Abraham experienced the kind of trials we could only imagine. And time after time he was reminded of future promises, while still having to go through more hard things. We are studying the trials of Abraham found in Genesis 12–17 and Abraham 1–2 today and how we can apply those experiences to persevere in our lives.
In December the Church announced an update in the general handbook concerning translations of the bible. So as our Come, Follow Me year of studying the Old Testament gets into swing we invited a couple of bible scholars to share their thoughts on what we can gain from different translations and how they can help us gain appreciation for the ancient context in which the bible was written. For those that are still a little bit afraid of the Old Testament, let this new guidance help you find scriptures that bring you closer to God.
God makes covenants to His people. Even when the people don’t want to hear His voice. In Genesis 6-11 and Moses 8 we have the stories of people that hear what God has to say and do the exact opposite from the Tower of Babel to the wickedness around Noah. But through it all God makes covenants, and those covenants are promises that we can lean on today even when the world around us seems as chaotic as when the flood rain was starting to come down.
We can learn about what our Zion should look like by modeling after Enoch’s Zion in Moses 7. Even if we might not walk exactly with God in this life, we can strive to be of one heart and one mind with those around us. Zion isn’t just the city we live in or the ward we go to, Zion is a condition of the heart and spirit. And creating a Zion people, starts with us.
Enoch was a prophet, he taught what was good. Music is important in developing and sharing testimonies. Today as we study the story of Enoch and his walk with God in Genesis 5 and Moses 6 we will do it through music. Hopefully these songs can bring you close to your Heavenly Father and bring to life the stories of the scriptures.
In Hebrew, Eden means delightful, luxurious, or dainty. But that does not mean there wasn’t conflict and opposition in Adam and Eve’s first home. We are studying the Fall found in Genesis 3–4 and Moses 4–5 with specific attention to how an understanding of the Hebrew words can shed new light on an age old story.
The first two chapters of Genesis, Abraham, and Moses contain different versions of the creation story. What can we learn from each and why would we need multiple perspectives? This week we are studying the weighty topic of the creation, a topic about which Russell M. Nelson once called members to “stretch our minds” to consider. And that’s exactly what we will do.
“The more we know these prophecies, the more we can step forward with courage and strength and do hard things and help gather Israel.”
1 Min Read
Moses 1 contains the greatest superlative we could be given. When Moses is struggling, the doctrine he learned that helped him overcome Satan was knowing that he is a child of God. When we say we are children of a loving Heavenly Father we mean that it is His greatest goal to be with us again. And that knowledge will carry through our whole study of the Old Testament narrative this year.
A verse from the Book of Mormon shows how hopeful this phrase truly is.
1 Min Read
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?
4 Min Read
Did you know Alma chapters 30–35 were originally one chapter? Reading the text as one block reveals an important question (and inspiring answer).
4 Min Read
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.
3 Min Read
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.
1 Min Read
In Mosiah 9, the Lamanites were trying to skip right to the easy part.
2 Min Read
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.
2 Min Read
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.
4 Min Read
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.
4 Min Read
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.
2 Min Read
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.”
2 Min Read
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.
5 Min Read
Has the promise of prospering in the land led us to believe that if we keep the commandments, life will be easy?
5 Min Read
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.
3 Min Read
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.
4 Min Read
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.
2 Min Read
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.
2 Min Read
Don’t get too bogged down with the foreboding symbolism in Revelation. Instead, focus on finding Christ.
2 Min Read
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.
1 Min Read
There are a lot of comforting words you can say to a friend or family member who is going through a hard time. And we can find many reassuring words in the scriptures, too. Our Come, Follow Me study this week in Doctrine and Covenants 58–59 contains a unique phrase for the Saints in Missouri. And no matter what we are going through, we can hope to “lay to heart” these words from God as well.
For Church members in the 1830s, gathering in Ohio and building the city of Zion were spiritual as well as temporal labors. In the revelations recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 51–57, the Lord appointed and instructed people to handle the tasks required for building a new place. He also taught the people about becoming a Zion people, which may have been more difficult than building, printing, or running a store.
Doctrine and Covenants 50 carries an invitation from the Lord that we accept every time we study, listen to a podcast, or go to church: “Let us reason together.” For today’s discussion on sections 49 and 50, we are joined by two educated women who are familiar with reasoning about the scriptures. And their insight will help us all be “edified and rejoice together.”
The early Church didn’t have manuals or study guides—they didn’t even have enough copies of the Book of Mormon to go around. But what they did have was ongoing revelation. Doctrine and Covenants 42–56 deal with organizing the Church better, resolving disputes between members, and combating deception. You could almost say these sections are like the earliest General Handbook for the Church. Sections 46–48 contain doctrine so vital to the organization of Christ’s Church that we still rely on it today.
According to the Title Page of the Book of Mormon, the book’s purpose is to convince all people that “Jesus is the Christ.” During this Christmas season, as believers worldwide celebrate God’s goodness and love in sending His Son, we decided to ponder how the Book of Mormon has strengthened our faith in Christ. We asked our study group guests to think about His birth, reflecting on why He came and how His coming has changed their lives. As you listen to this week’s episode, we hope you experience the true joy of Christmas—our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Our study of the Book of Mormon this year has been incredible. For 52 weeks we have dug into this book and changed. Hopefully your love of the Book of Mormon has grown. The prophet Moroni loved it too and one of the last things he wrote is for us to consider this book, all that it contains and to discover for ourselves if it is not true. He wants us to challenge the book and to learn for ourselves if it is true. As we study Moroni 10 together, listen and notice the spiritual impressions you receive as the Holy Ghost helps you discover or rediscover the truthfulness of this book and how merciful the Lord hath been to all of us, His people that he loves.