And thus it is. Amen.

2 Nephi 3:14
14 And thus prophesied Joseph, saying: Behold, that seer will the Lord bless; and they that seek to destroy him shall be confounded; for this promise, which I have obtained of the Lord, of the fruit of my loins, shall be fulfilled. Behold, I am sure of the fulfilling of this promise;

We can learn a lot about the Lord's power from this account. First off, I think it's obvious that the Lord knew well in advance (thousands of years in advance) that Satan would try to hinder the work by inspiring men to steal the manuscript. Even Joseph (of Egypt) foretold of wicked men trying to confound Joseph Smith and that the Lord would confound them.

We also learn that the Lord doesn't just know about events like this beforehand, he also prepares for them so that his work will not be hindered. How did he prepare in this case? He simply asked Nephi to make his own account, even though Lehi was writing one. So when the wicked men stole Lehi's account (the manuscript), we still had Nephi's account and the valuable scripture therein. 

The work moved forward without the manuscript to the frustration of those who worked so hard to steal it, change it, and create evil schemes to defraud the prophet. 

Why does this matter to us today? 

The same adversary that sought to thwart the printing of the Book of Mormon also seeks to destroy us. He constantly barrages us with his schemes to try to make us think, say or do something we ought not or to keep us from thinking, saying or doing things we should. We can be assured that the Lord knows beforehand what Satan is scheming up. The Lord is also willing to intervene by giving us guidance and helping us see the pitfalls and avoid them. Why wouldn't we pray for that divine help when it is so freely given? Remember the promise penned by Paul "God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 1 Corinthians 10:13". So, pray always that you may conquer Satan (D&C 10:5)! The Lord is always stronger than Satan, and so are you if you're on the Lord's side.

 

Knowing God Is Eternal Life

These scriptures read together help teach an eternally essential truth:

John 17:3 - "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."

1 John 2:3-5 - "And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.  But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him."

1 John 4:7-8 - "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love."

John 14:15 - "If ye love me, keep my commandments."

They also helped clarify why the greatest commandments are the greatest:


Matthew 22:35-40 -

"35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,

36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

In studying these scriptures, it seems clear to me that knowing God is essential for Eternal Life. We can only know Him by keeping his commandments and loving (loving both him and others). Because God wants us to qualify for exaltation and return to him, he has given us the two greatest commandments, which if followed will lead us to eternal life. If knowing God is loving others and Him and keeping his commandments, I ask you this question: "Do you know God?"

To take this one step further, King Benjamin taught: "For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served,and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?" (Mosiah 5:13). In the same address he also taught that "when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God" (Mosiah 2:17).

So, if serving our fellowman is how we best serve God, and we can't know God without serving him, I again ask you this question: "Do you know God?"

Those who know God must fit a certain profile, which in this world will make them stand out among their peers. Some of the attributes in this profile would be service oriented, obedient to God's commandments, puts God first, loves everyone. Sounds a lot like the attributes of the Savior, which may be why he taught: "what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am" (3 Nephi 27:27).

As we follow the example of the Savior, we will come to know God and thus be prepared to receive eternal life. This is why he beacons, "Come, Follow Me."

Who am I, and who can I become? What does this mean to me?

Lesson
https://www.lds.org/youth/learn/ap/godhead/become?lang=eng

Agenda
Lion King Clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maARmxjj3f0

What do you know about God? (list?)

Bible teaches us: Psalms 82:6, Hebrews 12:9, Acts 17: 28-29

What does it mean to be sons of God? Why is it significant that he is our Father and not our "owner" or just our "creator" only? What's the difference between us being his sons and not merely his pets or servants?

Chase - Lost Sheep parable, Rory - prodigal son parable, Joseph - Moses' Vision

Oath and Covenant - D&C 84:33-39

Uchtdorf's parable and 3 points.


Ask the young men to share what they learned today. What feelings or impressions do they have? Do they understand who they are and who they can become? Additional questions?

Invite to act: How will you use this understanding this week? What will you do about it? We will be following up!


Teacher Notes
Who am I?

• The Psalmist wrote that we are gods and children of God (Psalms 82:6). What does that mean that we are gods? Perhaps he was discussing our likeness to God, how he created us in his own image. Or maybe he was referring to a future state - that we are gods in embryo? 
• Paul clearly writes in Acts 17:28-29 that we are God's offspring.
• Paul describes God as the Father of our spirits, which supports our belief that we existed prior to this life with God as his spirit children (Hebrews 12:9).
• The Lord revealed to Joseph Smith that the inhabitants of the earth are God's sons and daughters (D&C 76:23).
• God said to Moses: "And, behold, thou art my son; wherefore look, and I will show thee the workmanship of mine hands...And I have a work for thee, Moses, my son; and thou art in the similitude of mine Only Begotten; and mine Only Begotten is and shall be the Savior, for he is full of grace and truth; (Moses 1:4,6)" 

Who can I become?

• The Parable of the Talents helps us realize that God has given us so much, including a great potential to be like Him. If we bury that potential, we'll lose it. If we do what we can to live up to it by improving ourselves during this life, we will be richly rewarded.
• Ever wonder why the Good Shepherd would leave the 99 to go after the 1 (Luke 15:4-7)? Or why there would be such rejoicing over the return of that 1 or over 1 soul that repents? There must be more to us than we think, we must be of greater worth than we can imagine. Perhaps our worth is determined by our potential, so if it's worthwhile for God to go to great effort to "rescue" our soul, we must have a great potential. Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God; (D&C 18:10)
• It doesn't matter what mistakes we have made or how far we have strayed, God is our father and eagerly awaits our return. When we repent and return, the feast is no less grand than it was for the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32).
• If further evidence is required to convince you that God's love is infinitely great for you, think of the fact that God gave his only-begotten son as a sacrifice for you. (John 3:16)
• According to the Oath and Covenant of the Priesthood in D&C 84, our potential as Priesthood holders is to "become the sons of Moses and of Aarons and the see of Abraham, and the church and kingdom, and the elect of God." Becoming the sons of these past prophets means that we receive the same covenant that they received and the same blessings for faithfulness. The promise gets better when the Lord promises us "all that [God] hath shall be given unto [us]" (verse 38).

What does this mean to me?

• The knowledge that he was God's son was critical for Moses to overcome Satan who subsequently came to him to tempt Moses. Moses was able to use the knowledge that he was a son of God with great potential to resist Satan's temptation. Moses said: "Who art thou? For behold, I am a son of God, in the similitude of his Only Begotten...Blessed be the name of my God, for his Spirit hath not altogether withdrawn from me, or else where is thy glory, for it is darkness unto me? And I can judge between thee and God; (Moses 1:13,15)"Knowing he was a son of God put everything into perspective for Moses and helped him to clearly judge between good and evil. This also gave him confidence to stand up to Satan and call upon God to command Satan to depart from him.