Come Follow Me- Daily Dose

Here we begin to see the beginnings of a Nephite pride cycle. How can we learn from the Nephites? What can we do to help make humility a core attribute and not just something we reach for in moments of repentance?

Verse 29 gives us a promise that the confusion and the evils of our day can be brought into focus as we lay hold on the word of God. Then in 35 we are shown that as we do the things that the Lord would have us do, we begin to change and have a greater desire to yield our hearts to God.

Today we take a look at some of the characteristics of secret combinations, and some prophecies about secret combinations in our day. We also read about tens of thousands who repent and are baptized. 

I love these chapters because we have 3 different people, all of whom had the right to be offended, but all 3 reacted so differently and made different choices. But that is just it...they were CHOICES. When we are in similar situations let us not forget we have agency in how we respond!

When the provisions they were expecting didn't come, the army of Helaman prayed for deliverance. I am sure they were expecting a huge miracle to come and deliver them. Instead, the miracle that came was more subtle, but FAR more powerful.

Have you ever wondered how these wonderful, and faithful mothers had the strength of conviction that their sons would be delivered? Especially after seeing their husbands and fathers killed? Today we will talk about the incredible faith of the Mothers of the Stripling Warriors. 

The army of Helaman were able to maintain their courage because of their faith. But how were they able to maintain their faith? We will talk about that today!

Just as Moroni knew that he couldn't afford to give the Laminites any more power than what they already had, we cannot afford to make any choices in our lives that will turn our power, our agency over to the adversary.

Today we look at the stripling warriors; their amazing characteristics and how in the world ALL the youth of that generation became so stellar!

Does the Lord cause bad things to happen to us? It's a question I have heard many times as I have taught the gospel. The answer is no. However, we see in this chapter that God can use the agency of others, and those bad things to help us draw nearer unto Him. 

Moroni place extra protection at the entry points, what are the entry points of our homes and how do we keep them safe. Also, it is said that the time of Moroni was one of the happiest times of the Book of Mormon. We also know that it was a time filled with war and other trials. How did the Nephites find that joy among the trials?

In a time of such worldly upheaval, it is more important than ever to follow the example of Moroni and prepare early and prepare well.

I learned a lot today as I pondered on the phrase "Stir up to anger." What does that look like, and how can we avoid it. Also we take a look at the attributes of Moroni, and what lead him to those attributes. 

Today we are looking at Lehonti, how he gave a little and was poisoned by degrees. Now compare that to Nehemiah, he was so busy doing a great work that he refused to come down off the walls of Jerusalem.  

For Moroni, the Title of Liberty became a symbol of his beliefs and his core values. His people GLADLY took upon themselves the name of Christians. As Christians in our day, our lives and our actions can be our Titles of Liberty, they become the symbols of our faith.

One thing we can learn from the war chapters is how to maintain faith in Jesus Christ, even and especially when life gets tough!

Moroni, in an effort to protect his family, friends and home from the enemy asked for and heeded the counsel of the prophet. Following the Lord's servants in our days will give us and our families protection as well. 

The law of Justice is eternal and unchanging, for God to pardon our sins would result in Him ceasing to be God. Knowing that no unclean thing can return to Him, and knowing that we would all become unclean, God in His love an mercy allowed for Christ to come to our aid as a mediator. Not to bridge our sins, but to pay, completely, for them.  

Alma answers the question on Corianton's mind, "why would God punish me for my sins?" by teaching him about the Fall, and ultimately about repentance.

Today we talk about what Alma means when he tells his son that we will stand as our own judges, and that wickedness never was happiness. 

Alma is an AWESOME parent! In this moment where his son SERIOUSLY screwed up, Alma understood what Corianton needed most. He needed eternal perspective. 

What sweet comfort the doctrine of the resurrection gives us! Today we talk about the joy we know, and finding joy in the things we don't!

Today we see some of the things that make Alma an awesome dad and prophet, but BOTH of these things are things that we can do too!!!

As Alma begins his serious conversation with Corianton we see 2 things; 1st, that parent child relationships never change, and 2nd that sin starts small, and if we leave it unchecked can grow into devastating choices. 

Alma talks to Helaman about the importance of learning to follow God in His youth. Every now and then while teaching seminary I heard a student talk about living outside of God's commandments now but repenting and cleaning up later. How I wish all youth could understand, it doesn't work that way! Today we will talk about the counsel that Alma gives Helaman.