A Study of the Book of Mormon

Mosiah 12:25-32 This stirring rebuke that I have chosen as title for this entry causes me to reflect upon my own ministry/stewardship. I appreciate that in Abinadi's probings there is an inherent understanding of the duties and responsibilities which accompany the office and calling of a servant of the Lord. What is even more interesting are the first two points of expectation that he hold for these pretended priests: 1) He expects them to teach. 2) He expects them to understand the spirit of prophecy. What follows is then something of a checklist of pitfalls to avoid as a priest or minister of God's children: Observe your own teachings. Be not a hypocrite. Do not set your hearts upon riches. Do not waste your strength in riotous living.  Do not cause those who follow you to sin because of your unrighteousness.  As I contemplate this situation further, Abinadi is talking to them as if they had been ordained ministers of God. He is ignoring the fact that their appointment was e...

Mosiah 4:13-15 There are indicators in the Gospel of Jesus Christ that allow us to gauge our spiritual progress. These verses from Mosiah are particularly useful for such measurement. What is difficult, however, is to find the motivation to change what doesn't line up with these standards. The Savior's beatitude in Matthew 5:6 is a starting point.  "Blessed are those that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled." Those that desire it, that hunger and thirst for righteousness, they are they that are filled and find even that which they were not looking for. As I have visited with those around me and as I consider my own exertions to change and repent, I realize that this is indeed very hard to do. However, in the realization that most often we are naturally inclined to turn away from repentance and change, I am coming to realize how a young high councilor once was able to encourage me to make sure I was working as hard as I could. It seemed to ...

2 Nephi 9:44-49 These verses have been in my mind for the last several days. They've caused me to reflect upon my responsibilities before God and in the successful execution of my church callings and assignments. I appreciate that value that Jacob places on wanting to be clean and pure before God. To remain clean from the blood and sins of his day, he understood his obligation as a leader to his people to teach them the consequences of sin. Jacob concludes this grouping of verses with these words: "Behold, my soul abhorreth sin, and my heart delighteth in righteousness; and I will praise the holy name of my God," ( vs 49 ).

2 Nephi 6:1-7 Near the beginning of what is the longest grouping of verses quoted from Isaiah in the Book of Mormom, we get just a brief taste of what is in to come. Jacob, the brother of Nephi, takes a few moments at the head of this chapter to define his authority in terms of his responsibilities and obligations to those that he teaches. It is interesting to note the repetitive nature of his message, which he acknowledges to those that he is addressing ( see vs 3 ). This is one pattern of leadership that I see to be similar in the modern church. Another such pattern is that he is on assignment from his brother, their prophet leader, to address a specific set of scripture taken from Isaiah. This too is common at all levels in the Church today, to receive instruction from their priesthood leaders to act accordingly. What impresses me about Jacob's approach, however, is how engrossed he was in the topic at hand. It seems that he only offers the remark that Nephi had requested this ...