Come, Follow Me Ether 6-11: Insights By Gogo Goff

I hope you enjoy some insights from my Come, Follow Me Ether 6-11 (If you missed last week’s insights for Come, Follow Me Ether 1-5 click here). Save this pin to read later.

Being Humble.

“And they were taught to walk humbly before the Lord; and they were also taught from on high.”
Ether 6:17

Learning to walk humbly before the Lord is a vital step to receiving personal revelation, as pride shuts off revelation and priesthood power and humility turns it on. So the question is how do we discover humility?

Only the Gospel.

“And he did execute a law throughout all the land, which gave power unto the prophets that they should go whithersoever they would; and by this cause the people were brought unto repentance.”
Ether 7:25

The Prophets teach us that we must repent and follow the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In the days of Shule, the Prophets warned that the people must repent or they will be destroyed.

The people reviled the Prophets and mocked them, but the King stepped up and enacted laws that gave protection to the Prophets so that they would be able to preach the Gospel and bring the people to repentance.

Why is it so important to bring the people to repentance and living the gospel? Ezra Taft Benson taught. “Only the gospel will save the world from the calamity of its own self-destruction. Only the gospel will unite men of all races and nationalities in peace. Only the gospel will bring joy, happiness, and salvation to the human family”

The prophetic warnings about the secret combinations among us.

“Wherefore, the Lord commandeth you, when ye shall see these things come among you that ye shall awake to a sense of your awful situation, because of this secret combination which shall be among you; or wo be unto it, because of the blood of them who have been slain; for they cry from the dust for vengeance upon it, and also upon those who built it up.”
Ether 8:24 (18-26 for the full warning)

Moroni takes direct aim at those in our day who uphold secret combinations, he warns that secret combinations always lead to the shedding of the saint’s blood and that God destroys nations for this sin.

Moroni’s warning is worded specifically, it does not say IF but WHEN we see these things come among us we must rise up against them.

Believing that there are secret combinations among us is not a conspiracy theory, the Prophets of God have warned us! Listen to a prophetic testimony and warning!

“I testify that wickedness is rapidly expanding in every segment of our society. It is more highly organized, more cleverly disguised, and more powerfully promoted than ever before. Secret combinations lusting for power, gain, and glory are flourishing. A secret combination that seeks to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries is increasing its evil influence and control over America and the entire world.”
Ezra Taft Benson.

We must repent as a people and forsake and destroy these secret combinations from among us.

Our King and Lawgiver.

“And thus the Lord did pour out his blessings upon this land, which was choice above all other lands; and he commanded that whoso should possess the land should possess it unto the Lord, or they should be destroyed when they were ripened in iniquity; for upon such, saith the Lord: I will pour out the fulness of my wrath.”
Ether 9:20

The lands of North and South America are choice lands, reserved by the Lord for people He has led to it (2 Nephi 1:6). This land has many promised blessings like we will be a free people who will not be subjected unto a king and God will destroy whomsoever raises up a king. Why? Because “I, the Lord, the king of heaven, will be their king” (2 Nephi 10:11,14).

Jesus Christ is the King of this land, it was His divine blessings that led to our independence and the creation of our Nation, as Marion G. Romney put it.

“God gave us victory in the Revolutionary War. We are indebted to him for our nation’s independence. He has prospered us in every righteous endeavor. He established the Constitution of the United States “by the hands of wise men whom [he] raised up unto this very purpose.””

Jesus Christ is rightfully the King of this land and we know He will return. He has commanded that we follow Him and build up His Kingdom and defend His laws and the Constitution, so the question we must answer for ourselves is simple, are we following the King or committing treason?

Obedience.

“And after he had obtained unto himself the kingdom he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord; and the people did prosper in the land; and he did live to a good old age, and begat sons and daughters; and he also begat Corom, whom he anointed king in his stead.”
Ether 10:16

Reading Ether 10 is kinda crazy, as it is hundreds of years of human history condensed into one chapter. One thing that stood out to me is the kings who obeyed the Lord were prospered and lived long life’s, whereas wicked kings often had wars and short lifespans.

Obedience is the difference, it reminded me of this quote. “When obedience ceases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, in that moment God will endow us with power.” Ezra Taft Benson

Truly in our quest to follow Jesus Christ, we will be endowed with power as we seek for ways to live the gospel rather than excuses not to, just like the Righteous Jaredite kings were blessed so will we, if we are but obedient.

Mercy Requires Repentance.

“And the people began to repent of their iniquity; and inasmuch as they did the Lord did have mercy on them.”
Ether 11:8

Repentance is one of the most important aspects of the Gospel because repentance is the act of accepting grace and we know that it is by grace that we are saved. When we repent it allows the Lord to be merciful in extending grace without robbing justice, it is a false gospel and doctrine to think God will rob justice and be merciful to the unrepentant sinner.

Far too often we think repentance either earns us grace, mercy, or Salvation. To that idea, I reply NO! “Salvation cannot be bought with the currency of obedience; it is purchased by the blood of the Son of God” President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

BUT repentance is a requirement for mercy and thus grace. We learn in Helaman 5:10-11 that the Father gives Christ the power to redeem ONLY repentant sinners.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson simply put it when he said. “It is the requirement of and the opportunity for repentance that permits mercy to perform its labor without trampling justice.”