Where Much is Given

This morning I was thinking about the scriptures and talks I studied about spiritual gifts last week. I can identify some of my spiritual gifts and am immensely grateful for the ones that I have been able to identify.

The thought came into my mind, "Where much is given, much is required." 

In September 1989, Rex E. Lee, then the president of BYU, gave a talk at the school where he reflected on the passing of two lives, one of a man that had attended law school was him and was much like him, and one on the passing of a BYU student of whom he was dear friends with the parents. After reflecting on these losses, he said, "The Doctrine and Covenants tells us that where much is given, much is required. Not expected, but required. What you have been given is life, and what is required of you is to live it to the fullest." ("Where Much is Given: Some Thoughts on Appreciation," BYU Speeches, 1989)

Our scriptures, our prophets (past and present), and our general authorities have given us direction and instruction beyond the scriptures on how and what that means to live it to the fullest. This year has been devastating to many but in those times of devastation, sorrow, and grief, we can also see the tender mercies of our Lord.

In October 2020, President Russell M. Nelson said in General Conference, "Now, I would love to know what you have learned this year. Have you grown closer to the Lord, or do you feel further away from him?" ("Embrace the Future with Faith," General Conference, October 2020)

I loved this question when I heard it in October and I love it now as I reflect on how I have lived this past year. I'm so grateful for these men and women that came before me, and the stories that were recorded in the Book of Mormon. There are hundreds of years where no stories were recorded, so we know that we are just getting little glimpses on the reel of the history of the world. I am lifted up by the power of the faithful and what they overcame. As we go into a new year, and begin our Come Follow Me study on Doctrine and Covenants, I look forward to renewing my study of the modern-day revelation that was given to Joseph Smith not so very long ago.

Thank you to those who have been following along with me and sending me private and public messages over the years. I'm grateful for your testimonies as we seek to honor Jesus Christ by seeking goodness, kindness, charity, and faith in our beautiful but sometimes tragic world. I hope you had a Merry Christmas and wish you a Happy New Year as we head into 2021.

The 2021 Study guide can be found here.

Moroni 10 - Come Unto Christ and Be Perfected in Him: Using Spiritual Gifts

Moroni finished the Book of Mormon with his last words in Moroni 10, building on the words of the books that he had compiled, the words of Ether that he had abridged, the teachings of his father (Mormon), and what he knew would be most important for us to know based on having been given a vision and seeing us what we would face in the. latter-days.

It is interesting then, to see what he felt was MOST important to highlight. We are reminded, too, of what President Russell M. Nelson said in the October 2020 General Conference talk, "Embrace the Future with Faith,": "No other book testifies of Jesus Christ with such power and clarity. Its prophets, as inspired by the Lord, saw our day and selected the doctrine and truths that would help us most."

Some of the themes I saw emerge in the very last chapter of the Book of Mormon were:

1. That we should remember "how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men." (Moroni 10:3)

2. That we should ask God if what we read is true so that "by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." (Moroni 10:4)

3. That we should deny not our spiritual gifts nor forget that every good gift comes from God. (Moroni 10:8-18).

4. That faith, hope, and charity are bound together. (Moroni 10:19).

5. That we can "come unto Christ, and be perfected in him" and that if we "love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you." (Moroni 10:32).

I'm grateful for the grace of God in our lives and the opportunity to learn from people that were here on our earth long before us. I think about how amazing it is, and how much love went into making sure that these records were written and then protected until the day that Joseph Smith was able to bring them forth and translate them. 

 I taught in Sunday School today so am going to share some of the most relevant slides related to the scriptures about the Gifts of God in Moroni 10:8-18. You can click on each slide to enlarge the slide if it is too small to read. I have also linked to the full talk below the slides.

First, the verses that talk about the gifts of God:

Moroni 10

Dallin H. Oaks explains that the Spirit of Christ is given to all and is preparatory to spiritual gifts. 

"Spiritual Gifts," by Dallin H. Oaks

I thought it was important that Dallin H. Oaks emphasized here that nobody is excluded from receiving spiritual gifts. I didn't include a slide for this, but in the same "Spiritual Gifts" talk (which I highly recommend), he quotes Elder Bruce R. McConkie, who said, "Where spiritual things are concerned, as pertaining to all of the gifts of the Spirit ... in all matters that pertain to godliness and holiness and which are brought to pass as a result of personal righteousness in all these things men and women stand in a position of absolute equality before the Lord. He is no respector of persons nor of sexes, and he blesses those men and those women who seek him and serve him and keep his commandments." (Ensign, January 1979, p.61). 

"Spiritual Gifts," by Dallin H. Oaks

Come Follow Me for Individuals and Families

"I Have a Work for Thee," by John C. Pingree, Jr.

"There Are Many Gifts," by Marvin J. Ashton

In "Spiritual Gifts," Dallin H. Oaks emphasizes that our gifts compliment each other. So read the list of spiritual gifts below, and think of them in terms of that relationship. For example, regarding the gift of testimony and the gift of faith, Oaks says, "Where it is given to some to know and to others to believe on their words, those who know must be responsible for sharing their testimonies. Only in this way can they give those who have the gift of believing on their words something to lean upon as they, too, move towards eternal life." 

"There Are Many Gifts," by Marvin J. Ashton

We can deny our spiritual gifts when we seek to use them in a way that is not focused on charity and humility. For example, the prophet Joseph Smith taught that we should not "speak in tongues expect there be an interpreter present." (Teachings, p. 247). What about trying to lift ourselves above others? This chapter of scripture is ultimately about coming unto Christ and being perfected in Him. We do this as we learn to identify our spiritual gifts and use those spiritual gifts to become more like our Savior.

"Becoming Like Him," by Scott D. Whiting

I thought it was fascinating to learn from a "modern day' leader that this advice came from 1894, but I also laughed at myself for having that reaction because of course, the Book of Mormon leaders are teaching us from a much longer time ago. However, in the quote below George Q. Cannon says that we can't excuse ourselves for our imperfections as justification, but that that the Lord has promised to "give strength to correct these things, and to give gifts that eradicate them." 

"Seeking Spiritual Gifts," George Q. Cannon

Moroni 10

Our world this year has been filled with so much sorrow, grief, and blame. It has also been filled with kindness and love. It is with wonder that I am reminded that one of the spiritual gifts we can have are the gifts to allay contention and to promote righteousness. In the fairytales, the good fairies wave their wands and undo evil. How precious is it to know that we have great gifts given to us and that we can do great things that aren't just fairytales? That we can use our gifts to promote righteousness, to diffuse a "bomb" of unkind feelings, to help work miracles among our fellow men? 

"Sisters in Zion," by Henry B. Eyring

"Embrace the Future with Faith," by Russell M. Nelson

"Spiritual Gifts," by Dallin H. Oaks

"Revelation for the Church, Revelation for our Lives," by Russell M. Nelson

I have felt the great emphasis from our prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, to seek personal revelation, that it is welcome to all who seek it, and that the more we seek it in an attitude of prayer, pondering, and following in the Savior's footsteps, that the more we will be blessed and be able to have truths revealed to us personally. I'm grateful for the knowledge that I can work to unlock our spiritual gifts to Come Unto Christ. We are five days away from Christmas, and as we look to that sacred day where we celebrate the birth of our Savior on earth, I am amazed to think about the other gifts we can "unwrap" as we diligently seek to have the heavens opened to us.

Moroni 7-9 "May Christ Lift Thee Up" - Faith, Hope, and Charity in a Difficult Year

After the Lamanites destroyed the last of the Nephites, and Moroni, the only survivor, said those poignant and heart-breaking words, "... for I am alone, My father hath been slain in battle, and all my kinfolk, and I have not friends nor whither to go ..." (Mormon 8:5), what happened to him?

For one thing, he didn't die as soon as he expected. I think he found great comfort in reading the words of Ether, a man that was also hiding in the wilderness and recording the records of his people, just like Moroni. When we reach Moroni 7-9, and Moroni shares some of the things that his father Mormon had taught or written to him. Moroni had great faith in his Savior, Jesus Christ. He had his own faith, and he had the faith of great men like Ether and his father Mormon to further bolster him so that he was alone but not alone.

Moroni Hides the Plates in the Hill Cumorah

by Tom Lovell

This year, I have spent time interviewing my parents and learning their stories. Most recently, I learned that my great-grandfather died after being drafted into World War II. I learned that as a boy, my grandfather's family lived in an area so remote that they had to move to a village when they decided to put him in school as a child. I learned about these generations that came before me, before my father became the first in his family to move to America, where he raised my family.

I think about how fascinating it has been to learn about my parents and their parents, and then I read the Book of Mormon and think about how this is our heritage too, that these records were written for us, that we could learn from them. And that they are written about their neighbors, their fathers, their brothers, and, though rarely mentioned, their mothers, wives, and sisters. 

Knowing that Moroni was all alone, and that the was reflecting on the words of Ether and of his father Mormon, and that at this point, he was surprised to still be alive, makes what he focused on in Moroni 7 all the more meaningful, as he talks about faith, hope, and charity. 

Regarding charity, Moroni 7:8 says, "For behold, if a man being evil giveth a gift, he doeth it grudgingly; wherefore it is counted unto him the same as if he had retained the gift; wherefore he is counted evil before God."

Those words are harsh but think of it as the spirit of the law vs the letter of the law. If your neighbor offered to help you with a project, but you learned that the entire time they were helping you, they were railing against you in their head, judging you, and thinking poorly of you, would you still want that help? Isn't part of what feels good about that help believing that someone cares about you and is gladly helping you to lift a burden? And having their company with you? When you take away the heart and leave only the mechanics, it doesn't feel like a service or a kindness. In fact, if you see what they were thinking, you would feel worse after receiving help than better. Thankfully, that's a worst case scenario but it's one to think about as you are "anxiously engaged in a good cause."

Sharon Eubank, in the talk "By Union of Feeling We Obtain Power with God," from October 2020 General Conference, said: "Jacob 2:17 reads, 'Think of your [brothers and sisters] like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all and free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you.' Let's replace the word substance with mercy - be free with your mercy that they may be rich like unto you. We often think of substance in terms of food or money, but perhaps what we all need more of in our ministering is our mercy.'"

Moroni 7:45 says, "And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in inquity but rejoiceth in truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." 

I've see a lot of sickness around me this year. Not just from Covid-19 itself but from people more focused on being angry about how they are being personally inconvenienced by the pandemic. These struggles are real and I fully recognize that but everyone has been struggling in one way or another, we have all been impacted in one way or another, and how we choose to internalize these scriptures, how we choose to find empathy and charity in our life, will change our perspective on how we handle our trials.

In the talk, "Wounded," from October 2018, Neil L. Anderson said, "The wounded who nurse the wounds of others are God's angels on earth." 

Henry B. Eyring, in the talk, "Tested, Proved, and Polished," said, "... we must notice the tribulation of others and try to help. That will be especially hard when we are being sorely tested ourselves. But we will discover as we lift another's burden, even a little, that our backs are strengthened and we sense a light in the darkness."

Although I have seen a lot of sickness around me this year, I've thankfully also seen a lot of healing. 

Some examples:

• Near the beginning of the pandemic, a restaurant (Magleby's) that suddenly found business was slow was able to afford to keep paying their employees, and had them go serve other businesses in the hospitality business that had been impacted by Covid. So, they kept employees employed, and rather than benefiting themselves, they tried to help other struggling businesses. They could have been upset that they were suddenly leaking money everywhere but instead, they looked around, saw that they had enough, and went looking for who else they could help.
  
  
• My sister took her two oldest children and playing music for a woman that had become a widow right before the pandemic began, and was now being isolated right at the time when she needed people around her the most. The widow watched from her open door while my sister and her kids stayed more than 6 feet away, with large instruments (including a cello) that they had lugged down the street to set up in front of her house. Not only did this widow appreciate the music but the widow's children, who worried about their mother, felt encompassed by an action that was based on mercy and love. I share this example because I personally read the notes that this widow's family posted on Instagram, but I know this isn't an isolated example of kindness. 

Moroni said it perfectly in Moroni 8:16: "for perfect love casteth out all fear."

Moroni promises in Moroni 7:16, "the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil" and in Moroni 7:12, "in Christ there should come every good thing."

Moroni 7:29 promises us, "have miracles ceased? Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men." 

In the talk, "I Believe in Angels," by Carlos A. Godoy, he says, "The Lord is always looking for willing volunteers to be angels in other's lives."

There are angels in heaven, and angels on earth. As we work to have faith, hope, and charity, may we be an angel on earth for others, may we be "faithful in Christ" so that we can lift others up as Christ lifts us up. (Moroni 9:15).

I'm thankful for this Christmas season and for the gifts we have been given. I'm thankful that through my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, I can have hope and that I can follow him and be both the giver and receiver of charity.

Wise Men Still Seek Him: A Christmas Post

This is an "extra" post, not part of my weekly Come Follow Me so make sure you didn't miss my last lesson overview!

Did you know that we don't actually know how many wise men looked for Jesus? And that we don't know how old Jesus was by the time the wise men found him?

I recently started a new blog related to my work as a professional author and writer. I just posted about how we, in modern day, still seek the Savior just like the wise men did. This is a three-minute read. If you've been enjoying my blog, I'd love your support by having you click to check it out on my new blog here: https://www.estheryusumner.com/post/wise-men-still-seek-him

It goes with why I made this piece of art:

Moroni 1-6: To Keep Them in the Right Way

The Come Follow Me study for last week was Moroni 1-6. 

I am sharing a few of my slides from today's lesson. Unfortunately, due to technical difficulties, I actually wasn't able to share any of my slides with the class. However, I have picked out some things to share here.

The first thing that struck me about Moroni 1 was his surprise that he was still alive, and thus his desire to share some messages with the Lamanites. He wrote for the benefit of those who had slayed his people because he recognized that we are all children of God, and that both the Nephites and the Lamanites had turned away from God. I think he may have had some comfort, as he finished abridging Ether's records of the Lamanites, in knowing that Ether had gone through the same thing as him, of being the last man standing of his people. I hope he was bolstered by Ether's fate, as he also hid, alone.

The Come Follow Me Manual for Individuals and Families states:

After finishing his father’s record of the Nephites and abridging the record of the Jaredites, Moroni thought at first that his record-keeping work was done (see Moroni 1:1). What more was there to say about two nations that were utterly destroyed? But Moroni had seen our times (see Mormon 8:35), and he was inspired to “write a few more things, that perhaps they may be of worth … in some future day” (Moroni 1:4). He knew that widespread apostasy was coming, bringing with it confusion about priesthood ordinances and religion in general. This may be why he gave clarifying details about the sacrament, baptism, conferring the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the blessings of gathering with fellow believers to “keep [each other] in the right way, … relying alone upon the merits of Christ, who was the author and the finisher of [our] faith” (Moroni 6:4). Precious insights like these give us reason to be thankful that the Lord preserved Moroni’s life so he could “write a few more things” (Moroni 1:4).

What a blessing, that we know that Moroni witnessed our times, and knowing what he knew, wrote these chapters. We get to know what he felt was most important for us to know, based on what he witnessed both in his own time and in our day. Knowing that, what scriptures stood out to you?

For me, it was Moroni 6:4-9. I have highlighted some of my favorite passages.

How do we "meet together oft" and "speak one with another concerning the welfare of their souls?" I love this example of support for one another:

Today, my lesson did not go according to plan. Due to technical issues, I was not able to share my slides. I tried to adjust quickly and teach the lesson without slides. This meant skipping over areas I had meant to discuss and really changing the discussion. At one point, I also lost signal and dropped out of the meeting entirely for probably a full minute. The lesson continued and it was fine in the end but of course it was disappointing because I put a lot of work into the lesson. (What you see in my blog is a scaled down version. I also remove most of the images if I'm not sure because of potential copyright issues.) I am only sharing this story now because immediately after class, I received texts and emails from several of my neighbors that were in the session that were extremely kind, reassuring, and supportive of the effectiveness of the lesson, even without the visuals. It reminded me of the story above (that I did not share with the class) about the rest of the boys getting up to express their love for him. We need more kindness in the world, more love and support. We need the ministry of angels. Thankfully, when we have the light of Christ, we can spread our light, and in doing so, teach others how to spread their light, so that the light of Christ continues to overshadow the darkness. 

I recently shared this post on my social media account, that I friend send to me. She has gone through a divorce and other trials, but through it all, she has been surrounded by dear friends, essentially, angels on earth:

Although we individually need to remember that we can plug into the power of Christ, when we minister to others we are expanding the glow and teaching others how to turn on this light.

I'd like to close today's thoughts with this quote. Moroni 6:4 talks about being "nourished by the word of God." This has been a difficult year for many people all around the world. Yet, every day we can be be NOURISHED, we can be comforted, by the light of Christ and the good word of God. 

Ether 12-15: Faith to Overcome or "By Faith All Things are Fulfilled"

Before going into Ether 12-15, please note that I posted an extra topic last week and then posted my lesson thoughts later on in the afternoon so you may have missed "Prayer and Gratitude" from the three previously posted thoughts from the book of Ether:

• Context and Timelines from the Book of Ether
• Ether 6-11: Prayer and Gratitude
• Ether 1-5: The Brother of Jared Prayed

Faith through Trials: A Brief Recap
I love the theme of Faith we see in Ether 12-15. We see how important this is because Ether 12-15 covers 28 generations of men, starting with the son of Jared who became the first king of the land, and was a good king. Jared's descendants led to seven good kings in a row from the seven generations of sons, BUT unfortunately, during those seven generations, wicked sons and son-in-laws overthrew those good kings multiple times, and the land was frequently in turmoil. Throughout the next 21 generations, there was a mix of good sons and bad sons, and when the sons were bad, they were really bad. They threw their fathers into captivity, one threw his own son into prison and ensured he starved to death. Incredibly, by the end, there were only two wicked leaders left, and they killed each other, thus finishing off a people that had been sent to the Promised Land and had had so much ... promise. Yet, despite this disturbing end, we learn that throughout those pockets of greed and wickedness, there were faithful followers of God that were truly tested and were blessed for their faith. 

Ether Taught about Faith
In Ether 12, Ether cried unto the people "from the morning, even until the going down of the sun, exhorting the people to believe in God unto repentance lest they should be destroyed, saying unto them that by faith all things are fulfilled." (Ether 12:3).

How many times in the history of the world, including right now as we struggle through a pandemic and in the U.S., great political turmoil, have these words spoken to you? "Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world?" (Ether 12:4).  

Ether teaches that faith:

1) Is "an anchor to the souls of men" (Ether 12: 4)

2) Is "things which are hoped for and not seen" (Ether 12:6)

3) Leads to the gift of hope, "if ye will but have faith" (Ether 12:9)

4) Is needed for the Lord to perform miracles. (Ether 12:12, 16, 18)

In Weakness We are Made Strong
I have always been moved by this scripture:

"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." (Ether 12:27)

I want to share three perspectives on this scripture:

1. Moroni's inadequacy. Moroni, the son of Mormon, who abridged Ether's records, shared his fear with the Lord that he was not "mighty in writing like unto the brother of Jared." Who else does this remind you of? How about Moses, who told the Lord that he feared his inability to speak well before the people? (Exodus 4:10–12; 14:31) How about modern day general authorities that have shared the inadequacy they felt to take on these roles and help lead and guide faithful followers of Christ? Although these are the examples that immediately came to my mind, the Come Follow Me guide for Sunday School also lists Enoch (Moses 6:31–34; 7:13), Gideon (Judges 6:12–16; 8:22–23), Peter (Luke 5:8–10; 22:55–62; Acts 4:13–21), and Joseph Smith (Joseph Smith—History 1:28; Doctrine and Covenants 35:17; 135:3). I'm thankful that these records were protected and shared with us in this modern day, that we could see and learn that even some of the greatest and most faithful people to have ever walked this earth had weaknesses and felt inadequate at times. I'm grateful for the reassurance that the Lord will "make weak things become strong unto them." 

2. The story of Tom Holdman. I've shared this story in the past, but I had the opportunity to hear Tom speak at a local meeting many years ago. He really made a big impression on me during a year where I was battered on all sides by a difficult work environment. Tom is a stained glass artist that has created many of the beautiful stained glass works in many of the temples throughout the world. Tom is not defined by his impairment, which appears to be a fairly severe case of Tourette syndrome that interrupts his own speech. He is defined by his faith in the Lord and what he has been able to accomplish because of his faith. You can see some of his incredible stained glass work for temples around the world here. When Tom spoke at this meeting, he started with Ether 12:27 that I quoted above. I did not know he had a speech impediment at the beginning of this talk but it soon became apparent. In a 2015 issue of Friend magazine, Tom said, "I was born with a speech impediment, which means I stutter. When I was a child, I was often treated unkindly. But it actually blessed me because I had to find other ways to express myself. Through my art, people can feel my love for the Savior."

I doubt that impediment felt like a blessing to Tom for a great many years but Tom was faithful, and the Lord made weak things become strong. He has a beautiful wife and family and has done much to bring beauty and light into the world mostly through his stained glass work but even in speech, where the place where he inspired me was speaking in front of a group when I needed to hear his words.

3. My own weaknesses. Personally, I've never liked being the center of the attention in a room full of people, raising my hand, or speaking before a group. Through high school and college, I always tried to sit behind someone bigger than me, or with large hair, so I could disappear into the room. I'm no longer shy as an adult but I prefer 1:1 interactions over group interactions, and I have to really push myself to raise my hand and speak up in groups. I "fake it" really well as I can be quite social in smaller groups, so this isn't a known thing. However, speaking up in large groups has been a weakness for me and impacted my schooling and careers, as both in school and work, in American culture, being loud and confident in front of others is often equated with intelligence and awarded accordingly.

Today, I'm an adult Sunday School teacher, and that means leading the discussion and teaching the lesson in front of a large group of adults. I always felt that one day I would be asked to do this in church, in fact, I quite strongly felt that this was coming. However, by the time it happened, the Lord had prepared me and made weak things become strong. I had faithfully tried to do my best with all of my previous church callings, including one of my first ones, where I stood up when the Relief Society met on Sundays, and gave a brief music appreciation highlight each Sunday. I learned what worked best for me to prepare to speak before a group. I learned to rely on the Lord. I learned to become more comfortable in myself as I taught with conviction and faith in the things the Spirit had inspired me to consider and teach. Every calling I took in church, as well as every task I had to do in my full-time job as a Product Manager in technology, forced me to learn skills that allow me to teach in front of adults. 

Trust in the Lord in All Things
I want to end with a quote from David A. Bednar, in the October General Conference talk, "We Will Prove them Herewith," said, "Faithfulness is not foolishness or fanaticism. Rather, it is trusting and placing our confidence in Jesus Christ as our Savior, on His name, and in His promises. As we 'press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men,' we are blessed with an eternal perspective and vision that stretches far beyond our limited mortal capacity."

I'm so grateful for the Gospel of Christ and the sure knowledge I have that through Him, weak things can be made strong, that we can overcome the trials in this world. 

Ether 6-11: Prayer and Gratitude

I'm privileged to share some thoughts from the book of Ether today.

While much of Ether 6-11 encompasses greed, treachery, and a line of both good and bad kings, to keep my comments to a reasonable length, I've chosen to focus most of my thoughts on Ether 6, though I do briefly address Ether 7-10. You can focus more on other topics by visiting the Come Follow Me manual.

A painting by Robert T. Barrett depicting Ether 

recording the history of the Jaredites; 

Primary manual 4-54

First, a Recap (Ether 1-5)
Last week, I talked about how the Brother of Jared prayed, and led followers of God to the seashore, where they camped for four years before building barges and preparing to depart for the Promised Land. The Lord had to rebuke the Brother of Jared for camping at the seashore for four years and for not praying for further direction and guidance. I think that seashore seemed "pretty good" to them, and they were tired of traveling, but the Lord had something better in store for them, the Promised Land. To get there, they would need to take a long and rough journey across a vast sea. In other words, they would need to leave the pleasant seashore where they had camped for four years, where things were pretty good, for something a whole lot better than pretty good. 

It May Get Worse Before It Gets Better
I am reminded of the many promises we received from many of our leaders during October General Conference, that things will be better on the other side of tribulation. Some of the assurances given in October 2020 General Conference:

• "Truly, for those faithful hearts and eyes to see, the Lord's tender mercies are manifest amidst life's challenges. Faithfully met challenges and sacrifice do bring the blessings of heaven. In this mortality, we may lose or wait for some things for a time, but in the end we will find what matters most. That is His promise." (Gerrit W. Gong, "All Nations, Kindreds, and Tongues")
  
  
• "Our best days are ahead of us, not behind us. That is why God gives us modern revelation! ... Now, this does not mean we won't experience turbulence in our flight through mortality. It doesn't mean there won't be unexpected instrument failures, mechanical malfunctions, or serious weather challenges. In fact, things might get worse before they get better." (Dieter F. Uchtdorft, "God Will Do Something Unimaginable")
  
  
• "Opposition is an essential part of the divine plan for helping us grow, and in the midst of that process, we have God's assurance that, in the long view of eternity, opposition will not be allowed to overcome us. With his help and our faithfulness and endurance, we will prevail. Like the mortal life of which they are a part, all tribulations are temporary." (Dallin H. Oaks, "Be of Good Cheer")

For the Jared, Jared's brother, and their family and friends, it did get worse before it got better. They were stuck in those barges for 344 days, often "buried in the depths of the sea" because of "great and terrible tempests." (Ether 6:6). Yet, the Brother of Jared and his people never forgot their Savior or lost their gratitude.

A Spiritual Prescription: Daily Prayer and Gratitude
In fact, they way they handled their trials is consistent with the guidance that our prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, gave on November 20, 2020 last week, regarding the Healing Power of Gratitude. As a man who has lost a first wife and two daughters, and known his share of heartache, he said of gratitude:

Over my nine and a half decades of life, I have concluded that counting our blessings is far better than recounting our problems. No matter our situation, showing gratitude for our privileges is a fast-acting and long-lasting spiritual prescription. 

Does gratitude spare us from sorrow, sadness, grief, and pain? No, but it does soothe our feelings. It provides us with a greater perspective on the very purpose and joy of life.

Second, he advised us to pray. He said:  

Second, let us unite in thanking God through daily prayer. Jesus Christ taught His disciples to pray by first expressing gratitude to God and then petitioning Him for the things we need. Prayer brings forth miracles.

The people of Jared were happy because waaaay back then, they were doing the things that the prophet is advising us to do today.

First, they continued to pray. In Ether 6:7 it says, "therefore when they were encompassed about by many waters they did cry unto the Lord, and he did bring them forth again upon the top of the waters."

Second, they praised the Lord continually. In Ether 6:9, it says, "... they did sing praises unto the Lord; yea, the brother of Jared did sing praises unto the Lord, and he did thank and praise the Lord all the day long; and when the night came, they did not cease to praise the Lord."

In Ether 6:10, it talks about how they had light continually, "whether it was above the water or under the water." From this, I assume that based on previous scriptures about the plugs that could be removed, they either received natural light through the plugs being removed when they were above water, or light from the stones that the Lord touched at the Brother of Jared's request.

This light can be seen both as a literal light and as the Light of Christ. The people of Jared were so focused on gratitude and praising the Lord that they didn't have time to complain about being stuck in a boat for a year. In fact, the first thing they did when they stepped on the shore of the promised land was to "humble themselves before the Lord, and did shed tears of joy before the Lord, because of the multitude of his tender mercies over them." (Ether 6:12).

Always Remember
Unfortunately, as Jared and his brother grew old, we learn at the end of chapter 6, their many descendants wanted to name a king. Just like King Benjamin in the Bible,  the Brother of Jared was concerned that having a king would lead to the unrighteous desire for power and eventually, "leadeth into captivity." (Ether 6:23).

The story in the next few chapters is an unrelenting cycle of greed vs. good, one we've seen repeated over and over in the Book of Mormon and Bible, of how we lose the way when we forgot God and focus on greed and pride. Kings rose and fell as they used "secret combinations" and dishonest means to rise to power. Fathers and sons threw each other in prison and killed each other to take over kingdoms. Good Kings brought peace to the land. Bad Kings drove the spirit away. Through it all, we see many of the same patterns we've already learned in previous chapters:

1. The Lord loves us all and continues to send prophets to lead and guide. 

"And there came prophets in the. land again, crying repentance unto them - that they must prepare the way for Lord or there should come a curse upon the face of the land ..." (Ether 9:28)

"And in the days of Coriantor there also came many prophets, and prophesied of great and marvelous things, and he cried repentance unto the people, and except they should repent the Lord God would execute judgement against them to their utter destruction." (Ether 11:20)  

2. When we repent and humble ourselves before the Lord, he is waiting and willing to act on our behalf.

"... they began to repent ... and it came to pass that when they had humbled themselves sufficiently before the Lord he did send rain upon the face of the earth; and the people began to revive again." (Ether 9:34-35)

3. We are blessed when we remember.

"... Shez began to build up a broken people. and it came to pass that Shez did remember the destruction of his father, 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 ..." (Ether 10:1-2)

Context and Timelines for the Book of Ether, the record of the Jaredite people in the Book of Mormon

I made some timelines and maps for the Book of Ether that I shared during my Sunday School lesson last week. I thought I'd share a few of them here.

Click to view any of these charts larger.

This chart shows the journey of Jared and his people to the Promised Land, as guided by the Lord and by the prayers of the Brother of Jared. You can see that they crossed water multiple times, not just at the end when they built their famous barges that were tight like a dish. Also, that they stayed for four years by the seashore. 

The chart below shows that it was almost 1500 years after the Brother of Jared prayed that their language not be confounded and the Lord directed them to the Promised Land, that their destroyed civilization was found, along with their 24 gold plates. It was then another 400 years before Moroni, the son of Mormon, the last Nephite alive, abridged those records into the Book of Ether (although he only abridged the part about the Jaredites as the book covered a lot of history that was already covered elsewhere).

This is not geographically accurate in size and exact placement but just gives a general reminder of how the plates came to be found and translated.

A summary of what you are seeing above, from the Book of Mosiah:

1. First, Zeniff left Zarahemla with his family and friends to reclaim Nephite land, believing the Lamanites were friendly. He was wrong about the Lamanites and his people spent most of their remaining years there fighting of Lamanite invasions.

2. Zeniff's son, King Noah was wicked, but had a son Limhi, who was not.

3. King Limhi sent 43 men to look for how to get back to Zarahemla. The men got lost but they found the remains of the Brother of Jared's descendants and a record (24 plates) that they couldn't translate. 

4. King Mosiah in Zarahemla sent Ammon to look for the people of Zeniff. Ammon and his men were successful in finding them. He brought King Limhi and his people back to Zarahemla, along with the 24 gold plates. That's how King Mosiah ends up with the 24 gold plates that Mormon's son, Moroni, abridged years later.

Ether 1-5: The Brother of Jared Prayed - What we can learn about sincerely praying, listening, and heeding the Lord's guidance

Update: I did not include the timelines and maps I made about the Book of Ether in this post but you can find it in a follow-up post here.

I am teaching virtual adult Sunday School this Sunday. It has been many months since I taught. We have several Adult Sunday School teachers, and we didn't start having virtual Sunday School for a long time so it just hasn't come around to me yet. 

I read all of the verses that are part of this week's lesson by Monday, then spent the rest of the week re-reading some scriptures, reading the Come Follow Me manuals, and reading General Conference talks that came to my mind as I studied. I consider those thoughts to be promptings that should be investigated. Why am I sharing all of this?

This afternoon (Saturday), I prayed to my Heavenly Father, and asked for his guidance in focusing on the things that the class would need to hear. I asked that I might have his Spirit with me, the way I have felt so many times this year as I have spoken to Him in prayer and listened for a response through feelings and through my scripture study. As I said these words aloud, I felt overwhelmed by his love for me. I know Heavenly Father listens and that if we are obedient, he will answer our prayers in his own time and his own way. He loves us. He loves us so much.

As I reflected on this powerful affirmation that my Heavenly Father is listening to me, I recalled how many times I have felt flooded with love this year. I think I have Heard Him more times this year than at any other point in my life. I have also sought him more deeply than at any other point in my life, and I don't think it's a coincidence that as I have sought to Hear Him, he has responded with love and kindness, and in some cases, he has responded with comfort. I shared one experience with feeling the Lord comfort me when I gave a pre-recorded talk in May, which I called "Turn to the Lord for Peace - the Importance of Remembering."

One of the big focuses of the Book of Ether is prayer, and how the Brother of Jared prayed, so this experience this afternoon was particularly meaningful. 

Brother of Jared Sees the Finger of God

by Robert T. Barrett

The Brother of Jared Prayed
One of the overwhelming lessons we learn from Ether is the power of prayer. The Come Follow Me Manual for Sunday School summarizes it by saying, "As we continually call upon the Lord, He will reveal his will."

Let's look at how the Brother of Jared Prayed. Click to enlarge the images below.

Some of the things to point out is:

1. The brother of Jared goes to the Lord with a specific problem but also a specific solution for the problem. "Please don't confound the language of my family." Followed by, "Please don't confound the language of my friends."

2. The brother of Jared goes to the Lord many times. 

3. The brother of Jared listens to the Lord. When his fears about the vessel being too dark are too broad of a request for the Lord, and the Lord asks him to come up with a solution, Jared comes up with a miraculous idea that takes great faith.

4. The Lord answers the Brother of Jared's prayers because of their great faith and "because this long time ye have cried unto me:"

I am reminded of Elder Uchtdorf's talk  that we're fine, because of our God that can do miraculous things and is always there for us, but that things might worse before they get better.

Again, I spoke about this in this video talk: "Turn to the Lord for Peace - the Importance of Remembering.", but when Alma fled evil King Noah with his followers, then were discovered by the wicked Lamanites and the priest of Noah, things worse better ... but they were faithful and they turned to the Lord, their fears were hushed, and things worse, but then they got better.

We just need "calm and clear-headed trust," as Elder Uchtdorf advises. "You muster your faith. And you listen for the guiding word of the Lord and His prophet to lead you to safety."

To be successful in turning to the Lord, we need to humble ourselves, and we need to remember how to recognize answers to prayer.

It's important to remember that we ALL have opportunities to be chastened and improve. The brother of Jared was "a man highly favored of the Lord" yet the Lord chastened him for three hours because he remembered not to call upon the name of the Lord." This was in Ether 2:14, after the families had reached the seashore and camped there for four years. The Lord wanted them to cross the great sea and go to the Promised Land, as they had requested, but I think when they arrived at the shore, they had been traveling for some time and felt pretty comfortable resting there. I imagine the Lord patiently waited and after four years, he had to have a talk with the Brother of Jared. 

Our church leaders and the scriptures have reminded us that the Lord rebukes whom he loves. **Update: In my lesson today, P.W. from my ward gave an example of a high school coach that was really tough on him. This coach was maybe a little hard on a group of young sixteen-year-olds. However, the coach one day said that they would know that the coach had given up on them if he stopped rebuking them and stopped showing interest in how to improve them." When we liken this to our Father in Heaven, he famously rebuked the Brother of Jared and the Latter-day prophet Joseph Smith. Obviously, these are great men that we look to for guidance on how to better follow in Jesus' footsteps. A rebuke doesn't mean less love. It means an opportunity to revaluate ourselves, repent, and improve.

 

While it's tempting to rest by the seashore like the Brother of Jared's family did for four years, as the trials in our lives ebb and flow, we need to always look to the Lord for gratitude, guidance, and needed course corrections. I'm so grateful for my Father in Heaven and the care he took to protect these records so that we can learn from these great men.