Ask God

Moroni 10:4-5 "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.
And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."

Just ask God, sincerely wanting to know the truth.

We Have a Labor

Moroni 9:6 ". . notwithstanding their hardness, let us labor diligently; . . for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God."

Keep going and never give up.

Little Children are Redeemed

Moroni 8:20 "And he that saith that little children need baptism denieth the mercies of Christ, and setteth at naught the atonement of him and the power of his redemption."

The need for baptism is reserved for those who are accountable before God.

The Way to Judge

Moroni 7:16 "For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God."

When we use the Spirit of Christ as our guide, our choices for good increase.

Serve Christ To the End

Moroni 6:3 "And none were received unto baptism save they took upon them the name of Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end."

When we take upon us the name of Christ through baptism, we are called to serve to the end.

Always Remember Him

Moroni 4-5: ". . and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy son, and always remember him, and keep his commandments which he hath given them, that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen."

The Sacrament prayers remind us of the "unspeakable gift" available to us when we choose Christ. (2 Cor 9:15)

By the Power

Moroni 3:4 ". . and (the Nephite apostles) ordained them by the power of the Holy Ghost . ."

The power of the Holy Ghost makes ordination to the priesthood possible.

Gift of the Holy Ghost

Moroni 2:3 ". . and on as many as (the Nephite apostles) laid their hands, fell the Holy Ghost."

The Gift of the Holy Ghost is available today as well.

Death to Christians

Moroni 1:2 ". . and because of their hatred they put to death every Nephite that will not deny the Christ."

Substitute the word "Christian" for "Nephite," and you have the Jihadist terrorists of today.

He Began to Remember

Ether 15:3 "He began to repent of the evil which he had done; he began to remember the words which had been spoken by the mouth of all the prophets, and he saw them that they were fulfilled thus far, every whit; and his soul mourned and refused to be comforted."

Prophets can help us avoid regrets, but only if we listen.

Hold on to Your Weapon

Ether 14:2 ". . every man did cleave unto that which was his own, with his hands, and would not borrow neither would he lend; and every man kept the hilt of his sword in his right hand . ."

When law and order are disregarded, anarchy is in the wings.

Every Man With His Band

Ether 13:25 "Now there began to be a war upon all the face of the land, every man with his band fighting for which he desired."

"Special interest groups" are common.  Unity is rare.

Seek This Jesus

Ether 12:41 "And now, I would commend you to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written, that the grace of God the Father, and also the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of them, may be and abide in you forever. Amen."

If I could read only one chapter in the Book of Mormon, Ether 12 would be my choice.

Mercy Happens

Ether 11:8 "And the people began to repent of their iniquity; and inasmuch as they did the Lord did have mercy on them."

Mercy happens because repentance works.

Building Up a Broken People

Ether 10:1-2 " . . Shez began to build up again a broken people . . (he) did remember the destruction of his fathers, and he did build up a righteous kingdom; for he remembered what the Lord had done in bringing Jared and his brother across the deep; and he did walk in the ways of the Lord; . . "

History favors those who "walk in the ways of the Lord."

They Began to Repent

Ether 9:34 ". . Now when the people saw that they must perish they began to repent of their iniquities and cry unto the Lord."

Sometimes hunger evokes humility and prayer.

The Destruction of All People

Ether 8:25 "For it cometh to pass that whoso buildeth (this secret combination) up seeketh to overthrow the freedom of all lands, nations, and countries; and it bringeth to pass the destruction of all people, for it is built up by the devil, who is the father of all lies; . ."

This prophecy is true in times past, present and future.

Kings Often Cause Divisions

Ether 7:20 "And the country was divided; . . "

When kings vie for power, governments and the people they are supposed to serve suffer.

The Multitude of Tender Mercies

Ether 6:12 ". . and (they) did shed tears of joy before the Lord, because of the multitude of his tender mercies over them."

To me, a tender mercy is an unexpected event of any proportion that encourages a person to move forward with faith. A tender mercy is a blessing that might not be noticed, and it might involve angels. A few I have noticed in my own life are recorded at:

http://tendermercieshappen.blogspot.com

The Book of Mormon is True

Description of Ether 5 "Three witnesses and the work itself shall stand as a testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon."

Ether 5:4 ". . and all this shall stand as a testimony against the world at the last day."

Check it out:

• Three witnesses saw the plates
• The work itself
• The power of God
• The word of God
• The witness of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost

Because of My Spirit

Ether 4:11 ". . because of my Spirit he shall know that these things are true; for it persuadeth men to do good."

Truth and good come from listening to the Spirit of the Lord.

Lord, Thou Canst Do This.

Ether 3:5 ". . O Lord, thou canst do this. We know that thou art able to show forth great power . ."

"Let's do this" started "In the beginning."

Many Blessings Are Conditional

Ether 2:9 ". . whatsoever nation shall possess (the promised land) shall serve God, or they shall be swept off . ."

God's love for us is unconditional, but many of his blessings are the result of serving Him.

Pray for Friends and Families

Ether 1:37 ". . Jared did cry unto the Lord, and the Lord had compassion upon their friends and their families also . ."

Prayer isn't just about us.

Will Ye Believe?

Mormon 9:2 "Behold, will ye believe in the day or your visitation--behold, when the Lord shall come, yea, even that great day when the earth shall be rolled together as a scroll, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, yea, in that great day when ye shall be brought to stand before the Lamb of God--then will ye say that there is no God?"

What will it take?

Be on the Winning Team

Mormon 8:22 "For the eternal purposes of the Lord shall roll on, until all his promises shall be fulfilled."

The winning team is not in question. Be on it.

The Redemption of the World

Mormon 7:7 ". . (Jesus) hath brought to pass the redemption of the world, . ."

Jesus Christ is our Redeemer from sin and death. The true. The one. The only.

Putting Away Christmas

Mormon 6:21 ". . (we) must stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, to be judged according to (our) works;"

Today is my day for putting away Christmas. The tree. The trimmings. The leftover pie.
But wait.
I'm not putting away Christ. His birth. His message. His mission. His love.
Because the world needs Him more than ever in 2016, and I'm more than a cheerleader on Christ's team. I'm a player.
Happy New Year!