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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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3 Nephi 21 - With the Father to Prepare the Way


Dear Lord, Prepare My Heart
I love the hymn Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise. It describes the eventual triumph of Christ and His kingdom over evil and anticipates His second coming. This victory anthem was a source of hope for me while I served as a missionary in Taiwan and helped me see the greater purpose and broader perspective of what I was doing in the course of my sometimes tedious and difficult work as  missionary. My favorite line in the song is the plea, "Dear Lord, prepare my heart To stand with thee on Zion's mount And nevermore to part."

 I really do want to have my heart changed. I want it to be a little nobler, to try a little harder. The victory of God's kingdom is inevitable, but sometimes my future seems less certain. The phrasing of these lyrics is important because it acknowledges that we cannot change our own hearts. We can sincerely pray and make our best efforts, but ultimately only God through the power of the Spirit can make us new creatures and change our hearts. 

 With the Father to Prepare the Way
Christ made a similar allusion when He prophesied and taught the Nephites about the eventual destiny of their people and the land they lived on. He taught that in the last days "the work shall commence among all the dispersed of my people, with the Father to prepare the way whereby they may come unto me, that they may call on the Father in my name" (3 Nephi 21:27). The work of sharing the gospel with others can feel daunting, and when looked at statistically it feels almost impossible. I am encouraged by the fact the "the Father will prepare the way." Because it is not my work, but God's I don't have to worry about the "if" or the "how." God's work will succeed according to His plan. I just have to choose to participate. 

 In his prophesy to the Nephites, Christ warned that if the modern inhabitants of America were wicked, they would be destroyed, "But if they will repent and hearken unto my words, and harden not their hearts, I will establish my church among them, and they shall come in unto the covenant and be numbered among this the remnant of Jacob, unto whom I have given this land for their inheritance; And they shall assist my people, the remnant of Jacob, and also as many of the house of Israel as shall come, that they may build a city, which shall be called the New Jerusalem. And then shall they assist my people that they may be gathered in, who are scattered upon all the face of the land, in unto the New Jerusalem. And then shall the power of heaven come down among them; and I also will be in the midst." (3 Nephi 21:22-25). 

 If we repent, we get to "assist" in the work of God. Christ also promised the "power of heaven" and that He would "be in the midst" of those trying to "build a city" (i.e. building up the church). Those are gifts I need in my life. We all face uncertainty and disappointment and could use the benefit of more power and the companionship of God. He wants to bless us. He stands ready and is able and willing to do so. To claim these gifts, we just have to try to help God in His work. 
Application Questions 

 How can you "repent, hearken to the word of God , and harden not your heart?"

 What does the gathering of Israel look like in your life and how can you participate?

 Does knowing that God's work succeed give you hope and strength to act and move forward?
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