I was reading a blog post from Becky Thompson called,”Beware of Quicksand: How One Stranger’s Comment Changed My Marriage Forever.” It talked about the little things that can lead us into the grasp of Satan as if like being in quicksand.
Then I started to think about the Israelites and how they tried to consecrate themselves to be able to see the Lord. (Exodus 19:10) Instead they told Moses that he can be the mediator, and then they built a golden calf. Aaron’s response was great when he said, “Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief.” (Exodus 32:22) Which is a direct contrast to the Nephities during King Benjamin’s time. “And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.” (Mosiah 5:2)
How do we become like the Nephities and choose “to do good continually?”
Let us break down the surrounding verses to understand them better.
First, let’s look at where they were before they had this desire to do good continually. In Mosiah 2:1-6, they were asked to gather at the Temple. They even brought sacrifices to perform ordinances, and every family faced their door towards the temple. They were already good members but they still prepared to be taught. So let us prepare.
Second, where were they during King Benjamin’s sermon? Let’s see Mosiah 4:2&3,” And they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth. And they all cried aloud with one voice, saying: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified; for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth, and all things; who shall come down among the children of men.
And it came to pass that after they had spoken these words the Spirit of the Lord came upon them, and they were filled with joy, having received a remission of their sins, and having peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which they had in Jesus Christ who should come, according to the words which king Benjamin had spoken unto them.”
I don’t think they were awful sinners, but they saw where they were in a fallen state and where they could be in walking back to the presence of our Father. (See Mosiah 5:3) So as you prepare maybe, just maybe have one of your questions be “Hearing this talk, what can I do better to take a step towards my Father in heaven?”
Third, where were they after King Benjamin spoke? Let’s read Mosiah 5:2 once again,”And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.”
So they heard the true word, felt the spirit, which brought change in them and then they desired to DO good continually.
In conclusion, they didn’t just have the desire like most of us have after Conference, they covenanted “with [their] God to do his will, and to be obedient to his commandments in all things that [they] shall command us, all the remainder of our days, that [they] may not bring upon [themselves] a never-ending torment, as has been spoken by the angel, that [they] may not drink out of the cup of the wrath of God.” (Mosiah 5:5)
We can step into quicksand by listening to conference and do nothing or listen with a desire to do good continuously and covenant with the Lord to do good by acting on the promptings we will feel this conference season.
It is my prayer for all of us to do a little better today then we did yesterday so we can live a better life in this world and the world to come.
Your Brother in the Gospel,
Tyler Smith
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