Repent. Just do it.

In 2 Nephi 28, Nephi's like, "So everything I said is true and really important and just listen to it. In the latter days, when my progenitors are going to be reading this stuff, people are gonna be going around saying, 'There's no God,' or 'God doesn't do miracles anymore. He already did all that,' or 'There is a God, but he won't care about the little stuff.' Don't believe them."

Nephi goes through and talks about a bunch of different kinds of sins. He spends a lot of verses talking about blasphemy and pride and foolishness. And then, toward the end of the discussion, he says in one simple verse: "So, repent. Just do it. God's arms are always extended." When I first read this, I was thinking about other people. Yeah, they should just repent. But then I realized I needed to be thinking about myself and my sins and just repent of them. And stop doing that. I prayed that I'd be able to forgive a couple people that I have bitter feelings toward. I think and hope that for GC this weekend, I will know what I can give up and improve for the Lord. And I hope my heart is humble and open to receiving that. Maybe I should pray for it.

Easter thoughts

I'm teaching sharing time on Easter and I'm really grateful for the opportunity. I have been studying the resurrection and the Atonement this week, and it really has been wonderful. I feel as though this is going to be a special Easter for me, and I'm grateful for that. Easter needs to be celebrated more in the Church, and this one is going to be a big celebration in my heart.

As I've been studying, I've wanted to teach the kids three things that came from Easter: 1) resurrection, 2) ability to repent, and 3) enabling power. I feel like this is an important lesson

2 Nephi 4

There's so much to learn from this chapter. My biggest takeaways were that I need to trust in the Lord more and no rely so much on myself, the arm of flesh. I've gone too far on the spectrum of asking for help/doing your best with your best judgment. Maybe it's Satan who makes us think that the latter is always the better option; and then it turns into relying on the arm of flesh and not trusting in God. 

Another thought is that love consumes the flesh. I wonder if I felt God's love it love for God more often if I would be able to get rid of the natural man tendencies in me, like the temptation to rely on myself, or the temptation to be prideful or judge others. 

The last is from verse 27: when we give way to temptations, the evil one has place in our hearts, destroys our peace and afflicts our soul. Wow! Pretty awful effects and results from sinning. 

What makes the Liahona work?

Before that, we need to understand how it came to be. People didn't make it. So no matter how good we are or smart we are or whatever, we still need guidance from Heavenly Father. "And the Lord prepared it. And behold, there cannot any man work after the manner of so curious a workmanship." Man couldn't have done it. And God loves us, so He did. 

"And it did work for them according to their faith" (Alma 37:40). It works according to their faith. I need to ask more. I need to ask for guidance more often, and believe God will give it to me. I think it's possible to go too far to the "God wants me to make decision on my own and do things the best that I can do before asking Him" side. He wants to help me, and He wants to grow our relationship. 

Things that break it: slothfulness (apathetic, lazy), not exercising our faith and diligence 

Transgression, traveling an indirect course (Alma 37:41-42)

Or don't give heed. So not only when you do not ask, but when you don't heed what is given to you. 

Look and live! It's there. The way is prepared. Just look. The words of Christ can lead us a straight course to eternal bliss 

Repent

In John 8, Jesus shows a few different thing about sin and repentance. First wi the woman taken in adultery, he shows that we can't judge other's sins, no matter how serious they are. He also demonstrated how willing He is to forgive when we have a broken heart and contrite spirit. 

Later on, Jesus shows the Pharisees that  they don't know God, that they are servants of sin: 34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

Nephi builds a ship

One interesting thing about 1 Nephi is the just apposition between Nephi being shown what to do and Nephi figuring things out on His own. The Liahona gave lots of directions, when they were righteous. But it didn't tell them where to find tools. Instead, Nephi knew in order to be a god steward, there were a few things he would need to do on his own first before asking the Lord. For example, he made a new bow. He asked the Lord where to find ore (I wonder if he looked in his own first). The spirit of the Lord was present and powerful when it needed to be, but it wasn't there and strong so often that they did every little thing according to it. The Lord trusted them to make their own decisions and to use their muscles or their best judgment figure things out. 

By this shall men know

John 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

This is how people we going to know that I am a real disciple of Christ: if and how I show love. Am I truly a disciple of Christ? Do I really want to follow Him and be like Him? 

He loves me. Am I perfect? Do I deserve His love? No. Not really. But He loves me always. That is how I should love others. 

1 John 4:21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.