Institute Notes from Doctrine and Covenants 129-132

 Institute Notes from Doctrine and Covenants 129-132

 

Unembodied – Never had a body

Disembodied – They have died 

Reembodied – Have received a resurrected body

 

129:7 It is contrary to the order of heaven for a just man to deceive.

 

The nearer a man approaches the Lord, a greater power will be manifested by the adversary to prevent the accomplishment of His purposes. – Joseph Smith

 

There are no babies or little children in the pre-mortality. In the millennium, parents will be able to raise children from the age that they lost them.

 

President Eyring at MTC said, “There is so much of the unseen world.”

 

Where does confusion come from? It comes from the author of confusion and is produced by those who rebel against God and against His authority. There were many who did this formerly, and they formed part of that hell…although those men and women are dead, they have a good deal of power; Their spirits have power over us when we render ourselves subject to them; Their spirits are busy at work. They are diligent and performing the work of destruction and confusion; They go at that work the very moment their spirits leave their bodies.

 

The spirits of the wicked, who have died thousands of years past, are at war with the Saints of God up on the earth…the Lord has said that there are more for us than there can be against us…It is written where the Holy Ghost takes up its abode the Father and the Son will abide. That is the God whom I serve, one who has millions of angels at His command. Do you suppose that there are any here today? I would not wonder if there were ten times more angels here than people. We do not see them, but they are here watching us and are anxious for our salvation.” -Heber C. Kimball

 

There are many things we won’t receive because we haven’t prayed for them.

 

Wendy Nelson- Elder Holland- Pray for angels. She said it changed her life.

 

They do mingle so they can teach those who haven’t heard the gospel. They are together. They are not in separate little locations.

 

If we ponder just what it is that will rise with us in the resurrection, it seems clear that our intelligence will rise with us, meaning not simply our IQ but also our capacity to receive and apply truth. Our talents, attributes and skills will rise with us; Certainly, also our capacity to learn, our degree of self-discipline, and our capacity to work. -Neal A. Maxwell

 

Guy asked chatgpt what you’d do if you were Satan-quote.

 

Sister Beck –“They need to know, if it’s anti famly it’s anti Christ.”

 

You can’t be casual with the gospel.

 

Elder George Q. Cannon taught, We believe that when a man and a woman are united as husband and wife, and they love each other, their hearts and feelings are one, that that love is as enduring as eternity itself, and that when death overtakes them it will endure through eternity; and that if we have offspring they will be with us and our mutual associates will be one of the chief joys of the heaven to which we are hastening… God has restored the everlasting priesthood, by which ties can be formed, consecrated and consummated, which shall be as enduing as we ourselves are enduring…”

 

2 Peter 1: The more knowledge you have, the more power you have.

 

Experience self, watching other, listening to others. –Learn to live higher laws

 

Doctrine and Covenants 132: 8 God’s house is a house of order and not a house of confusion. 

 

Sharon’s brother. Can you take out, “Til death do us part?” The minister said yes but I don’t have authority.

 

God is not the author of confusion.

 

This is my gospel:

 

“Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting; the soul; but trailing clouds of glory do we come. From God who is our home.”

https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/brent-l-top/thing-men-call-death-latter-day-saint-teachings-spirit-world/

 

 

Section 109 Continues Priesthood Keys Restored - Visions

Section 109 Notes Continued

Moses, who in the majesty of the Melchizedek Priesthood led enslaved Israel out of Egyptian bondage into their promised Palestine, brings back those very keys... "These keys empower those who hold them to lead all Israel, the ten tribes included, from all the nations of the earth... to the mountains of the Lord's houses, there to be endowed with power from own high." Bruce R. McConkie, (The Keys of the Kingdom, Ensign May 1983 p. 21-23

The man Elias brings back the gospel of Abraham, the great Abrahamic covenant whereby the faithful receive promises of eternal increase, promises through celestial marriage their eternal posterity shall be as numerous as the sands of the seashore or as the stars in heaven for multitude. (Bruce r. McConkie, Quorum of the Twelve, 'The Keys of the Kingdom, Ensign May 1983 p. 21-22)

The Lord sent Elias and he sent Elijah. And when Elias came, he brought the gospel of Abraham, the divine commission that God gave Abraham, the marriage discipline that God gave Abraham, Elias restored celestial marriage, and Elijah came and brought the sealing power so the ordinances would be binding on earth and sealed in heaven; and it takes the ministry of both of them to accomplish the purposes of the Lord. (The Promise Made to the Fathers." From Studies in Scripture Vol. 3 Genesis to 2 Samuel, ed. Kent P. Jackson and Robert L. Millet (SLC UT Randall Cook Co. 1985 p.61)

It's interesting that in the case of Joesph Smith there were many shared visions. It's harder to refute shared visionary experiences.

Doctrine and Covenants 45

 The Lord is mindful of us.

Prepare for the 2nd coming

He helps us endure and get through hardships.

See the big picture - Heavenly Father knows the end from the beginning.

He is pleading my cause before the Father.

Jesus us called PARACLAYTOS - advocate, also used for the Holy Ghost, comforter, para is to the side of, kayalo is to summon, called to another's side to aid him

They know me and what I'm capable of.

Errant children will be coming back.

We fight evil by obedience and righteousness. Love, come back, rethink things.

Examples - tree replanted, tabernacle rebuilt as a temple, in doing so they found a baptismal font

Those on the other side of the veil love us now more than over. 

I gave you life and I'll do all I can to be there when you pass on. Welcome him home.

Limit Satan's destructiveness

Builders of Salt Lake temple - stone on stone - 

Unborn blessed from me keeping my covenants.

Be not troubled

We can be happy during hard times.

Prayer- quest, life run through the Spirit

Promptings come as a vessel is pure

Have "interviews" with Heavenly Father here and now.

How you wear your garments is an indicator of how much you want Jesus Christ to lead you life.

Like a pregnant woman now knowing when baby will come, we don't know when the Savior will come. Be ready

Institute Notes

 Institute

Don't let adversity control your life. 

Higher vision rather than lower concern.

Worry is negative goal setting. 

Allow yourself to worry at a certain time each day. Looking for solutions rather than just letting it fester.

Recognize what is within and outside your control.

Moses delivered the keys of the gathering. Israel is gathered through Priesthood keys. It's all about love. "Go, save my people."

If there's someone you don't like, serve them.

All laws are spiritual before temporal.

We can be blessed even in hard times.

Waters of Jerusalem will be healed.

The "elect" agreed to do this work. 

We are judged by the thoughts and intents of our hearts.

Joseph Smith - "The main object of gathering was to build unto the Lord a house whereby he could reveal unto his people the ordinances of His house and the glories of His Kingdom and teach the people the way of salvation; For there are certain ordinances and principles that when they are taught and practiced, must be done in a place or house built for that purpose. It was the design of the council's of heaven before the world was, that the principles and laws of the priesthood should be predicated upon the gathering of the people in every age of the world. It is for that purpose that God gathers together his people in the last days, to build unto the Lord a house to prepare them for the ordinances and endowments, washings and anointings, etc."

McConkie- "The sacrament is to be administered in a future day on the earth, when the Lord Jesus is present, and when all the righteous of all ages are present. This, of course, will be part of the great council at Adam-ondi-Ahman. Every faithful person in the whole history o fate world, every person who has so lived as to merit eternal life in the Kingdom of the Father will be in attendance and will partake, with the Lord, of the sacrament."

President Oaks - "When we partake of the sacrament, you witness unto God the Eternal Father that we do always remember his Son. Each Sabbath day millions of Latter-day Saints make this promise. What does it mean to 'always remember' our Savior? To remember means to keep in memory. In the scriptures, it often means to keep a person in memory, together with associated emotions like love, loyalty, or gratitude. The stronger the emotion, the more vivid and influential the memory..." As we remember our Lord and Savior, we should contemplate the great blessings we have as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We have been taught by the Lord Jesus Christ. We have been led by prophets. We have received the sealing ordinances of the gospel. He has blessed us bounteously. As we remember all of this, we should also remember the divine caution of Him unto whom much is given much is required. That eternal principle of law and just is a measure of what God expects of us. May we always remember Him.."

Institute Notes March 2025

"Give heed with all your might"  Might can be used in old English as associated with an oath. Shakespeare used it that way.

Heavenly Father will use us because He is in the business of building people.

What part to I play. What ere thou art, act well thy part.

J. Ruben Clark - At time of call was an ambassador in Mexico. Composed a polite letter refusing call then set it aside. A few days later, wrote another letter accepting the call from "a superior officer" as his duty.

Authority is binding. Promises kept

Elder Holland- Some mistakenly believe an honest declaration of doubt is superior to an honest declaration of faith.

Actionable steps- What would an angel sent to help me do? Take yourself out of the situation then do that.

Here's my heart Lord, take and seal it.

Creative solutions

Be reliable. Keep commandments. He knows my heart.

"Justice in an essential attribute of God because He is perfectly trustworthy." -D. Todd Christofferson

Willingness, duty, absolute truth

United prayer to overcome temptation

Curtain - Christ, veil, protection

Own and use the tools you have.

Ezekiel 36:26-28

Jeremiah 20:9

God has not given us the Spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind.

Ask for angels to help children.

Joseph Smith - I will always maintain a true principle even if I stand alone in it.

You and I both know you're weak. D&C 124:1

Dare to stand alone

Repent relentlessly

Call it courage

Find what you'll lay on the alter and picture doing that.

B. H. Roberts - seeing words and wondering if he'd ever read them. "Ay, and you'll write them too."

Joseph Knight brought Joseph lined paper. The Lord uses the resources we can give. 

Mormon Battalion - Learning to irrigate in Pueblo CO, using brick making gift to help teach others and build the first 20 wells in San Diego. Kept newly restored covenants. I can ask the Lord "What is my part?"

Use wealth to do good. Consecrate it to God's work before you get it.

Project God's love out to each person before you interact.

Elder Wada - Felt the love of the Savior through the Elders praying for him as described in his Conference talk

Elder Bruce R. McConkie explained that "the titles church of the devil and great and abominable church are used to identify all churches or organizations of whatever name or nature --whether political, philosophical, educational, economical, social, fraternal, civic or religious--which are designed to take men on a course that leads away from God and his laws and thus from salvation in the kingdom of God."

Institute ether 6-11

Alan Webster (Ensign, April 1990)

"The truly righteous are prosperous, in the sense that they have confidence, which triggers faith into activity and creates beneficial circumstances from less favorable ones. They do not wait for the Lord to give or withhold rewards, but instead call on Him for guidance about what will be most beneficial for them, both temporally and spiritually. Such guidance may lead to changing occupations, moving to another district, acquiring training or new skills, or accepting things as they are but working within one's limitations and following the Spirit's direction in other ways."

Mortality works - talk in last General Conference

The prayers of a righteous man availeth much. 

They were commanded to build barges similar to ones they had already built. Ether 2:15-17

Maybe the Lord has me to repeat something I've done before, something I've gained expertise at. 

Ether 3:6 He was frightened, but he learned much from this encounter. Maybe it's ok to do something scared. 

I the Lord am bound when ye do what I say. "Moroni extolled the great faith of the brother of Jared, and he recorded that because of his faith "the Lord could not withhold anything from his sight; wherefore he showed him all things" (Ether 12:19-21)

"Moroni described how the secret combination would take over a country and fight the work on God, persecute the righteous and murder those who resisted. Moroni therefore, proceeded to describe the workings of the ancient secret combinations so that modern men could recognize this great political conspiracy in the last days. The Lord has declared that before the 2nd coming of Christ it will be necessary to 'destroy the secret works of darkness in order to preserve the land of Zion, the Americas."

Ezra Taft Benson

Institue Notes -Ether 1-5

The word of the Lord in the scriptures is like a lamp to guide our feet, and revelation is like a mighty force that increases the lamp's illumination manyfold. We encourage everyone to make careful study of the scriptures and of the prophetic teachings concerning them and to prayerfully seek personal revelation to know their meanings for themselves. - Elder Dallin H. Oaks

The Omniscience of God in the minds of some well-meaning Latter-day Saints has been qualified by the concept of eternal progression. Some have wrongly assumed that God's progress is related to his acquisition of additional knowledge....

God derives his great and continuing joy and glory by increasing and advancing His creations and not form new intellectual experiences; There is a vast difference, therefore, between an omniscient God and the fast notion that God is on some sort of post-doctoral fellowship, still searching for additional key truths and vital data. Were the latter so, God might, at any moment, discover some new truth not previously known to Him that would restructure, diminish, or undercut certain truths previously known by Him. Prophecy would be mere prediction. Planning assumptions pertaining to our redemption would need to be revised. Fortunately for us, however, His plan of salvation is constantly underway, not constantly under revision. -Elder Neal A. Maxwell

He asked about light air and how they would get there.

"We doubt not the Lord nor His goodness. We've proved Him in days that are past." Prove me- tithing. Prove me, air, light, direction. Faith because He has proven himself.

Present the Lord with a solution. When Marty missed required coursework for woodbadge, he was told to present a solution. Same with the Lord. Go to the Lord in prayer and fasting and ask.

The language was corrupted. I can see how that would happen after my experience learning Portuguese. Different languages, accents, even teenagers communicating in ways I don't understand. 

Even Joseph Smith couldn't read the plates, but he was able to translate. 

Try to be highly favored of the Lord. 

Daniel Webster Jones description of translating The Book of Mormon into Spanish- Knots in the string. Something's wrong. Fix it. 

Institute Notes

 Institute Notes

 

Mosiah 11-17

Truth

Everything in this world that is true has a divine source, and that source is Jesus Christ. Truth is eternal (D&C 1:37-39) Divine truth is absolute (D&C 3:2) God uses the Holy Ghost to impart truth (D&C 50 19-22) The Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost are the fountain of all truth.

 

We too often confuse belief with truth thinking that because something makes sense or is convenient it must be true. Conversely, we sometimes don’t believe truth or reject it because it would require us to change or admit that we were wrong. Often truth is rejected because it doesn’t appear to be consistent with previous experiences when the opinions of truth of others contradict our own….The thing about truth is that it exists beyond belief. It is true even if nobody believes it. There is indeed such a thing as absolute truth unassailable, unchangeable truth. This truth is different from belief. It is different from hope. Absolute truth is not dependent upon public opinion or popularity polls. So how can we find truth?...the things we once thought we knew are continually being enhanced, modified or even contradicted by enterprising scholars who seek to understand truth…Satan has many cunning strategies for keeping mortals from the truth. He offers the belief that truth is relative appealing to our sense of tolerance and fairness. He keeps the real truth hidden by claiming that one person’s truth is as valid as any other. Some he entices to believe that there is an absolute truth out there somewhere but that it is impossible for anyone to know it….it is always good to keep in mind that just because something is printed on paper appears on the internet or is frequently repeated or has a powerful group of followers doesn’t make it true…all who seek to know the truth, who study it out in their minds, and who ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ will know the truth by the power of the Holy Ghost.” – Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf

 

Mosiah 18-24

 

Pray asking the Lord, “What can I do?” to help those who are in bondage.

Start where they are and bring them up.

Don’t expect to repeat actions and expect different outcomes. Nothings changes if nothing changes.

How have I felt God’s love?

What is my duty?

Allow children to follow through with choice. Let them make it.

The Lord works in natural ways. 

Hopelessness is from Satan.

 

Jesus’ love was inseparably connected to and resulted from his life of serving, sacrificing and giving in behalf of others. We cannot develop Christlike love except by practicing the process prescribed by the Master. Charity is not just a precept or principle, nor is it just a word to describe actions and attitudes. Rather, it is an internal condition that must be developed and experienced in order to be understood. We are possessors of charity when it is part of our nature. People who have charity, have a love for the Savior, have received of his love and love others as he does.” -Elder C. Max Caldwell

Institute 5/9/24 Mosiah 7-10

 This is about covenants with God; the blessings and consequences of breaking that covenant. The new and everlasting covenant is the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Institute Manual: The Laminates came to accept as truth a distorted version of events concerning their original journey from Jerusalem. These false traditions were handed down from generation to generation, creating deep prejudices or an eternal hatred among the Lamanites against the Nephites. In latter day revelation the Lord warned that Satan uses false traditions to take away truth and light. Because of these traditions the Laminates felt justified in murdering, robbing and attempting to destroy or enslave the Nephites.

"Life never was intended to be easy. Rather, it is a period of proving and growth. It is interwoven with difficulties, challenges and burdens...Yet these very forms, if squarely faced, provide opportunity for tremendous personal growth and development. The conquering of adversity produces strength of character, forges self-confidence, engenders, self-respect, and assures success in righteous endeavor." Richard G. Scott

Elder Soares- Seek Christ in every thought. 

Conduct life in harmony the gospel of Christ.

Don't allow inappropriate thoughts to stay.

Be prepared to experience our privileges, promises and responsibilities

Be prepared to have spiritual insights and awakenings that we need in this life.

Orson Pratt Whitney

-God works outside as well as inside His church and uses big things and little things for the accomplishment of His purposes.

-Be part of the necessary preparations for the coming of the Lord.

Religion 121-122 Maual

When the remnant of Israel and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob have learned to trust the Lord rather than man, they shall return and overflow with righteousness.

President Joseph F. Smith: The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. It is not only the privilege but the duty of each member of the church to know the truth which will make him free. The he cannot know unless it is revealed to him.

Now is the period where the Lord and his servants will make the final great effort to take the message of truth to all the peoples of the earth and to reclaim the descendants of ancient Israel who have lost their true identity. The prophet Zenos, whom Jacob quotes in the Book of Mormon, compares this effort to the work of the laborers who price and nurture a vineyard and gather its fruit for the last time. Sense likens the Saviors to the master of the vineyard who says to those are his helpers, wherefore, let us go to and labor with our might this last time, for behold the end drawers nigh, and this is the last time that I shall prune my vineyard. You have come to earth when the foundation has been laid for this great work. The gospel has been restored for the last time. The church has been established in almost every part of the world. The stage is set of the final dramatic scenes to be enacted. You will be the principal players. You are among the last laborers in the vineyard. This is the yoke that is set upon your necks. This item service for which you are chosen. -Elder Dean L. Larsen

Prayer-

This kind goeth not out but by fasting and prayer

The devil doesn't want me to pray.

I need prayers of faith to obtain revelation

The brother of Jared was chastised for hours for forgetting to pray. It's important!

My most meaningful prayer: Remember that? Of course, He remembers.

Elder Eyring: Revelation comes for us in proportion to the degree to which we have sought to take the doctrine of Christ into our hearts and implement it in our lives.

Elder Maxwell: The meaning of offering ourselves to the Lord,"Real, personal sacrifice never was placing an animal on the alter. Instead, it is a willingness to put the animal in us on the alter and letting it be consumed."

The Lord expects us to be as faithful, as devoted, as courageous as those who went before us. They were

called to give their lives for the gospel. We are called to live our lives for the same purpose....All dispensations

prepared the way for the first coming of the Lord and His Atonement. Similarly, history and prophecy laid the

groundwork for the Restoration of the gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith. Do we have eyes to see that the

events and prophecies of our time are preparing us for the Savior’s Second Coming?

Robert D. Hales, “Preparations for the Restoration and the Second Coming: ‘My Hand Shall Be Over Thee,’” Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2005, 91-92

0. Nephi continued his prophecy in 2 Nephi 26, where he described conditions among the Gentiles of the last days. It is a description of spiritual poverty, because the Gentiles (1) would be “lifted up in the pride of their eyes”; (2) would stumble spiritually, as noted earlier, because of their stumbling block; (3) would preach for religious doctrine their own ideas gained through their own wisdom and learning; (4) would preach for financial gain; (5) would deny the miracles and power of God: (6) would be filled with envy, malice, and strife; and (7) would support secret combinations from the devil. All this can be classified as priestcraft. (2 Ne. 26:20-31.)
   Robert J. Matthews, “Two Ways of the World,” Studies in Scripture, Vol 1 p. 152

   
   

   0. Among the things that Nephi makes clear is that the Lord works in plainness, in truth, and in goodness for the benefit of the world, whereas the devil deals in deception and cunning, appealing to people’s pride and physical appetites until he captures their souls in chains and destruction. This is not a pretty prospect, but it is a fair warning that our enemy is clever and will employ every deceptive and devilish means to accomplish his desires.

      In this selected portion of Nephi’s prophecy, possibly more than in any other place in the scriptures, particular detail is given about the devil’s manner of operation and about how he carefully traps people. It may seem strange that a book of God would contain so much about the devil and his ways, but it is necessary in order that mortals might recognize evil when they see it and know how to prepare against it. The Book of Mormon not only shows us what the gospel of Christ is, but it also shows us what it is not.
      Robert J. Matthews, “Two Ways of the World,” Studies in Scripture, Vol 1 p. 149-150

      
      

      2 Nephi 26:29

      What is priestcraft?

      Priesthood and priestcraft are two opposites; one is of God, the other of the devil. When ministers claim but do not possess the priesthood; when they set themselves up as lights to their congregations, but do not preach the pure and full gospel; when their interest is in gaining personal popularity and financial gain, rather than in caring for the poor and ministering to the wants and needs of their fellow men—they are engaged, in a greater or lesser degree, in the practice of priestcrafts.

      Apostasy is born of priestcrafts (2 Ne. 10:5; 3 Ne. 16:10; D&C 33:4), for those who engage in them follow vain

      things, teach false doctrines, love riches, and aspire to personal honors. (Alma 1:12, 16.) Men are commanded to

      repent of their priestcrafts (3 Ne. 30:2), and eventually, in the millennial day, these great evils will be done away. (3

      Ne. 21:19.)
      Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, pp. 593-94

      2 Nephi 26:29

      Something to think about—

      Priestcraft (selfishness) in our homes is our need to defend ourselves instead of the welfare of Zion or our family. Scott Anderson, CES Instructor at UVSC

      so-called neutrality by an able-bodied person is an aid and advantage to the enemy. Neutrality under such circumstances renders comfort and assistance to the opposite side. Such feigned neutrality is twice measured, not only in the help it gives the opposition, but in the lack of help that could have been given had the person chosen a side. Not to take a stand is in effect taking a stand for the opposition.

      Robert J. Matthews, “Two Ways of the World,” Studies in Scripture, Vol 1 p. 150

      0. Why should Christ have volunteered to make this sacrifice? What was the motive that inspired and sustained him from the time of that council in heaven until the moment of his agonized cry “It is finished”? (John 19:30.)

         ...His supernal and all-embracing love for mankind. Hugh B. Brown, in Conference Report, April 1962, 10

   
   

   Lucifer...will use his logic to confuse and his rationalizations to destroy. He will shade meanings, open doors an inch at a time, and lead from purest white through all the shades of gray to...black.

   0. Spencer W. Kimball, Teachings, 151-152

Institute 2 Nephi 31-33 March 21, 2024

 Some different reasons exist as to the need for baptism in the car of our Lord, He being without sin and in need of no repentance. His expression to John was, 'Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteous...Our Lord's baptism 'showeth unto the children of men the straightness of the path, and the narrowness of the gate, by which they should enter, he having set the example before them. If even the King of the kingdom could not return to his high state of preexistent exaltation without complying with his own eternal law for admission to that kingdom, how can any man expect a celestial inheritance without an authorized and approved baptism." -Bruce R. McConkie

The Gift of the Holy Ghost

"An intelligent being, in the image of God, possesses every organ, attribute, sense, sympathy, affection that is possessed by God himself. But these are possessed by an in his Rudimental state, in a subordinate sense of the word, or, in other words these attributes are in embryo and are to be gradually developed. They resemble a bud, a germ, which gradually develops into bloom and then, by progress, produces the mature fruit after its own kind. The gift of the Holy Ghost adapts itself to all these organs or attributes. It quickens all the intellectual faculties, increases, enlarges, expands, and purifies all the natural passions and affections and adapts them, by the gift of wisdom, to their lawful use. It inspires, develops, cultivates, and matures all the fine-toned sympathies, joys, taste, kindred feelings, and affections of our nature. It inspires virtue, kindness, goodness, tenderness, gentleness, and charity. It develops beauty of person, form and features. It tends to health, vigor, animation and social feeling. It invigorates all the faculties of the physical and intellectual man. It strengthens and gives tone to the nerves. In short, it is, as it were, marrow in the gone, joy to the heart, light to the eyes, music to the ears, and life to the whole being. " -Parley P. Pratt

There are individuals who try to serve God without defending the devil. - Marion G. Romney

Do we, indeed, actually live the gospel, or do we just manifest the appearance of righteousness so that those around us assume we are faithful when, in reality, our hearts and unseen actions are not true to the Lord's teachings? Do we take on only the form of godliness while denying the power thereof? [Joseph Smith] Are we righteous in fact, or do we feign obedience only when we think others are watching? The Lord has made it clear that he will not be fooled by appearances, and he has warned us not to be fast to him or to others. He has cautioned us to be wary of those who project a false front, who put on a bright pretense that hides a darker relality. We know that the Lord looketh on the heart and not on the outward appearance. -Joseph B. Worthlin

Disobedience to the Lord's commandments allows Satan to deceive us, and we forget the light and truth we previously learned. President Henry B. Eyring of the 1st Presidency described this dangerous condition: One of the effects of disobeying God seems to be the creation of just enough anesthetic to block any sensation as the ties to God are being cut. Not only does the testimony of truth slowly erode, but even the memories of what it was like to be in the light begin to seem...like a delusion."

Feasting on the words of Christ compares our willingness to receive the words of Christ with eating a scrumptious meal. We feast upon Christ's words when we desire to obey them. to feasts means more than to taste. To feast means to savor. We savor the scriptures by studying them in a spirit of delightful discovery and faithful obedience. When we feast upon the words of Christ, they are embedded in the fleshy tables of our heart. They become an integral part of our nature. -Elder Russel M. Nelson

One of our roles as members of the church is to declare to others that these are the words of Jesus Christ through his servants. Our main task is to declare the gospel of Jesus Christ and do it effectively. We are not obligated to answer every objection. Every man eventually is backed up the wall of faith, and there he must make his stand. And if they are not he words of Christ, judge ye, said Nephi...Every man must judge for himself, knowing God will hold him accountable. -President Ezra Taft Benson

Why just unto the heart? Individual agency is so sacred that Heavenly Father will never force the human heart, even with all his infinite power...To put it another way, God allows us to be the guardians, or the gatekeepers of our own hearts. We must, of our own free will, open our hearts to the Spirit, for he will not force himself upon us. -Elder Gerald N. Lund

2 Nephi 31:20 Footnote-steadiness, solidity, strong, immovable, grit

Pray to be more aware of the Holy Ghost.

Sacrament-Also think of the blessings available through my covenant relationship with God

“When truth shall touch the cords of your heart, they will vibrate; then intelligence shall illuminate your mind and shed its lustre in your soul, and you shall begin to understand the things you once knew, but which had gone from you.  You shall then begin to understand and know the object of your creation.” 

~John Taylor letter “the Mormon” 8/29/1857

Micro progress

Don't make gospel topics taboo.

Elder Bednar - linked prayers

The spirit can prompt me in what to pray for.