In a 1997 regional conference, President Hinckley said “It isn’t as bad as you sometimes think it is. It all works out.” That is the message of this week’s discussion of Ezra and Nehemiah. As bad as things were for the Israelites, things worked out with God’s help and with God’s help things will work out for us too.
In your desperate moment of need who do you turn to? And what has worked? Today’s discussion talks about the desperate moments during the time of kings in the Old Testament books of Chronicles. We’ll find some remarkable stories about what works and some unexpected ways the people received help from the Lord.
Who could use some good advice? 2 Kings 16–25 has advice from the Lord to the Southern Kingdom of Israel. And the good news for us is that praying, going to the temple, seeking counsel from the prophet, and more advice found in these chapters are timeless wisdoms. Whatever you are going through we can find solace in the words of the scriptures.
The Book of Mormon prophet Mormon asked the question, “Has the day of miracles ceased?” President Oaks answered in our day, “Many miracles happen every day in the work of our Church and in the lives of our members. Many of you have witnessed miracles, perhaps more than you realize.” If miracles are happening today then maybe in order to see them, we need to seek the faith that Elisha had when he prayed on behalf of his fearful young servant: “Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see”
The House of Israel is in total disarray. This week’s discussion of 1 Kings 12–22 will teach us what the Lord did for His people living on both sides of a conflict. Miracles didn’t cease and God proved it to whoever would listen to both the boasting of confident faith and a still small voice.
Would you say that with age comes wisdom? What about with experience comes wisdom? How about with the imperfections of others, comes wisdom? The Book of Mormon prophet Moroni said, “Give thanks unto God that he hath made manifest unto you our imperfections, that ye may learn to be more wise than we have been” (Mormon 9:31). Today’s discussion of 2 Samuel 11–12 and 1 Kings 1–11 contain stories of the imperfection and contrition which when combined, can definitely make us all “more wise than we have been.”
This week’s Come Follow Me lesson ends with David becoming king, being favored of the Lord, wanting to build the Lord a temple, and some dancing. To find out how he got there, we have to go back and discover who the young boy David was before becoming a young king. 1 Samuel 17–31 and 2 Samuel 1–7 show the heart of young David and the story he’d like to be remembered for.
David and Saul came from different backgrounds and appeared different at first glance. But both led Israel, were favored of the Lord, and also had secrets they tried to hide. But as we learn in 1 Samuel 8–16, God looks past our outward appearance and sees our heart.
Ruth and Hannah were strong figures in the Old Testament who demonstrated faith and established a righteous lineage. This week we are paying special attention to what we can learn about God’s pattern of revelation in Ruth and 1 Samuel 1-7. Sometimes the Lord asks hard things, but when we know it comes from God, it makes it worth it to obey.
Reading about the Atonement is one thing but truly feeling it is another. This visual could make a difference.
2 Min Read
“The more we know these prophecies, the more we can step forward with courage and strength and do hard things and help gather Israel.”
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A verse from the Book of Mormon shows how hopeful this phrase truly is.
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This principle from 3 Nephi (and some help from my stopwatch) reveals an empowering truth.
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“Most of the best people who ever lived weren’t very famous either. Serve and grow, faithfully and quietly.”
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God wants us to live with joy, not guilt that we are not doing enough. Find peace by noticing the subtle signs of progress in your life.
5 Min Read
Alma's son Corianton pursued a harlot and had significant concerns about the gospel. What can we learn from what Alma chose to say to him?
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Did you know Alma chapters 30–35 were originally one chapter? Reading the text as one block reveals an important question (and inspiring answer).
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I’ve realized Amulek is poignant inspiration to anyone feeling like their life is falling apart even though they chose to do what was right.
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This summer, the Sunday on Monday podcast has decided to prove the scripture and see how we can truly “count it all joy.”
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Sometimes when you come across a very familiar verse, it can be easy to just gloss it over because you know it so well.
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In Mosiah 9, the Lamanites were trying to skip right to the easy part.
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This week’s “Come, Follow Me” nugget is more the size of a rock, but there is just so much that King Benjamin teaches in Mosiah 4.
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We know we are the spirit children of Heavenly Father, so how is it that we can also be the children of Christ? The answer is wonderfully ennobling.
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Our challenge today is not a lack of access, but a lack of attention.
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We love Enos for his heartfelt prayers. Here are a few details about how he prays you may’ve not noticed but that can help you in life.
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A debt paid? Understanding? Protection? Comfort? For any definition of the word “cover,” you can find a solution for it in the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
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The journey back to God usually isn’t as simple as moving from point A to point B.
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There is a segment in this week’s “Come, Follow Me” reading that captures the spirit of the “Visitors Welcome” signs found on every Latter-day Saint church building.
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Nephi writes like someone who intends for his words to be read, and 2 Nephi 25 is like he’s stretching his arm through the fourth wall to tell us what’s important.
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2 Nephi 18 talks about the Lord—and the temple—being a sanctuary. So how can we find that same peace in our busy lives today?
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“God has His hand in everything. Every page of the Book of Mormon is evidence of that.”
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Studying Jacob may help you see how both deep sorrow and anxiety can coexist with God’s goodness.
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Moses, Nephi, and Joseph Smith are all names on the page for us today. But their struggles and faith were real. And we can learn from their lessons.
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In the middle of Lehi’s message to Jacob, we get a small but powerful message that “all things must needs be a compound in one.”
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With Valentine’s Day coming up, we’ve chosen our favorite podcast episodes to help you find ideas to love others more deeply as the Savior would.
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Has the promise of prospering in the land led us to believe that if we keep the commandments, life will be easy?
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The moments in my life where the scriptures have come alive the most are in casual conversations with roommates or family. That’s when the application happens.
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When nothing else makes sense and you are confused by what you hear, start there. Start with knowing God loves you.
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“Falling down” at the feet of Jesus can become an instructive, beautiful, inspiring detail in Lehi’s vision of the tree of life.
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My ah-ha moment from this week’s reading came from one word found in the family conflict immediately preceding Lehi’s vision.
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There are many ways we can learn about God throughout our lives, two of which are through the scriptures and our family.
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Sometimes knowing leads to doing, and other times doing leads to knowing.
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A new year brings new resolutions and a new ‘Come, Follow Me’ curriculum. Let’s dive into our 2024 study of the Book of Mormon.
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The world is pretty different than it was in January 2020, but we are back to reading the Book of Mormon together and there are a few new perks for 'Sunday on Monday' podcast listeners.
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Busy week? Me too. LDS Living is here to catch you up and get you ready for discussions on Sunday. Here’s a nugget of wisdom from this week’s Come, Follow Me study of The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles.
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Don’t get too bogged down with the foreboding symbolism in Revelation. Instead, focus on finding Christ.
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One of the topics I appreciated the most—especially given our special focus on Christ this time of year—was a discussion on the dozens of varied names for the Savior we find in the Book of Revelation.
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John mentions love extensively in both his gospel at the beginning of the New Testament and again in his epistles we’re studying this week at the end of the New Testament.
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Gaining a knowledge of Christ is the first step in trying to be more like Him. And Peter has actually outlined a step-by-step process for becoming that better person.
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While physical rest is healthy, there is an all-encompassing rest available through Christ.
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Apostle Paul reminds us to “not neglect the gift that is in thee.” If you’ve been called and set apart for work in the kingdom, even at a young age, you have the power of God behind you.
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