Talking yourself out of it

I am reading in 3 Nephi 1 and 2, where the sign that the people had been intently watching for, finally came to pass. There was a day, a night, and a day of light. There were also many other signs and wonders in the heavens. It was an amazing experience and many people were converted to the gospel because of it. Then a few years passed and these same people began to be less and less astonished by the signs and wonders. They also started to talk themselves out of the great miracles they had already experienced.

I can relate to that. Some of the spiritual experiences I have had, I sometimes start to doubt, or tell myself it was just a coincidence or I was just imagining it.

This is why it is so important to write down in great detail any answers to prayers or other spiritual experiences that you have right away, when all the feelings and details are fresh in your mind. Then when the doubts start to creep in, you can go back and read what your feelings were at that time and gain strength again. It is also important to write them all down, so that you have more than 1 or 2 entries. You have a whole compilation of God's workings in your life and the more there are, the more convincing and irrefutable it becomes. Plus, it is important to feel the Spirit every day so that you have more than just a couple but it becomes part of you.

The other aspect of disbelieving for the Nephites and Lamanites at that time was that they were less and less astonished at the signs and miracles. How can we keep ourselves immune from feeling that way about the miracles in our lives? As I think about this and search my own heart, maybe this is where prayer and pondering comes in. The more we ponder about events and miracles and blessings in our lives, the more we keep the wonder and awe of it. Maybe keeping the Spirit with us helps us keep a spirit of gratitude, too. Had the people stopped being grateful for the signs and wonders?

Here is a scripture in Helaman (3:25) where the people did not become less astonished:

25 And so great was the prosperity of the church, and so many the blessings which were poured out upon the people, that even the high priests and the teachers were themselves astonished beyond measure.

From thinking about this, my conclusion is that if you are doing the things that keep the Spirit with you more often, that helps to keep you innoculated from talking yourself out of great experiences. The people that began to be less and less astonished were spending their energy talking themselves out of their experiences instead of turning to the Lord and continuing to add to their spiritual feelings.

I am all astonishment....

Is it just me, or is the word "astonish" and forms of that word used a lot in the Book of Mormon?

astonish |əˈstäni sh |
verb [ trans. ]
surprise or impress (someone) greatly : you never fail to astonish me | [ trans. ] it astonished her that Mrs. Browing could seem so anxious | [as adj. ] ( astonishing) an astonishing achievement.
DERIVATIVES
astonishingly adverb : [as submodifier ] an astonishingly successful program.
ORIGIN early 16th cent. (as astonished, in the sense [stunned, bewildered, dismayed] ): from obsolete astone [stun, stupefy,] from Old French estoner, based on Latin ex- ‘out’ + tonare ‘to thunder.’

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3 Nephi 20:44

As many were astonished at thee—his visage was so marred, more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men—
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Alma 31:19

Now it came to pass that after Alma and his brethren and his sons had heard these prayers, they were astonished beyond all measure.
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Alma 12:19

Now it came to pass that when Alma had made an end of speaking these words, the people began to be more astonished;
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Alma 49:5

Now at this time the chief captains of the Lamanites were astonished exceedingly, because of the wisdom of the Nephites in preparing their places of security.
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Alma 49:9

And it came to pass that the Lamanites, or the Amalickiahites, were exceedingly astonished at their manner of preparation for war.
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Alma 11:46

Now, when Amulek had finished these words the people began again to be astonished, and also Zeezrom began to tremble. And thus ended the words of Amulek, or this is all that I have written.
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Alma 2:23

And it came to pass that on the morrow they returned into the camp of the Nephites in great haste, being greatly astonished, and struck with much fear, saying:
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Helaman 3:25

And so great was the prosperity of the church, and so many the blessings which were poured out upon the people, that even the high priests and the teachers were themselves astonished beyond measure.
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Helaman 9:4

And now behold, when they saw this they were astonished exceedingly, insomuch that they fell to the earth; for they had not believed the words which Nephi had spoken concerning the chief judge.
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Helaman 9:30

And he shall stand with fear, and wist not what to say. And behold, he shall deny unto you; and he shall make as if he were astonished; nevertheless, he shall declare unto you that he is innocent.

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Alma 17:37

But behold, every man that lifted his club to smite Ammon, he smote off their arms with his sword; for he did withstand their blows by smiting their arms with the edge of his sword, insomuch that they began to be astonished, and began to flee before him; yea, and they were not few in number; and he caused them to flee by the strength of his arm.
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Alma 58:29

And it came to pass that when the armies of the Lamanites did arrive near the city, and saw that we were prepared to meet them, they were astonished exceedingly and struck with great fear, insomuch that they did flee into the wilderness.
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3 Nephi 1:15

And it came to pass that the words which came unto Nephi were fulfilled, according as they had been spoken; for behold, at the going down of the sun there was no darkness; and the people began to be astonished because there was no darkness when the night came.
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3 Nephi 1:17

And they began to know that the Son of God must shortly appear; yea, in fine, all the people upon the face of the whole earth from the west to the east, both in the land north and in the land south, were so exceedingly astonished that they fell to the earth.
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Alma 10:12

And now, when Amulek had spoken these words the people began to be astonished, seeing there was more than one witness who testified of the things whereof they were accused, and also of the things which were to come, according to the spirit of prophecy which was in them.
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Jacob 7:21

And when the multitude had witnessed that he spake these things as he was about to give up the ghost, they were astonished exceedingly; insomuch that the power of God came down upon them, and they were overcome that they fell to the earth.
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Alma 14:6

And it came to pass that Zeezrom was astonished at the words which had been spoken; and he also knew concerning the blindness of the minds, which he had caused among the people by his lying words; and his soul began to be harrowed up under a consciousness of his own guilt; yea, he began to be encircled about by the pains of hell.
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Alma 20:27

And I will also grant unto thee that thy brethren may be cast out of prison, and thou and thy brethren may come unto me, in my kingdom; for I shall greatly desire to see thee. For the king was greatly astonished at the words which he had spoken, and also at the words which had been spoken by his son Lamoni, therefore he was desirous to learn them.
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Alma 18:10

Now when king Lamoni heard that Ammon was preparing his horses and his chariots he was more astonished, because of the faithfulness of Ammon, saying: Surely there has not been any servant among all my servants that has been so faithful as this man; for even he doth remember all my commandments to execute them.
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3 Nephi 2:1

And it came to pass that thus passed away the ninety and fifth year also, and the people began to forget those signs and wonders which they had heard, and began to be less and less astonished at a sign or a wonder from heaven, insomuch that they began to be hard in their hearts, and blind in their minds, and began to disbelieve all which they had heard and seen—

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Helaman 9:14

We ran and came to the place of the judgment-seat, and when we saw all things even as Nephi had testified, we were astonished insomuch that we fell to the earth; and when we were recovered from our astonishment, behold they cast us into prison.
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Alma 17:36

But Ammon stood forth and began to cast stones at them with his sling; yea, with mighty power he did sling stones amongst them; and thus he slew a certain number of them insomuch that they began to be astonished at his power; nevertheless they were angry because of the slain of their brethren, and they were determined that he should fall; therefore, seeing that they could not hit him with their stones, they came forth with clubs to slay him.
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3 Nephi 3:11

And now it came to pass when Lachoneus received this epistle he was exceedingly astonished, because of the boldness of Giddianhi demanding the possession of the land of the Nephites, and also of threatening the people and avenging the wrongs of those that had received no wrong, save it were they had wronged themselves by dissenting away unto those wicked and abominable robbers.
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Alma 20:26

And when he saw that Ammon had no desire to destroy him, and when he also saw the great love he had for his son Lamoni, he was astonished exceedingly, and said: Because this is all that thou hast desired, that I would release thy brethren, and suffer that my son Lamoni should retain his kingdom, behold, I will grant unto you that my son may retain his kingdom from this time and forever; and I will govern him no more—
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Alma 18:2

And when they had all testified to the things which they had seen, and he had learned of the faithfulness of Ammon in preserving his flocks, and also of his great power in contending against those who sought to slay him, he was astonished exceedingly, and said: Surely, this is more than a man. Behold, is not this the Great Spirit who doth send such great punishments upon this people, because of their murders?
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Alma 57:26

And now, their preservation was astonishing to our whole army, yea, that they should be spared while there was a thousand of our brethren who were slain. And we do justly ascribe it to the miraculous power of God, because of their exceeding faith in that which they had been taught to believe—that there was a just God, and whosoever did not doubt, that they should be preserved by his marvelous power.