FAMILY EVENING ON MONDAY 31 AUGUST

FAMILY EVENING ON MONDAY 31 AUGUST

Remember the Lord (Helaman: 7-12)

The situation is the wild west : everything is falling apart ..The Gadianton robbers had taken over much of the government, had usurped legitimate authority, the people have become corrupted Helaman7:4 and 5 Nephi went out to a place where he could pour out his soul ,carrying a double burden ,lamenting « these are my days » He feels sorrow for the people who refuse to listen to him , and grieves about his own life in such a wicked environment Helaman 7:7-9. As « his garden tower «is in a place where people going to the market could see him praying , some people and even a crowd stop and hear him . See Helaman 7:6 Great iniquity had come in the space of few years ...When conditions are ripe ,things can become rotten in a very short time Let’s listen to president Nelson , our prophet’s words «We need to do better ,and be better because we are in a battle .The battle with sin is real .Identify what stops you from repenting .And then change! Repent ....We need to get off the couch ,put down the remote and wake up from our spiritual slumber » (We can do better and be better General conference April 2019 ) Time is running out ..Let’s take time for introspection : what sorts of trials are upon us:3 kinds of them:1 )because we chose to come to mortality 2) because of the choice of others 3) the ones we are bringing upon ourselves . »

Our natural condition limits our perspectives ,subjects us to a constant battle with our selfish impulses, taints our love and bends our purposes toward destructive ends . Because of these vast differences , it seems reasonnable to expect God to behave and think differently about various matters than we do « (Mosiah 3;19) (Taken from Duane Boyee : What it means to sustain the Brethern) . Sprinkled among the crowd around Nephi ....5 people decided to go and check Nephi’s words about the judge assassination . Re ad what happened to them Helaman 9:3 to 9 and verse 18 and verse 39 ..They had even been forgotten in prison! ...but became converted !

How does my life intersect God? How has God worked in us ? Let’s look at chapter 10 verse 2 and Nephi was pondering(repeated 3 times )and then came « THE BLESSING »:Bless thee forever verse 5 Make thee mighty verse 5 verse 5 Didn’ task contrary and Nephi had trust Nephi,the prophet, is given complete sealing powers and there is a sort of signed agreement verse 6 between The Lord and Nephi. With these powers Nephi could seal the heavens and no rain fell...read chapter 11... .Helaman 12 is Mormon’s commentary about mankind . All the signs of the times are for the purpose mentionned verse 6 chapter 12 and Mormon calls to repent : it’s a call to hearken ,repent and receive grace for grace that is God’s great fullness : Helaman 12:22,23,24. God takes away so that we receive more under repentance. The power of Revelation is one theme President Nelson insists on this year « In the coming days ,it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the constant influence of the Holy Ghost . It’s time to do our spiritual work and not be surprised if it is work « So we must work hard ! David Bednar gave a talk called «The spirit of revelation » in April 2011 general Conference and said « Revelation comes in small increments overtime and is granted according to our desire,worthiness, and preparation «

Let’s find « our tower garden «to ponder , to meditate :what does the Lord need from each of us ? We saw that everything starts in the heart !...Trials are opportunities for us to make a response : be a bitter person or a better person , a hardened -hearted person or a softened -hearted one.

Life is a test in a fallen world: we battle one battle after another .We are not alone! Let the Lord and the prophet guide us safely « Remember , Remember »