Luke 3:9-11 -- On Sharing

"And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?
He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise."
Luke 3:9-11


This is an interesting statement by Christ that I hadn't really thought about before. Basically the people ask how they can save themselves, and Jesus tells them to share. A lesson that we were likely taught as children (but perhaps never fully learned) that is something specific and realistic that we can do to help.

Today, let's think about this good advice and work on following it... really seeking to provide for the people around us by sharing what we have an abundance of. I think just keeping this one thing in mind could transform our lives, because God here is trying to teach us how to love other people as ourselves. It isn't everything, but it is a giant step to get into that mindset and actually consider what the people around us might need that we can provide. Let's do as Christ asks, and share.

Mosiah 27:14-16 -- On Being Cast Off and Standing Safely

"And again, the angel said: Behold, the Lord hath heard the prayers of his people, and also the prayers of his servant, Alma, who is thy father; for he has prayed with much faith concerning thee that thou mightest be brought to the knowledge of the truth; therefore, for this purpose have I come to convince thee of the power and authority of God, that the prayers of his servants might be answered according to their faith.
And now behold, can ye dispute the power of God? For behold, doth not my voice shake the earth? And can ye not also behold me before you? And I am sent from God.
Now I say unto thee: Go, and remember the captivity of thy fathers in the land of Helam, and in the land of Nephi; and remember how great things he has done for them; for they were in bondage, and he has delivered them. And now I say unto thee, Alma, go thy way, and seek to destroy the church no more, that their prayers may be answered, and this even if thou wilt of thyself be cast off."
Mosiah 27:14-16


Amazing to see an angel, but super scary and intimidating if he comes just to chastise you. The worst part is the end where he doesn't command him to repent at all, but just says basically this is the way it is, so even if you want to destroy yourself, stop trying to destroy the church. The power of God is very different if it isn't pleading with you to change, but just telling you to back off... and I think it was a good choice here too, because it was definitely a wake up call for Alma the younger.

Today I think it might be good to consider these verses a wake-up call for ourselves so that we can work on repenting and changing before it gets anywhere near the level that it was for Alma the younger. Let's avoid being cast off, and refrain from working against God. Let's rethink any conflict where we aren't on the same page with God. If we don't understand God's position and we want to learn why, God can help us with that if we go to him sincerely in prayer... but taking a stand against him is always going to be the wrong place to stand.

1 Nephi 4:6 -- On Being Led by the Spirit

"And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do."
1 Nephi 4:6


It's kind of strange to think about the idea of doing everything seemingly on the spur of the moment, and yet having God in our lives and trusting him means that we could do that, if we were practiced enough with the spirit, without worrying about not accomplishing anything... because God would be there helping us all the time. Which I think that God is doing all the time, but when we aren't tuned into the Spirit, we aren't really hearing him.

I don't think that this is an excuse for not planning or thinking about our lives or our future, because the scriptures also say that if we are prepared we don't need to fear, God works to help us with our righteous desires, so we actually have to thik about and know what those are, and we're asked to think about long term spiritual matters rather than whatever the desire of the moment is. That said though, I think there is something compelling in acting according to the spirit and having that complete confidence in the spirit even though you don't know what is coming next. That's a surety that we can have if we trust in the Lord, and it's something worth working towards. Today, let's practice living by the spirit and trusting God... acting on any promptings and working towards the day when we can trust ourselves to know the Spirit's this well.

Jacob 5:41 -- On Weeping for the Vineyard

"And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard wept, and said unto the servant: What could I have done more for my vineyard?"
Jacob 5:41


This is part of the allegory of the tame and wild olive trees, and the olive trees here represent us. The Lord of the vineyard is God, and the point here is interesting, because the idea is... what more could the Lord have done for us? I'm sure some of us will come up with something that we wanted, but the truth is that God does absolutely everything to help us, up until the point where doing more would take away our freedom of choice by influencing us too much or ruin our ability to learn necessary lessons. And of course God makes up for any imbalance in our circumstances overall, giving us each every benefit he can when the judgement comes.

Today, let's remember how much the Lord has done to help us and guide us, and instead of demanding more, let's take advantage of some of the helps that he has already given us, and read and pray and study for ourselves, learning to bring forth good works/good fruit. Let's give the Lord a chance to smile rather than weep for us.

Mosiah 23:21 -- On Patience and Faith

"Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith."
Mosiah 23:21


This points out a couple of areas where God tries us... I think this shows that God really cares about us learning those things. Patience and faith are both challenging things to master, but the rewards for learning them are also incredible. Impatience all by itself keeps us from a lot of blessings because we opt for the immediate payoff rather than the much better eternal reward, and faith works similarly. We have to trust in things that aren't right in front of us, but which are still true, and we have a hard time focusing on things that are spiritually discerned rather than physically discerned.

Today, let's think about patience and faith in our lives and whether we are harming ourselves by being short-sighted about what the Lord offers us, and about our own potential. Let's try listening to God rather than focusing on our immediate desires, and ask for God's help learning to see things from a better perspective.

Abraham 3:24-25 -- On Proving Ourselves

"And there stood one among them that was like unto God, and he said unto those who were with him: We will go down, for there is space there, and we will take of these materials, and we will make an earth whereon these may dwell;
And we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them;"
Abraham 3:24-25


This is a good reminder of at least part of the nature of our time on earth. It's a proving ground... I think more proving ourselves than God proving us, because he already knows us well enough to know how we'll do, but it is an opportunity. The earth was made for us so that we could gain bodies, learn how to handle them, and see if we can control this new tool. Our memories were temporarily veiled so that we could learn who we are without God/Heavenly Father staring over our shoulder... or at least when we aren't constantly aware of it. :) Eventually we'll return to God and see how we did.

Interestingly, President Benson once said "Nothing is going to startle us more when we pass through the veil to the other side than to realize how well we know our Father and how familiar his face is to us.” Today, let's remember that this isn't some stranger asking for our obedience, but our dearest heavenly father, who we love. He isn't asking for use to be his slaves, but he's trying to help us become our best selves... and he knows who those selves are better than we do. Let's work on doing better, and remembering him more.

Helaman 8:25 -- On Spiritual Loot Boxes

"But behold, ye have rejected the truth, and rebelled against your holy God; and even at this time, instead of laying up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where nothing doth corrupt, and where nothing can come which is unclean, ye are heaping up for yourselves wrath against the day of judgment."
Helaman 8:25


Yikes. Obviously the whole thing is symbolic, but the idea of laying up treasure in heaven is kind of cool... cashing in our good works for some shiny spiritual loot boxes. However, the alternative sounds pretty bad. Today, let's be extra sure that we aren't piling up nicely-wrapped packages of wrath to gift to ourselves after this life. Since we have to lay up something for ourselves after this life, let's make sure it is something we are going to want.

Psalms 27:14 -- On Waiting on the Lord

"Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord."
Psalms 27:14


Patience is hard, but I really like this because it reminds us that waiting on the Lord is always going to be worth it. He knows the timing of everything better than we do, and if we trust in him, he will strengthen and help us, step in at the correct moments, and help us bear our burdens with ease even in the toughest times. Today, let's work on waiting on the Lord, and trusting in his will and his timing.

Moroni 6:9 -- On Living by the Spirit

"And their meetings were conducted by the church after the manner of the workings of the Spirit, and by the power of the Holy Ghost; for as the power of the Holy Ghost led them whether to preach, or to exhort, or to pray, or to supplicate, or to sing, even so it was done."
Moroni 6:9


I like the idea of living by the spirit this much, that everyone is listening to the spirit and not resisting it, so things don't need to be planned out ahead of time as much, but just acted out as we are inspired to act. We're probably not there yet, but it seems like a really intriguing possibility, and maybe something we should think about more in our lives... what is the spirit inspiring us to do? The more we learn to recognize and act on real promptings from God, the closer we can get to really living according to the spirit and doing exactly what the Lord wants us to do.

We won't be good at it at first, and shouldn't give up if we can't figure it out... but keep trying and just act on things that are good, avoiding anything that seems like an exception to God's laws. If we make it to Nephi level and we're sure the Lord is asking us to make a huge exception like with Laban, then we can make that sort of decision... but until we're to the absolutely certain point with the spirit, then only acting within the boundaries of the commandments is wise, because anything outside of that could be inspiration from a darker source, or stray thoughts of our own.

Today, let's pray and work with God to learn how the spirit works in our lives and how to know what God is asking us to do. A lot of it will be the basics... pray, read, study, do good... but as we listen and learn and understand, the spirit might inspire us to help someone or do something that only we can do, and over time, maybe we'll learn better how to really live closer to the way Christ lived, listening to God and getting his help with everything in our lives.

Romans 8:5-9 -- On Life and Peace

"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."
Romans 8:5-9


This is interesting. We all want life and peace rather than death, so good things to keep in mind, but I think also hard to get the hang of. We need a lot of practice to get out of the habit of focusing on the flesh and catering to our bodies and instead learn, or re-learn, how to rely on the spirit. We've never had bodies before, and that "carnal mind" is always crying out for something... you know, cookies, bacon... and of course other more serious things that can destroy our lives if handled incorrectly. If we put the spirit first it doesn't mean destroying our bodies, but rather bridling and training them to serve our true spiritual selves rather than letting our physical needs/desires drown out our spiritual sensibilities.

The key here is putting God first, and learning from him how to satisfy our physical needs in righteous ways, and never letting the "carnal mind" rule us. Even bacon and cookies can become evil if the desire for them is in charge, and becomes our top priority, drowning out more important things.

Today, let's take this idea seriously and examine our lives, figure out where we are letting our bodies rule our lives, and work on making our spiritual selves more prominent, working towards that life and peace that God can lead us to, rather than the death that our bodies will lead us to, if we let them be in charge.

2 Timothy 2:1 -- On Strength and Grace

"Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus."
2 Timothy 2:1


I like the idea of being strong in grace. Someone that is strong in goodness/kindness and mercy as well as connected to God and *his* definition of those things seems like they are well on the way to having life figured out. :)

Today, let's be strong in kindness and love and goodness... in the things that really matter, like love and godliness. Those are the strengths that really matter. :)

Ruth 2:10-12 -- On Kindness and Obedience

"Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?
And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore.
The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust."
Ruth 2:10-12


This is from the story of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz. Ruth and Boaz end up getting married (well, actually "purchased to be my wife" is the exact wording, but since the word "wife" is in there, I assume there was a marriage of some sort... not certain), but at this point in the story they have just seen each other, and Boaz asks about her, and is told her story. He thinks it is great that a young woman like this is so dedicated to her mother in law that she left her homeland, and he encourages her to gather any leftover barley that was missed when the harvest was gathered, and encourages the young men to leave some extra for her as well.

At this point in the story I don't think that Boaz even considered a relationship, and likely nor did Ruth. Their ages were too different, and he was wealthy, and she was just gleaning in his fields to help herself and her mother in law survive. Naomi is the matchmaker in this story... or really, God is, helping them find each other, and inspiring Naomi with the idea of how to get her daughter-in-law a new husband. So, it is interesting when Boaz pronounces the blessing of "a full reward" from God here, he also ends up fulfilling the blessing for God as well.

Today, let's be kind to each other, and obedient to the Lord... as we are kind and obedient, the Lord can work wonders in our lives, helping us to find each other and bless each other's lives in whatever ways are appropriate to the situation. :)

Amos 8:11-12 -- On Hearing the Words of the Lord

"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord:
And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it."
Amos 8:11-12


Reading this is a good reminder of how blessed we are to live at a time in history with prophets and apostles, and an abundance of the word of the Lord. Maybe everyone wonders what it would have been like to live during the time of Christ and actually be able to see and talk to him in person, or maybe to live in the City of Enoch, or to be gathered at the temple where Christ appeared in 3rd Nephi. To be able to meet the Brother of Jared or King Benjamin... all of these times in history would have been amazing to lives through, but our own time is also amazing. The gospel is restored, and Christ's church is organized. We have scriptures and talks and broadcasts to fill our lives with the word of the Lord should we so choose.

Today, let's remember and take advantage of the abundant blessings that we have been given, living at this time in history, and let's grow closer to God through hearing his word.

2 John 1:5-6 -- On Love and Commandment

"And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.
And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it."
2 John 1:5-6


This is a good reminder that the root of all the commandments is love... loving God, loving others, and understanding and loving ourselves enough to know that following God's commandments is the path to our best selves.

Today, let's rely on that understanding and go forth in love, which is the core of everything that God is, and teaches... not a permissive love that encourages sin or "whatever we want," but a deeper love that encourages us to overcome our faults and triumph over our weaknesses.

Romans 10:8-9 -- On the Word and Salvation and Progression

"But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved."
Romans 10:8-9


This is good stuff, and it makes salvation seem very simple... and it is simple in some ways. Christ died for us all, and all of us will be raised from the dead. That level of salvation is as easy as looking at the staff that Moses set up for the Israelites... all you had to do was look, and you would live.

The complexity comes both because some people refused to look, thinking that something so simple was unable to save them, and also because when we talk about being saved, we are often talking about different things. In verse 13 it tells us that if we call upon the name of the Lord we will be saved, but then clarifies afterward that we can't call on someone we don't believe, and we can't believe someone that we haven't heard, etc. And I think the first verse here also indicates that the word needs to live in us, mouth and heart, before such a confession can have real power.

This isn't to say that the gospel isn't simple... it is pretty straightforward in terms of what God asks, and what we need to do. Christ even whittled the whole thing down into two commandments for us, if we can master them. What I am saying though is that we can't cheat the gospel. We can't just say this once and be done, never considering the Lord again. It is the indication of a state of mind and heart, not a free ticket to heaven. :) First let's study the word... the scriptures and the words of the prophets, and really work on grasping what God has to say... the parts and how they fit into a whole... and once we start understanding that and we can explain it to others and we really believe in it, well, then perhaps we'll be ready for this step, and for even more steps as we progress after being saved. :)

Revelation 6:13-14 -- On Stars and Plans

"And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places."
Revelation 6:13-14


I think we often bounce around scriptures like this because we're confused by them... is this symbolic, or is the whole universe different than we thought it was, etc. And I guess my thought is that it doesn't really matter in this case. Whether it is symbolic or real, the idea behind it is the same... Christ's return is going to change everything, and *everyone* will notice. We can't rely on knowledge of what has gone before, and we can't rely merely on ourselves. We are going to need God's help to understand and endure such a time.

Today, let's seek God's help in understanding and enduring, even though we're not to the stars falling from the sky part yet... and if we practice turning to him and listening to and following his advice, perhaps by then we'll be ready for what is ahead, and confident in God that everything is going according to plan. :)

Alma 5:7-9 -- On Opening our Hearts to Change

"Behold, he changed their hearts; yea, he awakened them out of a deep sleep, and they awoke unto God. Behold, they were in the midst of darkness; nevertheless, their souls were illuminated by the light of the everlasting word; yea, they were encircled about by the bands of death, and the chains of hell, and an everlasting destruction did await them. And now I ask of you, my brethren, were they destroyed? Behold, I say unto you, Nay, they were not. And again I ask, were the bands of death broken, and the chains of hell which encircled them about, were they loosed? I say unto you, Yea, they were loosed, and their souls did expand, and they did sing redeeming love. And I say unto you that they are saved." Alma 5:7-9 One of our fundamental mistakes I think is thinking that we're totally golden the way we are. ... I'm not saying that we're not of worth or that we aren't loved. We are of infinite value, and surpassingly loved... but we're not our best selves, or in our final forms yet. We still have so much to learn, and so much to embrace and love and become, and when we stamp our little feet and declare to the world that we're already big, and grown up, and that we don't need any more help... well, our fellow kindergarteners might agree with us and back off, but God is our parent. He knows better, although of course he is going to be gentle with us and help protect that fierce independent spirit as he teaches us anyway. The first step to getting a change of heart in our own lives is being humble enough to realize that we need one... that we're not perfect yet, and that we have a long way and need a lot of help to get there. Today, let's trust our loving and gentle Father in Heaven and allow him to teach us how we can still grow and change and improve, and try to let go of that conviction that we sometimes have that we're already better than everyone else, and have need of nothing (Revelation 3:17). :)

Mosiah 2:5 -- On Campouts and Carving out time for God

"And it came to pass that when they came up to the temple, they pitched their tents round about, every man according to his family, consisting of his wife, and his sons, and his daughters, and their sons, and their daughters, from the eldest down to the youngest, every family being separate one from another."
Mosiah 2:5


I really love this "campout at the temple" idea, although of course it wasn't a vacation... more like a general conference. I can't always get my mind around a Zion-like society, but imagining King Benjamin and his people comes pretty close. He just laid it out for them, and they listened, and truly wanted to serve God. Awesome times.

Today, even though we can't pitch our tents at the temple, we *can* still hear the words of the Lord through the scriptures and through his servants. General Conference talks are online, as are the scriptures. Instead of doing something else today, let's carve out a little time as these people did for King Benjamin, and for God.

Proverbs 22:17-18 -- On Gathering and Sharing the Good

"Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips."
Proverbs 22:17-18


I like this idea that if we seek wisdom and knowledge that they will be within us and "fitted in" our lips... I think meaning that if we have them inside us, they will easily come out again when we are speaking to others. The next verse starts out "that thy trust may be in the Lord" ... so I think the whole idea is also connected to the spirit. If we cultivate wisdom and knowledge in a good way through the spirit, then the spirit will also be able to guide us to share that knowledge and wisdom (from God) with others, as we trust in him and do his will.

Today, let's listen to and learn from God, collecting all the good things that he grants us and being able to share them with others as he directs.

Mormon 5:23 -- On the Hands of God

"Know ye not that ye are in the hands of God? Know ye not that he hath all power, and at his great command the earth shall be rolled together as a scroll?"
Mormon 5:23


Here, the prophet Mormon is warning the people he is writing to (us) about the future. A good reminder, and maybe especially significant for him because he couldn't save his people then, but he had hope that he could save some people in the future. The whole idea of the earth being wrapped together like a scroll is hard to imagine, but also really a strong image... almost surreal, like something that happens and it shows you that nothing is really the way that you thought it was.

I don't really think that the earth is flat or that it could be wrapped together that way, but whether the scripture is symbolic or perhaps just illustrative of a way of moving the world that we haven't seen before, maybe that surreal feeling is a good thing to cultivate if we want to really consider God's will in our lives. When we get complacent and assume that we know what's what, or even what is possible, then sometimes we overlook something that God has in mind. It's hard to get into the mindset of the earth being fragile and temporary like that... but today, maybe a good exercise just in thinking about God being in charge and what all that means... how huge it is, since he is the creator and what isn't fragile or temporary in terms of God being able to change or redo?

Matthew 16:22-23 -- On Respecting God's Will

"Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.
But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men."
Matthew 16:22-23


This is after Christ explains that he will be killed and raised again the third day. And to us it seems nice, like he is trying to reassure his friend... no, no, things will be fine. And he is, but what is isn't getting is that all of this is God's will, and so he is trying to, essentially, talk Christ into not fulfilling the atonement. Yikes.

I think we also unintentionally argue Satan's side sometimes because it seems nicer or whatever... when perhaps we should be arguing for the Lord's will to be done, no matter what it is. Today, before we turn to friends to comfort us, or before we comfort others by telling them what they might want to hear, let's take a moment to think about what God's will is, and how to get to that truth rather than just to whatever it is socially acceptable to say. Let's never take a position against God, or encourage a conflict with his will. We might not know what that is, and that's okay... let's just, then, leave room for his call, rather than arguing for something when we really don't know.

D&C 122:7 -- On Pain and Possibilities

"And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good."
Doctrine and Covenants 122:7


This is something that is hard to see in perspective, but something that is very true and very important to remember. God cares about the suffering that we experience here, and the choices that we make absolutely do matter profoundly as far as impacting our futures... but overall, even the worst and scariest things that we go through are going to be swallowed up in the joys of eternity, and will be remembered as learning lessons, and not as horrible ordeals, no matter how they seem now. God "consecrates [our] afflictions for [our] gain" (2 Nephi 2:2).

Today, let's try wrapping our heads around this a little, at least to the extent that we understand that God gives us credit for everything that we suffer, as long as we are learning from it. Maybe that will make this easier to bear. Life credit might be as meaningful as internet points, but you know, sometimes when you are in the middle of something, it does matter that you are getting on the scoreboard, and with God it is, of course, more than that. He will help us learn from all of these things... how to be better, how to help others, how to learn who we are and what we can truly do with his help. :)

Luke 17:20-21 -- On the Kingdom of God

"And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you."
Luke 17:20-21


Christ is trying to explain something here to people that didn't even really understand what they were asking. Asking when the Kingdom of God will come... maybe you are asking when Christ will return, but since you haven't acknowledged him, are you asking when the world will end, when God will triumph over all enemies and erase sin? ... So, he answered one of the many possibilities, and perhaps the most important one for them in the short term: The kingdom of God isn't an external thing that we can watch for... it is an internal thing that we have to become.

He goes on to explain more to his disciples after this, but I'm going to stop here for now, becasue I think this is enough for us to think on today. :) We *are* the Kingdom of God... so the question is not when is that external event going to happen, but rather, when will we be ready? Let's think about that today, and then resolve to do something about getting ready. :)

Isaiah 3:10-11 -- On Rewards and Paths

"Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.
Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him."
Isaiah 3:10-11


This is interesting because it seems to be basically saying that everyone gets exactly what they have earned... what they worked for in their lives. And sometimes that is going to be a good thing, and sometimes that is going to be a bad thing, depending on who we are listening to and what we are seeking.

Today, let's trust God and seek his path to happiness, rather than trusting in ourselves to make that determination. If there is a coflict between those paths, ours is always going to result in something much less than God offers us.

Abraham 2:12-16 -- On Following God's Path to a Better Place

"Now, after the Lord had withdrawn from speaking to me, and withdrawn his face from me, I said in my heart: Thy servant has sought thee earnestly; now I have found thee;
Thou didst send thine angel to deliver me from the gods of Elkenah, and I will do well to hearken unto thy voice, therefore let thy servant rise up and depart in peace.
So I, Abraham, departed as the Lord had said unto me, and Lot with me; and I, Abraham, was sixty and two years old when I departed out of Haran.
And I took Sarai, whom I took to wife when I was in Ur, in Chaldea, and Lot, my brother’s son, and all our substance that we had gathered, and the souls that we had won in Haran, and came forth in the way to the land of Canaan, and dwelt in tents as we came on our way;
Therefore, eternity was our covering and our rock and our salvation, as we journeyed from Haran by the way of Jershon, to come to the land of Canaan."
Abraham 2:12-16


These verses are cool, because I think they show Abraham as a refugee. He had to leave his home because they wanted to sacrifice him, so he took some relatives and some souls that they had won and left, not knowing where he was going, but that was okay, because he knew that God was leading him and that it would be okay.

We hear similar stories from Lehi/Nephi, Jared/the Brother of Jared, Moses, etc... and in some way, I think it reflects all of us. We all can be led by God from where we are to a much better place, and if we trust in God and continue to follow him, we'll get there.

Today, let's trust in God and the hope of eternity to be our covering and protection as we journey on God's path.

Matthew 26:20-22 -- On Asking "Is it I?"

"Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.
And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord, is it I?"
Matthew 26:20-22


I like the response here from the disciples: rather than denying that they would ever do such a thing, they asked "Is it I?"

I feel like this is a lesson for every aspect of our lives... when we listen to a lesson or learn something, the first thing to do is apply it to ourselves, not others. To assume that we need to follow the commandments rather than assuming that we are exceptions... instead of judging others, to judge ourselves and work on making changes.

Today, as we talk with God, let's ask "is it I?" ... Are we betraying God by the way that we live our lives? And if so, let's dig in and change that.

Alma 52:16 -- On Keeping our Promises

"And it came to pass after they had taken them, they caused them to enter into a covenant that they would no more take up their weapons of war against the Nephites."
Alma 52:16


I notice that in the scriptures people seemed to trust each other's word a lot more. A lot of things seem to have gotten better as society has developed and progressed on the way to the present, but perhaps other things have also gotten worse. A covenant like this wouldn't be valid in our day because it would be something they felt pressured to do... and that's a legal technicality anyway, because no one would just have enemy soldiers give their word and then let them go. I love the idea that they could trust them, or like in the case of Zoram way back in 1 Nephi, as soon as he gave his word their "fears did cease concerning him" (1 Nephi 4:37).

Today, let's all try to be closer to this scriptural ideal of keeping our word and following through on our committments. Let's change the world by changing ourselves.

Alma 1:21-22 -- On Persecution and Pride

"Now there was a strict law among the people of the church, that there should not any man, belonging to the church, arise and persecute those that did not belong to the church, and that there should be no persecution among themselves.
Nevertheless, there were many among them who began to be proud, and began to contend warmly with their adversaries, even unto blows; yea, they would smite one another with their fists."
Alma 1:21-22


This seems like a really good idea for a law, and I find it interesting that pride is what got in the way of it. At first I think we think about persecution as being about the other group... the one being picked on, and being about some aspect of who they are, but really it isn't. It is about us, and our pride and need to see ourselves as better-than. We don't persecute people if we accept that they are our equals. Only if we think that they are less than we are in some way.

Today, let's work on letting go of our pride, and our need to be better than other people. Let's also avoid fistfights, both actual and symbolic, and learn to let go of whatever it is within us that get us that angry with others. Instead, let's take a step back, pray, and see if we can get past that feeling with God's help.

Isaiah 1:25 -- On Refining and Purification

"And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin:"
Isaiah 1:25


I like the imagery here of being refined like ore. The image of the refiner's fire is somewhat scary... I mean, who really wants to be burned? But the imagery isn't a destructive force so much as a purifying force... getting rid of that which is not us, taking away the extraneous and unnecessary and leaving us with something good... and I love that, and want that in my life. Being whole and as Lamoni's father says "having this wicked spirit rooted out of my breast, and receive his Spirit, that I may be filled with joy, that I may not be cast off at the last day" (Alma 22:15)... *that* kind of refining seems so amazing, even though it does still scare me, and I expect that it will sometimes hurt.

Today, let's remember that God is doing all things for us, trying to help us, and make us so much better that we probably can't quite get our heads around it yet... but if we trust him, then let's do as he says, and he will help us all get there. It isn't always going to be fun, as we already know, but God is kind and gentle with us, and helps us small step by small step so that we don't get too overwhelmed. :) Let's do what we can and be willing to take those steps towards being better people and making the world better too.

2 Nephi 4:18-20 -- On Knowing Who To Trust

"I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me.
And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.
My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep."
2 Nephi 4:18-20


I like this idea of knowing who we have trusted, and therefore of course who we should always trust, namely God. If we really know God, then we know that he is helping us along the way, through storms and seas... and though we need to do better, we don't need to beat ourselves up. We just need to repent and follow God. He isn't upset and bitter about what went before. He just wants us to "Go, and sin no more" (John 8:11, D&C 6:35, etc.). No matter our failings, God is willing to reason with us and make our sins as white as snow (Isaiah 1:18).

Let's remember in whom we have trusted, and not beat ourselves up over our past mistakes. ... And let's also remember that God is equally generous to others, so even though of course we need to avoid abusive situations, and correct problems that threaten others, let's do what we can to allow other people their chance to change as well.