I hope you enjoy some insights from my Come, Follow Me Mormon 1-6 (If you missed last week’s insights for Come, Follow Me 3 Nephi 27-4 Nephi click here). Save this pin to read later.
Being quick to observe.
“And about the time that Ammaron hid up the records unto the Lord, he came unto me, (I being about ten years of age, and I began to be learned somewhat after the manner of the learning of my people) and Ammaron said unto me: I perceive that thou art a sober child, and art quick to observe;”
Mormon 1:2
When I first read this what sticks out to me is that Ammaron gave Moroni at the age of 10 the charge of the scriptures! He lists two reasons as to why he did so despite his age. Being sober and quick to observe. We don’t talk about these two attributes often, but I want to take a glimpse at them.
Being “sober” means that you are in control of your mind and body, you are not given over addictions or emotions, the 1828 dictionary describes it as “Not mad or insane; not wild, visionary or heated with passion; having the regular exercise of cool dispassionate reason.” Thus to be sober is bridal your passions and to be in control and reasonable.
Being “quick to observe” is to be anxiously engaged in a good cause. There are two types of people: Those who wait until they are commanded or asked for help, and then those who look for chances to serve, and when the chance arrives they take it. The opposite of being quick to observe is being lazy.
Being quick to observe as a spiritual gift is vital in today’s world, as Elder Bednar taught: “Being quick to observe is a prerequisite to and a preparation for the gift of discernment. We can hope to obtain that supernal gift of discernment and its light of protection and direction only if we are quick to observe—if we both look and obey.”
Finding Joy!
“But behold this my joy was vain, for their sorrowing was not unto repentance, because of the goodness of God; but it was rather the sorrowing of the damned, because the Lord would not always suffer them to take happiness in sin.”
Mormon 2:13
In this verse, Mormon teaches us a valuable lesson about Alma’s statement ‘wickedness never was happiness’ in Alma 41:10. Mormon teaches us that wickedness CAN lead us to temporary happiness, but that happiness will not last.
There are two types of happiness. Short term and long term, one is called pleasure, the other is called joy.
Pleasure, like lust, is a cheap imitation and has a short shelf life. It brings immediate dividends but has long term costs. It is often the ‘fun’ or ‘thrill’ associated with sin. If sin did NOT have this pleasure no one would sin. Do not confuse this pleasurable short term ‘happiness’ with lasting happiness known as joy.
Joy is eternal. It has immediate costs but it pays eternal dividends. Joy brings lasting happiness, it comes from keeping the commandments and serving others. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit, therefore obedience is a prerequisite. As long as we obey we can enjoy the blessings of joy. Joy does not mean we are sorrow free, but that we can be happy along the way. Mormon’s rejoicing was vain because he thought his people were repenting, but they were not.
Elder Perkins taught me at stake conference “If you are not happy living the Gospel, you are not doing it right” Now, two important things to remember:
1. Wickedness can not produce joy.
2. Joy is not the absence of sorrow.
Happiness and Joy are two of Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf taught a lot about Happiness, here is a quote collection from him;
Unending grace!
“And it came to pass that the Lord did say unto me: Cry unto this people—Repent ye, and come unto me, and be ye baptized, and build up again my church, and ye shall be spared.”
Mormon 3:2
Mormon is a tragic book, the people have forsaken the Gospel and the peace that we read of in 4th Nephi. Now blood and carnage sweep the land as the Lamanites and Nephites wage what feels like an endless war.
At this point in the story, the people have been extremely wicked, and just the chapter before Mormon laments as “their day of grace has passed” he had assumed they would not be granted the chance to repent.
That is never the case, Jesus Christ is ALWAYS willing and eager to guide a repentant sinner back to the throne of God. That is what Grace is all about. It is His desire to help you, His love for you, He is willing to forgive anything you do to Him if you will but repent and turn unto Him.
As Elder Holland put it. “He still extends unending grace, although He extends it with pierced palms and scarred wrists.”
No sin is so grievous, no mistake so terrible, and no transgression so repetitive that Jesus Christ would turn away the repentant sinner, that would be against His character! Jesus Christ is our Savior, He is our Brother, He wants His family to be together as much as you want yours. And whether you realize it or not, you are part of His family!
Heavenly Father seeks for ways to save His Children, not damn them. And because of their love for each one of us. Jesus Christ still extends His unending grace, although He extends it with pierced palms and scarred wrists.
Pride bringeth the fall.
“And it came to pass that they were repulsed and driven back by the Nephites. And when the Nephites saw that they had driven the Lamanites they did again boast of their own strength; and they went forth in their own might, and took possession again of the city Desolation.”
Mormon 4:8
We have all heard the adage “pride cometh before the fall” but in reality, pride brings the fall. What is the great warning contained within the Book of Mormon? BEWARE OF PRIDE!
What caused the Jaredites to fall? Pride!
What caused the Nephites to fall? Pride!
What will happen if we do not repent of our pride? “Beware of pride, lest ye become as the Nephites of old.” (D&C 38:39.)
Ezra Taft Benson
Returning to God as a Nation.
“But behold, I was without hope, for I knew the judgments of the Lord which should come upon them; for they repented not of their iniquities, but did struggle for their lives without calling upon that Being who created them.”
Mormon 5:2
They had forsaken the Gospel and Jesus Christ, their rulers were corrupt and they waged war on the poor of the land. Their hearts had waxed cold and set upon the vain things of this world, money power, influence. They no longer felt mercy towards those they viewed as the enemy, and they turned their back on God the Father.
Who am I talking about? Well, either the USA or the Nephites, but today it is the Nephites, let us learn so that we don’t repeat history!
When they saw carnage and death the Nephites would gather together and even if they stood together it was not enough! They had to do the one thing their society refused to do, repent. They refused to repent and the judgments of God wiped them from off the face of the earth.
So fast forward to today, people are dying everywhere. Terror attacks leave bodies in their wake from Paris to Orland, from Belgium to Bangladesh from Istanbul to Iraq and Saudi Arabia.
Violence, riots, and protests in the streets are almost a nightly way of life in many major metro areas. If one honestly opens his eyes they will realize we are repeating the same mistakes the Nephites did.
On the news and on the radio they will call for “unity” and for us to come “together.” But the problem is, that is NOT enough, just like the Nephites of old came together, coming together will NOT stop the coming storm. We must fall upon our knees and recognize the King of this land, namely Jesus Christ, we must repent of our sins and follow God. I echo the words of one of the greatest American Patriots. Thomas Jefferson: “[We] shall need the favor of that Being in whose hands we are, who led our fathers as Israel of old from their native land and planted them in a country … with his wisdom and power and to whose goodness I ask you to join in supplication with me”
M. Russell Ballard
How to NOT repeat the Nephites fall from grace.
“O ye fair ones, how could ye have departed from the ways of the Lord! O ye fair ones, how could ye have rejected that Jesus, who stood with open arms to receive you!
Mormon 6:17-18
Behold, if ye had not done this, ye would not have fallen. But behold, ye are fallen, and I mourn your loss.”
The Nephites had the fullness of the Gospel and turned away from Christ and rejected the Gospel. We as a nation are repeating the same mistakes the Nephites made, we have all but abandoned, forsaken, and legislated Jesus Christ and His Gospel out of our secular life, heaven forbid a teacher or politician speaks of the Gospel or of Christ!
So what can we do? Are we doomed to destruction? Watchmen, what of the night? In a talk entitled “A Witness and a Warning” President Ezra Taft Benson outlined the following.
“There are some things we can and must do at once if we are to stave off a holocaust of destruction.”
“First: We must return to worship the God of this land, who is Jesus Christ. He has promised that the righteous will be preserved by His power”
“Second: We must awaken to “a sense of [our] awful situation, because of this secret combination which [is] among [us]””
“Third: We must do as the Lord commanded us by revelation in 1833: “Wherefore, honest men and wise men should be sought for diligently, and good men and wise men ye should observe to uphold; otherwise whatsoever is less than these cometh of evil” (D&C 98:10).”
“Men who are wise, good, and honest, who will uphold the Constitution of the United States in the tradition of the Founding Fathers, must be sought for diligently. This is our hope to restore government to its rightful role.”
“Last: We must study the inspired Constitution and become involved in the political process ourselves.”
“I say with all the energy of my soul that unless we as citizens of this nation forsake our sins, political and otherwise, and return to the fundamental principles of Christianity and of constitutional government, we will lose our political liberties, our free institutions, and will stand in jeopardy before God.
No nation which has kept the commandments of God has ever perished, but I say to you that once freedom is lost, only blood—human blood—will win it back.”
Ezra Taft Benson, A witness and a warning. Oct 1979
Kirsten Farmer
Monday 16th of November 2020
Thank you for this great article grounded in truth.