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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 30 - As the Waters Cover the Sea


Nephi prophesies of the preaching of the gospel to the Native Americans (Lamanites), and Christ's millennial reign. I imagine that this revelation came as a huge source of hope and comfort to Nephi, who had also foreseen the destruction of his people the Nephites. "And the gospel of Jesus Christ shall be declared among them; wherefore, they shall be restored unto the knowledge of their fathers, and also to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, which was had among their fathers. And then shall they rejoice; for they shall know that it is a blessing unto them from the hand of God; and their scales of darkness shall begin to fall from their eyes; and many generations shall not pass away among them, save they shall be a pure and a delightsome people" (2 Nephi 30:5-6).
I particularly like the connections Nephi draws between joy and recognizing blessings. The gospel of Jesus Christ causes us to rejoice when we recognize the great blessing that it is, and see it as an act of love from God. Gratitude is the fuel of joy and fills us with a sense of abundance. 
Nephi also points out that overcoming spiritual blindness is the prerequisite for becoming pure and delightsome. The Atlantic actually published an article this week featuring an interview with Max Perry Mueller, a historian at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, which traces the legacy of racism within the Mormon church. The phrase "a pure and delightsome people" was once (erroneously, in my mind) rendered "a white and delightsome people" and in the 2011 "I'm a Mormon" campaign, "The church acknowledged that it did have a problem as a white church" (Mueller). The true meaning of this passage has nothing do race or color and has everything to do with using the lens of love through which God sees us. Being pure, or free from sin and filled with virtue, is predicated on our ability to see others as God sees them, and embracing eternal truths. As Mueller observed of the church, "Unity is very important for Mormons. Religious unity used to be mapped onto racial unity. Today, it’s celebrating racial difference and racial history as a key part of the church" (Mueller)

 The last causal correlation that Nephi records is between millennial peace and knowledge of the Lord. "They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea" (2 Nephi 30:15). These are not two separate descriptors of what the millennium will be like, but an explanation of why sin and destruction will end. To know God is to do more than learn about Him, it is to become like him through our thoughts and actions. Experiential knowledge that comes from walking the path He has paved leads us to be peaceable and loving people, and create the millennial utopia that Nephi foresaw. 

 Application Questions:

Does living the gospel bring me joy? Why or why not? How can I increase my gratitude for the teachings of the gospel?

 What does it mean to be a pure and delightsome people? How can you increase virtue in your life and please God?

 Are the experiences I am choosing in my life helping me know God and become more like Him? How can I work to bring an end to "hurt and destruction" today?


 If there is anything in this post that has been useful to you, please share in the comments section! I'd also love to hear any questions or countering opinions that came up while you were reading. 
Image Credit: NOAA

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