I love Abinadi. I am grateful for Alma for being the one to tell his story. Abinadi was a martyr in the Book of Mormon and one of the most powerful stories of a prophet facing opposition in all scripture. Similar to John the Baptist, Stephen, and even the Savior Jesus Christ, Abinadi willingly gave his life in defense of truth.

Every time I read about the prophet Abinadi, I am struck by the power of his words. He so bravely stands up to the wicked king Noah and his priests, warning them that their wickedness will lead to their destruction and captivity. Abinadi seems fearless against this opposition and he is extremely confident that he is sent from God.

One of my favorite moments in his story is when King Noah orders his priests, “Away with this fellow, and slay him; for what have we to do with him, for he is mad.”

They thought he was crazy and nothing more than a nuisance, but then the power of God really showed up: See Mosiah 13:1-10

I love it! What amount of faith and power would have to be over you to speak up like that to the very people that held you captive and wanted to kill you? Ultimately, after Abinadi delivered his message, he was killed, and his death was a type and a shadow of the death of Jesus Christ.

On a personal note, I can remember discussing this story with my mom when I was a kid. I don’t remember how old I was or where exactly I was, but I remember that she asked me if I had enough faith that I would be willing to die for the gospel. In my childish innocence, I probably said yes, but more importantly, that planted in my heart a desire to be like Abinadi. If I did not yet have the faith to give up my whole life to God, maybe one day I would, and I could work towards that.

My mom’s question changed my life. It helped put me on the path to truly valuing my testimony more than my own life. Abinadi’s story converted only one man in King Noah’s court, but his story has also played an important role in my personal devotion to Jesus Christ and His church. I am so grateful for all the players in this chain of events: for Abinadi, for Alma, for my mom, and ultimately, for my Savior Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ also willingly gave up His life. He did it to overcome death for all of us. Because of Him, we will all live again. One day I want to be able to see my mom again. I would also love to meet Abinadi, and Alma. Because of that Easter morning so long ago, I will be able to meet all of them, but most importantly, I will see my Savior.

I will end with a question. Would you be willing to give up your life in defense of your testimony?

There are so many examples of how serving God is a way of loving God. Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” He also said, “Love one another as I have loved you.”

Jesus also taught us how our service to others is really service to Him. He said:

“35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

As I recently attended a special Palm Sunday Sacrament Meeting, I was touched by just seeing so many people gathered together that love our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Members of the church love Him. They try to serve Him. They try to follow Him and repent. No one is perfect, but these people are sincere. Being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ requires sacrifice, time, effort, and a humble heart. If we are full of pride and selfishness, we won’t last in the church. It requires too much from us.

Do we have to serve God? Can’t we just be saved? Let’s look at what God wanted from the people of Israel during the time of Moses. Moses told Pharaoh, “Thus saith the Lord, Let my people go, that they may serve me.” God wanted a people that would serve Him and offer sacrifice to Him.

Even though the Law of Moses was fulfilled in Christ, we are still required to sacrifice in the form of a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Christ still wants us to serve, as noted before. He still wants us to repent.

In a spiritual sense, I think many people are in bondage today. I think many people struggle with addiction to multiple stimuli. I think many of those things drive us down into terribly harmful thoughts and actions. I also believe that through Jesus Christ, we can be liberated from bondage and become a people that serves Him.

Also, remember that God does not need us to serve Him. He can do anything. He wants us to choose to serve Him because of how it blesses us and others around us. He first loved us and served us. As we love and emulate Him, we become His people.

I had a friend once tell me of a phrase in the Doctrine and Covenants, that “an effectual door shall be opened for them.” (D&C 118:3) For some reason those words just stuck out to me as a comforting thing. The message was that God would open up an opportunity for me to have the success I sought.

Let’s look at the whole verse:

“Let the residue continue to preach from that hour, and if they will do this in all lowliness of heart, in meekness and humility, and long-suffering, I, the Lord, give unto them a promise that I will provide for their families; and an effectual door shall be opened for them, from henceforth.” (D&C 118:3)

A door might mean an opportunity in this case. An effectual door could mean an opportunity that actually works and is effective. I love the imagery of seeing the Lord open up a path for us.

To me, this concept is much easier to see in hindsight. It is easy to look back and see how the Lord’s hand was in my own life. He put many wonderful people and experiences in my path. He gave me many opportunities to grow in wonderful ways. Looking back at my life, I feel grateful for the many ways God opened effectual doors for me and my family.

In contrast, there is another interesting use of the word effectual that I found in Mosiah 7:18. In this verse, King Limhi, the leader of a group of Nephites in bondage, is given hope that they might escape and find help in Zarahemla. He praises God for this opportunity, and then says, “yet I trust there remaineth an effectual struggle to be made.”

An effectual struggle sounds like there is hard work ahead, but it has a sense of hope. Effectual seems to mean that the struggle will eventually pay off. It’s kind of the message that it will be hard, but we will make it.

There are trials we have in life that require an effectual struggle. Sometimes prayer, church attendance, scripture study, etc. are really not enough. I know in difficult circumstances, like addiction or trauma recovery, or in struggling with loss, abuse, or mistreatment, it is helpful to have many resources to help out.

A very spiritually minded person might wonder if they can just handle something by trusting in God alone. I have wondered that. In my personal life, it took me time to realize that I just needed more help from experts and people around me to overcome some difficult challenges. It’s my personal opinion that God wanted me to learn to rely on His children for help. I believe that God sent us here to help each other out, and that He can give us the help we need through others.

So, in both circumstances, effectual doors and effectual struggles, I believe that God delivers us by means of other people. We can also be that door or help for other people. We are not meant to struggle on our own. Jesus Christ organized a church so that people could work together and lift each other. He wants us to learn to give and receive help.

I encourage you to look for those effectual doors and struggles in your life. How has God sent that help or opened doors for you? How can you open doors or provide help in someone’s struggles? Ultimately, we are servants of the Lord Jesus Christ. He enables us to be His disciples.

I just started into the story of Moses in Exodus, and I am intrigued by what kind of a person he was. What do we know about his background? He was saved by his mother sending him in a small raft or arc to Pharaoh’s daughter. He became the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, yet when he grew up, he saw his own people, the people of Israel, in bondage. Moses took action and killed an Egyptian in defense of two Hebrews being smitten. Because of this, Moses had to flee and he ended up in Midian. There he impressed Reuel by being a helpful person, and Reuel gave Moses a daughter to be his wife.

That is about all we have to go by for Moses’s background before he saw the Lord. Apparently Moses was brave enough to oppose injustice, and he was considerate enough to help out the people around him.

Then the Lord appeared to Moses and called him to be the deliverer of His people. Moses showed reluctance and doubt in his own abilities, but the Lord showed Moses that it was the Lord who would work through Moses. At one point the Lord almost seems annoyed at Moses for doubting, so He appoints Aaron to be a spokesman for Moses.

The more I think about this, the more I realize that there are nuances that are unknown. We don’t really know what Moses was like. We don’t totally know his feelings, fears, or strengths. Still, we can imagine being in his shoes.

In what way can I be more brave and stand up against injustice and evil? How can I be truly helpful to the people around me. Lastly, how can I make myself ready to receive the call from the Lord? Not everyone is a prophet, but I do believe we can all hear the voice of the Lord and find out what He wants from us.

Maybe some of Moses’s early actions were driven by the Lord’s inspiration. Maybe Moses felt guided to help the slaves and help the shepherds of Reuel. Maybe his willingness to act upon promptings was his proving ground before the Lord called him to greater things.

We do know that Moses was a type and shadow of Jesus Christ. He was a Savior, like Christ. Maybe his attitude reflected Christ’s willingness to follow “not my will, but Thine be done.”

Joseph of Egypt. This is a story of reconciliation and forgiveness, among many other things. It’s hard for me to even describe this story because of the complexity of the emotions involved. I can’t imagine going through any of the things that happened to him. I can’t imagine being sold and betrayed by my brothers, I can’t imagine going to prison after being falsely accused. I can’t imagine succeeding at everything I became a part of. I can’t imagine being in a place of great power and being able to forgive my brothers.

The story is so unusual and unfathomable in our day and time. So why does it hit home so much? Why is this story so relatable?

There is something about betrayal and pain that we can all relate to. There is something to the complexity of families that we can relate to. Even the complex mix of emotions that we feel at times.

Each time I read how Joseph wept, I wondered what he was feeling. He was overcome at times and sent people away, or hid himself as he wept. Notice that it took significant time for him to sit in his emotions and wrestle with them. He did not immediately forgive his brothers. I imagine him wresting until he came to a point of giving it all up to God.

In the end, Joseph acknowledges that it was God’s will that he was sold into Egypt. It was all part of a much greater plan. When Joseph realized it was God’s will, he was able to forgive his brothers.

We can all strive to have a godlike perspective on life rather than holding to our own pride. I know I need work on this.

I want to share a quick object lesson with you. This is something I learned from my mission president, President Clate W. Mask. He was just the greatest teacher and leader for our mission. The lesson is called “Keep on keepin’ on.”

I have this jar with rice in it and this little ball represents us. As missionaries, we would face rejection and struggles a lot, but that also applies to life now. We have moments where we feel on top of the world and things are running smoothly. Unfortunately, sometimes the world slams over us in discouraging ways (turn over the bottle and the rice buries the ball).

This is where we need to keep on keepin’ on. I’ll shake the bottle to represent this. We need to keep our chin up, trust in the Lord, keep acting in faithfulness and obedience, keep striving to be better each day. As we keep on keepin’ on, it’s not long until we are back on top, feeling blessed.

Look at Joseph of Egypt. He was true to God even in the worst of times. He was nearly killed by his brothers, sold to become a slave, and then thrown into prison. He could have renounced his faith and given up so many times. He was 17 years old when his brothers sold him and it was not until he was 30 that he became the greatest in Egypt save Pharaoh.

Joseph kept his faith and covenants. He kept trusting in God. When Potiphar’s wife tempted him, he dared not sin against God, so he fled. Everywhere Joseph went, people saw that God was with him and he could be trusted. He kept on keepin’ on.

So that is the lesson I learned from President Mask, and I cherish it. I have taught it to my kids who have served as missionaries. I still need this reminder for myself. When life buries you and it feels hopeless, keep on keepin’ on, and you will come out on top.

Joseph, Why Did You Say That?

I just started into the story of Joseph of Egypt. One of the first things Joseph does in this story is have a dream that indicated all his family would bow down to him. When I read this, I thought, “Joseph, read the room. That was not the smartest thing to say.”

Joseph’s brothers hated him because he seemed favored by their father, Israel. The brothers conspired against him, almost killed him, but finally sold him to be a slave.

Have you ever wondered what would have happened if Joseph had had some street smarts and knew when to keep his mouth shut? Sure, it may have saved him some trouble initially, but what about the big picture. This story is so much larger than the initial events that took place. Joseph was destined to go to Egypt and he became a leader that his family eventually did bow down to.

Let’s consider some reasons why Joseph did open his mouth, even if it might have seemed like a bad idea. It says that Israel loved Joseph more than any all his children and gave him a coat of many colors. Joseph received this love. Joseph also had a dream, and maybe Joseph knew that this dream was from God. Maybe he had a loving relationship with God and knew that this dream needed to be told to his family, regardless of the ramifications. Maybe Joseph felt so much love from God and his own father that he had no fear to speak the truth. We know from the Book of Mormon that “perfect love casteth out all fear.” (Moroni 8:16)

In spite of the many difficulties Joseph endured, he never turned his back on God. He stayed true to being honest and chaste. He trusted in God even through years of trials. God remained with him and kept giving him power to interpret dreams. This would later lead him to a position of great importance. Joseph did not fear men. He trusted in God.

As a side note, as I talked with my wife about this topic, she said it reminded her of Joseph Smith. Why did Joseph Smith tell people about the golden plates? Why didn’t he just keep that to himself? Wouldn’t that be easier? Joseph Smith could not be quiet about his experiences. He feared God more than he feared man.

So what does this mean for us? It makes me wonder what I can do to fearlessly speak the truth of God, even if it is awkward or not a popular thing to say. Personally I feel like social pressure is difficult to overcome. How can I be filled with God’s love so that I do not fear?

Ultimately, the story of Joseph is a type of Jesus Christ. Many of his experiences foreshadow the life of Jesus Christ. Christ is the ultimate example of fearless love and honesty. He humbly, yet powerfully, testified of truth and He received the worst treatment with faith. He willingly bore it all because of His love.

A New Beginning

I read from Acts chapter 2 today and was impressed by the wonderful beginning and change that occurs in this chapter.

The setting was the Day of Pentecost. I found it interesting that this day is 50 days after the Passover, so quite a while had passed since the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Day of Pentecost is a Jewish festival day that celebrates the wheat harvest and also God giving the Law to Moses (thanks Chat GPT).

On this day, there was a sound like a great rushing wind. It was the Holy Ghost. People began to speak in tongues and understand tongues. Peter preached to the people and they desired to know what to do.

“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:38)

3000 people were baptized and the church was formed.

What a great beginning this was! People joined the church. They sold their goods and parted them to all in need. They had all things in common among them. It says that many were added to the church daily.

How did this change start? I found it interesting that it started with a great understanding of language. Can you imagine what it would be like to understand everyone else? We live among people that share culture, but what about people on the other side of the world that have different languages and cultures. They live so differently and believe so differently. Often this leads to misunderstandings and conflict. What if we all understood, really understood, other people, including their intentions and their hearts?

I believe that when we really understand people, we can love them much more easily. The Holy Ghost filled these people’s hearts and they must have felt love, and there was a great understanding. With all this, no wonder they all wanted to repent and join into a covenant with God.

Are you ready for a new beginning in your life? Here are three things to think about regarding new beginnings:

1. Seek new understanding
2. Seek to repent
3. Seek to make covenants or renew covenants with God.

I believe these things can fill us with the Holy Ghost and give us a wonderful new beginning, filled with the love of Jesus Christ in our hearts.

Please share in the comments your experiences with new beginnings. How did it start? What did it feel like?