For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 In the middle 1970s, I was an LDS missionary in the southern United States – the Bible Belt. Everywhere we went, we saw the phrase, “John 3:16.” It … Read more
Now thou art commanded, this do ye; take you wagons out of the land of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and bring your father, and come.Also regard not your stuff; for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours. Genesis 45:19-20 In the Book of Genesis, Joseph, who had … Read more
And for these many generations, ever since the day that I created them, have they gone astray, and have denied me, and have sought their own counsels in the dark; and in their own abominations have they devised murder, and have not kept the commandments, which I gave unto their father, Adam. Wherefore, they have … Read more
Recently, I started an adult Sunday School lesson on the Fall of Adam and Eve by saying “Today we are going to partake of the Tree of Knowledge.” I then took a big bite of a juicy red apple. After savoring the taste, I offered another apple to a class member sitting in the front … Read more
The other day I asked this question to my 89-year-old mother. Her answer was, “I don’t believe that for a minute. She knew exactly what she was doing.” It is impossible to know the precise degree to which Eve may have made her decision (about eating the fruit) by being swayed by Satan’s temptations or … Read more
In a great sermon near the end of his life, the prophet Nephi outlined Satan’s plan of action for the last days. It has three parts: 1. The devil will stir up the members of false churches to anger against that which is good 18 But behold, that great and abominable church, the whore of … Read more
Why is it that the first thing an angel always says is, “Fear Not.” Shouldn’t seeing an angel be the most beautiful, amazing, wonderful, delightful, inspiring, experience of one’s entire life? In the Garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve hid themselves from God, Adam admitted that they were afraid because they were naked. The … Read more
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are encouraged to read the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon, often. In our weekly Sacrament meetings, we listen to talks on scriptural topics. In Sunday School we discuss sections of scripture that we have (presumably) been studying at home during the prior week. Yet … Read more