2N25:26-27

The deadness of the law as described by Nephi points to the Savior's power to save us from sin. Reading this scripture bring insight into the next 6 months as we participate in a pilot program for the new curriculum the church is looking to use to bring gospel study to the individual and home.

The focus of the new curriculum is for members to understand the doctrine of Christ. I know that I personally have been confused at times when things that we are asked to do have gone against the cultural behaviors or ceremonial ways from my childhood. But, as I have studied the gospel less things have become confusing and the true nature of all the programs of the church have become clear. We are to progress to become like the Savior of all mankind, all things we are asked to do are, in some way, progressing us or the leaders asking it of us to become more like the Savior. If we can see with an eye of faith we will ultimately see the work of the Savior in perfecting us to become like him through the programs of the church.

Let the focus of the next six months be showing our children the deadness of the law and that they may look to the Savior.

Day 5

This is more informational than anything. I did read up on Zedekiah and the history leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem. It was interesting because the years leading up to Jerusalem had seen wars in lands surrounding the area, primarily between Egypt and Babylonia. They each had installed kings at Jerusalem that were friendly to either countries leading up to the destruction, but they were more like vassal kings than anything. Jeremiah the prophet was a counselor to King Zedekiah, in his court. He was prophesying the destruction, and based on the outcome of death it was obviously an unpopular position. Interesting times, we have prophesies concerning our days as well and the message is follow the prophets, like in ancient times, for they know the way. But if we really reflect on this, each one of our lives is destined for eternal life, we face personal safety or destruction based on following the commandments, our futures have been prophesied based on faithfulness to the word. We as parents are leaders in the family and have a great deal do to with the salvation and exaltation of those that have been placed in our homes. We can talk about the macro world of signs of the second coming, but each of us will leave mortality and our reward won't be based on the time we lived, but how we lived our time. Follow the prophets, listen to the promptings of the Holy Ghost, they lead us to peace and a safe return to our Heavenly Father's presence.

Day 4

The message that is reinforced for me is that the book deposited contains the fulness of the everlasting gospel. But in this account of Moroni's visit it adds, "as delivered by the Savior to the ancient inhabitants." That ties back to the description of the crowning event of the Book of Mormon, that being the Savior's visit to its ancient inhabitants. As a missionary I remember when I gained an understanding of the importance of the Book of Mormon as another testament of Jesus Christ, an additional witness of his life and resurrection and the gospel in its fulness, it is something I will never forget. 

I read up on the lives of the witnesses of the Book of Mormon to understand what happened, why they left the body of the Saints. These men were the first to help Joseph and aide in the translation of the Book of Mormon from those ancient plates, all before the church was established, something they never denied as true and real. After leaving the saints, most of them started their own churches, some that lasted up until the 1960's. They didn't have the authority of course, and only had the restored Gospel of Salvation, no additional ordinances. My personal opinion of the matter, not having been there, was that they all thought, or expected to have prominent positions in the church because of the work they had aided in. I would think that because of the disagreements in leadership they couldn't hold to the faith. It somewhat reminds me of the parable of the sower, the seed that feel among the different soils. If anything it should be a warning to us, a warning that following the leaders the Savior has called to move his work forward, imperfect as they may be, is required of us to remain faithful to our covenants. Those early brethren, again it is my opinion only, couldn't bring themselves to do it. Several did return, several remained faithful until their death. But it is a quiet reminder to follow the prophet and be faithful.

Day 3

When it is said that these men never denied the authenticity of the plates it is true. For many years I had also understood that to mean that they believed in the restoration of the Gospel and the return of prophets. After ready their testimonies again and reading some of their accounts, it is clear that they simply testified that they had seen the plates. The three witnesses were commanded to bear testimony that it had in fact been translated by the power of God, that the work that was produced through the translation was true. As I read these words again it was clear to me that the record had been found, translated and send forth to convince us that Jesus is the the Christ. 

To believe these men is a choice. Not to diminish the sanctity of the work, but it is like the testimonies in a court of law, in which the jury and judge were not present at the events submitted to the court, but they only hear and see testimony of  the events from witnesses. The judge and jury make a choice to believe one party or the other. As for me, I believe these men, and it is a choice I made.

Day 8

This one is a little out of order but needed to sort out my thoughts on it. This one has to do with Laman and Lemuel after the three days in the wilderness, this is where we first meet them. Laman and Lemuel are murmuring. On the surface I can understand murmuring, I mean packing up "family, provisions and tents"and leaving into the wilderness because the great city of Jerusalem would be destroyed. That had to be rough, camping is rough and even more so when you don't know when it is going to end. Their murmuring included leaving their "gold and their silver, and their precious things" and I would have to think about what that might mean for us today. But it went deeper than that, Nephi described them as being like the "Jews at Jerusalem who sought to take away [Lehi's life]" and that they didn't know "the dealings of that God who had created them", in fact it was so deep that their father had to speak to them "with power, being filled with the Spirit, until their frames did shake before him".  This thing, this murmuring, has me thinking about me and my state, we have acquired so many precious things.

I was raised with few precious things, or at least by my standard of living today. I grew up in the desert, the Mojave Desert to be exact. We lived initially in a one room cabin, if you can imagine that (most people can't) and then in a single-wide mobile home. There were 10 of us kids at home during that time so it was close quarters. Resources were tight and I am sure some might even describe it as a group traveling through the wilderness, and I guess if do the math, I was there a little over 8 years. But I remember as a young man hearing my mother speak of receiving a blessing that we lived there with the purpose that several of her children needed that experience. I guess I was like Nephi in some small way because I believed "in the words which had been spoken to my [Mother]". In fact I remember hearing my Mother speak words often, the words of being lead by the spirit, and yea, I did believe them. As I consider the few precious things they seem insignificant, and as the scriptures say, 'moth doth corrupt' and if they haven't had a go at them the searing desert sun has probably taken a fair shot at them.

I often feel like Laman and Lemuel, or at least a sense of wandering and I forget "the dealings of God" in my life. It is subtle and slow and so very imperceptible. It can turn into rebellion, and Nephi uses that term and progression, through revelation, he describes it as murmuring, but then the Lord says "in that day that they shall rebel against me", our murmuring can do the same, it can turn into rebellion. I think humility keeps a heart soft and broken, it staves off the hardening and murmuring of the heart that then rebels. Nephi's heart was softened until he believed. The figurative heart is used in Proverbs 3:1, "but let thine heart keep my commandments". And I love this reference, I heard it yesterday as I was contemplating Laman and Lemuel's murmuring, because it drove home the point that Laman and Lemuel hearts were not soft, not humble. The Sacrament prayer for the blessing of the bread speaks of the body of Christ and we promise to keep the commandments. I have come to associate the Savior's mortal sacrifice, the sacrifice of the body, with that of physically keeping the commandments. He gave his life, his body through out his entire earthly ministry, he walked and preached and healed the sick and raised the dead, fasted to prepare himself. All physical activities. We keep his commandments by giving all we have. But in Proverbs the prophet teaches, "let thine heart keep my commandments." Wow. Laman and Lemuel's hearts weren't in it. Their hearts were on the precious things they left behind. In an ironic turn of events, their hearts weren't wandering, they were firmly planted on the things they left back home.

As I consider that I had few precious things, I can't consider it without feeling a great deal of gratitude. I have seen so often the setting of hearts on precious things and it brings me sorrow. We can find comfort and ease in those things, and when kept within the bounds established by the Lord through his prophets we can even find joy in the blessing of having those things. But how quickly we place them before everything else and our "heart keeps [not his] commandments" and forgets "the dealings of God" in our life. Few precious things are often seen as a curse, but "all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things."

Was the problem only the precious things or is that just a symptom of a heart hardening? It sure feels like a symptom, being grateful and humble and keeping the commandments doesn't keep us from precious things (in fact Jacob clarifies that pretty well), quite the opposite, but it keeps our hearts planted on the foundation of Christ, keeps our heart broken and soft and easily entreated. We feel with our hearts, the pains, the joys, the sorrows, and happiness of others, perhaps a soft heart leads us to know the Savior and without a soft heart we can't truly know him.

Well, I think I have a better idea of how this might apply to me, at least at this time in my life. It changes with time, but for now it is meaningful.

• Watch for murmuring, it is a sign of a hardening and wandering heart.
• Consider your precious things, what effort are you putting into them (percentage of income or time) in relation to the effort you put into the basics, pray, scriptures, family home evening. It might be a sign of a hardening heart, or a wandering one.

Day 2

The thing that really stuck out to me this time was how simply this summarizes that Jesus Christ is the center of this book. It stated the "crowning event" and that really struck me. This helped strengthen my faith in the Savior and His gospel, the plan of salvation and the pattern of peace in this life and the life to come. I would be remiss if I didn't mention the Prophet Joseph Smith and his prophetic role of translating the plates.

Day 1

I liked the summary of the Book of Ether, that it was to show what great things the Lord has done for us, teaching and reminding us that they are not cast off forever, that he remembers the covenants he has made. I do feel peace as I think on the Savior, his love for me and the power we can feel in our lives as we bring ourselves close to him.