Mosiah 29:37-40 -- On Love and Change

"And now it came to pass, after king Mosiah had sent these things forth among the people they were convinced of the truth of his words.
Therefore they relinquished their desires for a king, and became exceedingly anxious that every man should have an equal chance throughout all the land; yea, and every man expressed a willingness to answer for his own sins.
Therefore, it came to pass that they assembled themselves together in bodies throughout the land, to cast in their voices concerning who should be their judges, to judge them according to the law which had been given them; and they were exceedingly rejoiced because of the liberty which had been granted unto them.
And they did wax strong in love towards Mosiah; yea, they did esteem him more than any other man; for they did not look upon him as a tyrant who was seeking for gain, yea, for that lucre which doth corrupt the soul; for he had not exacted riches of them, neither had he delighted in the shedding of blood; but he had established peace in the land, and he had granted unto his people that they should be delivered from all manner of bondage; therefore they did esteem him, yea, exceedingly, beyond measure."
Mosiah 29:37-40


This is part of the story of king Mosiah, where he transitions the government of the people, talking the people into having judges rather than a king.  The story is amazing all by itself of course... the idea of someone giving up that kind of power and talking his people into a better form of government is really cool.  And obviously Mosiah's subjects thought so as well, because it says here that they esteemed him "beyond measure."

I guess this struck me because it seems so foreign in today's society... it is hard to imagine any governmental figure being so universally loved.  And I think that Mosiah's sincere love for his people made the difference.  Perhaps that is something we can incorporate into our own lives as well.  I think we, very often, make decisions at work (or school, or home...) without considering what the best decision for everyone is.  I don't think that makes us instantly evil, but a core part of the gospel and God's advice for becoming better is going all in on love and consideration of others.

Today, let's think about our decisions and make them not just about what we want, but let's also try to consider the perspective of the people around us and also the world as well.  What can we do to make things better for everyone, not just more comfortable for ourselves? :)  Is there a way to take a page from king Mosiah's book and change things so that they will be better in the future, not just for today?  If so, let's take the time and start the change. :)

Acts 24:16 -- On Mental Baggage

"And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men."
Acts 24:16


This is part of Paul's statement before Felix, defending himself against the accusations of Ananias and Tertullus.  This part stood out to me because having a conscience that is completely clear seems like a super big deal.  I'm always randomly remembering something I did wrong in the past, and living so that there is less of that is a great goal. :)

Today, let's think about who we want to be, and the times when we feel that conscience telling us to do better.  That's the Spirit of God, teaching us a better way, so we don't have to get the reward of "remorse of conscience" (Alma 29:5).  Let's listen, and work on clearing out our mental baggage. :)

Alma 41:5-7 -- On Desires and the Reward of Restoration

"The one raised to happiness according to his desires of happiness, or good according to his desires of good; and the other to evil according to his desires of evil; for as he has desired to do evil all the day long even so shall he have his reward of evil when the night cometh.
And so it is on the other hand. If he hath repented of his sins, and desired righteousness until the end of his days, even so he shall be rewarded unto righteousness.
These are they that are redeemed of the Lord; yea, these are they that are taken out, that are delivered from that endless night of darkness; and thus they stand or fall; for behold, they are their own judges, whether to do good or do evil."
Alma 41:5-7


This is both amazingly cool and really scary... the idea of being our own judges, and of getting what we desire is huge.  It seems like a blessing and could be awesome, if we learn to use our power wisely and temper our desires with the wisdom and advice of God, but then again, if we go off the rails, it could be the worst thing ever.

We want bad things sometimes, right?  Things that are bad for us and for other people.  We get angry at people in traffic and we want revenge on people who have wronged us.  We want to lash out at others when they are mean, and sometimes just when we're tired. :)  I mean, imagine if every time you wanted to punch someone, it actually happened.  Bad. :)

On the other hand, there are so many good things that we want as well.  We want to help and lift people in need.  We want to be able to give blessings to others.  We really do want to be kinder and gentler with others, and if we actually acted on every good urge we had, the world would be a better place.

So with the whole idea of restoration here, or of God granting us exactly what we have wanted, and making us into the people that we have worked to become... which side of ourselves is going to win?  Who will we be, and what is the world like populated with that sort of person?  I'm both excited and afraid to find out... because it could be so much incredible goodness... but it could also be a train wreck, depending on what we choose.

Today, let's think about what we want restored to us, and if we are really going to get what we want, what exactly IS that?  Do we know? Is what we want really going to make us happy, long-term?  If not, now is the time to talk to God and work on changing what we want. :)  Let's do our best to lift and love, and help each other to hope and work for something better, so that in time our desires and our works will be in a place where we'll be okay with the reward of restoration.

Jacob 4:3 -- On Hoping for the Future

"Now in this thing we do rejoice; and we labor diligently to engraven these words upon plates, hoping that our beloved brethren and our children will receive them with thankful hearts, and look upon them that they may learn with joy and not with sorrow, neither with contempt, concerning their first parents."
Jacob 4:3


I like rejoicing in writing to us, and hoping for us that we will learn with joy and not with sorrow... which is the point of passing lessons along, right?  So that we can learn from them and not have to learn everything first hand. 

The idea of hope here is an interesting one because there are things in life that we experience that seem to make cynicism pretty normal, and I think God totally understands our attitude problems, which we all have at times, and having suffered through some of the things we read about in the scriptures we could understand that too, especially from people like Moroni who witnessed so much wickedness and slaughter.  But instead they all wrote to us, looking forward to something better, and the chance to make a positive impact for a future world.

Cynicism is understandable, but it is sort of like a new job... we have to go into it with hope and optimism and be the person that other people want to work with, or we are cursing the experience from the beginning.  And that's hard.  If we have worked someplace that has made us a little justifiably paranoid, it is hard to unlearn that, and be able to trust the people around us.  Offering trust is going all in and trying to be that coworker that we want other people to be rather than being distrustful and holding things back... and so it is with all of life, and I'm guessing with the kingdom of God as well.

God understands our snark and bitterness, but when we show up in heaven, do we want to be met that way?  We have to take a step up and live the way that we want things to be, not react negatively to the way that they seem to be currently... that is what being a light to the world is, and I think at it's core that is what hope is as well... living as though things are going to getting better, not worse. :)

As we look back on the experiences of people in the scriptures and even our own ancestors and parents, let's give thanks that they worked for a better future for us... and let's do the same, rejoicing and laboring in that hope for the future.

Alma 21:14-17 -- On Going Forth Again

"And those who were cast into prison suffered many things, and they were delivered by the hand of Lamoni and Ammon, and they were fed and clothed.
And they went forth again to declare the word, and thus they were delivered for the first time out of prison; and thus they had suffered.
And they went forth whithersoever they were led by the Spirit of the Lord, preaching the word of God in every synagogue of the Amalekites, or in every assembly of the Lamanites where they could be admitted.
And it came to pass that the Lord began to bless them, insomuch that they brought many to the knowledge of the truth; yea, they did convince many of their sins, and of the traditions of their fathers, which were not correct."
Alma 21:14-17


This is part of the story of Ammon and King Lamoni, and the overall missionary journey that Alma and the sons of Mosiah took to try to convert the Lamanites.  Ammon had remarkable success, but his fellow missionaries had it pretty hard, as we can see here when it tells us that they needed to be fed and clothed, since they hadn't been while in prison.

The miracle here I think is the next verse which says they went forth again, rather than giving up... and then in the final verse of the selection it tells us that the Lord "began" to bless them.

Why did Ammon have so much success, and these men had to wade through so much affliction?  I mean, I don't think that is really answerable, but perhaps one of the reasons is that God needed someone to have success in order to get the other ones out of jail. :)  Our lives fit together like that... our gains make up for others' lacks, and vice versa.

We all have different challenges at different times of our lives, and sometimes it seems like we're failing and sometimes it seems like we're succeeding, but the real test I think is shown here... do we persist in trying to do what is right, whether or not the result causes us pain or discomfort?  If we keep going and are determined to do what is right, then the Lord will give us success and back our efforts. :)  Maybe there will be ups and downs.  Sometimes we're going to be like Ammon and other times we're going to be the ones naked and starving in prison, but the Lord will be with us either way, and help us.  Today, let's be determined to go forth again to serve him and do good, whatever the circumstances.

Helaman 9:29-36 -- On Solving Mysteries

"And ye shall say unto him: Have ye murdered your brother?
And he shall stand with fear, and wist not what to say. And behold, he shall deny unto you; and he shall make as if he were astonished; nevertheless, he shall declare unto you that he is innocent.
But behold, ye shall examine him, and ye shall find blood upon the skirts of his cloak.
And when ye have seen this, ye shall say: From whence cometh this blood? Do we not know that it is the blood of your brother?
And then shall he tremble, and shall look pale, even as if death had come upon him.
And then shall ye say: Because of this fear and this paleness which has come upon your face, behold, we know that thou art guilty.
And then shall greater fear come upon him; and then shall he confess unto you, and deny no more that he has done this murder.
And then shall he say unto you, that I, Nephi, know nothing concerning the matter save it were given unto me by the power of God. And then shall ye know that I am an honest man, and that I am sent unto you from God."
Helaman 9:29-36


I like this little detective story in the Book of Mormon where Nephi tells the people how to catch a murderer. :)  Of course, I'm not sure you could really write novels about a prophet-detective, because God just told him who did it and how to get a confession, so there isn't a lot of intrigue there. :)  Definitely a good story for the scriptures though.  It is a good reminder that God can solve all the mysteries in our lives, and deliver us out of all of our troubles.

Today, let's remember to turn to the Lord when we need to figure things out.  We should of course still do what we can, and study things out in our own minds so that we can learn, but including God in the process is the way to get the best results, as well as the way to always have hope even when things seem overwhelming and complicated.  God can cut through all of that and make things simple, so we never have to feel like we are facing the impossible. :)

Ezekiel 40:13-16 -- On Prayer and Palm Trees

"He measured then the gate from the roof of one little chamber to the roof of another: the breadth was five and twenty cubits, door against door.
He made also posts of threescore cubits, even unto the post of the court round about the gate.
And from the face of the gate of the entrance unto the face of the porch of the inner gate were fifty cubits.
And there were narrow windows to the little chambers, and to their posts within the gate round about, and likewise to the arches: and windows were round about inward: and upon each post were palm trees."
Ezekiel 40:13-16


This chapter describes a vision that Ezekiel had where an angel gives him a tour of a city and specific measurements for a temple in that city, and I was reading along thinking that it was sort of boring because I couldn't really picture it, but I liked the little details about the windows and the palm trees.  Then I thought about how often people think that they shouldn't bother God with the minutiae of their lives.  The reasoning often is that God's time is valuable, and that we shouldn't pray about losing our keys or other things that seem minor, but figure it out ourselves.

I think these verses show just how much God cares about the details, and there is no reason to withhold anything we want to pray about from God.  He always cares, and sometimes those small things are the way that we build our faith for the larger things. :)  Plus, he's not time-limited in the same way we are.  He has time for all of us.  We shouldn't wait around for God to make our decisions for us, and He does counsel us to "not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor [our] labor for that which cannot satisfy," so of course we still need to be aware of our choices, but it's always okay to pray. :)

Today, let's get down to the palm tree level with the Lord.  He loves us and wants to be real friends with us, not to be seen as a CEO with no time for the little people.  Let's pour out our hearts to him, and get his counsel about everything that matters to us.

Isaiah 35:4-6 -- On Waiting for Salvation

"Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you.
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert."
Isaiah 35:4-6


These are some great verses with a really strong feeling of hope.  I love the line "he will come and save you."  Save us from what?  Apparently everything.  Mentioning some specifics, Isaiah makes it clear that things we've suffered with our entire lives and never thought we'd be free of are definitely on the table, as are natural things that we lack... however impossible, there will be streams in the desert. :)

On my mission, when I would face something especially difficult, I would remind myself that transfers happened every month, and that I could deal with it for that long.   It usually lasted longer than that, of course, but the idea was that it was a temporary problem and I had the ability to endure it.  I think that God letting us know that he will save us is similar.  It means that all of this, everything, is a temporary problem.  It's something we can get our head around and something we can endure because we know it isn't going to be eternal.  God will come and save us.

Today, let's believe this.We live so much of our lives afraid of something, and whatever it is for us individually, God "will come and save you." ... Right there in the scriptures.  Might not be today, but it is coming, so we can look forward to that with hope. :)  The chapter heading mentions the "day of restoration" and the last verse mentions "they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away" (verse 10).  Looks like it is going to be a good day... all we have to do is wait it out a little longer. :)

Moroni 7:27-30 -- On Faith, Firmness of Mind, and Miracles

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased because Christ hath ascended into heaven, and hath sat down on the right hand of God, to claim of the Father his rights of mercy which he hath upon the children of men?
For he hath answered the ends of the law, and he claimeth all those who have faith in him; and they who have faith in him will cleave unto every good thing; wherefore he advocateth the cause of the children of men; and he dwelleth eternally in the heavens.
And because he hath done this, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased? Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men.
For behold, they are subject unto him, to minister according to the word of his command, showing themselves unto them of strong faith and a firm mind in every form of godliness."
Moroni 7:27-30


The main point of these verses is that miracles haven't ceased, which is an excellent point.  I guess that leads to another question though, which is why we don't see them.  Part of the answer of course in probably inattention and unrealistic expectations.  That's not the whole answer though.  I like that God gives us some hints at the end about angels ministering to the children of men, and talking about strong faith and a firm mind in "every form of godliness."  First, the angel part reminds us that a lot of things are going on around us that we might not be able to see, and that a lot of faith is involved in the process of working with God.  This part also helps us to know that we are actively involved in the process as well.  We need to work on our faith and make it stronger, and work on firming up our minds in a lot of ways.  Sometimes I think we let our doubts play with us so much that it is like calling God on the phone and hanging up before the phone even rings once or we listen for a voice on the other end.  We're giving up before we even establish a connection. :)

Today, let's remember that it is impossible for God to *not* be involved in our lives.  He is there, constantly working for our good, and he does know what is going on in our lives.  He won't force us to accept his help, but he is offering it, all the time.  We need to reach out to him, establish a connection, and stop sabotaging our own lines. :)  And if we can get that far with our faith and our firmness of mind, then I think we will start seeing miracles right away, mostly because we'll be part of one.  Communicating with God is a miracle all by itself, and one really reliable part of it is God helping us to know that he loves us.  Not that he necessarily approves of our actions or our desires, mind you, but that love... that is always there.  Let's tap into it, and find our way closer to the miracles that his love can bring into our lives.

Ether 2:18-19 -- On Obedience and Inquiry

"And it came to pass that the brother of Jared cried unto the Lord, saying: O Lord, I have performed the work which thou hast commanded me, and I have made the barges according as thou hast directed me.
And behold, O Lord, in them there is no light; whither shall we steer? And also we shall perish, for in them we cannot breathe, save it is the air which is in them; therefore we shall perish."
Ether 2:18-19


I really like these verses because the brother of Jared was so amazing.  I think if this happened to me, I would go over the instructions again, sure that I did something wrong.  I might be tempted to give up because I tried and it didn't work.  I would probably start panicking.  But the brother of Jared just goes to the Lord like this is all normal and says, okay, I did that part, but I have questions. :)  He shows us that it is okay to ask questions, and that it isn't the same as doubting... he had amazing faith; he just didn't understand the next part, and when working with God he took that as normal.

I think this also helps us understand that the Lord's directions in our lives aren't the complete package of everything we should ever do... they are the next step, and a way to progress, but those instructions are never just finished and over.  We have to keep communing with God, and as we do, we learn more, and we learn enough to take another step.

Today, let's be like the Brother of Jared.  Let's do as the Lord asks, and then let's ask questions about what we don't yet understand. :)

Luke 12:11-12 -- On Being Taught by the Holy Ghost

"And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:
For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say."
Luke 12:11-12


The idea here that the Holy Ghost will teach us what to say as we go is really cool.  It goes along with John 14:26: "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."

How far reaching the benefits are probably depends on our faith as well as whether it is part of a lesson we need to learn.  Will the Holy Ghost teach us what to say on a final exam if we never went to class and haven't studied?  He definitely *can,* but in most cases I would say we probably need to study rather than expecting God to smooth everything over. :)

This verse specifically mentions things that we might be nervous about, so perhaps part of the idea is not to stress over things.  The other part is clearly that we can learn to live by the spirit.  I know that sometimes it is difficult to tell whether the spirit is saying something to us or we're thinking it ourselves, but practicing by trying to always act when we feel like doing something good will help us to learn more about how that works... and it isn't like good works are going to be a bad thing either way, so there should be room for practice in that area. :)

Part of it also is prayer.  That isn't listed here explicitly, but I find that in my life that having the spirit with me is basically the same thing as praying always or always having a prayer in my heart.  It teaches us the instinct of looking to God and talking to him about our day as we go... and if we do that, we'll be closer to the Spirit, and able to be directed more easily into what to say and do "in the same hour."

Today, let's not stress out about things we can't control.  Let's study and learn, but not obsess or stress out about things that are coming.  Most of all, let's pray and listen to the spirit.  We won't learn how to be directed by God unless we practice keeping the spirit with us through some sustained effort... but luckily it isn't typically grueling effort, but just talking to God and learning more of his ways, and acting immediately when he asks us to do something. :)

D&C 27:15 -- On Lifting Up Our Hearts and Rejoicing

"Wherefore, lift up your hearts and rejoice, and gird up your loins, and take upon you my whole armor, that ye may be able to withstand the evil day, having done all, that ye may be able to stand."
Doctrine and Covenants 27:15


I find it interesting in this verse that the first thing that we are asked to do is to lift up our hearts and rejoice. :)  God acknowledges that we are going to need some important things if we are going to withstand "the evil day," and all the rest of those things are also significant... but the fact that lifting up our hearts and rejoicing comes first seems telling.

I think part of it is that when we're happy we're hopeful and optimistic, and endurance and mental fortitude (and perhaps even faith?) are greatly affected by our attitude.  I also think that we're more likely to jump in and make changes and try to help when we're happy.  Hopelessness and depression can turn us into slugs where we just aren't interested in doing anything or dealing with anyone.

Today, let's definitely work on girding up our loins, wearing the armor of God, and being tough in a spiritual way.  But first, let's make sure we're happy.  God wants that, and it is part of the purpose of all of this, right?  "... men are, that they might have joy" (2 Nephi 2:25). 

And if we're not happy, let's talk to God about it.  Not about changing our external circumstances necessarily, but about changing our internal landscape and letting God teach us how to find the good around us and learning what good things make us happy.  If it is important to God, then let's invest some time in it, and not built up resentment living a life we hate.  ... That doesn't mean that we should be irresponsible and give in to temptations to smash up our lives or our families in a sinful way though... engaging in sin is never a way to true happiness (Alma 41:10).  Finding a path to happiness could mean big changes in our lives, or tiny changes in our perspectives, but the way is always through God.  He will help us understand that we are capable of being happy now, in this moment, no matter the context. :)

Mormon 8:12 -- On Being Cool Like Moroni

"And whoso receiveth this record, and shall not condemn it because of the imperfections which are in it, the same shall know of greater things than these. Behold, I am Moroni; and were it possible, I would make all things known unto you."
Mormon 8:12


Reading about Moroni makes me feel bad for the guy, especially when he tells us things like "I have not friends nor whither to go" (Mormon 8:5).  I think he was amazing for his dedication to the Lord when many others probably would have just given up, and he's also a great example of finding purpose and hope and relying on the Lord.

I know a lot of people are struggling with problems similar to the ones that Moroni had, even if not for the same reasons.  We don't always have friends or whither to go.  We often find ourselves alone, or persecuted for our faith.  Like Moroni though, we can endure and look towards the future.

Moroni was speaking to us in his writings, and we too can reach out to others through our writings, even if there is no one present.  We can also develop a close relationship with God, which is something that can sustain us through even the hardest times.

Today, let's reach out to others and help them feel less alone, and let's also share our knowledge with others, whether through a journal, blog, email, video, or other means. :)  God will help guide us to do good for others even when we are alone, if we go to him and ask. :)  Let's be cool like Moroni. :)

John 2:9-11 -- On Noticing and Expecting Miracles

"When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,
And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.
This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him."
John 2:9-11


This is part of the story of Christ turning water into wine for a wedding.  This miracle is interesting because it seems like a lot of people didn't know about it.  The servants knew, and word probably spread afterward, but the ruler of the feast, and probably most of the guests did not know, and may not have believed it had they been told.  I mean... would we believe it if someone at a wedding told us that the water had magically become punch, would we believe it?  It's an interesting story, but unless we were open to the possibility and knew who had done it, it would be difficult.

I think we end up oblivious to a lot of miracles around us because we are like the ruler at the feast.  We notice something is different, but we attribute it to something else, because we aren't expecting a miracle. :)

Prophets expect miracles I think... likely because they know God that well.  They are always expressing their confidence in God's ability to do something, and often asking for him to intervene.  And I think that is part of faith.  We might not know exactly what God has in mind, but as we get to know God better and better, we start expecting his help... not in a bad, demanding way, but because we know that he loves us and we're getting a lot better about what things we shouldn't ask for, so we're in tune with his will more often. :) 

In Ether 12 it tells us that faith is required or God can't do miracles among us, so let's jump in there and allow him to do his work. :)  Today, let's get to know God better through prayer and scripture study.  As we do, we will learn better to recognize the hand of God and notice miracles in our own lives and in the world around us.  Let's also increase our faith, and learn to expect miracles (in a good way) when dealing with the Lord. :)

Enos 1:5-8 -- On Faith and Wholeness

"And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.
And I, Enos, knew that God could not lie; wherefore, my guilt was swept away.
And I said: Lord, how is it done?
And he said unto me: Because of thy faith in Christ, whom thou hast never before heard nor seen. And many years pass away before he shall manifest himself in the flesh; wherefore, go to, thy faith hath made thee whole."
Enos 1:5-8


This is God explaining to Enos how forgiveness works... through repentance, as Enos had been struggling to do, and faith in Christ.

The phrase "thy faith hath made thee whole" is several places in the scriptures, but typically in the New Testament, where Christ says it to the woman healed of the issue of blood, to a blind man that he heals, and to the tenth leper that returned to offer thanks.

Saying it so often in that way seems like it matters.  I was thinking about this today, and to me it seems like the way that God works with us in most things.  The power to heal comes from God, but he never forces it on us.  Instead, we can tap into that power through our faith, so it is God healing us, but it is also our faith and our choice that contribute to it, which is why God tells Enos (and the others) that their faith has made them whole.

One of the other differences here is that Enos was looking to solve a spiritual problem rather than a physical one when he went before God... and we find here that the principle is the same.  I also like that "whole" doesn't just mean physically healed, but it can also mean spiritually... and honestly, the whole idea of becoming "whole" rather than broken or fragmented between our spiritual and physical selves is a lot of what earth life is about.

Today, let's have the faith to move towards wholeness, by calling on God, repenting, and knowing that God will help us to be clean, no matter our past.  As God explained to Enos, this is how it is done. :)

3 Nephi 23:6 -- On New Scripture

"And now it came to pass that when Jesus had said these words he said unto them again, after he had expounded all the scriptures unto them which they had received, he said unto them: Behold, other scriptures I would that ye should write, that ye have not."
3 Nephi 23:6


Often we want to have more scripture so that we can know more about the gospel or about God and the universe and how things work, so it is interesting in this verse and the ones that follow that new scripture was produced because Christ asked why they hadn't written something down.  In essence, it is our obligation to write the spiritual history of our lives, all of which is fair game when God chooses to create scripture.

Most of scripture is just history from a spiritual perspective, so our own journal writing or notes on how scriptures or conference talks apply to our lives, or recordings of miracles we experience... those are all things that have the potential to be scripture.  God didn't have Mormon and Moroni write all the records from scratch. They compiled a record from all of the history that they had.  The Bible and the Doctrine and Covenants are also collections of spiritual writings.

Today, let's write down a spiritual event or personal parable from our own lives.  Even if what we write never gets collected for an official book of scripture, our writings are things that we can look back on when our faith or hope is low... a memory of God's hand working in our lives, which is something that the Spirit can use to inspire us and get us back on our feet again, so a good thing to prepare ahead of time. :)

Psalms 126:5-6 -- On Sowing Tears and Reaping Joy

"They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him."
Psalms 126:5-6


I like the idea here of working toward a goal.  Often when we hear the phrase "endure to the end" we just interpret it as suffering, but this illustrates that it isn't just suffering through.  It is doing the work of planting, and then later reaping the rewards.  Our whole lives are like that.  It isn't easy to build good habits, raise families, or find our way through the mists of darkness to the tree of life.  Sometimes we're going to be weeping because it takes not just physical effort but some serious mental, emotional, and spiritual work as well to be able to change our lives for the better, or even to be able to hear or feel God in our lives.

Those good things we plant though, in our lives and in the lives of others, they bear fruit.  A habit of prayer or reading the scriptures will truly become a precious reward as we understand more and draw nearer to God.  Similarly, everything that God asks us to do has some sort of a harvest later, enabling us to grow into a greater potential than we could imagine otherwise.

Today, let's be willing to be humble and even weep as we sow the seeds of righteousness.  Let's persevere in doing the hard work, and trust and look forward to the harvest. :)  I think if we look back as well, we'll see other things that were planted in our lives that grew into something good. :)  God has been working with us a long time.  Let's help him out and do our part. :)

Psalms 146:5-9 -- On Learning God's Perspective

"Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God:
Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever:
Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The Lord looseth the prisoners:
The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind: the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down: the Lord loveth the righteous:
The Lord preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down."
Psalms 146:5-9


What I find interesting in this set of verses are the places where it seems different than what we might see as the ideal.  We expect the judgement for the oppressed and the food for the hungry, but is freeing prisoners a good idea?  And helping the blind and the bowed down is awesome, but why are we preserving strangers?

For me, those things that seem to clash with normal life are probably where we can learn the most about how God's ways differ from our own.  God's ideal is a lot more merciful than we typically are.  I'm not saying we should just open up all the prisons, but I do think that God is about helping people change / rehabilitate rather than focusing on incarceration and punishment... and he is more inclusive than we typically are as well, inviting strangers to become brothers rather than excluding or ostracizing them.

Today, let's make sure we are upholding God's ideals and learning more about his perspective so that we can continue to support the ideas that we agree with, but also learn about the ideas that we might not agree with yet.  God blesses our acts of kindness and goodness whatever they are, but expanding our own ability to love and serve others will not only help others, but greatly bless us, our souls, and our potential to become more like God as we walk in his ways.

1 Samuel 8:6-9 -- On Desires and Consequences

"But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, Give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord.
And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them up out of Egypt even unto this day, wherewith they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also unto thee.
Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them."

1 Samuel 8:6-9


In these verses Samuel the prophet is talking to God about the people wanting a king, because he knows that that is going to be worse for the people than having the Lord as their ruler, but they kept asking for it.  God tells him basically, give them what they want, but tell them the consequences first so that they are choosing with all the information.

So he does, and they still want a king, and they get one... and the consequences they were warned of happen.  ... And we look at this and we might think... wow, how did they just dismiss the warnings like that when the prophet told them specifically what would happen?

And yet, don't we do similarly in our own lives?  We often know exactly what is going to happen and what we are getting wrong in our lives, but we still want what we want, and keep running toward it, like we didn't know there was a brick wall there... except we did because God warned us.

Today, maybe something to try is stopping for a minute and listening to God rather than going insanely after what we've become fixated on.  Like with Samuel's people, acting against God's advice is not going to turn out well.  We *know* this.  So let's try putting on the brakes and finding a way out of our headlong rush into trouble and pain.  Let's choose God as our guide rather than getting ourselves lost.

James 4:7-10 -- On Submission and Ascension

"Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up."
James 4:7-10


It's hard to submit.  We want to do things our way, and for the universe to bend to our will, rather than the other way around... however unlikely. :)  In this set of verses though, we learn that if we can learn that submission and humility towards God that he will lift us up.  I think the point here being that God is trying to help us... if we go before him thinking we know best, then we're never going to be able to accept that help, and we're never going to reach our potential.

God explains that if we draw close to him, that he can come closer to us... likely because we're aware, and listening for his voice.  He asks us to have clean hands and pure hearts, which relates to Psalms 24:3-4: "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? / He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart...."  He's teaching us how to ascend. :)

I think the next verse is similar, though it seems sort of depressing.  I think what God is asking us here is part of the submission and humbling thing... we need to accept the afflictions and sorrows that come into our lives, and learn mourning and weeping and heaviness, because it is part of the deal.  He definitely doesn't mean for us to be that way all the time or he wouldn't talk about happiness being one of the things that gets translated over at the judgement day (Mormon 9:14).  He definitely wants us to learn happiness, but I think that afflictions are part of that, aren't they?  We don't know how to choose happiness in the midst of struggles unless we have faced them in the past and learned that skill.

Today, let's be willing to learn and submit to the full range of God's earthly lessons, whether we get to do what we want or not, whether we are happy or not, and whether it is hard or not.  Let's humble ourselves before God and admit that we still have a lot to learn.  Let's accept afflictions and sorrow, and trust that God will lift us and deliver us to knowledge and joy.

D&C 20:7 -- On Commandments as Inspiration

"And gave unto him commandments which inspired him;"
Doctrine and Covenants 20:7


Single verse and partial sentence here, but enough.  I love the idea of inspiring commandments.  I think that we rarely think of commandments that way.  We usually think about them being restrictive or limiting, or even impossible.  They can be daunting, but we don't usually think of them as inspiring... so let's stop and think of that for a minute.  I think that tweak in perspective can help us look at something like "be ye therefore perfect" and realize that it isn't a reason to be afraid or despairing, but a reason to rejoice.  If God tells us to do something, he means us to DO it... not immediately, but as an inspiring goal, and a promise of what we can be someday, if we work at it.

I think there are a lot of commandments like that, if we think about it from an inspiration point of view.  Commandments that inspire us to be better, that offer hope for what is to come... that promise that we can overcome our weaknesses and really become who we want to be.

Today, let's try to tweak our perspectives about the commandments that are hard for us.  Let's see them as promises between God and ourselves... if we work on them, God will help us live up to the dream / promise / inspiration inherent in the commandment.  When God commands us to love even our enemies, we kind of shy away from the thought of that... but it's actually a promise from God that every busted relationship and every ongoing feud and every active power struggle can one day be resolved, and even our enemies and ourselves will see eye to eye... that eventually love wins. :)  Let's believe in that today, and be inspired. :)

Psalms 82:6 -- On Potential

"I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High."
Psalms 82:5-7


This is a powerful statement, and yet verses around it indicate that even though God explains this to us, we don't really understand what that means. Being children of God means that we have amazing potential, and the ability (with God's help) to follow in Christ's footsteps and become more like him, but we live far beneath our privileges rather than becoming all we could be.

I'm not sure that I have any great advice about how to solve that problem, but today perhaps it is something that we can all think about individually... how to live closer to the spirit, how to really use our talents rather than letting them lie dormant... how to make a real difference for good, because surely as children of God we have that ability.  We just need to figure out how.  So let's talk to God about it, and start figuring, and then doing something about it. :)

2 Nephi 9:39 -- On Life or Death Situations

"O, my beloved brethren, remember the awfulness in transgressing against that Holy God, and also the awfulness of yielding to the enticings of that cunning one. Remember, to be carnally-minded is death, and to be spiritually-minded is life eternal."
2 Nephi 9:39


This verse is interesting because it is essentially telling us that we're choosing between life and death every day... that it is a cumulative process rather than one dramatic moment.  This is good and bad.  Good because likely none of us need extra drama in our lives, but bad on the other hand because sometimes we don't notice how we are slowly choosing death until it is really, really hard to dig ourselves out and save our souls from that poison that we've been drinking.

Today, let's remember that we're choosing life or death right now... that judgement day isn't a class final where we get tested on a few highlights.  It's simply the observed result of the project that we are doing now... living. :)  Let's make sure we're consistently choosing goodness and things that lead to life, and that we do everything we can to make up for those times when we have chosen captivity, evil, or things that lead to death... both literally and symbolically.

Mark 6:56 -- On Healing and Being Made Whole

"And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole."
Mark 6:56


This is super cool... what an amazing thing that must have been, especially for people like the woman with an issue of blood who had tried everything and felt they had no other options, and then to have the very Christ in your midst and to be able to reach out to him and be healed.

And I guess my question is... since God is an unchangeable being, don't we *still* have this opportunity?  Isn't God still willing to heal us as we reach out to him?

I know that he is.  I think the challenge for us is to first, stop imagining that healing is impossible.  We get it into our minds and our hearts that we're just bad at things, or we were just born a certain way, or that if we haven't found a solution yet, there isn't one.  And I think part of the point is that with God, there is *always* a solution.

That's not to say that it is his will to solve every problem for us without any effort or education on our part... but just as he healed everyone who reached out and touched him in this verse, he will also heal us, even if it isn't in exactly the way we wanted.  Making someone whole might not always be removing a particular impediment.  Perhaps he will heal our hearts rather than our injuries, or our hatred rather than our sickness.  But what of it?  He knows what we truly need more than we do, and as we come to him he will do all that he can to help us and heal us, and teach us how to make our lives whole. :)

Today, let's make the effort to reach out to Christ with faith, to be made whole.

2 Nephi 1:13 -- On The Sleep of Hell

"O that ye would awake; awake from a deep sleep, yea, even from the sleep of hell, and shake off the awful chains by which ye are bound, which are the chains which bind the children of men, that they are carried away captive down to the eternal gulf of misery and woe."
2 Nephi 1:13


This is kind of an interesting idea where sin = sleep, and so the chains referred to are kind of symbolic of that heaviness and blankness of mind when you are really tired or asleep, and waking up to God is that clarity when we're fully wide awake and can think again. :)

I think the analogy works pretty well.  The Holy Ghost helps us remember and pay attention to things that are important, but when we walk away from God then we kind of get a brain cloud, and things can seem confusing, or just dark.  I think the scariest part is that at first you can kind of feel it happening, but after a while you can't anymore and it starts to seem normal.  That's super scary because I think that is the spiritual desensitization or hardening of our hearts that the scriptures warn us about.

Today, let's seek clarity of mind and make choices that help us think and learn and moving towards God rather than running away and forgetting.  Life definitely isn't always easy, but let's hold on to the goodness that we have, and trust God for our deliverance rather than giving up and drifting off into the spiritual "sleep of hell."

Proverbs 15:28-32 -- On Learning from the Lord

"The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things.
The Lord is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.
The light of the eyes rejoiceth the heart: and a good report maketh the bones fat.
The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise.
He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding."
Proverbs 15:28-32


This goes along with the idea of watching what we say, and think... probably some of the reason that God hears the prayer of the righteous and is far from the wicked is that first verse... the righteous are studying and working at finding an answer and asking the right questions, and the wicked are asking for things that would often make things worse.  Unfortunately, we probably are in both of these camps sometimes, so the goal here is to move more towards what God explains to us is the righteous way, and farther away from what God explains is the wicked way: we need to be less thoughtless in our prayers and really study to find out the answers that we seek.  The Lord is not only more likely to answer, but we are more likely to understand an answer when we are engaged with the topic and actively learning about it.

The reproof part is important too.  When we think that we have life figured out, it is easy to be blind to our own faults, or to want to blame our mistakes on something or someone else.  Faults and mistakes aren't something to be ashamed of, but they are things that we need to own if we are going to be able to improve.  When we pray, God is always going to let us know how much he loves us, because he does, more than we can imagine.  But sometimes too, he is going to point out that we could and should be doing better in certain areas.  It isn't about a guilt trip or making us feel bad... it is so that we can learn and improve, and work on getting it right the next time... moving from the wicked type of actions to the righteous type of actions. :)

We all are learning different lessons at different speeds and with different obstacles in the way, so it's often unwise to reprove others... and maybe that is what the middle verse is about.  We don't know the circumstances of other people's lives, so in general we don't know enough to offer judgement or reproof.  We leave that to God.  But we can totally share an approving look, a compliment, kindness and other positive reinforcement, letting people know when we think they are doing great, and just that we like them. :)  It's wise to focus on the positive, but of course when life (God) teaches us a lesson, we should all be listening, and learning.

Today, let's study up in order to get our answers, and to offer answers to others.  Let's help other people know they are loved and when they are doing great.  And let's listen when we are corrected, and try to learn and grow from that instead of getting grumpy because we aren't perfect yet. :)

Proverbs 21:23 -- On Keeping our Mouths and our Souls from Trouble

"Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles."
Proverbs 21:23


This is an interesting scripture, and though I'm sure that you can get into trouble without talking, it is probably a large step in the right direction. :)  What we're thinking about tends to fly out of our mouths, and so part of controlling what we say is controlling what we think.

It's a popular cop out for us to believe that we can't control our thoughts, or that we can't help feeling one way or another, and although that might be true on a very shallow level... those things might cross our minds without our intention, we absolutely get to control what we dismiss and what we allow to take center stage in our minds and in our hearts, and what we say, even though it takes practice.

The goal here, to clarify, would not be to plaster a fake smile on our faces all the while we are thinking about mean things to say, or to pretend to be happy when we are sad.  As with everything else God offers us, the goal is to change our hearts, not just our behavior... the idea is to get to the point where we not only refuse to say the unwise things that pop into our minds, but we also change our thought patterns so we don't have the urge to say things like that in the first place.

I'm not saying any of this is easy, mind you, or that it is some miraculous overnight change... but with God's help, it is possible to become kinder and better people, if we want to be.

Today, let's start by thinking about what we are saying, and listening to what is coming out of our mouths.  If we find ourselves saying things that we regret, or saying them in a way that we regret, then let's work with God to change and improve our communication patterns so that we don't have to regret and apologize for things, but instead learn to make better choices about what to say, and who we are choosing to become. :)

Romans 12:21 -- On Winning With Good

"Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."
Romans 12:21


I think sometimes we still want to live by the old "eye for an eye" (Leviticus 24:20, Exodus 21:24, Matthew 5:38, 3 Nephi 12:38) law, even though Christ taught us "a more excellent way" (1 Corinthians 31, Ether 12:11).  In this chapter Paul explains that we should "recompense no man evil for evil" (verse 17), but instead we should let go of vengeance and help our enemies instead.

I think we resist this because we see backing down or being kind to people who are mean to us as losing, or being weak, and of ourselves coming out on the losing side of some struggle... somehow if we don't get our vengeance or our justice, then we've lost something.  And I think that is what this verse is trying to refute. 

The struggle here isn't about power or about who is right, and when we interpret it that way, we are losing the battle to evil, because we allow it to take us over as we give into evil actions against our fellow beings.  The struggle is for our own souls... to be good despite all, and to triumph that way.  Satan's lie is making us think that we are becoming doormats, or joining the losing side, when actually good changes the world and wins when we live, and show others a way to live, that is more excellent. :)

Perhaps the most dramatic example of this were the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi who knelt and prayed when an army of their former brethren, the Lamanites, came to kill them.  And more than a thousand of them died, kneeling there.  But well over that number of their attackers were converted to God that day, when they stopped what they were doing, and realized the atrocity that they were participating in (Alma 24:26).

Now obviously we have to resist evil sometimes in order to protect our families and our lives.  God doesn't ask us all to lay down our lives like the Anti-Nephi-Lehies did, or promote abuse or addiction, which is why the scriptures tell us both to not resist evil (Matthew 5:39, 3 Nephi 12), and also encourage us to resist evil (Alma 61:14).  I think that the point here though is that God wants us to think carefully and choose wisely, making sure love is the default option in our personal lives so that we never escalate to wars, which usually involve atrocities from both sides and very great risk of sliding into evil ourselves.

Today, let's really think about how we're trying to win in our lives and work to let go of the power struggles and the battles involving personal pride, and instead find a way to show love for those that we see as on the other side of the conflict.  Let's not let evil win in our hearts, but instead quash it with good, and be the light of the world by showing others how to choose love and to be good even when it is "natural" to fight back.

Psalms 127:2 -- On Sleep and Stress

"It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep."
Psalms 127:2


One of the key takeaways here is that sleep is a gift from God.  I think that we lose sleep worrying about things sometimes, and that isn't what God wants.  He knows that things are sometimes going to be stressful or sad, but we don't have to exacerbate those emotions in order to be righteous.  Instead, God wants us to learn how to manage our stress--how to let it go and trust him to handle the things that we can't handle. 

Sleep is a blessing that God gives to us to be able to let go of a lot of the things that were running in the background during the day, and an opportunity for both our bodies and minds to get some rest.  Often sleep helps us to feel better in the morning after taking time to recharge, even after the very worst days.  Today, let's get some sleep and let God handle the things that we don't have any control over.  Let's accept that blessing in our lives, and give thanks to God for it. :)

Doctrine and Covenants 39:8-10 -- On Opportunity and Deliverance

"And verily I say unto thee, thine heart is now right before me at this time; and, behold, I have bestowed great blessings upon thy head;
Nevertheless, thou hast seen great sorrow, for thou hast rejected me many times because of pride and the cares of the world.
But, behold, the days of thy deliverance are come, if thou wilt hearken to my voice, which saith unto thee: Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on my name, and you shall receive my Spirit, and a blessing so great as you never have known."
Doctrine and Covenants 39:8-10


Even though this scripture was written for someone else specific, it seems like it is also speaking to us all.  Nephi said that he "did liken all scriptures unto us, that it might be for our profit and learning" (1 Nephi 19:23), so maybe we can learn from this one if we apply it to ourselves. :)

I think the overall message of the selection is opportunity and deliverance.  It talks about a rocky past when we have rejected God, but a hopeful future because our hearts are in the right place now, and if we move forward, we'll receive the Spirit and "a blessing to great as you never have known," which sounds pretty amazing. :)

Today, let's think about our hearts and our relationship with God and make sure that they are in the right place.  Let's repent and commit to God, and call on his name.  As we do, greater blessings than we have ever known will come to us.  Not necessarily monetary/physical ones, mind you... but let's be open to God's definition on that.  I think he will surprise us in a good way. :)

Helaman 13:38 -- On Procrastination and Change

"But behold, your days of probation are past; ye have procrastinated the day of your salvation until it is everlastingly too late, and your destruction is made sure; yea, for ye have sought all the days of your lives for that which ye could not obtain; and ye have sought for happiness in doing iniquity, which thing is contrary to the nature of that righteousness which is in our great and Eternal Head."
Helaman 13:38


This verse is Samuel the Lamanite preaching to the Nephites, and the message is definitely a scary one, likely designed to get them to wake up and repent.  It expresses the same idea that we find in Alma 12:24 and Alma 34:32--that this life is the time "to prepare to meet God."

The idea of it being "everlastingly too late" after our days of probation (earth life) is one that is a little bit confusing, because we know that Christ visited the Spirit World and arranged missionary work there as well, which implies some sort of repentance and conversion after this life (D&C 138:33 also mentions repentance).

I honestly don't know how God is going to work it all out... that is obviously all up to him, but for us, perhaps something that clarifies the idea is 1 Peter 4:6: "For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit."  Perhaps we're still judged based on our actions in our lives, and that isn't something we can go back and change while in the spirit world, but we do still have the ability to accept the gospel, feel remorse, and live according to God's will as spirits.  The problem is that we're still the same people, and if we rejected God in this life, we are likely going to reject him later as well.  Alma 34:33-35 suggests that we can completely drive away the Spirit of the Lord so much that the devil has all power over us, which is even scarier than the initial verse. :)

There is hope and goodness here as well though.  First of all, we're alive, and able to repent and change, and we're also learning some important lessons.  We need to use our lives wisely and not just assume that we can procrastinate and then change when we're dead.  We should also remember that there is no happiness to be found in iniquity.  There are a lot of ways to learn that lesson, and learning it from this verse is probably the easiest way possible. :)

Today, let's make sure we listen to the words of Samuel the Lamanite, and wake up and repent.  Let's use our lives to change and improve while we have our bodies and the ability to learn to control our appetites and passions.  Let's especially avoid the trap of thinking that iniquity can ever lead to happiness.  As we listen and learn, God will help us avoid the destruction spoken of, and make sure that it isn't everlastingly too late for us. :)