2 Nephi 31

Christ was baptized to show the Father he was willing to do whatever was commanded, basically even if it didn’t make sense, I guess. Am I humble enough for that?

This is a really good chapter to help someone think about and prepare for baptism. It’s a beautiful, and as Nephi says, plain.

2 Nephi 30

Verse 1 strikes me immediately about not supposing I am more righteous than someone who is not a member of the church. Being Mormon alone does not make me more righteous. I have to keep my covenants and really be more righteous. Especially, it feels like, in keeping the most important commandment about loving people, not gossiping and speaking kindly.

I love the descriptions of the millennium in the scriptures, and the idea of there being nothing to be scared of. I feel like I spend a lot of my life worried or scared and it was be such a burden lifted.

2 Nephi 29

I feel like growing up in the Church I have never had a sense of wonder about there being a second witness to the Bible. But really, what an amazing thing that is. To be assured that the God we love is really the God we think we know. That it is all true. That we have a Savior, and a God in the Heaven who knows us and hears our pleas. That what we have committed our lives too is real and right. What a blessing!

I was also really touched by God’s promise to Abraham to remember his seed forever. That must have been such a comforting and overwhelming promise. And  it makes me feel safe and loved to feel connected not only to that promise, but to all of Abrahams seed. I feel like a relative for the first time, to those ancient prophets.

2 Nephi 28

He begins with telling his listeners he knows what he has spoken will come to pass because it is what the Spirit has told him to say. I need to have that kind of faith in the Spirit when it speaks to me. And write according to those promptings so that I can remember what I’ve been told.

It strikes me as he talks about churches contending that sometimes that is how I want my testimony to work. I want things to be arguable and make sense logically. And sometimes I give that more credence than the promptings of the Spirit. Sometimes I trust that, trust myself, more than the spiritual witnesses I have received and continue to receive. Isn’t that like denying the power of God he talks about in verse 5?  And yet when I contrast that with President Monson’s counsel to stand and boldly testify of truth, I can feel the difference in power between those two things. I want to testify boldly and unafraid about the logical or contention.  I want to be so sure it doesn’t matter what anyone says and the fear and doubts don’t creep into my heart. On the other hand, I have been standing firm when the winds come. It would be so to walk away from the Church sometimes, but it would never be easy to deny what I do know and what I am sure of. 

And as I read the rest of the chapter I feel peace because I haven’t been deceived by the rest of the world. I’m still trying as hard as I can. I still care about doing good things and being kind. I know it matters. And I can feel the Lord telling me I am doing okay.