Every Day Conversion

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said once, "Salvation is not a cheap experience." And if anyone exemplifies that sentiment, it is Enos and his determination to pray all day and all night to receive a remission of his sins.  In today's episode I share more of Elder Holland's quote, as well as looking at Enos' life - who he was and what he did that allowed him to have the marvelous spiritual experienc...

As I finished my study of Jacob 5 today, I noticed a few things that I had not noticed before.  Things specifically about the Restoration of the Gospel and how involved the Lord is in His work in our day.  I also appreciated reading what Jacob felt was most important about Zenos' allegory in Jacob 6.  Listen to today's episode to hear more of what I learned.  Get all the resour...

What is the key ingredient to bringing forth good fruit?  As I studied the beginning of Jacob 5 today, I had some insights that I had never had before regarding this question.  I've always only associated the type of ground or soil with being the determining factor in bringing forth good fruit, but my studies today turned that on it's head!  We talk about that, as well as some thoug...

Nephi warns about esteeming things of value as naught in 2 Nephi 33... ...which got me to thinking about how we are invited to do things or make changes today by our leaders.  They are often quiet and subtle invitations, rather than a loud, booming "Thus saith the Lord!" So are we listening to those invitations? Do we even hear them when they come?  This is what we discuss in today's epi...

I was led to ask a sobering question during my study this morning... "Where do I shut the Lord out of my life?"  That is a sobering question.  And it came from reading Nephi's pleading in 2 Nephi 32 for us to pray always, before we do ANYTHING! Listen to this episode to learn more about what led me to ask this questions of myself.  Get all the resources mentioned in this episode at...

My study of 2 Nephi 30 provided some wonderful insights with regards to covenants and promises.  But, the BIGGER insight was an insight about how Satan gains and maintains his power and leverage in our personal lives.  Once you understand how he derives his power over us, the Gospel plan makes more sense and you realize why Christ asks us to do what He does and how quickly we can limit S...

Faith is one of the first principles of the Gospel, and it is indispensable to our salvation.  But, the Lord frequently proves things to His children as well.  2 Nephi 29 is a great example of that.  The Lord clearly proves through multiple arguments that not only did He cause the Book of Mormon to be written, but that it is well within His ability and right to speak to whomever and...

Brigham Young is quoted as saying, “The worst fear that I have about [members of this Church] is that they will get rich in this country, forget God and his people, wax fat, and kick themselves out of the Church and go to hell." Nephi seems to concur and think that "carnal security" and thinking that "all is well" is one of the biggest challenges that members of the Church will face.  He ment...

Two themes really stuck out to me as I studied 2 Nephi 26 and 27.  The first was the prophecies regarding the coming forth of the Book of Mormon.  The second was a reminder that God has not ceased to talk to man...and while the prophet today may not say "thus saith the Lord" or translate a new record from ancient sources...he COULD.  Those keys and responsibilities are still here wi...

There are some chapters in the Book of Mormon that seem to be pivotal chapters.  Chapters that are quoted more often than others.  Chapters that, when someone mentions them, we say "Ohhh, that's a great chapter!" Chapters that we seem go to, in order to answer questions and strengthen our testimonies.  In today's episode, I share why I think those chapters are so universally cherish...

I had a massive realization as I studied this morning... And the realization became even MORE significant to me as I recorded this episode.  You cannot have physical freedom without first internalizing and accepting spiritual freedom through the atonement.  It's a pattern that is repeated throughout the scriptures over and over again!  Listen to today's episode for a few examples an...

In this episode we review 2 Nephi 11-15 and there is a LOT to review.  We talk about the three witnesses present at the beginning of the Book of Mormon and the importance of being worthy to attend (and actually attending) the temple. I share a new insight to the allegory of Israel being a vineyard and the Lord being the owner of the vineyard.  And we look at the interesting phrase found...

In 2 Nephi 10, Jacob focuses heavily on the fulfilling of His promises and the gathering of Israel.  In connection with those events, Jacob quotes many of the promises and prophecies of the Lord regarding the promise land.  We dig into the words of Jacob about the gathering, as well as a few things that President Nelson has said in the past few years about the gather of Israel to get an...

As I finished my study of 2 Nephi 9, I had an interesting observation. I realized that just because the Book of Mormon says over and over that the "wicked take the truth to be hard", that doesn't mean that only the wicked are corrected or chastised by the Lord.  We are ALL corrected and chastised...the difference is how we respond to that chastisement.  In today's episode we'll talk abou...

As Jacob begins his discourse in 2 Nephi 9, he teaches almost exclusively the Plan of Salvation.  But as I started reading it, there was one theme within the Plan of Salvation that I kept coming back to.  It's exactly what the Savior says in Matthew 11 - "Come unto me." And exactly what he says in 3 Nephi 10 - "How oft would I have gathered you." And in 2 Nephi 7 - "when I called...there...

Apparently the prophecies and words of Isaiah in Isaiah 49-51 are extremely important.  Nephi quoted Isaiah 49 himself at the end of 1 Nephi, and then, he asked Jacob to quote the same scriptures in 2 Nephi 6.  I guess we should probably pay attention!  In today's episode we read about all the effort the Lord puts into trying to reach out to us and save and redeem us...and how too o...

As I studied 2 Nephi 4 this morning, I was blown away as I realized several things that I'd never realized before.  The BIGGEST thing that changed during my study this time is that I didn't read "Nephi's Psalm" in isolation.  I realized that as Nephi wrote this...he was dealing with newly becoming the leader of his family, the spiritual leader as the prophet and was struggling to keep th...

Satan has done a good job and completely changing the paradigm around our decisions.  I hear people say things like "there's no good choice" or that they have to choose between "the lesser of two evils."  Satan has convinced us that that is our choice...the problem is, that is NOT our choice.  Lehi clearly states that the choice is between "liberty and eternal life" and "captivity a...

During my study I realized that I really wish there was a verse-by-verse commentary of the book of Isaiah, written by the prophet Nephi.  Seriously. He makes Isaiah SO MUCH easier to understand!  In this episode we look at 1 Nephi 20-22.  Chapters 20 and 21 are Nephi quoting Isaiah, and 22 is Nephi breaking down exactly what Isaiah is talking about...as well as summarizing basically...

As I read through 1 Nephi 19 today, I realized that the main theme of the entire chapter could be boiled down into 2 words... Everlasting Covenant.  That really is what the chapter is all about - so much so that I wrote that next to the chapter heading in my scriptures...  "All about the Everlasting Covenant" I also found three phrases that trigger me to think about the everlasting coven...

As I studied 1 Nephi 17, I realized that a phrase that Lord uses in 2 Nephi could adequately describe what He taught Lehi and Nephi over and over and what he tried to teach Laman and Lemuel over and over... And, quite honestly, what He tries to teach all His children throughout the scriptures and even today.  "I am able to do mine own work."  In other words, just do what I ask you to do,...

Why did Lehi even NEED the Liahona?   That's the question that started my studies today.  But, what my studies ended with was much more powerful and more applicable in my life.  And that's what I talk about in today's episode.  Listen now.  Get all the resources mentioned in this episode at https://www.everydayconversion.com/bom18

What is the difference between Lehi and Nephi's testimonies and that of Laman and Lemuel?  I believe the answer is found in 1 Nephi 15...and it comes down to this simple phrase: "Those who pay, pay attention."   I first heard that from my friend, Jon Workman with regards to business and marketing, but I believe it applies well to Laman and Lemuel.  Then didn't work for the knowledge...

How do you help your children learn to receive and, more importantly, recognize revelation?  That's the question that has been on my mind for the last 24 hours.  It's easy to TELL our kids how the Spirit feels and how he speaks to us...but is that what we should be doing?  I've come to realize that taking the time to help our children learn the process of receiving revelation and re...

This episode was a tough one to get through.  As I studied 1 Nephi 12-13, I had some great thoughts and ideas come to me with regards to what Nephi saw when the descendants of the Lamanites were "...scattered before the Gentiles and were smitten." That led me to reread the account of James S. Brown's (grandfather to former member of the First Presidency, Hugh B. Brown) interaction with the Sh...