Faith and Diligence

I am reading in 1 Nephi 16 today and it is talking about the liahona and how it worked. Nephi says that it worked according to their faith and diligence. I know what faith is, but I started thinking about what diligence has to do with faith. The definition of diligence is: careful and persistent work or effort. I think it is another way of saying faith without works is dead.

After Nephi talks about the liahona, he gives us an example of how it works. They were trying to find food and they were all at a point when they were very hungry. Their bows were broken or lost their spring. With hunger looming, many started complaining. Nephi, on the other hand, diligently worked to find a solution. Instead of using what little energy he had complaining, he used it to make another bow and then asked his father where to go look for food. This is a great example of faith and diligence. He had faith that Heavenly Father would take care of them, but he did his part to fix the situation. He didn't expect Heavenly Father to do for him what he could do himself. He did what he could do, and then he relied on God. This is a perfect example of what faith and diligence is all about. Nephi showed plenty of examples of this throughout his life. In fact, the motto of his life could be faith and diligence.

Here is a wonderful article on faith and diligence by Elder Gene R. Cook.

It was the best of times; It was the worst of times...

This scripture is in my top 10 favorites:
1 Nephi 1:20

The bad part.....
And when the Jews heard these things they were angry with him; yea, even as with the prophets of old, whom they had cast out, and stoned, and slain; and they also sought his life, that they might take it away.



The good part....
But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.

Another Book of Mormon message

As I have stated in a previous post, if I could sum up the Book of Mormon in just one word, it would be remember. Since I have recently finished reading the Book of Mormon and am now starting at the beginning again, another word has struck me. That word is mercy.

When I was reading in the last chapters of Moroni, I was struck by this part of a verse in the famous Moroni 10:3-5 scripture. This is part of Moroni 10:3:

Moroni 10:3
that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.

Actually, interestingly enough, that verse also uses the word remember! Anyway, as I began the first chapter of 1 Nephi today, I see that this is how the Book of Mormon begins, too:

1 Nephi 1:14-15

14 And it came to pass that when my father had read and seen many great and marvelous things, he did exclaim many things unto the Lord; such as: Great and marvelous are thy works, O Lord God Almighty! Thy throne is high in the heavens, and thy power, and goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth; and, because thou art merciful, thou wilt not suffer those who come unto thee that they shall perish!

15 And after this manner was the language of my father in the praising of his God; for his soul did rejoice, and his whole heart was filled, because of the things which he had seen, yea, which the Lord had shown unto him.

So I see that the Book of Mormon begins with mercy and ends with mercy.
I guess if you put these two words together, then the theme of this great book is "remember the mercy of Jesus Christ".

In reading further on, Nephi makes essentially this same statement:

1 Nephi 19:18 And I, Nephi, have written these things unto my people, that perhaps I might persuade them that they would remember the Lord their Redeemer.

Ten Steps to Greater Spirituality

In looking for the quote from Brigham Young in my previous post, I found this talk by Elder Joe J. Christensen. It is such a great talk, I thought I would include the reference in a separate post:
http://lds.org/ensign/1983/06/toward-greater-spirituality-ten-important-steps?lang=eng

Living beneath our privilieges

At times assignments can feel like burdens. Brethren, let us not pass through life immersed in the three Ws: wearied, worrying, and whining. We live beneath our privileges when we allow worldly anchors to keep us away from the abundant joy that comes from faithful and dedicated priesthood service, especially within the walls of our own homes. We live beneath our privileges when we fail to partake of the feast of happiness, peace, and joy that God grants so bountifully to faithful priesthood servants.

This is from the general conference address that Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf gave in the priesthood session (April 2011, Your Potential, Your Privilege). Though he was talking about priesthood service, I think it is is a relevant message for all of us.

He tells this story which really illustrates the point of living beneath our privileges:

There once was a man whose lifelong dream was to board a cruise ship and sail the Mediterranean Sea. He dreamed of walking the streets of Rome, Athens, and Istanbul. He saved every penny until he had enough for his passage. Since money was tight, he brought an extra suitcase filled with cans of beans, boxes of crackers, and bags of powdered lemonade, and that is what he lived on every day.

He would have loved to take part in the many activities offered on the ship—working out in the gym, playing miniature golf, and swimming in the pool. He envied those who went to movies, shows, and cultural presentations. And, oh, how he yearned for only a taste of the amazing food he saw on the ship—every meal appeared to be a feast! But the man wanted to spend so very little money that he didn’t participate in any of these. He was able to see the cities he had longed to visit, but for the most part of the journey, he stayed in his cabin and ate only his humble food.

On the last day of the cruise, a crew member asked him which of the farewell parties he would be attending. It was then that the man learned that not only the farewell party but almost everything on board the cruise ship—the food, the entertainment, all the activities—had been included in the price of his ticket. Too late the man realized that he had been living far beneath his privileges.

Wow, this is a great talk. Here is another jewel:

As you read the scriptures and listen to the words of the prophets with all your heart and mind, the Lord will tell you how to live up to your priesthood privileges. Don’t let a day go by without doing something to act on the promptings of the Spirit.

His talk reminds me of what Brigham Young said on the topic of living beneath our privileges:

“There is no doubt, if a person lives according to the revelations given to God’s people, he may have the Spirit of the Lord to signify to him his will, and to guide and to direct him in the discharge of his duties, in his temporal as well as his spiritual exercises. I am satisfied, however, that in this respect, we live far beneath our privileges.” (Discourses of Brigham Young, sel. and arr. by John A. Widtsoe, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1973, p. 32; emphasis added.)

Faith, Hope, and Charity

I am reading Steve E. Snow's general conference address on Hope. This is a quote from Russell M. Nelson that he used in his message:

“faith is rooted in Jesus Christ. Hope centers in the Atonement. Charity is manifest in the ‘pure love of Christ.’ These three attributes are intertwined like strands in a cable and may not always be precisely distinguished. Together they become our tether to the celestial kingdom” (“A More Excellent Hope,” Ensign, Feb. 1997, 61).

Here is a story he told:

In 1851, Mary Murray Murdoch joined the Church in Scotland as a widow at age 67. A small woman at four feet seven inches (1.2 m) tall and barely 90 pounds (41 kg), she bore eight children, six of whom lived to maturity. Because of her size, her children and grandchildren affectionately called her “Wee Granny.”

Her son John Murdoch and his wife joined the Church and left for Utah in 1852 with their two small children. In spite of his family’s own hardships, four years later John sent his mother the necessary funds so she might join the family in Salt Lake City. With a hope much greater than her small size, Mary began the arduous journey west to Utah at age 73.

After a safe passage across the Atlantic, she ultimately joined the ill-fated Martin handcart company. On July 28 these handcart pioneers began the journey west. The suffering of this company is well known. Of the 576 members of the party, almost one-fourth died before they reached Utah. More would have perished if not for the rescue effort organized by President Brigham Young, who sent wagons and supplies to find the stranded, snowbound Saints.

Mary Murdoch died on October 2, 1856, near Chimney Rock, Nebraska. Here she succumbed to fatigue, exposure, and the hardships of the journey. Her frail body simply gave out under the physical hardships the Saints encountered. As she lay clinging to life, her thoughts were of her family in Utah. The last words of this faithful pioneer woman were “Tell John I died with my face toward Zion.” (See Kenneth W. Merrell, Scottish Shepherd: The Life and Times of John Murray Murdoch, Utah Pioneer [2006], 34, 39, 54, 77, 94–97, 103, 112–13, 115.)

Jesus noticed.

Mark 12: 41-44

41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.

42 And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.

43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:

44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

Luke 21:1-4

1 And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.

2 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.

3 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:

4 For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.

This is such a great story, but the aspect of it that I have been particularly thinking about is that Jesus noticed her. She was of little consequence but Jesus knew her and her sacrifice. Jesus noticed her.


Mark 10:18-22

17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.

19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.

20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.

21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.

This is a great story too. The aspect of it that I am thinking about is that this person was trying hard to check off all the outward requirements off his list but still had a great deal to do inwardly. No matter. Jesus chastened him a little, but before that, it takes care to mention that Jesus loved him. Even with our flaws, Jesus loves us. He knows what is going on inside whether or not it is evident to others. When it looks like we are doing what's right outwardly, He still knows what our faults are, and loves us.

Jesus noticed.