KeithLBrown

Judging Others: Examining Ourselves Scripture Text: Alma 5 Introductory Remarks: In Alma chapter 5, Alma asks us some serious questions that we should ponder and consider on our journey through life. As we read these questions, let us picture ourselves sitting on the witness stand in a court room [The Judgment Bar of God] and having the prosecution [God our Heavenly Father] asking us the same types of questions that Alma is asking as He asks us to give an account of our lives. What would our answers be? In this life it is so easy at times to be quick to judge others for their behaviors, but I submit that we should take some time and do a little cross examination of our own lives and after doing so, ask ourselves the question, "Have we experienced a mighty change of heart in our own personal lives?" Before we race to pronounce judgment on others, let us take some time to examine ourselves. To emphasize this point a little more, let us turn to the New testament book of Romans chapter 14. Scripture Lesson: Romans 14:3, 10, 13 3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. 10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother’s way. Whether we are realize it or not, we live in a very judgmental world. We are all judged in one way or another -- by the way we talk, the way we walk, the way we dress, the way we act or react in given situations, the people we associate with, the car we drive, the house we live in, the music we listen to, the type of job we have, our level of education, and on the list goes. Not only are we judged, but whether we are willing to admit it or not, we all tend to be a bit judgmental at times of others for one reason or another. The act of judging even reaches into the Church. Often times the level of someone's faithfulness as a member is unfairly based on the perceptions of others. Too often we are quick to criticize what we think someone else is doing wrong, but fail to see, or refuse to admit, our own short comings. Before rushing to judge someone else, we should take a step back and place ourselves on the witness stand and do a little cross examination of our own lives. What makes us so holy, righteous and perfect? Are we doing everything that we are supposed to do to live up to the standards of the Church and in keeping the covenants that we have made? During the cross examination of our lives we should perhaps ask ourselves questions similar to the following: First, is the type of music that I listen to uplifting and edifying? Are the lyrics of the songs in harmony with the teachings of the Church and does the music I am listening to help to strengthen my testimony in any way? Is this the type of music that I would feel comfortable listening to if my Bishop, Branch President, other Church leaders or Church members were around? Is the music that I am listening really any better than the music that someone else listens to and I am quick to judge them for listening to that type of music? Second, are the types of movies that I watch in harmony with the teachings of the Church? Are they edifying and uplifting? Do I use wisdom and discernment in chosing the types of movies that I watch? Or, do I turn a deaf ear and a blind eye and dismiss the fact that there may be such things as nudity and profanity in the movie, or even an excessive amount of violence? What exactly do I consider to be a good movie? Are some of my movie choices really that different from the ones that I criticize or judge others for watching? Third, let us not forget about our internet activity. The internet is a great tool. Unfortunately, just as it can be used for good, there is a lot of darkness that lurks within its many pages. Before judging others for their internet activities let's ask ourselves about the places that we visit on the internet. Do we avoid places that we know we should not tread, or do we take the attitude that a "little peak" won't hurt anything? Do we take the attitude that no one will ever know that I visit certain sites? Do we tell ourselves that it is ok because we are not really hurting anyone when in reality we are indeed hurting our own testimonies? Fourth, what about our conversations with others? Do we enjoy listening to profanity or off color jokes? Do we use profanity or initiate off color jokes? Do we tolerate certain conversations so that we can appear to be a part of the crowd? In our conversations do we make jokes about or say unkind things about others (even if we know what we are saying is not true) just to gain favor of our "friends"? The bottom line is that we should examine our own lives and see whether or not we measure up to the standards that we are trying to hold others to. We need to first make sure our own houses are in order and then we will be more capable of helping others put theirs in order. I am reminded of the words found in Mosiah 29:12 - "Now it is better that a man should be judged of God than of man, for the judgments of God are always just, but the judgments of man are not always just." I am also reminded of the words found in 1 Corinthians 6:2-5 - "Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?" And finally, the words found in John 8:15-16 - "Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me."

Joseph Smith's First Prayer and the First Vision President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Precious Fruits of the First Vision,” Ensign, Feb 2009, 4–8 This is how Joseph Smith’s First Vision blesses our own personal lives, the lives of families, and eventually the whole human family—we come to believe in Jesus Christ through the testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith. Prophets and apostles throughout the history of mankind have had divine manifestations similar to Joseph’s. Moses saw God face-to-face and learned that he was a son of God “in the similitude of [His] Only Begotten” (Moses 1:6). The Apostle Paul testified that the resurrected Jesus Christ appeared to him on the road to Damascus (see Acts 26:9–23). This experience led Paul to become one of the Lord’s great missionaries. Hearing Paul’s witness of his heavenly vision during the trial at Caesarea, the powerful King Agrippa admitted, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian” (Acts 26:28). And there were many other ancient prophets who also bore powerful testimony of Christ. All of these manifestations, ancient and modern, lead those who believe to the divine source of all righteousness and hope—to God, our Heavenly Father, and to His Son, Jesus Christ. God has spoken to Joseph Smith for the purpose of blessing all of God’s children with His mercy and love, even in times of uncertainties and insecurities, of wars and rumors of wars, of natural and personal disasters. The Savior said, “Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive” (3 Nephi 9:14). And all who accept this invitation will be “encircled about with the matchless bounty of his love” (Alma 26:15). Through our faith in the personal witness of the Prophet Joseph and the reality of the First Vision, through study and prayer, deep and sincere, we will be blessed with a firm faith in the Savior of the world, who spoke to Joseph “on the morning of a beautiful, clear day, early in the spring of eighteen hundred and twenty” (Joseph Smith—History 1:14). Carlos E. Asay, “‘Oh, How Lovely Was the Morning!’: Joseph Smith’s First Prayer and the First Vision,” Ensign, Apr 1995, 44 As described in the hymn, Joseph Smith’s first vocal prayer resulted in a remarkable experience now known to millions of people as the First Vision. It was the first of many visions that the Prophet Joseph Smith received during his short ministry in mortality. It was the first in a series of events that ushered in the dispensation of the fulness of times—a time when there would be a restitution of all things spoken by all of the holy prophets since the world began (see Acts 3:18–21). It was the first of a number of spiritual occurrences that accompanied the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the establishment of “the only true and living church” (D&C 1:30). It marked the beginning of a worldwide movement destined to roll forth “until it has filled the whole earth” (D&C 65:2). But Joseph Smith’s first vision was not the first of its kind in the history of mankind. Moses saw God face to face and talked with him. In the process, Moses learned of his relationship to God—that he was a son of God, “in the similitude of [his] Only Begotten” (Moses 1:6). He learned also of the darkness of Satan and the glory of Deity in contrast to man’s present condition (see Moses 1:2–20). The Apostle Paul testified that Jesus of Nazareth appeared to him on the road to Damascus and changed the course of his life (see Acts 26:9–23). His recital of the heavenly vision prompted King Agrippa to say, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian” (verse 28) [Acts 26:28]. Who knows how many converts Paul won during his missionary journeys after receiving his fountainhead experience? Others, such as Lehi, Nephi, and Alma, could be added to the list of privileged individuals who received marvelous manifestations of godly powers. Each vision received and recorded was glorious in its own right and was provided in accord with divine will and to fulfill divine purposes. One might ask what divine purposes were realized by the manifestation that took place in a grove near Palmyra, New York, in the spring of 1820. The full answer to this question comes only to those who understand the circumstances surrounding this singular happening. A long night of spiritual darkness, unusual religious excitement, divisions among professed Christians, ordinary farm folks seeking a greater knowledge of godly matters, and other unique conditions set the stage for the Prophet Joseph’s entrance into a drama that is still being played out. S. Michael Wilcox, “Let Us Ask of God,” Ensign, Dec 2004, 22 The experience of a young boy in a grove of trees teaches that our Father blesses each of us generously as we humbly seek Him through personal prayer. It has always brought a sense of wonder and comfort to me to realize that the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ began with a boy’s private prayer. Perhaps one of the most powerful lessons the Prophet Joseph Smith taught the world is contained in five simple words he spoke to his mother after his experience in a grove of trees: “I have learned for myself …” (JS—H 1:20). His whole life was an illustration of the truthfulness of those five words, and we all continue to benefit from the answers he received. I believe, however, that this first profound experience given to him was also meant as an assurance to all of us that we also “might ask of God, and obtain, and not be upbraided” (JS—H 1:26).

What have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord? Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins "is the introductory ordinance of the gospel" of Jesus Christ and must be preceded by faith in the Savior and by sincere and complete repentance. "Baptism in water … must be followed by baptism of the Spirit in order to be complete" (see Bible Dictionary, "Baptism," 618). As the Savior taught Nicodemus, "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" (John 3:5). (Elder David A. Bednar, "That We May Always Have His Spirit to Be with Us," Liahona, May 2006, 28–31) Scripture Reference: Mosiah 18:8-10 "And it came to pass that he said unto them: Behold, here are the waters of Mormon (for thus were they called) and now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death, that ye may be redeemed of God, and be numbered with those of the first resurrection, that ye may have eternal life— Now I say unto you, if this be the desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him, that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his Spirit more abundantly upon you?" The Ordinance of and Covenant Associated with Baptism (Elder David A. Bednar, "That We May Always Have His Spirit to Be with Us," Liahona, May 2006, 28–31) As each of us was baptized, we entered into a solemn covenant with our Heavenly Father. A covenant is an agreement between God and His children upon the earth, and it is important to understand that God determines the conditions of all gospel covenants. You and I do not decide the nature or elements of a covenant. Rather, exercising our moral agency, we accept the terms and requirements of a covenant as our Eternal Father has established them (see Bible Dictionary, "Covenant," 651). The saving ordinance of baptism must be administered by one who has proper authority from God. The fundamental conditions of the covenant into which we entered in the waters of baptism are these: we witnessed that we were willing to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ, that we would always remember Him, and that we would keep His commandments. The promised blessing for honoring this covenant is that we may always have His Spirit to be with us (see D&C 20:77). In other words, baptism by water leads to the authorized opportunity for the constant companionship of the third member of the Godhead. Walk In Newness Of Life (My Baptismal Experience) *I shared more thoughts on this subject in a Sacrament talk that I delivered to the congregation of the Annapolis Maryland Ward on Sabbath Day morning, 8 March 2009. You can be read the complete talk online by going to : The Vicissitudes Of Life: Walk in Newness of Life. I will only share a few of those thoughts in this post.* "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." - Romans 6:4 The fourth Article of Faith states: "We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; second, Repentance; third, Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; fourth, Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost." The Savior revealed the true method of baptism to the Prophet Joseph Smith, making clear that the ordinance must be performed by one having priesthood authority and that it must be done by immersion: In Doctrine and Covenants 20:73-74 we are taught, "The person who is called of God and has authority from Jesus Christ to baptize, shall go down into the water with the person who has presented himself or herself for baptism, and shall say, calling him or her by name: Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. Then shall he immerse him or her in the water, and come forth again out of the water". The act of immersing a person in water is symbolic of that person’s sinful life being buried and they being reborn or receiving a new life – a spiritual life – a life that is dedicated to serving God and others. Immersion is also symbolic of the death and resurrection of the Savior. In Romans 6:3-11 we read these words, "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." I was born and raised as a Baptist. As such, the method of baptism by immersion was not a new concept to me. I had read the New Testament Gospel accounts of the baptism of Christ numerous times and I fully understood that being baptized by immersion was indeed following the example that the Savior had set before us when he was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River (See Matthew 3:13-17). I also understood the symbolism that Christ’s baptism represents and teaches us. I also did not have a real issue with having to be baptized again because even growing up in the Baptist church, if I transferred from a church that was a part of one sect or convention to another; re-baptism was often required before membership would be accepted. What did concern me for some time, Brothers and Sisters, was the ideal of having to be baptized by one who had proper authority. The question in my mind was. "Were not those who baptized me before authorized to do so?" It took a lot of soul searching, pondering the Scriptures, and prayer to finally come to terms with the matter. I had no doubt in my mind that this is the Lord’s true Church and that becoming a member of His Church was indeed the right thing to do. I also came to the realization that if I were to become a member of His Church I had to be willing to be obedient to the things which He has commanded and one of things which He commanded was that baptism was to be done by immersion and the ordinance must be performed by one having priesthood authority. I further came to realize that if I were to become a member of His Church, I had to be willing to take His name upon me and be willing to follow His example because when we are baptized we enter into a covenant with God to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ, to keep His commandments, and to serve Him to the end (See Mosiah 18:8-10; D&C 20:37). Each time that we partake of the Sacrament we renew the covenant that we made at baptism (See D&C 20:77-79). Confirmation and the Baptism of the Spirit (Elder David A. Bednar, "That We May Always Have His Spirit to Be with Us," Liahona, May 2006, 28–31) Following our baptism, each of us had hands placed upon our head by those with priesthood authority and was confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the Holy Ghost was conferred upon us (see D&C 49:14). The statement "receive the Holy Ghost" in our confirmation was a directive to strive for the baptism of the Spirit. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught: "You might as well baptize a bag of sand as a man, if not done in view of the remission of sins and getting of the Holy Ghost. Baptism by water is but half a baptism, and is good for nothing without the other half—that is, the baptism of the Holy Ghost" (History of the Church, 5:499). We were baptized by immersion in water for the remission of sins. We must also be baptized by and immersed in the Spirit of the Lord, "and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost" (2 Nephi 31:17). As we gain experience with the Holy Ghost, we learn that the intensity with which we feel the Spirit’s influence is not always the same. Strong, dramatic spiritual impressions do not come to us frequently. Even as we strive to be faithful and obedient, there simply are times when the direction, assurance, and peace of the Spirit are not readily recognizable in our lives. In fact, the Book of Mormon describes faithful Lamanites who "were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not" (3 Nephi 9:20).

A Portrait of the Suffering Messiah Scripture Reference: Mosiah 14 (Compare Isaiah 53) In Alma 7:11, 12 we read these words, "And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities." The prophet Isaiah also prophesied about Jesus' death and resurrection. In the 12 verses that comprise Isaiah 53, he refers to Christ as the Servant of the Lord and teaches us four very important lessons about this Servant. In Isaiah 53:1-3, we learn about the Servant's submission; in verses 4-6, the Servant's substitution; in verses 7-9, the Servant's sinless nature; and in verses 10-12, the Servant's satisfaction. First, the Servant's Submission. He did not draw the admiration of the religious leaders of His day. They despised and rejected Him. He spoke, it was with power and authority, and the common people wondered at the gracious words that came from His mouth. Second, the Servant's Substitution. He did not suffer death because of anything that He had done or because He was a martyr. He suffered for others. The words our and us are used repeatedly here, indicating that He died for th sins of mankind; He died for all the people. He became the sacrificial lamb to atone for the sins of mankind. He paid sin's debt in full. He paid a debt that He did not owe, a price that none of us could ever pay. He who knew no sin became sin for us. Third, the Servant's Sinless Nature. You will recall that at the trial of the Lord Jesus Christ when false witnesses were brought against Him and brought false charges against Him, He did not strike back at the abuse. He willingly accepted it. Even though He was sinless, He died with the wicked. However, even though His grave was appointed to be with wicked men, He was a rich man in His death. Allow me to explain this. Victims of crucifixion were ususually thrown into a common grave with other thieves and robbers who had been crucified. But there was an exception to that practice in Jesus' case. Joseph of Arimathea, a secret believer in the Lord Jesus, interceded for the family and requested His body. Loving hands took the body of Jesus down from the cross, wrapped Him, and put Him into the tomb, thus fulfilling Isaaih 53:9 which reads, "And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Fourth, the Servant's Satisfaction. It was the Father's plan that His Servant [son] would suffer death. His death would be an offering for sin [atonement]. His death did not signify finality for He would be rsurrected. And so, there was a purpose to His death - that many will believe on Him and be justified and declared righteous. People all over the world today have many different views of who Jesus Christ is. Many are skeptical and critical about the life of this One who lived a perfect, sinless life and gave that life a ransom for the world that the world might be redeemed from sin and have a means by which to one day return to their Father in Heaven who awaits them with open arms. However, in spite of all the scepticism and criticism, I believe that it is safe to say that almost everyone would agree that Jesus Christ was not, and is not, just an ordinary man. His life had a major impact on the entire world. I know that Jesus Christ is the Son of the True and the Living God. I know that the grave could not hold Him. He is indeed alive and lives forevermore seated at the right hand of the Father. I am eternally grateful for the price that He paid for all of our sins - past, present, and future. I can bodly testify that He is my Savior, my Redeemer, my Lord, my Master, my Friend. If I could only recall one verse of Scripture out of the entire library of Scriptures that we have, it would be my humble prayer that I would always have written on my heart the words of John 3:16-17, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."Contained within those verses is the summation of the Gospel message. And now, may we always "remember the words of him who is the life and the light of the world, [our] Redeemer, [our] Lord and [our] God." Even Jesus the Christ. Amen.

Rameumptom, to your comments may I just add -- AMEN!! AMEN!! AMEN!!

Pam, I agree with you 100%. When did our Heavenly Father relinquish the judgment seat to any of us to pass judgment on another? My Scriptures still say judge not that ye be not judged. I don't know about anyone else, but I personally have had enough of some of the comments on this thread and think that it is time to shut the door on it. Any thoughts?

Preach My Gospel Scripture Reference: D&C 50:13-18 13 Wherefore, I the Lord ask you this question—unto what were ye ordained? 14 To preach my gospel by the Spirit, even the Comforter which was sent forth to teach the truth. 15 And then received ye spirits which ye could not understand, and received them to be of God; and in this are ye justified? 16 Behold ye shall answer this question yourselves; nevertheless, I will be merciful unto you; he that is weak among you hereafter shall be made strong. 17 Verily I say unto you, he that is ordained of me and sent forth to preach the word of truth by the Comforter, in the Spirit of truth, doth he preach it by the Spirit of truth or some other way? 18 And if it be by some other way it is not of God. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we are all mandated to send forth His glorious light into the world of darkness. Elder Bruce R. McConkie said: “In the day of wickedness just preceding our Lord’s return there is to be a great harvest of souls. We live in that day, the day when the harvest is ripe. We have deluded ourselves long enough with the thought that this is a day of gleaning only. This is not a day of gleaning, but of harvest . . . Now this work is going to succeed. This is absolutely guaranteed, it is the eternal decree of the Lord.” The Savior emphasized the vital importance of sharing the gospel when He said to His disciples: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:15, 16). I submit that this charge was not given merely to the disciples that were present at that time, but that this charge was given to everyone who is a believer in and a follower of Jesus Christ. Therefore, as Disciples of Jesus Christ, that charge is given to you and to me. We are all called to go forth into the entire world and preach His Gospel. The Prophet Joseph Smith understood the charge of God to share truth with the world. During the most difficult times of his life, he sent forth his loyal supporters to proclaim the gospel when they were urgently needed to support him. In the midst of the trial and deprivation of Liberty Jail he said: “For there are many yet on the earth among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness of men, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, and who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it— Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed” (Doctrine and Covenants 123:12. 17). In 2 Nephi 2: 6-8, Lehi taught his son Jacob: “Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth. Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered. Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise.” The very purpose of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is to invite, encourage, and assist all of God’s children to come to Christ, and “lay hold upon every good gift” (Moroni 10:30) and “receive a remission of [their] sins, and be filled with the Holy Ghost, that [they] may be numbered with [His] people who are of the house of Israel” (3 Nephi 30:2). President Spencer W. Kimball taught us: “No person who has been converted to the gospel should shirk his responsibility to teach the truth to others. This is our privilege. This is our duty. This is a command from the Lord.” (Spencer W. Kimball, “It Becometh Every Man”, Ensign, Oct. 1977, 3) President Heber J. Grant said: “The first great commandment was to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, might, mind and strength; and the second was like unto it, to love our neighbor as ourselves. And the best way in the world to show our love for our neighbor is to go forth and proclaim the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, of which he has given us an absolute knowledge concerning its divinity.” (Conference Report, April 1927, p. 176.) However, none of us can effectively teach and preach the gospel if we do not live it. Christ said, “Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up—that which ye have seen me do. Behold ye see that I have prayed unto the Father, and ye all have witnessed” (3 Nephi 18:24). Our task is to “hold up” to the world that which Christ has done for man: the atonement, the example that He set, and the teachings that He has given us personally and through His Prophets, both ancient and modern. The Savior also taught us: “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14 -16). President John Taylor reminded us that, “When men go forth in the name of Israel’s God, there is no power on earth that can overturn the truths they advocate” (JD, 12:396). President Taylor taught us further that, “When men go forth possessing the truths of the everlasting gospel which God has revealed, they have a treasure within them that the world knows nothing about. They have the light of the revelation, the fire of the Holy Ghost, and the power of the priesthood within them – a power that they know very little about even themselves, which, like a wellspring of life, is rising, bursting, bubbling, and spreading its exhilarating streams around.” President Spencer W. Kimball also reminded us that, “We are the messengers, and we have the acceptable message.” And, the Prophet Joseph Smith taught us, “After all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the gospel” (TPJS, p. 113). In Doctrine and Covenants 88:81 we are taught, “. . . it becometh every man who hath been warned to warn his neighbor.” Therefore, every member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is responsible to bear witness of the truths that they have been given. Each of us have neighbors, friends, relatives, co-workers, or classmates, and it is our responsibility to pass the precious truths of the Gospel on to them, both by example and by precept. The message that we bring is a message of love, hope, peace and joy. In John 3:16-17 we read “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” The message that we bring to the world is one that testifies of the fact that God still loves the world and that He has spoken yet again as an indication of that divine love. He has restored precious truths lost over the centuries of Christian persecution, dark ages, and years of confusion – truths that are essential to our peace and happiness – truths so essential to our eternal salvation that our loving Heavenly Father has restored them in their fullness. We testify of a restoration that is so miraculous that only the hand of God could be its author – so miraculous in fact, that it can only be fully understood and believed by those who understand the power of God and His love for all mankind. In Doctrine and Covenants 14:3 we read, “Behold, the field is white already to harvest; therefore, who desireth to reap, let him thrust in his sickle with his might, and reap while the day lasts, that he may treasure up for his soul everlasting salvation in the kingdom of God.” Elder L. Tom Perry said: “More blessings come to us in going forth to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, and laboring for the salvation of the souls of men, than can possibly come to us by merely having a knowledge of the truth of our religion, and then remaining at home to mingle and labor in the ordinary affairs of life, and accumulate the wealth of this world that perishes with the using.” (Ensign, May 1984, p. 80). And further, the Lord says: “And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father! And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!” (Doctrine and Covenants 18:15-16). It is the responsibility of all of us to bear witness of the truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ wherever we have the opportunity. If we will apply ourselves, we will find that there are many opportunities to teach the Gospel, day to day, hour by hour, wherever we may be. If we have lived it, if we have prepared for it and if we seek it, the Holy Spirit will guide us and give us the ability to teach. Always remember, words are just words, in teaching the Gospel, unless they are accompanied by the Spirit of the Lord. Our responsibility is to bring the world the message of truth, to show the world that within the teachings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ are to be found the answers to every problem that mankind encounters. We should avail ourselves of every opportunity to bring the knowledge of the Gospel to others—to our inactive Church member associates, to our nonmember family members, to our nonmember friends in college, military service, and business, to our neighbors and friends, classmates and co-workers. Of a certainty, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the brightest light and the only hope for this darkened world in which we live. “Wherefore, as Nephi teaches, “we must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men.” (2 Nephi 31:20)

Quote from Ben Raines: Honestly I could care less what Michael Jackson's religion was. The tragic story is not of his death but of how he was marketed since he was 4 years old. Didn't we abolish slavery? He was enslaved as a child by those he should have been able to depend on. Ben Raines Ben, to your comments may I add a hardy AMEN!! I really like what Janet Jackson had to say about her brother Michael. In part she said that the world saw Michael as an icon, but to the Jackson family, he was a son, a brother, and a father. I agree that Michael was an outstanding performer and the world will be hard pressed to find another performer exactly like him. He was an original artist. Sadly, even though Michael Jackson may have done a lot of things to himself to bring about his own demise, still we cannot and should not dismiss the fact that he had a lot of help from a lot of people to include some of those he trusted most. He recorded a song that I think is a very fitting testimony to his often troubled life called "Have You Seen My Childhood?" Childhood? What childhood? What real life for that matter? Michael Jackson for the most part was robbed of a childhood, and in some cases his worth as a human being. He was nothing more than a robot - a money making machine as far as the entertainment business and some others were concerned. To me it is both sickening and irritating to hear all of the negativity that is going around about Michael Jackson at this point. He is gone! LET HIM REST IN PEACE!! He did not get much peace when he was alive, and now he can't rest in peace now that he is gone? His brother Marlon even commented on this at the memorial service when he said in part "Maybe now they will leave you alone." Will they, meaning the media and all those who thought they really knew Michael Jackson the person? This writer sincerely doubts it. As one article I read stated "Michael Jackson is worth more dead than he was alive." What a sad commentary on ones life. I have not read all of the comments in this thread, but a lot of what I have read really saddens me in the way some people think. I will forever be amazed at how much people think they know about a person, and how much they truly know about the person. Michael Jackson was more than anextraordinary entertainer - he was a human being first of all. The media has not done any justice in helping to calm things down. But, then again what can you expect from the media? I believe that the period can be put on Michael Jackson's life with two songs that he recorded: "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" and "Gone Too Soon". Michael Jackson is gone, but he leaves behind a family that loved him and misses him very much. My heart goes out to them - especially to his young children who sincerely loved their father. Rest in peace Michael Joseph Jackson. Keith L. Brown

Nathan, Jason and John Hansen share a lot in common. Together they comprise three-fourths of a set of quadruplets born premature at 26 weeks of gestation to John and Laurie Hansen in 1990. At nine weeks old, the fourth quadruplet passed away. When they were 6 years old, their father unexpectedly died following a sudden bout with pancreatitis. With so many aspects of their histories already irrevocably intertwined, it's fitting that the brothers Hansen could share one of the most anticipated events in their lives by opening their mission calls at the same time. On May 28 — the same day they graduated from high school — dozens of friends and family joined them at their home in Alpine, Utah, for the big moment. Going by reverse birth order, Nathan opened his call first and was followed by Jason and finally John. The results: Nathan is called to the Ohio Columbus Mission, Jason is bound for the Nebraska Omaha Mission and John will speak Spanish in the Florida Jacksonville Mission. You can read the full story by going to: Triplets Receive Mission Calls Same Day, Will Enter MTC Together

Are We Not All Beggars? Scripture Reference: Mosiah 4:11-25 Some time ago I received this interesting story in my email. I would like to share it with you. The Unemployed Graduate An unemployed graduate woke up one morning and checked his pocket. All he had left was $10. He decided to use it to buy food and then wait for death as he was too proud to go begging. He was frustrated as he could find no job, and nobody was ready to help him. He bought food and as he sat down to eat, an old man and two little children came along and asked him to help them with food as they had not eaten for almost a week. He looked at them. They were so lean that he could see their bones coming out. Their eyes had gone into the socket. With the last bit of compassion he had, he gave them the food. The old man and children prayed that God would bless and prosper him and then gave him a very old coin. The young graduate said to them "you need the prayer more than I do". With no money, no job, no food, the young graduate went under the bridge to rest and wait for death. As he was about to sleep, he saw an old newspaper on the ground. He picked it up, and suddenly he saw an advertisement for people with old coins to come to a certain address. He decided to go there with the old coin the old man gave him. On getting to the place, he gave the proprietor the coin. The proprietor screamed, brought out a big book and showed the young graduate a photograph. This same old coin was worth 3 million dollars. The young graduate was overjoyed as the proprietor gave him a bank draft for 3 million dollars within an hour. He collected the Bank Draft and went in search of the old man and little children. By the time he got to where he left them eating, they had gone. He asked the owner of the canteen if he knew them. He said no but they left a note for you. He quickly opened the note thinking it would lead him to find them. This is what the note said: "You gave us your all and we have rewarded you back with the coin," signed God the Father, The Son and The Holy Ghost. Have you given all to Jesus Christ? If you haven't, do so today and he will surprise you. After reading that story and pondering the question that is asked, "Have you given your all to Jesus Christ?", the words of King Benjamin's powerful speech as recorded in Mosiah 4:11-25 came to mind. These are the words: 11 And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have tasted of his love, and have received a remission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was spoken by the mouth of the angel. 12 And behold, I say unto you that if ye do this ye shall always rejoice, and be filled with the love of God, and always retain a remission of your sins; and ye shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true. 13 And ye will not have a mind to injure one another, but to live peaceably, and to render to every man according to that which is his due. 14 And ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked; neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of God, and fight and quarrel one with another, and serve the devil, who is the master of sin, or who is the evil spirit which hath been spoken of by our fathers, he being an enemy to all righteousness. 15 But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another. 16 And also, ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need; and ye will not suffer that the beggar putteth up his petition to you in vain, and turn him out to perish. 17 Perhaps thou shalt say: The man has brought upon himself his misery; therefore I will stay my hand, and will not give unto him of my food, nor impart unto him of my substance that he may not suffer, for his punishments are just— 18 But I say unto you, O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent; and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God. 19 For behold, are we not all beggars? Do we not all depend upon the same Being, even God, for all the substance which we have, for both food and raiment, and for gold, and for silver, and for all the riches which we have of every kind? 20 And behold, even at this time, ye have been calling on his name, and begging for a remission of your sins. And has he suffered that ye have begged in vain? Nay; he has poured out his Spirit upon you, and has caused that your hearts should be filled with joy, and has caused that your mouths should be stopped that ye could not find utterance, so exceedingly great was your joy. 21 And now, if God, who has created you, on whom you are dependent for your lives and for all that ye have and are, doth grant unto you whatsoever ye ask that is right, in faith, believing that ye shall receive, O then, how ye ought to impart of the substance that ye have one to another. 22 And if ye judge the man who putteth up his petition to you for your substance that he perish not, and condemn him, how much more just will be your condemnation for withholding your substance, which doth not belong to you but to God, to whom also your life belongeth; and yet ye put up no petition, nor repent of the thing which thou hast done. 23 I say unto you, wo be unto that man, for his substance shall perish with him; and now, I say these things unto those who are rich as pertaining to the things of this world. 24 And again, I say unto the poor, ye who have not and yet have sufficient, that ye remain from day to day; I mean all you who deny the beggar, because ye have not; I would that ye say in your hearts that: I give not because I have not, but if I had I would give. 25 And now, if ye say this in your hearts ye remain guiltless, otherwise ye are condemned; and your condemnation is just for ye covet that which ye have not received. Think about it. Are we not all beggars?

O be wise; what can I say more? - Jacob 6:12 These words of great counsel from the prophet Jacob to the people of his day are also words of counsel to us as we go about our day-to-day lives in the world in which we live. "O be wise" are just three small words, but they are words that can help guide us in the direction that we should go as we are faced with trials, temptations, and decisions which we must make. Often the decisions that we make do not affect merely our own lives, but the lives of others as well. Elder M. Russell Ballard gave an excellent talk based on Jacob 6:12 entitled "O Be Wise" during the October 2006 General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. What follows are a few excerpts from that talk (Ensign, Nov 2006, 17–20): Those of you who are parents and grandparents have a sense of what Jacob must have been feeling at the time. He loved his people, partly because they were also his family. He had taught them as clearly as he could and with all the energy of his soul. He warned them in no uncertain terms what would happen if they chose not to "enter in at the strait gate, and continue in the way which is narrow" (Jacob 6:11). He couldn’t think of anything else to say to warn, to urge, to inspire, to motivate. And so he, simply and profoundly, said, "O be wise; what can I say more?" The Lord in His infinite wisdom has designed His Church to operate with a lay ministry. That means we have been charged to watch over one another and to serve one another. We are to love one another as our Father in Heaven and the Lord Jesus Christ love us. Our callings and circumstances change from time to time, providing us with different and unique opportunities to serve and to grow. Most of the leaders and teachers in the Church are anxiously engaged in fulfilling their responsibilities. Some are less effective than others—it is true; but almost always there is sincere effort to provide meaningful gospel service. Occasionally we find some who become so energetic in their Church service that their lives become unbalanced. They start believing that the programs they administer are more important than the people they serve. They complicate their service with needless frills and embellishments that occupy too much time, cost too much money, and sap too much energy. They refuse to delegate or to allow others to grow in their respective responsibilities. As a result of their focusing too much time and energy on their Church service, eternal family relationships can deteriorate. Employment performance can suffer. This is not healthy, spiritually or otherwise. While there may be times when our Church callings require more intense effort and unusual focus, we need to strive to keep things in proper balance. We should never allow our service to replace the attention needed by other important priorities in our lives. Remember King Benjamin’s counsel: "And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength" (Mosiah 4:27). Today is in many ways like Jacob’s day. My counsel is like unto his: "Repent, and come with full purpose of heart, and cleave unto God as he cleaveth unto you" (Jacob 6:5). Brothers and sisters, be wise with your families. Be wise in fulfilling your Church callings. Be wise with your time. Be wise in balancing all of your responsibilities. O be wise, my beloved brothers and sisters. What can I say more?

Are these things not important enough for you to keep a record of them? Scripture Reference: Jacob 4:2-4 "But whatsoever things we write upon anything save it be upon plates must perish and vanish away; but we can write a few words upon plates, which will give our children, and also our beloved brethren, a small degree of knowledge concerning us, or concerning their fathers— Now in this thing we do rejoice; and we labor diligently to engraven these words upon plates, hoping that our beloved brethren and our children will receive them with thankful hearts, and look upon them that they may learn with joy and not with sorrow, neither with contempt, concerning their first parents. For, for this intent have we written these things, that they may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which were before us." From the Life of Wilford Woodruff Chapter 13: Journals: "Of Far More Worth than Gold", Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Wilford Woodruff, 125 In 1835 Wilford Woodruff began his first journal, "believing it to be beneficial to review our past life and not only our privilege but duty to keep an accurate account of our proceedings." He wrote, "It is to this intent that I shall endeavour henceforth to keep a journal of my travels, that when required I may give an account of my stewardship." He kept a journal for the next 63 years, making his final entry on August 31, 1898, two days before he died. His journal entries leave a true and faithful record of his personal life, showing his love for his family, his interest in his surroundings, his diligence in performing daily tasks, his faith during trials, and his testimony and understanding of the gospel. The entries also provide glimpses into the lives of other members of the Church at the time. In addition to writing about his personal life and his ministry, Wilford Woodruff kept a careful record of Church history. He explained: "I have been inspired and moved upon to keep a journal and write the affairs of this Church as far as I can. I did not understand why my feelings were exercised so much in the early age of this Church, but I understand it now. I seldom ever heard Brother Joseph or the Twelve preach or teach any principle but what I felt as uneasy as a fish out of water until I had written it. Then I felt right. I could write a sermon of Joseph’s a week after it was delivered almost word for word, and after it was written, it was taken from me or from my mind. This was a gift from God unto me." As part of his effort to chronicle Church history, President Woodruff recorded important details from meetings he attended. In one meeting, he taught a principle that can be applied to journals as well as to official Church records: "While walking in a rapid stream we cannot tread twice in the same water. Neither can we spend twice the same time. When we pass out of that door, the work of this meeting will be closed to us forever. We shall never spend the time of this evening again. Then should we not keep a record of our work, teachings, and counsel which we give in this meeting? We should." _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Nephi declared that the people needed records in order to keep the commandments of God; without them, they would "dwindle and perish in unbelief." (1 Nephi 4:13). President Spencer W. Kimball reiterated Nephi’s declarations when he said that "those who keep a book of remembrance are more likely to keep the Lord in remembrance in their daily lives." (Ensign, May 1978, p. 77.) Nephi’s awareness of the importance of records when he was commanded to slay Laban in order to obtain the brass plates teaches a great deal about how record-keepers can benefit posterity: "I remembered the words of the Lord which he spake unto me in the wilderness, saying that: Inasmuch as thy seed shall keep my commandments, they shall prosper in the land of promise. Yea, and I also thought that they could not keep the commandments of the Lord according to the law of Moses, save they should have the law" (1 Nephi 4:14-15). Jacob understood full well the importance of keeping records. In Jacob 1:2-3 we read, "And he gave me, Jacob, a commandment that I should write upon these plates a few of the things which I considered to be most precious; that I should not touch, save it were lightly, concerning the history of this people which are called the people of Nephi. For he said that the history of his people should be engraven upon his other plates, and that I should preserve these plates and hand them down unto my seed, from generation to generation." In Third Nephi, the Savior reminded the Nephites of Samuel’s prophecy that at the time of the Savior’s resurrection, many Saints would arise from the dead and would appear to and minister to many. He asked the Nephites if this prophecy had not been fulfilled. When they acknowledged that it had, he asked, "How be it that ye have not written this thing, that many saints did arise and appear unto many and did minister unto them?" (3 Nephi 23:11) If we are not keeping a journal now, perhaps the words of President Spencer W. Kimball will inspire and motivate us to do so: "What could you do better for your children and your children’s children than to record the story of your life, your triumphs over adversity, your recovery after a fall, your progress when all seemed black, your rejoicing when you had finally achieved? Some of what you write may be humdrum dates and places, but there will also be rich passages that will be quoted by your posterity. Get a notebook … a journal … and maybe the angels may quote from it for eternity." (New Era, Oct. 1975, p. 5.)

It is the Eleventh Hour and There is Still Work to Be Done Reference: Doctrine and Covenants 33:3 "For behold, the field is white already to harvest; and it is the eleventh hour, and the last time that I shall call laborers into my vineyard." For my comments on this day, I would like to turn back the pages in my notebooks and share with you some of the thoughts on this subject that I shared during the General Priesthood Session of the Annapolis Maryland Stake on the evening of Saturday, 18 November 2000. In Conference of April 1959 when President David O. Mckay made the statement "Every member a missionary!", it was more than just an ordinary statement. It was a directive to every member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to get busy doing the work of our Heavenly Father by spreading the truths of this glorious Gospel to the regions beyond. When Christ said unto His disciples in Mark 16:15, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature", He was not saying to His disciples that this is something that you can think about doing, or something that you might want to do, but rather this was a mandate – marching orders from the Commander in Chief. There was no time for deliberation, debate, argument or discussion. He was clearly instructing His disciples that this was something that they MUST do. And as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, that same mandate – those same marching orders- are given to us at this the eleventh hour. All of us may never have the opportunity to wear the black name tag or even have the opportunity to visit foreign lands but that does not exclude us from doing the work that we have been called to do. Those of us who are not full time missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints still have a responsibility to share the Gospel with family members, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and fellow classmates. Speaking on this subject of missionary work George Albert Smith had this to say, "Begin on the man who lives next door by inspiring confidence in him, by inspiring love in him for you because of your righteousness, and your missionary work has already begun." (CR, October 1916, pp. 50-51). The message that we bring is a message of love, hope, peace and joy. In John 3:16 we read " For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." The message that we bring to the world is one that testifies of the fact that God still loves the world and that He has spoken again as an indication of that divine love. He has restored precious truths lost over the centuries of Christian persecution, dark ages, and years of confusion – truths that are essential to our peace and happiness – truths so essential to our eternal salvation that our loving Heavenly Father has restored them in their fullness. Matthew 9:37-38, "Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest." I know that He will because this is His work and His work MUST be accomplished. That we may always be found faithful laborers in our Heavenly Father’s vineyard, ready and willing to proclaim His truth at every opportunity is my humble prayer. In the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

2 Nephi 24:12-14 Beware of Pride, and Be Not Deceived! "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! Art thou cut down to the ground, which did weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thy heart: I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High." In a word, the reason that Lucifer fell from heaven was because of his pride. We are taught in Proverbs 16:8 that "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall." Notice that five times Lucifer boasts of the things that he thought he would do: (1) I will ascend into heaven, (2) I will exalt my throne above the stars of God, (3) I will sit also upon the mount of the congrgation, in the sides of the north, (4) I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, and (5) I will be like the Most High [God]. We are able to get a clearer understanding of the events surrounding Lucifer's fall by turning to Moses 4:1-6 where we learn: 1 And I, the Lord God, spake unto Moses, saying: That Satan, whom thou hast commanded in the name of mine Only Begotten, is the same which was from the beginning, and he came before me, saying—Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor. 2 But, behold, my Beloved Son, which was my Beloved and Chosen from the beginning, said unto me—Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever. 3 Wherefore, because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine own power; by the power of mine Only Begotten, I caused that he should be cast down; 4 And he became Satan, yea, even the devil, the father of all lies, to deceive and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, even as many as would not hearken unto my voice. 5 And now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which I, the Lord God, had made. 6 And Satan put it into the heart of the serpent, (for he had drawn away many after him,) and he sought also to beguile Eve, for he knew not the mind of God, wherefore he sought to destroy the world. It was Lucifer's pride that drove him out of heaven. He was not interested in doing the will of the Father at all, but his real agenda was to take away man's free agency which had been given to him by the Father. As a result he uses any and every method possible to trick and deceive us into doing things that we know we should not be doing. He often uses the rationalization that "No one will ever know!" Elder Stanley G. Ellis Of the Seventy gave the following example from his own life to illustrate this point: An excerpt from "No One Will Ever Know", (Elder Stanley G. Ellis Of the Seventy, NewEra, Feb 2009, 40–43) I was born and grew up in Burley, Idaho, USA. My father had a farm and a ranch there, so I spent my time working in the out-of-doors. My family had been members of the Church for generations, and I was raised in a faithful home. But while I was in high school, my testimony was tested by an opportunity I had sought out. I knew of a person from our high school who had been an exchange student. I thought it sounded like an interesting experience, so I researched the idea of becoming an exchange student, found out the procedure, and applied. I was accepted. I was then 16 years old. I had taken one year of German, so I assumed, as did my adviser, that I would be assigned to go to Germany. This particular exchange program took all your information, matched it up with families willing to act as hosts, then assigned you to a country. When I was accepted, I was assigned to Brazil, and I agreed to the assignment. I lived with a wonderful family in São Paulo. They had six boys and one girl, just like my family at home. Fortunately, they spoke English. It turned out to be a great experience, even though I was there only for the summer. During my time in Brazil, I made some friends who were in that stage in life when they were experimenting with things. They started inviting me to go out with them to have fun with some girls they had met. I was thousands of miles from home in a country where nobody knew me except my host family. The friends who would invite me to go out with them used the line "No one will ever know." In many respects that was true. Certainly, none of my American family would ever know. I was a teenager, far from home, with an invitation to do what was wrong, and nobody would ever know. But I knew that I would know. I knew the Lord would know, so I said no to their invitations and continued to say no. They asked repeatedly, sure that they could persuade me. It was not a one-time challenge, but every time I declined, I grew more determined to stand my ground. Satan’s Rationalization "No one will ever know" is a rationalization that Satan uses against us in our lives. It’s a lie. I discovered that for myself during my summer in Brazil. Falling for Satan’s lie is, in fact, how many people get into such things as Internet pornography. They think they can do it in a way that no one will ever know. But in every case, they know and God knows. Please don’t ever buy into that lie in any aspect of your life. I’m thankful that I was able to see the false reasoning for what it was and not give in. The Spirit helped me feel the truth. I also relied on the fact that because of what I had learned in my family, I knew what was right. My parents had taught me the truth. I learned the truth in Primary, in Sunday School, in Aaronic Priesthood, and in seminary. That foundation of the gospel was in my home, in the upbringing that I had had, and in Church lessons. My experience with temptation as an exchange student came from the outside, from persistent friends. It was an external challenge to the things I believed, and I was able to stand firm. But as additional experiences came to me, I learned that we are going to be tested from all sides. Some of the most difficult challenges are internal ones, when the temptations that have to be resisted take place in the quiet of our own hearts and minds.

Seanette said: Anyone else running into any difficulties coinciding with the challenge? Yes, believe it or not I fell a little behind myself, but should be all caught up tonight. Between work, Church responsibilities, and just plain being exhausted at night it can be a little challenging. The object is to keep pressing on. I tried reading last night and had to quit because I found myself fading in and out and reading sections over and over again. Satan is crafty though. As soon as I put the Scriptures aside and started to work on a couple of other small things before I went to bed, suddenly I was wide awake again. Anyone have any similar experiences?

2 Nephi 19:6,7 (Compare Isaiah 9:6,7) For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of government and peace there is no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this. These verses are very familiar to most of us especially if we have ever heard Handel's Messiah which is very popular during the Christmas season. However, these verses are more than just words to be used to help set the tone for the true meaning of Christmas, for within these verses we gain a vast amount of information and knowledge about the One who became flesh and dwelt among us. This child that was born was no ordinary child. Of a truth, this child which was born, this Son which was given, was and is indeed the Son of the true and the living God. This One so Divine was not born to become a king, but this One - the Christ-child - was born King! And just as the prophet Isaiah of old prophesied, "Of the increase of [His] government and peace there is no end". This One is the Messiah, the Savior of the world! In John 3:16, 17 we further learn, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." This child that was born, this Son that was given, was a very special gift to the world from our Heavenly Father, wrapped in His Divine infinite love for all humanity. From these verses we also learn the names given to this special child. Isaiah tells us that "his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." First, we are told that His name shall be called 'Wonderful'. Within this name is an appeal to the truth of God's love; it is the mystery of God becoming man; Divinity putting on humanity; the Creator appearing as a creature; the Eternal Son of God incarnate as the Son of Man. These precious infallible truths have many skeptics asking the question, "How can these things be?" How can this Child, called 'Wonderful' be both divine and human, both a helpless babe and the Sovereign Rulerof the universe? Isaih continues in the text by saying, "the government shall be upon his shoulder", implying that He directs the affairs of men, controls the forces of nature, and governs the vast universe. We must only believe and kneel down before this Wonder of the Ages as did the Magi of old and offer our gifts of the pure gold of our faith, the fragrant frankincense of our hope, and the mystic myrrh of our love. Jesus Christ "the same yesterday, and to day, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8), and men who think of Him at most as only an unusual man, will someday stand ashamed and overwhelmed as they hear this prophecy fulfilled: "His name shalled be called Wonderful." Second, we are told that His name shall be called 'Counselor'. Here is the Counselor who is concerned first and foremost about the souls of His children. Here is the faithful and efficient Counselor who tells us, "But seek ye fisrt the kingdomn of God, and his righteousness" (Matthew 6:33). This is the all-wise Counselor who tells us, "I am the way, the truth, and the life:" (John 14:6). Never has His counsel failed. Never has there been a problem so difficult for Him to resolve. Never has there been any sorrowso deep that the healing balm of His counseling love could not heal. Therefore, when we think of the heartaches that we may have suffered in days past, let us rise above our circumstances and focus on the Counselor reposed in Bethlehem's manger, and believe Him when He calls unto us, "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). Third, we are told that His name shall be called 'The Mighty God'. He had to be God to offer substitution for the overpowering weight of sin and its consequences. He had to be God to give to humanity a hope that is stronger than human power, truer than mortal truth, and more hopeful than earth's strongest hope. In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, do we take the time to fully realize the meaning of the truth that God became man? He lived and walked and had His being here on earth. What matchless love. What indescribable mercy. What amazing grace! What blessed assurance we have amidst all of the turmoil of the world today that there is One who has said, "lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world" (Matthew 28:20). Fourth, we are told that His name shall be called 'The Everlasting Father'. He changes not and He fails not. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is the eternal Rock of Ages. In Him we have an anchor that will hold through all the storms of life. Friends may change, our hopes and our dreams may be shattered and crushed, all may seem hopeless at times, but take heart in knowing that "The Everlasting Father is always right there beside us. If we will let Him will lead us and guide us every step of the way along the pathways of life. Fifth, we are told that His name shall be called 'The Prince of Peace'. He who proclaimed "Peace, I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you" (John 14:27) is rightfully called 'The Prince of Peace.' He who brought such peaceon earth was despised and rejected by men and still waits to be crowned on earth: but He gives before that royal day a peace that passes understanding to every trusting heart. Regardless of how bleak the world situation may appear, we can rest assured that although there appears to be no sign of peace on the horizon, there can be found real peace in 'The Prince of Peace.' May we never forget about the greatest gift ever known to mankind. It was a very special gift wrapped in the Divine love of the Father Himself. That gift was His only Begotten Son - He who was born King, the Messiah -- Savior of the world, the redeemer and lover of our souls - the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Temple - The House Of The Lord 2 Nephi 12:2-3 There are a lot of things that I probably could discuss from today's reading, but I would like for us to turn our attention towards the Sacred Temple - The House Of The Lord. Elder F. Enzio Busche has said, "The temple is the only 'university' for men to prepare spiritually for their graduation to eternal life." (Ensign, May 1989, p.71, "University for Eternal Life"). From today's reading in 2 Nephi 12:2-3 we learn, "And it shall come to pass in the last days, when the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." The Lord spoke through one of His Prophets of old, Ezekiel, and said: "Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people." What is a Temple? The Bible dictionary states that "a Temple is literally a house of the Lord, a holy sanctuary in which sacred ceremonies and ordinancesof the gospel are performed by and for the living and also in behalf of the dead. A place where the Lord may come, it is the most holy of any place of worship on earth. Only the home can compare with the Temple in sacredness. James E. Talmage said: "A temple is more than a chapel or church, more than a synagogue or cathedral; it is a structure erected as the house of the Lord, sacred to the closet communion between the Lord himself and the holy priesthood, and devoted to the highest and most sacred ordinances characteristic of the age or dispensation to which the particular temple belongs. . . ." (The House of the Lord, James E. Talmage, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1976, Pp. 14, 1.) President Harold B. Lee taught us that "When [we] enter a holy temple, [we] are by that course gaining fellowship with the saints in God's eternal kingdom, where time is no more. In the temples of [our] God [we] are endowed not with a rich legacy of worldly treasure, but with a wealth of eternal riches that are above price. The temple ceremonies are designed by a guide and a protection throughout our lives, that you and I might not fail to merit exaltation in the celestial kingdom where God and Christ dwell." (IE, June 1967, p.144.) "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?" (Psalm 24:3) The answer is, "He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully." (Psalm 24:4) And what shall be his reward? "He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation." (Psalm 24:5). How do we prepare ourselves to enter into this most sacred place - the Temple? W. Grant Bangerter once said, "The preparation to enter the temple lies in the gospel. Nothing is said or done in the temple which does not have its foundation in the scriptures." (Ensign, May 1982, p.72.) We can help to prepare ourselves for going to the Temple by gaining a testimony, attending Church regularly, and following the counsel of the Prophet. We can also prepare to go to the Temple by supporting our Bishop and Stake President and by being honest in our dealings with our fellowmen. President Joseph Fielding Smith once stated, "None are entitled to enter the temple and receive these ordinances except those who have prepared themselves for exaltation by keeping all the commandments." We also prepare to go to the Temple by keeping our thoughts, words, and actions pure and by being kind to our families and others. In D&C 121:45 we read these words, " Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven." Concerning our families, President James E. Faust reminded us that "Our temples are testaments of our faith in the everlasting family." (Ensign, May 1987, p.81.) We also prepare ourselves to go to the Temple by making right choices, paying our tithing, and obeying the Word of Wisdom. Each of us are individually responsible for taking the steps that will allow full enjoyment of the blessings of the Temple. We should enter the Temple in humility and with a desire to be taught from on high. We need to understand that receiving Temple ordinances and covenants is essential to gaining eternal life. President Joseph Fielding Smith said: "These blessings ensure to us , through our faithfulness, the pearl of great price the Lord has offered us, for these are the greatest blessings we can receive in this life. It is a wonderful thing to come into the Church, but you cannot receive an exaltation until you have made covenants in the house of the Lord and received the keys and authorities that are there bestowed and which cannot be given in any other place on earth today." (Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. [salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954-56], 2:253). As we prepare to enter the Temple, we should be prepared for personal and sacred worship. In the Temple, before, during , and after the ceremonies, there are opportunities for a person to meditate and draw closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Throughout the course of life, all of us are faced with questions that need answers, with burdens that need to be lightened, with problems that need to be solved. Many have used the Temple to get away from the world and to communicate with Heavenly Father. Many have found answers, peace, and joy in the Temple. Franklin D. Richards said: "A temple is a retreat from the vicissitudes of life, a place of prayer and meditation of life, a place of prayer and meditation providing an opportunity to receive inner peace, inspiration, guidance, and, frequently solutions to the problems that vex our daily lives. A temple is a place where. . . .the infinite in man, can seek the infinite in God." (Ensign, November 1966, p.71.)

The reading assignment for day 5 is full of rich gems that we can add to our spiritual treasure chests. I will only comment on a few of those gems. In particular, the following verses which stood out to me as I was reading the Doctrine and Covenants portion of our reading for today. The Worth of Souls is Great (D&C 18:10-16) 10 Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God; 11 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. 12 And he hath risen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him, on conditions of repentance. 13 And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth! 14 Wherefore, you are called to cry repentance unto this people. 15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father! 16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me! During our PEC meeting this morning (5 July) we discusssed this very subject of the worth of souls. I would like to cross reference the verses found in D&C 18:10-16 with the verses from John 21:15-17 which we used for our discussion. In John 21:15-17 we read these words, "So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep" When I read the words of John 21:15-17, I think of the lambs that the Great Shepherd refers to as the "babes in Christ". In reference to those that we Home Teach and Visit Teach, these are those who are less active or inactive for whatever reasons. The less actives and the inactives have had spiritual nourishment from the Good Word of God at some point in their life, but like young babies, their nourishment (that which they received) consisted only of the "milk" of the Word, and not the "meat" of the Word. These are they who are commonly referred to as the "low hanging fruit". Similar to caring for young lambs which often must be fed using baby bottles until they are able to eat on their own, the less actives and the inactives are those that need to be costantly nourished from the Word of God to help them to grow stronger in the Gospel. The sheep that the Great Shepherd refers to in verse 16 are those of us who attend Church on a regular basis. We attend all of our meetings and we strive to do all that we can to be faithful, obedient servants as we labor in the pastures of the Great Shepherd. We are they who have initially been nourished by the "milk" of the Word and now feast on the "meat" of the Word. The sheep that the Great Shepherd refers to in verse 17 is all encompassing. All of us, regardless of our status in the Gospel, are the sheep of His pasture. Therefore, the Great Shepherd says to the Apostle Peter, "Feed my lambs", "Feed my sheep", "Feed my sheep". When we do our Home Teaching and Visiting Teaching we should not just try to rush through to be able to give a report of 100 percent completion for the month. Instead, we should take note that each person on our list has a name, and that named person is a soul of worth. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is not a numbers game. It is all about ministering to individual souls. Our Lord and Savior " 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. And how great is his joy in the soul that repenteth!"(D&C 18:11-13). "Wherefore, [we] are called to cry repentance unto this people. And if it so be that [we] should labor all [our] days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto [Him], how great shall be [our] joy with him in the kingdom of [our] Father!"(D&C 18:14-15). "And now, if [our] joy will be great with one soul that [we] have brought unto [Him] into the kingdom of [our] Father, how great will be [our] joy if [we] should bring many souls unto [Him]! (The personal emphasis in all cases added by this author and not intended in any way to rewrite the Scriptures). Taking Upon Us the Name of Christ (D&C 18:17-25) 17 Behold, you have my gospel before you, and my rock, and my salvation. 18 Ask the Father in my name, in faith believing that you shall receive, and you shall have the Holy Ghost, which manifesteth all things which are expedient unto the children of men. 19 And if you have not faith, hope, and charity, you can do nothing. 20 Contend against no church, save it be the church of the devil. 21 Take upon you the name of Christ, and speak the truth in soberness. 22 And as many as repent and are baptized in my name, which is Jesus Christ, and endure to the end, the same shall be saved. 23 Behold, Jesus Christ is the name which is given of the Father, and there is none other name given whereby man can be saved; 24 Wherefore, all men must take upon them the name which is given of the Father, for in that name shall they be called at the last day; 25 Wherefore, if they know not the name by which they are called, they cannot have place in the kingdom of my Father. I will begin my thoughts on portion with verse 20 which reads, "Contend against no church, save it be the church of the devil". A few years ago when I was serving as a member of the Annapolis Maryland Stake High Council, one of my responsibilities was organizing and helping to teach the Missionary Preparation class for the Stake. One of the things that I always tried to impress upon the young perspective missionaries was that they should never allow themselves to get in an argument or debate about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The fact of the matter is, the Gospel stands true on its own whether or not people choose to believe it or accept it. I reminded them of what the Master taught His disciples concerning missionary work in Matthew 10:11-15, "And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence. And when ye come into an house, salute it. And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city." Continuing in verses 16-20, the Master further taught His disciples thus: "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you." Whether we are full time missionaries or member missionaries, as we teach and preach His Gospel, we are admonished to "Take upon [us] the name of Christ, and speak the truth in soberness" (D&C 18:21). Another important lesson that I endeavored to teach the perspective missionaries was the fact that everyone would not be receptive of their message and that they should not take the rejection personally. I reminded them that the Savior was also rejected, and if He was rejected, so we His disciples will be rejected as well. We should never try to force someone to accept the message that we bring, but rather, we should bare our testimonies of the truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and move on in peace. We are representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ, and engaging in arguments, debates, and causing contention, only tarnishes that good name which we have covenanted to take upon ourselves. We must remember to "Let [our] light so shine before men, that they may see [our] good works, and glorify [our] Father which is in heaven" (Matthew5:16). (Personal emphasis was added by this author and is not intended in any way to rewrite the Scriptures). By leaving with our testimony, we are planting a seed that overtime, if nourished and cared for properly will yield great fruit. We should never try to get people to accept the "meat" of the Gospel before they have had a chance to be nourished on the "milk" of the Gospel. Our approach should be a step by step, line upon line, precept upon precept approach. We are further taught in today's reading, "And as many as repent and are baptized in my name, which is Jesus Christ, and endure to the end, the same shall be saved. Behold, Jesus Christ is the name which is given of the Father, and there is none other name given whereby man can be saved; Wherefore, all men must take upon them the name which is given of the Father, for in that name shall they be called at the last day; Wherefore, if they know not the name by which they are called, they cannot have place in the kingdom of my Father."

Is John the Baptist, the one who baptized Christ, the same person who wrote the Book of John? Is he the same one who ordained Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery to the Aaronic Priesthood? Answer: No he isn't. John the Baptist was beheaded before the New Testament was complete. In fact, John the Baptist was beheaded before the writing of the Greek Scriptures started. The author of The Gospel According to St. John, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, and Revelation in the New Testament is John the Beloved, one of the original Twelve Apostles under the authority of Jesus Christ. Although the author identifies himself as John in the Revelation (Rev. 1:1, 4, 9), he is known only as "the Elder" in 1, 2, and 3 John and as "the disciple whom Jesus loved" in the Gospel. He was the son of Zebedee and Salome, and brother of James, another of the Twelve Apostles. They originally were fishermen and fished with their father in the Lake of Genesareth. In his writings, John emphasizes spiritual qualities, including some contrasting pairs of qualities that illustrate the two opposing spiritual forces in the world. Examples include light and darkness, love and hate, truth and falsehood, and God and the devil. John also emphasizes such ideas as bearing true witness, knowing the Lord, enduring to the end, and being raised up by the Savior. Although the Gospels of Matthew and Luke list Peter, Andrew, James, and John at the beginning of their lists, Mark and Acts place Peter, James, and John at the beginning of the list of the Twelve. These three apostles were alone with Jesus on special occasions, such as at the raising of Jairus' daughter (Mark 5:37-43), on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1-9), and at Jesus' suffering in the garden of Gethsemane (Matt. 26:37-45). Only John and Peter were sent into the city to make the preparation for the final Passover meal [Last Supper] (Luke 22:8). At the meal itself, John's place was next to Jesus on whose chest he leaned (John 13:23-25). The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that these three ancient apostles received the keys of the priesthood during the transfiguration experience (TPJS, p. 158). John is usually identified as one of the two disciples of John the Baptist mentioned in the Gospel of John who became disciples of Jesus after his baptism (John 1:35-40). James and John were called Boanerges ("Sons of Thunder") by Jesus, perhaps because of their strong and impulsive personalities. Either they (Mark 10:35-40) or their mother on their behalf (Matt. 20:20-23) asked Jesus to grant them places of honor in his heavenly kingdom. Although rebuked for their ambition, they averred their willingness to share in his trials and suffering, and Jesus affirmed that they would do so. When Jesus was bound and taken to the high priest, John (who "was known unto the high priest") and Peter followed along (John 18:15). John continued to follow the Savior through the ensuing events and was the only one of the Twelve recorded as being present at the Crucifixion. Jesus asked him to take care of his mother, Mary, and John took her to his own home (John 19:26-27). Following the resurrection of Christ, Peter and John ran to the tomb when told by Mary Magdalene that the covering stone had been removed. John ran faster and arrived first at the empty tomb (John 20:1-8). Later, the Lord told Peter that John would remain (on earth) until the Lord's second coming (John 21:20-23), giving rise to the early Christian tradition that John did not die. The Prophet Joseph Smith confirmed and corrected that tradition in a revelation that states that John, having been given "power over death," remains on earth "as flaming fire and a ministering angel…for those who shall be heirs of salvation" until the Savior returns (D&C 7). The resurrected Christ also mentioned John's continued earthly ministry during his visit to the people of the Book of Mormon (3 Ne. 28:6-8).

I remember when I was still a member of the Baptist faith and attending Bible College, one of the most important lessons that I learned from my professors was that the best commentary on the Scriptures is the Scriptures themselves. I find that to certainly be true as I read and study the Scriptures and endeavor to liken them unto myself. There is so much we can learn if we prayerfully seek for knowledge and understanding as we read and ponder the Scriptures. That is one reason that I love to read the Scriptures again and again. Yesterday I mentioned that the theme that stuck out in my mind was the commandments of God must be fulfilled.Today's reading follows in that same pattern of thought by teaching us that ". . . .a man must be obedient to the commandments of God" (1 Nephi 22:30), and ". . . .if ye shall be obedient to the commandments, and endure to the end, ye shall be saved at the last day, and thus it is amen" (1 Nephi 22:31). As we learn in 1 Nephi chapter 18, it is our obedience to the commandments of God that yields the greatest blessings. One of things that God commands us to do is to preach His Gospel and to declare repentance unto the people. As given in a revelation through the Prophet Joseph Smith to both John and Peter Witmer this is "the thing which will be of the most worth unto you" (see D&C 15, 16). As we preach His Gospel and declare repentance unto the people, we are to speak His words which He has given us according to His commandments. As we live our lives, we should strive to be less like Nephi's brothers Laman and Lemuel who were constantly murmuring, complaining, and disobeying the commandments of the Lord, and more like Nephi who even through trials and hardships remained faithful and obedient to the commandments of the Lord. The Lord said "Go" and Nephi went. The Lord said "Do" and Nephi did. He did not stop to constantly ask the Lord "why?", but instead he determined in his mind and heart that whatever the Lord commanded, that is what he should be doing. As we labor in our Heavenly Father's vineyard, may we be found to be faithful and obedient servants doing those things which He commands us to do.

Here are a couple things that I have found thus far on this subject: 1. President Boyd K. Packer Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Who Is Jesus Christ?”, Ensign, Mar 2008, 12–19. Jacob defined the great and abominable church in these words: “Wherefore, he that fighteth against Zion, both Jew and Gentile, both bond and free, both male and female, shall perish; for they are they who are the whore of all the earth; for they who are not for me are against me, saith our God” (2 Ne. 10:16). Nephi said, “Because of the many plain and precious things which have been taken out of the book, … an exceedingly great many do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them” (1 Ne. 13:29). 2. Stephen E. Robinson, “Warring against the Saints of God,” Ensign, Jan 1988, 34 The war with Babylon, the great and abominable, began before the world was formed and continues through all ages of time. The word great in the phrase great and abominable church is an adjective of size rather than of quality and, like the Hebrew gadol or the Greek megas, informs us of the great size of the abominable entity. Secondary meanings might refer to great wealth or power. The term abominable is used in the Old Testament to describe what God hates, what cannot fail to arouse his wrath. In Daniel, the abomination of desolation is that thing so hateful to God that its presence in the temple causes the divine presence to depart, leaving the sanctuary desolate. In the Old Testament, the terms translated into English as abominable or abomination (Hebrew roots shiqqutz, ta’ab, piggul; Greek Septuagint and New Testament bdelugma) are usually associated with idolatrous worship or gross sexual immorality. The word church (Hebrew qahal or edah; Greek ekklesia) had a slightly broader meaning anciently than it does now. It referred to an assembly, congregation, or association of people who bonded together and shared the same loyalties. Thus, the term was not necessarily restricted to religious associations; in fact, in Athens the Greeks used the term to denote the legislative assembly of government. Originally, the term ekklesia, formed from two words meaning call and out, referred to those citizens whom heralds called out or summoned to public meetings. Thus, it was an ideal word to represent the body of individuals whom God “calls out” of the world through the Holy Ghost. The civil dimension of the word appears in Acts 19:32, where assembly in the KJV is a translation of the Greek ekklesia. We must, however, remember that we don’t know the original word on the gold plates that Joseph Smith translated as church. Whatever it was, the Prophet chose to translate it as church instead of as assembly. When we put all this together, we find that the term great and abominable church means an immense assembly or association of people bound together by their loyalty to that which God hates. Most likely, this “church” is involved specifically in sexual immorality, idolatry (that is, false worship), or both. While the book of Revelation does not use the exact phrase “great and abominable church,” both John and Nephi use a number of similar phrases to describe it. They call it the “Mother of Harlots, and Abominations,” “mother of abominations,” and “the whore that sitteth upon many waters.” (Rev. 17:1, 5; 1 Ne. 14:10–11.) From this we can learn that the phrase “great and abominable church” refers to all those who fight against God, not to a specific church.

Pam said: What I am enjoying so far about this reading challenge and discussion is that each of us have our own unique way of discussing what we have read. I'm a "give me an example" kind of person so I like stories and quotes. So you'll just have to put up with them. lol I love the stories that you have been posting. Excellent examples. Keep them coming.

Pam said: I find it interesting that one verse held so much meaning. When Nephi was speaking with his brothers to try and understand why they were so hard hearted and as he put it to understand their disputations..Nephi said this one little thing: 1 Nephi 15:8 And I said unto them; Have ye inquired of the Lord? So simple yet so profound. How many times in our own day to day lives are we confused and unable to understand certain things...Do we inquire of the Lord? Thanks for sharing this Pam. This gives me an excellent ideal for a new blog entry, Sacrament Talk, and/or High Priest Group Leadership Lesson.

As I read today's reading assignment, the theme that stood out in my mind can best be summarized in the words of 1 Nephi 17:3 which read, "And thus we see that the commandments of God must be fulfilled. And if it so be that the children of men keep the commandments of God he doth nourish them, and strengthen them, and provide means whereby they can accomplish the thing which he has commanded them. . ." [emphasis added by this author] There is no way of getting around this important truth -- the commandments of God must be fulfilled. It is when we are faithful and obedient to the commandments of the Lord that we become recipients of the bounteous blessings that He has in store for us. As we obey His voice and do those things which He has commanded us to do we come to the realization as did the Apostle Paul of the New Testament, that we CAN do all things through Christ which strengthens us. Through faithful obedience we learn that nothing is impossible with God. He can do anything but fail us. Oftentimes in life we try desperately to have our own way and to do things according to our own agendas. I have found in my own personal life that it is at those times that things normally tend to go wrong for me. It is at those times that I find myself more stressed, aggravated, distressed, depressed, and exhausted. During those times it becomes real easy for me to have a pity party and cry "O woe is me. Why doesn't anything ever work out the way that I want it to?" Or, the flip side of that coin is that things may work out in the end, but it takes a lot longer to get to the end result. Conversely, when I listen to the voice of the Lord and follow His instructions, I find that my life is so much more at peace. I love the words found in 1 Nephi 17:13 which read, "And I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the promised land; and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led." I have written beside this verse in my Scriptures the words "He leadeth me". I can truly testify that all that I am, and all that I am able to do is because my Lord leads me and I do my best to be faithful and obedient to His commands and to follow the path that He has set before me.

The reading for day 2, similar to our reading for the first day, encompasses a vast amount of material for our learning and edification. As there is so much to comment on, for this reading assignment I will focus my comments on the reading from the Pearl of Great Price - combining some of the reading from day 1 with the reading from day 2. The story of creation has always fascinated me and bears witness to me that our God is indeed an awesome God. We will be reading and studying the Old Testament in a few short months, but please allow me to return to the pages of Genesis and the story of creation as recorded there to elaborate on a few points. Having taken a couple semesters of Hebrew and Greek, I will share some insights from that perspective as well. First of all it is interesting to note that though we are taught that the world was created in 6 days and the Lord rested from all of His labors on the seventh day by sanctifying it and declaring it Holy, we must realize that a "day" as referred to here in the Scriptures is not the same as our concept of a literal 24 hour day. In Genesis 1:3-31 the Hebrew word that is used for 'day' is "yom" which signifies an extended period of time or age. The Encyclopedia of Bible Difficulties, pages 60-61, Baker 1982, quotes Gleason L. Archer who was Associate Editor of the Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament concerning the use of the Hebrew word "yom": “ There were six major stages in this work of formation, and these stages are represented by successive days of a week. In this connection it is important to observe that none of the six creative days bears a definite article in the Hebrew text; the translations “the first day,” “ the second day,” etc., are in error. The Hebrew says, “And the evening took place, and the morning took place, day one” (1:5). Hebrew expresses “the first day” by hayyom harison, but this text says simply yom ehad (day one). Again, in v.8 we read not hayyom hasseni (“the second day”) but yom seni (“a second day”). In Hebrew prose of this genre, the definite article was generally used where the noun was intended to be definite; only in poetic style could it be omitted. The same is true with the rest of the six days; they all lack the definite article. Thus they are well adapted to a sequential pattern, rather than to strictly delimited units of time.” In 2 Peter 3:8 we are taught, "But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." What we consider to be a day, and what the Lord calls a day are not the same. Second, what about the order of the things that were created? Let us return to the Genesis passage in chapter one once again. Day 1 - The creation of Day and Night - Genesis 1:1-5 1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. 3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day. Day 2 - Formation of Earth's atmosphere, separating the water into two parts: (a) oceanic and subterranean water and (b) atmospheric water - Genesis 1:6-8 6 ¶ And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. 7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. 8 And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. Day 3 - Formation of the earth, seas, grass, herb yielding seed, and fruit trees - Genesis 1:9-13 9 ¶ And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. 10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. 11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And the evening and the morning were the third day. Day 4 - Creation of the sun, moon, and stars - Genesis 1:14-19 4 ¶ And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: 15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. 16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. 17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, 18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. 19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day. Day 5 - The creation of land and sea creatures - Genesis 1:20-23 20 And God said, Let the awaters bbring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and cfowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. 21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. 23 And the evening and the morning were the fifth day. Day 6 - The creation of mankind - Genesis 1: 26-31 26 ¶ And God said, Let us bmake man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. 29 ¶ And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. 30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. 31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Third, I find it particularly interesting that it was not until after the creation of mankind that the Lord looks upon the things that He had created and says that it was very good. Why is that? Is it because of the special relationship that God has with man that nothing else of His creation can experience? Of all of God's creations, only man has a personal, intimate relationship with the One who created him. Also of interesting note is that the Scriptures teach us that male and female created He them. In the Garden of Eden was a man and a woman, not two men, and not two women. Only a male and a female could fulfill the commandment of God to go forth and replenish the earth. This was God's Divine plan for family from the very beginning. A bit of Scripture trivia - What was Eve's name before it was Eve? Answer - Adam called her Woman because she was taken out of him [man]. Or, as Adam said, "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." It was not until some time later that her name became Eve which literally means "the mother of all living". Fourth, regarding the incident in the Garden of Eden where that old serpent who is Satan tempts Eve to partake of the forbidden fruit and then Eve in turn gives some of the fruit to Adam. There have been many theological discussions as to what the fruit was, but I really don't think that it matters. The fruit was representative of sin. At the very moment that Adam and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit, sin entered into the world and their eyes were opened to things that they were not aware of before. For example, before they were naked and not ashamed, now as the Lord comes calling for them in the cool of the day, they run and hide themselves because of the knowledge of their nakedness. Isn't that often the result of sinful acts in our own lives? Oftentimes we try to run and hide and pretend as if we have done nothing wrong. As far as everyone else is concerned all is well. But, like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, we cannot hide our sins from God. He already knows all about our sins even before we confess them. Like Adam, the Lord at times calls for each of us - Where art thou? In a sense we also reply that we heard Him coming and ran and hid because we were ashamed of our nakedness (sin that we have committed). Take note also of the blame game that takes place. Adam blames Eve, and Eve blames the serpent (Satan) for the act of disobedience. Does that sound familiar as well? How many times, especially as kids (and even at times as adults), have we found it easier to place the blame on someone else rather than admitting the blame ourselves? The end result is that all three were punished - Adam, Eve, and the serpent - in one form or another. And as a further consequence, Adam and Eve began to suffer two types of death - both physical death and spiritual death (as in being separated from the presence of God because of sin).