The Blessing of the Book of Mormon

Every day this week, what I've read in the Book of Mormon has been exactly what I needed to hear. It's felt like the situations in the Book fit specifically to my own situations. I love the Spirit reading this book brings; the comfort, the hope, the joy, the godly sorrow, the repentance, the love, and the mercy of God. I am so grateful for this gospel and the hope and joy it brings. There is so much comfort in the fact that we can continually work hard, repent, and increase our efforts, joy, and knowledge.

Tonight's chapter was so wonderful, I felt like sharing it. Maybe it will help others as much as it helped me.

3 Nephi 25: 2-6

2. But unto you that fear my name, shall the Son of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth and grow up as calves in the stall.

3. And ye shall tread down the wicked (for me...trials/temptations); for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of Hosts.

4. Remember ye the law of Moses, my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments.

5. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord;

6. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

For me, I loved that the Son of Righteousness would come "with healing in his wings." The Lord wants to help and heal us if we fear him; if we put him at the center of our lives and exemplify his directions for us. I loved that statement that we could "tread down the wicked....under the soles of your feet." It reminds me of Moses 4:21 where (speaking to the serpent) mankind will "bruise thy head." I've always loved that imagery. We can stomp Satan out of our lives if we as much as put forth the effort and do the will of the Lord. So, for me, we should look towards the Lord and that will help us get rid of evil in our lives; then we must follow the commandments. This all results in families that can be worthy and sealed together for time and all eternity. Families are so central to this earthly and later our post-earthly lives. We must do all we can to be worthy for that blessings or else we will be smitten. And the wonderful thing is that we have s many resources to help us in this: the Atonement, prayer, scriptures, church and school religion classes, other members of the church, modern-day prophets, etc. There is hope in the Atonement, there is forgiveness, there is a change in heart that puts us into action.