Read: Jacob 2-4
Mark: Jacob 2:18-19
"If you have not chosen the kingdom of God first, it will in the end make no difference what you have chosen instead." --William Law
To ponder:
Are your decisions based on how your choices will help to build the Lord's kingdom? If needed, how can you change?
Saturday, May 31, 2014
Friday, May 30, 2014
Day 20, May 30, 2014
Read: 2 Nephi 31 - Jacob 1
Mark: 2 Nephi 31:10-13, 20
"When we understand our baptismal covenant and the gift of the Holy Ghost, it will change our lives and will establish our total allegiance to the kingdom of God. When temptations come our way, if we will listen, the Holy Ghost will remind us that we have promised to remember our Savior and obey the commandments of God." -- Elder Robert D. Hales
To ponder:
Sometimes we take our baptism for granted. What do you do to remember and increase your appreciation for your baptism?
Mark: 2 Nephi 31:10-13, 20
"When we understand our baptismal covenant and the gift of the Holy Ghost, it will change our lives and will establish our total allegiance to the kingdom of God. When temptations come our way, if we will listen, the Holy Ghost will remind us that we have promised to remember our Savior and obey the commandments of God." -- Elder Robert D. Hales
To ponder:
Sometimes we take our baptism for granted. What do you do to remember and increase your appreciation for your baptism?
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Day 19, May 29, 2014
Read: 2 Nephi 28-30
Mark: 2 Nephi 28:15
"There are at least three dangers that threaten the Church within, and the authorities need to awaken to the fact that the people should be warned unceasingly against them. As I see these, they are flattery of prominent men in the world, false educational ideas, and sexual impurity." --President Joseph F. Smith
To ponder:
What are you doing to avoid being deceived?
Mark: 2 Nephi 28:15
"There are at least three dangers that threaten the Church within, and the authorities need to awaken to the fact that the people should be warned unceasingly against them. As I see these, they are flattery of prominent men in the world, false educational ideas, and sexual impurity." --President Joseph F. Smith
To ponder:
What are you doing to avoid being deceived?
Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Day 18, May 28, 2014
Read: 2 Nephi 26-27
Mark: 2 Nephi 26:8
"Looking for the path to safety in the counsel of prophets makes sense to those with strong faith...the choice is not to take prophetic counsel changes the very ground upon which we stand. It becomes more dangerous. The failure to take prophetic counsel lessens our power to take inspired counsel in the future. The best time to have decided to help Noah build the ark was the first time he asked. Each time he asked after that, each failure to respond would have lessened sensitivity to the Spirit. And so each time his request would have seemed more foolish, until the rain came. And then it was too late." --Elder Henry B. Eyring
To ponder:
How does following the prophet keep you safe?
Mark: 2 Nephi 26:8
"Looking for the path to safety in the counsel of prophets makes sense to those with strong faith...the choice is not to take prophetic counsel changes the very ground upon which we stand. It becomes more dangerous. The failure to take prophetic counsel lessens our power to take inspired counsel in the future. The best time to have decided to help Noah build the ark was the first time he asked. Each time he asked after that, each failure to respond would have lessened sensitivity to the Spirit. And so each time his request would have seemed more foolish, until the rain came. And then it was too late." --Elder Henry B. Eyring
To ponder:
How does following the prophet keep you safe?
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Day 17, May 27, 2014
Read: 2 Nephi 24-25
Mark: 2 Nephi 25:23, 26
"Literally, the Atonement means to be 'at one' with Him. The nature of the Atonement and its effects is so infinite, so unfathomable, and so profound that it lies beyond the knowledge and comprehension of mortal man. I am profoundly grateful for the principle of saving grace...the overwhelming message of the Atonement is the perfect love the Savior has for each and all of us. It is a love which is full of mercy, patience, grace, equity, long-suffering, and above all, forgiving." --President James E. Faust
To ponder:
How do you experience the Savior's love?
Mark: 2 Nephi 25:23, 26
"Literally, the Atonement means to be 'at one' with Him. The nature of the Atonement and its effects is so infinite, so unfathomable, and so profound that it lies beyond the knowledge and comprehension of mortal man. I am profoundly grateful for the principle of saving grace...the overwhelming message of the Atonement is the perfect love the Savior has for each and all of us. It is a love which is full of mercy, patience, grace, equity, long-suffering, and above all, forgiving." --President James E. Faust
To ponder:
How do you experience the Savior's love?
Monday, May 26, 2014
Day 16, May 26, 2014
Read: 2 Nephi 19-23
Mark: 2 Nephi 21:12
"The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done." --Joseph Smith
To ponder:
What part do you play in these prophecies?
Mark: 2 Nephi 21:12
"The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done." --Joseph Smith
To ponder:
What part do you play in these prophecies?
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Day 15, May 25, 2014
Read: 2 Nephi 14-18
Mark: 2 Nephi 15:20-21
"Today's popular entertainment often makes what is evil and wrong look enjoyable and right. Let us remember the Lord's counsel: 'Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil.' Pornography, though billed by Satan as entertainment, is a deeply poisonous, deceptive snake that lies coiled up in magazines, the Internet, and the television." -- Elder David E. Sorenson
To ponder:
What helps you see things as they really are?
Mark: 2 Nephi 15:20-21
"Today's popular entertainment often makes what is evil and wrong look enjoyable and right. Let us remember the Lord's counsel: 'Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil.' Pornography, though billed by Satan as entertainment, is a deeply poisonous, deceptive snake that lies coiled up in magazines, the Internet, and the television." -- Elder David E. Sorenson
To ponder:
What helps you see things as they really are?
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Day 14, May 24, 2014
Read: 2 Nephi 10-13
Mark: 2 Nephi 12:2-3
"I can visualize an army of righteous youth prepared and worthy to attend the temple. I can see families sealed together for eternity. I can see youth who understand what it means to be 'saviours...on mount Zion.' I can see youth whose hearts are turned to their fathers. And I can envision youth growing up in such a way that they will come forth from the temples filled with strength to resist worldly pressures. I can see a generation of youth who will 'stand...in holy places, and be not moved.' "-- Sister Elaine S. Dalton
To ponder:
Why do you think Isaiah compares the temple to a mountain?
Mark: 2 Nephi 12:2-3
"I can visualize an army of righteous youth prepared and worthy to attend the temple. I can see families sealed together for eternity. I can see youth who understand what it means to be 'saviours...on mount Zion.' I can see youth whose hearts are turned to their fathers. And I can envision youth growing up in such a way that they will come forth from the temples filled with strength to resist worldly pressures. I can see a generation of youth who will 'stand...in holy places, and be not moved.' "-- Sister Elaine S. Dalton
To ponder:
Why do you think Isaiah compares the temple to a mountain?
Friday, May 23, 2014
Day 13, May 23, 2014
Read: 2 Nephi 8-9
Mark: 2 Nephi 9:50-51
"Keeping everything in balance can be a real problem...Often the lack of clear direction and goals can waste away our time and energy and contribute to imbalance in our lives...Our main goal should be to seek "immortality and eternal life." With this as our goal, why not eliminate from our lives the things that clamor for and consume our thoughts, feelings, and energies without contributing to our reaching that goal?" --Elder M. Russell Ballard
To ponder:
How do you spend your time, money and energy?
Mark: 2 Nephi 9:50-51
"Keeping everything in balance can be a real problem...Often the lack of clear direction and goals can waste away our time and energy and contribute to imbalance in our lives...Our main goal should be to seek "immortality and eternal life." With this as our goal, why not eliminate from our lives the things that clamor for and consume our thoughts, feelings, and energies without contributing to our reaching that goal?" --Elder M. Russell Ballard
To ponder:
How do you spend your time, money and energy?
Thursday, May 22, 2014
Day 12, May 22, 2014
Read: 2 Nephi 4-7
Mark: 2 Nephi 4:15-16
"No father, no son, no mother, no daughter should get so busy that he or she does not have time to study the scriptures and the words of modern prophets. None of us should get so busy that we crowd out contemplation and praying." --President Spencer W. Kimball
To ponder:
What is it that brings a person to love the scriptures?
Mark: 2 Nephi 4:15-16
"No father, no son, no mother, no daughter should get so busy that he or she does not have time to study the scriptures and the words of modern prophets. None of us should get so busy that we crowd out contemplation and praying." --President Spencer W. Kimball
To ponder:
What is it that brings a person to love the scriptures?
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Day 11, May 21, 2014
Read: 2 Nephi 2-3
Mark: 2 Nephi 2:25, 27-28
"Happiness is the object and design of our existence, and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God." --Joseph Smith
To ponder:
What brings you true happiness?
Mark: 2 Nephi 2:25, 27-28
"Happiness is the object and design of our existence, and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God." --Joseph Smith
To ponder:
What brings you true happiness?
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Day 10, May 20, 2014
Read: 1 Nephi 22 - 2 Nephi 1
Mark: 1 Nephi 22:26
"If Satan could but capture our minds, he would have won the battle and the war. He can only do this if we let him. If we refuse to walk with him, he will have no power over us, for God gave us our free agency and Satan cannot take it away. So what I am suggesting is that we refuse to even walk on the same street with Satan. In other words, not only should we avoid evil, we should avoid the very appearance of evil." --Bishop Victor L. Brown
To ponder:
How can Satan be bound in his efforts to influence you?
Mark: 1 Nephi 22:26
"If Satan could but capture our minds, he would have won the battle and the war. He can only do this if we let him. If we refuse to walk with him, he will have no power over us, for God gave us our free agency and Satan cannot take it away. So what I am suggesting is that we refuse to even walk on the same street with Satan. In other words, not only should we avoid evil, we should avoid the very appearance of evil." --Bishop Victor L. Brown
To ponder:
How can Satan be bound in his efforts to influence you?
Monday, May 19, 2014
Day 9, May 19, 2015
Read: 1 Nephi 19-21
Mark: 1 Nephi 19:23
"May I commend you faithful Saints who are striving to flood the earth and your lives with the Book of Mormon. Not only must we move forward in a monumental manner more copies of the Book of Mormon, but we must move boldly forward into our own lives and throughout the earth more of its marvelous messages. This sacred volume was written for us--for our day. Its scriptures are to be likened unto ourselves." --President Ezra Taft Benson
To ponder:
How do the things you read in the scriptures relate to your life?
Mark: 1 Nephi 19:23
"May I commend you faithful Saints who are striving to flood the earth and your lives with the Book of Mormon. Not only must we move forward in a monumental manner more copies of the Book of Mormon, but we must move boldly forward into our own lives and throughout the earth more of its marvelous messages. This sacred volume was written for us--for our day. Its scriptures are to be likened unto ourselves." --President Ezra Taft Benson
To ponder:
How do the things you read in the scriptures relate to your life?
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Day 8, May 18, 2014
Read: 1 Nephi 17-18
Mark: 1 Nephi 17:45
"Inspiration comes more as a feeling than as a sound...We do not have the words (even the scriptures do not have the words) which perfectly describe the Spirit. The scriptures generally use the word 'voice' which does not exactly fit. These delicate, refined spiritual communications are not seen with our eyes, nor heard with our ears. And even though it is described as a voice, it is a voice that one feels, more than one hears." --President Boyd K. Packer
To ponder:
What things have you felt while reading or praying?
Mark: 1 Nephi 17:45
"Inspiration comes more as a feeling than as a sound...We do not have the words (even the scriptures do not have the words) which perfectly describe the Spirit. The scriptures generally use the word 'voice' which does not exactly fit. These delicate, refined spiritual communications are not seen with our eyes, nor heard with our ears. And even though it is described as a voice, it is a voice that one feels, more than one hears." --President Boyd K. Packer
To ponder:
What things have you felt while reading or praying?
Saturday, May 17, 2014
Day 7, May 17, 2014
Read: 1 Nephi 15-16
Mark: 1 Nephi 15:23-24
"If there is any one thing most needed in this time of tumult and frustration, when men and women and youth and young adults are desperately seeking for answers to the problems which afflict mankind, it is an 'iron rod' as a safe guide along the straight path on the way to eternal life." --President Harold B. Lee
To ponder:
How can you 'hold fast' to the iron rod?
Mark: 1 Nephi 15:23-24
"If there is any one thing most needed in this time of tumult and frustration, when men and women and youth and young adults are desperately seeking for answers to the problems which afflict mankind, it is an 'iron rod' as a safe guide along the straight path on the way to eternal life." --President Harold B. Lee
To ponder:
How can you 'hold fast' to the iron rod?
Friday, May 16, 2014
Day 6, May 16, 2014
Read: 1 Nephi 13-14
Mark: 1 Nephi 14:14
"This great American nation the Almighty raised up by the power of his omnipotent hand, that it might be possible in the latter days for the kingdom of God to be established in the earth." --President Joseph F. Smith
To ponder:
Nephi saw that 'other books' would come forth through the gentiles. What important things would the 'other books' do? What' are those 'other books'?
Mark: 1 Nephi 14:14
"This great American nation the Almighty raised up by the power of his omnipotent hand, that it might be possible in the latter days for the kingdom of God to be established in the earth." --President Joseph F. Smith
To ponder:
Nephi saw that 'other books' would come forth through the gentiles. What important things would the 'other books' do? What' are those 'other books'?
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Day 5, May 15, 2014
Read: 1 Nephi 11-12
Mark: 1 Nephi 11:20-23
"You need time to meditate and ponder to think, to wonder at the great plan of happiness that the Lord has outlined for His children. You need to read the scriptures...I heard President David O. McKay say to the members of the Twelve on one occasion, 'Brethren, we do not spend enough time meditating.'" --President Gordon B. Hinckley
To ponder:
How often do you take time to ponder, to meditate on things that are important?
Mark: 1 Nephi 11:20-23
"You need time to meditate and ponder to think, to wonder at the great plan of happiness that the Lord has outlined for His children. You need to read the scriptures...I heard President David O. McKay say to the members of the Twelve on one occasion, 'Brethren, we do not spend enough time meditating.'" --President Gordon B. Hinckley
To ponder:
How often do you take time to ponder, to meditate on things that are important?
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Day 4, May 14, 2013
Read: 1 Nephi 6-10
Mark: 1 Nephi 10: 17-19
"The intensity of our desire to share the gospel is a great indicator of the extent of our personal conversion." --Elder Dallin H. Oaks
To ponder:
What was Nephi's response when the people in the strange building mocked him and the others who were partaking of the fruit? Why?
Mark: 1 Nephi 10: 17-19
"The intensity of our desire to share the gospel is a great indicator of the extent of our personal conversion." --Elder Dallin H. Oaks
To ponder:
What was Nephi's response when the people in the strange building mocked him and the others who were partaking of the fruit? Why?
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Day 3, May 13, 2014
Day 3
Read: 1 Nephi 3-5Mark: 1 Nephi 3:7
"I have learned not to put question marks but to use exclamation points when calls are issued through inspired channels of priesthood government." --Elder Russell M. Nelson
To ponder:
Why did Laman and Lemuel murmur? Why did Nephi support his father? What determines whether you are a murmurer or a supporter of the Lord's work and his prophets?
Monday, May 12, 2014
Day 2, May 12, 2014
Read: Brief Explanation, 1 Nephi 1-2Mark: 1 Nephi 20
"The Lord's tender mercies are the very personal and individualized blessings, strength, protection, assurances, guidance, loving-kindnesses, consolation, support, and spiritual gifts which we receive from and because of and through the Lord Jesus Christ...The Lord's tender mercies do not occur randomly or merely by coincidence. Faithfulness, obedience, and humility invite tender mercies into our lives, and it is often the Lord's timing that enables us to recognize and treasure these important blessings." --Elder David A. Bednar
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Let's get started! The Book of Mormon in 100 Days!
Day 1: Sunday, May 11, 2014
Read: Preface (Title Page), Introduction, Testimony of Three Witnesses, Testimony of Eight Witnesses, Testimony of the Prophet Joseph SmithMark: The quote from Joseph Smith in the Introduction, "I told the brethren...any other book."
"I would like to urge (everyone) to again read the Book of Mormon...There is nothing we could do of greater importance than to have fortified in our individual lives an unshakable conviction that Jesus is the Christ, the Living Son of the Living God. And, my brothers and sisters, that is the purpose of the coming forth of this remarkable and wonderful book." -- President Gordon B. Hinckley
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