Never Stop Making Preparations...

"Yea... I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold the powers of hell would have been shaken forever." (Alma 48:17)

Nobody can deny the awesomeness of Moroni. He is one of the greatest role models in the Book of Mormon and has some of the coolest stories!

He teaches us an invaluable lesson about how we can combat Satan.

Up to this point he just won a huge victory over the Lamanites, A.K.A. The Nephite's nemeses.

Instead of relaxing because of the great victory, this is what he does:

"And now it came to pass that Moroni did not stop making preparations for war, or to defend his people... he caused his armies should commence... in digging up heaps of earth round about all the cities..."
(Alma 50:1)

Moroni NEVER stopped preparing.

When we finally win a victory over Satan, that is the time when we need to continue prayer, church attendance, and scripture study.

Too often do we forget to strengthen our borders when life gets easy, that's the time when we need to strengthen them the most.

Satan didn't win this time, but the minute we let our guard down, he will always come up with something bigger and better.

So read.

Pray.

Always build up your borders on the foundation of Christ

and the Lord has promised:

they will NEVER fail.

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It's the Little Things...

One of my favorite questions to ask people is how they became converted unto Christ!

Everybody has a unique way that God worked in their life to bring them unto him.

Reading this morning, I came across the conversion story of none other than Alma the younger himself! Alma Chapter 36.

Alma has quite the incredible conversion story filled with angels and miracles. However when we hear him tell his son his story we see what really converted him.

"While I was harrowed up by the memory of my many sins, behold, I remembered also to have heard my father prophesy unto the people concerning the coming of one Jesus Christ..." (36:17)

The Angel reminded him and confounded him in his sins, amongst the suffering he remembered one of his father's teachings from the past.

As we read on we see this changed everything for him.

"Now, as my mind caught hold upon this thought, I cried within my heart: O Jesus, thou Son of God, have mercy on me... I could remember my pains no more... And oh, what joy as exceeding as my pain!" (36:19-20)

His pain was turned into joy and he was converted unto Christ!

His conversion was purely based on his father's teachings in the past. Did his father think that his teaching helped his son when he shared it? His son sure didn't change at that time! However down the road it made all the difference.

As we come across people always be looking for times to help others and to go about doing good.

You may not see the affect of it now, but who knows what affect it will have on their lives in the future.

Let the light of Christ shine through you and the way you live!

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

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Rejoicing in the Success of Others

I find it so interesting that sometimes we see someone else doing really good, and we get jealous and mad that it isn't us with that recognition.

When a football team scores a point the whole team isn't mad because they weren't the ones to run that ball across the line.

In basketball the person who gets an assist isn't mad because he wasn't able to score himself.

Volleyball, just because they aren't able to be the one to spike it over the net doesn't mean they are angry or jealous of the person that scored.

The reason why they rejoice in their team-mates success in scoring is because it took an effort from all of them to make it possible. It's exactly because that, they view the person getting recognition as a team-mate.

In life are we not all on the same team?

Life is a team effort. Success and recognition is never the result of one person's effort.

"But I do not joy in my own success alone, but my joy is more full because of the success of my brethren." (Alma 29:14)

When we see other's receiving recognition, remember that we are all on the same team! Rejoice with them! In all reality, i'm sure you helped them reach that goal sometime in their life.

Love everybody and rejoice with everybody, especially in times of success.

"My soul is carried away, even to the separation of it from the body, as it were, so great is my joy." (29:16)

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

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Overcoming Discouragement

My favorite person in the Book of Mormon is Amulek, one of the biggest reasons is because he is someone I can relate to!

Before he was called upon the Lord to serve he was a normal person going about his life. Then Alma, a prophet of God, was revealed unto  him and he ended up going out with Alma and teaching with him!

Could you imagine the prophet coming to your doorstep and asking if you'll go out and be a missionary with him?

That would be pretty awesome.

Amulek was an awesome missionary and taught with the spirit and power. However there's a specific point where I feel like I can really relate to Amulek and that's in chapter 15.

Up to this point Amulek saw people he converted, get thrown in a fire and burned because of their beliefs.(14:10) He was then imprisoned and ridiculed. Stripped naked and abused physically and by words (14:20), then was saved by a miracle and was freed from his afflictions for that moment. (14:27)

He returns to a land where his family and friends live and finds out that they all want to have nothing to do with him because of his beliefs. (15:16)

Was his mission and calling easy? of course not! I don't know if I would be able to bear that much!

In Alma 15:18, we read that Alma, "took Amulek and came over to the land of Zarahemla, and took him to his own house, and did administer unto him in his tribulations, and strengthened him in the Lord."

Almulek became discouraged. He was brought down. I know I would have had a hard time going through those afflictions if I even could. Amulek righteously bore his afflictions, and when it became more than he could bare he allowed Alma to help him become strengthened in the Lord.

When we feel as if our afflictions are more than we can bear, turn to the Lord and whether it's on your own or through someone else, strengthen yourself in the Lord.

In the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, Amen.

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Trusting in the Lord

Alma and his people were being righteous and thriving, following the Lord and his commandments, and then suddenly the Lamanites stumble upon them and take them captive. (Mosiah 23).

I would have to say I'd be wondering why that happened to me! Here we are finally away from persecution and then the Lamanites, who weren't even looking for us, just happen to come upon us!

It slowly got worse and worse and finally the people turned to the Lord.

This is what I find interesting, they were being righteous and living the right way, but the Lord had a different plan that offered more joy than what they had at that time.

Because of their persecutions they turned to the Lord and prayed to him for help. (Mosiah 24:12-13)

The Lord strengthened them to take on the burden, he didn't take away the burden, however the people were blessed because of that. (Mosiah 24:14)

Then, after they turned to the Lord and were strengthened, the Lord caused a deep sleep to come upon the Lamanites and they were able to escape to Zarahemla and bring the blessing of Baptism to that city. (Mosiah 25:17)

Alma ended up baptizing hundreds of people and allowing them to come unto Christ. He eventually established God's church in the land and had to have others help him teach because they were so numerous.

The end of the whole event was glorious and incredible! However the beginning wasn't. When we go through hard things in life, know that as long as we trust in the Lord the end will always be amazing.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

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Equation for Eternal Life

In 2 Nephi 31, Nephi tells us the equation on how we can endure to the end! After we enter the gate of baptism, this is what is required:

Press Forward with Steadfastness in Christ (Vs. 20) + Perfect Brightness of Hope + Love of Everyone + Feasting on the Word's of Christ = Eternal Life!

The dictionary states that Steadfastness means to show loyalty in the face of trouble and difficulty. Even when life get's hard we need to be loyal to Christ and turn to him as our first choice, not last resort.

Hope is something that has had it's meaning change over time. Today we use it to convey uncertainty. It's true meaning is to have an expectation or desire for something to happen. Expect Christ to help you through trials, have the desire to grow from your experiences. As long as we are living righteously Christ will always provide a way out!

Love of everyone is loving people enough to want whats best for them.

Feasting on the Word's of Christ entails not just reading, but feasting! Not only does this mean having the continual desire to read his word, but to really find joy and fulfillment out of it! When I feast on a meal I definitely always feel it after! Such as should be studying, feel it after!

Eternal Life is living the life that our loving Heavenly Father lives. He want's us to have what he has and will always, through his son, provide a way to achieve it as long as we make the choice and apply the equation of eternal life in our lives!

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