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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 25 - Nothing Preached Except It Were Repentance and Faith in God

After escaping from the bondage of the Lamanites, the people of Alma and the people of Limhi both returned to the land of the Nephites and became their subjects. The leader of the Nephites, king Mosiah, was delighted to have them and shared the record of their experience with his people. "Mosiah did read, and caused to be read, the records of Zeniff to his people ... from the time they left the land of Zarahemla until they returned again" (Mosiah 25:5). 

 Hearing the record of the people of Zeniff (which includes the people of Alma and the people of Limhi) had a deep impression on the Nephites. They were moved by their experiences and reminded of God's goodness. "When Mosiah had made an end of reading the records, his people who tarried in the land were struck with wonder and amazement. For they knew not what to think; for when they beheld those that had been delivered out of bondage they were filled with exceedingly great joy ... and when they thought of the immediate goodness of God, and his power in delivering Alma and his brethren out of the hands of the Lamanites and of bondage, they did raise their voices and give thanks to God" (Mosiah 25:7-10). Even though the people of Mosiah were not the direct recipients of these blessings from the Lord, they were still "filled with exceedingly great joy," and did "raise their voices and give thanks to God." The example of the people of Mosiah makes me wonder if I am this excited for other people when they receive blessings, repent, or achieve their goals? In a Facebook and Instagram world it is easy to experience feelings of envy and inferiority, but we can celebrate the achievements and good fortune of others when we see them as our siblings and focus on the goodness of God. 

 "And he did exhort the people of Limhi and his brethren, all those that had been delivered out of bondage, that they should remember that it was the Lord that did deliver them" (Mosiah 25:16). The instruction to remember permits the scriptures. Frequently God tells the children of Israel to remember the Lord calling Moses to deliver them from the Egyptians. Moroni also encourages everyone who reads the Book of Mormon "I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things ... that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts" (Moroni 10:3). Remembering God's role in delivering us from death, sin, and pain, and pondering on His mercy helps to feel His love for us and appreciate our own worth as His children. It alleviates insecurity and fear by giving us a perfect and all-power strength to rely on. It also helps us put everything that happens in our lives and on the earth in the right perspective and reminds us that all experiences can be instructive and help us grow. 

King Mosiah allowed Alma to establish the church throughout the land. Because there were so many who joined the church, they had to meet in separate congregations or churches. "And thus, notwithstanding there being many churches they were all one church, yea, even the church of God; for there was nothing preached in all the churches except it were repentance and faith in God" (Mosiah 25:22). The defining characteristic of the church of God was that it preached nothing except repentance and faith. Repentance and faith are both action-based principles. While they may require some knowledge, they are really focused on personal transformation. We repent as we shift our thoughts, beliefs, attitudes and actions to align with the will of God and invite the cleansing power of the Spirit into our lives. Faith prompts us to act, and we build it by making decisions to do what God wants us to do, feeling the confirmation and encouragement of the Holy Ghost, and acting on those promptings. Mosiah asserts that encouraging change and building resolve to act should define our worship services. Church is a group therapy session, not an academic lecture. Even if the words spoken in a talk or lesson are 100% true, they will fall short in their intended purpose if they are not spoken with the spirit and coupled with invitations to act. The threshold for success within a ward is not when everyone knows the right answer, but when they live the right answer. 

 Application Questions

When you see the happiness, success, and blessings of others, how can you let them fill you will joy and gratitude instead of feeling diminished and envious?

 What stories of inspiration and faith from your life, your family history, or other sources help you remember the goodness of God?

 How can you help your ward or other congregation be more focused on developing faith and encouraging repentance during worship services and lessons? What are the potential tangents and distractions that stand in the way?

 Image Credit: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

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