"...we remember those in the scriptures who have faced and conquered challenges similar to or much greater than our own." p. 45
NEPHI & THE SHIP
And when my brethren saw that I was about to build a ship, they began to murmur against me, saying: Our brother is a fool, for he thinketh that he can build a ship; yea, and he also thinketh that he can cross these great waters. (1 Nephi 17:17)
If God had commanded me to do all things I could do them. If he should command me that I should say unto this water, be thou earth, it should be earth; and if I should say it, it would be done. And now, if the Lord has such great power, and has wrought so many miracles among the children of men, how is it that he cannot instruct me, that I should build a ship? (1 Nephi 17:50-51)
TRUE CONVERSION
"Without the power of God working miracles in our life, going through a perfunctory list of things to do to repent, or asking the bishop what we should do to right our life, will rarely have the staying power to sustain us in a continuing commitment to keep the commandments of God." p. 47
"...as many of the Lamanites as believed in their preaching, and were converted unto the Lord, never did fall away." (Alma 23:6)
BURYING WEAPONS OF WAR
TAKING AWAY GUILT THROUGH JESUS
"They completely forsook their sins. Their changes and that belief were so strong that when they were faced with death, they stood firm in their resolve." p. 49
"I thank my God, my beloved people, that our great God has in goodness sent these our brethren, the Nephites, unto us to preach unto us, and to convince us of the traditions of our wicked fathers...And behold, I also thank my God that... we have been convinced of our sins, and of the many murders which we have committed. And I also thank my God, yea, my great God, that he hath granted unto us that we might repent of these things, and also that he hath forgiven us of those our many sins and murders which we have committed, and taken away the guilt from our hearts, through the merits of his Son."(Alma 24:7, 9-10).
LANCE
The other day, Lance decided to spend some time in the scriptures. He was curious about this concept of having "guilt taken away from their hearts" so decided to read about the Anti-Nephi-Lehies on his own. He took a drive up the canyon and found a spot off the road where he could park and just spend a few minutes privately reading and pondering. As Lance read about the A-N-Ls, he couldn't help but wonder if he would have done the same thing they did in laying down their weapons of war. "What are my weapons of war?" he thought, "Am I willing to stop fighting whatever it is that isn't allowing me to feel peace?" Suddenly, it occurred to Lance that he had been trying to repent all on his own. He wasn't really involving Jesus in the process. He was going through the motions of repentance. He recognized his faults, he confessed to the bishop, he continued to go to the temple and to teach Sunday School, but he wasn't doing these things because he had faith in Jesus' Atonement, he was doing these things because that's what 'you're supposed to do when you do something bad.' "That's my weapon of war ... my pride. I have been doing this all on my own. I have been so dumb." Lance then felt a sudden rush of warmth and a feeling of light. It choked him up. He thought, "Ok, so now I've really got to figure out my relationship with Jesus. I'm so tired of feeling this guilt." He took a deep breath, turned on the ignition and drove back down the canyon to his apartment.
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