Read: 3 Nephi 3-5
Mark: 3 Nephi 3:12-14; 4:10
"In providing out-of-home activities for the family, we must use care; otherwise, we could be like a father determined to provide everything for his family. He devotes every energy to that end and succeeds; only then does he discover that what they needed most, to be together as a family, has been neglected." --President Boyd K. Packer
To ponder:
How can you help your family receive the strength that comes from being 'gathered together'?
I am so proud of Lachoneus! It would have been so much easier to give into the demands of the Gadianton robbers, but Lachoneus and his people stood for what is right and true. I love the Lachoneus caused his people to cry unto the Lord for strength!! We can do this too when we are asked to stand for what is right and true.
ReplyDeleteOn a side note: Did it surprise any of you that the Gadianton robbers had a leader and governor??? I guess I just don't think of the bad guys as having governors!
I love the strategies that we learn of in these chapters. I love that the people stood together, they were prepared in all ways (this gives me more encouragement to continue building my food storage!). They were prepared; they prayed and were led and protected by the Lord.
I know that these scriptures are so relevant to our day. We have been counseled to build up the church in our own areas, that our stakes will be refuges when things are tough. Temples are now all over the world so that we have these sources of strength. In 1999, the First Presidency said: "As members throughout the world remain in their homelands, working to build the Church in their native countries, great blessings will come to them personally and to the Church collectively." I know these words to be true!
Bad guys need organization, too! I think they finally just became so numerous that they went from "secret society" to a whole new government of people. Crazy, right? But more and more people believed in being evil, so they had to get organized. Giddianhi's words to Lachoneus really show how Satan has influenced him and his followers. His arguments are so similar to the things that Satan would tell us! The robbers were evil for so long they truly believed that they had been wronged! Insanity! It's amazing how people twist things around...
DeleteThere are just so many things to love about these chapters! I actually bore my testimony of these chapters in a Fast and Testimony meeting once while I was a teenager. I absolutely love Lachoneus and Gidgiddoni and their wisdom, righteousness, and their examples. Lachoneus knows God is on their side! He tells the people to pray, and God truly does deliver them! They will not bow down to criminals. I just love the strategy they implemented to keep the robbers from overtaking them. It gives new meaning to "safety in numbers" and makes you think twice about how you're doing with your food storage.
ReplyDeleteI really liked 3 Nephi 4:10. I especially like how it begins, "But in this thing they were disappointed, for the Nephites did not fear them; but they did fear their God and did supplicate him for protection". Those robbers were not as scary as they hoped to be! And the Nephites had the strength of the Lord on their side.
I love that in verses 30-33 they all give thanks to God. They pray and sing their praises! They shout for joy to God for protecting and delivering them from their enemies. It's so easy to be prideful and say "It was all us. We did the work--we saved ourselves." These people give us a truly great example in humility and GRATITUDE for our blessings!
In chapter 5 I look at verses 8-9 and think about where these records are and what is in them. Wouldn't it be so amazing to look through these someday?
Finally, I love 3 Nephi 5:13 and love to insert my own name into this scripture--"Behold, I [Jenny] am a dischiple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life." I think it's a great missionary scripture and I have given out some laminated cards with this scripture on it and RWH as a big watermark behind it as missionary farewell gifts.
This is me hitting the "LIKE" button a zillion times! :)
ReplyDeleteChapter 3: The people who left to find and join the Gadianton robbers fell prety to their own misfortunes and trials. They felt they had been wronged by others among them, by the government - maybe there was some truth to that. So they decided to fight and complain and be fools. I wonder what trials they faced that led them to take what appeared to be the easy way out - rather than dealing with the troubles they had. I imagine some committed minor crimes, some major. Some though the rules of the land were too difficult - or church members felt God's laws too strict, but were embarrassed to stick around??? Some may have had debts. What might I fall prey to that might lead me to become foolish enough to think it was someone else's fault & bitter enough to rob & murder?
ReplyDeleteWhen faced with trials or full on attacks - stick together! Supplicate the Lord and encourage all others to do the same - then DO something! Listen for guidance from the Lord as you do what you think is best (and what He has already shared in the past) Be ready to turn course if necessary, but do not sit idly waiting for a reply. Do not be afraid of moving.
Chapter 4: The Nephites show fear of God over fear of men. The Gadianton robbers are in full throttle against them & the Nephites supplicate to GOD - they do not plead with the people running at them with armor and swords and weapons and blood stained loin cloths - they know who has the power over their lives. Negotiating with terrorists is unnecessary when you have the Lord on your side!
Prepare yourself in every needful thing. Let the recommendations of the prophets be needful! If you have enough provisions stored up you cannot be weakened by someone trying to "cut off" your supply You will hold out longer.
Chapter 5: What an excellent prison program! Teach them ALL the gospel. If they accept & repent - great, give them a chance. If not, then they are subject to the consequences of their choices. I wonder if this will be how the Millennium will manage prisons???