Day 91

"The Bible and the Book of Mormon are both witnesses of Jesus Christ. They teach that He is the Son of God, that He lived an exemplary life, that He atoned for all mankind, that He died upon the cross and rose again as the resurrected Lord. They teach that He is the Savior of the world.

Scriptural witnesses authenticate each other. This concept was explained long ago when a prophet wrote that the Book of Mormon was “written for the intent that ye may believe [the Bible]; and if ye believe [the Bible] ye will believe [the Book of Mormon] also.”   Each book refers to the other. Each book stands as evidence that God lives and speaks to His children by revelation to His prophets." ~ Elder Russell M. Nelson

In what ways does the Book of Mormon strengthen your faith in the teachings in the Bible? In what ways does the Bible strengthen your faith in the teachings in the Book of Mormon?

Day 90 - ONLY 10 more Days!

“The tragedy of the Book of Mormon is not what became of the

Nephites but what the Nephites became.”

~ Hugh Nibley

What led to the fall of the Nephites?

What things do you do each day to stay strong?

Day 89

“Full repentance involves a 180-degree turn, and without
looking back! …In ritual regret, we mourn our mistakes but
without mending them. There can be no real repentance without
personal suffering and the passage of sufficient time for the
needed cleansing and turning…Chastening is often needed until
the turning is really under way!”
~ Elder Neal A. Maxwell

We can be sorry for the wrong reasons (like when we’re caught
or punished). What can help you be sorry for the right reason?

Day 88

But there is one kind of latter-day destruction that has always sounded to me more personal than public, more individual than collective—a warning, perhaps more applicable inside the Church than outside it. The Savior warned that in the last days even those of the covenant, the very elect, could be deceived by the enemy of truth.   If we think of this as a form of spiritual destruction, it may cast light on another latter-day prophecy. Think of the heart as the figurative center of our faith, the poetic location of our loyalties and our values; then consider Jesus’s declaration that in the last days “men’s hearts [shall fail] them." ~ President Jeffrey R. Holland

to read the whole article:
http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2009/10/safety-for-the-soul?lang=eng&query=book+mormon+3+nephi

How has the reading the Book of Mormon built your testimony and provide safety for your soul so that you will not be deceived?

Day 87

“The most important of all the commandments of God is the one

that you’re having the most difficulty keeping…Today is the day

for you to work…until you’ve been able to conquer that

weakness. Then you start on the next one that’s most difficult

for you to keep. That’s the way to sanctify yourselves by

keeping the commandments of God.”

~ President Harold B. Lee

What commandments are most difficult for you? What are you

doing to be more obedient? Who can help you?

Day 86

“I can’t list all the ways that blessings will come from obedience to
this principle [of tithing], but I testify many will come in spiritual ways
that go well beyond economics… I express my deepest gratitude for
every blessing of the gospel of Jesus Christ, especially that greatest of
all gifts, the exemplary life and atoning death of God’s Only Begotten
Son. I know I can never repay heaven for any of this benevolence, but
there are many ways I need to try to show my thankfulness. One of
those ways is in the payment of tithes and freewill offerings.”
~ Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

What blessings do you receive from paying tithing?

Day 85

“Every person who embraces the gospel becomes of the house of

Israel…The great majority of those who become members of the

Church are literal descendants of Abraham through Ephraim, son

of Joseph. Those who are not literal descendants of Abraham

and Israel must become such, and when they are baptized and

confirmed they are grafted into the tree and are entitled to all the

rights and privileges as heirs.”

~ President Joseph Fielding Smith

What blessings are promised to you because

you are of the house of Israel?

Day 84

“We are commanded to repent of our sins and to come to the Lord with
a broken heart and a contrite spirit and partake of the sacrament in
compliance with its covenants. When we renew our baptismal
covenants in this way, the Lord renews the cleansing effect of our
baptism. In this way we are made clean and can always have His Spirit
to be with us. The importance of this is evident in the Lord’s
commandment that we partake of the sacrament each week.”
~ Elder Dallin H. Oaks

How can taking the sacrament each week help you to be just as
clean as when you were baptized?

Day 83

“Aren’t we rather prone to see the limitations and weaknesses of
our neighbors? Yet that is contrary to the teachings of the gospel
of Jesus Christ…If we have the spirit of fault finding…that never
comes as the result of the companionship of the Spirit of our
Heavenly Father and is always harmful.”
~ President George Albert Smith

The Savior gave teachings to the Nephites similar to the Sermon
on the Mount. He warned not to judge. What helps you to
always look for the best in others and not be critical?

Day 82

"Another reason we sometimes do not recognize the voice of the Lord in our lives is because the revelations of the Spirit may not come directly to us as the answer to our prayers.

Our Father in Heaven expects us to study it out first and then pray for guidance as we seek answers to questions and concerns in our personal lives. We have our Heavenly Father’s assurance that He will hear and answer our prayers. The answer may come through the voice and wisdom of trusted friends and family, the scriptures, and the words of prophets.

It has been my experience that some of the most powerful promptings we receive are not only for our own benefit but also for the benefit of others. If we are thinking only of ourselves, we may miss some of the most powerful spiritual experiences and profound revelations of our lives." - President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

To read the whole article:

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/waiting-on-the-road-to-damascus?lang=eng#d

How has serving others and being an answer to their prayers helped you to find the answer to your own prayers?

Day 81

“Look to the temple of the Lord as the great symbol of your

membership…As we attend the temple, we learn more richly and

deeply the purpose of life and the significance of the atoning

sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us make the temple, with

temple worship and temple covenants and temple marriage, our

ultimate earthly goal and the supreme mortal experience.”

~ President Howard W. Hunter

The Nephites were gathered at the temple when the Savior

visited them. How are you preparing to go to the temple?

Day 80

“An atonement was made. Ever and always it offers amnesty
from transgression and from death if we will but repent.
Repentance is the escape clause in it all. Repentance is the key
with which we can unlock the prison from inside. We hold that
key within our hands… Humbly I lay claim upon the atonement
of Christ. I find no shame in kneeling down in worship of
our Father and His Son.”
~ President Boyd K. Packer

What can the Lord do for you when you repent?

Day 79

“I testify that no one of us is less treasured or cherished of God

than another. I testify that He loves each of us—insecurities,

anxieties, self-image, and all. He doesn’t measure our talents or

our looks; He doesn’t measure our professions or our

possessions. He cheers on every runner, calling out that the race
is against sin, not against each other.

~ Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

Why is pride “the great stumbing block of Zion”?

What can help you be more humble?

Day 78

“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

How can you help your family receive the strength
that comes from being “gathered together”?

Day 77

“Gifts of the Spirit which the Lord bestows upon those who believe and obey the gospel of Christ are called signs.  That is, the receipt stands as an evidence or sign of the presence of that faith which results from believing the truth. Signs are wonders and miracles; they always and invariably are manifest to and among the faithful saints.”
~ Elder Bruce R. McConkie

Why didn't Satan want the faithful Nephites to believe in the signs?  What lies does he send today to try to keep you from believing the witness you’ve received as a result of your faith?

Day 76

“Spiritual maturity is understanding that we cannot blame

anybody else for our actions. Some factors may make it harder

for us to perform according to God’s plan for us, but being

accountable for how we use our agency means

being answerable for our own behavior.”

~ Sister Elaine Cannon

In what ways do you use your agency to help you to grow? 

Day 75

“The Prophet Samuel the Lamanite sets forth the interesting rule that when ‘the Economy’ becomes the main and engrossing concern of a society--or in the routine Book of Mormon phrase, when ‘they begin to set their hearts upon their riches’--the economy will self-destruct. This is how he puts it: ‘Ye do always remember your riches; . . . your hearts are not drawn out unto the Lord, but they do swell with great pride, . . . envyings, strifes, malice, persecutions and murders, and all manner of iniquities’ (Helaman 13:22). Note well the sequence of folly: first we are well pleased with ourselves because of our wealth, then comes the game of status and prestige, leading to competitive maneuvers, hatred, and dirty tricks, and finally the ultimate solution. Where wealth guarantees respectability, principles melt away as the criminal element rises to the top: ‘For this cause hath the Lord God caused that a curse should come upon the land, and also upon your riches’ (Helaman 13:23).”
~Hugh Nibley

In what ways do you see this reflected in our society today?

Day 74

“Afflictions can soften us and sweeten us, and can be a
chastening influence. We often think of chastening as something
being done to punish us… Divine chastening, however, is a
form of learning as it is administered at
the hands of a loving Father.”
~ Elder Neal A. Maxwell

Why do you think it is so much easier to remember the Lord
when we suffer, than when everything is going well? What can
you do to remember the Lord even when times are good?

Day 73

“When you read the Book of Mormon, concentrate on the principal figure in the book—from its first chapter to the last—the Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God. …

“… Great prophets of the Book of Mormon—in their own way and time—testified of the divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ. Among them were the brother of Jared, Zenock, Neum, and Zenos. Testimonies of Jesus Christ that predated His birth in Bethlehem were also recorded from King Benjamin, Abinadi, Alma the Elder, Alma the Younger, Amulek, the sons of Mosiah, Captain Moroni, the brothers Nephi and Lehi, and Samuel the Lamanite. In a seemingly endless sequence of prophetic proclamations—testimonies of ‘all the holy prophets’ [Jacob 4:4] for ‘a great many thousand years before his coming’ [Helaman 8:18]—the Book of Mormon makes the solemn declaration that Jesus is the Christ, our Savior and Redeemer”  Elder RussellM. Nelson

(in Conference Report, Oct. 1999, 87; or Ensign, Nov. 1999, 69).

Would you be willing to be like Nephi and  risked your life to testify of Jesus Christ and His Atonement?  Why do we sometimes hesitate to do things that seem too simple like following the prophet?

Day 72

“Every [convert] needs three things: a friend, a responsibility,
and nurturing with the ‘good word of God.’ It is our duty and
opportunity to provide these things.”
~ President Gordon B. Hinckley

What kind of friend are you to converts, members who are new
to your ward, or the less-active? What things do you do to
nourish others with the word of the Lord?

Day 71

“We have an increasing number who have been convinced,

through the Book of Mormon, that Jesus is the Christ. Now we

need an increasing number who will use the Book of Mormon to

become committed to Christ. We need to be convinced and

committed.”

~ President Ezra Taft Benson

What are some things you can do to build upon the sure

foundation?

Day 70

"Most of us think of pride as self-centeredness, conceit, boastfulness, arrogance, or haughtiness. All of these are elements of the sin, but the heart, or core, is still missing.

The central feature of pride is enmity—enmity toward God and enmity toward our fellowmen. Enmity means “hatred toward, hostility to, or a state of opposition.” It is the power by which Satan wishes to reign over us.

Pride is essentially competitive in nature. We pit our will against God’s. When we direct our pride toward God, it is in the spirit of “my will and not thine be done.” As Paul said, they “seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ’s.” (Philip. 2:21.)"

 President Ezra Taft Benson

To read the whole article:
http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1989/04/beware-of-pride?lang=eng&query=pride

Ponder the difference of being Proud of Something versus being Prideful of something and how it has affected you?

Day 69

“If Satan can succeed in creating in us the pastime of arguing,
quarreling, and contention, it is easier for him to bind us with
heavier sins which can destroy our eternal lives.”
~ Elder Marvin J. Ashton

How can you avoid contention in your family and other
relationships?

Day 68

“These people all had basically the same experience. The war
was the same length for all people; yet out of the same
experience some were hardened and some were softened.
What made the difference?
It was what they thought of God and his Son.”
~ C. Max Caldwell

When you experience trials, do you feel your heart is hardened
or softened? What can you do to improve your thoughts of
Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ? How do you think this will
help to soften your heart?

Day 67

“When you look in the dictionary for the most important word, do you know what it is? It could be remember…  our greatest need is to remember.”

~ President Spencer W. Kimball

“Satan wants us to be slow to remember what we have received

and heard. He wants us to minimize and even forget the quiet

witnesses of the Spirit that have told us who we really are.”

~ Sister Susan L. Warner

What helps you to not forget the spiritual experiences you’ve had?

Day 66

“He whose name this church bears has promised that He will be in our midst, lead us along, go before us, and even fight our battles. He has further counseled, ‘Be not afraid of your enemies, for I have decreed in my heart … that I will prove you in all things, whether you will abide in my covenant, even unto death, that you may be found worthy’ (D&C 98:14).”                               Elder Neal A. Maxwell

How can the Lord help you to overcome fear?

Day 65

“We need more mothers who know the truth, whose children do

not doubt their mothers know it.”

~ Elder Neal A. Maxwell

What important lessons have you learned from your mother?

Day 64

“In the spiritual battles you are waging,
I see you as today’s sons of Helaman.”
~ President Ezra Taft Benson

Notice how Mormon describes these young men. How are you
living so that you can be likened to the stripling warriors?

Day 63

“The meaning of the word liberty is difficult to circumscribe. Abraham Lincoln was of the opinion that “the world has never had a good definition of [the term]. We all declare for liberty,” he said; “but in using the same word we do not mean the same thing. With some, the word liberty may mean for each man to do as he pleases with himself and the product of his labor; while with others [liberty] may mean for some men to do as they please with other men and the product of other men’s labor.”

Again he said, “The shepherd drives the wolf from the sheep’s throat, for which the sheep thanks the shepherd as his liberator, while the wolf denounces him for the same act.” (Address, 18 Apr. 1864; quoted in John Bartlett, Familiar Quotations, 15th ed., Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1980, p. 523.)

The issues have changed since the time of Lincoln, but the multipurpose use of the word liberty and its synonym freedom has not changed. The sweets of liberty about which we usually speak may be classified as (1) political independence, (2) economic freedom, and (3) free agency.

I would have us strive for that liberty which comprehends all three of these freedoms, and more. I would have us strive for a freedom of the soul to which they all contribute. I would have us attain that blessed state foreshadowed by the Prophet Joseph Smith when he said, “Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God.” (D&C 121:45.) One who enjoys such liberty is, in the words of Jesus, “free indeed.” (John 8:36.) He is possessed of perfect liberty.” Marion G. Romney, The Perfect Law, October 1981

To read the whole article:
http://www.lds.org/general-conference/1981/10/the-perfect-law-of-liberty?lang=eng&query=liberty

Has anger/stubbornness ever made you apathetic and not stand to defend the rights and freedoms of yourself and others?  How do you change to become actively engaged?

Day 62

“Mormon wants to teach what will be of most worth to us, and
his use of the words thus and thus we see make the lessons easier
to recognize and understand. Pay close attention to the ‘thus we
see’ phrases in the Book of Mormon. Here Mormon wants you
to understand that the Lord is keeping His word to Lehi and
blessing the Nephites with prosperity when they
keep the commandments.”
~ Elder Henry B. Eyring

In what ways has the Lord kept his word to you?

Day 61

“Be true to your own convictions. You know what is right, and
you know what is wrong. You know when you are doing the
proper thing… We need not fear as long as we have in our lives
the power that comes from righteously living by the truth.”
~ President Gordon B. Hinckley

The Lamanites did not want to go to battle against the Nephites, but
they also did not want to displease the king (Alma 47:2). Have you
ever been in a situation where you wanted to do the right thing, but
were afraid you would displease someone? Why is it always better to
do the right thing than to worry about what others might think of you?