D&C 9:11-13 -- On Moving On

"Behold, it was expedient when you commenced; but you feared, and the time is past, and it is not expedient now;
For, do you not behold that I have given unto my servant Joseph sufficient strength, whereby it is made up? And neither of you have I condemned.
Do this thing which I have commanded you, and you shall prosper. Be faithful, and yield to no temptation."
Doctrine and Covenants 9:11-13


This is sometimes a hard lesson... that an opportunity has passed, and we need to move on. We often have regrets and we want to go back and start over, but we can't. But God isn't trying to give us a guilt trip about these things, and it isn't some essential part of our soul that we are losing because we can't turn back time. God asks us to move on, to focus on what he is asking us *now,* and to find joy and gather blessings anyway.

I think that is part of the blessing of parables like the workers in the field or the prodigal son... God teaches us that we'll be blessed whenever we learn our lesson and come to him. It wasn't too late for the woman taken in adultery or for Zeezrom although I am sure that they both probably missed some opportunities. What mattered though is that they came to God after their mistakes, repented, and were blessed.

For some things that we miss out on in life, there will be renewed opportunities in the Millenium. For others, we have eternity, and it is likely that we will have even better things to participate in. :)

Today, let's let go of our lost opportunities of the past and of lingering regret. Let's listen to God, move on, and do what he is asking of us *today.* That's enough.

D&C 18:10-11 -- On Repentance

"For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him.
And he hath risen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him, on conditions of repentance."
Doctrine and Covenants 18:10-11


Repentance is a simple but beautiful doctrine. If we have done wrong or acted against God, we need to express contrition, or sincerely regret what we did and talk about it with the Lord (Ezra 10:11), and not do it again. Just as Christ told the woman taken in adultery, we need to "go and sin no more" (John 8:11).

There are other admonitions that may or may not go along with repentance, such as Christ urging us to be reconciled with others (Matthew 5:23-24), and the idea of recieving a mighty change of heart so that "we have no more disposition to do evil" ... I don't think that we have to work on all of these things at the same time, but the overall idea is to let go of our sins, and clearing up personal relationships we may have harmed or broken and allowing God to teach us better desires helps with that, although small steps are fine. Quitting the sin is the first step... getting to the point where it isn't tempting anymore can take time, but it is very possible with God's help, as he teaches us a little bit of his perspective.

Today, let's go to the Lord with our sins and talk to him about them, being willing to let them go. He will help us move on and learn new habits and desires as we seek him and put him first in our lives.

Mark 14:34-36 -- On Prayer and Possibility

"And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.
And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.
And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt."
Mark 14:34-36


This is Christ in Gethsemane, before Judas comes to betray him. He knew what would happen, and he prayed at least twice that he could be relieved of the obligation (Mark 14:39 tells us that he prays these same words a little bit later). He knew that all things were possible with God, and he wanted a possibility that led somewhere else. In this case, he didn't get one, because that isn't what was going to work for God's plan, but it was also an important prayer, helping us to know where to go when we are in need.

We know that God was willing to go through with his Father's plan, despite personal reservations about wanting to suffer and die (which I think we all have personal reservations about), and we know that he had to go through things that no one wants to go through, some of which no one else could possibly go through (suffering for our sins), and none of it was justified in the least. None of this truth makes the suffering better or erases it, but Christ also showed us that he overcame it and triumphed even over death (D&C 19:18-19).

We often suffer things that we don't want to suffer as well. It's going to happen. It's part of the plan, of learning about the world and about who we want to be... "these things shall give [us] experience, and shall be for [our] good" (D&C 122:7). The cool thing about the chosen scripture today isn't about the suffering, but that Christ showed us the way, even in this. When we run up against things that test us right down to the core and that we absolutely do not want to deal with, he taught us to pray. We plead with the Lord and put it in his hands, but need to stay willing to do his will, even when we don't want to go through it. The answer might be, as it was with Christ, that this is something that we have to endure. In other cases, God will help us find another way. But no matter what happens, if we put the Lord first, we will be helped before, during, and after all of our trials. Helped to prepare, helped to learn, strengthened to endure, helped to find another way, or assisted with whatever else is necessary to the situation.

Today, let's pray as Christ did, recognizing God's power over all things, but also respecting his will. Let's pray to escape, endure, learn, listen, love, help, invite... whatever we need, but also always make sure that we are willing to do things God's way, and that we are seeking the good of his kingdom and the betterment of humanity. :) As we pray, God will open up possibilities that we often haven't seen and lead us towards the best possible future, even if that means enduring some hardship in the present.

Luke 21:16-19 -- On Physicality and Patience

"And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.
But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
In your patience possess ye your souls."
Luke 21:16-19


God explains here that some people will die, but that not a hair will perish, so in terms of what is lost, I think that God is telling us here that even if we are killed, we will be restored whole in the resurrection. It reminds me of another verse: "Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul" (Matthew 10:14). The physical things that we lose at death aren't things that can actually be taken from us permanently, because God ensures that we will all rise again in immortality.

Now, of course, there is more going on with death than just a physical loss, but Christ's atonement covers everything else as well. All will be restored, every wrong made right, every pain swallowed up in the joy of the Lord. Not immediately, but something that will definitely happen, that we can have faith in. I think that looking forward to that certain promise of restoration is likely why God further asks us to possess our souls in patience. God is playing the long game. Just like a good novel, some of the short term plots might end up with bad guys winning or even the main characters being killed, but God, as the author, knows that even death can't keep them from triumph. As long as we don't choose to give up or, worse, become the bad guys, we're okay. God's path leads inevitably to triumph and everything good, as long as we keep walking it and stick with the plot. :)

Today, let's possess our souls in patience, following God's plan and enduring temporary setbacks, even if in mortality they don't seem so temporary. Let's keep believing in God's happy ending, no matter what chapter we are living through just now.

Matthew 25:1-4 -- On Preparation and Commitment

"Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps."
Matthew 25:1-4


This is the beginning of the parable of the ten virgins. Although the rest of it is also very interesting and instructive, I wanted to stop here because what struck me this time was just the preparation aspect... the very beginning. The wise prepared ahead of time and the foolish didn't.

Christ told several other parables that had to do with preparation as well. In Luke 14, for instance, we read about "counting the cost" to build a tower, or deciding whether you can win before you commit your forces to a war (Luke 14:28-32).

Other scripture stories teach us similar things, even if it isn't the main message. For instance, Noah, Moses, the Brother of Jared, and Nephi all had to do a lot of preparation work beforehand to accomplish what God asked of them, be it brass plates, ships, or promised lands. Those things weren't just delivered to them without patience, faith, and persistent effort.

All of these things are related to us... to what we are trying to accomplish with our lives and where we are headed. Are we thinking ahead? Are we committed to the gospel journey? If we treat God and his gospel casually, making them secondary (or lower) priorities in our lives, then we risk what the foolish virgins risked.

God is merciful, and loves us more than we can imagine. He is going to give us every chance possible to return to him. He wants that, and he is willing to help us along the way. And he offers truly miraculous help, not just a nudge here and there. :) We all have a very real opportunity to grow into our best selves with his help, and return to his presence and have that amazing eternal life that he promises us all... but despite all of his effort on our behalf, and all the chances that he gives us to change, there is still going to come a time when it will be too late to repent, to change, to go back for that oil.

Let's not get to that point before we prepare for it. We still have time right now, so let's sit down and plan for that tower, or figure out if we can win that war. Let's get the oil that we need so that we can wait as long as it takes. Let's commit now and go all in on the gospel. Let's put God at the very center of our lives rather than on the periphery. As we do, we will be ready for it when our Lord returns, and be on the correct side of that door when it is shut (Matthew 25:10).

Ezekiel 47:6-9 -- On the Healing Waters of Christ

"And he said unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen this? Then he brought me, and caused me to return to the brink of the river.
Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other.
Then said he unto me, These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed.
And it shall come to pass, that every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters shall come thither: for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh."
Ezekiel 47:6-9


The river it is talking about here is one of the signs of the Second Coming, and it flows directly from the temple to heal the Dead Sea, and perhaps more than that, since one of the scriptural predictions for the last days is that as a result of the second and third "vials of the wrath of God" being poured out, "every living soul died in the sea" and the rivers and fountains "became blood" (Revelation 16:1-4). In a context like that, these waters are not just a symbol of Christ as the living waters, but a very literal manifestation of life and hope after calamitous change and tragedy. It is Christ spiritually *and* physically healing the land and the people, just as he did during his mortal ministry, but this time he gets to stay. :)

Today, let's remember that Christ heals us, spiritually and physically, and delivers us from despair and from physical need. Baptism is a healing water which brings us to him, but the waters continue as we encounter other struggles and need repentance and healing. Let us look to Christ for that life and healing (and multitudes of fish as needed). As we trust in God and exercise our faith to act on that trust, to ask for what we need and work for God's purposes, we will be surrounded by the healing waters, and he will lead us beside the still waters, and restore our souls (Psalms 23:2-3). :)

John 8:23 -- On Different Worlds

"And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world."
John 8:23


The idea here of being "not of this world" is echoed in other scriptures, which tell us, for instance, to "hope for a better world" (Ether 12:4), and to "lay aside the things of this world, and seek for the things of a better" (D&C 25:10). I think that this whole idea of knowing that we are from above, that we are separate, is important to the way that we approach life.

We have to live here, in this world, of course, and learn about it. But if we are too focused on this world we become short-sighted, thinking that this is what really matters, that our stuff, our money, our physical desires, our physical selves... that is what drives us. But that is exactly what could make us "from beneath" by choice. What truly matters about us is the immortal part, the part that is going to continue on after all the rest of this is dust. We'll be resurrected, we'll get immortal, perfect bodies. Not saying we shouldn't be healthy or go to the doctor when needed, but those things are much less important than our spiritual well being, and that's the idea here... not to throw away our bodies, but to unify with them in support of those things that are above... those eternal lives and that better world that we are headed for, if we follow the Lord's directions on how to get there.

Today, let's remember that we too are not of this world. Let's get our priorites straight and work to prioritize seeking for the better world that God promises us as we follow him. Let's lift and help and strengthen, letting go of the things that drag us away from God, and embracing the things that help us, and the people around us, to draw closer and to reach for something much better than this.

D&C 8:10 -- On Asking Appropriately

"Remember that without faith you can do nothing; therefore ask in faith. Trifle not with these things; do not ask for that which you ought not."
Doctrine and Covenants 8:10


I love the idea of asking God for things, and having faith that he will give them. It is a simple but powerful concept--going to the Lord and having faith (belief plus action) that God will give. God tells us (and even commands) that we should ask (Matthew 7:7) and tells us that he wants to give us what we ask for. For instance, we read "what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? / Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?" (Matthew 7:9-10).

Hearing that though, sometimes we think that God will give us anything we want without reservation, or that he is overly indulgent, but God has anticipated our greed, and he tells us "Whatsoever ye ask the Father in my name it shall be given unto you, that is expedient for you; / And if ye ask anything that is not expedient for you, it shall turn unto your condemnation" (D&C 88:64-65).

It's a somewhat confusing idea sometimes because in a way it is true that we can have anything we want, and in a way it is not true. If we're in tune with God, we can have what we want, because we won't ask for things that go against God's will... or, as with Christ, we will defer our will to His. Being in tune to the Spirit all the time of course takes careful practice and determined study and development of our relationship with God, so God helps us out with scriptural clarification as well about what we should and shouldn't ask for.

God lets us know that he is willing to give us abundant blessings, but that it is possible to ask "amiss" (2 Nephi 4:35), and that we need to be careful what we ask for (D&C 8:10), that we should ask in holiness of heart for what is "right" (Mosiah 4:21), with prayer, keeping the commandments (1 Nephi 15:11), and being careful not to ask for the satisfaction of physical "lusts" (Mormon 9:28) or to allow ourselves to be pulled in by bad influences (D&C 46:7). We're also told clearly that we need to put in effort beyond just asking: "Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me" (D&C 9:7). We also understand this from several scripture stories, for instance Nephi seeking the plates of brass or the Brother of Jared asking for light for his journey. Persistence and creativity are also sometimes required... part of the faith needed in *acting* on our belief. What we ask of God can't be just some fleeting desire, but something that we, in righteousness, are willing to work for.

We're also counseled about some of the things it is good to ask for, which definitely helps as we are learning to ask correctly. Some of the things are wisdom (James 1:5), avoidance of temptation, and knowledge (D&C 8:11)... all good places to start.

Today, let's do as God suggests and ask him for those things that we need, and that we earnestly desire in righteousness. Let's also be careful about what we ask, making sure that it is really what we want, and that we are deferring to the Lord's will in all things. As we learn to ask appropriately, God will help us in our lives and be able to bless us more abundantly.

Psalms 123:12 -- On Lifting up our Eyes to God

"Unto thee lift I up mine eyes, O thou that dwellest in the heavens.
Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us."
Psalms 123:12


I like the idea here of waiting upon the Lord, because it makes it clear that we aren't waiting for him in an impatient "you're late for your appointment" way, but rather in a "here he comes to save the day" way. Waiting for a hero rather than a slowpoke. And as we wait, we trust. This is something sure and certain that we are waiting for--the answer of our superior and our safety to a situation that the servant can't handle alone.

In that context, many of our struggles seem more managable... because it changes each situation into one where instead of being alone and wondering how to handle situations that are completely unmanageable, we're just waiting for help to come. We know it will, just not exactly when, and we only have to make it until then. I like that interpretation because it means that we always have back up, just as Elisha did. Even though not everyone could see the horses and chariots of fire, yet they were there (2 Kings 6:17). So it is with us I think, if we can focus on and trust in God and his mercy and deliverance rather than panicking when we feel alone and overwhelmed.

Today, let's lift up our eyes to God, and wait upon his mercy.

Psalms 37:3 -- On Trusting and Being Fed

"Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed."
Psalms 37:3


I like this idea, which is also found elsewhere in the scriptures, that if we trust the Lord and do good (keep the commandments, build up God's kingdom, and help others), that the Lord will take care of us. If our focus is on God, then other things will fall into place in our lives and we won't have to stress over them.

Since we typically stress much too often about things outside of our control, this seems like a really good reminder.

Today, let's remember that we can trust God, and let's make him the focus of our lives. As we make God our top priority, he will help us take care of the rest.

2 Corinthians 12:7-9 -- On Weakness and Growth

"And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
2 Corinthians 12:7-9


I like the idea here that God's strength is made perfect in our weakness. If we had no weaknesses, then why would we need God's strength, or his mercy, in our lives? Indestructible, bulletproof superbeings don't need grace, and certainly can't learn from the mistakes that they do not make. Paul here makes it clear that our thorns in the flesh and our weaknesses of all sorts are the things that help us learn and draw closer to God, as we learn to rely on his strength, and understand our need for his help.

Today, let's try to appreciate our weaknesses. We don't need to wallow in them and never learn better... the point is rather that God wants us to learn to rely on him, and find ways to succeed despite weaknesses, with God's help. As we realize that we aren't perfect, which helps keep us humble, we will always have a reason to need the Spirit and guidance of God in our lives, and we'll never decieve ourselves and think that we don't need him at all, which is sometimes the worst fault because it leads to staying the way we are, or even some regression. Let's stick with God, and remember that his grace is sufficient, and that he can help us with any of our problems. Let's look to him, and learn.

Luke 19:2-6 -- On the Story of Zacchaeus

"And, behold, there was a man named Zacchæus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.
And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.
And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.
And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchæus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.
And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully."
Luke 19:2-6


The fact that Zacchaeus sought to see who Jesus was seems to indicate that they had never met before, but in this cool story, Christ asks Zacchaeus to come down because he needs to stay with him. Like several other stories in Christ's life, this hints at a sort of spiritual knowledge that normally we would think of as impossible, but which on a spiritual level tell us how God works with the entire world as a tapestry, all of it a part of the big picture. A fish might have a piece of money here, a man might have a colt that someone has never sat on somewhere else, but only the Spirit of God can bring those things into the stories of other people to answer the needs of others somewhere else. ... Not to mention how the fish got the money or the man got the colt, or how Zaccheus was inspired to be bold enough to climb a tree, or who planted that sycamore tree in the first place. When God tells us that all things work together for good (Romans 8:28), he means it... and that is what we can tap into if we have the spirit with us.

The other thing that I really love about these verses is imagining being Zacchaeus at this point. He goes to see Christ, and can't because he is too short... so he makes a bigger effort, he runs ahead to find somewhere he can stand to see him farther down the street, and he sees a tree... climbs it, which I am sure was also difficult, and then when Christ comes close, the person that he made all that effort just to see... he looks up, and he *knows* him. He wants to stay at his house. I can't imagine how cool that would have been, to make all that effort just to see him, and then to get to spend time with him.

Today, let's work on tuning into the spirit and trusting God enough to walk in his way. And when God calls us down from our trees and asks to stay a while, let't be willing to drop everything for him and realize how precious that opportunity is.

Matthew 9:12-13 -- On Mercy and Not Sacrifice

"But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.
But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
Matthew 9:12-13


It is interesting here that Christ asks his audience (including us, perhaps) to go and learn what these words mean. So, let's try.

The phrase is originally from the book of Hosea:

"O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.
Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth.
For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me."

It seems like God is saying here that our goodness seems to be only on the surface, and that we're focusing on the wrong things. God wants us to prioritize spiritual things: mercy, love, and knowledge of God before physical things: sacrifice and suffering, physical ordinances. Not that those things are completely unimportant of course, but when we prioritize those things over the spiritual things, or drop out the spiritual part altogether, then we're trusting in something that isn't going to save us.

As an example, we could go to church every week for the rest of our lives, but that attendance isn't going to save us. The point of church attendance is to lead us to spiritual experiences, to join with others in spiritual discussion, to learn of God, learn to love others, to renew our commitments to him, etc... not just to go through the motions of attending. Going to church matters. It is important, but it shouldn't be the focus, because the whole idea of it is to enable those other spiritual experiences.

So it is with sacrifice and with so many things that God asks us to do. When God asks for the sacrifice of a broken heart and a contrite spirit, he isn't just asking us to suffer... he's pointing us to the spiritual side of things, asking us to repent and to learn. Today, let's focus on learning mercy and love and on gaining knowledge about God, rather than focusing on how much we can physically endure for him or offer him monetarily (Matthew 23:23). Let's work on putting the spiritual over the physical and learn to feel his spirit. As we do, it will guide us on the way and help us understand the spiritual and physical aspects of worship and the gospel.

Matthew 7:24-27 -- On Foundations

"Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it."
Matthew 7:24-27


This is one of the better-known stories that Christ taught, talking about houses, but really about the foundations of our testimonies. Christ is asking what our faith is built on, and if it is rooted in Christ and our faith in him, and we are dedicated to taking action on our beliefs and following through with God's commandments, then our testimony is grounded in a solid place, because our faith inspires us to action, and to implementing the gospel in our lives, not just admiring it from afar.

On the other hand, if our testimonies are rooted in something else like a fallible person, or in a certain doctrine, then what happens to our faith when that person falls, or that doctrine doesn't seem to be working in our lives? Will our testimonies crumble?

Today, let's work on making sure that Christ is at the center of our testimonies and all that we do, and that we aren't leaning on a sandy foundation. And then let's make sure that we are reaching beyond belief into faith, which inspires us to action and to putting God's plan to work in our lives, so that it remains an ever nourishing part of our lives and we don't let ourselves stray from it and spiritually starve.

Ephesians 3:17-19 -- On Wholeness and Happiness

"That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God."
Ephesians 3:17-19


This is cool. I like the themes of love, comprehension, and fullness here, all seeming to be part of each other, and all leading to wholeness. God is what can fill the emptinesses, within and without. Today, let's look to him and invite him to dwell in our hearts, and be willing to do whatever he asks as it leads to wholeness and happiness, despite the storms.

Luke 8:15-18 -- On Good Ground and Hearing Well

"But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light.
For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.
Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have."
Luke 8:15-18


The first verse here is from the parable of the sower. It is the verse about the people who listen to God and do his will, and then the verses after which I think are continuing with that idea. God explains that if we want to do the right thing, we need to be honest, good, obedient, and patient, but also we need to show others who we are and what we believe, rather than hiding it.

A phrase that stands out to me is "take heed therefore how ye hear." Which perhaps means, be careful how you interpret what I say. And I think that we do that a lot, justifying ourselves in doing "a little bit" of bad, or applying my lessons to other people rather than ourselves. If we want to be the good ground and to avoid decieving ourselves into only "seeming" to have something, but not really having anything, then we need to interpret God's word with that "honest and good heart" that he mentioned, and build up a true testimony, not just go through the motions or give the appearance of faith, but honestly really find some by opening ourselves up to that spiritual discovery and find a way to communicate with God.

Today, let's work on being good ground for the planting, and on hearing well.

Moroni 10:9-18 -- On Gifts, Talents, and Seeking

"For behold, to one is given by the Spirit of God, that he may teach the word of wisdom;
And to another, that he may teach the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
And to another, exceedingly great faith; and to another, the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
And again, to another, that he may work mighty miracles;
And again, to another, that he may prophesy concerning all things;
And again, to another, the beholding of angels and ministering spirits;
And again, to another, all kinds of tongues;
And again, to another, the interpretation of languages and of divers kinds of tongues.
And all these gifts come by the Spirit of Christ; and they come unto every man severally, according as he will.
And I would exhort you, my beloved brethren, that ye remember that every good gift cometh of Christ."
Moroni 10:9-18


The idea here, of gifts coming to every person "according as he will" is interesting. It reminds me of D&C 46:8, which instructs "seek ye earnestly the best gifts, always remembering for what they are given" and 1 Corinthians 12:31, which actually tells us to covet, but not things that belong to our neighbors... just "covet earnestly the best gifts." (Paul goes on to explain a more excellent way thereafter, so pure love / charity trumps all of this, and might be a better way to get to the same general goal... living by love is also pursuing excellence and perfection, so maybe this is just something to work on until we graduate to that level, or it could be part of getting there.)

Today, let's exercise our wills and actively seek out good spiritual gifts and talents. All the gifts of God can't actually be listed here, of course, but teaching or faith, for instance, from the list could be good places to start, asking for God to help us with that, and then practicing and trying it out and seeing if we can multiply what we are given and turn it into something that strengthens our lives. And let's remember, even with our best and most effortless talents that just seem to come naturally, that all of our gifts come from Christ. Let's be thankful and not take our blessings for granted, but use them for the benefit of other people and building up the kingdom of God.

Proverbs 3:9-12 -- On Substance and Chastening

"Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.
My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction:
For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth."
Proverbs 3:9-12


The idea of honoring the Lord with our substance is interesting. It reminds me of Jacob 2:18-19: "But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God. / And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good...." Substance isn't something to seek or place before God, but what we have we should use in his service, to honor him and to build up his kingdom. The idea of sacrificing for the Lord still has merit, although of course it isn't animal sacrifice anymore, but rather as Christ taught us, it is the sacrifice of our selfish desires and a dedication to building a righteous community as part of God's kingdom on earth.

The part about the chastening of the Lord also stands out to me, because I think we get love really wrong sometimes and think that if someone loves us that they are supposed to accept our behavior no matter how bad it is... that somehow that is what love is, unconditional acceptance. Instead though, God teaches us that unconditional love means encouraging us to change and be better... loving at all times, but not accepting or condoning bad behavior or refraining from calling us on it. God loves us enough that he is invested enough to help us achieve our greatest potential. He loves us enough to find us when we are lost, even if we chose to be lost, and to get us moving again, helping us to know where home is and how to get there. He still isn't going to force us to something better, but he loves us enough to correct us and encourage and empower us to better things.

Today, let's use our lives and our substance to honor the Lord, and bless his name for his correction so that we don't waste away in the hell of staying as we are forever, but are granted the chance to become so much more.

Luke 18:4-7 -- On Asking and Receiving

"And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;
Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.
And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?"
Luke 18:4-7


This is an interesting lesson, where God tells the story of the unjust judge and that persistence got justice from him even though he didn't care about justice, and then compares it to petitioning God. Unlike the unjust judge, God cares about justice, though he bears long with all of us in order to allow mercy to have her place as well. I think this is not only a promise that justice will come, but it also tells us that petitioning God to help us is important, that it matters and God keeps it in mind, even if it doesn't happen immediately. God cares, and all will come out right in the end.

Today, let's remember to talk to God about what we need and what we want... tempered of course by forgiveness, by love, by making God our top priority, and by not asking for things we shouldn't. As we include God in our lives and ask for righteous things, God will hear us, and answer us, on his timing of course, which is wiser than our own, but which is also timely and perfect. As we have faith and trust in God, he will answer our prayers and grant us a multitude of blessings.

Alma 13:27-29 -- On Protection and Participation

"And now, my brethren, I wish from the inmost part of my heart, yea, with great anxiety even unto pain, that ye would hearken unto my words, and cast off your sins, and not procrastinate the day of your repentance;
But that ye would humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not be tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the Holy Spirit, becoming humble, meek, submissive, patient, full of love and all long-suffering;
Having faith on the Lord; having a hope that ye shall receive eternal life; having the love of God always in your hearts, that ye may be lifted up at the last day and enter into his rest."
Alma 13:27-29


I don't really like anxiety in general, especially the "even unto pain" part, but I do admire Alma a lot here for caring so much for these people and working with them to explain the gospel.

One thing I wanted to call out here is the phrase "that ye may not be tempted above that which ye can bear" ... in 1 Nephi 3:7 we learn that God "giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them," which we usually interpret to mean that we should be able to handle whatever the world throws at us. And specifically here we read in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that God "will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."

I don't think that there is a contradiction here, but rather that we have to participate in that protection process. If we don't watch or pray or try to prevent or resist sin, then at some point we are digging outselves into a hole that gets harder and harder to escape, and eventually one we won't be able to crawl out of without massive external assistance. But if we work on having the spirit with us and maintain that connection with God, then that's when his promises work, when we maintain his influence in our lives and subject ourselves to his power, so that he can gather us and heal us as he longs to do.

Today, let's work on keeping that Spirit, and love, and hope alive as we maintain a connection and develop our relationship with God.

Genesis 4:3-5 -- On Respect and Offerings

"And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord.
And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell."
Genesis 4:3-5


This reminds me of D&C 9:7 where the Lord explains "you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me."

Cain brings an offering, but clearly it wasn't the best he could do. God tells him "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?" so it seems like Cain knew that he could have done better... what exactly that means, I am not sure. Perhaps he didn't bring the best of what he had, and kept it for himself, or perhaps he knew that the law was an offering of an animal and he rebelliously brought what he had made instead, thinking that the rule was unfair.

I think the same thing happens to us sometimes, in terms of not being accepted. If we are scraping by, but giving the Lord what we can, he will accept it, just as he did with the woman who threw two mites into the Lord's treasury. It was all she had, and in monetary terms almost nothing, but the Lord recognized her sacrifice and effort (Mark 12:42-44). Those same two mites, figuratively, wouldn't be acceptable from someone else who could offer much more... if we're slacking off on the gospel because we can't be bothered, or we're prioritizing our own projects over God, then God is going to give the same respect to our offering as we are giving to him... very little.

Today, let's take some extra thought about what we are doing for God, and how we are prioritizing him in our lives. Let's carve out some time to read and pray and study, and other things that the Lord asks, even if it costs us something in some other aspect of our lives. Let's make God the top of the priority list and not the bottom. As we do, no matter what we can give, even the equivalent of our symbolic two mites, will be acceptable, because God will see truly what it means to us and will respect our offering.

D&C 6:23 -- On Speaking Peace

"Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?"
D&C 6:23


I really like the idea here of speaking peace. It reminds me of when Christ said to the storm "Peace, be still" (Mark 4:39). It also reminds me of a language... like we could learn the language of peace and talk to each other that way.

Although it isn't a specific language, we can learn to speak peace to others through the power of the prince of peace (Isaiah 9:6), who offers us his peace (John 14:27), if we are willing to accept it and live it. Today, let's think about how inner peace would change the way we do things, then let's pray for and work on accepting God's peace in our lives, and also speaking it to others.

Ephesians 2:12-19 -- On Different Kinds of Peace

"That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;"
Ephesians 2:12-19


There is a lot going on here, and I think perhaps more than one kind of peace. At the beginning and the end I think Paul is talking about peace between Jew and Gentile, and peace between people in the unity of the faith, but in the middle it seems like he is talking about peace within our bodies themselves, and the overcoming of that enmity between the flesh and the spirit... and maybe those things are part of each other in a way as well. As we learn to overcome ourselves, making in ourselves of twain one new person, that also unites us with other people who are dedicated to the same goals, and working with God who gives us the ability to do that, so becoming whole internally *and* externally, united in ourselves and dedicated to God, and united with others with that same dedication, all born of Christ.

Today, let's take a step back and examine some of our internal conflicts, and pray for God's help in allowing our spirits to triumph over the flesh, so that we can learn that inner peace and not be at war within ourselves. And let's also work on uniting ourselves with others who are striving for the same thing... working to place God before earthly desires, and to turn to God. As we do, we'll be moving towards the triple peace of internal calm, a community of faith, and being united with the will of God and basking in his love, which is the ultimate peace, and confidence, and protection.

Jeremiah 50:20 -- On Pardon and Purification

"In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve."
Jeremiah 50:20


I like this verse that talks about God pardoning them who he reserves. What it reminds me of is when God saves people from a general calamity... like Noah or Lehi or the Brother of Jared. Or the Nephites from the destructions in 3 Nephi 11. Those are like mini-Judgement Days, or maybe just pruning the vineyard, but whoever the Lord saves, he also forgives, and allows them to try again, as with so many that he saved during his mortal ministry.

I think the Lord does this with us also. He saves and forgives and extends his hand to us in mercy, wanting to gather us and help us, and if we are willing to recommit and return, then we are also pardoned. Today, let's work on moving forward with God... letting go of the sins and screw-ups of the past, and opening ourselves to hope, that we can change and do better with God as our strength. As we do so, he will purify us and help us to be more than we could have ever hoped for ourselves alone.

James 3:2-6 -- On Watching our Words

"For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell."
James 3:2-6


This is a good reminder that it is very important to control what we say. Exactly what to control is probably extensive philosophy about the best way to speak to others so as to encourage and uplift rather than inflame or belittle... we seem to bait or offend without realizing it sometimes because we're thinking more about what we want than we are about God's love for the person we're talking to. Those are interesting and important conversations, but not ones that I have mastered for sure, so mostly I suggest that we think about the overall idea and talk to God about it so that we can improve our overall communication strategy. Specifically, there are some smaller issues to work on though. In the footnotes it notes that Gossip and Profanity are associated with the tongue, and perhaps we can cut down on those things, both tongue-wise and finger-wise in this world where much of our communication is through typing. If we shouldn't say it, we also shouldn't type it. Today, let's work on eliminating profanity and gossip from our pallette of ways to paint the world around us, and listen to God as he teaches us both what to say and how to say it so that we can learn to be unfailingly good to others.

Isaiah 40:10-11 -- On Rewards and Love

"Behold, the Lord God will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young."
Isaiah 40:10-11


I was thinking about the phrase here "his reward is with him." It seems like a reminder that God is everything that we seek. We're not in it for a posh mansion in heaven, or for an eternal supply of calorie-free cookies or whatever wonders exist beyond this life. We're in it for him. The satisfaction and love that we feel from other people pales in comparison with the love that God has for us, and the care that he takes of us... he IS heaven, just being with him, and that is what we are striving for, being able to bask in that presence, to live our lives in contact with and learning from him as he teaches us all that he knows.

Love is the first commandment because that is what God offers us, and learning about him and loving him are the only way to understand that depth and potental of that promise. Today, let's dive in and learn more of God and of his love, and learn to love him in return, and long to be in his presence, and partake of the blessings that are inherently part of him. That's what heaven is about, so let's find out what we are signing up for, and be open to learning the love that God has for everyone.

Revelation 16:3-9 -- On Tragedy and Preparation

"And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.
And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.
And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.
For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.
And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.
And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory."
Revelation 16:3-9


This stuff is all scary, last-days stuff, but interesting, and maybe something we should prepare for, as much as possible at least, since we are living in the latter days and we can't predict the Lord's timetable.

The first vial seems like a plague (unrelated to Covid) that we can't mitigate except by avoiding worship of anything but the true God, so good idea there. The ones talked about in this excerpt are ones that we might be able to prepare for in other ways, at least to some extent. It is so horrible and sad to think of everything in the sea dying, and rivers becoming unusable/poisonous. Both of those things though might be able to be mitigated, in part, by food storage (which the prophets have already suggested, numerous times), especially water storage.

The scorching part sounds like living in Phoenix, but worse, and everywhere, although the extent of it I doubt I am doing justice to, and I don't mean to diminish the impact of these acts of God. I wonder though if mitigation in this case could include temperature proofing our houses to whatever extent possible and working on incorporating solar power and thermal battery technologies, which seem like they would thrive in conditions like that. We've already learned through the pandemic how to survive at home to some extent, but if going outside means being scorched, that's probably a lesson that we need to keep in our back pockets and make sure we have the technologies (and back ups) necessary to stay inside if the outside temperatures become unbearable at some point.

And of course, let's not blaspheme the name of God when we are suffering. Instead, let's think and prepare, and remember that God delivers us after the trial of our faith, if we stick with him and follow his path. Bad things are going to happen... that's why God is warning us with these scriptures. Trials and storms and really scary things are going to come. Life has never been pain-free, and God doesn't advertise it as such. The heroes have to suffer through a lot of things until they learn how to conquer their fears, overcome the challenges and monsters that face them, and triumph... but in a good story, they always come through in the end. And God never writes tragedies. Every single character in his story gets a happy ending if they keep working towards it and don't give up. Let's trust, repent, pray, and prepare.

Luke 12:31 -- On Seeking the Kingdom of God

"But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you."
Luke 12:31


This is a really astounding verse I think. Christ tells us that if we seek the kingdom of God, then other things will be added. It reminds me of the scriptures that tell us that all things will work together for good to those that love God, or Ezra Taft Benson's quote about putting the Lord first and then everything else will either fall into place or fall out of our lives (appropriately). If we could manage our priorities better and make sure God was number one, there would automatically be less to worry about, because everything else would begin to be easier.

I'm not sure it is easy to believe that, even though it is unquestionably true. We worry about our priorities and fiddle with them, trying to make things come out the way we want them to... and that is understandable of course, but also putting ourselves and our concerns first. Today, let's think about what that means to seek the kingdom of God, to put God first... and how we could tweak our lives to bring them closer to that ideal. When we have thought about that, let's then take a step towards putting it into practice. Let's have faith that God will help take care of other things as we put his gospel and kingdom first.

John 11:43-44 -- On Power and Promise

"And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go."
John 11:43-44


This is amazing by itself, of course, but it seems more amazing when you know what led up to it. Jesus heard about Lazarus being sick, and mentioned that it was good that he wasn't there, because it would help people believe. Then he starts traveling there, mentioning to his disciples that he knows Lazarus is dead already. When they get there, both Mary and Martha tell him that they know Lazarus would still be alive if he had been there, and when he is weeping people around him mention that he healed others and surely would have been able to heal Lazarus. They have some faith, but all of them, no matter what amazing things he had done before, and their knowledge in some cases that he was the Christ, missed the fact that he could do much more than heal. This miracle opened their minds to the fact that, like his Father, Christ had power over life and death. Maybe not enough for them to realize that he could rise again even from his own death, but enough that they realized that even the best of them were still underestimating who he was.

I think we do this as well sometimes. We underestimate Jesus as a God, thinking that he is less than he is, even when we understand him a little bit. Today, perhaps, we should take a harder look at Christ's life and teachings and realize that he was never just a man, although he became mortal and suffered for us. He was, and is, higher than the angels, and his word and will are the making and breaking of everything we are and know. He invites us to come to him, and will welcome us into his father's house if we continue on his path. We can hope to be like him some time in the eternities, but let's remember that right now, he is everything that we are not, and there is an impossible gulf between us and everything we can be that only he can bridge. He is our Savior and our King in the full sense of both of those words. Like Lazarus, let's rise up from our immobility and serve him, and like the rest of the crowd there that day, remember that God has power over all things, not just fixing our mortal frames.

Acts 5:38-39 -- On Letting God Handle It

"And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought:
But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God."
Acts 5:38-39


Gamaliel gives some good advice here, as the council was considering slaying the apostles. They were really upset by the message that they were spreading, understandably, because they were cast in the role of villians for crucifying the Christ. I have no idea to what extent that they were villians... I suppose that it depends on whether they knew who he was, that they were making a mistake, and had the spirit confirm that to them or not. That would be much worse than just being greedy and power-hungry, though of course neither is good. In either case, they listened to Gamaliel, and let the apostles go (after beating them). And of course, the work was of God, and they couldn't overthrow it.

This is likely also good advice for us, any time we think that we have to contend with someone else. In most cases, even when people are attacking our image or reputation directly, the best choice is to let it go (including NOT beating people), and let God handle those large movements that we can't possibly control or influence through argument. If they are of men, they will fail, and if they are of God, they will persist permanently.

Today, let's work really hard not to be the villains, and let's refuse to contend or retaliate, but follow Christ's example of peacemaking, and these apostles, who reminded the council that "we ought to obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29).

Job 23:8-10 -- On Connection and Purification

"Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:
On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:
But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold."
Job 23:8-10


Job is talking about God here, the way we sometimes look for him and can't find him. I think that happens to everyone sometimes, because we aren't perfect yet with our spiritual senses, and also because we sometimes need a little ambiguity in our lives, to learn to make choices on our own, and to build faith.

One cool part here is that Job knows perfectly that the inability to find God is his failing, and that God would easily be able to find him... even when we are unable to percieve him, yet he knows the way that we take, and sees and stays connected to us even when we are blind and lost. Another cool part is that Job sees the purpose of God, and that he is trying us, not to cause us to suffer, but to purify us, to get rid of the bad parts and make us perfect and whole.

Today, let's be faithful like Job and remember that the Lord can always find us, and that his goal is to make us perfect. If we stick with him and follow his path, that is where we will end up.