Facebook Trivia

So I decided to make the Facebook fan page a bit of a trivia page just so I wasn't tooting my own horn about my book all the time. After all, that's not the kind of fan page that I'd want to be part of. So I've posted trivia questions there. Unfortunately, it's not caught on very much, so I thought I'd publicize it a little more -- like here. If you're a fan of scripture trivia, check it out. This is the current question:

Gideon (from the Book of Mormon) had violent confrontations with two people. One of them he almost killed (but spared). The other he admonished with the word of God... for which he was slain. Who were the two people?

This is a fairly easy question, I would think. Once it is answered on the fan page, I'll add another trivia question. (I've got a good one that I think is a lot harder.)

Oh, and here's the link:

Messages from the Scriptures Facebook Fan Page

P.S. I think you have to like the page and be a fan before you can post an answer on the wall.

"Messages from the Scriptures" is Now in Stores!

My book, Messages from the Scriptures, was recently printed and has been available on Amazon.com for a month or so. But this last week, I received a text from my brother who attends BYU that he saw it for the first time in the BYU Bookstore. I thought that was pretty exciting, so I dropped by Deseret Book in Spanish Fork, UT to see whether they had it in stock -- and they did! It's exciting to be able to walk into LDS bookstores and find my book on the shelf.

Response to 1 Nephi 11:17

A little while ago I tweeted 1 Nephi 11:17 to correlate with something I had posted here on this blog: "I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things." When I was on my mission, this was one of my favorite scriptures to share with people. Sometimes there simply aren't things that we know or understand. But it is enough to know that God loves us.

In response, @Maserati_SMI brought up 2 Nephi 32:3-5:

Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.

Wherefore, now after I have spoken these words, if ye cannot understand them it will be because ye ask not, neither do ye knock; wherefore, ye are not brought into the light, but must perish in the dark.

For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do.

 In other words, we may not know everything -- but ultimately we do know the things that we should do. Maserati_SMI explained that as an MTC teacher, missionaries would ask how they could tell the difference between emotions and the Spirit. The answer? Are there things you should be doing that you aren't? Start doing them, and the Spirit will become more discernible.

As Maserati_SMI pointed out to me, we shouldn't worry about not knowing some things because they simply aren't revealed at this time (see Alma 37:11). But God has revealed enough that we know what we should be doing.

I thought this was a great insight, and a fantastic response to the thought that I shared earlier.

God is Incredibly Good to Us

God is infinitely better to us that we deserve.

As ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have tasted of his love, and have received a remission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith. (Mosiah 4:11)

Mormon wrote that it was “impossible for the tongue to describe, or for man to write a perfect description of the horrible scene of the blood and carnage which was among the people” (Mormon 4:11). When he saw his people die in wickedness, he said, “my soul was rent with anguish, because of the slain of my people” (Mormon 6:16). Yet he also wrote, “I have reason to bless my God and my Savior Jesus Christ . . . . Surely he hath blessed the house of Jacob, and hath been merciful unto the seed of Joseph” (3 Nephi 5:20–21). He was sad, but he was not bitter against God. He understood that in spite of all the bad that happens, we should recognize that God “is good; for his mercy endureth for ever” (1 Chronicles 16:34). As Ezra said, “thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve” (Ezra 9:13).

The Old Testament Teaches of Christ

The testimony of the Savior is found throughout the Old Testament—and any book of inspired scripture.

Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. (John 5:39)

This is an oft-quoted verse, but many times we forget that what Christ meant by “the scriptures” is much different from the books we have in our canon today. In fact, the only books which His audience had available to them and which are still in common with our modern-day scriptures were those which are found in what we call the Old Testament. Occasionally we forget how Christ-centered the Old Testament really is. But truthfully, when Christ taught about His own sacred mission, he began “at Moses and all the prophets” (Luke 24:27). Prophecies of Christ were spoken “by the mouth of [God’s] holy prophets, which have been since the world began” (Luke 1:70). It is true that our Old Testament scriptures are incomplete compared to the originals (see 1 Nephi 13:24–26; Joseph Smith—History 1:36; Articles of Faith 8), but whenever there have been prophets, there have been teachings of Christ, for “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Revelation 19:10). Remembering this will enhance our scripture study and allow us to build our testimony of the Savior, regardless of which books of scripture we are reading at the time.

Elder Scott and His Request

So I went to a stake conference yesterday (in my parent's stake, actually), and Elder Richard G. Scott was there. When he spoke, he said that he often likes to pull individuals out of the audience. He pulled out two young women and pretty much put them on the spot. He asked a few questions, many of them related to scripture study. The girls explained that they just can't go a night without studying the scriptures. And this isn't just reading the scriptures, it's studying them.

It was interesting to me. How is it to be put on the spot and be able to answer to well? It's because they've made scripture study a part of their lives. Could I answer just as confidently if an Apostle asked me? It reminded me of the importance to live the gospel 100%. Even if we don't have to answer to an Apostle in a stake conference, we will have to answer to the Savior at the day of judgment.

We Don't Know Everything, But We Can Know God's Love

Here is another sample of the book. This is similar to the content of the book, but it isn't actually in the book itself.

We often do not understand the Lord’s motives or methods, but it is enough to recognize and appreciate His love.

I do not know all things; but the Lord knoweth all things which are to come; wherefore, he worketh in me to do according to his will. (Words of Mormon 1:7)

Mormon was a precocious individual. When he was “fifteen years of age . . . [he] was visited of the Lord” (Mormon 1:15). A short time later, “the people of Nephi appointed [him] that [he] should be their leader, or the leader of their armies” (Mormon 2:1). He was exceptionally talented at a young age. But despite this, he was still commanded to wait until he was twenty-four before retrieving the record that he would later abridge as the Book of Mormon (see Mormon 1:3, 16–17). We might wonder why he was capable of leading a nation’s army but not allowed to obtain the sacred plates until he was older. It’s not something that is explained—nor does it have to be. The Lord has stated, “my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways” (Isaiah 55:8). But we can rest assured that he “hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation” (Acts 17:26). He is in control. Consider Nephi’s response when an angel questioned him concerning a point that he didn’t understand: “I know that [God] loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things” (1 Nephi 11:17). Sometimes we simply do not understand aspects of life, but it is enough to know that God loves us.

Render unto Caesar...

In Sunday school about a week and a half ago, we discussed the instance when the Herodians tempted Jesus, saying "Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?" (Matthew 22:17). In the margins I had written a little note that was insightful -- but one which I had forgotten. It's times like these that I'm glad I'm made numerous notes in my margins.

But first, the rest of the story:
"But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's" (Matthew 22:18-21).

My note is not my own insight but Elder Talmage's, from his masterpiece Jesus the Christ. (It's on page 507 in the former Missionary Reference Library version and on page 546 in the newer version.) It says: "Every human soul is stamped with the image and superscription of God, however blurred and indistinct the line may have become through the corrosion or attrition of sin... give unto God and His service, yourselves -- the divine mintage of His eternal realm."

More than Just a Man

I recently read a story about a man who lived in a village. He was very wise. In fact, many people today revere him as a god. His name was Buddha. A woman who had lost her only son went to him for help.

"What do I do?" she asked. Her grief was more than she could bear, and Buddha felt deeply for her. Without saying anything, he gently knelt down and began picking up several small pebbles. Once he had selected six or seven of them, he held them out to the woman. Puzzled, she extended her hand and received them.

"Go to every hut in this village and ask if they have lost a loved one. If they haven't, offer them one of these pebbles. Return to me when you have given away all of the pebbles." The woman realized that she would never give away even one of the pebbles. Acknowledging that everyone in the village had felt as much grief as she felt then, she thanked Buddha and went on her way, knowing that she had sympathetic friends all around her.

On the other hand, there is a story I have known from my childhood. It is about another man, also wise. Many, including me, revere him as divine as well -- in fact, the Son of God. His name was Jesus. A woman who had lost her brother pleaded for him to help her. He arrived at her home and wept for her brother. And then, he commanded with authority: "Lazarus, come forth." And he that was dead came forth.

There have been many great teachers, and I think that God has inspired many of them -- including Buddha. But it is my testimony that Jesus Christ was more than just a man. He is the Son of God. Not only did He impart great wisdom, but true power emanates from Him. He is the Savior of all mankind.