Crying Unto God

How do we approach God? More specifically, when things look bad and the heavens seem like brass, how do we reach out to God? Do we turn to him in our time of need, not letting go until we are delivered from our pain? Or, conversely, do we look for ways to numb ourselves from the pain. Do we turn to substances or entertainment to cover our sorrows. If the later, is that the correct way to respond? Does God want us to avail ourselves of modern conveniences to relive our pain and suffering? Is he offended and turned away by expression of frustration and feelings about what has happened?

Our response to this question may reveal our proper relationship with God.

Over the years, I have experienced much heartache and pain. Dream and hopes have been dashed before my eyes, leaving me to question where God was in the midst of it all. During my younger years, I would question God and then find someone to distract myself from the pain. I would seek out friends, movie, or recreation to help. This was foolish. But I think for many of us, we do the same. And while this may work, at least for a time, it is not truly working. Instead, we are escaping moments where we could turn to God, and where, in turn, God can heal us.

I do not have complete access to God's mind. However, the Holy Spirit, at times, has given me an opening. One thing I have learned through the Spirit is despite how difficult my trials were, they were for my benefit. My trials have been brought about for my instruction and sanctification, and I have realized that God has used each trial to bring me closer to him. I think this is why that the author of Hebrews remarks, "Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby." (Hebrews 12:11).

But this process also comes with a caveat:

6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. (Hebrews 12: 6-8, emphasis added). 

To endure implies that the thing which we are enduring will be difficult. But to endure doesn't mean that we seek to numb ourselves or distract ourselves from the pain we are experiencing. It is the opposite: to endure God's chastening is to embrace it, and in that moment to let God be our focus. Pain and suffering, however unfortunate a truth, is a great instructor. It is in the moments of pain and suffering that we have an opportunity to turn to God in humility, broken and shattered and receive guidance from Him. 

One theologian explained it appropriately, 

The way to a deeper knowledge of God is through the lonely valleys of soul poverty and abnegation of all things...The ancient curse [the natural man] will not go out painlessly; the tough old miser within us will not lie down and die obedient to our command. He must be torn out of our heart like a plant from the soil; he must be extracted in agony and blood like a tooth from the jaw. He must be expelled from our soul by violence as Christ expelled the money changers from the temple. ---A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God (brackets added). 

When we try to numb or distract ourselves from the pain, that is not enduring but retreating from seeking after and being healed by God. Each trial is designed for our benefit and instruction. Trials reveal our priority and real desires. They also give us the opportunity to humble ourselves further before our God. Thus when trials occur, the best approach, the only fruitful approach, is to turn to God, giving him your heart and expressing your pain so that he can heal you. 

But lest this be too abstract, there is a video produced by the Bible Project explaining what the book of Lamentations is the Bible is about. And more importantly, how we can use it to draw closer to God by expressing our grief and pain in honestly and humility. 

In reflecting on this video, I am reminded of the following verse from Isaiah's description of the Messianic Kingdom:

He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it. (Isaiah 25: 8)

While the end of the journey is joy beyond measure, the journey itself is entails sorrow and pain. After all, the author and finisher of our faith experienced more pain that we could even imagine. In his darkest moments, He too, cried unto God for support, but did not receive an answer, only to remain with the feeling isolation. On the cross, left naked for the word to see, He quoted the Psalms, crying out "eli eli lama sabachtani" (God, god, why have you left/forsaken/abandoned me?") only to receive insults and taunting from the crowd below and silence from the heavens above.

But it is notable that in His time of need, He followed from the Hebrew tradition of lamenting. He didn't hold back his feelings or thoughts, but instead, in his last moments of pain and suffering, cried to God for answers.

May His example be an example to us. That when we are down and out, feeling that all is lost, we will not feel ashamed or unworthy to yearn for God in the deepest of sorrows and through our tears. Reaching out in the darkness, our voices ascending heavenward, pleading, yearning, and lamenting after and for the great Father of Lights. For as Isaiah prophesies, the Lord God will wipe away our tears and he will restore us. Therefore, lean on Him. For his mighty to deliver.

...I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day...I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that was sick (Ezekiel 34: verses 12 and 16, excerpted)

Something to Ponder

The following is a quote from an article. The full article is linked below. I encourage everyone to read it.

We often spend a lot of time and effort gathering believers together. We’ve become experts at gathering Christians around great bands, speakers, and events. Where we have failed is in teaching believers how to be alone with God. When is the last time you heard someone rave about their time alone with Jesus in his word? Gathering believers who don’t spend time alone with God can be a dangerous thing
...
I want to know the thoughts of God. I want to gather with people who have been reading God’s words, people who have prayed and interacted with him. I want to fellowship with those who fellowship with God. I couldn’t care less if you have a doctorate in theology or sixty years of life experience. I would rather talk with a fifteen-year-old who has been in the presence of God (emphasis added). 

https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/the-greatest-thing-you-could-do-today

Keeping a Measuring Stick--Nearby.

These are characteristics of experiences righteous people had and that I've identified in the scriptures.  I think they are worth thinking about and pondering on.

• I receive revelation by hearing a still small voice. 

• I receive revelation through feelings. 

• When I receive revelation, I hear a voice speak to me. This voice often communicates in sentences. And I sometimes engage with it in dialogue. 

• I often hear the voice of the Lord communicate with me. 

• Angels minister to me frequently, teaching and instructing me in the principles of the gospel. 

• I have personally seen Jesus Christ, and he has taught me. 

• I receive vision through dreams. 

• My prayers are always answered. 

• When I pray, I lose track of time. 

• When I pray, I don't want the prayer to end. 

• I gain spiritual strength (light) when I pray. 

• When I pray, I make a connection with heaven. This happen almost every time. 

• When I pray, I am given the words to say. 

• I am confident and believe that God will answer my prayers. 

• Throughout the day my heart is always drawn out to God in prayer. 

• I will sacrifice sleep to pray longer. 

• There have been times when I've prayed through the entire night. 

• It's hard for me to pray because my mind gets distracted easily. 

• I am confident that I can discern between true and false revelation.

• When faced with a problem, I rely on God to give me the solution instead of relying on my own abilities. 

• I know God's will for me. 

• I keep a journal to record revelation that I receive. 

• When I pray, my prayers are always answered. 

• I have received promises directly from God. 

Essay Completed

Attached below is a link to my essay about faith.


https://docs.google.com/document/d/18vseQYW0dLLai2KZYONTBdngDHbpXQdacu0seu6NgT4/edit?usp=sharing

The Temple Recommend Questions–A Stumbling Block Over Which We Still Stumble

Intro

To begin, let’s start with an example that many may be familiar with.  Picture this: You are preparing to enter to attend the temple. Perhaps your recommend is expired or it is your first time attending. You go through all the required steps: 1) Set up a meeting with a member of the bishopric; 2) Meet with one of them; 3) Set appointment to meet with a member of the Stake Presidency; and 4) Meet with one of them. As you meet with each authority, you are asked the following questions:

1 Do you have faith in and a testimony of God the Eternal Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost?

2 Do you have a testimony of the Atonement of Christ and of His role as Savior and Redeemer?

3 Do you have a testimony of the restoration of the gospel in these the latter days?

4 Do you sustain the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the Prophet, Seer, and Revelator and as the only person on the earth who possesses and is authorized to exercise all priesthood keys? Do you sustain members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as prophets, seers, and revelators? Do you sustain the other General Authorities and local authorities of the Church?

5 Do you live the law of chastity?

6 Is there anything in your conduct relating to members of your family that is not in harmony with the teachings of the Church?

7 Do you support, affiliate with, or agree with any group or individual whose teachings or practices are contrary to or oppose those accepted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

8 Do you strive to keep the covenants you have made, to attend your sacrament and other meetings, and to keep your life in harmony with the laws and commandments of the gospel?

9 Are you honest in your dealings with your fellowmen?

10 Are you a full-tithe payer?

11 Do your keep the Word of Wisdom?

12 Do you have financial or other obligations to a former spouse or children? If yes, are you current in meeting those obligations?

13 If you have previously received your temple endowment:

Do you keep the covenants that you made in the temple?

Do you wear the garment both night and day as instructed in the endowment  and in accordance with the covenant you made in the temple?

14 Have there been any sins or misdeeds in your life that should have been resolved with priesthood authorities but have not been?

15 Do you consider yourself worthy to enter the Lord’s house and participate in temple ordinances?

You answer appropriately to each questions poised. The leader finishes asking the question, tension releases as he begins to fill out and sign the recommend. It’s complete: you are now worthy to enter into the temple and now you're in right standing before God, right? 

Many of us may confidently respond in the affirmative. All the boxes are checked and both ecclesiastical leaders have signed-off on our worthiness. The answer, however, is not has straightforward as we think. To understand why, let’s look at the inherent flaw with this procedure of measuring worthiness.  

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Defining Worthiness

Before I address the flaws, I would first like to define what we mean by “worthiness.” This term seems to be unique to Latter-Day Saint terminology compared to other Christian denominations, and seems to used quite often when it comes to gospel discussion. 

To find the definition, I pulled from different sources. Here is what I have discovered.

• The word can be found in the Old Testament, but it carries a temporal meaning instead of a spiritual one. 
• The New Testament also uses this word. Here, we find a usage similar to LDS
• General Conference talks, for the most party, associate worthiness with morality. Also, the word comes into usage in the early 70s, and then comes back into usage in the recent General Conference talks.
• A article by Thomas S. Monson, found on LDS.org associates the the word with moral uprightness. 

Another source we can draw from is the dictionary.

• The 1828 dictionary defines it as, “Deserving; such as merits; having worth or excellence; equivalent; with of, before the thing deserved”
• Using Google, the word means good enough; suitable 
• And using the Bible dictionary, it defines it as as a righteous or correct standing before God. 

From this, we see that worthiness has different meanings. We also see, however, that in some instances worthiness is associated with morality. It seems that the General Conference talks and the article match the LDS definition of worthiness–a worthiness dealing with moral uprightness, or in other word righteousness. (I use these terms interchangeably.) 

This is important to point out. Because if we associate worthiness as being moral upright, we then believe that by having a temple recommend we are morally upright. 

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The Inherent Flaw 

To identify the flaw, I am going to run some hypotheticals to test how far temple recommend worthiness encompass moral uprightness. And for the sake of testing, I will assume that each person in the hypothetical has a temple recommend. 

1. Person sees someone begging on the streets but declines to offer any support. (Mosiah 4)
2. Person notices that his coworker is having more success than he he his. The person gets envious and his thoughts revolve around how unfair life is, and even more insidiously he wishes for his colleague to fail. (Alma 5)  
3. Person decides to spend his Sunday afternoon watching sports and tv. (D&C 59)
4. Person neglects to read his scriptures for an extended period of time. (2 Nephi 31) 
5. Person neglects to pray (Alma 34) 

These are just a few examples, but as you can see, the inherent flaw is that the temple recommend questions are too narrow. Each of the above examples, except maybe (1), are not covered in the questions. What this shows is that worthiness is a broad concept that encompasses many different aspects, which 15 questions won’t be able to properly measure. 

But that is just the technical side. There is a more insidious problem lurking when use the questions to measure our moral uprightness: we deceive ourselves in believing we are more righteous than we are. 

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Consequences

The following list below is a non-exhaustive list of some of the result of basing our moral uprightness on a set of 15 questions: 

1. Checklist obedience 
2. Creates an in and out group

Checklist

One result of having a checklist of questions we answer is that we inadvertently approach coming to God in a checklist manner. We believe that because we can answer correctly to each question, then we are in good terms with God. However, this thinking is false. To see how, let’s first turn to Alma. He remarks,  

30 And now, my brethren, I would that, after ye have received so many witnesses, seeing that the holy scriptures testify of these things, ye come forth and bring fruit unto repentance.31 Yea, I would that ye would come forth and harden not your hearts any longer; for behold, now is the time and the day of your salvation; and therefore, if ye will repent and harden not your hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought about unto you. 32 For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this is the day for men to perform their labors.  33 And now, as I said unto you before, as ye have have had so many witnesses, therefore, I beseech of you that ye do not procrastinate the day of your repentance until the end; for after his day of life, which is given us to prepare for eternity, behold, if we do not improve our time while in this life, then cometh the night of darkness wherein there can be no labor performed. 

The verse to pay attention to is 32. In it, Alma remarks that life is a prepping period to meet God. It’s helpful to understand that the meaning of meet is to be taken literally. We are to prepare ourselves to meet God. This means that our goal is to come into his presence. However, the Lord has been explicit in its requirements. In D&C 1, the Lord states that the can not look up sin with the least degree of allowance. Other places show that “…no unclean thing can dwell with God.” (1 Nephi 10). So the logical conclusion is then that we either change how God works, which is impossible; or we satisfy the requirement. So how do we satisfy it? 

The Lord outlines the process: forsake sins and come unto him (Mosiah 4). But for some, this instruction could be ambiguous. So, let’s look at a clearer instruction for D&C 88:68, wherein the Lord, speaking to Joseph Smith, states: “…sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you…” 

Here the Lord is more explicit: he expects us to sanctify ourselves. What’s also important to notice is that he outlines what he means by sanctification–our minds our single to God. This is a major detail because what this means is that when our minds are single to God we act and think like God. Using a checklist approach is not going to achieve this, because it does not produce a change of heart. To get to this point, is when a person has allowed himself to be transformed into a different creature–one that whose focus is placed solely on God. 

Furthermore, the checklist approach doesn’t address the character deficits we have. The purpose of God’s commandments is to change us by giving us access to greater light and truth (see D&C 93). 

Merely checking off keeping the commandments in a manner similar to a chore chart is not going to produce this, because it doesn’t produce a change of heart and it can cause us to misunderstand the real commandments. In fact, it can actually hinder our salvation by causing us to believing that we are more righteous than we really are. And this false believe is a deception, and we can’t expect to receive God and his Spirit if we act in deception (2 Nephi 31). 

To see who God expects us to be, let’s turn to 2 Peter, who writes: 

5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Peter refers to this as the divine nature, cultivating this nature brings us into God’s presence. If we are lacking in any one of these attributes, we are not yet saved. To get her requires a us to humble ourselves before God and submit to his will, so that we can be transformed. 

Create and In- and Out-Group

Another result that follows from using the temple recommend questions as our measure of moral uprightness is that it draws arbitrary lines between the nominal righteous and wicked. Because there is an established standard of righteousness, we assume that those who do not meet that standard to enter the temple are not “worthy” to, while those who can are. This is a very simplistic and naive understanding of the gospel and it is also quite arrogant. Now, there may be certain behaviors that are clearly sinful, those who have no interest in God. While I pray that they come back to God, I am not addressing that group. The group I am addressing are the ones who haven’t fully conformed to the standards in a way we would prefer. It is that group that is excluded from the in group of the “righteous.”

Examples in the scriptures reveal that humans have difficult time assessing a person’s character.  When it came to ordaining a king after the fall of King Saul, the prophet Samuel assumed that one of David’s brothers would be the next  king, failing to realize that Lord had David in mind. Another example is the Lord calling Paul, a previous persecutor of the saints, into his service. But the primary example is that of the Lord himself. 

Christ’s earthly ministry should serve as a check for us when are tempted to categorize people into righteous and wicked groups, because that criteria, a set of standards, would’ve assigned Christ into the “out-group.” To see why, let’s look at his ministry:

1. He associated and befriended a subset of Jewish society who openly flaunted morality and religious observance (this includes prostitutes and tax collectors) by eating and conversing with them. (The examination of Near East and Roman customs reveal that eating together was “an open display of friendship and acceptance of one another.) 
2. He healed on the Sabbath
3. Conversed publicly with women. (Jewish teaching warned against spending too much time talking with women because of the temptation and appearance of impropriety. Moreover, the rabbinic teaching in the Mishnah cautioned against talking “too much with women,” the rationale being that doing so take time away from studying the scriptures and can bring trouble). 
4. He openly denounced the religious authority and refrained from following their religious prescriptions. 
5. He broke the tradition of fully washing hand before eating. 

Although the Jewish religious society did not have list  of “recommend” questions like we have and the process for entering the temple was different than today, the important thing to note is that the religious Jewish society had a set of standards that Jesus did not adhere to. And while those standards are different than today, the nevertheless the were standards that the Jewish religious used to measure moral uprightness, placed Jesus in the out-group. 

Such an observation should give us pause as to how we go about assessing righteousness. It should also cause us to reflect upon what really matters to God, and that we could be, despite our best intentions, actually missing the weightier things of the gospel. 

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Conclusion

Instead of using a list of standards to gauge our moral uprightness and standing before God, let us instead go directly to God and ask him to show us what matters to him. The failure to do so results in us believing that we are morally better off than we suppose. The recommend questions are a crude measurement of our standing and for one to rely solely on that is to miss the actual chances for real growth and improvement. The expectation God has for us is a lot bigger than what can be asked from a list of 15 questions and is more nuanced than could be assessed by a human leader in a 15 minute interview.

Sacrament Talk--Remembering the Lord

I was asked to talk about how the Book of Mormon has impacted my life. One thing that is repeatedly mentioned, in both a negative and positive form, is the practice of remembering the Lord. The negative form involves a slowness in remembering the Lord; the positive concerns remembering the mercies of the Lord, including his mercy and power to deliver one from evil. The importance of this practice is even more emphasized by Moroni in his final remarks. Along with gifts of the spirit and a exhortation to come unto Christ, Moroni invites us to remember the mercies of the Lord, he writes: 

“Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye receive these things, and ponder it in your heart.”

For this talk, I would like to flesh-out the implications of the following questions: Why does he include this? What significance does it serve? 

To answer these questions, it is first important to establish context. We learn from Moses 1 that God’s work and glory, or in other words, his purpose, is to bring about our immortality and eternal life. To bring this about involves proving ourselves to God through faith. When we have done all that we can do, exhibiting our desire to follow his will in each area of commandment, when then receive grace and light. However, the challenge of this test becomes more rigorous as it is administered from behind a veil. We can’t see God and so as the Apostle Paul remarks, we walk by faith, not sight. Yet, God has not left us without an awareness of him. He made himself known to Adam and Eve, who in turn made their knowledge of him known to their posterity, allowing them, and others, to exercise faith. And as Moroni teaches, God also sent angels to “make manifest concerning the coming of Christ,” allowing others to exercise faith in him. Without a this kind of knowledge, man would be unable to exercise faith in him, resulting in damnation. Therefore, each restoration of the gospel, involved God revealing himself so that people could place their faith in him. 

But while God, from the beginning of the world, has provided knowledge of his existence, it is also important to bear in mind that this knowledge is limited. Although many people were able to enter into the presence of God while in the flesh, they were unable to directly transfer that experience to others who had not. The scriptures refer to this entering into his presence as a coming to a knowledge of God. This principle is still operative today. Yet, while it is operative in the sense of possibility, many have not received this type of knowledge. This is important to note. The lack of transferabilityof experience between the person who knows of Christ and one who only knows about Him, creates a dissonance that Satan exploits very well. Because the later person only has knowledge about God–a knowledge of his attributes and awareness of his existence– which is at times fragile, unstable, and often indiscernible, Satan works to take that vestige of knowledge away. He can do this by directly attacking one’s belief, often using his own mouthpieces in the world to argue against God’s existence. However, because such an approach can cause the believer to become more entrenched in his belief, this can often backfire. Another arrow he uses is creating fear and distress to the mind of the believer, but that also has a chance of backfiring as well, as the believer relies on Christ to ameliorate his fear. Likewise, he can create trials, but that can also backfire, as God uses those trials to refine and perfect his people. 

So what other arrow remains in his quiver? Distraction. 

In describing one of Satan’s common tacts, CS Lewis writes, ““…the safest road to Hell is the gradual one–the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts,…” This quote is taken from the Screwtape Letters. The premise of the book involves the narrator, an evil spirit named Screwtape, teaching his “nephew”, Wormwood, how to tempt man. Much of the strategy suggested by the narrator to his nephew involves him employing small distractions to tempt the man (referred to as the patient) into sin. The focus then is not so much about bringing upon the complete moral corruption for the patient, but distracting him enough to not hear the voice or notice the workings of the Lord . This concept applies to us: If Satan can get us to slowly forget the workings of the Lord, then he can start to chip away at our faith, and ultimately hollow out our salvation. That is all he needs. Lehi’s vision serves as a perfect example to his concept. Satan’s main tactic of leading people away from God was to distract them. 

The Lord, both ancientally and modernally, moreover, has warned against this. During the early church, he admonished the brethren, who were more devoted to financial investments than the things of heaven, to not be “encumbered.” In the account of Luke, The Lord chided Martha when she asked Him to reprove her sister, Mary, for neglecting to help her around the house because Mary was occupied with listening to Jesus teach. He responded, “Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things. But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part.” While Martha thought she was in the right, by attending to her household responsibilities, Jesus pointed out to her that there were more needful things requiring her attention, such as listening to what he had to teach. Additionally, Paul in Ephesians instructs, “Be careful then how you live…making the most of the time, because the days are evil.” Now, am I saying to sell your possession and retreat into ascetic seclusion?  No quite, however scriptural precedent shows that such is possible. But I do bring up these examples to stress that we should be aware of potential distractions. 

But let’s push this notion of little further. By asking ourselves what is one of our distractions. While there are many, here is a prominent one: phones. Our phones have become our idol, our source of attention, and even reverence. For instance, How often do we make sure that we have our phone with us before we leave the house, but yet forgetting to have the Spirit with us? Or what about taking time to update our status, but failing to check in (to update our status) with our maker? We are apt in using our phones with facility and ease, but what about prayer? Do we outsource our help and guidance, our focus, to man-made devices instead of Ahman himself. Are we as adapt at getting answers from God as we are with our phones? We are blessed to live in a time where knowledge, and furthermore, truth, is so readily available. Do we avail ourselves in acquiring it? 

Afterall, The Lord has promised that those who lack wisdom or understanding will be given it. 

These foregoing questions become all the more frightening when considered with evidence that the creators of social media platforms have admitted to engineering their devices to attract us in ways similar to casino slots.  In light of this, Lehi’s dream becomes almost too real as phones and technology serve as voices of distraction, akin to those revellers in the Great and Spacious building, who used the power of their voices to diverate many from the precious fruit. And unlike the plot of a story, whose ending is unknown, we know the outcome of heading worldly distractions: to fall away, never partaking of the tree of life. 

Each of these temptations have their inception in the mind. Could the solution be, then, to readjust our thinking? Is this where remembering comes in? It’s fitting to consider that after Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden, God gave them symbols by which they could remember the atonement. Moreover one practice that was practiced among the ancient Hebrews, which is practiced among the orthodox Jews today is that of devoting one’s thoughts entirely to the Lord. The rabbi’s, today, commit themselves to memorizing the Torah so that they can recite it while engaging in their daily activities, thereby keeping their thoughts on the things of God. Although they don’t have the complete truth, this is portion of truth worth emulating. Furthermore, In the book of Psalms, King David stresses how he mediates upon the word day and night. And lastly, the word of our sacrament contains a condition of partaking the bread and water so that we always remember him. The answer then is to remember God. 

To then answer the questions posed earlier: It is important to note that Moroni is writing his record after the destruction of the Nephite people. It is reasonable, additionally, to assume that Moroni had a strong understanding of his people’s history. His dad, for instance, abridged the plates, likely sharing with Moroni his observations. Or even if such was not the case, his translation of the Jaredite record, would have provided him strong insight into the nature of man and the workings of the devil, allowing him to make connections about the pattern of human history. Therefore, Moroni perhaps included his council so that we could also avoid falling into temptation.

The practice of remembering the Lord is important because it cause our thoughts to be occupied on the things of God, thereby crowding out Satan from hijacking them. The Lord has always expected his people to be a “particular” people, set apart from the word. A feature of this is actively directing ourselves towards his will. Much of this happens in the mind. The Lord, moreover, has commanded that his people pray always. And while vocal praying and silent meditation are not always possible, we should carve out time, like Jesus and others, to be alone with God. Doing so strengthens the connection between us and heaven, making it harder for Satan to interfere. 

In closing, I quote King David, whose poetic expression, captures this concept fittingingly. He exclaims, “O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.” Despite David’s own shortcomings, the imagery of thirst in a desert is a fitting one. When one is thirsty, satisfying one’s thirst is the primary objective–every other concern falls to the wayside.  Thirsting for God is the same thing: our sole objective, pun intended, is to seek after God with all effort until our thirst is satisfied. For he as promised that all who seek after him shall find him.