I Nephi 18 – A Study in Contrasts

I have always been fascinated by this chapter of scripture. It shows a significant contrast in how Nephi and his older siblings, Laman and Lemuel, respond to calls from the Lord.

As we read in the previous chapter, Nephi was commanded to build a ship. He had never done this before. His brothers mocked him, and refused to help. Eventually the Lord required him to use a little divinely inspired percussive persuasion to get them moving. It was ONLY after this experience that they repented and worshipped the Lord.

I get the impression however, that they weren’t thrilled with the task of building a ship when they believed that their brother had no idea of what he is doing. This point is brought home in verse 4, when we read that it was ONLY after the ship was built and looked good that his older brothers “humbled themselves again before the lord.”

The point being that Laman and Lemuel would only repent after they saw a sign or received some blessing from the Lord. Nephi’s life is in stark contrast to that paradigm.

When Nephi was commanded to build a ship, his response wasn’t, “Love to Lord, but I have no idea how to do that so if you could find someone with a little know how, I’ll chip in.” He got to work, and by that I mean he dug the ore to build the tools he would need to build a ship and then built the ship.

So the ship is built. Everyone agrees that it is well made. They set off for the promised land. At some point in time in their journey, his brethren and the sons of Ishmael and also their wives, began to be very rude. I’m not exactly sure what that means, but it caused Nephi anxiety that it would cause the Lord to stop helping them on their journey.

Accordingly, he asked them to tone down their behavior. Did they comply? Of course not. They got angry at him and eventually tied Nephi to the mast of the ship. This is the part that really amazes me about Nephi. For most of us, at least for me, it would be human nature to say, “Really Lord? You had me go through so much grief just to get it built and now I’m tied to its mast by my ingrate brothers?” He was tied to the mast for 4 days. Stop to think about that for a while. There are certain things that the human body needs to do on a daily basis, like use the restroom. He was not untied for 4 days. Anything he needed to do during that period was done strapped to the ship’s mast. How humiliating. Are you with me here? He built the ship to save him and his family, including his brothers. He has done everything he can to serve those that hate him and would like to see him dead. Instead of griping about his situation, or cursing the Lord for the injustice of it all, the scriptures state, “Nevertheless, I did look unto my God, and I did praise him all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord because of mine afflictions.”.

Awesome right? Here’s a person that had every right to complain…but didn’t. I try to think of this scripture often as I’m going through challenges and struggles. It helps me to remember that the Lord really is aware of what I’m going through, and He has his purposes for what He wants me to experience and become. I only hope that I can try to be a little more like Nephi as I’m traversing life’s difficult ocean of trials and tribulations.

Heroes; 3 Nephi 1

4 And it came to pass that in the commencement of the ninety and second year, behold, the prophecies of the prophets began to be fulfilled more fully; for there began to be greater signs and greater miracles wrought among the people.
5 But there were some who began to say that the time was past for the words to be fulfilled, which were spoken by Samuel, the Lamanite.
6 And they began to rejoice over their brethren, saying: Behold the time is past, and the words of Samuel are not fulfilled; therefore, your joy and your faith concerning this thing hath been vain.
7 And it came to pass that they did make a great uproar throughout the land; and the people who believed began to be very sorrowful, lest by any means those things which had been spoken might not come to pass.
8 But behold, they did watch steadfastly for that day and that night and that day which should be as one day as if there were no night, that they might know that their faith had not been vain.
9 Now it came to pass that there was a day set apart by the unbelievers, that all those who believed in those traditions should be put to death except the sign should come to pass, which had been given by Samuel the prophet.

(3 Nephi 1: 4-9)

The scriptures are full of experiences where the believers were willing to sacrifice everything, including their lives if need be, in order to worship as they saw fit.

The passage of scripture above is just one instance of this, but it happens to be one of my favorites. From what I glean from the scriptures, Samuel the Lamanite, made a one-time visit to preach repentance to the Nephites. As he called the people to repentance, he discussed the sign that would be given of the Savior’s impending birth:

1 And now it came to pass that Samuel, the Lamanite, did prophesy a great many more things which cannot be written.
2 And behold, he said unto them: Behold, I give unto you a sign; for five years more cometh, and behold, then cometh the Son of God to redeem all those who shall believe on his name.
3 And behold, this will I give unto you for a sign at the time of his coming; for behold, there shall be great lights in heaven, insomuch that in the night before he cometh there shall be no darkness, insomuch that it shall appear unto man as if it was day.
4 Therefore, there shall be one day and a night and a day, as if it were one day and there were no night; and this shall be unto you for a sign; for ye shall know of the rising of the sun and also of its setting; therefore they shall know of a surety that there shall be two days and a night; nevertheless the night shall not be darkened; and it shall be the night before he is born.
5 And behold, there shall a new star arise, such an one as ye never have beheld; and this also shall be a sign unto you.

Five years later, the non-believers began to rejoice because they believed the time had come and gone, and there wasn’t any sign. They put a date on their calendar to kill the believers if the sign didn’t arrive. We know that the Mayans had a calendar that far outlasted their civilization. In fact, it’s still good for about another two years. I’ve frequently suspected that the day they were going to kill the believers was exactly five years to the date from when Samuel gave his prophecy.

What extraordinary faith the believers must’ve had. How easy it would’ve been for them to say, “You know, we really didn’t know this Samuel guy so well. Perhaps we can say we’re still believers but save our lives by denying his prophecy.”

Clearly, their faith wasn’t built on Samuel though. It was built on the Savior. They had been taught that salvation came through Him and no one else. It was that firm belief/knowledge that helped them face this ultimate test of their faith.

I’m looking forward to this weekend’s conference and the chance it will give me to listen to the words of prophets, general authorities, and other inspired church leaders. I too hope to have the faith necessary to see me through life’s challenges.

The Promise - Moroni 10:3-5

3 Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.
4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.

(Book of Mormon | Moroni 10:3 - 5)

The promise of the Book of Mormon. I love that I can go to my God, my Heavenly Father, and seek truth from Him directly. I do not have to rely on my own wisdom and learning, or anyone else’s. The promise is made in the very last chapter of the Book of Mormon that if I want to know about its truthfulness I can pray and get an answer.

I have put this promise to the test. I have studied its words and implications. Throughout the pages of this work I have felt the love of my Savior. I have witnessed for myself to what great lengths Heavenly Father has gone to provide salvation for all of His children.

I have received a witness of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon several times. Typically it comes to me after a period of quiet solitude and reflection. It comes after I have read a passage, perhaps a chapter, and have wondered why was this chapter put into this book?

The scriptures, i.e. The Book of Mormon, The Bible, The Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price, are relatively small when you consider the significance of what they hold. I love to read. I have several bookshelves full of books on many different topics and genres of writing. My scriptures make up only a fraction of the words on paper that I own.

This forces me to ask every time that I read, “What is so important about these verses that they wound up in sacred writ?” It is that contemplation that has invited the Holy Ghost to witness to my spirit the importance and the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.

Like Moroni, I invite you to put the promise of the Book of Mormon to the test. Read the book for yourself, and think about how merciful the Lord has been to you throughout your life. If your life is like mine, you have had your ups and downs through it. You’ve had tremendous struggles, and also experiences of great joy. I can see in my life where the Lord has helped me through my struggles and challenges, and I am grateful for His guiding hand.

The Book of Mormon is true. I know this with every fiber of my being. I challenge you to find out for yourself.

No witness until after the trial of your faith: Ether 12:6

6 And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith.

(Book of Mormon | Ether 12:6)

Following along with the last post about instant gratification, here we are told that the reward comes AFTER the trial of our faith. So often we hear in movies and on TV, and perhaps we even said to ourselves, “Lord just give me a sign.”

We want the sign first. Only after the Lord has shown us that He exists we will try to do what He wants. That’s a little bit of putting the cart before the horse. Signs, in and of themselves, do not create faith. Otherwise I think that Pharaoh would’ve released the children of Israel much sooner than he did. Jesus performed many miracles while He was on earth, and then the people crucified Him.

There is a very sacrilegious movie in the theatres at the moment. The maker of the movie styles himself as a comedian and authority figure on various subjects, like religion and politics. I heard him recently on a talk show asking a Christian, “Do you really think that a serpent spoke to a person?” i.e. he was referencing the Garden of Eden.

My response to that would be that I think that he is trying to find reasons for doubt, when he should be looking for reasons to believe. A person that is looking for reasons to doubt will always find them. It doesn’t make them right.

Examine the world around you. Look out at the stars in the heavens, and at the human body in all of its intricacies. If God created those, would it really be that difficult to make a serpent speak?

For the record, I think that the serpent was figurative and not literal, BUT EVEN IF IT WASN”T, it’s still small potatoes for Him who created everything.

Look for reasons to believe and you will find them.

Yesterday, Candace Salima wrote an excellent article on personal revelation. It can be found here.. It is well worth the investment in time to read it.

As we move forward in faith, diligently striving to do the Lord’s will instead of our own, we will see His subtle hand in our lives. I bear witness that I have seen it in mine.

Marshmallows and instant gratification: Ether 12:4-5

4 Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.
5 And it came to pass that Ether did prophesy great and marvelous things unto the people, which they did not believe, because they saw them not.

(Book of Mormon | Ether 12:4 - 5)

These verses make me think about the importance of delayed gratification. We live in a society of instant gratification and disposable resources. Make no mistake, I like the fact that if I want to know something I can type a few keystrokes in Google and get an answer. That access to knowledge wasn’t available just a short while ago.

However, that ability to get whatever we want so quickly has led to a "me first" mentality. Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die, is the mantra for most of society. If it feels good do it.

These two short verses remind me that sometimes I need to put aside my instant gratification with a “hope for a better world…”

I remember hearing about a study performed several years ago about children, marshmallows, and future SAT scores. Since I too like instant gratification at times, I went into Google, and typed “marshmallows and SAT scores.”
Here’s what I found:

In one of the most amazing developmental studies ever conducted, Walter Michel of Stanford created a simple test of the ability of four year old children to control impulses and delay gratification. Children were taken one at a time into a room with a one-way mirror. They were shown a marshmallow. The experimenter told them he had to leave and that they could have the marshmallow right then, but if they waited for the experimenter to return from an errand, they could have two marshmallows. One marshmallow was left on a table in front of them. Some children grabbed the available marshmallow within seconds of the experimenter leaving. Others waited up to twenty minutes for the experimenter to return. In a follow-up study (Shoda, Mischel, & Peake, 1990), children were tested at 18 years of age and comparisons were made between the third of the children who grabbed the marshmallow (the "impulsive") and the third who delayed gratification in order to receive the enhanced reward ("impulse controlled").

The third of the children who were most impulsive at four years of age scored an average of 524 verbal and 528 math. The impulse controlled students who scored 610 verbal and 652 math! This astounding 210 point total score difference on the SAT was predicted on the basis of a single observation at four years of age! The 210 point difference is as large as the average differences between that of economically advantaged versus disadvantaged children and is larger than the difference between children from families with graduate degrees versus children whose parents did not finish high school! At four years of age gobbling a marshmallow now v. waiting for two later is twice as good a predictor of later SAT scores than is IQ.

Might I suggest that we’re all 4 year olds? We’re enduring our time where we’ve been told that if we resist the urge to indulge our baser desires for just a short while that we will be richly rewarded for doing so. If we deny ourselves all ungodliness and place our trust and faith in Him who is mighty to save, we will be blessed.

So what do you think? Should we just eat our marshmallows now, or should we hold off for a bit for the promise and sure hope of better marshmallows down the road?

For the love of power - Ether 9: 1-7

1 AND now I, Moroni, proceed with my record. Therefore, behold, it came to pass that because of the secret combinations of Akish and his friends, behold, they did overthrow the kingdom of Omer.
2 Nevertheless, the Lord was merciful unto Omer, and also to his sons and to his daughters who did not seek his destruction.
3 And the Lord warned Omer in a dream that he should depart out of the land; wherefore Omer departed out of the land with his family, and traveled many days, and came over and passed by the hill of Shim, and came over by the place where the Nephites were destroyed, and from thence eastward, and came to a place which was called Ablom, by the seashore, and there he pitched his tent, and also his sons and his daughters, and all his household, save it were Jared and his family.
4 And it came to pass that Jared was anointed king over the people, by the hand of wickedness; and he gave unto Akish his daughter to wife.
5 And it came to pass that Akish sought the life of his father-in-law; and he applied unto those whom he had sworn by the oath of the ancients, and they obtained the head of his father-in-law, as he sat upon his throne, giving audience to his people.

(Book of Mormon | Ether 9:1 - 5)

The Lord warns Omer to leave the land. I find it interesting that the Lord warns Omer to leave the land rather than to defend himself against his son Jared. From the preceding and succeeding verses I suspect that might have more to do with the wickedness of the people than anything to do with Omer.

Jared, Omer’s son, is anointed king over the people. He had promised Akish his daughter’s hand in marriage if he got rid of Omer so that Jared could become king. This was done at the behest of his daughter, who was clearly manipulative and also greedy for power.

I find it surprising that Jared was naïve enough to believe that his daughter wouldn’t do exactly to him, what she had already proposed to do to her grandfather, i.e. kill the person higher than you on the social food chain so you can have their position.

Anyway, Jared’s son-in-law kills him while he is sitting on his throne.

6 For so great had been the spreading of this wicked and secret society that it had corrupted the hearts of all the people; therefore Jared was murdered upon his throne, and Akish reigned in his stead.
7 And it came to pass that Akish began to be jealous of his son, therefore he shut him up in prison, and kept him upon little or no food until he had suffered death.

(Book of Mormon | Ether 9:6 - 7)

Akish assumed the kingdom through deceit and murder. It is not surprising that he would suspect that his own children might do to him, what he and his wife did to his father-in-law. After all, that is the example that he set for them. Accordingly, since he knew that children were capable of murdering their parents to gain power, he had his own locked up in prison and given little or no food until he died.

So what did Akish accomplish exactly? He is now the king, but he has good reason not to trust anyone. So he lives his life exercising authority over the people but having to sleep with one eye open for fear of who is trying to take him out. It doesn’t seem like much of a life to me.

What do you think? What price are you willing to pay for to acquire wealth, power prestige? Not that I’m saying that there is anything wrong with any of these things individually. I’m trying to get ahead in life just like anyone else. What boundaries do you set for yourself, so that as you strive to get ahead in life, you still maintain your ethics and honor before the Lord?

Brother against brother - Ether 7:6-9

6 Now the land of Moron, where the king dwelt, was near the land which is called Desolation by the Nephites.
7 And it came to pass that Kib dwelt in captivity, and his people under Corihor his son, until he became exceedingly old; nevertheless Kib begat Shule in his old age, while he was yet in captivity.
8 And it came to pass that Shule was angry with his brother; and Shule waxed strong, and became mighty as to the strength of a man; and he was also mighty in judgment.
9 Wherefore, he came to the hill Ephraim, and he did molten out of the hill, and made swords out of steel for those whom he had drawn away with him; and after he had armed them with swords he returned to the city Nehor and gave battle unto his brother Corihor, by which means he obtained the kingdom and restored it unto his father Kib.

(Book of Mormon | Ether 7:6 - 9)

Kib does battle with his brother and restores the kingdom to his father. The brother of Jared warned that the anointing of kings would lead the people into captivity. He was proven prophetic. Just a few generation have passed and already the people have forgotten the Lord that delivered them safely to the promised land.
Of interest in this passage is the mention of “steel” in verse 9. Many distracters to the Book of Mormon cite references like this to say the Book of Mormon must be false because steel didn’t exist at that time.

Jeff Lindsay has put together a LDS FAQs page that addresses this issue.

Travelling on the ocean of life - Ether 6:1-3

1 AND now I, Moroni, proceed to give the record of Jared and his brother.
2 For it came to pass after the Lord had prepared the stones which the brother of Jared had carried up into the mount, the brother of Jared came down out of the mount, and he did put forth the stones into the vessels which were prepared, one in each end thereof; and behold, they did give light unto the vessels.
3 And thus the Lord caused stones to shine in darkness, to give light unto men, women, and children, that they might not cross the great waters in darkness.

(Book of Mormon | Ether 6:1 - 3)

The brother of Jared places the stones that had been touched by the finger of the Lord into their ships. These stones provide light for the travelers as they sail across the ocean to the promised land.

The Lord Jesus is the light and life of the world, see Mosiah 16: 8-9, and Alma 38:9. He is the One that provides light for us as we travel through the ocean of life. His light is a shining beacon, that if followed, will bring us back home to the promised land.

Line Upon Line - Ether 2:22-25

22 And he cried again unto the Lord saying: O Lord, behold I have done even as thou hast commanded me; and I have prepared the vessels for my people, and behold there is no light in them. Behold, O Lord, wilt thou suffer that we shall cross this great water in darkness?
23 And the Lord said unto the brother of Jared: What will ye that I should do that ye may have light in your vessels? For behold, ye cannot have windows, for they will be dashed in pieces; neither shall ye take fire with you, for ye shall not go by the light of fire.
24 For behold, ye shall be as a whale in the midst of the sea; for the mountain waves shall dash upon you. Nevertheless, I will bring you up again out of the depths of the sea; for the winds have gone forth out of my mouth, and also the rains and the floods have I sent forth.
25 And behold, I prepare you against these things; for ye cannot cross this great deep save I prepare you against the waves of the sea, and the winds which have gone forth, and the floods which shall come. Therefore what will ye that I should prepare for you that ye may have light when ye are swallowed up in the depths of the sea?

(Book of Mormon | Ether 2:22 - 25)

I love these verses. The brother of Jared already knows that there is a potential design flaw in the boats, i.e. they have no light in them. However, those concerns did not stop him from building the boat as he was commanded. He left open the possibility that the Lord would in fact have them cross the ocean in darkness. Obviously, he didn’t want to, but regardless of what he wanted, he was going to do what the Lord wanted. That’s faith. The kind of faith that moves mountains, or prepares a person to draw closer to the Lord.

I also like the Lord’s part of this exchange. He knew what was needed. He knew it before He told the brother of Jared to build the boats. However, He is teaching the brother of Jared line upon line, precept upon precept. He is only giving the brother of Jared the info that he will need right then. This allows the brother of Jared to grow in faith as he accomplishes the tasks that the Lord has assigned him. Even at the end of these verses, the Lord doesn’t give the brother of Jared the answer. He asks a question, which causes the brother of Jared to ponder the matter in his mind to find the correct answer.

Most people would’ve looked at the design of the boat and before even starting on the construction, would’ve complained about the lack of light. They would’ve required a solution to that problem before they spent the time and energy to build it.

In contrast, the brother of Jared did what he was commanded and trusted that the Lord would provide if he followed the Lord’s instructions completely. How often are we unwilling to follow the promptings of the Spirit because it just doesn’t make sense?

There have been times in my life when I didn’t understand the promptings of the Lord. I was consulting for a small company once. I was filling the role of a financial controller for them. I found some things that they were doing that were illegal in regards to their taxes. They weren’t doing it maliciously, but what they were doing was definitely wrong. I explained to them what they were doing, why it was wrong, and the liabilities they were exposed to by doing what they were doing.
They initially followed my counsel on the matter. However, doing so took money out of the pockets of their managers, who didn’t like it. Long story short, they decided that they couldn’t take the money away from their managers, and I wouldn’t sign a tax form that I knew to be in error. I was let go.

In a panic, I started looking for another job so I could pay my mortgage, etc. Within a day, I had interviewed for another consulting position and was asked if I could start the following Monday. This is all good.

My new assignment was in a different state. The following Monday I was on a plane heading for New Mexico. My new client was a resort and casino. They catered to every legal vice you could think of.

It seemed odd that the Lord would bring me there. The first weekend I spent there I was on my knees Sunday morning asking the Lord if I could go home. I told Him that I was willing to exercise my faith and walk away from this job. You see, I was trying to exercise my faith. However, I was asking to do it on my terms.

I went to church that day at a very small branch. They were glad to see me as I brought their attendance into double figures, i.e. there was nine people there until I showed up. Anyway, the Branch President was having a little “come to Jesus” discussion talk with them for sacrament. The branch had dropped the ball on a welfare assignment the day before, and the Branch President wasn’t thrilled.
He spent about forty five minutes telling them that they had a sacred obligation to work. He quoted General Authority after General Authority discussing our work ethic, our responsibility to provide for our families, how we would be held accountable if we didn’t. Mid way through his sermon I quietly told the Lord, “I got the message. You want me here. Please help me to understand why.”

Subsequently, I had several very spiritual experiences. I was able to give out two copies of the Book of Mormon to people I worked with. I was able to share messages of the gospel in a place where the church was very small. It was a great experience and increased my testimony greatly.

What experiences have you had like this? A time where you did what you felt you were prompted to do, even though at the time it seemed wrong? What blessings followed?

Wheat and Tares - Ether 2: 7-12

7 And the Lord would not suffer that they should stop beyond the sea in the wilderness, but he would that they should come forth even unto the land of promise, which was choice above all other lands, which the Lord God had preserved for a righteous people.
8 And he had sworn in his wrath unto the brother of Jared, that whoso should possess this land of promise, from that time henceforth and forever, should serve him, the true and only God, or they should be swept off when the fulness of his wrath should come upon them.
9 And now, we can behold the decrees of God concerning this land, that it is a land of promise; and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall serve God, or they shall be swept off when the fulness of his wrath shall come upon them. And the fulness of his wrath cometh upon them when they are ripened in iniquity.
10 For behold, this is a land which is choice above all other lands; wherefore he that doth possess it shall serve God or shall be swept off; for it is the everlasting decree of God. And it is not until the fulness of iniquity among the children of the land, that they are swept off.
11 And this cometh unto you, O ye Gentiles, that ye may know the decrees of God—that ye may repent, and not continue in your iniquities until the fulness come, that ye may not bring down the fulness of the wrath of God upon you as the inhabitants of the land have hitherto done.
12 Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ, who hath been manifested by the things which we have written.

(Book of Mormon | Ether 2:7 - 12)

I live in the land of promise. A land that is choice above all other lands. This land is reserved for the righteous. Though this conversation between the Lord and the brother of Jared took place several thousand years ago, verse 8 shows that it is still relevant today.

How are we as a nation serving God?

Are we ripened in iniquity yet? When you turn on your television and flip through the channels are you more likely to encounter programs that are in line with the word of God, or do they espouse themes that are contrary to His teachings?

I know that I can hardly find any programs that are worthy of my time. When watching T.V. I tend to spend my time on specialty channels like Discovery, ESPN, Food Network. Frequently when I try to find something worth watching on entertainment channels, I am disappointed in the quality of the shows.

However those shows wouldn’t be shown by the networks if they weren’t being watched. I wasn’t planning on writing about T.V., however, I feel strongly that there is a symbiotic relationship between what the media shows and what the populace wants to see.

The media tries to push society in certain directions and society will decide when the media has gone too far, or if they haven’t gone far enough.

Yesterday, my 14 year old son and I watched a commercial where Bigfoot was drinking from a river. Unbeknownst to him, a few feet away was a group of bathing suit clad teenagers. One of the guys was dared to go and snap Bigfoot in the backside with a wet towel.

My son and I were engrossed as this humorous scene played out. The guy snaps bigfoot in the butt with his rolled up wet towel and thinks it’s funny. Bigfoot, wasn’t so amused. The creature grabs the teenager by his swimsuit and hurtles him into the river. Colby and I are busting out laughing. However, the last scene shows that bigfoot still has a hold of the teenagers swimsuit in his hand and the camera clearly show a young man flying through the air without any clothes on. That last scene was very fast. If I had the opportunity to freeze frame it, maybe I’d see that the guy was now wearing a skin colored Speedo or something, I’m not sure. All I know is that it didn’t look like he was wearing anything. I don’t think that he was wearing anything, and that is definitely what the makers of the commercial wanted me to think.

I was shocked. And now a little disappointed that I had found it so funny, until that last 1 to 2 second scene. I was shown something filthy and wholly inappropriate for viewing by myself or my son. The filth was wrapped up in a pretty package of humor and made to look enticing. I was left shaking my head as the corruption of society inexorably moves forward.

The media reflects the morals and values of society in a free country.

Have we ripened in iniquity yet? How close are we to being swept off?
I am reminded of how a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump, see Galatians 5:9.
I also reflect on the parable of the wheat and the tares found in Matthew 13:

24 ¶ Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

At the moment, both the wheat and the tares are growing together. How much longer do you think that can last?

The Ultimate Tour Guide - Ether 2:4-6

4 And it came to pass that when they had come down into the valley of Nimrod the Lord came down and talked with the brother of Jared; and he was in a cloud, and the brother of Jared saw him not.
5 And it came to pass that the Lord commanded them that they should go forth into the wilderness, yea, into that quarter where there never had man been. And it came to pass that the Lord did go before them, and did talk with them as he stood in a cloud, and gave directions whither they should travel.
6 And it came to pass that they did travel in the wilderness, and did build barges, in which they did cross many waters, being directed continually by the hand of the Lord.

(Book of Mormon | Ether 2:4 - 6)

What better tour guide to have than the Lord? He guides them with His voice and tells them where to go. If only I could get guidance like that now? Wait a second, can’t I? If I am living my life in harmony with the will of Heavenly Father, then I have the promise that His spirit will lead and guide me. Look at these verses:

26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

(New Testament | John 14:26)

Isn’t teaching me all things the same as showing me which direction I should go? I think so.

26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

(New Testament | John 15:26)

The Comforter, i.e. the Holy Ghost will testify of the Savior, who is the person leading the Jaredites in the verses above.

13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

(New Testament | John 16:13)

Just like the Jaredites were taking a temporal journey, we are all on a spiritual journey. We do not have to travel alone. We do not have to guess which way to go. As we keep the commandments and draw closer to the Lord, we are promised to have His Spirit to be with us.

We can draw closer to the Lord by reading the scriptures like the Bible and the Book of Mormon. Enjoy the journey.

Be Prepared - Ether 2:1-3

1 AND it came to pass that Jared and his brother, and their families, and also the friends of Jared and his brother and their families, went down into the valley which was northward, (and the name of the valley was Nimrod, being called after the mighty hunter) with their flocks which they had gathered together, male and female, of every kind.
2 And they did also lay snares and catch fowls of the air; and they did also prepare a vessel, in which they did carry with them the fish of the waters.
3 And they did also carry with them deseret, which, by interpretation, is a honey bee; and thus they did carry with them swarms of bees, and all manner of that which was upon the face of the land, seeds of every kind.

(Book of Mormon | Ether 2:1 - 3)

The Jaredites are preparing to travel. They do not know yet where the Lord will send them. They do not know yet that they will be travelling by water. They were commanded to gather together animals and birds of all kinds, and they are being obedient to that command.

They transported an aquarium to carry fish, and swarms of bees. Perhaps most importantly, they carried with them seeds of every kind, so that wherever they were led, they would be able to raise food.

The moral of the story is to be prepared. The economy is sputtering, the U.S. dollar has been weakening against the Euro and other denominations for a while. Floods have ravaged the Midwest, which is sending the cost of certain commodities like corn skyrocketing. There are wars raging, and rumors of wars everywhere.
Are we ready?

In the October, 2007 conference Elder Walter F. Gonzalez spoke about, “Today Is the Time.” Included in his sermon was the following:

“When President James E. Faust informed my wife and me that we would be transferred to Lima, Peru, we had no clue that on August 15, 2007, only a few days after our arrival, we would witness a devastating earthquake. More than 52,000 houses were destroyed by its sheer strength. Worse yet, it left more than 500 dead. Nine of them were members of the Church. Members in the Ica and Pisco stakes and the Cañete and Chincha districts suffered the brunt of the tremor’s aftermath.

The Church provided immediate relief to its members and those of other faiths. The morning after the quake, our members in the disaster area were receiving food and clothing, and before noon the Church was donating humanitarian aid to the nation’s civil defense. Many members who were left homeless were sheltered in our meetinghouses. Despite how unexpected the catastrophe was, the priesthood organization functioned very well to bring relief to those less fortunate.

Stake and district presidents along with bishops went out to help their members only minutes after the earthquake. The terrible situation in which these priesthood leaders went out is worth highlighting: it was nighttime; the lights were out; destruction abounded; and the earth would not stop shaking. These magnificent priesthood leaders left their families secured and walked out into the darkness, among people who wept, surrounded by destroyed houses. Thus our leaders went out during the night and the following days, facing frequent, strong aftershocks and a tsunami warning. They searched among the rubble, in the midst of commotion, risking their own lives to get to all the members. A bishop declared, “Without as much as a second thought, I ran in search of my Church brothers and sisters and leaders.” He found them. That’s how he spent most of the night.

What motivated these leaders to go out and help others, even to the risking of their own lives? Certainly it was their great faith in the Savior and His Church. It was their understanding of their calling as leaders in the priesthood. It was gospel principles engraved in their lives before the earthquake, not during the crisis—engraved not with ink but with fire by the Spirit in the fleshy tablets of their hearts (see 2 Corinthians 3:3).

The possibility of an earthquake was always there. When or how it would hit no one knew. When it came, it was devastating. But under the direction of the priesthood, the moment’s challenge was faced. In many cases, when members were unable, the Lord made up the difference. Some members tell of seeing men in white helping to save their lives. Others heard guiding voices. Years of Church service were a preparatory school to becoming organized and helping one another.

The same happens in our lives. We don’t know when or how earthquakes will hit us. They likely won’t be literal shakings of the earth, as happened in Peru, but rather quakes of temptations, sin, or trials, such as unemployment or serious sickness. Today is the time to prepare for when that type of quake comes. Today is the time to prepare—not during the crisis. What are we doing today to engraven in our souls the gospel principles that will uphold us in times of adversity?”

The scriptures teach us that if we are prepared, we will not fear. Prophets, Apostles, and other General Authorities have given the clarion call for us to prepare. Hopefully, we will be wise like the Jaredites and be prepared to do whatever the Lord requires of us.

A God of Miracles - Mormon 9:15-20

15 And now, O all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do no miracles, I would ask of you, have all these things passed, of which I have spoken? Has the end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay; and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles.
16 Behold, are not the things that God hath wrought marvelous in our eyes? Yea, and who can comprehend the marvelous works of God?
17 Who shall say that it was not a miracle that by his word the heaven and the earth should be; and by the power of his word man was created of the dust of the earth; and by the power of his word have miracles been wrought?
18 And who shall say that Jesus Christ did not do many mighty miracles? And there were many mighty miracles wrought by the hands of the apostles.
19 And if there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles.
20 And the reason why he ceaseth to do miracles among the children of men is because that they dwindle in unbelief, and depart from the right way, and know not the God in whom they should trust.

(Book of Mormon | Mormon 9:15 - 20)

Moroni makes a very valid point in these verses. Throughout the scriptures we read time and again how God is a God of miracles. Anciently, prophets performed great miracles like Moses and Elijah.

Jesus performed even greater miracles while he was on earth, and he gave His power, the priesthood, to His Apostles. They also performed many mighty miracles.
Jesus did not perform many miracles amongst His countrymen because of their lack of faith, not due to His lack of ability.

If there are no miracles being performed today it would be due to our lack of faith. However, God does not change, and His priesthood is on the earth. Miracles, both large and small are performed today.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints declares that there are Apostles on the earth.

A good friend of mine that I home teach, Kate, recently spent about six months in the ICU with pancreatitis. When she was first in the hospital she was given a priesthood blessing that she would recover.
She was fortunate that there was a doctor in her hospital that travelled extensively, and at that moment was in her hospital. He studied nothing but the pancreas. He is one of the top pancreas specialists in the country. He performed tests on Kate’s pancreas. The results were not promising. He told Kate’s husband, Tim, that he had never seen a person with test results like hers survive.

As mentioned earlier, she spent six long and difficult months in the ICU. She has been home and getting stronger everyday now for several months. The doctors are baffled as to why she lived. They performed several operations on her during her convalescence where they told Kate and Tim that the chances of survival were improbable.

Is God a God of miracles today? Absolutely. Some of His miracles might not be on as grand a scale as that, or at least they might not be perceived to be, but He is not asleep and He loves his children. Those that look for His hand in their lives will see it in numerous ways.

The Genetics of The Book of Mormon

Orson Scott Card is one of my favorite authors. He started his career writing science fiction books like Ender's Game. Nowadays he writes a lot of LDS themed material.

I recently read an article of his on Mormon Times that discusses the Genetics of the Book of Mormon. It is aimed at those that think DNA and other scientific research proves the Book of Mormon false. His article is articulate and well worth the read. It can be found here.

How to find peace in a troubled world - Mormon 8:7-11

7 And behold, the Lamanites have hunted my people, the Nephites, down from city to city and from place to place, even until they are no more; and great has been their fall; yea, great and marvelous is the destruction of my people, the Nephites.
8 And behold, it is the hand of the Lord which hath done it. And behold also, the Lamanites are at war one with another; and the whole face of this land is one continual round of murder and bloodshed; and no one knoweth the end of the war.
9 And now, behold, I say no more concerning them, for there are none save it be the Lamanites and robbers that do exist upon the face of the land.
10 And there are none that do know the true God save it be the disciples of Jesus, who did tarry in the land until the wickedness of the people was so great that the Lord would not suffer them to remain with the people; and whether they be upon the face of the land no man knoweth.
11 But behold, my father and I have seen them, and they have ministered unto us.

(Book of Mormon | Mormon 8:7 - 11)

Moroni watches the final destruction of his people. After the Lamanites had destroyed the Nephites they started fighting amongst themselves. Such is the nature of anger and hatred. It is easy to become angry at a person or idea, or something, and to say to yourself, and soon as that person or thing goes away, I won’t be angry anymore.

However, we are each responsible for our emotions. If I’m angry about something, it is a conscious decision on my part to be so. What’s more, by giving place in my heart for anger in one area makes me more susceptible to anger in other areas.

Peace comes from within. The Savior is the Prince of Peace. Moroni understands this. It is how he can constantly be surrounded by anger, war, and hatred, and not be swallowed up by it. He places his trust in the person that brings peace of soul, even the Lord Jesus Christ.

I will try to remember this today. I am in control of what I do, say, and think. I will need help along the way. If I put my trust and faith solely in myself, I will waste the day, and will most likely experience negative emotions that will pull me away from the Holy Spirit.

A kind and loving Heavenly Father wants me to find peace and joy. If I allow Him to be the center of my thoughts and actions, I will find happiness today and forever.

The Law of Witnesses - Mormon 8:1-6

1 BEHOLD I, Moroni, do finish the record of my father, Mormon. Behold, I have but few things to write, which things I have been commanded by my father.
2 And now it came to pass that after the great and tremendous battle at Cumorah, behold, the Nephites who had escaped into the country southward were hunted by the Lamanites, until they were all destroyed.
3 And my father also was killed by them, and I even remain alone to write the sad tale of the destruction of my people. But behold, they are gone, and I fulfil the commandment of my father. And whether they will slay me, I know not.
4 Therefore I will write and hide up the records in the earth; and whither I go it mattereth not.
5 Behold, my father hath made this record, and he hath written the intent thereof. And behold, I would write it also if I had room upon the plates, but I have not; and ore I have none, for I am alone. My father hath been slain in battle, and all my kinsfolk, and I have not friends nor whither to go; and how long the Lord will suffer that I may live I know not.
6 Behold, *four hundred years have passed away since the coming of our Lord and Savior.

(Book of Mormon | Mormon 8:1 - 6)

This passage is in line with the law of witnesses, i.e. “In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” 2 Corinthians 13:1

The original prophets wrote the record and Mormon abridged them, becoming a witness of them. Here we have his son Moroni also becoming a witness of the Book of Mormon.

Since Moroni was the person who gave the plates to Joseph Smith, there is a clear line of ownership and possession of the records. Joseph Smith fulfilled the law of witnesses with both the Three Witnesses and the Eight.

It is obvious that Mormon had this in mind. Moroni states that he was commanded by his father to finish the record.

I add my voice and witness to the Book of Mormon. I have read it dozens of times. I have felt the Spirit of the Lord bear witness to my soul that it is true. That knowledge fills me with a sense of peace and comfort. I know who I am, I am a son of God. I know why I am here. I know how to partake of the Tree of Life and receive Eternal Life. I am grateful for my testimony.

The best thing about the Book of Mormon is that there is no reason for you to take my word that it is true. You can find out for yourself. Sincerely read and ponder the Book of Mormon. As you do so, ask your Father in Heaven to know if it is true. He will answer your sincere prayer. He loves you and wants to help bring you home again.

The final admonition Mormon 7:1-7

1 AND now, behold, I would speak somewhat unto the remnant of this people who are spared, if it so be that God may give unto them my words, that they may know of the things of their fathers; yea, I speak unto you, ye remnant of the house of Israel; and these are the words which I speak:
2 Know ye that ye are of the house of Israel.
3 Know ye that ye must come unto repentance, or ye cannot be saved.
4 Know ye that ye must lay down your weapons of war, and delight no more in the shedding of blood, and take them not again, save it be that God shall command you.
5 Know ye that ye must come to the knowledge of your fathers, and repent of all your sins and iniquities, and believe in Jesus Christ, that he is the Son of God, and that he was slain by the Jews, and by the power of the Father he hath risen again, whereby he hath gained the victory over the grave; and also in him is the sting of death swallowed up.
6 And he bringeth to pass the resurrection of the dead, whereby man must be raised to stand before his judgment-seat.
7 And he hath brought to pass the redemption of the world, whereby he that is found guiltless before him at the judgment day hath it given unto him to dwell in the presence of God in his kingdom, to sing ceaseless praises with the choirs above, unto the Father, and unto the Son, and unto the Holy Ghost, which are one God, in a state of happiness which hath no end.

(Book of Mormon | Mormon 7:1 - 7)

If you could give one last speech/sermon for the benefit of future generations what would it be? Mormon, a warrior prophet, gives his final admonition in this chapter. His days have been spent crying repentance to his people, and leading them in battle against their foes.
I wonder if at this point he looked back on his life and thought that he wasn’t very successful in either endeavor? What he does know is that he has been faithful in keeping the commandments in very difficult situations. Despite the chaos and turmoil that surrounded his existence he was able to raise at least one son that was true to the faith.
Isn’t that what matters? I can be a failure in just about every way that the world would define that term, but if I’m a success with the Lord, what else could I want?
I for one, give thanks to brave men like Mormon who fill me with hope and a desire to be a better me.

Love Your Enemies, Mormon 5: 8-13

8 And now behold, I, Mormon, do not desire to harrow up the souls of men in casting before them such an awful scene of blood and carnage as was laid before mine eyes; but I, knowing that these things must surely be made known, and that all things which are hid must be revealed upon the house-tops—
9 And also that a knowledge of these things must come unto the remnant of these people, and also unto the Gentiles, who the Lord hath said should scatter this people, and this people should be counted as naught among them—therefore I write a small abridgment, daring not to give a full account of the things which I have seen, because of the commandment which I have received, and also that ye might not have too great sorrow because of the wickedness of this people.
10 And now behold, this I speak unto their seed, and also to the Gentiles who have care for the house of Israel, that realize and know from whence their blessings come.
11 For I know that such will sorrow for the calamity of the house of Israel; yea, they will sorrow for the destruction of this people; they will sorrow that this people had not repented that they might have been clasped in the arms of Jesus.
12 Now these things are written unto the remnant of the house of Jacob; and they are written after this manner, because it is known of God that wickedness will not bring them forth unto them; and they are to be hid up unto the Lord that they may come forth in his own due time.
13 And this is the commandment which I have received; and behold, they shall come forth according to the commandment of the Lord, when he shall see fit, in his wisdom.

(Book of Mormon | Mormon 5:8 - 13)

Mormon has probably known very few moments of peace in his life. He is well acquainted with war, bloodshed, and carnage. He has tried to show his brethren the Nephites, that their salvation, temporal and spiritual can only be found through the Lord. He knows that his people will not repent, and therefore will be destroyed.
And yet he maintains hope. Not hope for his people, but rather hope for his enemies, that someday they will be receptive to the message of the Lord and Savior. He sees the destroyers of his people as children of a loving Father in Heaven. He see them as God sees them. Regardless of the fact that the Lamanites will destroy his people, he hopes for the day when they will repent and become humble and submissive to the word of the Lord.

Life being what it is, we all have probably had moments where we have been treated unfairly. It would be human nature, aka, the natural man, that would want to strike back at these moments in anger, and feelings of self justification. Mormon is a perfect example of, “Love your enemies, do good to them that curse you…”
Because of his ability to see God’s children the way that He does, he has hope. Hope for himself, and hope for future generations.

This hope provides peace of mind for me when everything around me seems to go sideways at time. I am a son of God, and He has sent me here. Keeping that thought foremost in my mind will help me to overcome life’s struggles and vicissitudes.

Rely on your own strength and perish - Mormon 4:13-18

13 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did take possession of the city Desolation, and this because their number did exceed the number of the Nephites.
14 And they did also march forward against the city Teancum, and did drive the inhabitants forth out of her, and did take many prisoners both women and children, and did offer them up as sacrifices unto their idol gods.
15 And it came to pass that in the three hundred and sixty and seventh year, the Nephites being angry because the Lamanites had sacrificed their women and their children, that they did go against the Lamanites with exceedingly great anger, insomuch that they did beat again the Lamanites, and drive them out of their lands.
16 And the Lamanites did not come again against the Nephites until the three hundred and seventy and fifth year.
17 And in this year they did come down against the Nephites with all their powers; and they were not numbered because of the greatness of their number.
18 And from this time forth did the Nephites gain no power over the Lamanites, but began to be swept off by them even as a dew before the sun.

(Book of Mormon | Mormon 4:13 - 18)

The Lamanites win a few battles and believing in a higher power, albeit the wrong one, they offer up human sacrifices to their idol gods. The Nephites are enraged and fight back with great ferocity. So much so, that they drive the Lamanites back out of their lands.

Throughout the Book of Mormon it always appears that the Lamanites were more numerous than the Nephites. This is mentioned several times during conflict, see Jarom 1:6, Mosiah 20:11, Mosiah 25:3, and Alma 2:24-35.

In times past, the greater number of Lamanites caused the Nephites to turn to the Lord for protection. They were put into a situation where they needed to rely on Him or be destroyed. In the past, they eventually turned to Him who is mighty to save. Unfortunately, at this time they are too far gone. They are past feeling, meaning they couldn’t feel the promptings of the Holy Spirit encouraging them to repent and be saved.

Sometimes it may seem that our challenges and trials are overwhelming and too great for us to handle. It is in these difficult times that we need to turn to a loving Heavenly Father who gives weakness unto us that we might humble ourselves before him. His grace is sufficient when are mere mortal strength is not enough to save us.

Bloodlust, Computer Games, Addiction, and the downfall of the Nephites - Mormon 4: 5-12

5 But, behold, the judgments of God will overtake the wicked; and it is by the wicked that the wicked are punished; for it is the wicked that stir up the hearts of the children of men unto bloodshed.
6 And it came to pass that the Lamanites did make preparations to come against the city Teancum.
7 And it came to pass in the three hundred and sixty and fourth year the Lamanites did come against the city Teancum, that they might take possession of the city Teancum also.
8 And it came to pass that they were repulsed and driven back by the Nephites. And when the Nephites saw that they had driven the Lamanites they did again boast of their own strength; and they went forth in their own might, and took possession again of the city Desolation.
9 And now all these things had been done, and there had been thousands slain on both sides, both the Nephites and the Lamanites.
10 And it came to pass that the three hundred and sixty and sixth year had passed away, and the Lamanites came again upon the Nephites to battle; and yet the Nephites repented not of the evil they had done, but persisted in their wickedness continually.
11 And it is impossible for the tongue to describe, or for man to write a perfect description of the horrible scene of the blood and carnage which was among the people, both of the Nephites and of the Lamanites; and every heart was hardened, so that they delighted in the shedding of blood continually.
12 And there never had been so great wickedness among all the children of Lehi, nor even among all the house of Israel, according to the words of the Lord, as was among this people.

(Book of Mormon | Mormon 4:5 - 12)

The Nephites and Lamanites are bent on destroying each other. They are consumed, or rather addicted, to bloodlust. They “delighted in the shedding of blood continually.”

I have frequently wondered why the Anti-Nephi-Lehis felt the need to bury their weapons, see Alma 24:15-19. The church has never taught that we are not allowed to defend ourselves (with this being the sole exception to that rule). In fact, the opposite has been taught, see Alma 43:29-30. So why then did the Anti-Nephi-Lehis feel compelled to bury, and then never touch again, their weapons? How does that answer correlate to the verses above, and what does that have to do with addiction? Finally, what is the relevance to society today?

Were the Anti-Nephi-Lehis overzealous when they buried their weapons of war? They too had delighted in shedding the blood of others. They were not in the same situation as someone that hasn’t taken the life of another and felt pleasure in the act. They were addicted to bloodlust and they could no longer live their lives the way that others did in this regard.

For example, not being an alcoholic, I can walk through a smoke filled bar (though why I would want to, I don’t know, but stay with me on this), and feel disgusted by the scene. However, if I walked through the same bar with another good and upstanding member of my Elders’ Quorum who is a recovering alcoholic, he might start to salivate and feel cravings to indulge in his addiction. However, though I might not be weak in regards to alcoholism, I do have my weaknesses, just like everyone else.

One of my weaknesses I have learned is violent computer games. My kids used to love to play a game called Warcraft III – DOTA. The game is played on-line in real time against other people. The game rewards you for the ability to annihilate your opponents. They introduced me to the game and I loved it. For me, it was an incredible rush of adrenalin and endorphins. Pleasure inducing chemicals were released in my brain as I played. I could spend hours on the game and not realize that much time at all had passed. I only played the game for a short while as I quickly learned the consequences of indulging this behavior. As mentioned, the game encourages and rewards violent and aggressive behavior. After quitting the game the endorphins and adrenalin stopped. I would come down off of the “high” of playing and it made me irritable. I noticed that I snapped at my wife and children when I shouldn’t. For me, and I would guess for most others as well, the game would quickly have become addictive. My only choice, as I saw it, was to bury my game of war for peace. Peace in my home, and peace in my heart and soul.

If you’re a regular reader of my blog, and if you are I thank you, you will remember that I broke both of my elbows a few months ago. I spent a week in the hospital recovering and was administered some very powerful pain killers. I took pain meds for a few weeks and slowly tried to wean myself off of them. The last step to get off proved difficult for me. When I stopped taking the pain meds I started experiencing panic attacks and I had great difficulty sleeping. It would have been very easy to just continue taking the pain meds and develop an addiction to them.

Point being, addictions are very real. In the verses above the addiction is bloodlust. The Nephites and Lamanites probably had the same adrenalin rush and endorphins release that I experienced while playing computer games. Addictions come in many forms, shapes, and sizes, e.g. alcohol, drugs, pain killers, pornography, gambling, overeating, computer games, anger, violence, and bloodlust just to name a few.

Those that suffer from addiction, whatever its nature, can no longer live their lives like those that are not suffering from the same addiction. An alcoholic can not go near a bar because of the effect it will have on him/her. He/She needs to be attending recovery meetings, and should have a sponsor to whom they are accountable. A person addicted to pornography needs to create safety nets to ensure accountability. A person addicted to violence, whether it be in the real world or virtual world needs to bury their weapons of war for peace.

At this point in the Book of Mormon the Nephites are addicted to bloodlust. They did not reach out for the help they needed. They probably didn’t even perceive that they were suffering from an addiction. Eventually their addiction literally destroyed them.

Are you facing any personal demons that seem overwhelming? If so, there is hope. Since the creation of Adam and Eve there has never been a better time to be an addict and a Mormon. The church has tremendous resources available to those suffering from addiction and to the family members of those that are affected by the addiction of another. This http://www.providentliving.org/channel/0,11677,2872-1,00.html would be a good place to start.