2 Nephi 28:24 -- On Being At Ease

"Therfore, wo be unto him that is at ease in Zion!"
2 Nephi 28:24


This is an interesting one. I think usually we work hard so that we can be "at ease." We want that feeling of calm, or at least "not impending doom," and are grateful when our minds spin down a little and we can relax. So, is God saying that we should never relax, or that we should be anxious all the time? I don't think so, but maybe a little on one level... he wants us to be "anxiously engaged" in a good cause. :) He doesn't want us to be depressed or give up, but he doesn't want us to be complacent either, thinking that everything is golden and perfect as is and never doing anything to make things better.

Today, let's take a look at our lives and see where we are managing our anxiety in a good way, but also looking for times when we are maybe wasting time that we could be doing something more productive like, say, reading our scriptures, or talking to God about our lives. There are calm things that we can do that will help us more, and also probably some action items that we could fit in without going into full on stress mode. Let's take some time to talk to God about it, and ask him to help us see and act on opportunities to improve ourselves and the world around us.

Lamentations 1:12 -- On Crying in the Street

"Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow, which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger."
Lamentations 1:12


The personification of Jerusalem strikes me in this verse and the remaining chapter. Jerusalem is mourning all that she has lost. She acknowledges that she rebelled and sees her own failures... she sees justice in all that has been done in breaking her covenant with God. And covenant failure seems part for the course honestly. We all fail, and fall... and yet, here Jerusalem is personified as feeling regret and wanting things to be right again. She pleads with the Lord in her failure. We are there too... failing and wanting salvation anyway. That's one of the great mercies of Jesus Christ. He sees us in our failure and our despair, and he hears us and loves us, and instead of leaving us comfortless, he reaches out, still, to show us a way back... back to him, back to healing and hope.

Let's call out to God in our despair, as Jerusalem does here, and accept his offer of help and healing and a way back. And when we see the need, let's do so for others as well. Let's not condemn people for past mistakes, but instead lift and help, and restore hope where we can, just as God does for us.

2 Nephi 30:15-17 -- On the Revelation of All Things

"They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.
Wherefore, the things of all nations shall be made known; yea, all things shall be made known unto the children of men.
There is nothing which is secret save it shall be revealed; there is no work of darkness save it shall be made manifest in the light; and there is nothing which is sealed upon the earth save it shall be loosed."
2 Nephi 30:15-17


I work on a site for IT professionals, so the idea of "the things of all nations" being made known doesn't just whisper of secret societies or government plots, but of crazy cybersecurity failure. :) I like the idea that all of this revelation comes from the earth being full of the knowledge of the Lord, rather than some giant hack. However, the end is the same... the ideal shown here is full disclosure. All secrets known, including our own. I also like the idea that comes after this selection, the implication that because of this knowledge... knowing how things really are... Satan has no power over our hearts. It reinforces the idea of Satan as the father of lies, and that his power comes from deception.

Today, let's live in a way that when all things are revealed, we are going to be okay with it. I'm not saying we should publish our passwords for hackers to use, but more along the lines of getting rid of our painful secrets and shames, and of course ending deceptions and hidden things that could harm others. Things that we have to hide will eventually come to the light, so why not start cleaning up those areas now, so they can't harm anyone in that future day? Let's choose to be wholly in the light of God, and allow him to purify our hearts.

Jeremiah 2:21 -- On Noble Vines

"Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?"
Jeremiah 2:21


I like the imagery here, that God planted us, and he knows what he planted, and we are trying to become something else... basically poisoning ourselves as in verse 19 "Thine own wickedness shall correct thee" and "see that it is an evil thing and bitter" ... God shows us who we are when we try to become something we are not, and seeing that evil in ourselves can help us to change.

Today, let's remember that the Lord knows who we are and who we should be. He knows our potential. He knows that we are more than this. Let's repent and follow him, and learn from him how to become our better selves. As we work with him and trust in his divine assistance, we can be restored to better lives, better natures, and again become that noble vine. :)

Ether 12:4-5 -- On Hope and Sight

"Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.
And it came to pass that Ether did prophesy great and marvelous things unto the people, which they did not believe, because they saw them not."
Ether 12:4-5


I love the idea of a better world, and the promise that God gives us that there is something more than this. Don't get me wrong... there is a lot of beauty and good in the world if we look for it, but we also see evil and corruption, which is part of the plan so that we know the difference between good and evil and learn how to choose the good, but it is also hard to endure sometimes.

The idea we often don't believe what we don't see is also familiar, but in a sad way. We don't see the better world in front of us, so sometimes we give up and think this is all there can be. God's knowledge is far vaster than our own, and honestly our imaginations should be bigger than they are. Surely we can think of ways to improve not only our lives, but the entire world. :) And if that is all we can do, let's grasp that idea... that spark of possibility, and realize that God *has* that. His truth is better than our best imaginings, and his promise is to all of us... if we take his advice and do what we can to make things better now... we will see, in time, a world far better than anything we could hope for.

Today, let's hold on to that hope, and not give up on it because our eyes aren't clear enough to see as God sees. Let's believe in God and in his power to fulful his promises, to not only deliver a better world, but to help us to learn to be the better, amazing people that can live in such a place. :)

Isaiah 54:1-3 -- On Abundance

"Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the Lord.
Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes;
For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited."
Isaiah 54:1-3


I love the imagery here. This is about the last days and *after* tragedy. Showing that the low point of the story is never the end, because God is the greatest author and he will bring us the happy ending, after all the trials. We/Zion/the Children of Israel are compared to a formerly rejected and barren wife whose husband has returned and now needs to enlarge her tents to accomodate all of her children. Later it mentions that "thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more" ... I think also plugging the power of repentance, but overall just the idea that what God brings to us and the life that he offers, is so very amazing that it will drown out those memories and make them seem like nothing.

Today, let's look forward to the promises of God. Let's believe, trust in, and work towards the amazing happy ending / happy beginning of abundance and mercy.

Mormon 9:21 -- On Asking

"Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth."
Mormon 9:21


I love this. And of course we have to remember to "ask not amiss" (2 Nephi 4:35, Mormon 9:28), but this promise is to us as well. It's the same principle that Joseph Smith used when he went out to pray, and Nephi, and Moses, and the Brother of Jared, and all the prophets. God is there, and he loves us, and he listens to us, and he will give us what we ask for.

Today, let's make sure that we are asking for things that won't destroy us, and praying our guts out to make sure that we are on the same page with God... but let's ask, and trust that God will give us the righteous desires of our hearts. He will. He loves us. Choosing is part of the plan. :)

Luke 14:7-11 -- On Humility and Seating Arrangements

"And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them,
When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him;
And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.
But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.
For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."
Luke 14:7-11


I like this parable, and have been thinking about it a little lately, and trying to figure out how it relates to corporate America. :) I don't think I have a complete answer yet, but I think it applies to anything where our pride gets in the way, which is pretty much everything. :) The world teaches us to scrabble and claw for position and prestige, but God teaches us differently. He teaches us to do good, and to humble ourselves, to place ourselves in the lowest positions, and work from there. And then, if God wants to pull us up to do something else or to serve him in a different way, then great... but if we learn to be happy, content, industrious, and helpful where we are, then everything else is just icing, becaue we already have everything we need.

Today, let's step back and choose to sit lower. Let's help and lift and serve and not be so concerned with our own position that we forget to notice the crazy cool awesomeness of everyone around us. Let's not assume that we are better and sit above anyone, but rather sit with the lowest and help them with everything we are, as Christ did. As we do, I think we will find that our perceptions of what is low and what is high are completely skewed, and we'll start to understand a little better the way that God sees, and embrace unity and love in a deeper way.

Luke 13:6-9 -- On Bringing Forth Good Fruit

"He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.
Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?
And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:
And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down."
Luke 13:6-9


Right before this selection, Christ is talking about repentance, and this parable relates to that idea as well. We are symbolically the fig tree, planted and provided for by God, and expected to grow and bring forth fruit... fruit of righteousness, goodness, kindness, joy, etc. We're here to learn and grow and to do good and bring good to the world around us, and if we aren't doing that, then by the parable, our place in the vineyard is probably better given to another plant that might do better. The dresser of the vineyard is Christ, pleading with the Father to give us a little more time, protecting us and giving us as much time and as many chances as possible. The vineyard will be cleared at some point... the delay isn't a permanent stay, but it is a chance for us to change our lives, to bring forth good fruit/good deeds, and to become better before the harvest.

Today, let's take a look at the "fruit" of our lives... are we doing good, and bringing good to the world? If not, let's change and do better, taking advantage of the time that Christ is giving us to learn and to become more than we currently are, and to bring our measure of love and joy to the world.

2 Nephi 15:21 -- On Wisdom and Prudence

"Wo unto the wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight!"
2 Nephi 15:21


The Dunning–Kruger effect describes the tendency for people with low skills in a certain area to think that they are more competent and highly skilled than they are. I feel like we are all there with spiritual things, and probably with a lot more. In verse 13 of this chapter God says "my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge," and I think that is telling as well. In our society we have all kinds of knowledge, especially now in the age of AI, but we seem to have very little wisdom with regard to how to tell the good from the bad and to use the knowledge that we have in a good way. And overconfidence (being wise in our own eyes, etc.) likely contributes to that a lot.

Throughout the scriptures, God pleads with us to come to him, to counsel with him, to shelter with him... and yet, we're like toddlers looking back and waving at our dad, thinking we know exactly what we are doing, and then wandering into traffic. We're here to learn, and learning is awesome, but maybe we shouldn't think that we're *done* learning so quickly... or at all. Instead, let's acknowledge our progress. We know more than we did yesterday, and way more than we knew last year. This is good... but let's stay determined to keep learning and improving. We shouldn't give up and think that things are great, just like we shouldn't give up and think that things are hopeless. Honestly, we don't know enough about God and his ways to make either determination.

God is a God of miracles. He can mend broken hearts, even ours, and solve seemingly insoluable problems, even ours. Let's turn to him, plead with him, and listen to his advice. Prayer and scripture study work, even if they don't seem to be working in a certain moment. Remember that we don't know as much as we think we do. Let's take God's advice. We need to stick it out, keep doing it, and keep our hearts and minds open. Today, let's turn to God to find true wisdom, and trust in him rather than only in our own sight. He will help us overcome our weaknesses and keep improving. He can help when we don't know what to do, and even when we are overconfident and about to make a wrong choice, if we include him in all of our deliberations and recognize that he knows us better than we know ourselves.

2 Nephi 13:9-11 -- On the Fruit of Our Doings

"The show of their countenance doth witness against them, and doth declare their sin to be even as Sodom, and they cannot hide it. Wo unto their souls, for they have rewarded evil unto themselves!
Say unto the righteous that it is well with them; for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.
Wo unto the wicked, for they shall perish; for the reward of their hands shall be upon them!"
2 Nephi 13:9-11


In the Old Testament the city of Sodom was destroyed because of wickedness, after Abraham bargained with the Lord and the Lord agreed to spare it if even 10 righteous people were found in it.

The previous chapter was talking about the Second Coming, so it's likely from that, and from the fact that Nephi is copying Isaiah into the Book of Mormon for us to read, that this is also a prophecy of our day. But we kind of know that already... our society has some great wickedness in it. The thing that gets me here though is the clear message that we are doing all of it to ourselves... when we are evil, we reward evil to ourselves. When we are righteous, then we will be happy getting the "fruit of [our] doings" but that same reward "the reward of [our] hands" is a curse when it is given to the wicked.

I think the message here is that the biggest obstacle that we have, and the scariest thing in our lives, is ourselves. If we do good, then our reward will be good. If we do evil, our reward will be the same.

We get confused with this principle sometimes because we think that it means that if we're good nothing bad will ever happen to us, and so when something bad does happen we can think that either God is wrong (always a mistake), or that we're not being righteous enough. But that's not the way it works. Although of course we are more than capable of screwing up our lives right now, God is talking about actions and patterns, and of course the eventual judgement day. This life is a test and an opportunity. We have to experience good and bad and deal with a bunch of things in order to figure ourselves out and know what we want to be. The reward that it speaks of doesn't happen until the test is over and we stand at the bar of God. And the reason the reward of our actions isn't immediate is because Christ steps in between justice and us, to give us the ability and space to repent.

In Mormon 9:14 it talks about the judgement and it says "he that is filthy shall be filthy still; and he that is righteous shall be righteous still; he that is happy shall be happy still; and he that is unhappy shall be unhappy still." God is letting us learn how to be who we want to be. The things that we do and learn and become here are going to be who we are there, for eternity.

Like Abraham did with Sodom, Christ pleads with God to spare us and give us time to change. Let's listen to his advice, and learn to be better people and who we want to be in eternity. Let's start examining the fruit of our doings and make sure that it is what we want to snack on for eternity... and if it isn't, then let's change, and learn to be the kind of person that we would like to be instead. God will teach us how as we pray and turn to him with faith.

Isaiah 14:7 -- On Rest and Joy

"The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing."
Isaiah 14:7


I love this verse, especially in the middle of all of the chaos and destruction from the chapter before. It's like a little reminder from God that all of this is not random, but it is moving us towards a certain, peaceful end. It is God's caring hand, pruning his vineyard, rather than indiscriminate obliteration. Even in the midst of such a meltdown of pretty much everything, God remains, our rock and our solace, and our hope.

Today, let's remember that and trust in him, no matter what else is going on in our lives. There is always hope in the Lord, even if we can't find it anywhere else. He knows the way to safety and peace, and a happy ending. In the midst of the bad chapters, let's trust in him, and keep turning the pages, and he will lead us to our promised land and our resting place. We have every reason to sing for joy. :)

Luke 22:24-27 -- On True Greatness

"And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.
And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.
But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth"
Luke 22:24-27


I really like the idea here of thinking of ourselves as the younger, and as the servants. We get big heads sometimes and we forget to consider the needs and input of others, thinking that we know best. Christ *did* know best, but he still stopped to listen and to show that he understood other people's needs. He cared about people individually and helped them to feel noticed, seen, and important... because people are the most important thing to him. Us, the people around us. The people everywhere (even the ones we don't like). He loves them.

Today, let's remember that before we do anything. Let's remember that God loves the people we are interacting with. Let's stop and listen, and understand, and let other people have their say and their moment on the stage. Let's try not to put our needs and desires before our concern for other people. Christ set his own desires aside for us. Let us do the same for others, and trust in God to watch over us.

Luke 11:5-8 -- On Praying with Persistence and Faith

"And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;
For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?
And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.
I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth."
Luke 11:5-8


I think this is a little bit funny, because Christ here is talking about prayer, and encouraging us, it seems, to keep asking persistently, to the point where a mortal human might get annoyed. The verse after this has the familiar phrase "Ask, and it shall be given you" (verse 9). This advice is given in Luke 18 as well, in the parable of the unjust judge, telling us that the unjust judge wouldn't help the woman because it was right, but because she kept bugging him. I don't think that it means that God needs constant reminders, or that he finds us annoying... I think it is more the idea of being persistent and dedicated. Also, the idea that is repeated later in this chapter (Luke 11) where Christ compares us to God... if we, "being evil" according to verse 13, are willing to feed our children when they ask, how much more willing will God be to grant us good things that we ask for, since he is good?

Today, let's keep asking for things that are good. God loves us more than the friend does in the parable, and he is interested in righteous judgement more than the unjust judge, but persistence is key. Perhaps the lesson is for us more than God even, because it shows that we are all in, that we're committed to something, that we know what we want, and that we have faith that God can and will grant it to us. As long as we are careful to be sure that what we want is a good thing, then God will hear us, and give us according to our desires... although of course, the timing is the Lord's. We still have to keep reading (and working on sticking to the plot) before we get to the happy ending, but it is certainly there, waiting for us. :)

Luke 10:16 -- On Hearing the Lord

"He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me."
Luke 10:16


This is a verse that was spoken to the seventy that Jesus called to go out and teach, and it makes me think of two different things. One, if we are called to bear Christ's name and given that kind of authority, how important it is to listen to the Spirit and be scrupulously careful to teach God's word only rather than extending those teachings into our own ideas. [Slight disclaimer here... remember that this is a blog and my ideas by no means carry the authority of God. I know for a fact that I have gotten it wrong in the past in things that I have said, so pray and ask God for yourself before agreeing with anything I say. :)]

The other thought is how important it is to listen to prophets and apostles and to respect the authority that God passes on to his chosen servants. Let's not take despising them lightly, since God says right here that despising them is despising Him. Instead, if we don't understand or we disagree with something that is said, let's pray for understanding. God will help us know the truth. People are fallible. Perhaps someone's opinion got mixed into doctrine, but it's also quite possible that we are the ones that are wrong. Let's remember that and be open to it. If it is between our opinion and the Lord's opinion, there is never a question. We're wrong. We just have to take the time, do the research, and pour our hearts out in prayer to figure out how and why, so that we can go forward on the same page with God.

Luke 9:23-24 -- On Losing and Finding

"And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it."
Luke 9:23-24


Earlier in the chapter Christ tells his disciples to go out and take nothing with them, and that seems to be similar to what is being asked here... to deny ourselves, to follow Christ, to lose our lives. That is to trust God completely, with no reservation or backup plan of our own will. To know that God will be there for us when nothing else is, and to learn to feel safety in that embrace. That's really hard sometimes, and why we're talking about losing our lives in the first place. Our instinct is to shy away from the risks that God knows that we need to take, to hunker down and survive rather than the vulnerability that comes with shining as a light, and the fear of failure and pain and confrontation.

It won't come all at once, and that's okay. Today though, let's trust God more, and leave our fears behind. Let's do as he asks and follow his prophets, without assuming ahead of time that we are exceptions to any rule or commandment. From the scriptures, we know there are exceptions for the greater good sometimes, and times to resist evil, and times to walk another mile when compelled, but that's God's call, not ours. He will be able to direct us correctly when we are firmly on his path. We'll just get lost when we are walking our own. As we let go of our own wills, we will find a better and brighter way with God.

Luke 8:10 -- On Parables

"And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand."
Luke 8:10


The whole idea of learning from parables seems to me to be similar to the admonition to "study it out in your mind" (D&C 9:8). They are an important teaching tool, but the meaning isn't immediately apparent. Parables / stories / fiction in this context isn't about deception, fantasy, or "unreality" even if there are aspects of the stories where you have to suspend belief. It is about finding the truths in stories that are designed specifically to magnify a principle so that it is easier to understand, if you approach the story trying to understand and work out the truth, but which can also blind people because of the inherent fictional nature of the parable. If we reject it as falsehood, then we miss the truth that is waiting underneath.

Perhaps we understand this better today because we have movies and novels that we can relate to, and apply to our lives. We might refer to a rule or law or way of living from a movie and adopt it for our own, despite the fact that the world presented in the movie is not our world or our society, or sometimes even our planet. We understand on some level that there can be valuable, worthy truths within fictional accounts.

For God's purposes, he can teach us in a myriad of ways, and his stories are one of them... but they can also hide truths that we aren't ready for, or that we fail to work out for ourselves. Today, let's commit the mental and spiritual effort to study some of God's stories and learn from them. He is always seeking to teach us, and the instant that we take the time to sit down with his word, plus a little patience, faith, and prayer, he will begin to show us things that we need to know, and he will continue to deepen our understandings as long as we continue to study and pray.

Luke 4:33-34 -- On Knowledge and Trust

"And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice, Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God."
Luke 4:33-34


There is a lot going on in this chapter, with Christ visiting Nazareth and being driven out, devils identifying him, healing everyone that was brought to him, and people pleading with him to stay with them. It kind of gives you a picture of how hectic his life was, and how unusual it was. I think it can also give us a lot of hope... if Christ endured his hometown trying to push him off a cliff and devils calling him out in public, along with many more of the obvious and sometimes much worse things he dealt with, then we *know* he can help us with our problems. He gets us, and he loves us. Let's turn to him and trust him.

Ether 12:27 -- On Weakness and Humility

"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."
Ether 12:27

Ether 12:27 It's hard to feel weak sometimes. Vulnerability can be scary, and we seem to instinctively build walls to protect ourselves. Sometimes the walls can be mostly good things, like a healthy hobby or a support system of people who care about us, but they can also be bad things, like pride or arrogance or thinking of other people as lesser, or wrong, or just too different from ourselves to even deal with. We can insulate ourselves with addictions or obsessions so we don't have to think about our weaknesses, failures, or potential failures. Even good things can keep us from learning things that we need to learn--if we stay sheltered in our coccoons forever, we never give ourselves the chance to develop into what God knows we can become.

Our best selves are glorious, beautiful, incredible beings of light and love. God is showing us the way to get there... but part of the way is weakness and vulnerability. It is scary, but as long as we are learning our lessons from the Lord, feeling that fear and anxiety also can teach us compassion and generosity and helps us to relate to other people who feel those things too (which is everyone at different times). Learning to deal with inability and broken selves helps us to appreciate and seek meaningful work and wholeness. Feeling vulnerable and at risk with other people helps us to identify bad relationship strategies and to help other people feel whole and safe. The key is to not seek to fill our broken hearts with something besides God... he is the only thing that can heal and fill us. If we look to him for our help, then we will learn and progress and develop and become. Let's make sure that we look to God and allow our weaknesses to teach us and the Lord to guide us, rather than thinking weakness means we are evil or awful and giving up. As God says above, his grace is sufficient for all of us, if we humble ourselves and have faith... he will teach us how to be everything that we long to be in righteousness. :)

Ether 12:18 -- On Miracles

"And neither at any time hath any wrought miracles until after their faith; wherefore they first believed in the Son of God."
Ether 12:18


Was reading this today, and thinking about how important faith is... all tied in with belief, hope, action, and even love really. That idea of trusting in the future, and of course in the particular version of the future that God promises, but also just in general. Believing that this moment leads somewhere, that it is worth something, that we can make a difference through our actions and choices... being mentally engaged in our lives and choosing where to go rather than just drifting along. That all seems part of it to me. I think of the Brother of Jared talking to the Lord and the Lord asking him what he would have him do to get light in the ship. His imagination mattered there. He thought of something that he thought could work, and knew God could make it happen. And perhaps the Spirit was helping him think of things, which is good, but that mental work, figuring out what the whole thing might take... that mattered too.

Today, let's partner with God and work on our relationship with and trust in him. Let's really believe that he can do miracles in our lives, and as we learn to imagine it and accept it, God will be able to do bigger wonders in our lives than we have seen. Let's be open to miracles, and we will come across them much more often.