Reasons for provident living

 In Helaman  chapter 11 we read about a terrible famine that struck the land.  Virtually all of the people had become wicked and the famine was brought on to impel them to remember God.

•  If you were among the few who were righteous at that time, this is the time that your preparations in provident living would yield  the greatest returns. 
•  If a similar famine struck the land at this time, how would my family do? Would we be prepared to whether the famine well? 

How to stave off the love of money

• In Helaman 6 we read about a group of Nephites who turn away from God and degenerate into terrible wickedness; they are carried away in their love of riches and fine things and they begin to make secret pacts with one another to support each other in all sorts of evil doing, including illegal evil doing. 
• It occurred to me that perhaps one of the best ways to defend against that slippery slide away from God is through humble giving. 
• a humble disciple of Christ will pay a full tithe on all income
• we cultivate humility as we generously donate additional means to the fast offering funds of church; these funds go toward helping the poor and needy locally and around the world. The greater the temptation to love and trust and set our hearts upon riches, the more aggressive we can be in giving more and more of our means to feed the poor. 

Our downfall as members of the church - Helaman 2-3

 Helaman 2-3 Book of Mormon

•  Again references the secret combinations and underscores the importance of keeping a close watch on her families and praying for the gift of discernment and rooting out secret combinations from among us. 
•  The secret combinations spoke of what kept hidden from the governing bodies of the land. But governments have oversight over a very large group of people. And their families mom and dad have oversight over a relatively small group of people. As parents we should vigilantly  Watch over our homes in each member of our family and use the gift of discernment to keep the family clear of those hidden evils that could overthrow us on our path to the celestial kingdom. 
•  These chapters underscore also the fact that God always blesses and prosperous and protects his righteous and humble saints.  They also show us the unfortunate events associated with members of the church to give up their humility and turn to pride.  It is interesting to observe that the notes from these chapters that those times when God blesses and prosper us the most seem to unfortunately be the times when we seem to want to forget him and to be carried away in the pride of our heart. 
•  In light of these insights, it behooves me and Nicole that when God blesses us more and more and as he increases the blessings and prospers us and our circumstances so we should increase our humility towards him: increase our tithing increase our fast offerings  increase our efforts to invite the spirit into our home increase our devotion to each other to our marriage to our family to our children to our church callings to reaching out to those around us into ministering to those in our care 

Distracted and then blindsided - Helaman 1 - 2

Helaman 1 -2 outline and notes draft

• Nephites became distracted with inner conflicts over leadership of the country.
• with much of their focus and resources being spent on quelling the inner turmoils, enemies of the Nephites seemingly easily came in and swept through the land and took over
• As dad and mom, husband and wife, we must quell and stamp out and reduce and avoid contention breaking out in our homes
• we must vigilantly "audit" and monitor closely the relationships in our home
• brother - brother
• husband - wife
• father -son: 
• one on one father - son recreational activities are vital to nurture these relationships. 
• Also father and multiple or all sons. I can do better at one on one activities with each son. 
• Remember to take advantage of spontaneous/unplanned one on one opportunities
• one on one family councils / father-son interviews on a regular basis. I can be more consistent in this
• mother - son
• son - father
• son - mother
• The Lord has spoken on this matter: parents are commanded to teach children to love and serve one another, and to keep them from fighting and quarreling with one another. 
• I think this doesn't mean break up every quarrel, since I think important skills are developed over time as the boys come into conflict with each other day by day.  But I do think it means monitor closely interactions and relationships. Don't let it get too far and nip vagrant behavior in the bud such as hitting and yelling. Attack those negative communications with vigor and onions!
• The Nephites were surprised by an attack by a secret society that had been festering in their society for a period of time long before it matured into a calamity.
• parents desperately need to pray for the gift of discernment to see the unseen, to sense the secret thoughts and intentions of the heart, EARLY, before they mature into calamity and bear wicked fruit and cause calamity
• we must heed spiritual warning signs - talk by Bednar
• Consider each child: what wild seeds do you see in the child that could over time mature into sin and contention. how can we root these weeds out together
• what virtues or seeds of virtue do you see in the child? how can be help these to grow?

1 Samuel 13: 1 - 14

These verses bring up a very important point that is very well discussed and articulated in the Old Testament Student Manual (section 24-30).

The point it makes is that part of our test in this life is to see if we will stay true to God even in the most difficult circumstances, even when things seem hopeless, even perhaps when it seems to our imperfect, mortal eyes that God or His prophets or His Church have failed us in some way. The Lord will at some point in our lives want to know whether we will be faithful to Him even in the most extreme circumstances. That is a really difficult test of discipleship. When all hell breaks loose, will we stick to God and trust Him or turn away from Him?

May the record of my life indicate that I was true and faithful to God in all things, at all times, in all places, and in all circumstances.

1 Samuel 13: 1 - 14.

Moroni 8

Members of the Church in Moroni's day began baptizing their little children, contrary to the established pattern of baptism at "the age of accountability". Moroni's father, Mormon, hearing of this development, writes him a letter concerning the subject. This chapter is that letter he wrote. Regarding the contents of his letter on the baptism of little children, the author himself says it best:

16 ...Behold, I speak with boldness, having authority from God; and I fear not what man can do; for perfect love casteth out all fear.

And then again:

21 ...I speak it boldly; God hath commanded me. Listen unto [my words] and give heed, or they stand against you at the judgment-seat of Christ.

That pretty much sums up this chapter. I do find it very bold. Very bold. Very bold in condemning the practice of baptizing little children. I appreciate how the prophet Mormon explains why baptizing little children not only has no effect eternally, but also constitutes a mockery of Christ's sacrifice and atonement for all mankind.

Little children are beautifully innocent of any sin. I have four little living examples of that fact at home.

Moroni 8.

1 Samuel 9-10

If and when greatness, prestige, wealth, and honor come, remember the example and follies of Saul, who started out all right, but who eventually turned fully away from the Lord.

See commentary 24-22.