Without Sail or Anchor

Mormon 5:18 ". . they are led about by Satan . . as a vessel is tossed about upon the waves, without sail or anchor, or without anything wherewith to steer her; . ."

Faith in God equips us with sails, anchor, and helm to master the stormy seas of life.

Hard Hearts

Mormon 4:11 ". . every heart was hardened, so that they delighted in the shedding of blood continually."

Nothing good comes from hardening our hearts.

Prepare to Stand

Mormon 3:22 "And I would that I could persuade all ye ends of the earth to repent and prepare to stand before the judgment seat of Christ."

The person on top of the list to persuade is myself.

We Had Become Weak

Mormon 2:26 ". . the strength of the Lord was not with us; yea, we were left to ourselves, that the Spirit of the Lord did not abide in us; therefore we had become weak like unto our brethren."

The pride cycle isn't inevitable. Decisions matter . . before, now, and after.

Cursed For Their Sake

Mormon 1:17 ". . and because of the hardness of their hearts the land was cursed for their sake."

If being cursed softens our hearts,  it could be for our sake.

The People Were All Converted

4 Nephi 1:2 ". . the people were all converted unto the Lord . . . and there were no contentions and disputations among them, and every man did deal justly one with another."

"Peace on earth" can be reality.

Celebrate the Birth of Jesus!

Jesus Christ can be born in every heart every day . . Merry Christmas!!

3 Nephi 29:2 "And ye may know that the words of the Lord, which have been spoken by the holy prophets, shall all be fulfilled; . ."

3 Nephi 30:2 ". . come unto me . ."

While the World Shall Stand

3 Nephi 28:9 ". . for ye have desired that ye might bring the souls of men unto me, while the world shall stand."

Today is our time to choose for ourselves and to serve others.
Even the world will not "stand" as it is now in the end.

Be Like Jesus

3 Nephi 27:27 ". . what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am."

When in doubt, be like Jesus.

It's Never Too Late?

3 Nephi 26:3-4 "And (Jesus) did expound all things, even from the beginning until the time that he should come in his glory -- even unto the great and last day, when all people, and all kindreds, and all nations and tongues shall stand before God, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil --"

Exactly what does "it's never too late" mean?

Hearts Turn to Their Fathers

3 Nephi 25:5-6 ". . I will send Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord; And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."

As prophecy predicted, the ancestry of "their fathers" motivates millions throughout the world now.

I Change Not

3 Nephi 24:6 ". . I am the Lord, I change not; . ."

In a world where the only thing that stays constant is change, the Lord is the exception.

Search These Things

3 Nephi 23:1 ". . a commandment I give unto you that ye search these things things diligently; for great are the words of Isaiah."

I hope Isaiah and I speak the same language when we meet.

With Great Mercies

3 Nephi 22:7 "For a small moment have I forsaken thee, but with great mercies will I gather thee."

Even Jesus pleaded with his Father from the cross, "My God, why hast thou forsaken me?" 
(Matthew 27:46)

It's Happening

3 Nephi 21:28 "Yea, and then shall the work commence, with the Father among all nations in preparing the way whereby his people may be gathered home to the land of their inheritance."

The work of gathering is happening in all nations.

Keep Praying in Your Heart

3 Nephi 20:1 ". . And (Jesus) commanded them that they should not cease to pray in their hearts."

Whenever. Wherever. Whoever. Prayer can steady your beating heart.

That Which They Most Desired

3 Nephi 19:9 "And they did pray for that which they most desired; and they desired that the Holy Ghost should be given unto them."

Having the companionship of the Holy Ghost is a gift like no other.

One by One

3 Nephi 18:36 ". . Jesus . . touched with his hand the disciples whom he had chosen, one by one, even until he had touched them all, and spake unto them as he touched them."

Jesus' love is extended to each one and every one.

Joy Filled our Souls

3 Nephi 17:17 ". . no one can conceive of the joy which filled our souls at the time we heard (Jesus) pray for us unto the Father."

What would Jesus ask for if his prayer was specifically for me?

Seeing Eye to Eye

3 Nephi 16:18 ". . for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion."

Imagine the day when understanding will be universal.

They Shall Hear My Voice

3 Nephi 15:17 ". . other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd."

Everyone will have the chance to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd.

Try It

3 Nephi 14:8 "For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened."

Try asking. Try seeking. Try knocking.
Because it works.

Where Your Treasure Is

3 Nephi 13:20-21 ". . lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

My treasures and my heart reside in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and my family.

Broken Heart and Contrite Spirit

3 Nephi 12:19 " . . come unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit . . "

Drop the pride at the door.

They Heard a Voice

3 Nephi 11:3 " . . they heard a voice as if it came out of heaven . . and it was not a harsh (or) a loud voice; nevertheless . . it being a small voice it did pierce them that did hear to the center, insomuch that there was no part of their frame that it did not cause to quake/ yea, it did pierce them to the very soul, and did cause their hearts to burn."

Jesus is a tender master whose voice radiates pure light, truth and peace.

He That Hath the Scriptures

3 Nephi: 10:14 ". . he that hath the scriptures, let him search them, and see and behold if . . all these things are not unto the fulfilling of the prophecies of many of the holy prophets."

Searching the scriptures is a different process than merely reading them.

Whosoever Will Come

3 Nephi: 9:14 ". . if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me."

Jesus can heal us when our hearts are soft. "Come unto me" is an invitation, not an edict.

O That We Had Repented

3 Nephi 8:25: ". . O that we had repented before this great and terrible day, and had not killed and stoned the prophets, and cast them out; then would our mothers and our fair daughters, and our children have been spared . . "

Today is the day.

Divided One Against Another

3 Nephi 7:2 "And the people were divided one against another; and they did separate one from another into tribes, every man according to his family and his kindred and friends; and thus they did destroy the government of the land."

Unity is key for organizations. "One nation, under God" sounds a hollow chord in USA, 2015.