The Rod of Iron

The “rod of iron” as depicted in Lehi’s dream is defined by Nephi in 1 Nephi 11:25: “I beheld that the rod of iron, which my father had seen, was the word of God…”

The Savior’s Testimony of the Book of Mormon

At a recent session of Stake Conference, the mission president’s wife pointed out that none other than Jesus Christ himself bore powerful testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. The Lord said, speaking of the prophet Joseph:

And he has translated the book, even that part which I have commanded him, and as your Lord and your God liveth it is true. (D&C 17:6)

Agency Isn't Free

We use the term “free agency” frequently to describe our exercise of choice in mortality. But nowhere in the scriptures is the word “agency” modified by the adjective “free.” The phrase “free agency” never appears. “Agency” is the Lord’s term for the right to choose. Most of the world does not understand the simple word or its eternal implications. In fact, agency is a concept and doctrine only found in the restored gospel.

A Gospel of Wings

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, in his article, “The Abundant Life,” in the May 2006 Ensign said the following:

The gospel of Jesus Christ is not a religion of mourning and gloom. It is not a gospel of chains but a gospel of wings [italics added}.

The Last Full Measure of Devotion

Memorial Day is a federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May (May 30 in 2011). Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. Service members who died while in military service. First enacted by formerly enslaved African-Americans to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War – it was extended after World War I to honor Americans who have died in all wars. Over the years, it has come to include all our departed loved ones. We visit graves, decorate them in various ways with flowers and other momentos, and pause for a few minutes to remember them.

The Fellowship of His Suffering

Elder Neal A, Maxwell, in his book, All These Things Shall Give Thee Experience, has a chapter called “The Fellowship of His Sufferings.” The title is taken from Philippians 3:10:

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings …

The Master Potter

Elder Heber C. Kimball was a blacksmith and a potter by trade. He earned his living by the sweat of his brow. But being a potter requires considerable perseverance and knowledge. In Elder Kimball’s time, the only way to learn such a skill was as an apprentice to someone who had mastered the craft, and it is usually a hard-won skill, requiring many hours of practice and failure, before mastery comes. For some few, however, it comes naturally, less a skill than a talent.