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9 - 15 Mar - Learn With Joy and Not With Sorrow - Jacob 1 - 4

Jacob 1 - That We Might Persuade Them to Come Unto Christ I'm taking an online economics class right now, which prompted me to think of the definition of economics in the context of the scriptures. Economics is the study of the allocation of scarce resources. In the case of Nephi and his successor Jacob, the plates upon which they engraved their record was a scarce resource. They were costly to make and difficult to engrave, and instilling a tradition of passing them through generations was surely cumbersome.  Recognizing the great importance of spiritual things and the challenge of maintaining records, Nephi instructed Jacob to prioritize religious instruction saying, " if there were preaching which was sacred, or revelation which was great, or prophesying, that I should engraven the heads of them upon these plates, and touch upon them as much as it were possible, for Christ’s sake, and for the sake of our people" (Jacob 1:4).   This priority was not only reflecte...
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2 Nephi 11 - God Sendeth More Witnesses, and He Proveth All His Words



When I read stories in the scriptures about heavenly manifestations, miracles, and visitations from Christ and angels, it is easy for me to imagine that there is something special or different about the people who received those visitations. Clearly there must have been something unique about their circumstances; they must have had inside knowledge, privileged  access, or some special conduit to God not available to the rest of us. But in reality, we all have access to the same mechanisms for knowing God and learning his Gospel as the prophet heroes and heroines of the scriptures. 

 This truth is most profound when I think about how Christ came to realize and carry out his own earthly mission. He had enough certainty to make the ultimate atoning sacrifice based on nothing more than faith. His confidence was derived from scripture study, prayer, fasting, and instruction from the Holy Ghost. I don't see evidence in the New Testament that  Christ had special access to God, he perfectly used the avenues available to all of us to understand His personal mission and God's will. Could I commit my entire life to teaching and service based on an answer to prayer? Would I be willing to suffer the atonement and subject myself to crucification based on a spiritual impression?

 This realization encourages me to be more bold in obtaining knowledge and direction through the Spirit. 

 In 2 Nephi 11, Jacob alludes that he saw Jesus Christ like Isaiah did, "for he verily saw my Redeemer, even as I have seen him" (2 Nephi 11:2). Jacob also shares his belief that Christ appeared to him was so that Jacob's writings and testimony could corroborate and strengthen the testimonies of other prophets. "God sendeth more witnesses, and he proveth all his words" (2 Nephi 11:3). Each of us can receive our own witnesses that the words of God are true. This spiritual evidence comes in response to our sincere inquiries and willingness to act on what we learn. 
April 1985 conference talk Purifying Power of Gethsemane, Bruce R. McConkie testified, "And now, as pertaining to this perfect atonement, wrought by the shedding of the blood of God—I testify that it took place in Gethsemane and at Golgotha, and as pertaining to Jesus Christ, I testify that he is the Son of the Living God and was crucified for the sins of the world. He is our Lord, our God, and our King. This I know of myself independent of any other person. I am one of his witnesses, and in a coming day I shall feel the nail marks in his hands and in his feet and shall wet his feet with my tears. But I shall not know any better then than I know now that he is God’s Almighty Son, that he is our Savior and Redeemer, and that salvation comes in and through his atoning blood and in no other way." Not only are personal witnesses available to us, they are as sure and compelling as seeing Christ in person. 
Lastly, Jacob lists a series of activities that he "delights" in:



  • proving the truth of the coming of Christ (2 Nephi 11:4)
  • the covenants of the Lord (2 Nephi 11:5)
  • the grace, justice, power, and mercy of Christ (2 Nephi 11:5)
  • the great and eternal plan of deliverance (2 Nephi 11:5)
  • proving that save Christ should come all men must perish (2 Nephi 11:6)
This is a good checklist for me to assess my own desire to follow God. The amount of time I spend thinking about and pursuing these things is an indicator of how much my heart and nature has changed, and how much I still hold on to worldly things. 

Image Credit: Plus Magazine

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