Come Unto Chirst

Ether 2: 14-15 - Significance of Not Praying

" 14 And it came to pass at the end of four years that the Lord came again unto the brother of Jared, and stood in a cloud and talked with him. And for the space of three hours did the Lord talk with the brother of Jared, and chastened him because he remembered not to call upon the name of the Lord.

 15 And the brother of Jared repented of the evil which he had done, and did call upon the name of the Lord for his brethren who were with him. And the Lord said unto him: I will forgive thee and thy brethren of their sins; but thou shalt not sin any more, for ye shall remember that my Spirit will not always strive with man; wherefore, if ye will sin until ye are fully ripe ye shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord. And these are my thoughts upon the land which I shall give you for your inheritance; for it shall be a land choice above all other lands."

One often may foolishly misperceive that to not pray is a minor mistake that is not as erroneous as other possible sins. However, through the Brother of Jared's experience, we see that Mormon describes this sin as "evil" and was significance enough for the Lord to chastise him for the space of three hours. As we pray, we receive enhanced direction and guidance from the Holy Spirit. This communication should be one's highest priority and not carelessly forsaken.  

Things Will Work Out

Helaman 11:19 - Attain the Testimony of a Prophet

"19 And behold, Lehi, his brother, was not a whit behind him as to things pertaining to righteousness."

It is described that Lehi, "was not one whit behind" Nephi and was equally righteous. As one considers the spiritual state of esteemed leaders in the Church, they must also regard themselves as possessing an equal potential in "things pertaining to righteousness." One does not need to lag from an ever constant behind, but rather exercise personal autonomy and build a mighty testimony.

Helaman 10:16 - How to Escape Danger

"16 But behold, the power of God was with him, and they could not take him to cast him into prison, for he was taken by the Spirit and conveyed away out of the midst of them."

Through the power of the spirit, Nephi is able to effectively navigate himself out of destructive situations. Christ, too, in His earthly ministry experienced similar circumstances wherein evil men wanted to seize upon Him, however, He was able to pass from their midst without their knowledge. Thus one sees how the spirit serves to help one evade danger and teach more powerfully. Both warned sufficiently to the people about repentance, therefore, it was acceptable to let them escape. 

A Little Better

Helaman 10:12 - What is your commitment to God?

"12 And behold, now it came to pass that when the Lord had spoken these words unto Nephi, he did stop and did not go unto his own house, but did return unto the multitudes who were scattered about upon the face of the land, and began to declare unto them the word of the Lord which had been spoken unto him, concerning their destruction if they did not repent."

Nephi clearly shows how our commitment to God and His commandments should be displayed in our actions. Instead of returning to a comfortable home, devoid of grief or pain, Nephi immediately follows his revelation without question, despite recent spiritual and physical toil. Similarly, one must be willing to sacrifice what they desire in order to obtain a higher blessing later.

Glory of God

Helaman 5:41 -Dispell the Clouds of Darkness

" 41 And Aminadab said unto them: You must repent, and cry unto the voice, even until ye shall have faith in Christ, who was taught unto you by Alma, and Amulek, and Zeezrom; and when ye shall do this, the cloud of darkness shall be removed from overshadowing you."

If one desires to "dispell the clouds of darkness" from their lives, they must apply the simple principles of the gospel in their actions until they gain a personal conviction of it. Through sincere prayer and continued repentance, a recollection of previous teachings and a renewed faith in Christ will emerge and be powerfully sufficent to the dispersion of any evil force.