I was reading in Alma 55 today, and I was impressed by verse 2, where Moroni says he will not grant unto Ammoron “any more power than what he hath got.”
I think it’s great to ask ourselves if there’s anything WE can do in our lives to make sure the adversary doesn’t get any more power than He already has.
In the April 2022 General Conference, President Nelson said, “Please do not fear or delay repenting. Satan delights in your misery. Cut it short. Cast his influence out of your life! Start today to experience the joy of putting off the natural man.”
(I love people who make these quotes shareable...)
This is something I know will make a difference in my life. I feel like fear, negative self-talk, pessimism, etc. can creep into my life, but when I can cut short any efforts to pull me down, it makes a huge difference.
Elder Kearon spoke at our YSA fireside last Sunday, and one of the topics he covered was about reordering our lives.
He started by telling us how he is a convert to the Church, and when he first started attending meetings, he was struck by how dreary many of the hymns sounded. For example, "Let Us All Press On" was often sung as though the congregation were tired, bored, or weighed down.
Then he shared a story about how one of the organists of the Tabernacle Choir (I think I'm remembering this right?) had the opportunity to compose a new arrangement to that hymn. When the new arrangement was sung by the Tabernacle Choir (video below!), they could all feel something different.
One lesson from this is that we get to rearrange and reorder our lives. We can come up with something magnificent (with the Lord's help) that can enable our lives to feel exciting, powerful, and in line with the Lord.
A question I wrote down in my notes was, "What do I need to reorder in my life?"
I'm still pondering that question, but I've learned that I can often change my activities, expectations, boundaries, plans, projects, perceptions, etc. Life doesn't need to feel "dreary."
Elder Kearon told us that when he wants to "reset" himself, he often listens to this hymn 3-4 times in one morning.
I've started doing that, as well--AND I added this hymn, which is the most beautiful arrangement of "Now Let Us Rejoice" that I've ever heard. (YouTube knows how much I like these, so they've made me a special "mix" playlist with these two songs--and several others from the Tabernacle Choir. THANK YOU, YouTube!)
This got me thinking about a couple of other things, as well.
I've been reading in Alma lately--specifically about Captain Moroni. As I read, I'm highlighting all the unique things he did as a disciple and leader (and I've been recording them in Evernote, where I have read through all of The Book of Mormon asking how I can be a better disciple and a better leader).
The verse in Alma 48:17 is familiar to a lot of us: "...if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men."
I love that. And I especially love reading WHY this was so. He thought creatively--in totally new ways, to the point that the Lamanites were "astonished exceedingly" because of how secure he made their lands. They were "prepared in a manner which never had been known," and it was because "Moroni had altered the management of affairs among the Nephites." (Alma 49: 5, 8, 11)
Altered. Reordered. Changed. Elevated. Improved.
All things we can do in our homes and families as we fight for them--as we protect them.
I especially love Alma 50:12, where we learn that Moroni's armies "did increase daily because of the assurance of protection which his works did bring forth unto them."
One thing we're working on in our family and in our stake at BYU is encouraging emotional resilience.
If you haven't yet seen the Church manual, "Finding Strength in the Lord - Emotional Resilience," there's a section in the free Gospel Library app, or you can access it online here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/emotional-resilience-for-self-reliance?lang=eng
(Ordering the manual and working through that is best, though--it's an awesome workbook.)
The reason I love this so much is because over the years, I've learned repeatedly that it isn't "what happens to us" that causes stress. Nor is it what's going on in the news, what's happening on social media, what your family members are doing/not doing, whether you have money or vacations or a perfect body, etc. It's more about the truth shared in this quote by President Nelson:
At the beginning of the manual, it says, "Because your Heavenly Father loves you, He sent His Son Jesus Christ to strengthen you during any situation you face in life."
The more resilient we are, the more we're able to look at life with an eternal perspective--which doesn't mean we simply "press on." It means we move forward with that creative, heaven-assisted energy that will help us reorder the chaos that's often the default.
Our faith in Jesus Christ is more than a nice idea we discuss once in awhile at church. We've been promised that when we exercise our faith in Him, He won't let us down. I have seen that happen in my own life over and over and over again, and I know that faith works.
I'll close with this quote from Elder David A. Bednar that is shared in Lesson 1 of the Emotional Resilience manual:
"The children of Israel are carrying the ark of the covenant. They come to the River Jordan. The promise is they will cross over on dry land. When does the water part? When their feet are wet. They walk into the river--act. Power follows--the water parts."
Sending lots of love today as you consider which parts of your life you'd like to "reorder." I hope you listen to those two songs by the Tabernacle Choir, too. Life just feels brighter when we fill it with goodness.
Eighteen years ago, Sister Julie Beck, then a member of the Young Women's General Presidency, shared some specific details about how she studied the scriptures. I remember being so impressed by her process, and today I went back to read her talk (and was again impressed). However, in the written version online (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2004/04/my-soul-delighteth-in-the-scriptures?lang=eng), there aren't any photos, so I rewatched the video and took a few screen shots of her colored tabs and her "workbook"-like notes:
Here are a few points from her talk that I want to share today:
(1) She describes studying the scriptures as a skill. It isn't something we do once...we study daily, and over time, we grow our testimonies of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
(2) We can learn by likening the scriptures to ourselves, reading topically, reading books from start to finish, writing down names or key words when certain verses remind us of a specific event, reading in a different language, studying in order to get answers to our questions, or reading to gain knowledge or understanding as we start a new calling (to name a few ideas). There isn't a wrong or right way. Each time we read, it's adding to our knowledge.
(3) In her talk, Sister Beck referred to a talk by Joh Tanner called, "Responding to the Lord's Questions."(https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2002/04/responding-to-the-lords-questions?lang=eng) In that talk, he says, "I’ve learned that the Lord’s questions of me are more important than my questions of Him." I went through that talk (wow), and here are a few questions he mentions:
"Where art thou?" (The question invites Adam to account for himself and dignifies him with accountability.)
“Where goest thou?” (Are we fleeing God or feeling after Him?)
“But whom say ye that I am?”(The Lord measures us not alone by what we profess but by what we perform.)
“Will ye also go away?” ("By contrast, I am forced to admit that sometimes I have deserted the Master; sometimes I have wandered.")
“Lovest thou me?” ("...the Lord is insistent that this question be taken seriously...This question calls me to a deep accounting of my life. How well have I loved others?")
He also adds, "Such divine questions now seem much more important than the questions I once wrote in the margins of my scriptures. Now when I read the scriptures, I feel the weight and tug of questions posed to me by the scriptures, such as: “Knowest thou the condescension of God?” (1 Ne. 11:16). “Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?” (Matt. 8:26). “Wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?” (Job 40:8). “Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?” (D&C 6:23). “Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts? … and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, … can ye feel so now?” (Alma 5:14, 26)."
***I loved these so much that I made a printable list I could hang on our refrigerator. :)
(4) Like Sister Beck, "Some days I have a lot of time to contemplate the scriptures. Other days I reflect on a few verses. Just as eating and breathing sustain my physical body, the scriptures feed and give life to my spirit."
I am so grateful for the gospel, and I am grateful for the scriptures and the power they bring into my life. As I study, I feel that "lift" that I simply cannot find anywhere else.
I read a lot of books, listen to a lot of podcasts, watch videos, attend trainings, and hear a lot of voices each week. But when I read and study my scriptures, I feel the glory and majesty of God, and I know that He is so willing to share His strength and might with me.
