The following transcript is intended to aid in your study. However, while we try to go through the transcript, our transcripts are primarily computer-generated and often contain errors. Please forgive the transcripts’ imperfections.
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[00:00:00] Tammy Uzelac Hall: So you've probably heard that the church has a new hymn book coming out. In fact, some new songs are planned to be released digitally in small batches starting in the first half of this year. I am so excited you guys, because this collection of hymns, it's going to include like well loved music of the church that was composed after 1985, including the song faith in every footstep.
Did you, do you remember that song? It's going to be in the hymn book and some songs that were written and submitted by members of the church. Now, it's too late to submit a hymn, but if you were to write one, what words would you include? And what would the words of your chorus include? Do you have like a favorite scripture or phrase?
Today's study of Mosiah chapters four through six seems to have many words. That could be fabulous lyrics, and I'm excited to show you proof of one. Welcome to the Sunday on Monday study group, a desert bookshelf plus original brought to you by LDS living, where we take the come follow me lesson for the week, and we really dig into the scriptures together.
I'm your host, Tammy Uzelac Hall. If you're new to our study group, we want you to follow the link in our description that will explain how you can best use this podcast to enhance your come follow me study. Just like my friends, Kendra Broadbent and Patty stay from Education Week. Ladies, I loved meeting you now.
Another awesome thing. And it's my favorite thing about this podcast and this study group is each week we're joined by two of my friends. So it's awesome. Always a little bit different. And today I'm so excited to introduce you to, we have Sharmaine Howell from Minnesota. Hi, Shar. Hi, Tammy. So good to be here.
Oh, we're happy you got the kids on the bus. We're recording very early in the morning.
[00:01:39] Sharmaine Howell: Right. Kids are gone and it's quiet house. Good time.
[00:01:42] Tammy Uzelac Hall: . We're going to let them hurry and get done so you can just absorb and enjoy your peaceful day. Well, Shar and I excited. We have a new guest and I adore this woman.
Her name is Heather Johns. Hello, Heather.
[00:01:54] Heather Johns: Hey, so happy to be here.
[00:01:56] Tammy Uzelac Hall: We're so happy for you to be here. I met Heather at women's conference last year and I knew immediately when I met her because she told me a little bit about herself and I thought she would be such a good guest. So Heather, tell us about yourself.
Why did I think you'd be a good guest first and foremost?
[00:02:10] Heather Johns: I love the gospel with all my heart and I am such a fan of Jesus. Yeah. Yay. Me too. I love it. And I love to mountain bike and I love to run and read, um, and I love to mostly study my scriptures because I teach seminary, so I study them a lot.
Yay.
[00:02:33] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Fellow seminary teacher. What's not to love?
[00:02:36] Sharmaine Howell: Right? It's the best. That's exciting. That's like, that's actually one of my worst nightmares, so I don't know if I would say that was the best, but out here you, you know, you have a calling to be the seminary teacher. I'm like dreading, don't call me. Don't call me.
That would be so hard.
[00:02:49] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Oh, somebody knock on wood right now. So
[00:02:51] Sharmaine Howell: you two that willingly, I know right,
[00:02:53] Tammy Uzelac Hall: you're going to get called Shar.
[00:02:55] Sharmaine Howell: You two that willingly sign up for that. You guys are amazing. I look up to you both.
[00:02:59] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Well, we have a saying among seminary teachers that those who teach early morning are the angels.
They're the unsung heroes of seminary teaching. And the unpaid. Touche. Very good. Yes. And the unpaid. Well, today is going to be fun because we have such great chapters, Mosiah chapters four through six. And so we just invite everybody to get your scriptures and. Really quick. If you want to know more about my guests, I forgot to tell you this.
You can go read their bios, which are in our show notes at LDS, living. com slash Sunday on Monday. So go check that out. Okay. Now that we got that out of the way. We are going to study Mosiah chapters four through six, and it is filled with so much goodness. Oh, we are so excited. We've been discussing how excited we are about these chapters.
So grab your scriptures and something to mark your scriptures with. And let's dig in to Mosiah chapter four through six, the remainder of King Benjamin's address. Okay. You two right out of the gates. Tell me, as you were reading these chapters, what did the Holy Ghost teach you?
[00:03:59] Heather Johns: One of my favorite verses is found in Mosiah 5, 7.
[00:04:03] Sharmaine Howell: Oh no, that's the one I picked. Oh, I love that. Hey, that means it's a good one.
[00:04:09] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Yeah.
[00:04:10] Heather Johns: I can choose a different one.
[00:04:12] Sharmaine Howell: No, go for it. Do it. I love it. Do it.
[00:04:14] Heather Johns: It says, And now because of the covenant which ye have made, ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons and his daughters. For behold, this day he has spiritually begotten you.
. For you say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name. Therefore you are born of him and have become his sons and daughters. And I love that because if we just shows a relationship, if we have a relationship with Christ and we know who we are, then it becomes easier or you have a desire to want to change and to repent and to forgive and to be born of him and.
And that's just remembering and knowing who you are. That starts with that, I think, to have a relationship with him.
I love that. That's awesome.
[00:05:09] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Remembering who you are. Yeah.
[00:05:11] Sharmaine Howell: So I, I also really had that verse stand out to me. Um, I listened to these chapters while I was driving a long way and then I've like re read and studied them in preparation for this.
But while I was listening through them, like just a straight shot all the way through these three chapters, it really stood out to me all the word heart and the word love. And this words, this, it says that in this verse, um, for you say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name and all the things that King Benjamin is like talking and teaching and sharing.
Like the word that came to my brain while I was like in my car driving was that this is a lot of heart work. He is telling us how to. work on our hearts. And it's like, it's also hard work, but he's saying you can do this. And a lot of the gospel is that it is like heart work. It's working on changing our hearts and becoming a little better and softening our hearts and Doing all these things that King Benjamin is teaching them so that they can, you know, repent and return to him But this verse says your hearts are changed through faith on his name And I love that that mean that this heart work actually can work.
We can change we can become new creatures and new people and We can get rid of these old, terrible habits that just bog us down, but it's a lot of work. So that word heartwork kind of has been stuck in my head as I read these chapters.
[00:06:44] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Oh my goodness. Well, both of you, what you shared, I would say is the overarching theme of all of these chapters, our relationship to Christ.
And that in order to have a relationship with Christ, it is a lot of heart work. Oh my gosh, this is going to be a really great discussion because there was so much change that took place among these people who heard the words of their king. And we got to study much of his words last week and we're going to finish that out today.
And so that's going to kind of be my theme now is what is my relationship with Christ? And am I willing to put in the heart work? I'm never going to forget that shark. Yeah. Wow. Thank you both of you for sharing what the Holy Ghost taught you. Because as you shared it, I felt that it was true. And I believe like that read like, yeah, you're right.
Both of those things were true. So thank you. Thank you. Thank you. So in the next segment, then we're going to dig into the rest of King Benjamin's address and find out what happened with these people.
Segment 2
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[00:07:51] Tammy Uzelac Hall: So we're continuing on with King Benjamin's address and we are in Mosiah chapter four. Let's turn there because here's the scenario set up for chapter four. It's something that people did and then something that was done to them. So I want you to kind of think of that. What did they do and what was done to them?
So we're going to read in chapter four, verses one and two, and find out what the people did. So Shar, can you please read for us verses one and two?
[00:08:18] Sharmaine Howell: And now it came to pass that when King Benjamin had made an end of speaking the words which had been delivered unto him by the angel of the Lord, that he cast his eyes round about on the multitude and behold, they had fallen to the earth for the fear of the Lord had come upon them.
Amen. Amen. And they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth. And they all cried aloud with one voice, saying, O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ, that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified, for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was created and is now born.
Who created heaven and earth and all things, who shall come down among the children of men.
[00:08:57] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Thank you. Okay. I have a question for you too. If you had a student, Heather, or if you had one of your children, Shar, come to you and say, I don't understand those two verses, like what happened? How would you put it into regular terms?
What's going on here?
[00:09:11] Heather Johns: Well, I, I think if I had a student come, I just look at the word apply. Like, it is such an action word. I'm like, how do we really apply, um, the atoning blood of Christ in our lives so that we can receive forgiveness? And I was thinking of like the times that I apply, like, is it a new coat of paint, right?
Like when I apply paint to my walls or, or maybe it's that pure water that can wash over your heart or yourself. So that you can become pure and, and then I thought, well, how do I really apply his atoning blood? Like, oh, I need to have a broken heart and a contrite spirit. I need to come and confess, right?
And forsake my sin and turn away from it and promise not to ever do it again and apply. I just atoning blood in my life.
[00:10:15] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Okay, that right there. I mean, Shar, did you love that idea of applying paint? Because you like to do that. Yeah,
[00:10:22] Sharmaine Howell: yeah, I love that.
[00:10:23] Tammy Uzelac Hall: This idea, that's exactly, like, it's Shar, talk to me, what do you think?
[00:10:27] Sharmaine Howell: Yeah, yeah, I love it. And I also, when you said apply paint, you know, it covers up and it makes the other color go away. And I also thought of the way we use the word like you apply for an, um, like a job or an application for a scholarship, you apply for a scholarship, these are things you're hoping to get that you're asking, you know, you're asking like, Hey, this is something I'd really love.
Would you give it, you know, would you be willing to, you know, let me have that? Or, you know, like when you apply for a job, you know, and I think, you know, we apply, we ask. Christ for his atonement to be used on us, you know, and he's always gonna say yes He's never gonna say no you didn't you're not gonna get this job try the next store down.
You know, he's yes I thought of that. Yes.
[00:11:14] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Oh my gosh, cuz when kids like right now I have a child who's gonna get ready to apply for college and I'm thinking like She's applying to go to colleges and she's saying, I've put in all the heart, all the hard work, but some college is going to be like, not hard enough.
Sorry. You didn't do enough. But the atonement doesn't do that.
[00:11:31] Sharmaine Howell: No.
[00:11:31] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Oh, I love this connection.
[00:11:34] Sharmaine Howell: I love that. Like everybody gets accepted. Yeah. Yes. Everyone.
If you apply, you get accepted.
[00:11:40] Tammy Uzelac Hall: You get accepted. Yes. That's exactly how the atonement works. Right? Yes. No matter your terrible ACT score that,
[00:11:47] Sharmaine Howell: you know, like I got.
[00:11:49] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Oh, thank you. yo tambien. Me too. Yeah. Like, it doesn't even matter. Cause you just, as soon as you apply to Christ, he's like, great, you're in. You're in. You get a full ride. How about that? I'm going to be. Yeah. He actually already paid the price. You don't have to pay for anything. Yeah. You get a full ride scholarship with Jesus.
Oh my gosh. I love that so much. I love that. Oh, these are so cool. These verses. Okay. So let's continue on then because here is what's happening. This is what the people did and now let's read what was done to them. We're going to read that in verse three. Heather, can you please read that for us?
[00:12:24] Heather Johns: And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words, The Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having a peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ, who should come, according to the words which King Benjamin had spoken unto them.
[00:12:47] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Thank you. Heather, I want you to tell me a little bit about what you're feeling as you read that verse.
[00:12:54] Heather Johns: The, uh, just gratitude that I can receive a remission of my sins. At any time that I need his mercy and his grace because of what he's done for me.
[00:13:12] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Beautiful.
[00:13:13] Heather Johns: So I cry when I read it. I'm sorry.
[00:13:17] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Don't apologize at all.
It's an emotional verse. Well, especially for those of us who have experienced the feelings. Look back at that verse. What words associate with repentance? What stood out to you there?
[00:13:34] Heather Johns: Um, I think just faith, believing in him that he can take away all of my sins as if they'd never even happened and joy.
When I think of the word joy, I just think of obedience and sacrifice. That is what brings the greatest joy. And my greatest desire is to be filled with the spirit and of the Lord, and that's why I repent. I just need to live in his spirit.
[00:14:08] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Yeah. Filled with joy and that peace of conscience. Yeah. I mean, have either one of you experienced this?
[00:14:20] Heather Johns: I have lots, a lot in my life. But just this last weekend, um, my daughter came home from college and my daughters wanted to watch a movie. And I'm usually very careful about the things that I watch because. I just want to live in the spirit of the Holy Ghost. That is like my, one of my goals that has been my goal for a while.
And, um, and I usually check out the movie to see if it has things in it that wouldn't be appropriate. I wouldn't like to have viewing. And I didn't do that this time. I just kind of wanted to trust my daughters and we sat down and we watched the movie and I felt the spirit, like just immediately leave me and I just I knew I needed to repent of that, and I'm just so grateful that I could just get on my knees and just picture my loving Heavenly Father sitting there on my bed, and the Savior, and the Holy Ghost, because really we have the whole Godhead with us when we're praying, and I just was able to repent, and say I'm sorry that I need to do better, and, and be careful of the things that I allow.
The things in my life and, um, I was so grateful that I could go to that sacrament table and just partake of that bread and water to meet the Savior at the cross. That table and I was able to just feel clean and that joy. I'm so grateful for repentance. That's
[00:15:55] Tammy Uzelac Hall: a really great story. I love that. That is.
Thank you for sharing that. Heather. Right. What struck me that you said was I need to do better because who of us cannot relate to that when you just said I need to do better. But then you said to meet the savior at that table on Sunday, that was powerful to consider when we walk into the sacrament, into the chapel.
And to see the sacrament table, I don't know that I'll view it the same. And am I ready to meet him? And am I ready to take the sacrament and really think about him? So thank you, Heather.
[00:16:28] Sharmaine Howell: Um, I love that Heather, you have such a great way of describing repentance and forgiveness that it is so sweet and so such a privilege.
And I just really felt that your testimony through that, which is really strengthening to me. Um, I feel like I kind of grew up thinking if you needed to repent, it was, um, not a great thing. .
And that, you know, you were weak, you made mistakes, you've been bad. And so that repentance was this like scary, bad thing to do almost, right?
And so I love the way that you described it because, um, I mean, I remember my first day, the day I got baptized, I was like, I'm going to be clean for so long, I'm going to do it. I'm not going to make any mistakes. Maybe we all try to do that. But we went to my house for lunch and with all my cousins and my cousin.
who's a year older than me, stepped on my baptism dress and ripped it. And I was so mad at her, so mad. I remember that night thinking, Oh my gosh, I've already lost it. I couldn't even last a day. But I, you know, I gotta, gotta repent already. But, um, I just love that as I, you know, I got married to my husband and it's kind of changed the way that I viewed repentance and I've seen, you know, and both of us, I think we make, I think people in general make a lot of mistakes in parenting.
Parenting is hard. And, um, I don't know if you guys have, but parenting is really hard and, um, I have seen him and, and it's taught me a lot more about how joyful and wonderful repentance can be as he, you know, I've seen him countless times do something that he felt like was wrong in parenting or he shouldn't have said, or, you know, maybe he lost his temper or something and go to our kids.
You know, within a half an hour and just apologize and cry with them and say, I shouldn't have done that. And there's such this sweetness. And it's been a huge example to me of how I can, you know, say, Hey, making mistakes isn't a bad thing. It's just life. Right. And turning and repenting does fill us with happiness and joy and that peace because when we don't repent, we're stuck in this feeling of just anger and discontent and contention and we can't, you know, we can't get past that until we can.
You know, repent and forgive and move on. And so, um, I've just been trying to be better at it, but I'm not perfect.
[00:19:02] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Wow. Well, none of us are pretty perfect. I've seen your parent. You know, what was so cool is when you were describing all those feelings, the anger, the contention, everything, and then repentance, I just kept going back to the heart.
It's a heart, it is a lot of heart work because I thought all of those feelings affect the heart. They don't affect my finger or my back or, you know, like they, those are, they just affect my heart. And so isn't that fabulous when it says that they were filled with joy, having a piece of conscience. I mean, just that idea that that is, that is the results of heart work.
That is going to, I mean, I have put that in my scriptures and I think Heather's experience too. Just shares with us where her heart was to be able to recognize that she needed to be better. I mean, that is so powerful Wow, thank you to both of you That was such a great discussion about these verses and what these people are experiencing and they're realizing.
Oh my gosh Look what happened because we applied Hmm.
[00:20:06] Sharmaine Howell: Well, and it made me think recently has been pointed out to me that the second question in the, um, temple recommend interview, it talks about, do you have faith in and a testimony of the atonement of Jesus Christ as his role in your life as Redeemer and savior.
And like our savior has so many titles they could have said, you know, his role as the example and as you know, all these different things. But to say he, that he is our Redeemer. And when we say, yes, it's meaning I know that I am not living perfectly. I know that I make mistakes and that I need him and that I need to apply that in my life.
Right. Yeah. And I just love that thought that these people here. Who listened to King Benjamin were like, Whoa, we just saw, you know, the word, the dust of the earth. We just realized we need him. You know, we need him in order to change. And I just love that thought that we can, we all do that daily, right?
Realizing, Oh, I need him.
[00:21:08] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Wow. I really need him. You know? Well, and then I'm picturing them in a bishop's interview to get their temple recommend and that first question gets asked and I bet they would just be like screaming and yelling. Yes. A hallelujah. Like you bet we do.
[00:21:23] Sharmaine Howell: I believe in that .
[00:21:25] Heather Johns: I had a good quote, but I don't know if it'll apply.
Yeah, it's, it's from Elder F. Enzio Busche. It's from A BYU speech and he just says. There's no middle ground. Am I willing to sacrifice my own will, my attitude, selfish desires, my habits, and endure the hurt and pain that such reflection causes? We may feel reluctant towards spiritual matters because we don't want to change.
I don't know how that'll fit, but I just, that's one of my favorite quotes because sometimes I feel like it's so hard to want to even change when we Love that sin. Yeah. Right. Or we are like, Oh, I don't want to give that up. I love doing that. Or, or, you know, it's going to be hard. Yes. It's going to be hard.
It's going to take some hard work, hard work. Right. And so sometimes I just feel like we have to be willing to give up our own wills and our attitudes and our selfish desires and our habits to endure the hurt and pain that such reflection causes. Heather,
[00:22:32] Tammy Uzelac Hall: I am so glad you came prepared to share one of your favorite quotes.
It fits perfectly with what we've just been discussing. And for these people to have this experience is an example to all of us that they were willing to do the heart work. So this is going to be an incredible discussion as we've set up the way these people are viewing this experience. And so there is more that King Benjamin has to say to these people.
And so in the next segment, we're going to dive into more of his words and see how their heart work applies to their ability to this one certain thing that he's going to talk to them about. And we'll do that next.
Segment 3
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[00:23:13] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Okay, you guys, I have a Hebraism. Oh, this is going to be fun. And it connects us to this idea of hymns that we started out with. So let's go to Mosiah chapter four, verse nine. I want you to highlight verse nine. And there's one word that is said often in verses nine, 10 and 11. So here we go. Starting in verse nine, it says, believe in God, believe that he is and that he created all things, both in heaven and earth.
Believe that he has all wisdom and all power, both in heaven and earth. Believe that man does not comprehend it. All things which the Lord can comprehend. Verse 10 says again, believe that you must repent of your sins and forsake them and humble yourselves before God and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you.
And now if you believe all these things, see that you do them. Okay. There's that word often throughout those verses, highlight the word, believe now in Hebrew, this is called a refrain. And this is so neat because it's in music. So a refrain in music. It's a recurring, identical expression in a hymn, a Psalm or a prose passage.
So a word repeated. Often an example of a songs or hymns that we love that have refrains are the song hymn. Number seven, come to Zion or hymn number two will sing and will shout in that song. But I love this one. The refrain I love the most is him 1 36. I know that my redeemer lives. Mm-Hmm because I went through and counted and it says he lives.
Oh, talk about the refrain of all refrains right there. And so we have this beautiful idea that believe that he lives. So the word believe in Hebrew, which is one of my favorite words is Aman, A M A N. So I put that next to verse nine, Aman in Hebrew, but the Hebrew root for the word Aman is amen. A And it means to believe or trust in, to confirm or support.
So not only do they believe, but look back at that verse. If we take to trust in or to confirm, now it says, trust in God, trust that he is trust that he has all wisdom, trust that you must repent. Isn't that awesome? This idea to trust in him. In fact, this word believe actually goes back to verse two.
Because they say, have mercy, apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins and our hearts may be purified for we believe in Jesus Christ. We trust, we trust it. We trust in his atonement. Oh, now this is so cool because my question for you is, I want to know from the two of you, what do you believe or what do you trust about Jesus Christ?
That's a big question, isn't it?
[00:26:14] Sharmaine Howell: I love the little aspects, like the things that it asks us to believe in, or like you're saying to trust in, in this verse. And, um, so I love that it says, you know, believe that he created all things and all includes me. Right. So I trust that he created me and he knows me.
And I love that it said, believe that he has all power. Something that president Nelson says all the time is seek for and ask for miracles because he has all power and I, I trust and I believe that I trust that he can give miracles in our lives. And, um, and then the other one that I really loved was at the end and believe that he has Man doesn't comprehend all things which the Lord can comprehend.
Um, I trust God that sometimes our timing isn't what we want it to be. And sometimes we wait a long time in life and we have to wait upon Him for some things. But I trust that. He still sees me and he's still aware of me and I trust with my whole heart that he loves me and that, you know, all things will be work out for my good.
And I really do trust that and, and I believe that about him.
[00:27:42] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Sure. I believe that because of what you just testified. I believe that you believe, I trust in you that that is true. Wow. Thank you for sharing that and for bearing witness of the truthfulness of that verse. Thank you.
Heather, what do you believe or trust?
[00:28:01] Heather Johns: I just want to tell Shar how much I loved what she said, um, that God is aware of her and her timing. And I think of the people who I'm praying for and who I'm seeking miracles for that he has them too. He, I trust him that he has them in the palms of his hands. Those people who I.
I'm waiting or seeking a miracle for
I'm just going to tell you when I study. This is totally from this amazing podcast. I've learned from Tammy that when I study, I just I just kind of put an imaginary line down the middle of my page and I just write Jesus Christ off to the right hand side and I just write down everything I learn about him from the scripture block that I'm studying.
And it has been my favorite way to study scripture. And I even have a sticky note in my scriptures, look for Christ, like it's at the very beginning. And as I study and some of the things that I wrote down as I studied these verses is that. He can change my heart and make me a new creature. He is the only one that can fill me with light so that I can share it with others.
He is the only one that can purify me. He is the giver of joy and peace of all good things. Because of him, I can forgive and repent and have an increase of his spirit. He gives me knowledge of his goodness and his power and his wisdom and patience. He And his long suffering with me. And I think of the covenants that I've made because of the covenants that I've made and promises that that is one way I can have access to that goodness and power and wisdom and long suffering.
Um, and I just said, if I put my trust in him every day, that means without doubt, right? Just believe in him completely. Um, that he truly can help me know how to help others just want to be his hands. Heather.
[00:30:37] Tammy Uzelac Hall: That's how I wrote. I think what a great idea the way you've done that is to look for Christ and you are right now you're witnessing of not only how it works, but that it did work.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts as you were talking. It was so cool because I went back to this verse and I looked when I, and I wrote in my scriptures right here to look for Christ. Because now I'm going to do that. I mean, I know we said to do that, but you're really doing it, which is so awesome.
But this idea that these people, now this is so cool. Let's look at this. They are looking for Christ, but I think what's so powerful is when they're saying, apply the atoning blood of Christ. And then here is King Benjamin saying, believe in God or trust, trust in him. Look at the date. the date that this is being done.
It says about 124 BC before he's even born. I mean, talk about infinite and eternal. Go ahead, Shar.
[00:31:38] Sharmaine Howell: Yeah. I just always loved that thought, that train of thought of like, he hasn't even, Been born and they're believing and trusting and applying. They're applying the atoning sacrifice blood of Jesus Christ It's amazing If it applied then it applies now, right?
[00:31:57] Tammy Uzelac Hall: That's what makes it so cool. So he's saying, believe in something that hasn't even happened yet. And here we are told to believe in something that had already happened. And we have proof that it happened. We have scripture like how, and it's hard for us to believe. And here are these people believing and they're like, it hasn't even happened, but you know what?
We're going to believe in it. And because of their belief. They get to have a thicket to be filled with joy and a peace of conscience. Talk about infinite and eternal. This is so awesome. This moment that we are experiencing right here is so cool as we're talking about Jesus Christ. And I hope everyone has felt what I have felt.
for sure. A powerful witness that I do believe. I absolutely believe. And so thank you for your words and for what you both shared. That was so great. Okay. So then in the next segment, we're going to talk about what the benefits are of believing in God and in Jesus Christ. We'll do that next.
Segment 4
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[00:32:59] Tammy Uzelac Hall: We are still in Mosiah chapter four, and now we're going to read verses five through 10. So here's what I want to do, ladies. I'm going to read verses five through 10. Get something to mark or highlight your scriptures with. And as I read these verses, I want you to look for truths about God that can give us a reason to trust in him.
Okay? So here we go. Truths about him in these verses that can even give us a reason to trust him. Here we go. Starting in verse five for behold, if the knowledge of the goodness of God is At this time has awakened you to a sense of your nothingness and your worthless and fallen state. I say unto you, if ye have come to a knowledge of the goodness of God and his matchless power and his wisdom and his patience and his long suffering towards the children of men, and also the atonement, which has been prepared from the foundation of the world, that thereby salvation might come to him that should put his trust in the Lord.
And should be diligent in keeping his commandments and continue in faith, even unto the end of his life, I mean the life of this mortal body, I say that this is the man who receive a salvation through the atonement, which was prepared from the foundation of the world for all mankind, whichever were since the fall of Adam and who are, whoever shall be even unto the end of the world.
And this is the means whereby salvation cometh, that there is none other salvation. Save this which hath been spoken of. Neither are there any conditions whereby man can be saved except the conditions which I have told you. Believe in God, believe that He is, and that He created all things, both in heaven and in earth.
Believe that He has all wisdom and all power, both in heaven and in earth. Believe that man doth not comprehendeth all things which the Lord can comprehend. And again, Believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them and humble yourselves before God and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you.
And now if you believe all these things, see that ye do them. Okay. What did you highlight? What are some truths about God in these verses that could actually give us a reason to trust him?
[00:35:15] Sharmaine Howell: Um, I loved, it started out in five that we need to have a knowledge of the goodness of God. Amen. And I love that that's shared again in verse six, the goodness of God.
It says it a few times in this chapter, but I just love that it starts out with the goodness of God, that he is good. God is good and he is love. And you know, he's not an angry God who just wants you to be perfect. He's a, you know, he's saying, yeah, you just realized you're very imperfect. But I'm good, so I'm going to help you.
You know, he's not saying, but I'm, so I'm angry.
[00:35:55] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Yeah.
[00:35:56] Sharmaine Howell: So I love that. You know, he is good and he is love.
[00:36:00] Tammy Uzelac Hall: I love that Shar.
[00:36:04] Heather Johns: He is so good. Um, I just, what stood out to me this time was the end of the world. Like I think of despair. If we didn't have him, really, what would our lives be like? There would be no goodness, no love, because I am nothing.
I'm the dust of the earth without him, right? And I just love that he has patience. Even when we mess up, or even when we make the same mistake over and over again, I remember a time when I was a teenager and I kept making the same mistake, or I committed the same sin over and over. And I remember running up to my mom and just with tears running down my face being like, How many times, how many times does he forgive me for the same thing?
And she just looked at me and said, 70 times 7. And I, and I immediately just started getting out my calculator, like, 70 times 7, how many is that? Right? She's like, no, no, no. You're missing the point. It is infinitely many. Always. Forever. No matter how many times, um, and I know that, that salvation, I just look at the word salvation.
If we trust in Him and try our best, all He wants is our effort. If we try our best to diligently keep His commandments, like it says in 6, then we can be filled with His love and His peace and that's the greatest desire I have, is to To be filled with his love and to have others, especially my children and my family, to be filled with his love.
[00:37:54] Sharmaine Howell: I love that. Another one I saw was in seven. It talks about how, um, the atonement was prepared from the foundation of the world for all mankind ever since the fall of Adam. I love that it's the thought of it was prepared from the foundation of the world. Like this wasn't just like an afterthought. This was the prepared.
You know, this wasn't because Adam sinned. Let's find a way to get him back. This was the thing that was prepared for the, for all of us and, and God, you know, one of the reasons we can trust him is because he has this plan in place already. You know, he created the earth. He is in charge of it. It is his plan.
It is his work. We are his work. So we can trust that he knows what his plan is doing. And so I love that about him. And then back up in six, I love that it says his matchless power. And I love that phrase of describing him that he has power.
[00:38:50] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Yeah.
[00:38:51] Sharmaine Howell: Um, I remember listening to my oldest who's now 16, but when he was about six, he was playing in the other room with a non member friend.
I, I heard him say, the friend say, who's that in the picture? And there's a picture of Jesus on his wall and he's like, Oh, that's Jesus. Do you not know him? And the friend was like, no, I don't know him. Who is he? And he was like, well, and so like, if your friend, you know, asks you, who's that?
[00:39:16] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Yeah.
[00:39:17] Sharmaine Howell: Who is Jesus? You know? And a six year old, my son said, well, he has all power. And the friend was like, whoa, you know, like six year old, I don't know if it was like superhero, like he's so cool, but he was like, well, Jesus, he's, he's got all power. Do you not know him? You should get to know him.
[00:39:39] Tammy Uzelac Hall: You might want him as your friend.
[00:39:41] Sharmaine Howell: Yeah. And I was like, that's amazing that that was the thought that came to his brain of how to describe Jesus, you know, and I, I just think we can, we can know in our life when we feel like we're, when we're facing insurmountable trials and things that feel like a hurdle that we cannot get around or something that feels like this has happened in my whole life and it's never going to change.
Or, you know, I'm, or I'm having problems with relationships or with family or whatever it is. Like God has power, matchless. He can do it. He can help you through whatever. So, believe that, trust that, trust that he has power to help you get over this hurdle that you're, that you're stuck at, that you keep hitting right now.
[00:40:27] Tammy Uzelac Hall: That hit me hard when you said that, because in my mind when it said matchless power, I'm thinking like nothing compares, like we live in a world where there are just millions of answers for your problem. Yeah. And you, you can search and find anything you want that will help you with your problem. Some work, some don't, but the end of the day he has matchless power.
Nothing will come up against the power that God has to help you. He should be my first go to. He should be my first line of defense. The one person who I ask. for help and then be guided. I think after we ask God for help, I have experienced in this my own life after I've asked him for help in my prayers, then the answers come.
Then I'm guided to specific routes of professional and medical help that I need because I'm not saying you don't need that. I am saying matchless power will then guide me to what I need and I have seen that in my own life. Oh, that's a powerful phrase right there. Yeah.
[00:41:29] Sharmaine Howell: Well, and it just, uh, what you were saying at the end of 10, it says, if you believe, if you trust this, see that ye do.
And I like that. Like what you just said, I trust it. I believe it. I'm going to go to him, but now I'm going to do, yes. And we have to do that action.
I just have one
[00:41:48] Heather Johns: more thought in eight. . Where it says, neither are there any conditions whereby man can be saved except the conditions which I've told you.
Tell me about that. Why? He really is the only one. Just like you were talking about, Tammy, at the end of the day, like we, there's other things out there that may help or solutions that you're looking for, but really at the end of the day, it is only him. That by any means or except can any conditions, right?
It is, it is him that can help us get through any storm or any mountain that we may be climbing or any hard thing that we might be going through. He has all wisdom in nine wisdom and power. There you go.
[00:42:37] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Yes.
[00:42:38] Heather Johns: To give us the strength to go and do what we need to do.
[00:42:43] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Heather, I'm going to ask a follow up question.
. For what you just testified of in your life. Is there a specific situation that was really hard and you had to take it to the Lord and he told you what to do?
[00:42:57] Heather Johns: Okay. I'll show you about my sister. My sister, um, she left the church about five years ago and it was one of the most devastating days of my life.
My sister and I, we are so close. We lost our mom at a young age. What did you hear about? We are 20s and, and so we just have each other really. And um, so I felt like I was losing my mom and my family all over again and it was really rough. Like especially those first couple of years, she was so angry at me, um, for what I believed.
And I think, um, when someone ever leaves the church, they. They probably miss things or I don't know why they get so angry at their old beliefs or their old Old ways or things that remind them of that or I'm not sure but I remember one day I even went to her house, and she said I believe your church is the great abominable Church And that you're going to hell.
And I'm like, nice to see you too. Can I help you with anything? Um, and so it's been a real challenge, but I prayed so hard and trusted in the Lord with all my heart for like two long years. And I also read a book called Bridges. Um, with people who leave the church and that's what I wanted to do. I wanted to build a bridge with my sister and have a relationship with her again.
And so I just said, Heavenly Father, help me know when it's the right time to just ask her her story and what's happened to her. And I was so afraid to, because I didn't want her to shake my faith or my testimony. And so, um, I just remember that day I asked her and like, so. Tell me what you believe. Tell me your conversion story to your new faith.
I just want to hear it all and I just Listened and she opened up and she told me everything And some of the things she said, of course just broke my heart so the things that she believes but the only thing I could say at the end was I Love you so much, and I'm just so grateful that you had the courage to To share that with me and I totally respect you and what you believe and I am so grateful We still both believe in Jesus Christ.
So why don't we focus start there focus our relationship on him? And he really is the foundation of our relationship of any relationship That's that's worth having right is that foundation of the Savior or that common belief? Hmm and him and Jesus And it can happen with almost anybody, even someone who doesn't believe they still believe in, they're not believing in that God.
So how can we still have or have find that common belief? It's just, I don't know. I think I can be friends with anyone if they had that common belief.
[00:46:24] Tammy Uzelac Hall: I agree. Wow. Thank you for bearing witness. You taught, you told us. And then you taught us with your own personal story. So thank you, Heather. I appreciate that.
And you really, it really is. It goes back to what you did at the beginning with the scriptures where you said you look for Christ. Not only do you do it in scriptures, you did it in your own life. So thank you. That was really powerful. Okay. So we're going to take a little break right here. in our story.
And in the next segment, we get to do this really cool if and then statement, because they're having the spiritual experience. And so King Benjamin's going to capitalize on it. So I'm going to show you what he says to them in the next segment.
Segment 5
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[00:47:11] Tammy Uzelac Hall: For this next segment, you guys are going to need a marking pencil. and probably a straight edge. We're going to draw a couple of lines in our scriptures, little art class, just kidding. We're going to draw lines though. So find a straight edge, find a marking pencil and a color, something to mark your scriptures with.
And we are going to go to Mosiah chapter four, and we're going to look at verses 11 through 16. So we're going to start with verse 11 and we're going to circle the word. If, okay, here we go. And again, I say unto you, as I have said before, that as ye are come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if there it is circle.
Now this word if is implied throughout the rest of this verse. So I have written, if many times it says, if you have known of his goodness and. If you have tasted of his love and if you have received a remission of your sins, there it is. The ifs, which causes such exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I would that you should.
Okay, now there's our, our if, and he's saying, if you believe all of this stuff, then here's what I want you to do. So let's underline and we're going to number these things. He says, number one, that you should remember. Retain in remembrance. There's it is. He's in telling us, remember, and retain in remembrance the greatness of God.
Remember, and retain your own nothingness. Remember, and retain his goodness. Remember, and retain his long suffering towards you, you unworthy creatures. Oh, how do you, how'd you feel when you read that? Why do you think he's calling us unworthy creatures?
[00:48:49] Sharmaine Howell: To just really hit home that way. Can't do it. You know, I say that to my kids frequently, that phrase, but no, just kidding, I don't.
[00:48:58] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Little tough love there from King Benjamin, right? It's very interesting. You unworthy creatures. And then he says, humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was spoken by the mouth of the angel.
Now, verse 12, and behold, I say unto you that. If ye do this, now under highlight circle the if, if ye do this, now right between this and the word ye is sort of, we can imply a then, and behold, I say unto you that if ye do this. Then you shall always rejoice. So here's our then. So I want us to do this.
Here's where you're going to get your straight edge because he says, if you do this, let's go back up and lot men connect with a straight edge. What did he tell us to do in verse 11? So here's our straight edge. I have drawn. I've underlined and highlighted. If you do this. If you do this. And then I drew a line back up to if he remember and always retained in remembrance, that's the first thing he wants us to do.
And then if he humble yourselves in verse 11, there's action words right here. If he call on the name of the Lord daily, if he stands steadfastly in the faith, isn't those action words, remember, humble, call and stand. So if you can do all of those things. Okay. So first pause there for a second. Tell me your thoughts on all of those action words.
If you can do all of those things, what are your thoughts?
[00:50:34] Heather Johns: I don't know, but I want to do all of them. It's a lot to do, isn't it? Right? I'm like, Oh, but I want you to do that. I want to be humble and call. And he's the only one that can teach me or show me how.
[00:50:53] Sharmaine Howell: I think, I think for me, he's also saying like, I love the, I love the phrase retain in remembrance.
I mean like how much stronger can you tell someone not to forget, always remember and then retaining your remembrance. Come on. Okay. Don't forget.
[00:51:09] Tammy Uzelac Hall: And for anyone over the age of 50, this brings home, like, I forget all the time. So I'm like, I better write this down. Right,
[00:51:17] Sharmaine Howell: right, right. I better write it down.
It's gone. I better write it on my head and in my heart, on my mirror.
[00:51:23] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Yeah. Suddenly Judaism becomes very real. I need a phylactery on my head. I need to wrap my arm in leather, like a physical, remember something to help me remember to humble and call and stand. I mean, there's action words there, right? So, and this is a big if,
[00:51:40] Sharmaine Howell: but they're all pointing us to remember and to do something with him.
Ooh, I like that. Right. We're not doing this out, you know, where he's like, look, look, look, look to me, let's do this together. And if we're doing it together, then guess what's going to happen, right? .
[00:51:56] Heather Johns: Yes. Just reminded me of our temple garments that we had that reminder when we, that's the only thing we can take with us, right?
When we leave his house. Yes. And even as I put on my temple garments every morning, I just think of the covenants. That's it. That I've made so it doesn't become like just, I don't know, just habit, what I wear every day. Right. I try to remember as I get dressed in the morning, the covenants.
[00:52:25] Sharmaine Howell: Yes. And I like to think of like the things that I remember throughout my day, you know, not just spiritual things, but they are, they're actually things that I have like done something to physically not forget it.
Right. I set out my work, my workout clothes the night before. So they're sitting next to my sink and so I can remember that like, I'm, I'm getting dressed in these so I can go work out, you know, and then I, I do physical things to help myself remember so that I'm not forgetting. So like, what are we doing physically and daily so that we help ourselves remember?
[00:52:58] Heather Johns: Love that.
[00:52:59] Tammy Uzelac Hall: I remember when, I remember back when I, back when I was single, I can't remember who challenged me to do this. I, in my mind, I'm thinking it was a Howard W. Hunter talk, but I can't find it cause I've been looking for it. But someone challenged me every morning before I put on my garments to look at the signs and remind myself what everything stood for.
And just to take like one minute to go over each one of those. And I'm having this memory right now of doing that because now I'm looking back at this verse and I'm like, Whoa, wait a minute. Humble yourselves, call on the Lord daily, stand steadfastly. Isn't that awesome?
[00:53:36] Sharmaine Howell: I really like those.
[00:53:38] Tammy Uzelac Hall: There's a major connection there to those.
[00:53:40] Sharmaine Howell: It's connected to our garments,
[00:53:42] Tammy Uzelac Hall: the garments of the holy priesthood that we wear. If you do that, if you do, now this is kind of cool, like if you wear your garments or if you're willing to do all these action words, this is kind of, I'm connecting it that way for me. Yeah. Then here's the then. So next to verse 12, I put in big letters then versus 12 through 16.
Here's the then let's each take a verse. We're going to start in verse 12 and we'll go, Shar, Heather, me, each reading a verse.
[00:54:11] Sharmaine Howell: Okay. And behold, I say unto you that if you do this, then I added that you shall always rejoice and be filled with the love of God and always retain a remission of your sins and you shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you or in the knowledge of that which is just and true.
[00:54:34] Heather Johns: And you will not have a mind to injure one another, but to live peaceably and to render every man according to that which is his due.
[00:54:45] Tammy Uzelac Hall: And you will not suffer your children that they go hungry or naked, neither will you suffer that they transgress the laws of God and fight and quarrel one with another and serve the devil who is the master of sin or who is the evil spirit which has been spoken of by our fathers, he being an enemy to all righteousness.
[00:55:04] Sharmaine Howell: But you will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness. And you will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another.
[00:55:13] Heather Johns: And also ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor. You will administer of your substance unto him that standeth in need. And you will not suffer that the beggar put us off his petition in you in vain and turn him out to perish.
[00:55:32] Tammy Uzelac Hall: I mean, is that the greatest then connected? That's the greatest if then statement, I think, in the Book of Mormon.
[00:55:39] Sharmaine Howell: Yeah.
[00:55:40] Tammy Uzelac Hall: As we were reading the then, tell me anything that popped into your mind or that you thought of when you were reading that.
[00:55:46] Sharmaine Howell: Well, I thought about how it says you will always be filled with the love of God.
Heather, you keep saying that's the only thing you want every day, just have you live in the spirit. And. So, you must be doing these ifs because that's the then, right?
Um, but I also really loved how much it talked about how we would treat each other and looking outside of ourselves and loving others.
And part of me, um, makes me think that, you know, the first two great commandments to love God. And I feel like that's part of like that if of all those things that we're going to do, you know, and we love God. And then this then is sort of reminding me of the second great commandment to love our neighbors.
So like, if we can love God first, then it is like, it's like the, it is the outcome that happens is that we love others and that we love ourselves and, and we turn outward and we share that love with them.
[00:56:46] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Wow. Let me write that down. You're totally right. This is the first, the two great commandments right here.
Cool. Shar.
[00:56:59] Heather Johns: I just love in 16 when it says to sucker, I just got so emotional reading that verse. It just made me think of those who I know in need and I just want to run to them. Like sucker means to run and help and minister to those who stand at the need. Cause we are all beggars and I just want to help a beggar like me
[00:57:27] Tammy Uzelac Hall: beautifully said.
That is so absolutely appropriate and perfect. I did love verse 14 because of my kids are fighting. I always thought it was like, I wanted them to stop cause it was annoying me, but actually I'm feeling the spirit. Like stop quarreling, but I, that hit me because I was like, Oh, you're right. I don't want to suffer that.
My children obviously will go hungry or be naked, but I don't want to suffer that. They transgress the laws of God and fight and quarrel one with another. It's not interesting that my children fight one with another, not fight with their friends or their neighbors, but that's how I read it. Like when they do fight with each other, I don't like that.
There's no harmony and it is the worst and I think it's the worst because I'm living the if statement, I'm doing my best. And so things like that should bother me and it should bother me when I see people that need help and need to be suckered. I mean that is connecting us to the two great commandments.
Love God 11 and 12 or the 11 is the if and then love your neighbor is 12 through 16. Oh my gosh. That's a great connection. Sharp. Yeah.
[00:58:32] Sharmaine Howell: Yeah. And then Tammy, if you don't want your kids to fight. The very first sentence in 14 tells them, tells you what you should do. Don't suffer that they go hungry. If your kids are, if my kids are hungry, they are fighting.
So. It's so true. God knows.
[00:58:48] Tammy Uzelac Hall: God is so good. He gave us that answer. Check first and see if they're hangry. Then. Yeah. Okay. That's so fantastic. First they're tired. Yeah, thank. That's totally true. Oh, you guys are brilliant. I love that. Well, these verses are really cool and I think this if then statement really changed, not only changed me when I found it, but now our discussion of it has absolutely changed the way I viewed these verses because here's King Benjamin, just teaching him the two great commandments to love God and then love your neighbor.
So thank you for making that connection. Whoa, that was powerful. Okay. So King Benjamin, he continues to speak to the people and then we get to Mosiah chapter five and this is so cool. And I'm going to show you what it is in the next segment.
Segment 6
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[00:59:40] Tammy Uzelac Hall: All right. Here's some, I love this. This is what King Benjamin wants to know. Go to Mosiah chapter five, verse one. Shara, will you read that for us?
[00:59:48] Sharmaine Howell: And now it came to pass that when King Benjamin had thus spoken to his people, he sent among them desiring to know of his people, if they believe the words which he had spoken unto them.
[00:59:59] Tammy Uzelac Hall: All right. What does he want to know?
[01:00:01] Sharmaine Howell: Do you believe what I just said to you?
[01:00:03] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Yeah. How'd that go? Did it hit you? Yeah. Did you believe? Oh, well, let's find out their answer. Heather, will you please read for us? Verse two.
[01:00:12] Heather Johns: And they all cried with one voice saying, yay, we believe all the words which thought has spoken unto us.
And also we know of their surety and truth because of the spirit Nippaton, which has brought a mighty change in us and or in our hearts. And we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.
[01:00:36] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Oh, okay. Go back to how it started. Heather, tell me how you started it that way. Tell me why.
[01:00:45] Heather Johns: I think it's because I want to believe like these people are. I want to believe the words and know with the surety of the truth, right? That because of the spirit and because of what. King Benjamin, even our own prophet is teaching us about the savior, um, that we can become new creatures. We can have a mighty change in us.
And I want that so bad. No disposition to do evil, but only good always. And I am not, I, I struggle. I am not, I wish, I want that.
[01:01:30] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Well, I loved it when you read that because I, I heard you say, yay. We believe. We believe. I believe.
[01:01:38] Heather Johns: For it's King Benjamin. With all my heart.
[01:01:43] Sharmaine Howell: I love in that. Yes, we believe. And we know the surety. Because the spirit of the spirit of the Lord omnipotent, which has brought a mighty change in us. They, they believe King Benjamin's words, but they don't just believe his words.
They believe it because the Spirit manifested the truth to them and witnessed to them that it was true. So they are believing that the personal revelation they've gotten through the Spirit, right? And I love thinking about that with our prophet, like, you know, we listen to their, his talks and the apostles and we believe what they're saying, but do we believe it because the Spirit has manifested it to us?
That what we're, you know, we don't just follow the prophet because he's amazing and he's A hundred and he is awesome and he is so cool. We don't, we don't follow him for those reasons. We follow him because the spirit has told us personally. That it is true what he is saying and that what he's asking us to do is what we should be doing.
And so I love that. That's why they're like, yes, we believe because the spirit told us it's true, right?
[01:02:47] Tammy Uzelac Hall: And those touchstone moments that we have in our life, we come back to again and again. Those moments of belief when the spirit, that is what I love about the spirit and what it does for us. And no matter what you're going through, no matter where you are in your faith journey, We get those moments so that we can go back to them.
Because if you felt that it was true when that moment when you were 14 or 18 or 22, it's still true. None of that has changed this moment for these people. It's not going to change their experience with the atonement of Jesus Christ in this moment. will always be real. It'll always be part of their foundation.
And King Benjamin notices this, and he is so excited about their response that he can now do what he originally wanted to do. So really quickly flip back with me to Mosiah chapter one and look at verse 11. I want to show you this before he begins his address. Here's his goal. This is his purpose going into this address, and it's going to work.
Heather, will you please read verse 11?
[01:03:50] Heather Johns: Yes. And moreover, I shall give this people a name, that thereby they may be extinguished above all the people which the Lord God hath brought out of the land of Jerusalem. And this I do because they have been a diligent people in keeping the commandments of the Lord.
[01:04:09] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Highlight where it says, I shall give this people a name. So he's like, I know what I want to do. And I, I'm hoping they get there, which is why he asked, did they believe, are they where I need them to be? Can I trust them? Cause this is where I want to do this. I want to give him a new name. And their reaction was exactly what he was hoping for because now he comes in.
He's like, yes, I am thrilled by your response. And so turn the page, go back to Mosiah chapter five. We're going to turn the page and we're going to read what happens because they believe in verse five, the people respond by saying, we are willing to enter into a covenant and they're going to make a covenant.
That is a righteous covenant. In verse six, it says that. And now we have verse seven. Shara, will you please read verse seven?
[01:04:55] Sharmaine Howell: And now, because of the covenant which ye have made, ye shall be called the children of Christ, his sons and his daughters. For behold, this day he has spiritually begotten you. For ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name, therefore ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters.
[01:05:16] Tammy Uzelac Hall: It is so beautiful that you shared this at the very beginning. We're coming back full circle. This was your favorite verse. This is what the Holy Ghost taught you. Here's my quick question. You're both married. When you got married, did you change your last name?
[01:05:31] Sharmaine Howell: Yes. Yes.
[01:05:33] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Why did you do that?
[01:05:36] Sharmaine Howell: Someone told me to do that. Did I not have to?
[01:05:38] Tammy Uzelac Hall: No, apparently you didn't. Listen, my friend Sarah Sargent, shout out, she has not changed her last name yet. Hi Sarah. Hey, you're still Tammy. Uzelac Hall. I am still Tammy Uzelac Hall. Well, I was going to hyphenate, but Tammy U Hall would have been very awkward. For those of you not in the United States, there's a trucking company called U Hall.
So yeah, I was like, I got to keep Uzelac. Why did you change your name though? I'm curious to know. And what does it mean to have a name change for you? I
[01:06:09] Heather Johns: think it's because I just loved my husband so much that I wanted to do anything I could to. Make us be a part of each other or me be a part of him or me represent him or each other.
I don't know if that makes sense, but I was just like, I love you so much. Of course I will share your name. Like a name means a lot. You're called by your name. Names mean a lot. And I was, I was happy and excited to change my name because of the love that I had for my husband.
[01:06:44] Sharmaine Howell: Yeah. And like, it's that starting of a new family to me.
Right. And so, and it's okay if, if women don't change their names, that doesn't mean that's bad or whatever. It's great. But for me personally, it was that, you know, combining and starting a new group, the two of us, our group, right? And so we needed a name that was for both of us together. And so, you know, as much as I'm always still gonna be a Stucke, I am, you know, Howell now.
And so our families Howell and my kids are Howells and I love it. It's our, it's our, it's our own family group.
[01:07:18] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Oh, okay. Both of what you said is so great. Here is a quote by Bruce R. McConkie and here's what he has to say about a family name and this name change that happened to these people. Cause I like how you said they started a new family.
I think that's what's going on here is King Benjamin starting this new group, this people that have this name. And Shar, can you please read this for us? Family members.
[01:07:40] Sharmaine Howell: Family members bear the family name. By it they are known and called and identified. It sets them apart from all those of a different lineage and ancestry.
And so it is that the children of Christ, those who were born again, those who are spiritually begotten by their new father, take upon themselves the name of Christ. By it they are known. It identifies and sets them apart from all others. They are now family members, Christians in the real and true sense of the word.
[01:08:10] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Now, take this idea and we meet together every Sunday as a family. That's why we call each other brother and sister in the church. In a ward family. Yes, we are a ward family and we have taken upon ourselves the name of Christ. And so now when we walk into the chapel and going back to what you said, Heather, we The sacrament table.
And we think, am I ready to meet the savior? Am I here? I'm meeting with my family. We are all called children of Christ. And I want us to think about this for a minute because that phrase willing to take upon them the name of thy son. That's what we say in the sacramental prayers that we are willing to take upon us the name of thy son.
What does that mean to you now?
[01:08:59] Sharmaine Howell: You're willing to be in his family group, right? We're willing to identify. I love that the quote talked about. It's a way to be identified and set apart from others saying, I'm going to take this name on me and set myself apart. And in Mosiah one, that scripture that we just read, it said that you are distinguished by that name.
And I just love that, you know, there's, it kind of makes us feel like there's things we need to do in order to be a part of that family. In order to, you know, Uh, know what I mean? I'm trying to think through, but I don't know. It's just us being willing to say, yeah, I, I'm in this family. I'm a part of it.
I'm going to take that name and I'm going to identify as that as with him.
[01:09:47] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Wow. And could there be any better family to be a part of talking about membership, having its privileges, the family of Christ for sure.
[01:09:55] Heather Johns: And are you going to live up to his name? Right. Are you going to, what does his name mean? So how are you going to live up to it?
Um, I had a challenge given to me, I think it was about three years ago that has totally changed my life, but it has helped me to know how to really take upon his name. And I have recently changed the name of the challenge to being his first responder. I want to be that. I, I really do have a time and a place where I'm still.
With God every day and I just ask him, How can I be your hands today? How can I be your voice? If there's anyone that I could bring closer to you today, tell me what it is, and I just wait. And I have a little piece of paper and a pencil and I just write down anything that he tells me to do and I just go and do it.
And then I often ask, is there more, right? Is there more that I could do? And I'm not perfect at this. I, I try, I'm trying my best to really take upon his name and try to be. A first responder for him. So that's how I try to take on his name.
[01:11:13] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Okay. Then you have, you just have to finish this. We're going to finish out this whole discussion with this quote.
Heather, will you please read this? Continuing on again by Bruce R. McConkie.
[01:11:23] Heather Johns: Those who take upon themselves the name of Christ. Who thereafter hearken and hear when he continues to call them in the name, which is both his and theirs, and to keep the standards of the Christian family, having enjoyed the fellowship of hosts of brothers and sisters in the church, go on to eternal joy and felicity as members of the family of God in the celestial kingdom.
That's you. You're doing that. Yeah.
[01:11:55] Tammy Uzelac Hall: I'm not perfect. I try my hardest. Oh, hey. Who doesn't want Heather as a sister, huh?
[01:12:01] Heather Johns: I do. You can be mine too. Yes. It has just changed my life in ways that I can never. People that I've met or even just simple things like your daughter's having a hard day. Just go write her a note.
Put it on her bed. Like, there's just. Go make your husband a sandwich. Like it's been interesting to know that just the, the revelation or the, how, what he tells me to do that day. And it just, It just keeps going throughout the day and I just really try to live my life like that.
[01:12:33] Sharmaine Howell: And it really reminds me of the talk by President Nelson that he gave called Think Celestial.
Um, you know, it just is, that's what you're doing, Heather. You're doing it. I need to get better at it, but you know, when we think and pray, I need to get better at it. But Bruce R. McConkie said that, you know, in as, What was the end of that phrase? Go on to eternal joy and felicity as members of the family of God in the celestial kingdom.
You know, when we, when we think this way and when we pray with that thought of how can I be his hands today? How can I be your voice today? And then I really love that you said, is there more, you know, that's really, that's really awesome. That's, that's what Heavenly Father and the Savior wanting of us is to give our hearts.
You know, I think we may be missed, um, in Mosiah four verse 30. But I really love that. It's a verse that we all know and we've read it a lot, but it says this much. I can tell you that you, when you do not watch yourselves and your thoughts and your words and your deeds and observe the commandments of God and continue in faith and what you've heard concerning the coming of the Lord, even into the end of your lives, you must perish.
And now, oh man, remember. And to me, I switched those words, watch yourselves and your thoughts, your words, your deeds to do it with all my heart, with all my might, with all my mind and my strength. So he's saying like, just give it all to me and please remember. And then that's all, that's all you have to do, right?
Yeah. So as we, we just got to remember every morning. That's the key. Retain and remember. Yes, there it is. Yes, retain and remember.
[01:14:15] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Oh my gosh. And the cool thing about this whole discussion and where you guys have led this in everything you've shared is taking upon us the name of the sun. Becoming children of Christ.
It is so much heart work. That is what, I mean, that has been the theme. I am so thankful that the spirit taught you that Shar. So thank you ladies. That's the end of our discussion. We're done. That was so great. So just gather your thoughts and what's your takeaway from today? What's something you learned that you're going to remember?
[01:14:47] Sharmaine Howell: Okay. I really loved the discussion that we had about the if then and how powerful that is that That the things that we're asked to do in the, if, and I want to study it more, but can relate to the garments of the holy priesthood and the covenants that we make with him. And that's, and that's so interesting that those garments are one of the only physical things that we have as a reminder, but that we can remember it every day.
And it can help us remember that first part of the if statement of remembering. And so something that as a takeaway that I want to do is just. You know, go over that again and go to the temple and renew and remember the, those covenants that I've made and the meaning of those, of the garments in my life.
So I just really thought, love that thought.
[01:15:35] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Hmm. Me too. That was so good. Thank you. Shar.
[01:15:41] Heather Johns: I think my takeaway was just the heart work. I've never heard it called that. And sure. As soon as you said heart work, it just hit me so strong. And I'm like, I. some heart work. I mean, every day I just want to like measure my heart and where, where is it at?
Is it, is it soft? Is it workable? Is it repentful? Is it, I don't know. Where is my heart? The true desire of my heart. It makes me want to just write down the desires of my heart and try to seek those miracles . Somehow, I could help someone else know about him because of my heart.
[01:16:25] Tammy Uzelac Hall: I agree, Heather.
Heart work. That was so good. You both shared my takeaways, so I'm going to come up with a new one, but this one really was. I loved it. I loved our discussion on the word. Apply. Apply the atoning blood of Christ. Everybody gets in. And I, I just, I love the whole discussion surrounding that. And then Heather, when you said to meet the savior at the table, because I remember years ago someone said there's the reason there's a sheet on top of the sacrament is that it's supposed to mimic the savior's body underneath the sheet laying down.
I'd never considered that. So now on Sunday when I walk into church, I'm going to look, that is the first thing I'm going to do. My goal is to look at the sacrament table and just pause for a minute. Am I ready to meet the savior? and apply his atoning blood. And then I'm going to pray throughout the sacrament asking what heart work I'm going to need to put in this week.
I just think maybe that and going off what you just said, how they're like writing it down. If I get little thoughts or impressions throughout the week because it is hard work and it's worth it. So thanks ladies. Great job. That was so fun.
[01:17:29] Sharmaine Howell: That's a great discussion. Thanks, Tammy. That was.
[01:17:32] Heather Johns: Love you. I feel like we're already good friends and I do, too.
[01:17:36] Tammy Uzelac Hall: Well, we are. Well, what was your takeaway? I want you to go and join our group on Facebook or on Instagram and share what you have learned. I would just love to know what your thoughts were, especially about this theme of heart work. That is going to stay with me forever. I love that. You can ask questions throughout the week.
You can even just post ideas that you've had. Then at the end of the week, usually on a Saturday, we will post a question from this episode. So comment on the post that relates to this lesson and share your thoughts. You can get to both our Facebook and Instagram by going to the show notes for this episode at ldsliving.
com slash Sunday on Monday. And if you go there, it's a great idea because that's where you're going to have the links to all the references as well as a transcript of this entire discussion. So go check it out. The Sunday on Monday study group is a Deseret bookshelf plus original brought to you by LDS living.
It's written and hosted by me, Tammy Uzelac Hall. And today our incredible study group participants were Sharmaine Howell and Heather Johns. And you can find more information about my friends at ldsliving. com slash Sunday on Monday. Our podcast is produced by Cole Wissinger and me. It is edited and mixed by Cole Wissinger and our executive producer is Erin Hallstrom.
Thanks for being here. We'll see you next week. And please remember friends that you are God's favorite.