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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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Mosiah 14 - He Hath No Form nor Comeliness


Abinidi quotes Isaiah to king Noah and his priests to teach about the Savior and His atonement. Speaking of the Savior, Isaiah taught, "he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him" (Mosiah 14:2). 

 Doing the will of the Lord is not a glamorous endeavor, and the gospel is not a sales pitch. Christ and His kingdom are understated and require us to live a life that will challenge and stretch us. A life of persistent dedication to serving and living the commandments does not come with accolades and endorsement checks. In fact, the world and our natural tendencies will not be drawn to Christ, and will try to reject Him. As Paul explained to the Corinthians, "the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Corinthians 2:14).

 At times it difficult for me to publicly assert my beliefs because I know they will be judged and rejected. It is a naive assumption, but I guess I am holding out for the teachings of God to be the most accepted and pleasing attitudes to hold. Instead, the commandments of God are often framed as restrictive, old fashioned, bigoted, or unnecessary. Christ himself received a similar reception when he was on the earth. As Isaiah prophesied, "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not" (Mosiah 14:3). To me this is an indication that being rejected and experiencing pain and disappointment is not a sign that we are on the wrong track. In fact, external challenges and internal turmoil might be a clue that we are doing something important. 

 Christ was willing to be rejected and suffer because of His certainty and commitment to His purpose. He lived and died to save us, and that goal overrode all considerations of personal safety and comfort. As Isaiah described, "he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed" (Mosiah 14:5). His atonement strengthens, heals, and saves us. We can find greater willingness to pursue our goals and follow God if we have a compelling personal reason. This clarity and commitment comes from our interaction with the Holy Ghost. The transformative thoughts and feelings from God can be more persuasive and moving that the friction of the world. 
Application Questions

 What are your reasons for pursuing your most important goals? How can you strengthen your vision and regularly remind yourself of your highest purpose?

 What doctrines and commandments do you struggle with because they are unpopular? How can you reconcile your testimony and find greater clarity and confirmation for yourself?
Image Credit: Abu Dhabi Pottery

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