Faith

In one of the podcasts I listened to this week (Unshaken Saints), the host of the show mentioned something about Ether 12 that was very insightful to me. He pointed out the during the Jaredite civilization, the prophets prior to Ether cried repentance unto their people (Ether 7:23, 9:28, 11:12, 20), but it seems that Ether took a different approach by first “exhorting the people to believe in God” (12:3), or in other words, to have faith. 

Faith has to come before repentance (vs 3) because faith in Jesus Christ is the catalyst for us to see the changes we need to make. Pres. Nelson recently said "When coupled with faith, repentance opens our access to the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ."(We can do better and be better). So having faith first will open our eyes to see the things we need to change/repent of in our lives.

Seeing our need to repent is one gift we receive when we have faith in Jesus Christ. Ether 12 also lists many other gifts that come to us when we have faith.

Gifts of faith:

• By faith all things are fulfilled (vs 3)
• Faith gives us a sure hope for a better world and that we will dwell with God someday (vs 4)
• Faith will anchor our souls, and when we are anchored we are sure and steadfast. (vs 4)
• Faith motivates us to good works. (vs 4) 
• Faith leads us to glorify God (vs 4)
• Faith gives you hope for things you cannot see (vs 6)
• Faith allows us to see the hand of God in our lives-working miracles both large and small (vs.7-8, 12, 16, 18)
• Faith makes it possible for us to be partakers of the heavenly gift (vs 8-9). According to "The Book of Mormon for Latter-day Saint Families"(page 636), the heavenly gift is "receiving forgiveness of our sins and the companionship of the Holy Ghost."
• Faith allows us to have the priesthood here on earth (vs 10)
• By Faith the Atonement of Jesus Christ was fulfilled (vs 11)
• By Faith we obtain promises from the Lord (vs 17, 21-22)
• Faith allows us to understand His word (vs 20)
• By Faith we can be made mighty in word (vs 23)
• By our Faith the Lord can work through us to bring about righteousness (vs 29)

So what are some ways we can increase our faith? In Preach My Gospel it states that "your faith will increase through diligent study, prayer, dedicated service, and obedience to the promptings of the Holy Ghost and the commandments. Your faith in Jesus Christ grows as you become better acquainted with Him and His teachings" Also, as we work to develop any Christlike attribute, we will also gain other Christlike attributes. "By focusing deeply on one needed attribute, as you progress in obtaining that attribute, other attributes begin to accrue to you." (Elder Scott D. Whiting Becoming like Him). So, even if you're focusing on another Christlike attribute like becoming more patient or more obedient, your faith can also increase during that process. 

The principle of faith can sometimes be an abstract concept to understand and hard to quantify, but as we recognize the gifts of faith in our lives, then our faith becomes somewhat easier to measure. For example, if you can recognize God's hand in your life or feel motivated to do good works, then those are gifts that are coming to you because of your faith in Jesus Christ. 

Gratitude

I loved reading Ether 6 this week and thinking of all the analogies that exist between the Jaredites’ ocean voyage and our own lives. The verses that stood out most to me in this chapter were 8-10. 

That furious wind that god caused (vs. 5) to blow their barges to the promised land, never did cease (vs. 8) and yet they did “thank and praise the Lord all the day long; and when the night came, they did not cease to praise the Lord.”(vs. 9) Wow. I don’t think I’d be able to find much to be grateful for if I was stuck in a barge-with animals-being tossed in the waves day after day. So I wonder for what were they thanking and praising the Lord during those 344 days? Maybe one thing they gave thanks for was that “they did have light continually, whether it was above the water or under the water” (vs. 10). I think there's a lesson we can learn from those verses. No matter how furiously we're being tossed around in life by trials and challenges, there is always something to be grateful for which is the light of Jesus Christ in our lives.

I love this quote about gratitude given by Pres. Monson in Oct. 2010. He said: "When we encounter challenges and problems in our lives, it is often difficult for us to focus on our blessings. However, if we reach deep enough and look hard enough, we will be able to feel and recognize just how much we have been given."

I hope that during this season of trial and challenges that we can take the time to look deep enough and see how the Lord has truly blessed us. I know I am grateful for the many blessings and tender mercies that, if I look deeply enough, I can see everyday in my life. 

Personal revelation

During this week of study, one of the prompts from the Come, Follow Me manual asked us to look more deeply at the principle of personal revelation and what more can we learn about that principle through Ether 1-5.

Pres. Nelson has recently said "I plead with you to increase your spiritual capacity to receive revelation". We can look to the brother of Jared as an example of how to increase spiritual capacity before receiving revelation:

1. He repented and prayed to ask for forgiveness (2: 15)
2. He was told to sin no more so that the Spirit could be with him (2:15)
3. He performed the work the Lord had commanded him to do (2:18)

It's the same pattern our leaders ask of us today. Repent, live righteously and do the things the Lord has asked us to do. These are basic principles that allow us to have the amazing gift of revelation.

In Ether chapter 2, we learn that the brother of Jared had a problem. With the Lords instruction, he built these awesome barges that were so impenetrable that the best way to describe them was “tight like unto a dish” (vs. 17). But because they were so “tight like unto a dish” the passengers wouldn’t be able to breathe or see while traveling inside them. So, the brother of Jared prays to the Lord and asks for some guidance on what he should do about these two problems. His subsequent interaction with the Lord helped remind me that that revelation can come to us in different ways. 

First problem - no air. The answer from the Lord for this question came directly and with step by step instructions on how to solve the problem (vs. 20). This is my favorite way of  receiving revelation because the answer to my question comes directly to my mind accompanied by the method required to get the result. These are also the kinds of revelations that I remember best because they seem to be more dramatic in nature and because they don't happen very often. 

Second problem - no light. The answer from the Lord for this question involved a lot more work on the part of the bother of Jared. The Lord helped him rule out some possibilities (v. 23 - don’t even think about windows or fire!), but after that he had to come up with his own potential solution and present it to the Lord for approval (touch these stones that they may shine in the darkness) (3:1-5). This seems to be the more common way I receive revelation; when I need direction in my life the Lord expects me to put in some effort before that direction comes. 

I would like to share an example from my life about these two different ways of receiving revelation: When I was inspired to start sharing my testimony over social media, I had no idea where to begin. When I asked the Lord what he would have me do, the answer was clear and concise and came with instructions on how I should share and with whom I should share it - an example of the first kind of personal revelation (direct and with instructions). However, the Lord does not instruct me each week about what I should write in my blog posts. I have to put in a lot of effort through studying, pondering, and praying before I know what to write each week. This is an example of the second kind of personal revelation (I have to put forth a lot of effort before presenting to the Lord for his acceptance).

One of my favorite talks about revelation was given by Elder David A. Bednar, (The Spirit of Revelation) in which he compares these two types of revelation to light. The first type of revelation is compared to a light is being turned on in a dark room and the details are immediately in full display. The second type of revelation is compared to the sun rising in the morning where the details start to become clearer over time. I think its reassuring to know that personal revelation can come to us in different ways. It's also comforting to know that the Lord will communicate with us the same way he communicates to his chosen prophets, for "all are alike unto God" (2 Nephi 26:33).

Last words

The Book of Mormon is filled with the testimonies and final words of many ancient prophets. But it is unique that in these three chapters of Mormon 7-9, we get to study the last words of the two last prophets who wrote in this record. It's true that Moroni ends up living longer than he thinks he will and ends up recording more of his testimony, but for all intents and purposes, chapters 8-9 are his farewell words. So what did these two prophets choose to record as their final words, knowing that their testimonies would be preserved to come forth in the latter days?

Mormon

• remember that you are from the House of Israel (7:1, 10)
• repent or you cannot be saved (7:2, 5, 8)
• lay down your weapons of war (7:4)
• believe in Christ (7:5, 8, 10)
• be baptized (7: 8, 10)
• receive the Holy Ghost (7:10)

Promised Blessings*

• dwell in the presence of God in his kingdom (7:7)
• sing ceaseless praises with the choirs above (7:7)
• live in a state of happiness with no end (7:7)
• it shall be well with you in the day of judgement (7:10)

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Moroni

• Search the prophecies of Isaiah (8:23)
• repent (9:6)
• believe in Christ and His miracles (9:11-21)
• preach the gospel to every creature (9:22)
• be baptized (9:23)
• hearken to the words of the Lord (9:27)
• doubt not, but be believing (9:27)
• come unto the Lord with all your heart (9:27)
• work out your salvation before Him (9:27)
• be wise (9:28)
• strip yourselves of all uncleanness (9:28)
• ask that ye will yield to no temptation (9:28)
• serve the true and living God (9:28)
• partake not of the sacrament unworthily (9:29)
• do all things in worthiness (9:29)
• endure to the end (9:29)

Promised blessings*

• the Lord will remember the covenant which he has made with the house of Israel-that they may be blessed forever (8:23, 9:37)
• (whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing) whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him (9:21)
• (he that believeth and is baptized) shall be saved (9:23)
• the gift of protection (9:24)
• (whosoever shall believe in my name, doubting nothing) unto him will I confirm all of my words (9:26)
• you will in nowise be cast out (9:29)
• prayers will be answered according to your faith (9:37)

I find it comforting that the message that was repeated by both both father and son was to believe in Jesus Christ, repent and be baptized.  As you study the final words of other Book of Mormon prophets, they also repeat the same message. Probably the most widely quoted of these is found in 2 Nephi 31. This chapter, written by Nephi, the son of Lehi, is often referred to as the Doctrine of Christ, and Nephi repeats the same principles: follow Christ, repent and be baptized. Nephi also talks about the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end, which are both mentioned in the combined final testimonies of Mormon and Moroni. 

Out of all the words these prophets could leave behind, the most important things they chose to testify of are these five simple principles. So, at times when life starts to feel a bit overwhelming, thinking on these basic principles will bring our focus back to what is most important.

*these are more blessings promised to covenant Israel-you can add them to your list😊