2023 November 13, Monday, Journal Entry

Quiet Sabbath Day. 

BYU has a terrible football team this year. They don't just get beat, they get humiliated. 'Nuff said.

Come Follow Me 

James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Joseph Smith History

1:11 While I was laboring under the extreme difficulties caused by the contests of these parties of religionists, I was one day reading the Epistle of James, first chapter and fifth verse, which reads: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

12 Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine.

My takeaway from this is that untold millions of people have read this scripture but it's impact on Joseph Smith was immense. The potential involvement of Heavenly influence in our lives is proven here in that this scripture needed to have an impact on young Joseph and it certainly did. Various things, be it scriptures or anything else, can have spiritually and eternally important impacts on us and it's important for us to be in tune with the Spirit as much as we can so that we recognize these promptings and then act on them.

"Joseph turned to the Bible to find answers to his questions...  He noted: “Never did any passage of scripture come with more power to the heart of man than this did at this time to mine. It seemed to enter with great force into every feeling of my heart. I reflected on it again and again.”

Joseph came to realize that the Bible did not contain all the answers to life’s questions; rather, it taught men and women how they could find answers to their questions by communicating directly with God through prayer."

President M. Russell Ballard, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostle, April 2020

Book of Mormon reading 

Ether Chapter 11, Wars, dissensions, and wickedness dominate Jaredite life—Prophets predict the utter destruction of the Jaredites unless they repent—The people reject the words of the prophets.

Chapter 12, The prophet Ether exhorts the people to believe in God—Moroni recounts the wonders and marvels done by faith—Faith enabled the brother of Jared to see Christ—The Lord gives men weakness that they may be humble—The brother of Jared moved Mount Zerin by faith—Faith, hope, and charity are essential to salvation—Moroni saw Jesus face to face.