The Laban Affair

Some interesting thoughts here on Nephi's struggle with the command to kill Laban. Click on the link, and scroll down to the section entitled "The Laban Affair."

http://rsc.byu.edu/archived/book-mormon-first-nephi-doctrinal-foundation/6-prophet-nephi

When I searched for this quote to share it, I found out that the whole book, The Book of Mormon: First Nephi, The Doctrinal Foundation, is available online! I have some reading to do...

Read the whole book here!

The Book of Mormon--Keystone of our Religion

I love this talk by President Ezra Taft Benson. An oldie but a goodie. I just read it the other day and I want to read it again. It is so powerful!

http://www.lds.org/ensign/1986/11/the-book-of-mormon-keystone-of-our-religion

Of course there is power in studying all of the scriptures, but the implications of the Book of Mormon for our day make it imperative that we not take its contents for granted; we need to know and do what is in that book!

Presiding

I really liked this description of what it means to preside in this article by therapist Randy Keyes from the June 2012 Ensign:

The husband’s patriarchal duty as one who presides in the home is not to rule over others but to ensure that the marriage and the family prosper. President David O. McKay (1873–1970) explained that one day every man will have a personal priesthood interview with the Savior: “First, He will request an accountability report about your relationship with your wife. Have you been actively engaged in making her happy and ensuring that her needs have been met as an individual?”

The husband is accountable for growth and happiness in his marriage, but this accountability does not give him authority over his wife. Both are in charge of the marriage. In righteous marriage councils both spouses share a set of virtues that when applied help them focus on each other.

We can study some of these virtues in Doctrine and Covenants 121:41: “No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned.”


We cannot use the priesthood to assert power and influence. Therefore, we can’t use unrighteous means to establish dominance in marriage. True power comes only when we work together in righteousness and so qualify for blessings from the Lord.

Describing Celestial Glory

A fun tidbit from the Institute Student Manual in reference to John's description of the resurrected Christ in Revelation 1:

Orson Pratt, who often heard the Prophet Joseph recount his experience in the sacred grove on that spring morning, said that the light was so brilliant that Joseph thought the leaves were going to burst in to flame when it reached the treetops. When they did not, only then did the boy prophet think that he might survive the glory that was descending upon him. (See Orson Pratt, Remarkable Visions, p.2)

The Book of Revelation

I am starting on the Book of Revelation, and going through my old institute handouts I came across this talk by Elder Bruce R. McConkie. It makes the book sound much more exciting than I have experienced it in the past!

http://www.lds.org/ensign/1975/09/understanding-the-book-of-revelation?lang=eng

A favorite excerpt:

In the answer to these queries we find the real genius of John’s apocalyptic writing. Gospel truths are and should be variously worded, variously described, and variously adorned with literary attraction—all to the end that they will appeal, in one form or another, to every heart that can be touched. The book of Revelation takes an approach to the plan of salvation that is found nowhere else in all of our inspired writings. The language and imagery is so chosen as to appeal to the maturing gospel scholar, to those who already love the Lord and have some knowledge of his goodness and grace.

I like that it points out that there is no scripture given that we aren't expected to study, understand, and from which we cannot profit. That is why they are given! It seems to me that the scriptures that are the most difficult for us to understand (i.e. Revelation, Isaiah) are the ones that the Lord tells us specifically to study for our day.

The miracle of stress.

I thought this clip about stress was pretty amazing, and made me wonder at what amazing creations our bodies really are. It is easy to see how our bodies respond in just the way Heavenly Father promises us they will (i.e. if we have faith, even trials will turn to our good).



Here's a little Russell M. Nelson for you to add some icing to the cake: