2 Timothy 1:7 -- On Connecting with the Spirit

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
2 Timothy 1:7


I like this because it shows us that God doesn't want us to be scared, but to be powerful forces for good.  He wants us to love each other and to learn positive mental (and spiritual and physical) health habits.

Satan is the one that wants us scared and desperate and making poor decisions because we're stressed out all the time.  God is about calm and being okay even if the world around us is in commotion.  When we feel scared and desperate, we aren't feeling God's spirit, and to get it back, we need to step back and regain that connection with God, who can give us the power to overcome negative emotions and to find the inner peace that we need to deal with our lives and to do good.

Today, let's remember that peace and calm are the keys to power and connection.  Let's take a moment to breathe and to focus in order to regain our connection to God when we feel afraid or out of control.  He is our center, and he can help us through absolutely anything.

Psalms 49:6-9 -- On Wealth and Redemption

"They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;
None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:
(For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)
That he should still alive for ever, and not see corruption."
Psalms 49:6-9


I like this reminder.  It's a great example of a way that monetary wealth can't compete.  ... And what do we want more than to help those that we love live forever without having to worry about evil or corruption?  The whole idea of heaven is exactly that... an amazing dream of eternally being able to know and interact with people that we love without any concern about sickness, health, corruption, evil... nothing to get in the way of those relationships or the work that we/they want to do.

Money can't do that... only God can.  He offers us that eternal life without corruption.  The one where our loved ones don't pass away, and where we don't have to worry about them being corrupted by the things around them either.  A place where everyone is good. :)

Even if there were nothing else, what a good reason to praise God and devote all we can to his cause. :) Today, let's remember that God can help us when all else fails, and that is where we should put our trust, rather than in wealth or anything else, because none of those things have the power to save us.

Doctrine and Covenants 93:29 -- On Light and Perspective

"Man was also in the beginning with God. Intelligence, or the light of truth, was not created or made, neither indeed can be."
Doctrine and Covenants 93:29


I think that knowing where we came from is possibly as important as knowing where we're going, because it informs our choices and gives us ourselves to compare against so that we can improve.  ... And that is true beyond mortality as well.

Knowing that we lived before this life, and at least some of the choices that we made (we know which side we were on in the War in Heaven for instance) helps us to examine ourselves and know that there is light within, even when we feel dark.

Today, let's think about some of this... we're eternal beings.  We were meant to be.  And God is helping us to make more of our eternity. :)  Let's move forward with that perspective rather than thinking of this limited mortal existence as our everything and being willing to sacrifice any part of eternity for something merely mortal.  Let's live for the things that last, and improve our forever, not just our now.

Genesis 1:27 -- On the Image of the Divine

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."
Genesis 1:27


I like the idea here that we are all in the image of God, whether male or female.  In the previous verse says "us" and "our" about creating man, and (like in the Pearl of Great Price) that seems to indicate that the creation process involved a group, and while that doesn't change our need to honor and worship our Heavenly Father as an individual, it is cool to think that all of us have that divine image.

Today, maybe we should consider that divine image in ourselves, and what it means about our incredible potential as we walk God's path.  We can be more than we are, and if we jump in and work at it, God will help us learn and grow into our incredible potential. :)  Let's try it. :)

2 Nephi 2:24 -- On Faith and Action

"But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things."
2 Nephi 2:24


On one hand this statement seems pretty simplistic and all-encompassing, and you could definitely argue the point.   Should we just accept everything the way it is and not work to change the things that seem bad or unfair?

On the other hand, this is the very essence of faith, isn't it?  The acceptance of God's will, and understanding that God knows what he is doing, even when things don't go the way we wish?

I think this is absolutely a true statement and that we should always err on the side of faith, accepting God's will in our lives.  However, let's also remember that this statement doesn't preclude our free agency, tie us to a course of action, or doom us to some certain fate (verse 27).

To me, it is a matter of learning to be on the same page with God.  His will and his plan takes all of us into account.  There is room in the story for our actions, and when we are doing God's will, then "all things work together for good" for us (Romans 8:28)... even the things that afflict us (D&C 98:3).  In fact, when we are doing God's will, then we are part of the "all things" that are done in his wisdom, right?

Today, let's work to be a part of God's brilliant tapestry of hope and joy... that's why we are here (verse 25), and God wants us to participate in his plan, rather than just sitting back and burying our talents and waiting to see what happens. :)  Let's embrace faith *and* take the future into our hands, shaping it for good with God's help.

Alma 28:13 -- On the Inequalities of Eternity

"And thus we see how great the inequality of man is because of sin and transgression, and the power of the devil, which comes by the cunning plans which he hath devised to ensnare the hearts of men."
Alma 28:13


The verses before this are talking about the aftermath of some large battles, and commenting how some people are mourning and sad, and others are mourning and rejoicing, based on whether they fear that their departed loved ones are headed for "a state of endless wo" (verse 11) or "a state of never-ending happiness" (verse 12).

It is interesting that the inequality that is talked about here is based on our hopes of happiness in the eternal world, rather than all the things that we focus on as a society when we talk about inequality.   ... And I am definitely not dismissing those mortal concerns, as I believe God wants us to be equal in earthly ways as well.  However, it is also instructive to think about inequality in a larger, eternal way as well.

From the little we know about the premortal existence and the "war in heaven" (Revelation 12:6), we know that there is a large inequality between the premortal beings that rebelled against God's plan and those that didn't... and that is probably the closest comparison we have to the inequality that will exist between us based on our rebellion in this life.

Of course that is a simplistic explanation because we don't fully understand pre- or post- mortal existence, but it's something we can still work on, remembering that eternity with God is what we need to be preparing for, which will perhaps help us focus on the right things now. :)

Today, let's try to remember those eternal inequalities that we can avoid, and help others to avoid as we teach and help people to know and love God, and all that he offers us.  Let's be careful to not harm our eternal lives through our unwise mortal choices. 

2 Peter 3:9-12 -- On Permanent versus Melted

"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?"
2 Peter 3:9-12


This is a good reminder of two big things:

--God wants to save us all.  He doesn't want anyone to perish, and isn't rooting for some people and fine with others failing. :)
--The things around us are impermanent, and will eventually all be dissolved.

Together those things can teach us a lot, and these verses ask a good question... knowing all of this, what type of people should we be?  ... Perhaps the type that trusts in a permanent and loving Heavenly Father rather than in the to-be-dissolved earthly things around us. :)

Today, let's trust God, who loves us and will work with us to help and save us, rather than the things of the world, which are just going to melt away. :)  It's hard to get that perspective sometimes because we love our toys, but let's work on putting God first and latching on to his longer-term vision.

Matthew 24:27 -- On Lightning

"For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."
Matthew 24:27


This is talking about the Second Coming, and how it will be super obvious--observable to everyone.  It's interesting because we also read in 1 Thessalonians 5:2 about the Second Coming, and also in several other places, that the Lord will come "as a thief in the night."  Out of context these verses seem to contradict each other.

2 Peter 3:10 is probably a good clarification.  It tells us that the "day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night" but also tells us that some other pretty dramatic things are going to happen at the same time... so it seems like the idea is that the day will sneak up on us, and we won't necessarily know that it is coming, but that *when* it comes, it will be obvious, and everyone will know that it is happening.  Perhaps like sneaky lightning from a storm you weren't expecting, but which strikes your house... or a thief that comes to your house and you realize that he is there because he opens up the side of your house, and you realize you've been essentially living in a dollhouse the whole time.  ... A surprise, but also something life-changing that you can't possibly ignore.

Christ isn't going to come unrecognized this time.  He isn't going to sneak in and stay in the background.  The event may well sneak up on us, if we aren't on the same page with the Lord and paying attention, but we definitely won't sleep through it when it happens.  So, hey... today, let's make sure that we are working to be ready for that day, whenever it is, and stay ready so we will be able to welcome that day when it comes rather than mourn over all the things that we should have done, if only we had known. :)

D&C 100:15-17 -- On Things Going Right

"Therefore, let your hearts be comforted; for all things shall work together for good to them that walk uprightly, and to the sanctification of the church.
For I will raise up unto myself a pure people, that will serve me in righteousness;
And all that call upon the name of the Lord, and keep his commandments, shall be saved. Even so. Amen."
Doctrine and Covenants 100:15-17


I love the idea that everything is working for our good when we are doing as God asks.  Sometimes we feel like the whole world is against us... but this is promising that the whole world will be FOR us, which is a super cool idea... that feeling of everything going right, or clicking into place, or even when things are bad, that even those times are part of a larger plan, helping us in some way.  ... And really, that what God does.  That's what faith means... that there is a larger plan and that he is directing all of it for our good.

I like the idea of a pure people here as well.  Combined with the last verse and the rest of the chapter I think it explains missionary work and really all of God's work, because God is giving everyone the opportunity to be among the saved.  He paid the admission for us.  Free tickets to heaven... all we have to do is walk the path to the entrance.  That journey will of course change us, and make us better as we go.  It's that tendency we have to walk away (or try not to move or make a choice) that gets us into trouble.

Today, let's choose to walk God's path.  And as we do, let's look forward to and recognize when things start going right.  Let's cry unto God with thanks when things are good, and not wait until things are bad to remember him.  Let's move forward with faith and hope, helping others to know God, and growing to know him better ourselves.

1 Samuel 16:1 -- On Mourning for Alternate Choices

"And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth-lehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons."
1 Samuel 16:1


This is part of the story of the anointing of David, future king of Israel.  I find it interesting that Samuel wishes things were different, and the Lord sort of tells him to get over it, and move on with his work.  God calls it mourning, and I think that is something that happens to all of us, actually.  We mourn for lost choices, and get stuck in wanting things to be different.  We hold on too hard, wanting things to change, and forgetting that we need to move forward, which often means letting those lost choices go.

It isn't easy... Samuel loved Saul, and had a lot invested there, and really, taking a different path was going to directly endanger his life since Saul was powerful and would see God's will in this case as a betrayal.  ... But it was still God's will, and Samuel trusted God and moved forward.

Later, when Saul saw the impressive Eliab, he thought that this must be the one that the Lord has in mind... but God said no, and seven sons later, God still hadn't chosen anyone, and they had to go find David who was out taking care of the sheep. :)

It's really the same lesson.  God knows what he is doing, and whether we are hung up wanting things to be different, or we are inclined to choose what is before us and worried that we will lose something by waiting for God's other options, we need to remember patience, take a step back, and wait for God's will rather than jumping too quickly.

Today, let's listen to God, who can see farther and deeper into the heart than we can... and remember that sometimes we have to let things go, move on, and be patient.  It isn't easy, but when God asks us to let go, we can trust that it is the best choice.

Matthew 26:62-64 -- On Holding Peace

"And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?
But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.
Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven."
Matthew 26:62-64


When I "hold my peace" I'm typically remaining silent because I know it is unwise to argue, but it still seems frustrating and I want to say something.  ... I think when it talks about Christ holding his peace here, peace is actually literally involved. :)  He knew what was coming, and he could have stopped it or gotten away, but he was committed to doing his Father's will, and didn't speak out of the injustice of all of it... not because he didn't think he could fight it, but because he was already at peace with allowing it to happen.

I think that's something that it would be worthwhile learning... how to have enough faith in God that when we hold our peace, we are actually AT peace, and okay with what God has in store for us.

That doesn't mean that we shouldn't work to correct injustices in our society, of course.  Only that when we know we are doing God's will, I think we can learn to have peace with it, no matter how hard it is.  Today, let's work on holding some peace, letting God calm our hearts and trusting in his will.

3 Nephi 1:20-22 -- On Signs, Wonders, and Lasting Conversion

"And it had come to pass, yea, all things, every whit, according to the words of the prophets.
And it came to pass also that a new star did appear, according to the word.
And it came to pass that from this time forth there began to be lyings sent forth among the people, by Satan, to harden their hearts, to the intent that they might not believe in those signs and wonders which they had seen; but notwithstanding these lyings and deceivings the more part of the people did believe, and were converted unto the Lord."
3 Nephi 1:20-22


In the next chapter we also read that ". . . the people began to forget those signs and wonders which they had heard, and began to be less and less astonished at a sign or a wonder from heaven, insomuch that they began to be hard in their hearts, and blind in their minds, and began to disbelieve all which they had heard and seen" (3 Nephi 2:1).  This reminds me of Laman and Lemuel who saw an Angel and then almost immediately went back to doing what the Angel had rebuked them for.

Signs and wonders can influence people for good, certainly, but it isn't those dramatic things that typically bring about lasting conversion.  Even when there is a dramatic event, it's still the smaller things that make it stick... the prayer and conversation with God every day, the reading of scriptures to get the word of God into our hearts... the spiritual habits that keep God in our minds and our thoughts and at the forefront of our lives.  Those are the things that help us not just to be converted, but to stay converted... to "feel so now" (Alma 5:26).

Today, let's not ask or wait for dramatic signs in our lives... and even when they come, let's not lean on them exclusively for our testimonies.  Instead, let's remember the small, incremental things that keep God with us always, and let's keep those up.  We don't need to despair if God doesn't send angels or lightning bolts from heaven.  Instead, he gives us ways that we can all learn and know of him.  Let's take advantage of this great blessing and find out for ourselves by putting in the effort daily to grow to know the Lord and his word.

Proverbs 9:17-18 -- On Long-Term Happiness and Safety

"Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.
But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell."
Proverbs 9:17-18


This is another good reminder about short-term thrills and long-term happiness.  Doing things the wrong way can be temporarily satisfying, but never lasts long.  Instead of trying to increase the amount or frequency of sin in order to get that same thrill, the vastly superior alternative is to turn around and return to the path of God.  That is the only place where we can find true and lasting happiness... good feelings that are not ephemeral.

Another good point here, though it is sort of in the background, is that poor choices affect other people and lead to death and hell... nothing good.  We're hurting ourselves and others when we ignore God's advice.

Today, let's look up and farther ahead and see the consequences of our actions coming for us like poison-drooling monsters ambushing us in the woods.  Let's not try to slip by them thinking that the trail farther along is going to get better and clearer farther into the swamp.  Let's turn around and run, reaching for the safety of God's path.

John 11:8-10 -- On Walking in the Day

"His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?
Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him."
John 11:8-10



This is an interesting answer by Christ to his disciples who were worried about him being in danger, and I think what Christ is basically saying here is that we need to walk in the light, no matter where that light directs us.  Or, in other words, whatever God asks us to do is right, even when it is dangerous or not what the people around us agree with.  If people persecute us for following God, does that mean we should not follow God?  No, of course not.  We need to walk in the light.  The darkness is what is truly dangerous... and straying from God's path is where the darkness lies.

Today, let's remember to walk in the light, following God even when people oppose our path.  ... That doesn't mean that God is encouraging us to get in people's faces and argue.  That's contention, which he actually advises against.  Christ didn't go to fight with those that wanted to kill him.  Instead, he continued to do what was right (in this case raising Lazarus from the dead), regardless of what other people chose.  And that is what I think Christ is advising us.  Let's allow God to sway our decisions, and not what other people may or may not think or do in response to following God.  God is the important thing here.

Mormon 9:4-5 -- On Purification and Happiness

"Behold, I say unto you that ye would be more miserable to dwell with a holy and just God, under a consciousness of your filthiness before him, than ye would to dwell with the damned souls in hell.
For behold, when ye shall be brought to see your nakedness before God, and also the glory of God, and the holiness of Jesus Christ, it will kindle a flame of unquenchable fire upon you."
Mormon 9:4-5


This is interesting stuff, explaining a little bit about why we wouldn't be happy to go to heaven and enter God's presence unless we repent and are purified by Christ... making the background point that our salvation is not just a free pass to do whatever we want, but a chance to change--we still have to become perfect before we can be happy to live in a perfect society.  We don't get excused from that requirement.  Instead, Christ helps us and makes it possible with his help.

The idea of our nakedness before God reminds me of the story of Adam and Eve after eating the fruit in the Garden of Eden... and I wonder if the nakedness referred to there was, like this, not just a physical thing, but a spiritual one as well.  Symbolically, especially in comparison to God, we are completely unhidden and vulnerable.  Without him we would certainly fall, and fail, and by ourselves we could never be more than that. It is WITH him that we find light and hope and possibility.

Today, let's remember that we're on a mission to improve ourselves and the world around us, and we desperately need God in order to do either or both of those things.  We have to learn to be heavenly in order to be happy in heaven, and so part of learning to follow God is learning to understand him and why he has defined good and evil things the way he has, which means that we need open minds and hearts, because God sees and knows more than we do and we have a tendency to make hasty decisions. :)  Let's work on not only walking God's path, but understanding why we are.

Alma 34:29 -- On Greatness and Caring for Others

"Therefore, if ye do not remember to be charitable, ye are as dross, which the refiners do cast out, (it being of no worth) and is trodden under foot of men."
Alma 34:29


Another excellent reminder from this chapter.  We're not going to be successful in this life just by ourselves... no matter how good we learn to be in the avoidance of sin, we need to also do good, and love and serve other people if we are going to learn to walk God's path.

This is a good thing also, because often we get too caught up in ourselves and that focus can lead to anxiety and paranoia as we worry about how everything in the world affects us.  If we take a step back and instead focus on assisting and loving others, those worries often become more manageable and sometimes even disappear as God blesses us for helping each other and making the world a better place. :)

None of this is meant to make us feel worthless... God doesn't want that.  He values us.  But like King Benjamin's sermon about comparing ourselves to dust, we come away with a better understanding of where worth comes from, and it isn't just from lifting ourselves up... it comes from lifting others.  Christ is the best person that ever lived, not because of his personal righteousness, although of course that was amazing and enabled him to do great things... what makes him the very best is that he did all of it for us, sacrificing worldly ambitions and possibilities to help all of us accomplish something we couldn't accomplish alone.

Today, let's remember that what makes us great is the way that we treat other people and the love and compassion that we show them.  That doesn't mean that we should give up working towards personal righteousness of course... but let's remember that we need each other, and that our lives are intertwined.  Let's make a renewed effort to care for the people around us.

Psalm 78:5-8 -- On Teaching Hope and Promoting Good

"For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children:
That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children:
That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments:
And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with God."
Psalm 78:5-8


I like this because I think it points us to one of the goals of our lives... to leave the world better than we found it, and to pass on lessons to the next generation, helping them to be better than we have been.  It reminds me of Mormon 9:31 "... give thanks unto God that he hath made manifest unto you our imperfections, that ye may learn to be more wise than we have been."

I think we can see improvement over time in the general goodness level of the world, although perhaps there are also stronger corrupting influences as well... but that's part of the reason that we have to improve, so that we can teach hope and balance those things out, allowing God to "clear away the bad according as the good shall grow" (Jacob 5:66).

Today, let's look to the future, focusing on making things better for the generations to come.  Let's set things in motion for them even if we can't see the end ourselves.  Let's be good and teach and promote goodness, sharing the lessons that we learn with others so that they don't have to start from scratch, but have our experiences to build upon.

Alma 34:19 -- On Humility and Prayer

"Yea, humble yourselves, and continue in prayer unto him."
Alma 34:19


I think that this combination (humility + prayer) is really essential in our relationship with God.  It's easy to pray for the wrong things, and to continue our selfish ways when interacting with God, expecting him to conform to our desires, to accommodate our timetable, and to treat our drama as an emergency... and when we do those things, then we're not getting what we should out of prayer.  We're throwing up barriers to communication because we don't understand fully what we're trying to accomplish here.  It isn't that God isn't compassionate or sympathetic to our situations.  It's that prayer isn't about changing God or convincing him to help us.  It is about "reconciling [ourselves] to the will of God" (2 Nephi 10:24), and we can't get there without some significant humility.

We're mortal and human, and some pride typically comes with that package.  We want to have things our way, and we royally screw things up a lot.  We don't want people to guilt-trip us about our mistakes, and we don't want them to tell us that we can't have what we want.  Additionally, you know, some of those things that God asks of us... I mean, they reek of effort.  So, we want some low-stress shortcuts and for God to cut us some slack and realize that we're weak and stuff... or on the other hand, we want him to do things our way because we've totally thought it out, and we can't possibly be wrong or whatever...

Obviously, that approach isn't going to work.  We can't demand that God prove things to us, or give him a deadline, or show him that we are an exception and deserve our very own loophole in the commandments.  He's God.  His commandments are right, and his timing is perfect, and he knows way better than we do what is ultimately going to make us happy.  ... We legitimately wrestle with things like that, and wonder whether keeping the commandments is going to make us happier than going our own way.... the point is though that the answer is ALWAYS yes.  There are no exceptions based on how well he likes us or how much we plead.  If we do things the Lord's way, then we will always end up happier than otherwise.  He's God, not one of the fallible people that we're used to.  He doesn't make mistakes.  So, even if we feel like a mistake or an exception, there is a reason that we just don't understand yet..., and no matter what, we're not going to find "happiness in doing iniquity" (Helaman 13:38).

Today, let's try not to compare God with fallible people, or assume that we can change God to conform to our will.  Let's be humble and prayerful, always remembering to include "thy will be done," and meaning it.  If we find ourselves clashing with God, then we need to step back.  If there is a barrier to communication, the wall is ours.  If we listen and learn, God will do wonders among us and show us the way to perfect happiness.  Let's try to do things his way.

Helaman 13:38 -- On the Path to Happiness

"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 is one of the prophecies of Samuel the Lamanite to the Nephites, trying to wake them up to the corruption around them.  He tells them of a time to come when the land will be cursed and things will get bad and they will look to God and say "Behold, our iniquities are great.  O Lord, canst thou not turn away thine anger from us?" (Helaman 13:37).  So, it seems like in their extremities they are finally repentant... but that they have gone past the point when that is possible, and at that time it will be "everlastingly too late."

I don't think that in our lives now that we need to worry about it being too late... the point of the scripture isn't to make us lose hope in the possibility of repentance.  The point is that we need to act now--"this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God" (Alma 34:32), and if we wait until circumstances force us into regret (like in the very last days as it seems it was for them in this prophecy), that is the point where it is too late.  We have to choose God now, when we have the freedom to do so, and not wait until that choice is the only real choice and obvious to everyone... otherwise the choice has no meaning.

One of the huge ideas in this verse is the idea that we often seek happiness in doing iniquity, which seems to be at least one of the things "which ye could not obtain" ... or in other words, which is impossible.  That's a truth that hits pretty hard because I think we do that a lot... look for happiness in places that we are definitely not going to find it, and yet we persist in thinking that such a thing is possible.

Today, let's remember that God's commandments are there to help us towards happiness, not to deny that to us.  Following God's commandments leads to our happy ending, and it is the only way to get there.  There aren't shortcuts or alternate ways to that ultimate triumph.  We have to endure the ups and downs and the chapters when things seem bleak so that we can learn to be the heroes that will stand with God, victorious.  Let's act now, and choose the path that leads to that happiness (and also helps us to be happy in the interim) rather than one that can't possibly get us there.

1 Nephi 11:2 -- On Desires

"And the Spirit said unto me: Behold, what desirest thou?"
1 Nephi 11:2


This is a question that Nephi was asked and the answer led to Nephi seeing the vision that his father saw of the tree of life

I think this is also what the Spirit asks of each of us, and the answer makes a huge difference in who we are.  ... What do we really desire?  Do we want earthly things... money, fame, power, etc... or do we want spiritual things like hope, faith, peace?  Often we want both, but to attain our desires, we need to focus in and work on getting there, with God's help.

Today, let's try to figure out what we really want, so we have an answer to give God when he asks... which he will.   Let's not float through life uncertain of where we're headed and changing our minds constantly.  Let's set our sites on heaven, and commit our path to returning to God.  As we do, we'll have God's help in achieving our righteous desires. :)

Matthew 25:24-29 -- On Choices and Talents

"Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath."
Matthew 25:24-29


This is the end of the parable of the talents, and this time when I read it I was wondering about the whole idea of taking away what you have, because you didn't do anything with it... and I feel like it is kind of like our lives.  God sends us to earth to get a body and to learn who we are when we have to make our own choices.  Kind of a coming of age thing if you will... being on our own for the first time and having to make those calls for ourselves and develop into ourselves as independent beings.  ... But what if we don't?  What if we just blow it off and wait for God to "command in all things" (D&C 58:26)?   What if we don't have our own hopes and dreams and we don't make anything happen, but just sit back and let things happen to us passively?  Would that be the equivalent of the man with one talent that buried it?

I think what God is "taking away" here is opportunity, because theoretically in this situation we essentially wasted what we had.  It's similar to the parable of the 10 virgins.  They were waiting to go into the wedding, and some of them were well prepared and some of them were not.  We get hung up on the other 5 virgins not sharing, or on the door being shut and not allowing latecomers, but if we're comparing it to life... that's the way it is.  We can't make choices for someone else and have *them* grow into something because of it.  And when death comes, that door normally cannot be opened again except into a different life.  The oil and the talents in our parables are talking about opportunities that no one can act on for us.  We gather the oil or multiply the talent individually.

Today, let's work on building something worthwhile in our lives, and have something to show for ourselves.  It doesn't have to be earth-shattering.  Just anything... let's find a way to make a difference for good, and then we'll have something for the Lord to multiply. :)

Hosea 13:2-4 -- On Insubstantial Idols

"And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, and idols according to their own understanding, all of it the work of the craftsmen: they say of them, Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves.
Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away, as the chaff that is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney.
Yet I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt, and thou shalt know no god but me: for there is no saviour beside me."
Hosea 13:2-4


This is a good reminder that there is no other god or savior besides God.  Although we aren't usually as obvious about making and worshipping man-made idols in our day, I think we often are just as bad with the things that we place as the focus of our lives, making them in essence our idols.  Sometimes it is a person, sometimes it is a thing, like a computer, car, job title, house, or hobby... sometimes it is an aspect of ourselves, like our weight, our gender, our romantic attractions, our abilities or talents, our appearance, power, or popularity, or sometimes it is a sin.  When it comes down to it, anything that we value more than we value God, or anything that we place at the top of our priority list over God, that is the very definition of an idol.

As God tells us here, all of these things that are so important to us now are as insubstantial as the dew or as smoke.  Idols don't have power and they aren't going to last.  They shouldn't be the most important things in our lives.  People matter, of course, but placing even a person before God throws our lives off, and we hurt both ourselves AND that person, because we are expecting them to fill a hole the size of eternity, that only God *can* fill.

God will make up for any and every loss that we experience because we are putting him first.  ... That doesn't mean of course that we should neglect our families and jobs, but it does mean that our honest sacrifices for God's sake will be swallowed up in joy and blessings as we move forward and make God the center of our lives.

Today, let's take a look at our lives and think about what things might be becoming the idols in our lives.  Let's re-evaluate and, if needed, restore God to that top position in our lives, where he should always be.

Jeremiah 2:13 -- On Broken Cisterns and Living Water

"For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water."
Jeremiah 2:13


This is a good analogy that helps us to picture what it is that we do when we reject the Lord.  God offers us his perfect, pure, lifegiving water, and we're like, uh, no.  We want some other water... and we go looking for some.  We're getting pretty thirsty, but we have this great plan, and we know it is great because we thought of it all by ourselves.  We're going to build this huge cistern to store all of the water that we are going to find on our own.

So, we build a great big cistern, and miraculously we find a patch of damp mud that is probably close enough to water that we could get some moisture out of it... we pop that in the cistern, and well, um... it doesn't stay.  Because you know, we don't really know how to make cisterns or store water, and we sure don't know how to find it, but we keep thinking that we do... and the more we think so, the closer we get to dying of thirst, because we can't admit we're wrong and go back to God and ask for what he offered us in the first place.

This is a big reason why humility is part of the package when we come before God... because if we can't get over that false sense that we know better than he does, we're too lost to ask for his help.

Today, let's realize that we need God's living water, and let's be humble enough to ask for it, and be willing to listen and to change when we run into other areas where God is right and we are wrong.  (Hint: if someone is wrong, it is never God).  Let's drink the cup that he offers us, and work for his plan, which can uplift us all. :)

Psalms 23:4 -- On Trust and Preparation

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."
Psalms 23:4


Usually reading this verse I focus on the comforting part where God is with us and helping us by giving us things to guide us... symbolically both the rod and the staff of the shepherd and the word of God.  There are a lot of good lessons there.

This time, though, I was drawn to the idea of fearing no evil.  That seems amazing.  There are so many things that I am afraid of, and evil is probably at the top of the list, above even failure and cockroaches. :)  The idea of not being afraid of evil is an amazing idea all by itself, and it requires some faith to trust God that he will help us and guide us so that we really don't need to be afraid.

In addition to faith, I think it requires some preparation on our part as well.  The mention of God's rod and staff mean that we need to be keeping God's word in our hearts, which of necessity means that we are reading and learning from the scriptures, listening to the prophet, and continuing in sincere prayer each day.  I know that scripture study and prayer kind of sound like typical Sunday School answers that always get mentioned, but those are the simple things that we can do to keep God with us, and thus also help insulate ourselves from fear with his comfort.

Today, let's trust God, but also put in the time and the effort in our lives to seek God's word and keep his spirit with us so that he can comfort and help us in times of trouble and calm our fears by calling to our minds his words that we know, because we have been opening our ears to hear him.

Proverbs 30:32 -- On Laying Our Hands on Our Mouths

"If thou hast done foolishly in lifting up thyself, or if thou hast thought evil, lay thine hand upon thy mouth."
Proverbs 30:32


I like this verse because it recognizes that we're out there making mistakes, and it gives us some good counsel.  When we realize that we've screwed up, then let's immediately stop ourselves and rethink.  We all do foolishly sometimes.  We lift ourselves up rather than lifting others.  We think and consider evil rather than sticking to good... and every single time that happens, instead of giving up and deciding that we've just evil and we can't change, we should be laying our hands on our mouths and correcting our paths.

Today, no matter how foolish we have been, let's not get down on ourselves, but instead let's lay our hands on our mouths, and go to God and apologize and repent, and get back on track.  That's what God wants... he doesn't want to punish us, but to lift us and help us to be our best selves.

Isaiah 60:1-3 -- On Our Light

"Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.
For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising."
Isaiah 60:1-3


This is talking about a time period beginning in the last days, which is where we are already, so I think it is true that our light has come. :)  I love the idea here of there being darkness everywhere, and yet God rises upon us individually, bringing us light, and providing us as lights to others as well, allowing us to also rise.

At the end of the chapter it even tells us that the Sun and the Moon won't be lights for us anymore, because God will be our "everlasting light," which is also very amazing. :)

Some times in our lives are pretty dark, and sometimes we feel that darkness more than others, but God is the way to dispel it.  The more we look to God, the more that we have light in our lives, no matter the light level around us otherwise.  Today, let's look to God to light our lives, and let's be a light for others as much as we can in an increasingly darkened world.

3 Nephi 12:6 -- On Hunger and the Holy Ghost

"And blessed are all they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost."
3 Nephi 12:6


This is great.  I love the idea of hungering and thirsting after righteousness.  Can you imagine getting a craving for righteousness, or just needing to take a break from work at mid-day because you needed righteousness so much?  ... And I think we really DO need righteousness that badly; we just don't always realize it.

I also like this version of the verse because it mentions what we will be filled with, rather than just filled.  The Holy Ghost is what can fill those holes in our soul that cause us pain... and we've all felt emptiness in our lives at some point or another, haven't we?  And still do sometimes... and the way to heal those voids in our soul is to invite God into our lives, not just once, but every day, at *least* as often as we get hungry or thirsty.

Today, let's remember God and how much we need him to heal our broken hearts, and mend our souls, and to help us overcome ourselves and find our way to being better people.  Let's hunger for that righteousness in our lives that can turn us into the people that we want to be... people who are whole and complete, at one with God and united in purpose with others who also want to make everything better. :)  Let's listen to the Holy Ghost and hunger for that guidance in our lives.

D&C 98:11-12 -- On Good and Evil and Eventual Perfection

"And I give unto you a commandment, that ye shall forsake all evil and cleave unto all good, that ye shall live by every word which proceedeth forth out of the mouth of God.
For he will give unto the faithful line upon line, precept upon precept; and I will try you and prove you herewith."
Doctrine and Covenants 98:11-12


Forsaking all evil and cleaving unto all good sort of seems abstract, like "be ye therefore perfect" (Matthew 5:48), but I like the fact that things that seem so light that they have little meaning (perhaps like our traditional "hi, how are you" greeting?) are not empty at all when they come from God.  In fact, neither is his command to be perfect.  The cool thing is that God asks these things AND makes them possible, line upon line, little by little, promising that what we think is impossible IS possible, eventually (see Jeffrey R. Holland's talk "Be Ye Therefore Perfect--Eventually").  So when God asks us to forsake all evil and cleave unto all good, he's also promising that it can be done.  Sorting out what is good and evil is part of our task as we learn to become more like God and find our ways back to him, but it is made possible, and much easier, when we rely on "every word which proceedeth forth out of the mouth of God. :)

God isn't expecting us to be perfect today, or even tomorrow... just that we are walking the path towards that perfection, little by little, gathering the good and discarding the bad, both from things that we encounter, and things that are within ourselves.  Today, let's take a step in the right direction, learning and living by God's word and cleaving unto all the good that we can find. :)

Luke 17:19 -- On Wholeness

"And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole."
Luke 17:19


Reading this verse today, what strikes me is that our faith in God is part of our wholeness... which is actually a huge concept and why God often talks about being "one" I think.  We are part of God and he is part of us on a very real level, and when we walk away from him or ignore him, we are losing a part of ourselves.  Extending that a little, we are part of each other, and when we hurt someone else we also hurt ourselves.  The two great commandments, then, are in part self-preservation, because loving God and everyone else is the way that we love ourselves and ensure that we remain whole.  ... And don't we all feel that sometimes?  It hurts us when we hurt others, and if we're sensitive to the spirit, we feel an absence when we do things that effectively reject God.  We harm ourselves when we sin.

Something to think about today.  Let's work on wholeness today by being loving and compassionate and remembering that we are part of something bigger than ourselves.  We need God, and each other.

Ezekiel 24:15-19 -- On Asking Why

"Also the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke: yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down.
Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of thine head upon thee, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover not thy lips, and eat not the bread of men.
So I spake unto the people in the morning: and at even my wife died; and I did in the morning as I was commanded.
And the people said unto me, Wilt thou not tell us what these things are to us, that thou doest so?"
Ezekiel 24:15-19


Every time I read this story I think about how hard it would be to be the prophet in this circumstance.  Even with warning, how hard must it have been for him to not be able to mourn his wife.  The Lord sustained him though, and made him able.  The reason the Lord asked him to do this is partly symbolic.  There are many stories of prophets doing things in their own lives that taught a symbolic message about the spiritual reality around them, and I think that is a large part of this.  The other part is in the last verse of this selection where the people ask him why. 

The time when people are most receptive and teachable is when they have a question about something.  It's a concept called inquiry learning (or inquiry-based learning) if you want to look it up, but the basic idea is exactly what God is doing here... triggering the curiosity of the people so that they are receptive to the message of the prophet.  They saw the prophet acting differently from the way they expected him to act, and they wanted to know why.

I think that God does similar things in our lives, not to burden or punish us, but to get us to really stop and evaluate our lives, to generate some curiosity and inquisitiveness, and to spark some actual investment in finding answers.  Those are the times that we learn the most and grow the most, because we are asking and reaching out and willing to listen.  By the same token, God wants us to be ready when others have questions.  He wants us to "be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you" (1 Peter 3:15).

Today, let's try to get ourselves into a learning and teaching mindset, and think about what we know and what we want to know about the gospel.  God is more than willing to teach us, if we really want to find out.  And if we are ready, he will bless us with situations where we can also help answer the questions of others.  Either way, let's be inquisitive and seek answers from the only pure source. :)