Conversations

Pahoran: A Mighty Example

Today I was talking to a friend about every day life situations. We talked about Pahoran, and how he wasn't offended when Moroni censored him in the Book of Mormon. I think Pahoran is my guide in the scriptures. He is the answer to putting off the natural man. If I were to honestly evaluate how I would react if someone wrote me a letter accusing me of doing something I had not, and then demanded that I repent--I think I may have been a bit angry. Actually...I know I would have been. I can hope that I may have handled myself like Pahoran after my frustration subsided--that is my hope. I hope the Savior is in my life enough that I could have and I would have done what Pahoran did. I don't know if I would have, but because I have Pahoran as an example, I know that I can pray to rise above the every day accusations now. I have a choice to allow myself to be offended, or to do as Pahoran and say, "it matterth not; I am not angry, but do rejoice in the greatness of your heart" (Alma 61:9). Can you imagine? "I rejoice in the greatness of your heart" (Alma 61:9). Talk about seeing things from a different perspective. In all honesty, what really matters anyway? Our every day misunderstandings will seem so insignificant in the whole scheme of things. They seem so REAL now, but when life is said and done--I know I will want to be able to look back on the story of my life and see that I acted as Pahoran would have acted. After all, I'm writing that story, so I have a choice!

Alma 31

What Matter's Most

In Alma 31:27, Alma describes the awful wickedness of the people when he said, Behold, O God, they cry unto thee, and yet their hearts are swallowed up in their pride. Behold, O God, they cry unto thee with their mouths, while they are puffed up, even to greatness, with the vain things of the world."

I wonder how often I allow the things of the world to overshadow the things that matter most. I think it is easy to see these people in the scriptures and think it was their sin, and not relate it back to our day; however, the scriptures for our day. I think the world is is in our lives more than we realize. As I look at my phone, am I crowding out the things that matter most? I often try to remind myself to stay off social media sites while my children are with me, so that I might give them my full attention, or to do the "most" important things prior to indulging in social media. Richard G. Scott said, "Don’t yield to Satan’s lie that you don’t have time to study the scriptures. Choose to take time to study them. Feasting on the word of God each day is more important than sleep, school, work, television shows, video games, or social media. You may need to reorganize your priorities to provide time for the study of the word of God. If so, do it!" (Richard G. Scott, "Make the Exercise of Faith Your First Priority", General Conference 2014).

There are other things in the world that can overshadow the most important things. I think we have to be constantly diligent in putting God first in order to stay on the straight and narrow. I know that Satan is aware, and he will stop at nothing to tempt us away from the things that matter most. I don't think these people are much different from us. If we are not careful, we will find ourselves indulging in the same sins they found themselves.

At the end of this chapter, Alma offered a prayer on behalf of these people, and the scriptures say that it was "according to the prayer of Alma" (Alma 31:38). To have the faith of Alma, and to pray with such power is my ultimate goal in life. Because of Alma's faith, many of these hardened people came to the knowledge of God.

Alma 30

All Things Denote There is A God

In Alma 30, an Antichrist is preaching against the teachings of Christ. I like what Alma says when he says, "What evidence have ye that there is no God, or that Christ cometh not? I say unto you that ye have none, save it be your word only. But, behold, I have all things as a testimony that these things are true; an ye also have all things as a testimony unto you that they are true...The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator" (Alma 30:40-41, & 44).

All around us there is evidence of God's existence. All we need to do is open our eyes, and see the majesty. Each and every thing is made to operate within its realm. Our human bodies, the planets in motion--function under an intricate network and design. Both the study of the human body and the study of planets have persisted throughout time, and we, as humans, are still learning about that design. These things were not merely thrown together--there is a Creator. In addition to our bodies, and the planets, all other things on the face of the earth also function under a supreme pattern. And because we can look around and realize the existence of a Supreme Being, we can gather a testimony of Him.

What we choose to believe will be the determining factor of who we become. We have the agency to determine our pathway, and a large part of our pathway, in this life, will be our beliefs. In this chapter, Korihor (the Antichrist) insists on a sign from God that there is a God. Alma tells him that if it be God's will, then Korihor will be struck dumb--unable to speak. After Korihor is unable to speak, he wrote, "the devil has deceived me; for he appeared unto me in the form of an angel, and said unto me: Go and reclaim this people...and he I taught them because they were pleasing unto the carnal mind; and I taught them (the people of Nephi), even until I had much success, insomuch that I verily believed that they were true; and for this cause I withstood the truth, even until I have brought this great curse upon me" (Alma 30:53). Because Korihor chose to accept what Satan tempted him to believe, he left the path of safety, and became what he taught--he lost his testimony of God, and he led many others away. We are a products of our environments. We lose our testimonies as we choose to surround ourselves with things that separate us from God. If we allow Satan into our lives, we can be assured that he will lead us away from our loving Father in Heaven.

In the end Korihor is trampled and dies. It is written, "THUS WE SEE (capitalized for emphasis), the end of him who perverteth the ways of the Lord, and THUS WE SEE that the devil will not support his children at the last day, but doth speedily drag them down to hell.

Alma 29

TRUMP OF AN ANGEL

"O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people... But behold, I am a man, and do sin in my wish; for I ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me" (Alma 29:1).

I love Alma's desire to share the Gospel. I know that he says that he sins in his wish; however, his desire is so pure, and all he wants to do is to bring people to happiness. He doesn't think of himself, but only of God's purposes. As Alma says that he "ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted" him, my heart goes out to him. I understand the feeling of wanting to make an impact, wanting to make a difference--not for myself, but simply to do as God would have me to do. I am constantly feeling as if there is something more for me to do. I desire to do God's will. I look forward to the day--when I have completed my time here on earth--that I will see my Heavenly Father. It is my hope that at that point, I will have done all that He desired of me. And so, I continue to press forward, hoping that I am fulfilling my own personal mission--knowing that I should be patient in the Lord, and trust in Him--knowing that I should be "content with the things he has allotted me", but somehow struggling to be patient in His timing. I struggle as Alma. And so, I understand Alma. I understand his desire. I too, sin in my wish.

Last night, after I had typed this--I had a conversation with my daughter about school. She sometimes finds herself feeling "less than" who she is because of others' looks and demeanor towards her. As I listened to her insecurities, I thought of Alma's wish of wanting to be an angel speaking with the trump of God. I found myself again desiring as Alma, but this time for my children. I envisioned myself speaking as if I had the trump of God and in so doing, convincing my daughter of her great worth. If I were an angel, there would be no doubt to my words--she would know that what I said was true. Sometimes it is difficult in the world we live to be convinced of our worth. The world can crowd out our belief in ourselves causing us to question our divinity. Every day I ask my daughter two questions before she leaves for school. First, "Who are you?" To which she answers, "I am a Child of God". I then ask, "What does that mean?" To which she responds, "I am a princess". This tradition was started when she was in first grade. At the time I struggled with her being away from my influence for so long. All of sudden, my sweet daughter was being taught by someone else the majority of the day. As I struggled with this transition, I felt inspired to start this tradition. Last night I reminded her of our tradition. I told her that that tradition was inspired of God. He knew that she would need to remember her divinity, and so a tradition was born. I promised her that it wasn't just meaningless words--it was true. I also reminded her of a favorite quote of mine by Eleanor Roosevelt--"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent".

As my daughter finally laid her head down for sleep, I again wished I had a convincing trump of an angel.

The Reason For Our Hope ~ President Boyd K. Packer

THE REASON FOR OUR HOPE
Boyd K. Packer

 

"We preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins" (2 Nephi 25:26).

 

"I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6).

 

"Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation of the world to redeem my people. Behold I am Jesus Christ....In me shall all mankind have life and that eternally even they who shall believe on my name; and they shall become my sons and my daughters" (Ether 3:14).

 

Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ we are all redeemed from the Fall of man, which occurred when Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, as stated in 1 Corinthians: "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (1 Corinthians 15:22).  ~Boyd K. Packer

 

It is expedient that an atonement should be made..., or else all mankind must unavoidably perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and are lost, and must perish except it be through the atonement...and infinite and eternal sacrifice" (Alma 34:9-10).

 

"The Savior wrought the atonement, which provides a way for us to become clean. Jesus Christ is the resurrected Christ. We worship and recognize Him for the pain He suffered for us collectively and for the pain He endured for each of us individually, both in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross. He bore all with great humility and with eternal understanding of His divine role and purpose. Those who will repent and forsake sin will find that His merciful arm is outstretched still...The result of His sacrifice is to free us from the effects of sin, that all may have guilt erased and feel hope. Had He not accomplished the atonement, there would be no redemption" ~Boyd K. Packer

 

I have a testimony of my Savior, Jesus Christ. I cannot put into words how I feel about Him. I need Him every day. I feel Him with me as I seek Him. He strengthens me. He loves me. I am not perfect, but through Him I allowed an opportunity at refining my weaknesses. Despite my struggles, He still loves me. He wants me to continue. I am grateful to know that through the atonement, I can start each day with a clean slate. Without this knowledge, I think life would lose its meaning. It would be easy to want to quit--for what purpose would we have. Through Christ, I have the hope of returning to my heavenly home. There is a purpose in life. I'm not here simply to satisfy curiosity, but rather to do my Father's will. Through Christ, I can continue on the pathway set by my Father, and I can continue to become all that my Father expects. I cannot do this alone--I need Jesus Christ.

 

My heart swells with thanksgiving toward my Savior. I am amazed at His love. I am astounded at the gift of the atonement. I am humble. Someday I hope to kneel at his feet and proclaim my everlasting gratitude. When I think of my gratitude, I imagine myself embracing my Savior, crying on his shoulder--my heart would be full of love, awe, gratitude, reverence, and joy. 

Luke 9: 57-62

Following Christ

In Luke 9, it states:
 

⁵⁷ And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.

⁵⁸ And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

⁵⁹ And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

⁶⁰ Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.

⁶¹ And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.

⁶² And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

I like these verses of scripture. As I contemplate their meaning, I keep thinking about my life and my devotion to my Heavenly Father. Am I putting other things above the Almighty? Am I concerning myself with the "things" of this world rather than focusing on the most important? When we truly follow Christ, I think we must align our lives with Christ. In today’s world there are many things that can confuse what that means.

President Hinckley shared a story about young men who did this exact thing. He said,  “In 1856 more than a thousand of our people, some of them perhaps your forebears, found themselves in serious trouble while crossing the plains to [the Salt Lake Valley]. Because of a series of unfortunate circumstances, they were late in getting started. They ran into snow and bitter cold in the highlands of Wyoming. Their situation was desperate, with deaths occurring every day.

“President Young learned of their condition as the October general conference was about to begin. He immediately called for teams, wagons, drivers, and supplies to leave to rescue the bereft Saints. When the first rescue team reached the Martin Company, there were too few wagons to carry the suffering people. The rescuers had to insist that the carts keep moving.

“When they reached the Sweetwater River on November 3, chunks of ice were floating in the freezing water. After all these people had been through, and in their weakened condition, that river seemed impossible to cross. It looked like stepping into death itself to move into the freezing stream. Men who once had been strong sat on the frozen ground and wept, as did the women and children. Many simply could not face that ordeal.

“And now I quote from the record: ‘Three eighteen-year-old boys belonging to the relief party came to the rescue, and to the astonishment of all who saw, carried nearly every member of the ill fated handcart company across the snowbound stream. The strain was so terrible, and the exposure so great, that in later years all the boys died from the effects of it. When President Brigham Young heard of this heroic act, he wept like a child, and later declared publicly, “that act alone will ensure C. Allen Huntington, George W. Grant, and David P. Kimball an everlasting salvation in the Celestial Kingdom of God, worlds without end.”’ (Solomon F. Kimball, Improvement Era, Feb. 1914, p. 288.)” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1981, 59–60; or Ensign, Nov. 1981, 42).

I love this story of sacrifice. I love that these young men chose to lift those around them despite the consequences. I love the example they set of what it means to be Christ-like. Choosing Christ over the pressures of the world isn’t always easy. Being in the world, but not “of” the world can be difficult. I think we have to love God with all of our heart—we have to love God so that His opinion is what matters to us. I truly believe that as we develop this relationship with our Heavenly Father, we will be able to act as we say we believe. President Marion G. Romney, said, “Jesus was not looking for, or calling, men to do lip service only. He wanted them to realize that following him meant effort and sacrifice” (in Conference Report, Sept.–Oct. 1978, 54; orEnsign, Nov. 1978, 38).

Alma 28

God is Good

After the people of Ammon are settled into the land of Jershon, the Lamanites attack and a great battle ensues. Thousands and thousands of people die. My mind again remembers the example shown by the Nephites of love and forgiveness as they continue to protect and love the people of Ammon--even after their fathers, and brothers have been killed on their behalf.

In addition to this love and ultimate forgiveness, another lesson can be learned from this chapter. It states:

12 While many thousands of others truly mourn for the loss of their kindred, yet they rejoice and exult in the hope, and even know, according to the promises of the Lord, that they are raised to dwell at the right hand of God, in a state of never-ending happiness.

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

 14 And thus we see the great call of diligence of men to labor in the vineyards of the Lord; and thus we see the great reason of sorrow, and also of rejoicing—sorrow because of death and destruction among men, and joy because of the light of Christ unto life (Alma 28: 12-14).

The phrase "thus we see" is key to our understanding. I think Mormon uses this phrase to point out important information. In this case, he reminds us that how we live will make an impact on our eternities. He also reminds us that Satan is real and conniving, and that we must be diligent in order for us to overcome and also diligent in missionary work in order for others to overcome. Finally, he reminds us of our joy if we are diligent.

I think the beauty of the Gospel is that we do believe in an afterlife. None of us can judge what will happen to another because of the way they lived here. God is the judge. God knows our hearts--he truly knows us. And because He knows our hearts, He is the perfect judge. Christ did die for us. He wants to make us clean. As we repent, and turn our hearts to Him, we will be on the pathway towards our heavenly home. When my brother died, I had several comments about how we didn't know how God would judge. People were assuming that his life would leave me to question his eternities, and in an effort to offer me comfort, they caused me to question. I have found great peace in knowing that God is our judge--no one else. I feel comforted in His love for us, and His desire for us to all return. That doesn't mean that I believe we can sin and expect God to save us, but I do believe that because He knows us individually--He is the perfect judge. And knowing this--gives me great peace for me and my brother. My brother may not have been the "cleanest" person here on earth, but neither am I. His sins may have been more "visible" to others than mine are to others, but the fact still remains that we both struggle with sin. This is the reason for the atonement. None of us are perfect. Not one. Christ's atonement makes it possible for ALL of us to return, and thankfully I don't have to be the judge. But I do need to believe in Christ, I do need to repent, I do need to turn my heart to Him, and I need to do my best to continue to use the atonement in my life on a daily basis. If I am truly doing my best to seek my Heavenly Father, then--God knows my heart. Who else can judge my heart---or my brother's heart, but God?

I love the scripture in Nephi that says, "Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves—to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, reconcile yourselves to the will of God, and not to the will of the devil and the flesh; and remember, after ye are reconciled unto God, that it is only in and through the grace of God that ye are saved. Wherefore, may God raise you from death by the power of the resurrection, and also from everlasting death by the power of the atonement, that ye may be received into the eternal kingdom of God, that ye may praise him through grace divine. Amen" (2 Nephi 10: 23-25).

And yet another scripture in John states, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6).

We do need to choose God's pathway. Our choices do make a difference. However, let us not forget that God is good, and He knows our hearts. And let us remember that our Savior died for me and for you. The atonement is real.

Alma 27

Forgiveness

I am touched the people of Nephi were so Christ like and forgiving towards the Anti-Nephi-Lehies. So many times in our lives we hold to our frustrations towards others. When we have been wronged, it is difficult for us to let go of that wrong doing. When the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi came to the Nephites for protection. The Nephites not only protected them, but they also gave them a portion of their land. The scriptures do not explain in great detail what this entailed; however, I imagine that there were people living in the place which the Anti-Nephies inherited; therefore, I am confident that many of the Nephites moved in order to make room for the Anti-Nephi-Lehies. The Anti-Nephi-Lehies were Lamanites. These were brethren who had killed their families. These were men who had stolen their food. These men had done many awful and horrible things to them. And yet--the Nephites accepted them as brethren due to their repentance. This is a huge example to me of love and forgiveness. I am not sure that my heart would be so willing to love and accept. I think I would have struggled with not only giving them land, but then allowing my husband and sons to defend them after all they had done to me. When we hold onto the grudges in our lives, it only hurts us. Our spiritual progression stops. The Lord is our judge. He is the only one that has the right at judgment. It is our duty to love. To forgive.

Description of Who I Want to Become:

A description of the people of Ammon (their name had been changed by the people of Nephi) is given in chapter 27. It states, "And they were distinguished for their zeal towards God, and also towards men; for they were perfectly honest and upright in all things; and they were firm in the faith of Christ, even unto the end.

These people are quickly becoming my heroes. They loved God with everything in them. They gave up so much to be perfect in Christ--their homes and riches. As soon as they had a testimony, the did everything they could to solidify that testimony and live by the truths they now understood. God came first in their lives--even unto death. Their faith was unshakable. They chose the right in all situations. They were firm in their beliefs. Their minds were set on eternity above all else. I love these people. I want to be like them.

Alma 26

Boast in God; With God ALL things are Possible

"But Ammon said unto him: I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God. Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things..." (Alma 26:11, 12).

There are so many phrases in these two scriptures that teach me a lesson on how I should be. First, all things good come from God. It is not by our own merits that we accomplish great things. It is only through our Heavenly Father that we are magnified in fulfilling His work on this earth. And we are magnified--He does help us become strong in order to do His work. Second, --somewhat similar to the first thought, but still different--I like how Ammon says "in his strength I can do all things" (verse 12). I want this thought to be solidified into my mind. If I could believe this phrase with all of my heart (which I do, but in the day to day actions I forget), then I know that I could magnify my purposes here on earth. I truly want to be all that God wants me to be. When I die, I want to know that I have accomplished his work on this earth. I do not want to wish I had been more. I know that this can be accomplished as we SEEK Him. And so I pray that I will ask and I will pray for HIM to help me do all things in His name.

Also in chapter 26, Ammon discusses how grateful he is to be saved from his sins, and he explains,  that "none that knoweth these things, save it be the penitent. Yea, he that repenteth and exerciseth faith, and bringeth forth good works, and prayeth continually without ceasing--unto such is given to know the mysteries of God" (Alma 26:22). This is a formula for me on my journey of becoming: repent, be penitent, exercise faith, do good works, and pray unceasingly. I pray that I may continue on this path, and become all that He wants me to become.

Finally, in ending, Ammon says, "I will give thanks unto my God forever" (Alma 26:37). God gives us all that we have. Eveything. All things good come from God. I need to be more grateful. I am sinning in my lack of gratitude. President Monson has said that to not be grateful is to sin. I need to repent in this area.