Living After the Manner of Happiness

While I love studying the New Testament, I always weep tears of joy each time I begin the Book of Mormon again because of the plainness of its writing (after Revelation) and the clarity with which it teaches. Reading the first few chapters this week has brought these same emotions and gratitude again. I am so excited for this year! Elder Bednar teaches that we should look for connections, patterns, and themes as we study (see  https://speeches.byu.edu/…/david-a-…/reservoir-liv ing-water/ ). One that stood out to me the last couple of days has been the contrast between Lehi’s sons. All of them left their home and journeyed into the wilderness. All of them went back to get the plates. All of them went through the motions to follow the prophet, but these experiences were life-changing for only one (compare the Nephi in 1 Nephi 1-3 to the Nephi in 1 Nephi 5 and beyond). A few scriptures that show the contrast (how many more can you find as we continue 1st and 2nd Nephi?): Nephi...

In 1979, President Spencer W. Kimball expressed a desire for our homes to be blessed with Sister Scriptorians [1] . What an amazing Invitation to Act! President Nelson has echoed this call for Sister Scriptorians several times since becoming President, including last week in General Conference. There are plenty of opportunities to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life, so how am I carving out time in my schedule to accept the Prophet's invitations? Invitation #1 : “I invite you to study prayerfully section 25 of the Doctrine and Covenants and discover what the Holy Ghost will teach you. ” Promised Blessing : “Your personal spiritual endeavor will bring you joy as you gain, understand, and use the power with which you have been endowed.” Invitations #2 and #3: “I entreat you to study prayerfully all the truths you can find about priesthood power. You might begin with Doctrine and Covenants sections 84 and 107 .” Promised Blessings: “As you...

"And it shall come to pass in the last days, when the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it. "And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths; for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem."  ( 2 Nephi 12:2-3 ) David Busath (retrieved from https://history.lds.org/media/buswell?lang=eng#1) Studying these verses this morning, the Spirit enlightened me by bringing to mind an experience I had several years ago. I have always loved the symbolism of the top of the mountains woven throughout the scriptures.  It illuminates a pattern for us to follow.  We see it in the early scriptures when prophets go to a high mountain (see 1 Nephi 11:1 , Moses 1:1 , and many others) to speak...

"Education is yours to obtain. No one else can gain it for you. Wherever you are, develop a deep desire to learn. For us as Latter-day Saints, gaining an education is not just a privilege; it is a religious responsibility."    (Russell M. Nelson, Ensign, Jan. 2015) What a fabulous night I had tonight attending the weekly Pathway Gathering in Bengaluru (Bangalore)! Their group currently has about 50 students enrolled. They have 3 classes, one for each semester. Our class (2nd semester) was the smallest tonight with 6 of them and me. The Bengaluru Stake President was the lead student tonight. He is the one on the far left with the red tie.   (His wife is a student in this group as well, but she attended via FaceTime on his phone tonight since she gave birth 15 days ago). The man standing next to me is a member of the high council.   Both men have degrees already and are employed as local reps for a US company. The stake president bore a strong testimony tonight ...

Last week in our weekly Pathway Gathering, we spent the first few minutes sharing some of what we had learned from our Christlike Attributes project.  One in the group mentioned that she had chosen to focus on the attribute of hope.  As she had studied and pondered on it, she realized that you could not have hope without faith and that you could not have either of those without charity.  This had me pondering a bit the following day.   The day after that was the beginning of General Conference and so my thoughts became focused there.   As I watch, I always try to look for patterns or themes I am noticing so that I can pay particular attention as I study over the next six months.   The pattern I saw emerging was ministering.   I wondered if it was because so much of my focus in my callings the last few years has been on learning and teaching about ministering.   When I was put in the Relief Society presidency a few ye...