Mosiah 5

This scripture has come up a lot in my reading lately. I'm am really moved right now by the description
of the people's change of heart; their conversion. It's so clear, and yet almost poetic and beautiful at the
same time. I love that feeling of everything being possible and good that comes when you are full of the
Spirit. What a beautiful chapter!

This has also come up lately in an explanation of how Christ is both the Father and the Son. It's a
confusing concept most of the time, but when you read it here it is simple and clear. Moroni, or
whoever he was paraphrasing, and probably both, were truly gifted writers.

I also feel inspired that I need to concentrate more today on keeping God close in the thoughts and
intents of my heart, that I may know Him better, and be better led my Him.

Mosiah 4

I love reading about the joy and change of heart the people experienced. What they cried, I have felt
my heart cry, also. Our God truly is a God of miracles, not the least of which is His power to change our
hearts, lift our souls, and bring us to Him, even as we stray and rebel and turn away. I know God lives
and loves me, and I am filled with His joy.

Mosiah 3

This is a beautiful sermon on the atonement, and reminds me of the need for daily repentance. That is
something I have not been good at lately. I probably even need hourly repentance. I am grateful that's
an option, but it does me no good if I don't use it.

The end of the chapter also makes me shudder for my brother. I pray he finds his way before it gets any
harder.

Mosiah 1

Mosiah tells his sons without the scriptures even the elect would have dwindled in unbelief. That
explains a lot about the dark ages, when most peoples access to scriptures was so limited. I am grateful
to live now when my access is as much as I would like, whenever I like. That is definitely and under-
appreciated blessing in my life. I am grateful to have the constant reminders and to know what to teach
my children that they many know the mysteries of God.

Words of Mormon

It must have been so cool for Mormon, as he was going through all the historical records for years and
years to find the small plates of Nephi. It would have been such a treasure! It sounds like he had already
written this part of the story, and replaced it with these plates. He doesn't sound bitter at all, just
grateful. What a great man.

Omni

Omni worried about being a wicked man, but he was righteous enough to preserve the plates, do the

difficult task of writing in them, and then pass them down. I feel so sad for him every time I read this. I
hope he found peace after he wrote what he wrote..

I wonder if the more righteous part of the people were saved by following Mosiah out of the land. I do
many things wrong, but I think if the prophet said to flee with him, I would. I need to be better about
food storage, though. That is how our prophet has warned us to be safe now.

I wonder if Amaleki would have kept writing if the plates hadn't been full. I get the feeling he could have
rambled on and on. In a cute old man way.

Jarom

I realized that when Jarom was talking about constantly needing to teach the people, and remind the
people and exhort the people, because of the hardness of their hearts, that that is us. That's why we
go to church and conferences and, I think, probably the reason we have organized religion. Because
we constantly needed to be reminded and exhorted or we go astray. It made me feel both humble and
more grateful for church. :)

Enos 1

It strikes me that what sunk into his heart was his father speaking of eternal life and the joy of the
saints. I am impressed that when I am teaching my children, the joy part is something I need to focus
on more. How much Heavenly Father loves us and how happy we will be enjoying eternal life with Him
and with our family. That's an important part of the gospel, and I think Omar is right, that my family, and
by extension me, focus too much on the consequences and negative side. And I know with Helaman,
especially, he responds way better to promise of reward than threat of punishment.

It is an amazing thing that are sins can all be taken away, and we can be completely clean, despite
ourselves. How grateful I am for the atoning sacrifice of the Savior. My Savior. I'm so grateful to be able
to repent and have my guilt swept away. It is so amazing! I'm so grateful to know how it is done, I'm so
grateful for my Savior.

Jacob 7

This is interesting. It's interesting that Sherem didn't attack Christ, he flattered people away from him.
And also it's interesting that he wasn't satisfied leading people away, he wanted to get to Jacob, who
was the leader of the Church, and confront him. My Book of Mormon teacher told us that this chapter is
to understand that how people will try to be anti-Christs in the last day, and how to deal with them, and
I can certainly see that to be true in the first few verses.

Jacob says they mourn out their days. That sounds like how Omar would describe life. And yet both are
not shaken by it. That's a lot of faith.

Jacob 6

As I read this, I started feeling guilty about my lack of labor in the vineyard. But then the Lord gently, and
mercifully, reminded me that my most important labor in the vineyard right now is being a mom. I'm
laboring to gather my boys, and help raise them to be men to labor in the vineyard. I'm grateful for the

kind reminder about the important sacredness of the work I have chosen for my life. And I really love my
boys. I can hear them playing in their room as I type this, and it makes my heart smile. I am so blessed!

Jacob 5

My brain feels too fried to follow this today. I'm not sure why. Maybe later... One thing I did get as I
read a little is how complicated and how hard the master worked to save the tree. He didn't just try
one thing, and give up when that didn't work. I need to be a parent more like that. I expect immediate
changes when I nourish the tree a little, and then get mad when that doesn't work. I need to pray harder
and be more patient and try more things and never give up. Why am I such a grouchy mom! I'm sorry...

Jacob 4

It is a beautiful thing that the Nephite prophets worked so hard to do something as difficult as engrave
on the plates because they wanted their children to know of Christ. There is no work that is too hard for
that purpose.

I've been feeling my weaknesses strongly this morning, and sorrowing in them. I feel like I should be
better, and that is true. I work towards that end, not always as hard or diligently as I should, but I am
trying to be better. Sometimes, though, I let Satan use my weaknesses to discourage me, like the stress I
was feeling this morning as I lay awake in bed worrying. But Jacob says that God gives us weaknesses so
we are humbled and can depend on Him. And then when we do manage to accomplish something good,
they help us remember that it is only through Him. I know I need that reminder, and so, as sorrowful as
my heart is this morning, I am also grateful for my weaknesses, and pray that they will teach me to rely
on Him; to listen harder to His promptings, to turn more often to Him, to keep a prayer always in my
heart, and to not be a lazy and slothful servant. I'm so grateful that as I learn and have so much need to
repent that he is loving and merciful, or I would be lost!

Jacob 3

Even in Nephite times the family was so important to God's plan, and He so fierceley protected it. It's
interesting that whatever else they did wrong, the Lamenites were more righteous because of how they
treated their families. I need to remember my children, and how I have grieved their hearts, and repent
and do better.

Jacob 2

It strikes me again the pride is in the comparison. It isn't bad to be happy to be smart, it's bad to be
happier to be smarter than others, or think you are better because of it. So then, is it bad to want a nice
house, and nice things, or is it bad to want nicer things than others? It didn't seem to be a sin for the
Nephites to look for the gold, only to be proud and unkind once they found it. He even said the Lord
blessed them in their desire to find it, which means it couldn't be bad, because he doesn't bless us in
unrighteous desires, right?

Then Jacob tells us to be familiar and free with our substance that they might be rich like unto you. Is it
my pride then, that thinks people should be rewarded according to their labors? I guess not necessarily.
It might have to do with giving people an opportunity to work, and paying them generously, giving good
gifts, helping those who can't help themselves. I guess the answer is, as always, you just have to follow
the Spirit in everything you do!

Okay, so I keep reading and he says it's not okay to want to be rich to want a nice house. If I've found a
perfect faith in Christ I would only want more money to be able to do more good with it. I can see that is
true, because the more I do to be close to the Lord in a day, the less I care about a nice house and a new
car, etc. I can more honestly say I'd rather have my husband home than be rich, and that I don't care.
But the less righteously I am living in general, the more those things start to matter.

I'm also stuck with Jacob's talk about all flesh being the same before God. I can be so unkind, and
judgmental to His children. Yet I am no better than any of they, really. And it is an abomination to God,
which as a parent I can truly understand. I pray for a kinder heart today!

I wonder if the whoredoms were a greater wickedness that the Lamenites because of the gravity of
sexual sin, or because they knew better, or because they were destroying their families, the very basic
government and glory of God.

Jacob 1

I love again the explanation Jacob gives for their work. Their testimony of Christ is beautiful and
powerful, and they know so surely that they work diligently trying to bring all men to him. What a live
well lived! I'm also impressed today by how seriously they took their calling as leaders in the Church.
What a responsibility that must be! As a mother, that is how I must feel about my own family. I must
teach them with all diligence and answer their own sins on my head where I have failed. I think that is
partly why women do not hold the priesthood... we have a different set of important responsibilities
that would suffer if we had to take on those responsibilities as well. Like when women go to work....

2 Nephi 33

It is amazing that Nephi believe what he wrote was so weak, and yet it was truly so powerful. He must
have been an amazing speaker to feel that this was so nothing in comparison. Perhaps it was because he
could see the Spirit having an effect has he spoke, and you don't get that when you are writing...

I love that he prayed that many if not all of us will be saved. That is a lot of faith and a lot of love. But
I am certain that is what God intends, what He will make possible. I want to do more to help that be
possible for those around me. I need to be in a spiritually stronger place so I can help lift those around
me to Him. I love Him so much, and I want to help Him find His children. I know that is what He wants,
too. So if I listen harder, and pray with more faith, He will show me how.

2 Nephi 32

Today in the 5th Sunday lesson we read a scripture from Nephi about how the people of Moses dies
from the fiery serpents because the way was too simple. And I thought about how it's so hard for me
to be consistent in my reading and praying. If it was something big and complicated, that would almost
be easier. But the easiness ends up being a stumbling block to me. And I worry about what to do to
be happy, and what to do to keep my family safe, and what to do to be better. But the answers are so
simple. Feast upon the word and pray always. That is the answer. And then I will know what to do and
then I can be led by the Holy Ghost. Every Sunday I commit to be better, to really do those things. And
I repent and commit again today. I'm grateful that I've started, and I pray that I will continue. Why do I
choose to hold myself back?

It was also striking to me today when Bishop said that Satan is trying to destroy my family, and trying
to destroy my children. It wasn't something new, but it did help me feel more committed. If there is
anything I want to fight to protect it would be those things. So I have to fight harder and not be lazy.
That's all there is to it!

2 Nephi 31

A beautiful doctrinal summary. I read!

2 Nephi 30

I wonder if the division this is talking about between the wicked and the righteous will be a physical
one. Will there be a time when the Saints of God are gathered to avoid destruction? Or will it just
be a spiritual division? How will His people be spared while the wicked are destroyed by fire? Is that
metaphorical? Verse 11 is definitely not literal. And then after all the horror comes the millennium when there is truly literally nothing to be afraid of any more. What an awesome idea that is! I've never
thought about the significance of all the secrets of the wicked being brought to light. I guess I was more
innocent before, and didn't realize how many wicked secrets there are in the world. I think that's an
important part of not being afraid during the millennium, knowing for sure what is true. That in and of
itself is an amazing promise.

2 Nephi 29

When I was reading the article about Senator Hatch and the Hannuka song he wrote, it struck me
that the author called him a "philo-Semite" like so many Mormons. But this chapter explains that
phenomenon. What a beautiful doctrine to thank the Jews for the Bible, rather than accusing a whole
people for the death of Christ. It's such a Christ-like and Godly doctrine, it makes me happy to just think
about it.

Also I love how Nephi lays it out that it makes perfect sense that there would be more scriptures
because God talks to all of His children wherever they are, if they will listen. Of course there would be
other scriptures!

This scripture (verse 11) also seems to be reinforcing the conference talk we just had about writing
down revelation we recieve. Here God is telling us that He commands all people to write the words
He speaks to them. I feel a strong impression that is something I need to do better. Not just when I'm
writing in this scripture journal, but whatever the impressions may be. I'm grateful we just had a lesson
on that talk, to remind me of the promptings I felt as I listened to it the first time.

2 Nephi 28

It is so easy for us to justify a little sin. We all say, I'm not perfect, I'm not ready to give up....whatever it
is. But the Lord knows I'm trying. I forget this isn't how it works sometimes. We have to repent and try
to be really truly perfect everyday. I'm grateful this is pointed out as one of the false teachings in this chapter. It's too easy to fall into that trap for me.

This really is a profound discourse on the flaws of the teachings of churches in this day. It's couched in
much more elegant language usually, but this is what they teach. How sad to believe that God's work is
done and miracles and revelation have ceased. How grateful I am for the gospel!

I wonder how the false churches will fall in the last day. Does that mean when Christ comes and tells
them they are wrong, or is it before that? It is going to be painful and terrible, either way. I wish I knew
better how to warn my neighbor! I love that the Lord tells us again He does it from love, so that they can
repent and not be captives of the devil. Another example of trials that really are blessings.

It's also easy to see the lies of the devil Nephi discourses about here. How some are angry at things
that are good, and some are too pacified, and some believe there is no hell and none of it matters. I
can see those things in the lives of people I love. And the argument against the end of revelation here
is brilliant, too; the Lord told us he would teach us line upon line. Who can tell God He is done, and we
know everything now. How sad that people want to!